Chapter 22! Swagg! Thanks for all the support I've gotten guys we are pretty close to the end only a few more chapters. We introduce a new person into the story and I hope you find him as wonderful as I do. Next chapter is in his POV too! Review and let me know.
The nightmares had been awful that night. He did not think to occlude his thoughts and he had brought up a lot of memories with Severus that night. The memories had engulfed him in an awful cycle. There were times he heard someone calling for him to wake up but he couldn't the memories were too strong for him to fight.
Then suddenly he was flying on his broom on a sunny day. They were practicing different techniques on a Saturday, the team and him. He felt calm and happy and then he heard Severus calling or him. He was still dreaming and he needed to wake up enough to be in his inner sanctum. Snape was in his mind with him and needed him to open his eyes. He had forced them open to see the look of a very stressed out Severus Snape.
Apparently he had lost control of his magic and might've destroyed the room. No not the room his room. The castle made the room specifically for him, it was his. That gave him a warm feeling inside. Snape had been so patient with him. No anger about the extremely destroyed room only sentiments of care and worry about Harry's own wellbeing.
It was odd for Harry but the warm feeling in his chest did not fade for some time after. Snape had given him a dreamless sleep and Harry had passed out he had woken up to four smiling faces. The elves. They had felt his releases of magic and were here to collect on his debt. When he had started using magic with his wand the wand began heating up and shaking. So no wand use that morning. Maybe the wand didn't work anymore?
So Harry cooked six different breakfast meals all equally as good and enjoyable. The house elves left shortly after Snape woke up because they were nervous about being in trouble. Snape seemed cool with it though. So here he was standing in front of Gramps explaining the problem with his magic.
"Your wand gets hot to the touch?" Godric shouted, he always seem to shout. "That's wonderful news! Helga, Rowena Did you hear the news our Harry is ready for his first staff!"
"Oh dear that's wonderful!" Rowena said smiling. "A young witch or wizards first staff is a wonderful occasion."
"First staff? What do you mean?" Harry asked.
"Harry." Helga said with a shake of her head causing her golden curls bounce around. "I suppose it is a tradition that fell out of practice but when we were alive we only took on the strongest of students as our apprentices. The others we would teach the basics of magic but our apprentices would go on to be masters."
"We would know they would be great based on how early they took up their first staff." Rowena continued the explanation. "You see as your magical power increases regular wands can't channel it. If you were to try to cast a complicated or moderately powerful spell with your wand you would shatter it. So it's time for you to make your own staff."
"A very auspicious occasion." Godric boomed out. "You'll have to make it yourself, collect the wood you wish to use and the cores. Design it yourself and create it with your magic in mind of course. It's all great fun."
"I've never made a staff before." Harry said.
"Of course you haven't." Salazar said having overheard the conversation. "One of my journals in the library will have the process written down for you. You can start crafting it once you have all the supplies. We can discuss this later of course. You need to practice some magic else you'll explode."
"Right wandless magic! My favorite." Godric beamed.
So the instructions began. Godric talked about theory as if it was the most exciting thing in the world. Godric, despite his intelligence, was one of those bubbly personalities. Everything from the complex theories, to simple rules to doing the magic was just as exciting for him. The man loved magic. He spoke with his hands and gesticulated wildly.
The man had had an amazing duel in his youth where he had been cursed with wild magic. His hair had turned a silvery white as had his eyes. He lost his ability to see normally because of it. He and the other founders had developed a new kind of magic for him. With a lot of practice he learned to focus his magical power to his eyes and it allowed him to 'see' the magic in all living things.
When they built Hogwarts the founders enchanted every piece of stone, every door, every chair and table with something so that Godric could see it. So much magic was used that the castle eventually became slightly sentient. There were some things Godric's magic sight couldn't do. He could not see faces clearly or even bodies clearly. If something wasn't enchanted or charmed it would be a large black void in his vision where the object should be. If he left the castle he was nearly blind only being able to see the magical cores of his fellow wizards and witches and nothing else.
Despite this Godric was a master swordsman, having learned since his childhood. When he would begin fighting he would cast a powerful charm that would coat everything in his immediate area with magic. It would give him the outline of everything in the area and he could fight with ease. The spell only lasted a certain amount of time and took a lot of magic so it had its drawbacks. He learned to fight efficiently and his apprentices were known as some of the best duelists ending their battles quickly but having the endurance to last hours if needed.
So Godric had learned to use his weakness to his advantage. He was a generally very happy and bubbly person. Which is the reason he and Salazar always fought. Salazar was the sarcastic biting type whose personality clashed violently with Godric's exuberant one. Salazar and he disagreed on everything from color choices, despite the fact that Godric couldn't see colors, to dueling competitions despite the fact that Salazar didn't duel.
