As usual, Harry teleported into the room of requirement on the seventh floor at six in the evening to work with Rose, who was still watching he and Magic at night. There had been only a couple of incidence when she'd had to announce herself, which had saved Harry from being careless with Magic and going further with her than some light kissing.
Rose waited for Harry patiently, though as he was always on time, she was never waiting long for him. When she saw him appear, she said, "Evening, Harry."
"Hi." Harry responded.
"As you'll remember, we've been studying wards for some time, of different kinds, and you've designed some rather interesting magical wards yourself, with properties I'd never have thought of using before. But, I remember a comment you told to me once, that you could easily modify Muggle devices to run within areas of high magic, or shield them against magical interference. Since magic and electricity interfere with each other, what I'd like to do is explore whether you can learn to sense electricity, or various different forms of energy." Rose said.
"Will we be leaving to do that?" Harry asked.
"Yes." Rose responded. "So, you'll be taking a trip into the past."
"Right." Harry said. "So will you."
"Oh no, not me." Rose said.
"Yes, this time, you will." Harry said with a grin as he grabbed her arm and teleported them beyond the gates of Hogwarts just as he felt the warning to do so. Magic, of course, was with them.
"Take a look within my mind. I'll tell you where we're going." Rose said with a bit of a sigh.
Harry had Magic do so, as he wasn't likely to understand visual information as she did. She teleported them again, and Harry felt the cool air around him, listening to mostly silence.
"This is essentially a large and empty field." Rose said. "Now, tell me what you sense."
"You." Harry said after a moment.
"Anything else?" Rose asked.
"Well, there's always a bit of energy in everything." Harry responded after a moment. "It's very slight, though, not people at all."
"No, not people." Rose said.
Harry shuffled his feet a little and realized they were standing on grass. He could feel the energy below them, which was likely the life from it.
"I wouldn't have been able to feel the energy from grass a couple years ago." Harry commented. "I must be getting better at sensing things."
"Good." Rose said, sounding as if she was smiling. "Above us are some Muggle power lines, so this area wouldn't be a wise place to perform magic that might effect electricity. Brief uses are acceptable, such as teleportation. What I'd like you to try and do is feel the energy from the electricity."
"Can you do that?" Harry asked.
"No, I'm afraid not." Rose responded. "I've tried to do so, but haven't been able to. You, however, are capable of expanding yourself beyond what I'd think would be possible at times, such as creating that magical ward of yours, totally invisible and undetectable to most at first, powered by ambient magic, as well as any other form of energy that might come against it, keyed to allow only specific people entry by any means, or allow entry in a particular way for everyone. In fact, I'd think such a ward could withstand a nuclear attack and only gain strength in the process. But, I'm getting off topic."
"Right." Harry said. "I think there's only one way I might be able to do this."
"Before you try your way, whatever that may be, try mine." Rose stated. "You were able to withstand a lightning strike. Magic converted the electrical energy into raw magic to increase the odds of your survival. So, she must have felt the electricity within you in order to change it. Remember how that felt, and try to sense it."
"I remember how it felt. Harry doesn't." Magic stated. "I will attempt this, and should I gain the ability, it will then become Harry's, refined and enhanced through practice."
Harry waited patiently with Rose as Magic began. As was usual whenever Magic was learning a new skill, or attempting something she hadn't before, even if it was something as mundane as playing a new game, Harry could feel his magic expanding, and now knew it was expanding in knowledge and experience due to his previous experiences with such a feeling. As she did whatever she was doing, Rose asked, "Harry, why do you think it is that you're able to use magic so naturally?"
"You're just now asking that question?" Harry asked with a grin. "I wondered if we were ever going to get to that one day."
"I've been so wrapped up in the curiosity of seeing what you can do, I didn't really think of asking until now." Rose said casually. "So, why do you think it is, Harry?"
"Well, magic is a type of energy that can be manipulated to produce effects that are beyond anything that Muggles could produce right now, or ever, especially in terms of transformations and such. Magic, when I created her, I wanted someone with me who would be able to do the things I couldn't with magic, though primarily was to have a physical person with me to hold me, or so Magic tells me. I'd guess that Magic, being an intelligent being, and both of us now so interconnected with magic, having it within our entire bodies in greater amounts than anyone else, with her able to change my magic in deep and permanent ways, learns things and intuitively knows how to perform magic that I don't, or don't until she manipulates my magic to perform such a task. That's my theory, anyway."
