Chapter Thirty

Before I do anything else I apologize for the length of time between updates- hopefully it won't be happening again soon. Anyway thank you to the people who were kind enough to review my last chapter and previous chapters, the people who reviewed my last chapter are:

Florrie -he's still called Teddy, and I have an idea about Tonks and Lupin's first child (hushed secret)
Bookwormluver3,
keekers15,
mudbloodpotter05- thanks again,
gone119,
Ravenclaw-Girl28,
The Lady Reaper of the Shadows,
Arrastra,
TLDriver66,
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katmeows4no1,
battousai222,
Wonderbee31,
Mikee,
Annie Nomous- yay happy dance, glad you liked the more Teddy and Sirius, I can't tell you who sent the bombs that would give my plot away!
Heksie,
TBookie,
Jaculus,
EelvenGirl,
selenepotter,
Alexandra'Alex'Ryan,
ShadowMoonDancer,
Clarilyn,
stevejobsfan,
TrowGundam,
Okane-Tsuki,
BookWyrm711
And
FaithlessGirl

Chapter Thirty

Harry stared in wonder at the room that had appeared, he couldn't remember ever having seen or heard of this combat room.

'Where are we?' he asked curiously.

'This Harry, is the Room of Requirement.' Anton replied with a smirk.

'The what?' Harry said confused.

'It gives you whatever you require,' Anton answered 'for example, I need a book on lower vampires dating from the years 230AD to 235AD.'

A thick leather bound black book appeared on the floor next to Anton, he leaned down and picked it up, showing the title to Harry it read 'Lower Vampires 230AD-235AD.

'Cool.'

'Very,' Anton nodded as he pulled his wand out of its holster 'now let's get on with your detention.'

Harry retrieved his own wand from his pocket and looked to Anton for further instruction.

Anton twirled his wand and thought for a moment before turning to one of the dummy's that stood five metres away.

'What I am going to do is put together two spells that are legal, one questionably so. And create an effect which is very illegal, this will just be an example, but I'm sure we can come up with some more.'

Harry nodded to show he had understood what the Professor had said, he couldn't help but feel slightly excited about doing something which could be potentially illegal.

Anton dropped into a combat stance and shouted 'DURO! IMPEDIMENTA!'

The two spells shot towards the dummy in quick succession, the Duro hit first turning it to stone, the curse collided with it seconds later and the stone mannequin exploded in a shower of rubble.

Harry felt his mouth drop open. Anton took in the expression and gave a wry smile.

'I'm sure you understand now why I said the effects would be illegal because the combination of those two spells said with enough force and meaning will kill your opponent.'

'Kill!' Harry gaped.

Anton watched Harry closely 'Harry, you must remember that in battle there are sometimes no other options, the only way to survive yourself is to make sure your adversary does not.'

Anton saw the understanding in Harry's eyes, no doubt as he considered the times he had had to use lethal force in his own past.

'But shouldn't you always try to stun the other person or something?' Harry said hopefully.

Anton smiled slightly 'that statement shows you are different to dark wizards, yes try to incapacitate the other non-fatally, but if not then there are no other options. Also what I have just done doesn't always have to be used against people, magical creatures such as trolls and Acromantula can also be disabled. Though I would suggest you don't try it with a full grown giant or a dragon, they would not be so simple to subdue.'

Harry looked far more confident in the fact he wouldn't have to kill someone if he didn't have to, Anton internally knew however that in the coming years if he didn't change certain things then Harry would be forced to kill quite a lot of dark wizards and a few in-between.

Harry fixed a look of concentration on his face and pointed his own wand at another dummy,

'Duro! Impedimenta!' he cast.

The first spell succeeded not in turning the whole dummy to stone but just the outer layer, when the curse connected in simply shattered this coating leaving the dummy in relatively good shape, Harry looked disappointed with his effort so Anton quickly jumped in with.

'Don't expect to get it on the first time,' he said softly ' it is many rarely do, especially when the concept of combination spells have only just been introduced.'

'When do people usually start?' Harry asked curiously.

'Well it's really not until seventh year,' Anton answered 'they are useful but unless your really good at them its not a good idea to spend ages in the middle of a battle to working out which spells would work well together.'

Harry nodded his head in understanding, 'I suppose it will take me a while then,'

'Not necessarily,' Anton replied 'it will take some work, but if you try hard enough it won't take too long, hopefully anyway, it just takes a degree of intelligence I'm sure you possess.'