Harry liked Godric he imagined that this was exactly what he would have wanted in a father. Someone who totally could understand the idea of taking on a troll at eleven years old. Something that Salazar did not approve of. Godric thought quidditch was awesome and Salazar thought it was an awful waste of time. Godric thought spending time pranking people was an admirable pursuit and surprisingly Salazar agreed.
When the men had been alive they had pranked each other endlessly often getting in trouble with the female founders for involving their students. The female founders were hardly more mature they just disapproved when they involved the students. It was unprofessional to teach students how to hex each other's hair bright pink they argued.
Harry practiced his magic for two hours while Severus waxed old about potions with Salazar. He was tired by the end of it. So he collapsed into the couch next to Severus. The man hardly noticed him at first.
"Severus. We should go get lunch." Harry interrupted.
"Huh?" Severus asked. "Yeah sure."
The man was clearly distracted. Harry began hissing things at him that made Salazar pause and smirk.
"Young man that kind of language is unacceptable in my presence." Salazar intoned.
"I didn't say anything too inappropriate besides I'm hungry." Harry whined.
"Fine we'll go but I demand you take me here later." Severus said.
"Of course. I imagine I'll figure out a way for you to get here on your own so I don't have to escort you every time." Harry said as they were leaving.
"I imagine I would enjoy that immensely." Severus said. "Let's go to the great hall and eat lunch there."
"Sure. Do you mind if we try some of the tunnels out of here?"
"I am not against a little exploration." Severus conceded.
So Harry enjoyed exploring the tunnels they finally found an entrance that let out right near the Great Hall. They wandered laughing into the Great Hall and there seated was a man wearing shabby clothing and speaking with McGonagall. The man looked skinny and tired as if he hadn't had a decent night's sleep in a long time. Snape leaned down and whispered in Harry's ear.
"That is Remus Lupin."
"Why is he dressed so poorly? Didn't you say he had a master in defense?" Harry whispered back carefully.
"People with his condition find it difficult to find success in the British wizarding society. They are discriminated against. They cannot own property, marry, or even work at most establishments."
"But they are only dangerous once every 28 days." Harry argued. "And not even then if they take a Wolfsbane potion. If they can't get jobs how are the expected to get the potion?"
"They aren't. The ministry has no reason to help someone they don't even consider human." Severus whispered seriously back.
Harry was furious. He stood stock still. The Dursely's had considered him less than human and it had hurt him deeply, it still did. Werewolves who did not choose that life were discriminated against by everyone. Lucius' Malfoy's words from a few days ago filtered into his head.
'It is the job of the head of house to pursue things that interest the house as a whole. You will be a political person with influence and power.'
Harry was going to change this. Even if he never became powerful enough to break the curse as the book described he would still fix this. He was famous, and stinking rich, he should be able to change the world right? He would have to ask Hermione for help. It was at this time that Remus turned around and looked at Severus and Harry.
Harry suddenly became very shy. What if the man didn't like him? What if he was expected someone just like his father and was disappointed with how weird Harry was? Would he tell him that he was a worthless freak too? Maybe he would tell him that his parents would've hated him for being so weird. As these thoughts crowded his minds he stepped back so that he was leaning in to Severus. He stiffened for a moment before placing a hand on Harry's shoulder.
"Harry." He whispered. "The man is not going to hurt you."
"What if he doesn't like me?" Harry whispered back as the man began to trek across the room towards them.
"Don't worry about that. I hate everyone and you managed to get me to like you. You can get anyone to like you." Severus whispered back sarcastically.
Harry grinned up at his guardian and squared his shoulders. Mr. Remus Lupin was upon them. Harry put in his mask of Gryffindor certainty and stuck his hand out to the man.
"Hello. You must be Mr. Lupin the newest Defense instructor." Harry said with a shy smile. "I hope you are better than the last one."
"Mr. Potter. I can only assume that anyone could do better than poor stuttering Quirrel." Snape said with a sneer.
"Hey!" Harry sarcastically defended. "He wasn't too bad. I mean yeah he was possessed by Voldemort and tried to kill me three times but you can't hold that against him Professor."
Harry smiled when Severus snorted he turned back to the man who was staring at him.
"Oh I forgot to introduce myself." Harry said. "My name is Harry Potter."
This seemed to bring the man out of his stupor. He shook himself a little and then smiled at Harry.
"It is a pleasure to meet you as well." Lupin said. "I doubt you remember this but I knew you quite well when you were a baby."
