Chapter 12
Magic perhaps
Helltanz's notes: I probably go back clean up and rewrite the first chapter, and probably the second one as well. I feel I may have over done it with the purple prose in the beginning.
Also for the time being this chapter is unbetaed and written during a period of sleep deprivation I'm requesting readers ignore minor typos.
Disclaimer: come on you should know the drill by now
-Chapter begin -
The Hogwarts staff meeting room was located in the central portion of the castle. Its lack of windows, coupled with the schedule of staff meetings generally meant that it wasn't used much. As the room was deep inside the main structure, and obviously did lack windows, it depended entirely on magical lighting. The room itself was rather plain, its only central feature was the large wooden table which had last been replaced in the 1880s.
Dumbledore settled into his worn high back, and well padded, chair for the first proper staff meeting of the semester. Truth be told he normally relished these first meetings, this year however had the potential prove different than the usual fare of pranks. For the most part Hogwarts avoided the political problems that had plagued life outside its walls since Voldemort's fall.
There was an atangonistic relationship between the blood purists, and muggleborns, but it'd never gotten anywhere close to the level it had been during Voldemort's reign of terror. In fact schools throughout the country had largely been exempt from attacks. Hogwarts was of course the premiere school in the British Isles, but there were several smaller others ranging from dedicated trade schools to simply small regional that catered to the more insular wizarding communities; such as the school in Wales. Hogwarts though was the school that had the most name recognition. It was part of the reason he was criticized by the blood purists for choosing to admit as many powerful muggleborns to Hogwarts as he could.
"The Longbottom Boy is a menace I want him out of my potions class," Severus was saying loudly across the staff room. "Before he gets us all killed."
McGonnagal gave an undignified snort, "You said the same thing about mister Potter."
"Potter is a menace, but at least if he's going to kill the class it won't be because he accidentally blew the classroom up!" Snape growled.
Dumbledore looked up, and tapped his wand getting their attention. "Minerva, Severus please there is no need for this. I'm sure the boy is just nervous, many new students are."
"He's nearly blown me up twice, if I wasn't absolutely sure he was just incompetent I'd think it was intentional." Snape retorted. "and as for Potter at least he and the rest of them can at least follow directions." Which to tell the truth was more than he had expected from the majority of the first year Gryfinndors. "Then there is this fighting between the first years, if this isn't nipped in the bud I believe it could spread to the upper years."
Dumbledore frowned, well this brought him back to what he'd been thinking about, "I see, then the matter of blood purity is becoming an issue."
"I don't even think its that when it come to the First Years fighting." Severus commented. "Potter isn't a blood purist, and neither is Weasley boy, but neither of them get along. Draco is taking towards his father's view, but that isn't the problem. Put simply if this does spread to the upper years the purity issue could become the issue that dominates this. Potter is teaching." Snape proclaimed exclamating the statement by standing up.
The headmaster raised an eyebrow, "You're sure about this Severus?"
"Of course I am, I wouldn't bring it up otherwise, if this escalates..."
Filius finally spoke up, "I disagree a Potter hasn't invoked a Vendetta in over three hundred years, I checked the last time they did was before the Statute of Secrecy. Him teaching other students is not neccessarily a bad thing."
"What are we looking at him teaching though?" Snape groused, "Did you see Diagon Alley, stone doesn't melt easily, or maybe you saw the Platform?" Snape had a valid point an esclation to riotous behavior between Gryfinndor and Slytherin's upper years would be messy. Worse even than the esclation that his own seventh year had seen.
Dumbledore frowned, but allowed Hooch to speak up, "I don't know who was involved in the fight between the First Years for certain, but it definitely started before Mr. Longbottom broke his wrist, there is something very wrong with the first years. I have rescheduled the flying class for the Gryfindors and Slytherins to next Tuesday."
"That should be sufficent I think, Quirnus perhaps you would like to add something?"
