Quoth the Raven
Disclaimer: Please see Chapter 1. Reviews are welcomed, flames aren't.
Chapter 33: Clasp a Rare and Radiant Maiden
"Mr Potter, please take out your wand and do the spell," We are waiting!" Professor McGonagall commanded impatiently.
Harry flexed his arm and his wand appeared. He gave a mental sigh. Wolf and Harry's instructors had discussed this in the past, about when Harry was to reveal his magical abilities. They knew it would come out at Hogwarts, there was no avoiding it. For the past week, Harry had tried not do any type of magic if he could help it, but it looked like his streak of luck was over.
Hermione chewed on her bottom lip as she waited. Both she and Harry knew that whatever happened now would be reported to not only Dumbledore, but the Dark Lord as well. At the end of summer, he had shown her his true abilities, and she had been in awe of his power.
When Harry had received his staff five years ago, he'd begun a strict training regimen. He'd spent long hours training with both Ollivander and Wolf. Although Wolf wasn't as powerful as Harry and couldn't match his pupil if he let loose with his full potential but they still were able to train together.
Wolf waited outside the Transfiguration classroom in the hallway, at parade rest. His calm face and nonchalant stance belied his careful monitoring of all that went on in the class through a listening spell. Harry and he had a bet going, and it looked like Harry was going to win after all. Both knew it would be in McGonagall's class; however, the bet wasn't on who would 'out' him, but when.
Wolf knew that the stern professor would make Harry perform eventually, but not immediately. Harry had countered that she was too much of a Dumbledore follower, and the old coot would put pressure on her to get Harry to use his magic. Dumbledore was growing impatient to learn the extent of the boy's power.
Harry had been holding off for as long as he could. Now, with his shrunken staff in hand, Harry lazily did the spell to change a rock into a mouse. He managed to keep very tight control of his magic and staff while doing so. The spell worked as it was supposed to on the first try, despite his staff being only the size of a wand.
Professor McGonagall seemed pleased and yet a little disappointed. To her, it only seemed like a slightly above average student's attempt. She had hoped to see more; after all, Lily and James had been quite powerful.
Hermione let out a breath of relief. So far, so good. She looked around at her fellow students and could see a few disappointed faces, but also a few speculative ones. Ravenclaws were notoriously hard to fool. She had heard the current rumours that claimed Harry might be a near-Squib. Their basis for this lay in his lack of performance in classes. She wondered what the rumour mill would churn up next.
"Is this the best you can do, Mr Potter?" Professor McGonagall asked, her voice a bit harsh.
Harry placed his wand back into his holster. "For this class, yes, Professor. This is my best." This was a half-truth. For this class, he did his best - at being lazy. There was no way he was going to give up his advantage and expose his true power just to show off.
Thankfully, so far, only Professor Flitwick had seen what Harry's magic could do, and that Harry had a staff, not a wand. In fact, the little professor had shown Harry a few moves that he could use with his staff that they really don't teach for the duelling circuit, but were common knowledge in the goblin arena.
Professor McGonagall glared at Harry, hoping to catch him out in a lie. "You know your father used to have that expression on his face when he thought he had got away with something."
"I will have to take your word for it, Professor," Harry replied coolly.
"See me after class, Mr Potter."
"Yes, Professor."
Both Hermione and Harry exchanged a look, as they had expected Harry to gain a detention for his cheek. Since he hadn't been formally Sorted into any House, deducting points was worthless. Detentions were the only way to discipline him if he stepped out of line. What the professors didn't know, and what Albus had failed to tell them, was that the Queen herself had to be consulted on all punishments involving Lord Potter. However, since the beginning of the term, Harry had been very polite, courteous, and well-disciplined, and had so far avoided the need for his royal guardian to be contacted.
0o0o0o0o0
Lunch was being served in the Great Hall when it happened. Minerva was at the head table reporting to the headmaster about the dismal magic displayed in her class by one Harry Potter. Albus paused in his eating to peer at the young man sitting at the Ravenclaw table, contemplating the puzzle that was the boy in question.
