Chapter 9 – Least I forget
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I returned to school giggling still. I had missed the big one as far as marriage contracts were concerned. I was looking forward to the February Hogsmeade visit. Bundled up and snuggling with two gorgeous girls was only way to go, the other was at Dun-Potter and the swimming pool. Little did I know that all my laughter would be gone in the very near future.
"So Hermione where is Daphne?"
"She doesn't want to go to Hogsmeade she says it's too cold for her."
"Dam odd if you ask me, so where do you want to go to besides Tomes & Scrolls?"
"Well I was thinking, if you don't mind, we could 'floe' to the Leaky Cauldron and go to a couple of muggle book stores?"
"Sure, why not, we can grab a cinema and a pizza while we are there, that is if you want?"
"Sounds great Harry let's go."
/Scene Break/
"Dam Hermione what's with all the books?"
"I want to get a head start on study for UNI when we finish Hogwarts."
"Well you definitely have enough to keep you busy through the next break if not for your next two years here at Hogwarts."
"Well you can never be too prepared."
"Lets use the Dervish & Banges 'floe' in Hogsmeade to return I need a new quill and Scrivenshaft's is just across the street."
"We need to get back to Hogwarts Harry; you can pick up a new quill tomorrow." Hermione said in a nervous voice.
"Come on Hermione it will only take a minute and we can catch the carriages afterwards if your too tired from shopping."
No sooner did we step onto the street when I saw Daphne kissing a guy who I thought was called Aglionby and a Slytherin. They appeared on their way to Madam Puddlefoots.
"Think Daphne forgot to tell me something Hermione?"
"I'm sorry Harry she swore me to secrecy."
We walked back to the carriages and then rode to Hogwarts in silence. When we got there I realized I didn't get that quill and I needed to go back tomorrow. I didn't think my life had ended but I also didn't know who a I was mad at, Daphne for not telling or Hermione. I got to go to Hogsmeade alone the next day as Hermione was busy with her new books. It was good that I was by myself as I wasn't fit company and I had some thinking to do. Yea they were drawn to me like a moth to a flame; I must have had a flame-out.
/Scene Break/
Daphne ignored me and so I didn't cause any troubles. OWLs were on us so Hermione had me studying like testing was the next day. I figured with all the studying that I had done that OWLs would be of no concern but tried to make Hermione happy.
Between Draco, Defense against the Dark Arts and Daphne's little switcheroo I was not in the mood for what Snape pulled in the next potion class.
"Mr. Potter what is that concoction you are brewing?"
"The Vanishing potion as you have illustrated on the chalk board."
"No it's not even close, 'Evanesco', start again Potter. That will also be five points for wasting ingredance and see if this time your pee brain can follow instructions." He turned and went to yell at Ron. It's a wonder that steam was not pouring out of my ears. The color and texture of the potion was perfect and he just vanishes without a word as to why it was bad. Grrrrr.
DADA was a further nightmare. The Pink Toad had retained her job at Hogwarts but was still pro-Ministry, pro-Fudge. It didn't make any difference that they had Voldemort recorded live from the Ministry the DADA material was still not taught. She did have a few more words directed generally at me with innuendoes about some people's corrupted love lives.
That night at diner I was stewing in the unfairness of it all when I glanced at the head table. Snape was watching me with his sneer and the Pink Toad was watching me as if I was going to turn into something sickly evil. But why? Why was I being bothered? Why was I not returning their hospitality? I turned to the head-table and gave everyone a super happy grin, I had a plan.
The next potion class got me another zero as Ron chucked something into my cauldron which caused a lot of smoke and Snape's 'Evanesco'. Snape also gave me more dialog. However, I sat there the entire class with a huge grin on my face, even the five point deduction for the smile it did not stop me smiling. This continued through the DADA class which almost brought a hissy-fit from the toad woman.
Snape had his firewhiskey and the Toad had her tea and I could 'fade' the combination was just too inviting. Some time delayed spells tied to certain action spells brought fun to the next morning. Throughout the day the spells caused chairs to turn into flimsy rubber and desks to collapse. I especially made sure her little cat plates lost their adhesion to the wall. The prank I liked was totally a muggle trick, the bucket over the door as they left their rooms prank. The buckets were not filled with water there contents also had a sticking charms applied.
The next morning at breakfast the ghost of Severus Snape stormed into the Great Hall screaming "I want Potter expelled and now!" Snape looked like he was hit with a lot of flour when he left his room that morning; the tutu he was wearing was quite cute. The Toad was green, with warts and covered in the white powder. Her feet were now large flippers. The high-pitched screaming that she was doing ruined the overall effect.
Finally the OWLs testing started and I went thought them with ease and well before time was called. Although one old Biddy caught me using wand-less magic but I got extra points for that.