Harry tried a few more times with those particular spells before Anton swapped and made him think up two other spells which would work well together, Harry chose not to deviate to far and instead froze the dummy and then sent a reducto at it, the dummy exploded in a shower of icy shards which Anton hastily avoided.

All in all it appeared the exercise was quite a success and Anton expected Harry would swiftly be able to move on to combining three or more spells, however something went wrong.

The two of them left the Room of Requirement and started to make their way back to Anton's office when it happened, they had been discussing the detention and Harry had been more than enthusiastic about what they had been doing. Anton was listening so carefully that he first didn't realise what was occurring, but he had for some reason looked over to one of the windows which was open allowing cool air breeze in from the outside darkness.

Something was glinting in the air outside the window and moving slightly, at first Anton thought it was just a star in the sky but then he realised it was drawing closer. An object which was glimmering and sparkling as it flew towards Anton and Harry carried by an owl.

Realisation hit Anton hard especially as is eyes adjusted to the dark and recognised a blue sheen to the entity. The owl was less than a metre from the window now and Anton wrenched his wand from its holster.

'Stupefy!' he cried.

The spell shot towards the owl, it hit it just as it passed through the window, it was instantly unconscious and slowly began to fall backwards away from the corridor and back into the night, but it was too late.

The owls delivery detached from the animal and fell onto the floor of the corridor where it began rolling towards the pair of them. Without sparing a second to think Anton waved his wand and sent Harry sprawling away as far as possible, this action left him with no time to defend himself from the ice bomb which was almost within his reach.

It exploded. Anton did the only thing he could think of and summoned hot fire to his skin like he had done previously, it ignited along his arms and legs and protected him from the effects of the singular bomb.

When the blast had died down Anton's eyes immediately sought out Harry who was watching him with a look of utter shock on his face, the teen was on the floor where he had landed and had a fine layer of frost on his clothes. He was staring at Anton an the fire raging on his body, he appeared to realise in his stunned state that the fire was not burning Anton.

Anton cancelled the fire, and hurried over to Harry,

'Are you okay?'

'Ugh…' Harry managed 'you were on fire.'

'Yes,' Anton wrinkled his nose slightly 'but are you okay?'

Footsteps sounded and Dumbledore and Snape burst into the corridor, their eyes noticeably widened as they took in the frost covered corridor, the glass remnants of another bomb, Harry and Anton who's clothes had this time stood up against the fire.

'What happened?' Snape demanded 'the alarms went off that signalled there had been an attack inside the school.'

'Ice bombs,' Anton replied 'another owl delivery.'

Snape scowled and Dumbledore cast a warming spell on Harry who was watching everything closely.

'Harry are you okay?' Dumbledore inquired repeating Anton's earlier questions.

'Um yeh I think so,' Harry managed.

'Excellent,' Dumbledore said kindly 'now Harry I want you to go to the Gryffindor tower and warm up, I suggest a hot bath. I'll tell the kitchens to send up some hot chocolate.'

'Thanks sir,' Harry said weakly getting to his feet, he didn't waste much time in hurrying from the corridor, the sight of his Professor conjuring all those flames on his body without using a wand was something he desperately wanted to discuss with Ron and Hermione, that and the ice bombs.

--

'This is getting worse,' Dumbledore said sombrely without the slightest twinkle in his eye 'an attack on an open corridor while you were with a student.'

'But it wasn't just any student,' Snape said snidely 'it was Potter, how do we know that wasn't intentional, the assailant could be after the golden boy as well.'

Anton felt a hint of foreboding fill him, whoever had done it knew that he was a Fire Elemental and there might also be a chance that whoever it was knew that he was an older version of Harry, which left very few suspects.

'On thing is clear though,' Dumbledore intoned 'Anton you need to be more careful, I am advising you don't spend a lot of time on your own late at night outside the wards of your quarters.'

Anton frowned but he understood the older man spoke the truth.

--

Harry, Ron and Hermione sat together in the empty common room as Harry finished explaining what had happened in his detention.

Hermione breathed out and muttered 'well I'll have to do some research but I think I might know how Professor Lukyen did it.'

'Really,' Ron said not particularly surprised 'how?'

Hermione pulled a book towards her and began leafing through it 'I wouldn't like to say in case I'm wrong, I should really go to the library and check it out, but this makes sense, I had already thought he might be but then I dismissed it because finding the gift is really rare…'

'Hermione!' Ron and Harry shouted together 'will you just tell us!'