"Oi, Potter!" came Ron Weasley's voice from across the Hall. "Heard about your Transfiguration class. So the rumors are true: you're just above a Squib, just like Longbottom!" The redhead snickered maliciously as others took up the laughter.
The headmaster watched as Harry sighed, slumping in his seat. The youth quietly spoke to his table-mates before standing.
"Oi, Potter! I'm talking to you!" Weasley shouted boldly while the staff watched on in silence.
Harry started for the doors, but stopped long enough to say, "No, Weasley, you are shouting at me, like the ill-bred oaf you are."
The Slytherin table erupted in raucous laughter. "Good call, Lord Potter!" echoed from the far side of the hall. Their cat-calls however stilled at a smoldering look from their Head of House.
Wolf, standing just inside the door, tensed, ready to intervene should it be necessary. Harry's hand-sign told him that he had it covered.
As Harry turned around to exit the Great Hall, a hex was fired at his back. Harry, sensing the spell coming, ducked and rolled out of the way. He rose from a crouch into a fighting stance and, instead of sending back a hex, a small throwing knife sailed at his assailant.
Ronald Weasley screamed in pain as the dagger embedded itself into his right shoulder. Shock forced the red-headed boy to drop his wand and crumple to the floor, moaning in pain as blood soaked the front of his robes.
Screams and pandemonium filled the air until a blast went off at the head table.
Harry straightened and went over to the downed Weasley. A book-end pair of redheads made their way over. Both had a determined look. They paused when they saw the look of challenge in Lord Potter's eyes.
Harry withdrew the throwing dagger with a quick flick of his wrist. "Be thankful that I hit what I aim for, or you would be dead now, Weasley. And the fact that I haven't coated my daggers with any potions," he sneered quietly at the moaning Weasley.
"Mr Potter!" McGongall exclaimed as she pushed through the mob of students. "Never in all my years as a teacher have I seen a more vulgar display. Explain yourself!"
Standing at parade rest and in a very clear and commanding voice, Harry said. "I was defending myself, Professor, from an unwarranted and cowardly attack to my back. It would seem Mr. Weasley wanted a confrontation with as many witnesses as possible. I did not want to oblige. I was exiting the Great Hall when Mr Weasley fired a hex at my back. I reacted as I have been trained to do and met force with force."
"He tried to kill me!" Ron shouted, clutching his bleeding shoulder and whining like a child as the twins lifted their bleeding brother between them.
Harry looked McGonagall in the eye and spoke in an even voice: "If I had wanted him dead, he would be."
She sputtered and was ready to speak when Wolf stepped forward.
"If you give me a detention when I am clearly in the right, you will undermine everything that Hogwarts and the House of Gryffindor once stood for," Harry said sadly. "But alas, it seems that the quality your House once so treasured is no longer there. Gryffindor chivalry and honour is dead. This school is everything, and less than I've been told to expect by my previous instructors. Come, Sergeant-Major, I have class and Weasley needs to have that wound taken care of before he bleeds out."
"Mr. Potter, my office now," Albus said.
0o0o0o0o0
The trip to the Headmaster's office was silent. Wolf followed just behind his charge. Filius Flitwick was with them as Harry had requested his adopted Head of House to be present.
Harry was sure that the headmaster would be contacting the Weasley family. What he was going to tell them, the young lord could only speculate. Harry knew it was a matter of self-defence but, as Wolf and his other instructors had said over the years, Albus Dumbledore favoured the Gryffindors. All the professors, except for Snape, followed his lead in allowing the House of the Lions to run roughshod over the school. Only the Slytherins refused to back down, as any good self-respecting poisonous snake would - and thus the ongoing clash between the two Houses.
Well, Lord Harry wasn't part of any House, and Hogwarts knew her heir, as she had been telling Harry her own stories of woe ever since he had stepped foot inside the castle. And if anyone thought Harry was going to back down when clearly he was only defending himself, they had another think coming!
