History Strongest Magister Harry: Year 2
Chapter 4: Death Day
"So how was it?" Katie asks the beaten up looking Weasley twin who was slumped over the table like they were hit with several bludgers for hours. They were in the clubroom with everyone except for Neville and Padma. The Gryffindor chasers, Hermione, Cedric, and Oliver were lounging around the room with Harry at the front facing the blackboard.
"It was AMAZING!" Both brothers groan out.
"I'm glad you guys liked it," Harry said staring intently at the blank blackboard.
"Why didn't we have these sports at Hogwarts before?" Fred asks drinking a potion that would numb the pain.
"They were until 1823," said Harry in an offhandedly way which got everyone to look up at the History fanatic that was Harry, "Most sports that had magical affiliations were a major event at Hogwarts but when the Board of Education took over Hogwarts, things began to be cut."
"Then how did it come back?" Angelina asks.
"Don't know," Hermione said, "The Board of Education could've got a large donation and they invested in new sports for students to try out."
"Harry what are you doing?" Cedric asks seeing the younger boy staring at the blackboard for an hour.
"Accepting a Death Day invitation," Harry said turning around and held a ghost like paper in hand.
"A Death Day?" Alicia asks.
"Nearly Headless Nick invited me after hearing about our Culture Club from Flynn," Harry said.
"What is it?" Alicia asks again.
"Just like any birthday, it's the celebration of the day you die," Harry said, "This'll be fun!"
"What? HOW?" Both Weasley brothers shot in.
"Ghost are the gateway to knowing how things were back then and they are the greatest source of information when it comes to personal or in this case subjective history!" Harry said and Fred thought that Harry would be foaming at the mouth with excitement.
"When is it?" Hermione asks.
"Halloween," Harry answered, "Do you want to come?"
"No," Everyone said at the same time.
"You're missing out," Harry said.
"No we won't," They echoed and laughed when Harry gave a hurt look.
From what Harry was hearing through the grapevine that is Hogwarts's gossips. Students were really taking a liking to the new sports. Fred had told Harry that there are five Broom Jousting teams already made under their own name and mascot and that put a smile on his face. Then there were the Football teams that were taking a pretty hard hit when it came to recruiting members. Football was labeled as a muggle sport and when your have seventy percent or more students who were born in magical environment it's a little hard to appeal to the crowd. Luckily they were in a surrounding where Football is a staple sports for non magic. Then there's Dueling that had a lot of students signing up. It was so large that they had to arrange a monthly meeting.
As for the other sports such as playing Basketball, Tennis and Badminton had a small following compared to the rest. Then again it was good to see students at Hogwarts get exposed to these sports and at the same time allow them to interact with other students from different Houses. Harry gave a silent thank you to Hogwarts Board of Governors.
Now to the current issue at hand.
"What do I give a ghost for his death day?" Harry asks out of the blue.
Harry knew next to little or nothing about Death Day parties. There were no books on it and only small passages in newspaper about famous people who turned into ghost. That's about it.
"I think your presence would be the greatest gift," Someone said and Harry looks up to find the Grey Lady.
"My Lady," Harry said bowing to the ghost that was the Daughter of Rowena Ravenclaw.
"You are not like most students," The Grey Lady said floating down to face Harry, "Respectful, knowledge and powerful, if I was alive I would demand you to be my Husband."
"I thank you for your kind words Milady," Harry said staring at the ghost. "Tell me, why do you say my presence is enough for Sir Nicholas?"
"As ghost we are merely flies on the wall," the Grey Lady said truthfully, "Our words are nothing against those who are that of the living. Yes we could talk to you and we could give our knowledge but to the living we are a reminder of the horror of the past and at the same time our past ignorance. Having someone acknowledge and know us is something we rarely get. You on the other hand are most kind and respectful to us. We may get muggle-born who's afraid or curious but that is far and in between."
"I see," said Harry smiling at the Grey Lady and then he took a step back and gave a low bow offering is right hand for her to take. "I would be most gracious if you would have me be your escort for Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington's Death Day party."
"The pleasure will be mine Young Kousaka," The Grey Lady said with her left hand place on his and she was surprised to feel his warm hand. Her right hand pulls her skirt outward to curtsy.
"I shall meet you at his entrance, say around seven?" Harry said.