The man with the turban on his head shuddered looking up, "Oh no sir, the children are most well behaved in my class, I haven't had any issue with tomfoolery. Headmaster." Professor Sprout agreed with Quirrel the firt years tended to be well behaved in their herbology class as well. McGonnagal also couldn't attest to any misbehavior though for completely different reasons.
"I do not want our first month of class to ruin ten years of peace. Perhaps it would be best if we arranged a gathering for the first years to encourage Hogwarts unity." In truth he had been after the fight at the train station that Harry was taking an increasingly traditional stance, turning away from more than two hundred years of progressivism that had marked the Potter Family. It certainly had looked that way, it had looked like he'd been lying in wait for the Death Eaters, waiting for them to attack. "In my belief this should probably be something outdoors, after all a dance wouldn't be appropriate for the youngsters." That and of course Hogwarts already had a Yule ball annually for those in fourth year and above.
"A quiditch game might be possible, but at the same time team tryouts are in a few weeks, I don't think it'd be good to get their hopes up only for older children to make it onto the house teams." Professor Sprout commented.
Filius frowned, and an obstacle course might end up backfiring. Likewise many of the more accademic past times were not likely to find much support amongst the younger years, and dueling was most certainly out of the question.
-scene break-
Harry settled back in the grass reading a well worn book, finally he was able to get some peace and quiet, the truth was he'd snuck out Gryfindor Common Room to avoid the ruckus certain authority figures were raising, and by certain he meant Percy. The truth was the Weasley twins first prank of the year had gone off without complication at breakfast Friday morning. Coupled with the fight at flying class had set Percy off something fierce. He'd ranted on and on Thursday night, even attempted to bar exits to the common room so he could rant and rave. Friday night had only compounded it. His brothers, that was to say Fred and George, made it worse by immediately pranking him when the first opportunity made itself available.
He noticed the shift of magic, which was what gave he new guest away, that and the spiders he'd let loose... well the once that hadn't gotten eaten by the birds of the forrest obviously.
"You should not be here human,"
Harry looked at him, it, no definitely was a him. A centaur, geez it'd been a while since he'd even thought about one much less seen one. "And why is that?" 'He', since it was definitely male, was tall easily breaching two meters at his shoulder... his human shoulder that was.
"Pluto makes itself clear," The Centaur remarked, "and Mars is growing bright."
It took him a minute to remember Pluto's alignment, which again was more because he hadn't had a talk like this in at least a year and a half. "Death and War." He remarked after a minute.
"Pluto is the judge, and judgement follows with all conflict." The Centaur remarked, "You should consider the place of all the celestial kingdoms, are you not influenced by Mercury and Saturn? These woods are no place for a magician to fight, and you are much to young for that."
Harry's teeth set in a grit, "Death promises no reprieve for children."
"And you still call the Children of the Dusk friends, human."
Of course the Centaur would know that, maybe the Centaur clans talked maybe it was the marks, he didn't have a way to be sure, but the fact was he knew. To tell the truth he really wished that centaurs wouldn't fucking talk so vaguely. "What do you want centaur?"
"Mars is growing bright human, you know conflict brews." The centaur remarked. "Your kind grasps only its petty struggles, and not the warning given by the stars. Can you comprehend the fates the stars layout for us."
Harry hated astrology... he hated the class, and he hated the planets, but it did tend to have a point occasionally maybe, not that he'd ever admit that so easily aloud. "I've been fighting since summer." He commented, "and it'll probably get worse,"
"Mars does grow brighter every night." The centaur agreed.