After the fire call was made, they waited for the Weasley parents to arrive. Harry refused to be drawn into discussion with anyone. 'Never show weakness in a bad situation, and stand proud and look them in the eye when you speak' was the advice he had been given many a time over the years whenever he was called on the carpet by Ben or Wolf.
0o0o0o0o0
Molly Weasley was in fine form when she exited the Floo. She wanted the hide of the person or persons that had harmed her little Ronnie! They would pay, or her name wasn't Molly Weasley!
Arthur Weasley, however, was more sedate. He was worried that Ron's temper had finally got the better of him, and now he would have to face the consequences.
"Molly, Arthur," Albus said as he brought everyone's attention back to the business at hand. "We are here to deal with Mr Potter's vulgar display of violence against Ronald. I am afraid he used a Muggle weapon on your son."
Harry raised an eyebrow as Molly began to shriek like a banshee. She started to advance on Harry, only to be held back by her husband.
"Are you quite finished with this childish display?" Harry asked in a cold voice. He stood proud, just like the peer of the realm, and the young lord of two Ancient Houses, that he was.
"As for my 'vulgar use' of a so-called 'Muggle weapon', I was under the impression that a blade was perfectly acceptable in your world. Or is my sword on your wall a simple ornament, Headmaster? Also, I would like to add that I was taught to meet force with force. Every student in this school is armed with a deadly weapon. I will protect myself with equal force if I am attacked again.
"I believe this whole incident was a ploy to gain knowledge of my magical strength, one cooked up by the headmaster and Mr Weasley." Harry looked contemptuously at Dumbledore. "I can assure you that, had I used magic, Mr Ronald Weasley would've been killed, not merely injured."
That caught everyone's attention. Wolf stepped up. "I will inform you that Lord Potter's magical strength and abilities have been a classified matter since he was found as a child. We have honed his skills to analyse what is needed in any given situation, and to use equal, but not greater, force in non-lethal situations.
"I will confirm that when Mr Weasley sent that stunning hex at Lord Potter's back, it was to make Lord Potter look either foolish or give away a very tactical advantage in front of the school. And the teachers and staff allowed it to happen by sitting and doing nothing, as per usual, since it was a Gryffindor acting up."
"I quite agree with the Sergeant-Major's assessment," Filius piped up. "I've had a chance to duel with Lord Potter, and he is a highly-skilled and trained young wizard, one that, if we were on the duelling circuit, I would find hard to beat. Mr Weasley is a very lucky young wizard to be alive after such a cowardly and shameful attack."
Harry, who had been watching the headmaster with a very careful eye, did not like the wheels that were turning in the old man's mind. So it was time to change gears.
"I, as Lord Potter, Duke of Gryffindor, Founders' Heir of Hogwarts, do hereby state that Ronald Weasley did make a cowardly, unprovoked attack on the Head of an Ancient and Noble House. I demand, as is my right, a formal apology in the Great Hall, and that he be suspended from Hogwarts for an period not to exceed one year, nor be less than six months." Harry paused, letting his words sink in a moment before continuing.
"Failure to do so will result in the closure of this school, as I find that the headmaster and staff are not up to the standards upon which this school was founded, and seem to take student safety rather cavalierly. So mote it be."
Harry knew it was harsh, but the headmaster had to be reined in. If he intended to side with the Weasleys, then so be it. Harry wasn't someone that looked up to Albus Dumbledore as the infallible icon that most in the Wizarding world saw him as. Hogwarts was already calling for Ron Weasley's blood for attacking her Heir as it was, but no-one needed to know that.
Albus sighed. Every time he thought he had a handle on this boy, something always blocked him. He knew Harry had the right to do what he was doing. If he failed to do what Harry called for, he would be out as Headmaster and Hogwarts herself would see to it that the Heir's decree was carried out. Hogwarts was refusing to answer to him right now. She was in a royal snit and had brushed him off numerous times lately.
Molly and Arthur Weasley were stunned and appalled at what was happening. They had trained their children to be more respectful and caring, but Ronald had always had a jealous streak and a violent temper. But going after another student, and from behind! It was inexcusable!
