Chapter 8 - Talk of the Staff
It was the morning in the third week of classes and students were in the Great Hall eating breakfast. Harry, Neville and Ron had become friends and were sitting together. Neville was showing his friends the gift his grandmother had sent him.
"It's a Remembrall. You just shake it," he demonstrated, "and if it turns red…oh dear."
The mist inside the glass orb he held in his hand become a dark red and swirled around angrily.
"Then…you know you've forgotten something.. shame it doesn't tell you what you forgot though," he said frowning.
"Did you remember to do the transfiguration homework?" Harry offered.
"No that's not it," he said, "did it last night…well some of it, but I haven't forgotten that."
Just then Malfoy and his thugs Crabbe and Goyle stopped by the Gryffindor table. Malfoy snatched the Remembrall out of Neville's hands.
"What's the matter, Longbottom? Forget which end of your wand to hold?" he smirked and Crab and Goyle guffawed.
"How come is it still red Malfoy?" Harry asked cooly. "Did you forget your manners? You're supposed to ask if you can have something before taking it, you know."
Malfoy reddened and shoved the Remembrall back into Neville's hands.
"Watch it Potter. Or I might forget that there's no duelling in the corridors."
Harry leaned back on the bench seat and regarded Malfoy, a small smirk making it's way onto his face. Malfoy didn't like the way Harry looked at him. It was entirely too calm.
"Why Malfoy, that almost sounds like a challenge. Have you finally managed to learn how to cast spells?" Neville chuckled, though uneasily. He was worried Harry might get himself into trouble or worse hurt.
Malfoy's eyes narrowed and he took the bait.
"You know what Potter? Let's go, me and you. Wizard's Duel tonight, midnight." He smirked.
Harry paused and seemed to think about it, the small smirk never leaving his face.
"Where?" he said simply.
"Trophy room. That's always unlocked. Do you agree?"
Harry's eyes seemed to drift out of focus. "What do you think?"
"Absolutely not, Harry, the trouble you could-"
"Just make sure he isn't trying to set you up to be caught by Filch." his dad cut in.
"Hmmph." his mom was not happy about this. "You will regret this, mark my words."
"I said do you agree," Malfoy was looking annoyed now.
"I do, but…you wont show up." Harry said so simply he could have been talking about the weather. Malfoy looked taken aback for a moment, before recovering.
"I will so!" though it didn't have much conviction behind it, and he seemed to know it, when Harry' smirk broke a little wider.
"Will you now?" Harry said and he looked down at his hands on table and began tapping a finger on it. "Cause my first instinct is that you're trying to get me set up to be caught by Filch."
"I'll be there." Malfoy insisted. "I swear it on my magic."
Harry stopped tapping and looked up at him.
"Alright. See you in-" he glanced up at the clock in the hall, "15 hours."
As Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle started walking away, Harry called out to him.
"Oh and Malfoy?"
Draco turned around, "What?"
"Learn some spells. I certainly won't be throwing sparks at you."
Draco's expression pursed his lips before turning around and walking away again.
"I can't believe you're going to duel Malfoy." Ron said beside him almost giddy with excitement.
"Excuse me." a bossy voice cut in and Harry groaned.
"I couldn't help but overhear you earlier-"
"I'll bet you couldn't" Ron muttered
"-and you mustn't go out after curfew. Think of all the points you could lose Gryffindor if you're caught."
"I'm on her side." his mom said
Harry shrugged, "So I'll just save Neville again and win them back."
Neville blushed red and Ron nearly choked when he laughed while swallowing a sausage.
"That's not funny," she said.
"It's a little bit funny." Harry said taking a drink of orange juice.
"No it is not. If you're caught-"
"I won't be."
Hermione huffed. "Well if you are, don't say I didn't tell you so." And she left the table.
"She needs to lighten up." said Ron.
—
Severus Snape walked up the stone steps on the second floor corridor. His dark black robes swayed behind him. Some portraits called out a greeting to him, which he ignored. He disliked wasting his time listening to the rambling of some long dead witch or wizard, whom he had never met. He reached his destination at the same time as Professor McGonagall.
"Minerva
"Severus."
"After you."
"Thank you."