Hermione looked for a moment like she was internally debating whether to tell them or not but noticing their twin scowls she started, 'right, you see that pendant he wears?'

'The red one that changes colour?' Harry replied.

'Yes, well at first I thought it was just a pendant that had some magic in it, you know just a sentimental item, but then I noticed that while he was ill it darkened considerably, which made me think it was something else.'

'What though?' Ron asked.

'Well I couldn't just ask him and without getting close to it I didn't see how I could work it out, except it looked familiar and I thought I may have seen it in a book,' Hermione said enthusiastically 'and now Harry mentions the fire and it makes sense.'

'What does?' Ron said impatiently.

Hermione didn't answer but she glanced around the room as if someone could be listening 'do you think we could use the cloak and go to the library Harry?'

'Er sure,' Harry said 'why?'

'I want to check something out in a book before I say anything else,' she said already standing up.

--

They arrived at the library fairly quickly and with the us of the map they could make sure no one was nearby.

Hermione went straight over to a shelf and began rifling through the books, Harry and Ron waited patiently as she muttered to herself.

'Here it is!' she exclaimed, she slammed a heavy book down at the table Harry and Ron were sitting at and skimmed through the pages quickly.

'Here it is,' she said again pointing at a picture of a young witch who had fire covering most of her body, she had long hair similar in colouring to Anton's and the same eyes, three other people were in the picture with her, a man with blonde and blue hair, a man with green and brown hair and another woman with silver and white hair.

'The Elementals of Grindelwald,' Harry read 'four friends gifted with the power of the elements as they fought united against one force.'

'Yes Elementals,' Hermione said excitedly 'when there is the chance of a monumental war between the dark and light Destiny sends the gifts to the four most powerful witches and wizards of the time, once they reach their nineteenth birthday. In this case the four of them fought against the light choosing to side with Grindelwald but as the fight drew to the final Fire went against the dark and sided with Dumbledore, who with her help was able to stop the other Elementals and finally Grindelwald. However she was seriously injured in the battle and later died of her injuries, there haven't been recorded Elementals since then.'

'So where are the others?' Harry asked.

'Well Ofelia is one, she's water,' Hermione said calmly 'and that picture that they gave Anton for his birthday it had a man and a woman in it, they must be the other two but they're dead.'

'His brother,' Ron said suddenly 'he said his brother was dead, I bet he was the guy in the picture the wind one, dressed in silver.'

'She's wearing the pendant,' Harry pointed to the drawing 'that's the one Anton wears.'

'Dumbledore probably gave it to him,' Hermione continued her mind ticking 'because he suddenly started wearing it after he went for a meeting with him.'

'Whoa,' Harry said smiling slightly 'this is pretty big, I wonder why no one else worked it out.'

'Like I said they're rare,' Hermione replied 'look how many years ago it was between them, and Lukyen's not much older than twenty so he didn't get them very long ago.'

'Bit depressing if you ask me,' Ron said thoughtfully 'they're all against one force but both sets broke up and switched sides.'

'I wonder if that always happens,' Harry speculated.

Hermione pulled another book out and flicked through it, 'no' she answered 'it doesn't always, there have been eleven sets of Elementals in the last five hundred years and seven of those have remained on the same side all the way through and most of them have been fighting for the light side.'

'This is pretty interesting,' Harry stated 'and they're really powerful so we're probably really lucky to have one on our side.'

'Yeh but Voldemort's got one as well,' Ron pointed out 'so don't they just balance each other out.'

'It's not that simple,' Hermione said 'it's true they're absolute opposites but its almost impossible to have them completely equal in power, the same with any two wizards or witches.'

--

'DETENTION TONIGHT!'

Anton heard the scream as he made his way to dinner the next day, he had spent the night in the guest quarters of the castle and though they were nice he missed the comfort of his own lodgings.

The voice was gratingly familiar and as he reached the Entrance Hall he saw Umbridge shouting at Harry who was looking very angry.

'But I didn't do anything!' he protested ignoring the crowd that was watching 'I didn't mean to knock into you!'

'SILENCE!' she ordered 'or I will give you another one!'

Anton quickly made his way over to them and said smoothly 'Harry, if Madam Umbridge is giving you a detention then you will do it without complaint.'

When Harry turned furiously to Anton, the older man quickly shot him an urgent look which seemed to get rid of some of the fury his younger self was feeling but the undercurrents of resentment were obvious.

