Disclaimer: I own nothing affiliated with the Harry Potter series.
"English speak"
"French speak"
Chapter 1
The Potion Prodigy
September 1, 1994
He watched the potion carefully as he stirred taking note of the smell, consistency and, color. It felt like water, good, smelt like raspberries, great, but the color was completely off.
He stopped stirring, a growl emanating from within him, "Six times." His voiced was dry throat cracking from exposure to the potions fumes, "It shouldn't be this hard. It's not like it's a master level potion or anything, just a simple mind enhancer."
He sighed, rubbing the exhaustion from his eyes as he glared at the small cauldron holding the light pink liquid. His had shot out, knocking the brewing stand over, releasing the liquid onto the floor as the cauldron rolled away.
"Hoot"
He started, turning towards the noise to see his owl's amber eyes looking reproachfully at him. He gave her a tired smile, "I may have to clean it up but it was worth the release." He leaned back, cracking his back, "However first, I need a nap."
He turned toward his room before being stopped by another hoot. He turned to look at his glaring owl. "Five minutes. Please?" He gave his best puppy smile at which Hedwig just glared.
His face fell into a scowl, muttering a "fine" he turned toward the mess. Brandishing his lovely cherry wood and unicorn wand he gave a quick wave, banishing the liquid. He turned to his familiar, "Happy?" The owl gave a nod and relaxed as he went toward his room and laid on his bed, thankful he could now fall aslee-
KNOCK
His eyes shot open and turned his head toward the door that connected his personal lab, that wasn't really his, to the rest of the school and gave a short yell, his voice changing into fluent French. "Who is it?"
"Harry it's me." He blinked, why would she choose now of all time to visit him. Did he miss something important or forget to give her his latest assignment.
"Come in."
Professor Petit, his mentor, open the door walking into the abandoned classroom turned potion lab. "I heard a loud bang and was wondering what caused it." Her eyes roamed over the cauldron on the ground taking in the light blue liquid that had managed to stay inside of it.
"What was it this time" Her voice was stressed, he wondered why, and her hand flew up to her temple starting to rub circles.
His faced flushed lightly knowing that he was likely in trouble, "Well, I was making the mind enhancement potion like you asked but, I ended up ruining it."
She stared at him as he quietly gave an answer and continued to do so another minute before walking to the cauldron and picking it up allowing the remaining potion to pool up at the bottom.
She looked at the mix appraisingly before sticking her finger in swirling it around, giving a nod she pulled it out and sniffed. Her brows furrowed as she turned toward him, "I give up what's wrong with it?"
He gulped he knew his answer wouldn't satisfy her, it never did. "It's the wrong color."
She looked back into the cauldron, her brows furrowing even more, as she took stock of the potion. "I see nothing wrong with the color."
He shook his head, "It's a few shades to light of a blue."
A scowl fell over her face, eyes hardening to a glare. "So you thought it was not good enough because it was a few shades off."
He gulped nodding while keeping his head down.
"Look at me."
He looked up staring into her steel colored eyes as they stared through him, no doubt seeing just how nervous he was. Her eyes melted at the sight off the boy in front of her.
The boy who should have been at home over the summer enjoying his break, not holed up in his school in an abandoned classroom that he had made his.
The boy who should have friends, not just a rival.
The boy who should have had a chance to be normal, but was ridiculed and sought after for things out of his control.
The quiet, nearly broken, boy in front of her was not what he should have been.
She can still remember the day she showed up to escort him to school.
September 1, 1991
It was early in the morning when she arrived at his 'home'. She walked up to the door knocking once before it was quickly opened by Harry's horse-faced aunt, who upon seeing the visitor quickly slammed the door.
It didn't bother her much. She was used to the distrust some non-magics had of her. So she simply knocked again.
And again.
And again.
She could hear whispers of fear and anger behind the door as the owners tried to figure out how to get rid of her.
Then it went quiet, disturbingly so. She raised her hand but was cut off as the door opened to show the boy she was here to escort.
He looked mostly the same in that he was scrawny with a mop of black hair and green eyes that were currently filled with misery.
However what was different was the large bruise he was rubbing on arm. She opened he mouth to ask whether he was okay or not but was cut off as he spoke in rushed, shaky words.
"I am very sorry ma'am but I have reconsidered joining your school."