She walked primly into the staffroom and he followed. The room was located at a point near the centre of the castle. Torches adorned the walls as well as several portraits of former teacher's. There was a table set up along the side wall with juice, tea and coffee for the teachers to help themselves too. In the centre of the room were two tables placed end to end. Most of the seats were occupied with teachers and there was a light, easygoing atmosphere in the air.
It was Friday evening of the third week of classes, a time when Headmaster Dumbledore liked to converse with the Professor's and get an update on how the young witches and wizards of the current generation were coming along. Severus ignored the juice bar and instead conjured himself a glass of water. He took a seat near the head of the table. After so many years of staff meetings, all the professors had there own preferred seats and they slid into them with ease. Professor Dumbledore was already sitting at the head spot beside Severus.
"Severus." he greeted him.
"Albus."
"How fair the Slytherin's?"
"They are well, Albus."
"That's good to hear."
The last Professor to arrive, Sybil Trelawney, took her seat.
Albus cleared his throat and the table quieted.
"Now that we are here, we may begin. Now, how are our first year students settling in. Filius?"
A short wizard with a moustache and glasses spoke up in a squeaky sort of voice.
"No problems with my Ravenclaws. As is the usual, the newest batch of students is quite studious and attentive. They have thus far been well behaved, if a little competitive."
"Very good. Pomona?"
Attention turned to a short dumpy looking witch with dark curly hair.
"My Hufflepuffs are settling in nicely. Though they have only known each other for a few weeks, some fast friendships are forming. Ms. Bones and Ms. Abbott are inseparable, and Mr. Finch-Fletchy and Mr. MacMillan can be found in company." Some of the professors smiled.
"Ah yes, some of the most important things we learn at Hogwarts are not taught in the classroom. Friendship can teach us life skills we couldn't learn elsewhere." Professor Dumbledore beamed.
"Severus?"
"My Slytherin's are doing well." And then because Dumbledore was looking at him as if expecting more he added, "Young Mr. Malfoy is proving himself to be a leader and other first year students in Slytherin look to him for advice."
"That is good then. Leadership is something we should all strive to have. Especially as teachers. Minerva?"
"The Gryffindors are banding together well. They are fiercely protective of each other. Though I do worry about young Ms. Granger. Barring Mr. Potter, she might be the most brilliant student I've seen in awhile. However she doesn't seem to know how to share her intelligence with her fellow students…gently. It's causing some, well most of the first years to keep away from her."
"You mean she's bossy." Severus said bluntly.
"Severus." Dumbledore sent a warning look at Professor Snape.
"Is there not another student in Gryffindor who would be receptive to her… imparting of knowledge? I seem to remember four other girls sorted into Gryffindor?"
"Yes there are, however none of them seem to click with her. Ms. Granger is more driven in her classwork than the other girls are."
"You said Mr. Potter might be as brilliant as she is?" Professor Dumbledore asked with interest. If Professor McGonagall was surprised by the change of subject she didn't show it.
"Yes, I'm sure you have all heard what he did in his first class by now?"
They other professors nodded. Mr. Potter's stunt of changing every matchstick into a needle in his first class had become legend. Not that, Severus thought, it was something hard to do, but no first year should have been able to pull that off. He was still skeptical that it had happened, despite Minerva's insistence that it had.
"Well because Mr. Potter seems to have a grasp in on his magic that his fellow students can't hope to match, at least for now, I assumed his theory work would be beyond there's as well."
"It's not?" Dumbledore asked.
"Oh it is, it's beyond everyone's.. except Ms. Grangers. Although it's close. So while Harry might be the most gifted magically, I would say Ms. Granger has a slightly better grasp on theory."
"Do you think that Mr. Potter would be receptive to the way Ms. Granger…imparts knowledge?" Professor Dumbledore asked, choosing Minerva's words.
"He might." she said carefully. "Mr. Potter, has shown himself to be very tolerable. He might be able to listen to Ms. Granger's strong emphasis on homework and subject study without taking offence."
"Now we just need to give them a reason to spend time together. Do any Professor's have any group projects in the near future?" he asked.
A young clean shaven wizard who was wearing a purple turban spoke up, with a bad stutter.
"I-I might, have s-s-something."
"Yes Quirinus?"
"In a g-group, t-t-two students will p-p-present there findings on how a d-defensive spell of t-their choice, c-came to b-be."