"I think it's wrong." Rose said. "After all, you performed an incredibly complex piece of magic when you were very young without knowing quite what you were doing."
"That was either an accident, me being so powerful that magic responded by giving me exactly what I wanted. Or, since I'm so powerful with the ability to create what I wanted at the time, perhaps magic itself is intelligent and gave me what I desired due to my desires." Harry said.
"That's crazy." Rose stated. "Magic isn't intelligent, only Magic is, aptly named because of where she came from and how linked she is to your magic, being a part of it in every way. Magic is just there, for us to use and manipulate."
"But, you pay a price with certain magic, like the unforgivable curses when you cast them on people. Don't you?" Harry asked.
"Sure. As far as the moral implications go, and the effect of conscience, being guilty, regretting what you've done, things of that nature. And, of course, tampering with the soul to make things like Horcruxes, such as what Voldemort's done, creates its own unstable effects and strips you of such things a piece at a time." Rose commented. "Of course, to even create a Horcrux, you've got to lack any morality about killing, but if you ever felt true remorse for what you did, that's yet another way to recombine the soul back into one stable piece."
"Really?" Harry asked as he felt a strange jolt within his magic, and felt an odd type of humming energy above him. "Wow, I think you've done it, Magic."
"Yes." Magic stated, and he could feel that his magic was expanded, almost thought that, not only could he sense electricity, but produce it as well.
"I can feel it." Harry said after a moment of contemplation. "It's not as powerful as magic, but it has more force, and moves a lot faster than any spells. You know, it's interesting that most spells are made of light. But, yet, they don't travel at the speed of light. I just thought of that, feeling how the electricity moves."
"If it's your spells that you create and use, you don't see anything at all unless you're trying to be flashy." Rose said, sounding like she was grinning. "Come to think of it, I'm not sure why magic travels as slowly as it does. You can see it moving, but if someone turns on a flashlight, you don't see a moving point of light that remains the same size, with no light behind it and none in front of it. I suppose that magic isn't really light, even though that's what it puts off to the human eye. Interesting that you thought about that, I sure didn't."
"Why do spells from others put off light, but I can simply do things with a thought?" Harry asked.
"I suppose that's the difference between your magic and others." Rose responded. "I'm not quite sure about the exact reason, but you should know that your magic feels different than everyone elses."
"Yes." Harry said. "I've gotten a lot more efficient at using lower amounts of it to perform my tasks. Which, that might be the reason. People who can use magic have less of it to use, so they've got to use it differently, such as using wands. I've got a lot more to use, so it's not as much of a concern for me. My magic can alter an item and completely transform it from one thing to another, without the same focus that magic from a wand uses. But aren't we getting off topic again, Rose?"
"Yes." Rose chuckled. "I do like my tangents. Okay, electricity. You said you feel it?"
"Yeah." Harry responded.
"Describe it." Rose said.
"Well, it's a lot different than magic. Like I said, it moves a lot quicker, and this electricity has a sort of humming feeling to it." Harry said.
"Probably because it's alternating current." Rose responded.
"What?" Harry asked.
"There's two different types of electricity." Rose responded after a moment. "From what I understand, there's alternating current and direct current. In the simplest terms, AC, I believe is short for alternating current, I think, is a wave form of some kind. And there's direct current, like something you'd get that runs on batteries. That's electricity that just moves directly, straight through a device and to ground, or something like that. I'm not sure about all the technical aspects of it, but in any case, they are different."
"Well, the power lines, since they use this alternating current, I suppose that's why they've got this strange humming feeling to them, like a vibration or something." Harry said. "Do you have something with batteries that we can try out?"
"Not quite." Rose responded. "What I do have is a perfectly ordinary house. Now, it's electricity is going to be a lower level of something called volts. I think that's the amount of energy that's being moved, like pressure. It'll be of a higher current, which, I think is something like this. You've got a small pipe with a certain pressure, amount of water that's going through it. And that's a low current. But, if you put the same amount of water through a larger pipe, if it's going to come out of it equally, the pressure will be lower. So, you'd have to increase the pressure to keep it the same."