"It is agreed," The Grey Lady said smiling and Harry could've sworn that he saw her blush. A ghost blushing? Is that possible?
Not five minutes later Harry was bombarded with teasing and cooing from Fred and George. Even the Gryffindor Chasers were doing the teasing as well. The magic of Hogwarts Gossips is a mystery even Harry would never figure out.
One morning after his good morning run and exercise Harry made his way back to his private dorm with the thought of taking a good hot shower. After looking at him self in the mirror Harry was finally ready for the day. He took a very deep breath and slowly let it out. After doing this exercise for ten minutes he headed out the door and into the halls. Orochi decided that today was his day to not be carried by Harry and chose to enlarge himself to the height of a horse but his length were three times longer than a car.
Without thinking Harry shove his book bag straps in Orochi's mouth and continue into the Great Hall. After seeing a baby dragon rampaging last year and knowing about Orochi it hardly fazed the occupants of the dinning hall except for the first years. Then let's not forget the Weasley twin who were giggling at the snakes new job. It took a good explanation from older students to calm the first years from screaming.
"My Dear Orochi, I see your new hand bag looks lovely on you!" Fred sparks up with his brother next to him.
"I do indeed it does but the colors, oooh MY, that's sooo scandalous!" George chimes in attempting to sound highborn and with a quick wave with their wands the handbag now sports a floral designed, a bonnet on top of Orochi's head, heavy make up on the snake that would make a clown jealous. "Better!"
Instantly the moment the twin conjured a full size mirror for Orochi to see they bolt out the door cackling like hyenas. Slowly the Great Hall chuckled in laughter and there was a flash indicating a camera.
"No!" Harry lazily said as if Orochi had ears then it would look like Harry was pulling his ears like a mother would to a child. "You will not kill them."
"Wow, Orochi," Hermione said sitting down across from Harry, "You look great!"
Orochi slowly turn his head towards Hermione with the deadliest glares he could muster. The bushy hair girl on the other didn't pick up Orochi's anger that could melt the artic ten times over.
"Why hello Mister green snake," someone dreamily said and Harry recalled remembering that way of talking.
"Good morning Lovegood-san," Harry said looking up at the blond hair girl.
The girl wasn't paying any attention to Harry but it was on Orochi. She reach up and start to pet Orochi and said several cute words one would talk to an excited puppy. Orochi literally melt in Luna's petting and forgot the whole ordeal.
"Who's a good snake?" Luna asks and Orochi point his tail at himself and that got another wonderful petting from Luna. "That's a good snake!"
"I like her!" Orochi said dreamily while resting his head on the table and leaning into Luna with all the love of a lost puppy all the while his eyes glazed over in utter ecstasy.
"Attention whore," Harry mutters and it was followed by a whack on the back of the head courtesy of Orochi's tail.
"There's a GIANT SNAKE!" Professor Lockhart barked charging into the Great Hall and began to shoot off spells at Orochi. The spells easily ricochet off his green scales and it hit several students and caused collateral damage.
"GILDEROY!" Professor Flitwick snapped whipping his wand out and easily disarmed the Defense instructor. "What in Merlin's name are you doing casting spells?"
"I was trying to save this lady from that abomination!" Sneer Professor Lockhart pointing at Orochi who was oblivious to the happenings in the Great Hall under Luna's care.
"That's Mister Kousaka's Familiar!" Professor Flitwick snapped and the blond professor closed his mouth. "Did you not read anything we've given you about Hogwarts?"
"I-I-I might've skimmed through that," Professor Lockhart said and then he strike a pose and said in a booming voice "I'm sorry! That old instinct to save damsel in distress is ingrain that I couldn't help it."
"Acting rashly would have you kill Gilderoy," Professor Flitwick said handing back the man's wand. "Especially against a Madara."
"A what?"
Ever since that incident one annoying teacher was following Harry. It didn't take a genius to figure out he was being stalked with the amount of cologne the man was wearing. Harry chalked it off as Professor Lockhart being his suspicious self and trying to keep Hogwarts safe from the big bad snake. Then again it was suspicious of the man to be everywhere Harry went. From following him into the restrooms to classes he was assigned that day. It was thanks to his morning workout and Orochi's humor that kept him grounded enough not to send the man to the Hospital Wing.