Geez would he stop saying that, okay conflict and fights, and fighting he'd gotten the message already. Hagrid came tromping through the tree, "Oh there you are Harry, and good day to you as well Philo." Hagrid was taller still than the Centaur, and more than that significantly more stout, to put bluntly were Hagrid not so overly jovial he we would be even scarier... the crossbow didn't help things obviously. The weapon was large, and quite lethal looking by itself never mind the vicious looking bolt with the barbed arrowhead that it presently was loaded with. "Still Harry I have to chase the Weasley twins away from here often enough, forrest isn't really a place for students to be alone. Not that you're to be spreading it about of course, but I can completely understand coming out into the Forest did the same thing when I was your age." Hagrid continued on. "Was absolutely my favorite place to be when I didn't have class." The half giant reminsced fondly of his school days, he'd never thought it ill of Tom Riddle until Tom had become Voldemort truth be told, Tom had just been wrong about Aragog that had been his belief. Then Tom had grown up to be the Dark Lord, and started all that killing business.
Philo the centaur had other things on his mind. Centaur clans rarely took time to communicate with each other, but when new ones appeared it was noticed. More importantly word got around when an existing clan formalized ties with a wizard, and then told of another clan. It was thus also noticed when their wizard-friend had a friend who was allied with the Children of the Dusk. These things were noticed... and Mars was growing oh so bright, and the wizard was right Pluto could in fact be death as well as judge. What was written in the stars were bad omens.
Harry had other things on his mind like what to eat for dinner, he'd decided he was just going to swing by the kitchens, there wasn't any sense eating in the great hall, and it'd let him side step Percy as well so a double win. There was also the fact he could eat, read, and relax all at the same time without distraction if he got food from the Kitchen.
"Oh Harry thats right I was going to invite you for tea when I got done here in the forrest," Hagrid remarked, "Truth be told I would have done it sooner but I had to do something for Dumbledore, which kept me busy."
Tea actually sounded very nice, and he could use the caffiene to tell the truth. He needed to get coffee soon. He was too damn used to drinking it in the mornings, which made getting up without it at his usual time difficult.
-scene break-
"So where'd you go?" Katie asked him as dropped his bag on the table,
He glanced up before setting his food on the table as well, "Well I went into the forrest," The twins shouted encourgingly at him, WELL DONE!, "talked to an astrology focused centaur, apparently Mars is getting bright, so war is coming... apparently. Then I went and had tea."
"With the centaur?"
"No with Hagrid, he was there too." Harry responded. "But Mars is brightening so thats apparently worth repeating a dozen times." He commented,
She looked interested, did girls really find this divination stuff interesting, "Wast there anything else?"
"and Pluto is shining, so judgement and death obviously. Then there was something about Mercury and Saturn." Harry sat down in the chair by the fire. "That was about everything the centaur felt like saying,"
"Pluto can be wealth though,"
She did actually a point on that Pluto was affiliated with Hades, and as such... "So spoils of war then if I see treasure I will make sure to collect it," He commented blandly. Right treasure... uh huh, which reminded him to get back to rereading. Even if the centaur was right, which was possible, probably likely given fighting was always a potential occurence, it didn't really matter much...
"Centaurs, and treasure, didn't figure them for the type." George interjected abruptly, "Our brother Bill does a fair bit of cursebreaking for Gringotts, and he's never said anything about Centaurs building treasure hoards."
From everything Harry understood of the magiks employed by the Centaurs they relied heavily on divination, but that was not to say they were defenseless. Harry had never learned the specifics Sam hadn't been interested in sharing, and Harry had little patience for stargazing.
From everything the wizards knew, if they bothered to check their own history, Centaurs had in fact had treasure hoards, but modern, centaur, culture had largely abandonned this following the collapse of Ancient Greece. The transition to isolated clans, and new social trends meant the Centaurs no longer built such encampments to contain wealth in gold.
"Well dear brother William does like to spend his time having fun in the sun," Seeing the lack of knowledge on precisely what their brother did Fred elaborated, "You see our brother Bill is a cursebreaker for Gringotts. He deals with things like wards, and curses intended to defend places long after they've been forgotten. He does a lot of work in Egypt,"
George continued for his brother while Fred took a minute to help himself to the tea, "After Hogwarts he started working for Gringotts branch in Egypt." That was interesting Harry hadn't actually considered that the wizarding world might still be recovering things from long dead civilizations, that definitely bore looking into. "He does a lot of poking around tombs, and Egyptian temples buried in the sand."