His hands now as his side were clenched into fists so hard she was surprised he hadn't drawn blood.
She frowned down at him causing him to immediately focus on his feet. A pang a pity developed as she watched the boy try not to cry.
"Are you sure you don't want to 'arrison?" He looked back up at her and her heart broke at the look on his face as tears welled up in his eyes.
"I want to go." The words were quieter than a mouse but the reaction was explosive.
As soon as the words left his mouth he was yanked behind the door, which was followed by a thump and cry of pain as the large man from her first visit filled up the doorway.
"Leave." The word was so vile and dripping with such poison that she was taken aback for a moment before a ire ignited within her.
"No." It was the walrus's turn to look taken aback as he processed what she said.
His face turned a shade of purple she didn't know existed. He looked ready to kill. His mouth opened but she didn't give him the chance to speak as she drew her want and pointed it as his thick head.
It was fun, she admitted to herself late, to see how fast his face went from purple to deathly white.
"Do you know what zhis is?" Her voice was sharp and deadly, she was not sure if that was something to be proud of but it did help.
He nodded.
She smirked, "Zhen why don't you invite me in?"
Silently he stepped aside and she walked in, wand still out, and took in the scene.
There was the man who stood to her left with his bony wife hiding behind him. At the end of the hall leading from the door there was an incredibly fat boy that looked mildly scared. Finally at the bottom of the stairs was the young Potter who was holding a very clearly broken arm.
She turned toward the fat man her wand now shaking with fury, "I should-"
She was cut off by the horse-face, "You can't do anything. It would be breaking your laws." That caught her off guard.
"So is child abuse."
The creature, she refused to think of him as anything vaguely human, spoke up then, "It was to keep his freakishness at bay." He spat, "And it didn't even work."
She stepped between him and her charge, who had shrunken in on himself.
She was seeing red, "That freak, as you call him, happens to be one of the biggest heroes of our world and therefore is important to us wizards and witches." The tip of her wand was glowing and before she could do anything she would regret she shot out a summoning charm for Harry's possessions.
The door of the cupboard banged before being forced open by the trunk full of Harry's school supplies, followed by his owl in her cage.
She held her arm to Harry who, understanding the gesture, took it before she apparated away with him and his stuff in tow.
They arrived just outside the wards of the school. Despite his broken arm the young boy still managed to look awed at the beautiful castle on top of the hill.
She slowly walked him toward the doors taking him inside and leading him through the halls toward the healer.
Present
She was pulled out of her memories by the boy in front of her speaking, "Am I in trouble?"
She sighed, "No, 'arry, you are not in trouble." That seemed to calm him as he finally looked back up at her. "However," He looked away again. "You cannot just throw away a good potion because it is not perfect. We can still use it if it's a few shades off"
It is not a new conversation, they seem to have it at least once a month, but his waste of ingredients demands it.
"Sorry, ma'am, won't happen again." It will, they both know it.
"I want to see you at the feast tonight 'arry." He started looking surprised.
"It's the first?" She smiled, he often got so caught up in his brewing that the world passed him by. It made her proud. Proud and sad.
"Yes, and I want you there. Don't be a no-show." She gave him a smile.
He gave smile back nodding. "I will but, first I need to lay down. Can't remember the last time I slept."
She gave one last smile before turning and walking towards the door.
"Thanks for checking in."
"Anytime 'arry."
He showed up just as the first years were being led into the dining hall and to their table. Quietly slipping around some of the other upper years he made it to the fourth year table with little trouble.
He caught the eye of his mentor, who had an eyebrow raised in questioning. He answered by tapping the watch on his left wrist and laying his head on his hands. Overslept.
She nodded in understanding turning her attention to the new students. He felt someone plop in the seat next to him and the steel-blue eyes of Selene Malfoy stared at him amused.
Looking up and not seeing anything particularly funny he turned to her, "May I ask what seems to have you so merry, Selene."
Her grin widened as she spoke in a calm and collected manner, "Why you of course Potter. You look like somebody killed your owl."
He frowned at her, not really enjoying that lovely comment. "I just happen to be having a little trouble with a particular potion is all."
Her eyes lit up even more as she listened to his answer, pushing her platinum hair behind her ears. "What potions seems to have gotten the poor prodigy so worked up." She spoke snarkily using the one of the titles he hated.