June 2nd brought the end of year feast and the next morning it was the train to Kings Cross. Hermione kept her nose in her book for the entire trip. Draco stopped by as usual for a little pure blood bigotry speak. I turned him into a toad, if done right he would stay that way for a while, it was fitting for someone who sucked up to the school's head Toad.
/Scene Break/
I got an owl from Hermione stating that her parents were taking her to France so she would be not coming over to Dun-Potter for a while. It didn't take me long to get bored. It was more fun swimming when done with a couple of gorgeous girls in tiny bathing suits.
It was time for wizards my age to have his magical maturity so I beefed up my body. It wasn't like I was a Metamorphmagus and just make an instant change, it took time for me to pack magic and make my body change. Since I had the time I concentrated on making muscle instead of just looking the right size. I was tempted to make a body-builder type body but settled for a six-foot, one-hundred-sixty pound body full of muscle and with a nice tan.
That activity used up my reserve and I knew my body was on a vampire mission to absorb any and all magic it could. While this body building was going on I needed something to kill time with since I had so much of it. After a swing though Diagon alley to absorb some ambient magic I headed to get a pizza in downtown London. I was after all a hybrid, half muggle half wizard. I passed a place that did Karate and I remembered Hermione's yell and her results with Draco so I enrolled.
The Flamel's Stone was bothering me sitting at the bottom of my trunk. It was too important to get lost or stolen and it was just lying around, so I went to a muggle jeweler and had a gold cage made to hold it. I attached a chain and hung it around my neck. As small as it was it wasn't noticeable but made me feel it was a bit safer.
I was glad that I was enrolling in the Karate class as it looked great for pent-up emotions. I could also envision taking out my emotions on Draco or Ron with a couple suave moves. This class was not easy to get started in and each step required paperwork to advance to the next level. So the first step was to go to Privet Drive and find my birth certificate proving I was sixteen years old. While I was there I had an idea, "Dobby"
"Yes Harry?"
"Get the master bedroom ready for my staying here while I train in London,"
"Right away Harry" POP
Knowing Dobby the entire house would be done with a feast on the table by the time I got back.
The next morning I headed in for the start of my training in Tae Kwon Do. The instructor reminded me of a Japanese MadEye Moody. He started with the 'must' of doing the five-stretch warm up properly and how not to hurt yourself warming up. I think that the instructor thought that warm ups alone would start the elimination process. A lot of students were like Ron and wanted to Break Boards and start kicking and blocking the first day. Nope, we did Squats, sit-ups, push-ups and topped it all off with a run. Half the class was not expected back the next day if I was right, Mr. Satou took his subject very seriously. I had a head start on everyone except Mr. Satou as I was nothing but muscle and in shape.
The second day after the five-stretch and finally our run it was stand on one foot balance time. Now I am not Mr. Moto super jock but being around Vernon, Petunia and Dudley Dursley one learned to know when a blow was coming and if you couldn't dodge it you absorbed the blow. Not that absorbing the blow didn't hurt but not absorbing it really hurt.
Mr. Satou was an elderly man but quick as lightning as us slow students found out the second day. Mr. Satou had been doing things to the students all morning, soon it was my turn. I was balancing on one foot like the rest of the students doing the exercise. As Mr. Satou passed me his foot, that wasn't on the ground, flicked up and tapped my leg that off the ground. Rather than fall from being now off-balance I extended my one leg he tapped while bending the other leg forward to keep my balance. While almost sitting on my ankle I retain my balanced in the one leg stance and started to rise by straightening my leg. Oh but I was supposed to be on the ground. No sooner than I return everything back to where this all started from when Mr. Satou does this round house kick. All I could do was block the kick and hang on as we both fell to the mat. I was on my feet and ready to punch him when my brain caught up saying that wasn't the brightest of ideas. Mr. Satou was already on his feet with his hand up showing that I should stop. This workout got me a piece of paper and a new start time.
That piece of paper was handed to me time after time as I mastered white belt and continued up the colored belt line showing my capabilities. I did need some of that stress relief when about a month later Hermione sends me a Dear John Owl. Bye, sorry and thanks a lot, don't bother to call. She has had it with the magical community and had tested and is now enrolled in UNI.
By the end of he second month Mr. Satou is beaming at me like he has invented something that will revolutionize the world. I just know how to adapt, I can learn and I have nothing else to do with my time but practice. I am now working on my permanent red belt with two white stripes one black stripe and finding this all too much fun. Of course my spirit form has something to do with it as does my magically constructed body. The fun is in the discipline but it is great satisfaction when you can knock out 100 each of Push-ups, sit-ups, and squats. The mile run is just a warm up and sparring with multiple opponent and winning doesn't hurt my ego much.