"That explanation seems inaccurate." Magic stated.
"Well, I don't really know that much about it, like I said before, so I'm bound to get things wrong. But I know the voltage is higher on power lines than in houses, so I'd like to see how that makes a difference in your sensing of the electricity. Magic, you can take us to the next location now."
Harry felt them being teleported, and felt his surroundings change. The energy of electricity that surrounded him now felt more like a combination of the same electricity from the power lines, and electricity at a lower energy level with more force behind it.
"How's that different, now?" Rose asked.
"I'm not sure how to explain it." Harry said as he thought about it for a moment.
"Perhaps we can use a stream." Rose said. "You know what that is, right?"
"Yeah." Harry responded. "Quickly flowing water. That's what I understand it to be."
"To use a stream to describe the energy is inaccurate, but will assist in comprehension for you, Rose." Magic stated. "The power lines would be a narrow, fast moving stream. The energy moving throughout the house and to the various appliances is a wide, slowly moving stream. The energy moving through the power lines is easier to feel than the energy within the house."
"I see." Rose said. "Well, that does help a bit, I suppose. I'll go and get something that I've got, oddly enough, a flashlight. And I'd like your opinion on that, Harry."
He waited, listening to Rose walk off and open a drawer, returning shortly with the flashlight.
"Put out your hands." She said.
Harry did so, and felt her put the heavy item within his hands. He quickly found the button to activate it, pushing it and feeling the very faint amount of energy, smoothly flowing, which past through the device and made the light glow.
"It's very faint, but it's a lot smoother, like it's more pure and cleaner." Harry said after a moment. "It doesn't have the same humming feeling, either."
"Okay, then try something for me." Rose said. "Assuming you think you've got the confidence to do this properly."
"What?" Harry asked.
"I'm going to take out the batteries in this, and I'd like you to modify it to be powered by the ambient magical energy, if that's possible." Rose said. "Should be easy for you."
"Magic, think you can?" Harry asked.
"Yes, as can you with thoughts, as you always do." Magic stated. "Yours will be less accurate as you aren't skilled enough in sensing electrical energy well enough to reproduce it accurately."
"And you're the coldly precise, and very detailed woman I've come to know, so, of course, you'll do it perfectly the first time." Harry said as he grinned.
"Yes." Magic stated serenely. Harry chuckled.
"Okay, you two." Rose said, sounding like she was smiling. "Time enough for lovers chats later."
Harry blushed, then said, "Magic's not my lover."
"Not yet, but the way you show yourself around her, how naturally the two of you work together, it wouldn't at all surprise me if you marry." Rose responded. "Okay. So, I've got the batteries out. See what you can do."
Harry manipulated the magic to create something that would be the size of the batteries that were previously in the flashlight, but rather than using whatever the battery used to produce the electricity, it would use the surrounding magical energy, just as Rose had wanted. He felt Magic examining his work as he'd wanted her to do, then make the magical battery produce the precise amount of electrical energy based on the amount of magic drawn and converted, but wouldn't ever go beyond that amount.
"Done." Harry said.
"That's a lot cleaner than charming a battery to run forever by refilling its chemicals and using magic to repair any degradation within the batteries components." Rose said.
"You can do that?" Harry asked.
"Yeah." Rose replied.
"So, what do you think of your new toy?" Harry asked with a grin.
"I'm going to have fun taking this apart and seeing just what you've done." Rose responded happily. "I love it as always!"
"Okay." Harry responded with a smile. "Then, time to go back, unless you're not done with me."
"No, not just yet." Rose said. "Paying the electrical bill around here is getting to be a pain."
"So, you want me to make your house use surrounding magic to power it, then, is that it?" Harry asked.
"Yes." Rose replied.
"Unwise." Magic stated. "If secrecy is to be maintained, you would have difficulty explaining how the house is being powered."
"Sharen's house?" Harry asked. "How does she explain that? It's hidden from everyone that doesn't know its secret."
"Unknown." Magic responded.
"You do bring up a good point." Rose said. "And, you know how I'm not the biggest fan of memory charms if I can at all avoid them. We'll wait on that, shall we?"
"Wise." Magic stated.
"Right, then." Harry said. "Time to come with me!" Before Rose could protest, he transported them back into the room at Hogwarts, immediately after they'd teleported out. Rose let out a sigh.
