Harry Potter

Book7

The Society of Dragons

Chapter 8

The Book of 13

Harry awoke the next morning, changed and met Ron and Hermione down in the Common Room. They were sitting by the fire waiting for Harry.

"Harry!" Hermione said "Have you heard about Hagrid yet?"

"What about Hagrid?" Harry said quickly, worried

"He isn't Teaching Care of Magical Creatures anymore or at least not this Term" Ron said

"Why?" Harry said "How did you two find this out. Classes don't start for another hour."

"We heard McGonagall and Flitwick talking about it last night during our rounds" Hermione said "Grubby-Plank is back. Apparently the Society's Dragons require so much that Hagrid cant teach."

"Well at least he's doing something he loves" Harry said "Breakfast?"

"Yeah, I'm starving." Ron said

They made their way down the Grand stair case, when half way, Harry froze. He had felt something in one spot. He sprang back up a few stairs. He heard the soft ticking noise that he had heard in Gringotts. He looked around, seeing no one that could have made the noise.

"Sick are you?" Said the old man in the portrait next to him.

"No" Harry said, moving on, catching up with Ron and Hermione who seemed to not notice him.

Harry was going to speak to Dumbledore when he had the chance. Something was up and Harry could not think what any of this could be.

They made their way down to the Great Hall where others were already lined up for Breakfast. The Professors were already passing out Schedules when they arrived.

"Ah, Potter, Weasley, Granger" McGonagall said as she approached them. Her usual green emerald robes. "Your schedules."

Harry glanced at his schedule. They had Double Potions in the morning along side Defense Against the Dark Arts followed by Transfiguration.

"Blimey" Ron said "Our final year isn't going to be friendly"

They sat and ate, greeting others from other houses as they came by. Seamus and Dean passes by, giving nods to the three.

After eating they made their way to the Dungeons where Professor Slughorn had already set up a brewing potion at his desk. Draco was already sitting when they arrived. Once the rest of the class arrived, Slughorn smiled and sat up from his desk.

"Hello" he said in his cheerful mood "Welcome to your final NEWT Potions class. I am sure that your all wondering what we will be doing this year. Now I must emphasize that your NEWTS will be tested in April, and that you will have to brew a potion and take an exam. Now…" He went on talking about the NEWT Exams and how this was their most important year. Similar speeches from their OWL year in 5th year was paralleled to this one.

"Now, lets start off by Brewing any potion from my book. Begin" He said

Harry glanced through Slughorn's book that he self wrote. All the Potions seemed complicated. He found a potion labeled "Hags Delight" Potion. Harry noticed Hermione and Ron already were starting their potions. Harry decided on the Hag potion. He didn't have Snape's book to become perfect. He had to go back for it at some point.

Harry read the first line, "Cut Broomslang skin into fine slices."

Harry followed the instructions carefully, hoping not to Harry Slughorn.

"Ok Time up" Slughorn said as the class came to an end. Harry glanced at his Gray potion, reading the instructions it should be gray, giving Harry an ease. Slughorn walked over to Hermione

"Ah, the Babbling Bandit potion, yes yes very good Ms. Granger."

He walked over to Ron's blue potion, that was smoking slightly

"Ah, yes that Troll Daze isn't going very nicely Ralph." He said.

Ron went red, cleaning up.

"Ah Harry m'boy" he glanced at his potion "Ah, the Hags delight! Very nicely done Harry, and you added extra Broomslang skin. Nicely done. You knew Hags love the skin more than anything of course. Your top student in Defense Against the Dark arts. 20 points to Gryffindor."

He walked back up to the front and faced the class.

"Now, your homework is to write an essay on the potion Wolfsbane. We will be making it a project for the first few weeks. Essay due in two days."

Once class was out Ron turned to Hermione "See, he doesn't need the Princes book to be good. He did great."

"Actually I didn't know about the extra skin" Harry smirked "I guess it worked out in the end. Weird part is that I don't remember adding in the extra skin."