'Yes Sir,' Harry said his voice vaguely resentful.

Umbridge glared at Anton but she didn't say anything, no doubt she was annoyed she had missed out on the chance to give him another detention. Anton bowed his head to her politely and said,

'Madam Umbridge may I escort you into dinner?'

She smiled in her simpering way which didn't do much to hide her true feelings, in spite of this she couldn't easily refuse Anton offer as much as she wanted to stay and torment Harry.

'hem hem, of course,' she smiled again.

Anton smiled coldly back and walked into dinner with her even though he would have preferred to be far away from her.

'Did you get the results of your inspection?' she said sweetly.

Anton gave her another cold smile 'yes I did, it said my teaching was adequate but I needed another inspection to further assess my attitude.'

A cruel gleam lit in Umbridge's eyes as well as an underlying hint of darkness that Anton hadn't remembered the last time.

'Well maybe your actions outside show you are willing to help the Ministry,' she said lightly but her tone was untrusting.

'Perhaps,' Anton inclined his head 'perhaps,'

--

As dinner finished Anton made his way quickly past the Gryffindor table and as he passed Harry he muttered 'come to my office in five minutes.'

Harry nodded his head slightly and Anton swept past.

--

Anton was waiting five minutes later as Harry entered his office, before the teenager even had a chance to speak Anton spoke quickly.

'Harry, I know you were trying to keep out of Umbridge's way but the fact of the matter is, she is out to get you.'

'But that's not fair!' Harry objected.

'No it isn't,' Anton agreed 'this detention is supposed to punish you and I won't condone what she intends to do.'

'What she intends to do,' Harry repeated looking uncomfortable.

'Exactly, which leads me to my next point, do you trust me Harry?'

'Yes,' Harry replied honestly.

'Then I'm going to ask you for one of your hairs,' Anton said quickly.

'Why?' Harry asked warily.

'Harry Potter is expected in detention in five minutes,' Anton said 'and I don't intend the real Harry Potter to be there.'

'Polyjuice!' Harry said understanding.

'Exactly.'

--

'Ah Mr Potter,' Umbridge greeted him her eyes bulging 'sit down, you may have been able to get out of detention last time but this time you are serving it with me.'

Anton glared at her from his polyjuiced form, this was weird being back in his old body after so many years.

'So what am I doing?' he asked needlessly.

'Lines,' she said with malice.

'Right then,' Anton said sitting down at a desk and he started to pull his own quill out just to keep up appearances.

'Oh no you won't be needing that,' she simpered 'you will be using one of my quills.'

She handed him the familiar sadistic tool and Anton schooled his features into a look of what he hoped was relative confusion.

'What am I writing?'

'I must not tell lies,' she replied.

'But I haven't told any,' Anton said, 'this detention was for me knocking into you.'

'I'm covering what you did last time to warrant a detention because I doubt it was dealt with satisfactorily.'

Anton grimaced and pulled a piece of parchment towards him, he started writing and as the quill dug into his skin drawing blood he tried to look suitably shocked.

It appeared he had succeeded because she seemed to approve of his faked reaction. An hour later Anton subtlety took another drink of the potion he had in a flask, he didn't want to consider what McGonagall's reaction would be if she knew what he was doing, it had taken enough to get the potion of Snape without causing any fuss to begin with.

When she eventually called him over to her desk his hand was bleeding as freely as it had after weeks of using the quill last time. She seemed slightly surprised that the words had dug in as much as they had, over the next couple of days he would have to conceal the wound to avoid suspicion. It also looked like he would be stuck with the scar again which annoyed him when he considered all the effort he had gone to remove the obvious scar from his body while he was hiding out.

--

Anton sunk his hand into Essence of Murlap the moment he re-entered his temporary quarters, Pyra eyed him from her small bed with obvious disapproval.

'I had to do it Pyra,' he said convincing himself just as much as her.

She laid her head down on her front paws and blinked at hi carefully, Anton shook his head and pulled his hand from the liquid and wrapped it in a bandage. He was rubbish at healing spells and he couldn't go to Madam Pomfrey or he'd raise suspicion which he didn't want yet, he wanted enough proof to go against Umbridge to get her completely discredited and bringing attention to what she was doing would be useless in the long run.

'Just think Pyra,' he said rubbing his hands through his loose hair 'when it finally does hit her she won't know what's happening, it'll be as if the centaurs have kidnapped her all over again, hopefully anyway.'