"According to wizarding history," A certain bushy haired first year interjected, "The egyptians and Mesopotamians were amongst the first true magic using civilizations to arise, like in the muggle world ancient Sumeria, Egypt, China, and India all had flourishing magic using populations thanks to the natural conditions of the region." Hermione continued.
Fred, and George wrinkled their noses, "Yeah Ancient Egyptian wizards, we're not stupid," and had kind of lived in the wizarding world their whole life, and it was their brother. Their opinion on the topic of ancient Egyptian wizards reflected the norm for magical Britain... that was to say the ancient Egyptians had been mean bastards, but ultimately a lot of the British wizarding world thought of them as a long gone curiousity. The truth was though Hogwart didn't even both to cover ancient magical societies for another few years.
Add to that of course that thousands of years had passed, and very little other than the ruins intrepid wizards, and the goblins, sought out to exploit. Modern Egypt for all they claimed about their great forebearers used primarily Arab derived magic, and before that had become dominant had largely already switched to the magical forms of the Romans. The sad truth for those who cared was that most true ancient egyptian magic had largely died out before the Roman Empire had dominated.
That was how conquest worked after all a more powerful culture moved in and took over, even the Chinese hadn't been exempt when the Mongols had conquered, but over all they'd changed the least. China had managed to retain the bulk of their ancient forms of magic. To contrast India's history meant their own magic had altered the most of the two surviving ancient magic users. True Ancient Egyptian magic, and the magiks of Ancient Sumer were today effectively extict. That was just the way things were.
Fred and George didn't know much about any of the Four Ancient Magical Cultures, Bill had always been tight lipped, apparently, about Egyptian Magic, and kept his notes carefully stowed away, something about it being too dangerous. That wasn't to say the twins hadn't seen them, just that they hadn't understood them. The two Weasleys also had the sense not to mess with what they had found.
Harry was curious, he had immediately know that the wards around the Potter properties were... less than passive, which put them in strict contrast with his self developed wards, which revolved around the senses, and hiding. This information had immediately forced him to reconsider his priorities in wards, especially as their was a whole wide wizarding world out there.
"So yeah where Bill works in,"
"And lives in" George interjected abruptly
Fred nodded along, "Egypt, our brother Charlie is working in Romania, apparently he also wanted to get out of the country,"
"Not that we have any idea why that could be," George remarked sarcastically. "It couldn't be his job lets him avoid our mum, and make a decent wage."
Thats right the twins were rather annoyed about the whole Mrs. Weasley sending that letter the school had been talking about after breakfast... Harry hadn't been there so he wasn't sure quite what the issue was about a screaming letter that flew under its own power.
-scene break-
Sunday had proven equally boring, which meant that they'd be heading to class per normal tomorrow, which meant of course meant Gryfinndor's usual potions with Slytherin, and then later on Defense against the Dark Arts. As expected Snape took no time to criticize any imprefection where it was possible... not that Harry would ever admit he was glad his new set of potions ingredients had arrived this morning, which of course had spared him any further criticism of of the ingredients he was using. It, of course, didn't excuse those who were still using ingredients from Slugs & Jiggers Apothecary, or other Apothecaries, which by some strange power Snape could identify with littl effort, that didn't meet Snape's standard of what was suitable.
In any event despite Snape's criticism, unfounded or not, the class proceeded well enough to avoid explosions at least. That much atleast kept them from beind distracted too much from the class, in fact the entire class manged to avoid any accidents at all for an early monday morning class. From what they'd heard at lunch their good fortune hadn't passed onto the Hufflepuff Ravenclaw third year class that had also had potions that morning, and apparently set Snape into a terrible mood.