"I know what you did, and I didn't really want that, Harry." Rose said.
"Think of it this way." Harry responded. "You'll have more time to play. See you tonight!" Before Rose could say anything, Harry teleported out and into an empty corridor, chuckling to himself. He was still young after all, and no one said he wasn't allowed to have fun.
It had been silent in the Gryffindor common room for a few minutes later on that evening, as most everyone had gone up to bed. Daphne was quietly working on assignments, sitting at one of the tables across from Harry, who, with Magic sitting next to him, was finishing up an essay for Muggle Studies. At another table, Harry heard the scratching of Ron's Quill, and from what he'd been talking about earlier, Harry guessed he was working on his divination homework. After Harry finished the last line of his work, he sat back and leaned his head back so his face was aimed at the ceiling, letting out a sigh with his eyes closed tightly. As the portrait hole opened, Harry yawned and sat up straight, stretching a little. He could hear something clattering around from something someone was carrying into the common room. The owner of the person turned out to be Hermione.
"Hey. Just finished." She said brightly, setting herself down in a chair between the two tables.
"Finished what?" Daphne asked.
"This." Hermione said proudly.
"Spew." Daphne said, sounding unimpressed. "What's that supposed to be for?"
"Not spew, S-P-E-W." Hermione said. "It stands for the Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare." Harry heard a piece of parchment being moved, then she continued. "I've been researching it in the library. Did you know that elf enslavement goes back centuries? They don't even have the right to use wands! I can't believe no one's done anything about it before now!"
"Perhaps they see little reason to." Daphne said. "If sentient beings don't want freedom, why give it to them?"
"Because, no matter what you think of it, slavery is wrong." Hermione stated. "They might not realize it, but that's why they need people like us to help them learn, teach them, and stand up for what's right."
"Hermione, they don't want what you're wanting to give them." Ron said, Harry having heard the parchment move again, as if grabbed. "Wages? Clothes? Equal rights? Come on!"
"I'm not going to stop until every house-elf is free, and can stand up for themselves!" Hermione stated. "Obviously, they're conditioned to think and act the way they do, and it's not right!"
Ron and Daphne sighed. Harry simply sat where he was, saying and doing nothing, though he wanted to say something to her. He knew it wouldn't be useful, though.
"Have you spoken to the house-elves?" Daphne asked.
"No, not yet." Hermione responded briskly. "I plan to, though, and I plan to teach them what's right."
"How about getting their side of the story?" Harry asked, finally interjecting himself into the conversation.
"Their side of the story, that's been influenced by people who have no interest in their freedom?" Hermione asked. "How can I trust that? It's like talking to someone who's spent all their life in a box, and believes, firmly, that every sound outside the box is from their imagination no matter what someone else says. They'd obviously be wrong, because the box isn't the entire universe or the entire world, but if that person grew up believing that, and it was pounded into them, they'd believe it until they're taught differently. That's all I'm doing, teaching them what's right and proper."
"Why tell us, then?" Daphne asked.
"Because I was thinking all of you could join!" Hermione responded brightly. "Ron, you could collect two sickles for each of these badges we sell, and Daphne, you could be the secretary. Harry, you're great at making good speeches, so with a bit of work, I bet you'd be a great promotional speaker. And Magic, you'd do well at getting the house-elves to see the illogic in their own position."
"Thanks, Hermione, but no thanks." Harry said.
"Don't you want to stop this slavery and abuse, Harry? That's what this is, it's abuse of intelligent beings! Enslavement!" Hermione said hotly.
"We've been over this, but we'll go over it again if you want." Harry said. "How do they see it?"
"That doesn't matter. It's how it is, not how they see it." Hermione stated.
"Look." Harry said. "I'm all for Wages if they want to be paid. Freedom from following orders or not, if that's what they want. Equal rights for them, if they want it. And even if they want to use a wand, I'm for that too. But if they don't want it, who are you, am I, Daphne, Ron, or Magic, to push our cultural views on to a culture that's essentially different from our own? They're intelligent beings who have their own society and..."
"No they don't." Hermione interrupted. "Their society's limited to following orders and serving wizards like they're nothing more than animals. It's sick!"