One day Harry came to find Professor Lockhart and Ron Weasley whispering to each other. The Magister's green eyes narrowed in realizations that the Youngest Weasley didn't learn his lessons and was obsessed with Harry.
"You're brother's at it again," Hermione told the Weasley Twin in the Great Hall who looked up at the two unsurprised by the news.
"Yeah, mum and dad tried to curb his obsession but I guess it didn't work all that well," George said a little shamefully. "Well, dear brother of mine, should we?"
"We should!" Both siblings said smiling in a way that would make a Mad Scientist step back a little. Both red heads then sprint out the door leaving dust trails that would make one famed roadrunner proud.
"You know a lot about history Nii-san, you could pretty much lay out all the things the Weasley's done wrong," Hermione said, "Just like last year."
"Hermione," Harry said in a stern voice that sent a little shiver down her spine, "I'm not here to make enemies. It's no secret that I find my situation a little annoying but I can survive. It's not like there's a huge plot to chuck me in prison for having a Madara as a familiar or talking to intelligent sentient beings."
"True," Hermione said finding a little shame in forcing her brother figure to fight.
"You're a little more outspoken compared to last year," Harry said smiling at the bushy hair girl who stood up proud, "I'm amazed at your growth little sister."
"Thanks!" Hermione said and began to blush a little, then she said softly, "It's thanks to you, Nii-san."
"What was that? I didn't hear that last part?" Harry asks looking at her.
"No-Nothing!" Hermione stammers out while waving her hands frantically.
"Are you sure you're not up for Sir Nicholas Death Day Party?" Harry asks the bushy hair girl.
"No, I'm quite busy, with classes and homework," Hermione said and Harry looked at Hermione a little closer. He spotted a slight dark shadows under her eyes and if he knew better she wasn't eating as much as she should if her more defined cheekbones were an indication. Then there were eyelids drooping at random times and her body would sway back and forth.
Nodding his head to show Hermione that he understood but he was making several mental notes.
That night Harry was making his way to the Death Day Party in his nice 18th century suit with a coattail. He had white gloves on both hands and wore a bowtie. For ones Orochi had decided to sleep in early and Harry was quite thankful for that. Harry round a corner and came to see the Grey Lady waiting trying to preen herself more than she could even though she was a ghost.
"You look lovely tonight Milady," Harry said approaching the ghost.
"I am a ghost, I've looked the same as I did when I died," The Grey Lady said but smile at his compliment.
"You've never figured out how to manipulate your ethereal form?" Harry asks the ghost.
"Pardon?" The Grey Lady asks.
"I've been friends with Youkais in Japan and met many ghost and ghouls, they have powers to manipulate their features to whatever they want," Harry starts off.
"We are a different breed of ghost, I'm sorry to say," The Grey Lady said and then held out her hand and Harry took it. "You look lovely. Shall we?"
"Thank you Milady and we shall," Harry said leading the Grey Lady into a room full of ghost.
The entire room was a little darker to show more the ghost a little more. Ghost from the past were floating and talking about their life they had before they died. Harry's eyes on the other hand were darting around like a kid in a candy store. Every ghost Harry's eyes laid on widen his amazement and he didn't know they would be here.
"Isn't that William Wallace?" Harry asks pointing at a kilted wearing Scottish man who was held together my ropes.
"Yes, he's quite fond of Sir Nicholas," The Grey Lady said.
"Harry! I see you've made it!" Sir Nicholas said floating towards Harry. "And escorting a lady, Harry you are a gentleman, I take my hat of to you."
"Happy death day Sir Nicholas," Harry said and offered a small box, "My gift to you."
"Would you do the honors?" Sir Nicholas asks knowing he couldn't really interact with the object.
"Of course," Harry said unwrapping the box and in it was a pin.
Sir Nicholas eyes widen and in the box sat a medal emblem that dated back eight hundred years ago. It was your normal bronze metal with the star like symbol given out by Merlin thousand years or more ago. This symbol predates Merlin First Class award and also held great significant to the almost headless ghost. The King of England gave Sir Nicholas this medal for saving the king's sons life during a Boar hunt and also knighted the man to give him his Knightship.
"I don't know what to say!" Sir Nicholas said staring at the medal with admiration and nostalgia. "Where did you get it?"