Lunch itself had been a standard affair, Harry had gone, and eaten, if only because they had Defense immediately afterwards. The meal had been standard fare for Hogwarts, but Harry appreciated the tea in any case, the caffiene was what he needed, and truthfully he'd yet to devise a method of insuring a supply of coffee... the Dursley's bought coffee and used an electronic coffee pot... a large coffee pot. It had actually been one of the few thing Harry had liked at the Dursley's house. Damn it.
Defense against the Dark Arts was held in the same room as it had been for the previous classes. The truth was it was boring, and the rain outside only made it more so. Quirrel's lecture was boring, at least McGonnagal transfiguration class for the first years proved interesting Quirrel's rambling on while stuttering couldn't even manage that. The truth was Quirrel couldn't even stay on topic, or didn't seem to be able to make up his mind on what he wanted to lecture on, but at least he didn't quiz people on his personal experiences... that in itself was a plus.
Harry traced a finger up the page and folded down his place in reading, still at least this miserable lecture was over and done with for the day.
-scene break-
Charms, followed by Wednesday's classes, and then Thursday had all been uneventful up until McGonagal started on the essays. It had not been pleasant to listen too, Snape at least was outright malicious, McGonagal was true neutral she gave credit where it was deserved, and flambaed you when you had screwed up, and the First year Gryfinndor's by and large had not done well. On the plus side rumors in between classes informed them most other first years hadn't either... that didn't actually improve most people's moods, accept those who were willing to accept such reasoning.
You would think though after the fight, whether they had proof or not was irrelevant, they'd have had the Gryffindors and Slytherins, have different flying classes. Instead they were stuck with the Slytherins again, which meant a bunch of both sides were glaring at each others from across the imaginary line of separation.
"They're idiots,"
"Yes," Harry agreed not looking up,"They are, but maybe its better this way."
"Are you going to stop them?"
"Why would I?" He asked the Slytherin, it was probably better they just went ahead and fought it out. That logic certainly seemed to work for Dudley at school, so if both groups fought, and there was a clear winner the loser should just admit they'd lost... to quote Vernon 'a sound thrashing will fix 'em'. Obviously throwing fire balls at the problem fixed problems... well enough... "They can work this out,"
She brought up her more pressing point, there were kind a lot of them, and not all the girls were sitting out, and that meant a lot of first years all told. If Hooch didn't decide to reign things in a fight might actually have started. Once again she instructed them to command their brooms 'Up'. This time nobody fell off like Neville had, but then everybody managed to avoid shooting off out of control like he had to.
Flying on a broom was certainly a new experience for Harry. The feel was strange, but then that was probably to be first proper lesson in flying covered the supposed basics, there was a thrill to flying. Adrenaline was the obvious scientific explanation, but it didn't change the fact that flying was genuinely fun. Katie... and heaven forbid both Draco and Ron had been right about flying, it was fun.
Harry prized being right, being wrong stung his pride. It was why he studied, he didn't like being ignorant, and more importantly didn't like being wrong. Still while he didn't like it, he did admit, to himself at least, that he'd been wrong. Flying through the air was fun. Harry grimaced and leaned forward in irritation... which resulted in the broom suddenly nose diving. He abruptly forced the broom to correct causing Hooch to start shouting irritably something about flying safety, or safely or something it was kind of hard to hear her properly. That was something about McGonnagal and the racing broom. He turned the Cleansweep model 4 and oriented it towards the ground and descended, quickly, to continued irritation of his flying teacher. Madame Hooch was thoroughly annoyed, apparently flying was dangerous... obviously. Still no harm no foul.
Even so all in all Gryfindor and Slytherin's first complete flying lesson had went much better.
-scene break-
"Are they serious?" Someone shouted.
IT was the third week of September now, the last week of classes had went fairly well. "What are they on about?" George questioned looking up from a last minute bit of homework.