"But, they are more than animals, clearly." Harry responded. "Or don't you remember Dobby? While he was rather eccentric, he could talk, displayed intelligence, and some rather powerful magic. So, they must have their own views, their own society, even if you can't see it or wizards don't know about it."
"Yes, let's talk about Dobby, then, Harry." Hermione replied. "And you think it was okay what happened to him?"
"Not at all." Harry said.
"That's what it sounds like." Hermione stated.
"Dobby was forced to obey orders." Harry said. "He was clearly abused."
"And every house-elf that works here is also forced to obey orders." Hermione responded. "It's part of their bond to serve. They can't even do anything they want to do!"
"And how do you know?" Harry asked. "How do you know that the house-elves here have the same restrictions that others might? How do you know what they want, have you spoken with them?" Hermione said nothing in reply.
"Hermione, I could see house-elves who are abused, like Dobby was from what Harry told us, wanting freedom." Daphne stated. "But if they don't want freedom, don't want payment, you can't just push it on them. They'd likely be offended by the very notion."
"Well." Hermione sniffed. "That's just fine, then. If all of you want to support enslavement, you go right ahead, but I won't be a part of it."
"We're not supporting it, Hermione, it's the house-elves way of life!" Ron cried.
"And it's wrong." Hermione stated, standing. "Goodnight, then."
As Hermione made her way up to her dormitory, Harry said, "I'm going to bed, too. Night, everyone. See you in a few hours, Magic."
Magic responded by brushing her hand gently across Harry's neck as he stood. She watched him as he walked up to the dormitory, then returned her gaze back to Daphne, who was looking at her with an expression she recognized as a smirk.
"You love him, don't you?" Daphne asked.
"I feel no love." Magic stated.
"But your actions demonstrate it." Daphne said. "The way you touched him just now, so gently and like you wanted to comfort him?"
"He enjoys the gentle caress, and it comforted him, which was what he wished." Magic stated. "Even now, being parted from me produces a sense of loneliness within Harry, who has become expectant of the loneliness he feels."
"I never knew he felt lonely without you. Why? And why separate from you, even when he's not in the dormitory if that's the case?" Daphne asked.
"Harry wishes me to learn, to understand, to gather data." Magic stated. "This is stronger than his wish to lack a feeling of loneliness for certain times. It is rare that we separate."
"I know." Daphne said. "Well, I'm a bit tired too, so I'm going to sleep as well. Goodnight, Magic."
"Goodnight." Magic responded. Daphne went to her dormitory, and two minutes and thirty point three seconds after she disappeared from visual range, Ron bid Magic a goodnight also, and went to his dormitory. Magic gazed at the fire, watched its subtle moves, noting the differences from each time she'd seen it before as it slowly dwindled to coals. She was aware of Harry's tranquil dreams, which weren't of any desire to experiment with physical intimacy, but dreams of a family, of he and Magic living together. Magic noted that her character in his dream accurately portrayed her, and calculated the odds of she and Harry living together as his dream indicated, though perhaps not with the same setting. Her face remained calm as she watched the fire and Harry's dreams, aware of both.
The weeks passed uneventfully, for the most part. Harry learned to sense other forms of energy with Rose, including light itself, and could now use light from the sun to power magical wards should he wish to, similar in the Muggles idea of a device that converts sunlight into electricity, though with far greater efficiency. While Harry's magical wards were practically impenetrable already, the addition of using light to power them provided more strength to them, which was always welcome in cases of security. They also worked to have him sense various different forms of radiation, which Harry found rather fascinating in its own right. The sun, as he'd found out from studies before hand and feeling the energy since he was more tuned to do so, had its own form of radiation. Harry found he could even use that, along with the energy that heat produced. The study was quite fascinating, though Harry wasn't sure how much further it could go. From what Rose told him, they were going to be moving on to study the possibility of maintaining someone's age level, or reversing age, which might, in theory, produce a way of healing any wound if done correctly. Harry didn't understand all the explanations Rose had given him, but told him that they'd be experimenting with that soon using animals that she'd bring with her.
Professor Moody's defense classes continued to be a highlight of conversation about the school. With the exception of Professor Lupin, Professor Moody was the best Defense Against the Dark Art's teacher they'd ever had, at least, that's what Harry thought. Since Professor Moody had previously announced he'd be putting the Imperius curse on them with their consent, Harry wasn't surprised by his class lecture about it during one of their defense classes.