Besides he wouldn't consider himself a prodigy. Good, yes. A prodigy, never. "The mind enhancement potion seems hellbent on taking my sanity. I've tried brewing it six times now and ave yet to get it perfect." He knew he sounded like a brat but a level 2 potion had never given him so much trouble. It was usually once for practice and then book perfect on the second try.
She rolled her eyes at him before turning her attention to the food that had just appeared on the table. Turning his own attention to the table he looked around at the various dishes and, not feeling very hungry, simply filled his glass with water to sip.
Her turned back toward his rival, "So how was your summer anything interesting happen?"
She swallowed the food in her mouth and faced him once more, "Nope, the summer was quite dull other than a few social parties and I'm sure you don't want to hear about those."
"I thought you were going to the quidditch world cup?"
She sighed a small frown now marring her face, "It didn't work out, which is probably for the best since it was attacked by death eaters."
Death eaters? He frowned, they hadn't been seen publicly for years now. Why had they attacked the world cup? Better ye, why didn't he know they attack the world cup? Surely he wasn't that disconnected from the outside world.
He turned to her again to find her looking at him questioningly.
"I'm sorry, lost in my thoughts, what did you say?"
She rolled her eyes again. "How was your summer, Potter?"
"Fine"
She blinked, "Fine? Only fine?"
He nodded, "Yeah, fine. I learned to brew a few new potions, did some apprentice projects and, finished a few personal projects."
"Oh, such as?"
He reached into his rob pocket and pulled out a stoppered vial filled with a green potion.
She picked it up, brow furrowed. "Fire resistance?" She guessed.
He nodded, "If you need to see me while I'm in my room drink that or else your get burned, I put up a fire barrier so no one would break in this year."
She nodded slipping the potion into her pocket, glancing around the table.
"People are staring at us."
He looked around watching as many of the other 4th years looked away, caught in the act. His mouth twitched into a half-smile. "It's probably because we haven't had a civil conversation since we met. Not to mention the last time we talked, by which of course I mean argued, we nearly started dueling in this hall."
They both smiled at the memory of the explosive fight and how close they came to casting a spell when her smile faltered. "Are you okay 'arry? You've been rubbing your scar raw."
He was momentarily surprised at her use of his name, she rarely used it, before her word caught up to him. He moved the culprit, his left hand, and picked up a spoon from the table staring at his reflection.
The area around his scar was a dark red that spoke of abuse toward the skin. He looked at Selene who was looking at him concerned. He shook his head, "It's fine, just been aching a bit lately. Probably phantom pain, nothing to worry about. Happens every once in awhile, thought never this badly.'
She accepted this answer though she looked hesitant. She looked ready to speak when the hall went silent. He looked toward the staff table where Madam Maxime had risen to address the students.
"To our new students, we welcome you and, to our older, students we welcome you back." She paused. "This year is going to be very exciting for us at Beauxbatons. For this year we will be one of the three schools participating in the revival of the Tri-Wizard Tournament."
She paused again letting that sink in as the students perked up.
"Two days before October 31st all student who meet the age requirement of seven-teen years of age and wish to sign up will accompany me and a couple staff members to Hogwarts to participate."
The whispering got louder as students moaned in disappointment or cheered in victory.
"Thank you students. 1st years, our potions mistress, Professor Petit, shall show you to the dorms you will be using the next seven years. Dismissed."
Harry stood up with the rest of the student body ready to head to his room and fall asleep.
"What do you think?"
He turned to Selene, "What do you mean?"
She looked at him like he was stupid. "About the tournament."
"Why does it matter? Neither of us are old enough so there no point in really thinking about it."
She shook her head, sighing. "You don't get it. If Hogwarts and Beauxbatons are involved that probably means Durmstrang is to."
"So?"
"So, this would be the first time these ministries communicated peacefully since before World War II"
He sighed, "Again, I reiterate, so?"
She shook her head giving up on trying to explain. She turned toward the halls and walked away giving a short farewell. He sighed wondering what the big deal was.
He watched his rival walk away. He'd figure it out later, right now he was tired and needed his sleep.
Hey guys it's me. The guy who uploaded a prologue and then ignored/lost the idea of this story in my head. Yeah. Sorry bout that but I'm here now and am going to try to make it out by getting some chapters out fast. So drop a review and tell me what you think.
-Void