"I'm sorry to say that this is a replica of King's Merlin Medal," Harry said setting picking up the medal and place it on the man's right chest. With that action alone the ghost in the room fell silent while some sniggered but gasps when the medal glows for a moment and then turned transparent like the ghost it was placed onto. "There was a spell in South America about giving the dead, ghosts, objects to take into the afterlife. Happy Death Day Sir Nicholas."
"Thank you my boy! I'm in debt to you!" Sir Nicholas said sniffing while holding back his tears.
"It's your Death Day sir, I don't think that's appropriate," Harry began but stopped when he heard something that sent chills down his spines. He whips his head to the left and right that got every ghosts attention and alerted. Gently the Magister knelt down to the ground and place his palm on the cold stone floor. "What's below us?"
"Nothing, utility tunnels," The Grey Lady said.
"Alert the staff, there's something dangerous in the castle walls," Harry said standing up.
"On it!" Sir Nicholas said and flew towards the Great Hall.
Harry walk out of the room and quicken his pace to follow that death like feeling. On the way he summoned his magic staff and after several turns and floors later he came to witness a large writing on the wall written in blood. Looking around he spot a trail of water coming from the girls bathroom and a cat hung by it's tail on a torch hanger. A few seconds later Harry heard massive amount of footsteps and was surrounded by Hogwarts students and staff.
"Enemy of the Heir Beware, the Chamber of Secrets has been open," someone read the blooded dripped sign.
"YOU'RE NEXT MUDBLOOD!" Malfoy barked out smuggly.
Harry ignored the crowd and examines the writing. It was indeed blood and at a close inspection Harry found feathers littered here and there. Picking it up he knew they were avian feathers in origin and not a hybrid because there aren't many hybrid birds living near Hogwarts. It couldn't be owls because that would raise the alarm in Hogwarts of student's owls going missing or getting killed. Most birds around Hogwarts were limited to Owls, several ravens and a phoenix but where could you get an abundant of avian creature in one place and kill it without drawing attention of the castle.
"Chicken," Harry guessed and he then examines the wall very carefully. He was in a magical school so why didn't anyone just use magic to summon the wordings in blood. "Ahhh, Magic traces."
"What is going on here!" Someone barked getting Harry's attention and Mister Filch the caretaker barged through the crowd and spot his cat. "MY CAT!" His eyes dart towards Harry who was the closest one to the crime scene. "YOU DID THIS!" Mister Filch charge forward to attack the boy and he found the hard way that he couldn't get Harry.
Mister Filch came up to grab Harry's shoulder but found himself flip and slam down onto the ground facing the ceiling.
"Argus!" Professor Dumbledore boomed catching everyone's attention. "Everyone please make your way to your dormitory.
"He did this! I knew it!" Ron Weasley barked pointing at Harry, "I told you lots he's dark! It's that snake of his! That's it, it's the evil snake and he's a dark tosser! Throw him in Azkaban!"
"That's enough!" Professor Snape snapped at the red head who cowered in fear. "That would be twenty points from Gryffindor for making a scene when the Headmaster ordered all of you to make your way to your dormitory." The rest of the students stood stock still not knowing what to do. "Should I take it away from the rest of you all who are still standing here like nitwits?" With that declaration the students scramble to leave.
"Mister Kousaka, what are you doing here when you should be at the Feast?" Professor McGonagall asks eyeing the teen who was holding a Magister staff.
"I was at Sir Nicholas's Death Day Party," Harry answered facing the Professor who was questioning him.
"I can vouch for him," Sir Nicholas and many other ghosts came rushing in to Harry's defense.
"We can rule you out for this incident Mister Kousaka," Professor Dumbledore said turning to face the young mage. "I rarely get to see a Magister's staff. This sign was written with Chicken blood that Rubeus had informed me of his stock dying mysteriously. At the same time who ever did this had a knack for covering his or her tracks. No magic residue and above all no physical trace."
"So it's true then," Harry said staring at the writing, "The chamber does exist. Fascinating."
"It's just a myth Mister Kousaka," Professor Dumbledore said.
"To every myth there's a grain of truth," Harry said smiling, "I was wondering, is Flynn available tonight?"
"I don't see why he isn't," Professor Dumbledore said. "Good night Mister Kousaka."