"As you've written and we've discussed," Professor Moody growled in his gruff voice. "The Imperius curse gives its caster total control over its victims. And, for the victims in question, you feel like all your worries are gone, even pain, you don't feel much at all if you do notice it. The goal here will be to resist its effects. Better you learn now in a class than later on when a dark wizard's trying to control you."
"But... You said it's illegal!" Hermione said, sounding indignant.
"True." Professor Moody responded. "But would you rather learn now what the Imperius curse feels like, or not know later? CONSTANT VIGILANCE! And to have such, you must learn now! I've already spoken with Dumbledore. He agrees with me. So, Miss Granger, you can stay and know what it feels like now so you can resist it later, or leave and not know anything, let a dark wizard take complete control of you. Choose."
Hermione muttered something under her breath that was too low for Harry to understand.
"Potter." Professor Moody stated. "When it's you and Magic, I don't want you having your shield up. I know you can block it, but I don't want you to use your magic. You've lost it once before. If you didn't have it, you need to know what the curse feels like."
"All right." Harry said after a moment, and Magic altered the shield so spells from Professor Moody wouldn't be absorbed.
One by one, Professor Moody beckoned Harry's classmates forward. While he couldn't see what they were doing, he did know that none of them seemed able to resist the Imperius curse, and performed extraordinary acts of prowess in specific fields that he didn't imagine they'd be able to perform while not under its influence.
"Magic." Professor Moody stated.
Harry heard Magic stand and move to an area Professor Moody had cleared of desks. Moments later, he said, "Imperio!"
The feeling he got from Magic changed, but only slightly. Magic then placidly intoned, "That's not what Harry wishes."
Professor Moody barked out a laugh, then said, "Complete resistance! Excellent work! Now, Potter, you're up!" Harry stood and walked toward Magic, who then returned to her seat. "Imperio!"
The feeling was just as Professor Moody had described it. All of his worries, all his feelings, floated away as if they didn't exist. He was completely tranquil and at peace under the influence of the imperius curse. He was only dimly aware of the sound of his own breathing, and everything else in the room. Thinking seemed completely unimportant.
"Jump up, let me direct you. Jump." Professor Moody's voice said from what seemed far away.
He felt another sensation sweep over his body, as if someone else was directing it, but that seemed all right in his current state of consciousness. Nothing seemed to matter. He bent his knees, then heard another voice within his mind.
"Why should I?" It asked. "Stupid thing to do, really."
"Let me direct your body and jump." Professor Moody's voice stated.
"No, I don't think I want to do that." The other voice said, more firmly and louder this time.
'Correct.' Magic stated within his mind. 'Come to me. You know where I am.'
Still feeling the peace within his mind, Harry made to turn.
"Jump! Now!" Professor Moody's voice blasted into his mind, but a vague memory arose within him, that the only one he could really trust was Magic, especially if it was giving over complete control over his being to someone else.
Harry jerked. The other voice shouted, "Magic! Tell me what to do, help me! I don't want to jump!"
'Resist.' Magic stated.
"Do as I say! Jump!" The voice was far more powerful now, and seemed to fill every corner of Harry's mind, giving him the undeniable urge to jump, filling his mind with only that single desire.
'Come!' Magic's voice said within his mind, louder and more powerful than Professor Moody's voice was, and that voice, he knew he could trust absolutely.
Harry locked on to Magic's location, and with a thought, had teleported himself into Magic's lap, where her arms wrapped around him and he, feeling completely uninhibited due to the curse, grabbed her face in his hands and kissed her.
The shock of the curse leaving him was like ice cold water being thrown over him. Harry, suddenly fully aware of what he was doing, jerked away from Magic and pushed himself into his seat next to her, blushing. He could hear some whispering around him.
"That was unexpected." Professor Moody stated. "Let's try that again, Potter, and this time, don't go to Magic. You didn't tell him anything, did you, girl?"
"I did." Magic stated in reply.
"Don't this time." Harry said. "Act like you're not there. Because if you're ever not..."
Harry trailed off as he stood and made his way up to the clear space in the room again. Again, the Imperius curse was placed on him.
"Spin around in a circle." Professor Moody's voice stated.