"Professor Snape told me that you were good friends with my dad." Harry offered.
"He did, did he?" Lupin asked getting a scared look on his face. "What else did he tell you?"
"Why don't we sit down? Harry and I have yet to have lunch." Severus interrupted.
Harry sat down next to Severus and across from Lupin. The man was studying him intently. Harry waited for the two men to serve themselves before getting himself some food. Once they had the food Harry grabbed onto his inner Gryffindor and started up again.
"Professor Snape has told me a lot of things about you." Harry said. "He told me that you had a masters in defense which is really cool. I don't know what I want to do with my life but I definitely think getting a masters in something would be pretty cool."
"I really enjoyed learning all there was about defensive and offensive magic." Lupin said excitedly. "I've spent the last six years studying it."
"That's pretty cool." Harry said honestly. "Professor Snape told me you and he didn't really get along in school. I believe the words he used were 'Insufferable prat and loud bully.'"
"Mr. Potter." Snape said sternly. "I said that about your father. Don't misquote me. I told you that Remus Lupin was an 'Incorrigible prat and a quiet bully'. I can't believe you would mix those up."
"I admit that Professor Snape and I didn't get along during our time in Hogwarts." Lupin said.
Snape snorted. That was an understatement. Black had nearly killed him. Harry kicked him lightly in the shins. Snape schooled his features to something more neutral and Harry smiled.
"Well have you grown up or are you still a bully?" Harry demanded.
"Your father and I grew up when we graduated. We joined the war effort young and we lost our immaturity quickly."
"Awesome. That was the only thing I was worried about. I don't want anyone making fun of my guardian." Harry said. "I mean I have to defend his honor after all." Then it was Severus' turn to kick him in the shins.
It was true. He had worried that if a childhood bully from Severus' past came to teach he would try and continue that kind of relationship. He didn't want the man doing anything like that. Harry could tell that Remus Lupin had no desire to be mean to anyone. He smiled a big smile and let himself be more open with the newest professor.
"Well that's not entirely true. Can I have your promise that if you are going to try killing me would you avoid doing it during quidditch games and do it after exams?"
Remus Lupin gave him a very strange look while Snape snorted.
"Quidditch team? But first years don't play. Why would I want to kill you?
"You didn't hear? I'm the youngest seeker in a century at Hogwarts. I'm something of a prodigy apparently." Harry said. "For the question about murder. Well there is always someone trying to kill me and I just don't want it to interfere with my studies."
"Who is trying to kill you?" Lupin demanded angrily his eyes taking on a golden tint to them.
"Let's see. Voldemort of course. Last year it was Professor Quirrel. He was being possessed by the Dark Pastry and under his orders tried to murder me. He nearly succeeded at the end of the year too. I really pissed of Voldemort's spirit so I imagine that he will try again soon enough." Harry said. "Then of course there are some bitter followers of his that probably wouldn't mind offing me. Am I missing anyone Professor?"
"No you have only made those enemies no new ones. Unless of course you anger Lupin here."
"I can be kind of annoying." Harry admitted. "Anyway Mr. Lupin the only thing I was worried was that you would be rude to Professor Snape. Anything else he told me is irrelevant and doesn't matter."
"Did he tell you about my illness?" Lupin asked.
"Your Lycanthropy? That is the correct term right?" Harry asked. "He did tell me but it doesn't bother me. I don't see why it should bother me."
"You don't mind?" He asked.
"Nope. Do you think I should be bothered? It's not like you choose to harm people or even chose to have your condition. Besides if my mother liked you then you must have had some good qualities."
"Your father liked me too."
"I don't remember my dad. I only remember my mum and how brave she was. I didn't even know what he looked like until a few weeks ago when Hagrid gave me some pictures."
"You didn't know what your father looked like?"
"My relatives did not like talking about my magical parents. They hated them and they hated me." Harry said angrily. "Professor Snape I'm going to go flying. Please tell Mr. Lupin a few things about my relatives. I trust you to know what to tell him."
Harry ran. Something about seeing a complete stranger be protective of him made him run. He missed the look of concern Severus showed. He ran to his room and grabbed his broom. He ran outside quickly and began doing crazy stunts to try and clear his head. As he began to calm he felt exhausted. He hadn't gotten a lot of sleep the last few days and he had used a lot of magic that morning with Godric teaching him.
He looked around for a place to rest. He saw one of the roofs of the castle was rather flat and was currently being bathed in sunlight. He felt like a cat nap. He flew over and landed lightly on the roof. He summoned rocks from the ground and transfigured one into a blanket. And the other into a fluffy pillow he laid down and took a peaceful nap. Not noticing how easy that magic truly was.