"We will take Ronald home with us and keep him there until he may return. Will that be acceptable, Lord Potter?" Arthur asked, knowing that Ron was getting off lightly. He could have faced time in Azkaban for this.
Harry bowed slightly. "It is." He turned and walked away.
Wolf waited until Harry had left before turning and exiting as well.
Albus now knew that everything was out of his control, especially Harry Potter. It had just become imperative that he find out how powerful the boy was and take a personal hand in guiding him! He would have to make more plans; he didn't want to think what would happen if the boy went Dark.
0o0o0o0o0
Harry left the office in tightly controlled anger. 'Damn that old man! I just know he's cooking up another scheme; I could almost see the cogs turning in his eyes!'
Wolf followed quietly. It was just after lunch and the hall was filled with students hurrying to their next classes. Harry was walking swiftly, paying little attention to those around him until he felt an insistent tug at his sleeve.
"Lord Potter," a soft voice spoke, "I wish to apologise for my brother's stupidity," Ginny Weasley purred seductively. "Perhaps I can make it up to you, Harry?" She pressed close to his side as she looked up into his eyes adoringly.
"Excuse me, miss, have we been introduced?" he asked icily. His eyes were a cold, arctic green as he glared down at her offending hand before brushing it from his robes and stepping away. Those around them turned to watch.
Ginny's eyes widened in shock. His penetrating, cold gaze sent a shiver of fear down her spine. A quick glance around at all of the witnesses to her embarrassment made her flush deep red and brought her Weasley temper into play. 'How dare he! Harry Potter is supposed to be mine! Mum promised!'
There was a sudden parting in the crowd around the two. Hermione Granger stepped forth, a frown on her face. "Harry? What's going on here? I thought you were going to walk me to Charms?"
Harry looked over at her and grinned. "I am, my lady." He bowed slightly. "I was just dealing with a minor inconvenience." There were several gasps and laughter from the surrounding audience as Harry offered Hermione his arm.
Ginny Weasley stamped her foot when the pair turned to walk away. She screamed in frustration, drawing her wand. "How dare you choose that ugly, know-it-all Ravenclaw over me?"
Wolf, seeing things about to turn violent, stepped behind the furious red-haired girl. As Ginny started the first syllable of what he was sure was a hex, he acted with startling speed, one hand grabbing her wrist, the other slamming into her elbow, snapping her forearm upward with crippling force. The misdirected hex fired off into the air, hitting the ceiling. Ginny screamed in pain and would have crumpled to her knees if not for Wolf's hard grip on her.
Harry looked over his shoulder when he heard the spell hit the ceiling. "I see you have things under control, Sergeant-Major. Very well then, carry on. May I take your books, Hermione?"
"Harry, maybe we should stop and help..." Hermione started to say but, at the look between Harry and Wolf, she shrugged. "Never mind."
Wolf's grip on Ginny Weasley did not slacken, even as a very loud, stern voice echoed in the hall. "What in Merlin's name is going on here?"
Ginny tried to free herself by kicking at Wolf. She had grown up fighting with older brothers, but she'd never faced a trained soldier before and her efforts were for naught.
"What is the meaning of this!" came McGonagall's voice, scattering the students like frightened birds.
0o0o0o0o0
Stay tune for what happens next.
There is a couple of things that need to be clarified.
First: The Morrigan/Cerridwen are two aspect of the same goddess. She is a triple goddess. Luna worships Cerridwen who is more of a mother aspect. Harry and Severus Snape worship The Morrigan who is a warrior goddess. As for the third aspect, research it under Celtic deities.
Second: Hermione was trained in physical combat and can keep up with Harry in that part of his training. Her canon 'Authory figures can do no wrong' was trained out of her by Wolf and Harry. As for her magical abilities, she is the same as she is in canon. They, with the help of Professor Flitwick, will bring her up to speed.
I think that's all of the glaring comments that needed to be addressed at this time.
Until next time. -GF and the Frau