"T-they will then d-d-demonstrate the s-spell in front of t-the c-class and t-turn in t-three feet of p-parchment on what t-they've l-learned.
"An excellent opportunity. Well then Quirinus, I'll leave it to you to pair Mr. Potter and Ms. Granger. This project is soon I take it?"
"Y-yes sir. It will be d-delivered in the next c-class. And be d-due two weeks from t-then.
"Well that takes care of that hopefully," Professor Dumbledore smiled. "Now how are the rest of our students settling in?"
—
"See you all tomorrow" Professor Dumbledore called jovially as the Hogwarts professor's left. They filed out and chatted amiably as they left heading to their respective quarters.
Professor Dumbledore turned around surprised to see Professor Snape still sitting at the staff table. He walked back to his spot and rested his hands on his chair.
"Severus?." he said. "Is everything alright? You've been quiet. It is most unlike you."
Severus glanced up at him and sighed.
"There's something not..normal, with that boy. You've noticed it have you not?" he finally said.
Dumbledore chewed on his lip.
"I take it you're talking about Mr. Potter?"
"Obviously. With the way the other professors went on about him, you would think he's Hogwarts only student."
Dumbledore pulled his chair back and took a seat, before taking his wand out and summoning two glasses and a bottle of Odgen's Finest from a simple looking wooden cabinet in the corner of the room. He poured them both a half glass and then tapped the glasses with his wand, chilling them instantly. They each took a small drink and then Dumbledore licked his lips appreciatively.
"Mr. Potter is the first known survivor of the killing curse." Dumbledore began and Snape started to cut in but Dumbledore held his hand up and Snape let him continue.
"No doubt other's have survived being hit with the same spell as he did, however I believe that is because the spell was cast improperly, not because of any feat of magic on the defending wizard's part. Lord Voldemort we both know, was well adept at using the killing curse. I do not believe he would have cast it improperly."
Severus nodded.
"When Mr. Potter became the first known survivor of the killing curse, we were so happy to have Lord Voldemort gone that we did not question how Mr. Potter might have survived something like that. Or," he added, "if there might be aftereffects."
"Of course even if we had sought to consult Mr. Potter on the issue, I do not think we would have gotten satisfactory answers. After all, at 15 months of age one does communicate quite so well." Severus snorted.
"And because the life he knows and remembers has all taken place after that fateful day, he would have no way to know if the event has changed him magically or mentally. For all he knows he has always been the way he is."
"And what do you think?" Severus asked.
Dumbledore leaned back into his chair thoughtfully. "I only have suspicions. Nothing concrete."
"And that is?"
"Harry Potter," Dumbledore started. "Is not so different than another wizard who came before him. His charisma and charm I have not seen since a wizard name Tom Riddle walked these halls."
"You mean Lord Voldemort."
"Yes. You see it do you not? He speaks with confidence and can make any one person feel like they have his complete attention. It doesn't matter who it is, be it teacher or student, Gryffindor or Slytherin.
"Yes I see it," Severus said. "But what conclusion are you drawing from that?"
"You have seen his scar have you not?"
"Yes," Severus said raising an eyebrow. Who hadn't? "So what?"
"That scar, being normal should have faded a long time ago. Being a curse scar however, it has not. While Mr. Potter may have escaped death some way, he did not escape being cursed."
"So then, you think Lord Voldemort did what? Pass on his character attributes to Potter?" with disbelief.
"I think he did that and more actually. If what the other professor's say about him is true then I wonder if Harry may have acquired some of Voldemort's magic."
Severus sucked in a breath. "You think the boy has some of his magic inside of him?"
"Like I said, it's only a theory."
"But one you believe." Severus stated, and Dumbledore nodded.
"It would explain why the sorting hat was all in an uproar at his sorting." Severus mused.
"Yes I thought of that as well."
Snape and Dumbledore finished there whiskey glasses and set them down.
"Have you noticed how he…spaces out?" Snape asked.
Dumbledore shook his head. "What do you mean?"
"When we had our first potions class," Snape said, "I asked him some questions from the potions book. Three of them. He didn't know the answers. But then when I was about to speak the answers, he suddenly knew them. Like really knew as if he was reading them out of the textbook. But right before that happened he looked…like he wasn't really there at all. It was like he was somewhere else."