So that night I headed home in great spirits. I took a shower put on some nice clothes and walked down stairs to find Uncle Vernon coming out of the kitchen with a gun.
"Oh look who I have here, The Freak." Vernon then tries to empty the gun in me.
There is not a lot that Tae Kwon Do can do with a gun especially if your hands are empty and solid bullets are headed your way. I 'faded' to the top of the stairs but as I turn solid and cast a 'expelliarmus' Vernon had replaced his empty clip and is again firing, this throws my spell wide as I 'fade' again. I decide to stay out of sight. Vernon must have gotten crazier in prison because he is not panicking when I 'fade' nor does he care how close the neighbors are. Firing off around fifteen rounds did get notice by the neighbors especially in a country that restricts guns. Police arrived to find Vernon has reloaded and is filling their patrol car full of holes from the front window of the house.
"Do you wish me to do something or do you just want to watch the fun." Dobby is sitting in a floating chair and if I am not mistaken invisible to everyone just like I am.
"Naw, let him have his fun. I'm a lover not a fighter. Vernon can't be stupid enough to think he can out gun or escape the police. Let's move to the roof for a better view." I was confident about that time, that he would surrender, as several more police cars had arrived.
"Are you sure I can't persuade you to turn your self in Harry?" Sitting next to me on the roof is Thanatos.
As I was about to panic Thanatos smiles and says, "I can't force you from this side of the veil Harry, I am here for tubby downstairs."
"So you collect and turn them over to whom?
"That's a surprise and a secret until it's your time but tubby will most likely be able to say the Devil made him do it in about fifteen minutes."
Thanatos wasn't wrong a few minutes later a 'Policing by consent unit' was relieved by 'London's 'SWAT' unit'.
Several warnings and multiple shots and Thanatos fell though the roof and hauled Vernon back up. "Harry any last words for your Uncle?"
As I shook my head but as they disappeared I heard, "Get you filthy freak hand off of me…" Some things never change.
I sometimes wonder about the magical community especially how they insist on staying hid and have laws to put you in prison if you break the secrecy band. So what do they do, the Ministry sends me an owl which arrived just after my final for my permanent red belt with two white stripes one black in the middle of a muggle class and muggle spectators. The parchment says I must see the DMLE tomorrow at ten in the morning.
I entered the office Head of the Magical Law Enforcement section to find a secretary and Susan Bones.
"Hi Harry what brings you here?"
"I've a ten o'clock appointment, you?
"Whenever my Aunt is finished we are going to lunch."
"Well I will try to not keep her any longer than…"
"You can go in now Mr. Potter."
I opened the door to Amelia Bone's office and the first thing I see is Albus Dumbledore in a squishy chair and a strict looking woman behind her desk. I stopped and leaned on the open door frame and in a non-friendly voice, "What is he doing here?"
"Harry my boy…" I cut Dumbledore off. "I am not your boy and out of school. As a minimum I will be addressed as Lord Potter."
"Mr. Potter I am here as locus parentis and..."
"Look you idiot we have been through this more time than I care to count. McGonagall is my magical guardian if the term 'Lord Potter' is not enough for you poor mind to comprehend let me reiterate I'm emancipated."
"That's Professor McGonagall Harry."
"No Minerva has said otherwise Albus now either you leave or I do, am I clear enough."
"The stern looking woman who looked to be stifling a laugh turned to Dumbledore, "Albus my appointment is with Lord Potter so unless you can show your need to be here please leave."
As I turned to close the door I saw Susan, the Secretary and several other people had gathered and were looking astounded at the dressing down I had just given Dumbledore.
"Sorry about that Madam Bones but he can't seem to understand the meaning of the word no. May I ask the purpose of this summons?"
"Yes Lord Potter we are told that you are involved in the death of your Uncle."
"To the existent that he attempted to kill me with a gun and he got shot by the police then yes. You did receive the muggle police reports?"
"Yes but we were led to believe you were a minor and used magic out of school. We appear to have been misled about your legal status. Our only question is if the magic you used was done in front of muggles?"
"No I only used the disarming spell before the police arrived. I missed and departed as they say in the movies under a hail of bullets."
"Again our apologies and have a nice day."
I said my goodbyes but as I opened the door an Auror rushed in and after a quick huddle. "Susan I'm sorry but something has come up and I will have to miss our lunch date."
"No problems Aunty I find someplace in the Alley."
"Ah Susan I would be honored if you would accompany me for lunch." She was good-looking and I could do with someone to talk to over lunch.
"Why Harry Potter, what would your girl-friends say taking another girl out for lunch?"
"I would be glad to tell you my woeful tales of being abandoned over lunch."
"Sure why not."