"Well Wood said Quidditch tryouts would be this saturday." Fred commented still focusing on his own homework.
"They don't sound like its about quidditch tryouts." Katie commented, who was looking forward to the tryouts come saturday. "Do we have a seeker yet?"
Fred looked up, "We've got guys who want to play, whether Aaron got the fingers for it," He grunted, "since he's got the best broom and we know he can ride a broom. Its all up on whether he can catch the snitch, if he gets the spot we're good for two years after, but he'll still be the oldest on the team." That wasn't saying much the Gryfindor in question was a year older than Oliver Wood the current captain of the quidditch team.
Harry leafed through his Transfiguration book, even though he didn't have the class until Thursday. The given reason for this was transfiguration was "too difficult" for young wizards and witches to study effectively until they had matured, something about power requirements as well played a factor in it. So they only had the class once a week, and McGonnagal drilled them on theory by making them write essays of parchment. Then after that they had their flying lessons. It was thus that Harry considered Thursday the best of when he had classes. True his first year classes were a bit of a let down, but Thursday was less than the others. Seriously First Year classes were disappointing, and while he had considered sitting in on Katie's classes he had other things he could work on.
"Have you seen this?" Dean demanded approaching them, one of his hands was angled back towards the message board angrily. Harry turned around
In truth he hadn't, whatever it was, it hadn't been posted when he'd left this morning, and he had not actually thought to look at the board when he'd come to the great hall. Whatever it was Dean, one of the principal instigators on the Gryfindor side regarding the conflict with Slytherin's first years, was down right furious, which Harry supposed might be interesting. Harry finished off his tea, "What is it Dean?"
"THIS!" It was only the fact that the Great Hall was already filled with the usual breakfast rucuss that Dean's declaration didn't draw attention beyond most students. Harry couldn't really read the announcement... not with the way Dean had it shoved into his face like it was.
"So you've seen it too."
For some reason Dean seemed content to assume that the Slytherins all thought the same, or at the least were all united together, which certainly wasn't the case in Gryfindor despite his assertions that it should be, according to his beliefs of course. Harry ignored all of this, had been ignoring Dean, and his friends, proclamations of such since the first fight had broken out with the Slytherin First years. There was no point to it, obviously. Harry took his view of the world quite seriously, even if it was biased. Muggles would have diagnosed it as a mild psych disorder, not very dangerous on its own... of course Harry had magic.
Dean just had a bad experience with Slytherins. He was, like Harry, a half blood raised in the wizarding world. Unlike Harry though Dean hadn't, didn't have practical experience in magic to rely on. That was the problem Draco at least did know a few spells, and so did most the purebloods, particularly those with older siblings. Perhaps luckily that first fight had degenerated into a fist fight.
"Whats going on?"
"The teachers are organizing a get together for the first years,"That wasn't normal, Harry knew, obviously, Katie affirmed as much, which was of course echoed by both Fred and George simultaneously, cutting Daphne off, who was rather testy about that. Being interuptted she waited a minute before continuing, in any event the newly announced affair was supposed to encourage friendly inter house cooperation.
"This will be a blood bath," Harry muttered, "I'm not going, and you shouldn't either." He remarked imperiously. The Gryfindors and Slytherins might have been the main ones fighting, but that didn't stop the more agressive Slytherins, Malfoy, and Nott especially, from picking fights with Ravenclaws, or Hufflepuffs. Harry was exagerating, whether he really intended to be or not was up for debate, but still if a fight broke out it was likely the Hufflepuffs, and Ravenclaws would probably join in on the resulting brawl... maybe.
"We should probably head to potions."
-Chapter conclusion—
Helltanz's notes: and I'm ending it there and posting its ten minutes till 3 in the morning.
Dark Prince 2 will be updated as soon as I finish the rewrite, so hypothetically the next update for Magic Perhaps? Will probably be in November mid to late November, which will put us at chapter 13 out of 20
Night all.