Dumbledore thought for a moment. "Maybe he was. If there really is a piece of Voldemort inside of him, he might need to delve inside his mind to gain information, Voldemort used to have."
Severus' eyes widened. "You think he has access to the greatest arsenal of lethal spells and dark magic that anyone could imagine?"
"It is possible."
"We're doomed."
"Such a bleak view Severus? He is still Harry, no matter what knowledge he may be privy to."
"But you said he has charisma and charm that Tom Riddle had."
"Yes.. however we cannot be sure how much of that is Harry's and how much is Voldemort's influence."
Severus thought for awhile. "It doesn't seem right though."
"Why's that?"
"Because actions speak louder than words. And while I've never met Voldemort as a student, he never struck me as the type to help others. Would the Dark Lord ever have saved a fellow student from an exploding boil-cure potion? Or save the same student from a near fatal fall. And in my class I'm almost sure he and Ms. Patil may have developed feelings for each other."
"Are they really? At such a young age?" Dumbledore was genuinely interested. "I take it you are referring to Parvati."
"Yes the Gryffindor one."
"If Harry is showing signs of affection towards others then we may not need to worry about the possibility that he has a wealth of information on hand."
"No," said Severus. "But his enemies might."
—
The first year Gryffindor sleeping quarters were shrouded in darkness. Soft snores and breathing was the only sound other than the occasional owl hooting in the distance. At half past eleven Harry sat up in bed to make sure his fellow Gryffindor's were asleep. He slipped on a robe and tiptoed to the door.
"Harry." Harry turned to see Ron sitting up in bed. "Good luck mate." and Ron flashed him a thumbs up symbol with a grin, which Harry returned.
He continued on and took the stairs down to the Gryffindor common room. The room was quiet and embers glowed softly in the fireplace. A serene calm filled Harry. Hogwarts wasn't any less of a magical place at night than in the daytime. Relaxed he starting walking to the entrance of the common room.
"I can't believe you're going to do this, Harry"
The shrill voice caught Harry by surprised and he jumped a foot in the air. A lamp flicked on and Hermione was standing there in a pink bathrobe.
"Sheesh Hermione, you nearly gave me heart failure. What are you doing up?" he whispered.
"Stopping you." She whispered. "Don't you care at all about the house points. You could lose all the points I got with McGonagall for knowing about Switching Spells."
"Only if I'm caught, and I won't be." He pointed at his head. "I happen to know a few secret passageways around this castle." Harry walked out of the common room, Hermione angrily trailing him.
"You could still get caught." she argued.
"Yes, you're not the first person to say that."
She paused, "Who was the first person?"
He stopped walking. "Umm no one."
Her eyes narrowed at him and for some reason he felt a little uncomfortable.
"Just don't say I didn't warn you," she huffed. " I'm going back to-"
She cut off abruptly as she turned back to look at the portrait behind them, which was missing it's owner.
"The Fat Lady's gone! Now how am I going to get back in? This is all your fault!" she hissed at Harry.
"Woah, slow down. First of all her name is Ms. Elaine," Hermione's widened incredulously. She couldn't believe he would take offence at her calling the portrait what everyone else called her at a time like this. "Secondly, I hardly forced you to follow me out the door." Hermione seethed.
"Well what am I supposed to do now?"
Harry shrugged. "Why don't you come with me?" he offered. "We can walk the halls, share old war stories and you might learn a thing about combative magic."
"You say that like this is some sort of muggle field trip."
"Call it what you want. I find that you can learn more from doing what you're not supposed to be doing, that what you can learn from when you are doing what you should be. Wouldn't you?"
"No!" she hissed. "Not at all."
"Stay behind then." he started to walk off. "See you tomorrow."
He hadn't gotten father than the end of the corridor when hurried footsteps caught up with him and fell in step with him. They walked for a few steps.
"Just so you know, I am not going with you because I agree with what you're doing."
"Mmm-hmm."
"In fact if, no.. when we're caught, I'll tell them exactly what happened. That you were sneaking out and I was trying to stop you."
"That's nice."
"You're infuriating you know that?"
"Yes dear."
"Arrgh."
"So eloquent."