"Weird" Ron said, "Anyway, we have ten minutes before DADA, we should hurry."

They quickly made their way to the 3rd floor, and entered the classroom. It seemed to be Lupin's class all over again. Creatures in cages and tanks all around the room. A shaking boggart in the back. A door on one side of the room iced over, smoke coming from the cracks.

"Wonder what's in there" Neville asked as he sat next to them.

A door slammed behind them. Professor Ragnum walked past the desks, in a dark blue robes.

"Welcome to Defense Against the Dark Arts class." He spoke in his low voice "I am Professor Ragnum. I have heard about your…classes here. One was an idiot, one tried to kill Mr. Potter, and another worked for the Ministry. However, like the Werewolf and Auror, I shall be teaching you about the workings of Dark Magic."

Neville raised his hand.

"Yes Mr. Longbottom, however you don't need to ask. I have more copies of the books. Your grandmother did message me about those." he smiled

"thanks you sir" Neville said "Its just she knows about Toa-De."

"Who's Toa-De" Ron said

"Anyone?" Ragnum asked. Hermione raised her hand

"Toa-De was a Sorcerer in Ancient Egypt. He is rumored to have caused the downfall of the Egyptian Empire." Hermione said, as if from a book.

"Close. 10 points" Ragnum said "He didn't cause the downfall. He protected it, and failed. Yes he did practice dark magic, but back then, that's what all of us did. Now, this year, were not going to work on waving our wand around and hope something comes out. Non-Verbal spells are pointless. Wont get you anywhere. We are actually going to face the Darkness. Anyone face a Dementor before?"

Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Neville all raised their hand.

"Yes yes, I know of you four." He smiled. "That is where we start today. Dementors. Turn to chapter 7 in Dark Forces for the Untamed. Now, Dementors are one of the foulest creatures to roam this earth. They feed off our unhappiness causing what?"

Harry raised his hand, faster than Hermione ever had. He was finally good at something they were discussing.

"Mr. Potter" Ragnum called

"They feed off our happiness causing Despair and depression." Harry said.

"Correct. Ten points." Ragnum said. "They can also suck a persons should out with what method. Potter?"

Harry's hand was once again raised. He felt wisdom coursing through him for a change. Is this how Hermione felt?

"A Kiss sir" Harry said.

"Good. Another 10." Ragnum said "Now, what other creature can be compared to a Dementor?"

Harry paused. Was there another creature like a Dementor?

Hermione's hand was raised, along with Draco's

"Mr. Malfoy?" Ragnum called, giving Hermione a depressed look.

"A Lethifold sir" Draco said

"And what is a Lethifold?" Ragnum said, resting against his podium.

"It is similar to a Dementor because its appearance is that of a black cloak, only a half an inch thick. It consumes people entirely. Its locomotion or movement is unknown. It can only be found in the tropics sir." Draco stated.

"Excellent, 15 points to Slytherin" Ragnum said. "Now what can we use to protect ourselves from a Dementor and a Lethifold? Mr. Potter?"

"A Patronus sir" Harry said.

"Excellent. Another 10. Now, a Patronus can be a small shield from the tip of your wand, or a full body apparition Patronus which is an animal formed from your personality. Mr. Potters is a Stag I do believe" Ragnum said as Harry nodded. "Today I want to see who can create a full body and who can barley do it. Now Mr. Potter, come on up here if you will."

Harry walked up to the front. Standing next to him.

"Excellent, now cast the spell for us" Ragnum said.

"EXPECTO PATRONUM!" Harry bellowed. A Stag shot out of his wand and landed next to him.

"Well done." Ragnum said "Now everyone get up and practice."

Harry stood and watched as others tried. Hermione was able to cast her Otter where Ron casted his Dog. Others formed only mist. Draco casted nothing.

"Remember, a happy memories will only save you against them" Ragnum yelled.

Draco thought and casted, a serpent slithering out and wrapping around his desk.