"No, I don't think so." The other voice within Harry's mind stated firmly. "That's ridiculous."
"Spin around in a circle! Now!" Professor Moody's voice stated firmly and loudly.
Harry stumbled as the other voice said, "I don't want to, no thanks!"
"SPIN! NOW!" Professor Moody's voice boomed.
"NO!" The other voice replied just as loudly, and with an act of mental will, Harry pushed the curse from him and shrugged.
"That's done it!" Professor Moody said. "They'll have trouble controlling you, Potter, CONSTANT VIGILANCE!"
As they walked from the defense class later on, Harry heard Ron comment, "The way Professor Moody talks, you'd think a dark wizard could come at any time."
"That's possible, I'd say." Harry said. "You never know. He's right about that."
"Well, you'd be able to sense them, right, Harry?" Ron asked.
"Sure, if I'm to read minds and such." Harry stated.
"Well, we all know Death Eaters use dark magic, so they're different. Right?" Ron asked. "I mean, wouldn't they feel different?"
"No." Harry said. "Not unless the soul's fractured or something, broken into different parts. Dark magic, light magic, the only difference is how the ministry chooses to classify such things, and perhaps the intent behind the use of such curses, how you'd go about casting them properly. That's all it is. Magic is magic, though, it's not dark or light, only the use it's put to is evil or good."
"Is that why you're able to block the unforgivable's?" Ron asked, which reminded Harry he needed to put his shield back to the way it was. Magic did so at his thoughts.
"That's right." Harry said. "Hmm. There's an interesting thought, creating an all-purpose magical shield that others could cast. I wonder how to go about that."
"Ooo, I'd love that." Hermione said eagerly. "If you create that, show me!"
"Okay." Harry said with a chuckle.
The amount of work given to them was increasing beyond what they'd previously had, which, according to Professor McGonagall, was due to the approaching O.W.L. tests. Harry was able to perform the practical work flawlessly, and was, as a result, gaining more experience in transfiguring organic items to inorganic ones, then back again, such as what they were doing in transfiguration with more complex forms of life. Potions, too, had more work, as they were working with antidotes and poisons, and how they interacted with each other, why certain items were an antidote and others weren't, and what the effects of certain poisons were. Harry thought it was probably the most complicated class.
Care of Magical Creatures continued to deal with the Blast-Ended Skrewts, which Hagrid wanted them to start studying during the evenings as well as in class, though not every evening. They were, apparently, supposed to take notes on their behavior.
"If you think I'll do that, you're even more thick than I already thought you were!" Parkinson, a Slytherin girl, stated at Hagrid's pronouncement.
"Yeh'll do as yer told or fail my class." Hagrid said, then added, "An' ten points from Slytherin fer yer attitude."
As they entered Hogwarts after class, Harry heard students talking in what sounded like a somewhat central location near one of the walls. He felt curious, and Magic responded as she usually did, stating serenely, "The students are gathered around a sign. It reads, Triwizard Tournament. The delegations from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang will be arriving at 6 o'clock on Friday the 28th of October. Lessons will end half an hour early. Students will return their bags and books to their dormitories and assemble in front of the castle to greet our guests before the Welcoming Feast."
"That's a week away." Harry commented calmly. "Guess I'll find out if someone tries to put me into the tournament."
"You don't really think someone would do that, do you?" Ron asked.
"I've had worse happen to me in this school." Harry said, smiling a bit. "Besides, if they do, I'd just get out of it anyway."
"And what if you can't?" Ron asked.
"Well, then, I'll attend the tournament and use every resource at my disposal." Harry reached out and gripped Magic's hand, she firmly returning his grasp. "Advanced magic and I go hand in hand. Isn't that right, Magic?"
"I am Magic and we're holding hands." She responded calmly. "I'm not advanced magic. I'm Magic."
Ron laughed, and Daphne said, "Harry, if you think someone will put your name in to attend the tournament, don't you think you ought to prepare for that in some way?"
"I have been." Harry said. "Studying advanced magic and such, has given me in site into magic that I really didn't have before. Trust me, I'm ready for that possibility." Despite his casual attitude, Harry was giving it serious consideration due to many of the events that had visited him at Hogwarts, and along with Magic, tried to think about what could possibly go wrong.