Moonlight illuminated the halls through windows. There footsteps left louder echoes than Hermione would have liked. They crept down a set of stairs and made it right turn. Down a hallway. Then a left and a right. There path took them to a dead end.
"That's great, we've hit a dead end, Harry. Look we should go back now while we still-"
Then Harry tapped on three of the bricks and the stones on half the wall began shifting and turning before reshaping themselves into a passageway that was dimly lit by torches.
"-can." Hermione said her jaw dropping at the appearance of the tunnel.
"Or.. we could continue on." Harry said in a deadpan voice. He strode into the passage and Hermione stared at it in wonder before hurrying after him.
"How did you know that was a secret passage?" she asked curiously.
"Hogwarts has many secrets," he answered evasively.
"That's not an answer."
"Would you believe me if I said I discovered it with my raw ability to feel differences in the saturation of magic in the air?"
"No."
"Oh, well then….I discovered it with my raw ability to feel the differences in the saturation of magic in the air."
"Prat."
Harry chuckled. They came to the end of the passageway and Harry took a quick glance outside, before stepping out. Hermione followed him. She looked around in wonder. The ceiling of the room they were in was two floors high and it looked to be twice that in width and length. There were bookcases in rows on the floor, only instead of books they were filled with trophy's, medals and ribbons. More trophy's were on the walls and a few were deemed worthy enough to have their own pedestals. Moonlight sparkled in through the tall windows at the back of the room.
"Welcome to the Trophy room." he said. They walked further into the room.
"It's amazing." she said.
"Does this mean I'm forgiven?" he teased.
Hermione crossed her arms. "Not even slightly."
"The lady be crossed with me." he said.
"Hmmph."
"Now, where would Mr. Malfoy be?"
There was a clock on the wall which read out 11:50.
"We're early."
"He's probably not coming." Hermione said.
"Guess we'll just have to wait and find out." Harry said cheerfully and sat down with his back against a book shelf. Hermione sat across from him in awkward silence for a minute.
"So," Hermione began, "You could do magic before Hogwarts…and it wasn't accidental?"
Harry took a breath, "Yes. Since I was five. Or maybe I was six. Oh wait the voices in my head assure me I was six."
Hermione looked at him like he was crazy.
"The voices in your head?"
He grinned at her, but didn't answer the question.
"I was six years old. We, and by that I mean my relatives and I, were out shopping one weekend. My uncle had been promoted to director of the place where he works. Anyway to celebrate he took us out shopping. I was brought along, although not because he wanted me there, but because he had to bring me. Mrs Figg, my babysitter was sick that day."
"He didn't want to bring you? Why?"
"My uncle, doesn't really consider me part of the family." Harry said.
"That's awful!" she cried.
He shrugged. "If it makes you feel any better I like them less than they like me. Anyway Uncle Vernon was buying a pair of new shoes for Dudley, my cousin, even though he had just bought him a new pair a few weeks before. I was still wearing my shoes that Dudley had outgrown. And let's just say that Dudley was not kind to them."
"Anyway Dudley is off parading his new shoes around the store and the store keeper is going on about what a wonderful boy he is and wouldn't he like a lollipop. The store keeper then pulls out this big lolly from behind the counter and gives it Dudley. It was then that I suddenly remembered something that I had seen on the telly at home."
Harry started to grin and Hermione was looking at him curiously. "Did you ever see that cartoon where the character, don't remember who it is now, licks a frozen metal pole in the winter?"
"Oh yeah. Wait did you do what I think you did?" Her eyes widened
"Yup. Dudley took a big lick of his lolly, right in front of me mind you, when suddenly his tongue was stuck the treat. He starts yanking on the lolly trying to pull it off. But it won't come off. He start's screaming for his mom but of course without his tongue he can't from words properly. So all you hear is, "Nunny, Nunny, ih womp comoff. Helfp!"
Hermione started to laugh, then seemed to remember it was the dead of night and they were out past curfew, and she stifled her laughter.
"What happened next?" she asked.
"Well it didn't take my aunt long to realize that I was behind it. She demanded I stop whatever it was I was doing. I said I would agree, just as soon as she bought me a new pair of shoes. She bought me the cheapest things on the shelf and I released the spell. I reckon the shopkeeper was never so confused though."