"Well done Draco" Ragnum bellowed, working with Neville.

As the class went on, others tried but failed.

"Now, for your homework, Two Parchments of What a Dementor and Lethifold are, and how to combat them. Next time we meet, make sure you have your Patronus ready for a real Dementor. Pip pip." Ragnum said, mimicking Dumbledore.

He walked out of the classroom, leaving a note on Harry's Desk

Mr. Potter,

Meet me in here at 9 o'clock tonight. I know Ron and Hermione have Duties at 10.

Ragnum

Harry got up and followed Ron and Hermione.

"So lessons with Ragnum tonight. I wonder what we will learn" Ron said as they entered their Transfiguration lesson. McGonagall made a speech that lasted the entire class about there NEWT Final. She emphasized that in March, Ministry officials will meet with those who want into specific areas. They left with a parchment assignment on Transfiguration Laws from previous years.

Later that night, they walked into Ragnum's office at 9. He was sitting at his desk, with three candles floating around him. He was writing a letter and gave it to a black owl. After it took off he glanced at them.

"Ah, Welcome. Have a seat at the first three desks." He said, getting up and brining a large book over to the table in front of them.

"So what are we going to learn" Ron said eagerly "spells, hexes, curses?"

"Settle down Ronald" Ragnum said "I am going to do something no one has done in the Society for generations. This information is passed down from Leader to Leader. Now."

Hermione raised her hand, interrupting him

"Yes?"

"I just wanted to know more about the Society" Hermione said

"We don't have time. I will go over some basic history about us concerning this book" Ragnum said "The Book of 13. Anyone?"

"That book is a myth" Hermione said "Professor Binns,…"

"Only told you that because that is what History tells us what happened. However, the book was created by Morgana Le Fay, and was passed down to certain followers, who later became Leaders of the Society. Anyway, Morgana Le Fay wanted to beat Merlin so bad, she began to create spells to combat him in all ways."

"she wrote them down in this book, and placed an Enchantment on it. They can only be learned by being told, not read. I can teach you these 12 spells, since the 13th isn't finished nor will it be. Anyway, are you three ready?

Hermione spoke again "How will these be useful against Voldemort?"

"Very!" Ragnum said "He wont be able to cast them, they are very powerful."

"I would still like to know more about…." Hermione said interrupting

Ragnum held up a hand "I will discuss later. Now we must learn. Now, the first spell. The Revival Curse. Morgana had lost numerous men and woman at her disposal when battling King Arthur and Merlin. She created a spell to revive the Dead, as long as they wanted to come back. Most Useful. However, you can only bring someone back within a two day period."

Harry's heart had jumped for a moment. He could have revived his parents. Her could have revived Sirius, Snape, others.

"Now, the incantation is Revivus."

They repeated.

"Good, now you point your wand at the opponent and jab saying "Revivus."

"I want you to practice this on dead frogs or rats. I have a few. Practice." He said

He placed dead rats on the ground. Ron jabbed his wand at the rat, "Revivus" The wands tip glowed a bright yellow. The rat stood up and scattered away. Harry stood before a dead spider and did the same "Revivus" The spider jumped up and crawled into the desk. Hermione did the same but her Frog did nothing.

"It must now want to come back" She said.

"We are out of time" Ragnum said "Off with you. Keep practicing."

Ron and Hermione left, off to duty on the second floor. Harry stayed back

"Professor sir" Harry said "Since I am a Horcrux, does that mean I can sense others?

Ragnum thought for a moment and finally said "I would assume not. If Voldemort himself cant feel one, I wouldn't doubt you could. However, there could be something there. No one has ever become a Horcrux before."

Harry thanked him and walked on, going to the portrait on the fifth floor, sensing the ticking again.

"You again?" Said the old man in the portrait "What do you want?"

"Do you hear that ticking?" Harry said

The old man looked stunned then said "Boy, get out of here, your mad you are.

Harry moved on, the portrait knew something. He just couldn't point to it.