Hermione chuckled a little more. Harry glance at the clock 11:57.
"But," Hermione said. "You meant to do what you did? It wasn't an accident?"
"Yeah." he said. There chuckles faded away.
"And you've always managed to do what you wanted too with magic?" he nodded. "That's incredible," she said.
"Well it wasn't like I was doing anything too impressive, at least not at first. But after much practice I could get by with a few different things. She was about to ask him what it was he could get by with ,when they heard a muffled sound from outside the trophy room.
They both stood up quickly. 12:00.
"Potter?" they heard a whispered voice.
"Over here Mr. Malfoy."
Draco's face appeared inside the trophy room. He walked briskly over to where Harry and Hermione were.
"What's she doing here?" he hissed. And Hermione bristled.
"She's here for the educational aspect of course." Harry said pleasantly. "You are ready to duel I take it?"
"Of course." said Malfoy pulling out his wand.
"Did you manage to look up a spell or two?" Harry asked amusedly. Malfoy flushed.
"Guess you'll find out." he said.
"Well somebody's feeling confident." Harry said grinning.
"Now the rules," began Harry. "No dark arts, no unforgivables, though I doubt you could cast one. How's that sound?"
"Fine by me." Malfoy said cooly.
"Very well. Winner is the one who manages to disarm their opponent or until one of us can longer fight. Hermione I believe you will be able to judge that?" she nodded. "Now if you will take five steps that way and I'll take five steps this way. Then we will turn around. Hermione if you will count to three at that point we can begin."
Hermione nodded. Despite not wanting to come down at first, she was now feeling a little excited about seeing a wizard's duel, not that she would tell Harry. Harry and Draco took there five paces and turned around then looked to Hermione.
"One, Two-," Draco aimed his wand at Harry.
"Rictumsempra!" he shouted. The blue light flew towards Harry. He merely twisted his head to the side and watched it fly by him.
"Now that wasn't very nice," Harry said, "you were supposed to wait until three."
"Three." Hermione said.
Draco launched another curse at Harry, this time a bogie curse.
Harry merely dodged to the other side this time. The curse flew by him and went harmlessly into a bookcase.
"Fight me, coward." Draco called out to him.
"Oh alright then. Harry's wand appeared in his hand and he lazily pointed it at Draco. "Lumos Maximus! Petrificus Totalis! Expelliarmus!"
Draco's eyes widened. A blinding flash of light caused him to shield his eyes. He felt his arms and legs snap together and his wand flew out of his hand and Harry caught it in his outstretched hand. Hermione looked on in amazement. The duel lasted maybe ten seconds.
"Hermione?"
"What? I mean, yes?"
"Would you agree that Draco is unable to continue?" At that moment, Draco without being able to use his legs, fell face forward onto the ground. Harry and Hermione winced.
"Draco Malfoy is unable to continue fighting," she said. "Winner is Harry Potter."
"Excellent. Well that concludes our duel then."
Harry walked over to Draco.
"Finite."
Draco's arms and legs slumped away from him and he slowly got to his feet.
"Well that was fun. I most enjoyed it didn't you?" Draco glared at Harry and then winced and brought his hand to his forehead. It was cut slightly and was bleeding.
"Sheesh that's gonna hurt." Harry said sympathetically. "Here let me help you clean that up." He brought his wand up to Draco's face. Draco immediately shrank back from it.
"Woah take it easy, I'm just gonna heal that cut. Nothing I can do about the bruise though."
"Bruise?" Malfoy almost squeaked out.
"Er..nevermind. Here hold still." Harry moved his wand in a slow motion and muttered a spell that neither Draco or Hermione could hear. The cut above Draco's eyes stopped bleeding and started to fade away. It was still there, only now it looked days old instead of minutes.
"There, you're all good. Though you might want some ice for that eye." Draco just glowered at him, though halfheartedly.
"Well we need to get going, got to get a good night sleep if we can." Harry passed him his wand.
"Coming Hermione?"
Hermione took a look at Draco like she wanted to say something, but then followed Harry out of the trophy room. A minute later Draco left too. The trophy room was quiet once again.
A pair of eyes came out of the darkness.
"Hmmm. I'll need to keep an eye on you won't I Mr. Potter?"
And then he too swept away from the Trophy room.