Here's the newest chapter for the "Harry Potter: the Serpent Lord", enjoy!
* Review response:
Naginator, Dark Neko 4000, joseph33759, Awsomeness7, obsessivegirl73, Kine X, god of all, Super-Saiyan-3-Vegeta, Sasparilla89, ElementalMaster16, thank you for your reviews, folks!
Orchamus, well, Fudge was never portrayed as a bright man, in either canon or fanon.
Reishin Amara, that will happen a bit (well, not a bit) later.
Alphawolfy288, yes, this is cool, but, unfortunately, I had to go without this phrase. I can use it elsewhere, right?
.owered, lemons will be soon. Chapter 41 & 42 the closest two, to be exact. ^_^ Yes, those will be true lemons and not some Solo-F you have encountered in this story already.
fragglemaster, Harry, in the end will have no uber spells, but he'll use some of the spell you don't expect being used in duels to a great success.
The Swordslinger, this will be revealed sometime during the fourth year, if I don't revise my plans. You're welcome to try and guess until then.
* Disclaimer: I DO NOT own "Harry Potter" and its characters in any shape or form.
"human speech"
"wraith speech"
'human thoughts'
"powered speech / true prophecies by the seer"
"spells / parseltongue"
This chapter is not beta-read yet.
chapter 39: Bound to Ground
Surprisingly enough, madam Umbridge didn't take any points from Harry or put him in detention on the first DADA lesson. Well, if one can count reading a very boring chapter from very boring book a lesson – professor Quirrell, as bad as he was, explained the same idea in three sentences, and also had a small practical demonstration of what that meant; now there was only a theory...
Still, the young Potter found it rather suspicious that as strongly against him as she was, the senior undersecretary didn't make a move against him. Maybe she actually had a couple of brain cells and waited for him to make the littlest step out of the line, so that no one will be able to counter her measures against him on the grounds that they are unjust?
And the way professor Umbridge 'taught' DADA was a far greater problem than the ministry witch herself was: she was down there with Lockhart (whose 'lessons' at least weren't boring as hell) on the list of the most useless professors Hogwarts had seen this century. Of course, the obvious solution for this problem was for the students to educate themselves in what they really needed to know...
So on Saturday afternoon, the first meeting of the Defense Studies group in this year was called. This was mostly an organizational meeting: just one lesson wasn't enough to judge their new DADA professor, even if it was quite clear that she wasn't going to teach them anything useful – after all, who makes the third years read for entire double lesson a boring text about what their already learned in like ten minutes two years ago? And also, Umbridge was teaching all four houses in all years simultaneously...
Everyone in the DS agreed that, should the things not improve, they will run the DS like they did during the previous school year, but they also will write an open letter to the educational committee, telling them about the situation at Hogwarts. Hopefully, then they would get a real teacher.
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The second week of classes was quiet for Harry so far: with both him and the others still getting back into the rhythm of the Hogwarts life, most of the time was spent either attending the classes or doing the homework, which, as always, was plentiful. Soon, Friday came and, after two rather pleasant first lessons and a lunch, it was once again time for DADA. Madam Umbridge once again had them greet her 'properly', which the class (of course) did, but completely lifelessly, but it pleased the witch, so...
"Hem, hem... Now, children, let's see, how you mastered the first one." The pink-wearing woman looked through the list of students, searching for her victim. Though, everyone who was aware of how she seemed to loathe Harry know whom she will choose to answer. "Aha, Potter!"
"Yes?" The said young wizard responded from his seat. Professor Umbridge locked her eyes on him. She bore his head with her gaze for a couple of seconds, before sighing.
"Ten point from Gryffindor for a complete lack of manners, Potter. Let's try again... Potter!" Harry spent the next moment – which felt as long as ages – trying to think of what she wanted him to say. Deciding that it was something like the greeting she made them do at the very beginning of the lesson, he made his try:
"Yes, professor Umbridge." The green-eyed youth said, looking at the senior undersecretary. For a second there was a tense silence. Then the witch sighed.
"Better, but still not what you ought to do, Potter. Another ten points from Gryffindor... How about another try? Potter!" Harry was thinking hard of what that bi-... what madam Umbridge wanted from him: he sure as hell didn't want to lose Gryffindor any more points... Judging from what she said regarding his previous attempt, he said the right thing, but still there was something missing, and he had to figure what it was, or his house will lose the last of the hard-earned points they had before this lesson... Then it dawned on him: he was sitting all this time: while most of the Hogwarts professors allowed to answer their questions without standing up, madam Umbridge didn't look like she was like them. Well, at least this theory was worth giving it a try...
"Yes, professor Umbridge." The young Potter said, while standing up from his seat.
"See, that wasn't too difficult, right?" The witch said in her sickly-sweet tone, while the expression of her face was telling that she wasn't all that pleased with her victim guessing what she wanted from him. "Now, Potter, tell me what, according to Wilbert Slinkhard, are the underlying principles of the defensive magic."
Harry sighed: did she want him to recite her the chapter? Most likely she did, and she likely wanted him to do so word to word. Well, hopefully not, as he barely remembered what the author of their textbook was writing about in that damned first chapter. Oh well... Sighing again, the green-eyed wizard began his answer, trying to make it as long as possible...
"Hm... Not bad, Potter, but make sure to do your homework better next time. Sit down." Madam Umbridge said, while giving off a feeling that she was not pleased with Harry giving such a long and 'detailed' answer. It was clear that she wanted him to say something wrong so that she would be able to take more points from him. Or whatever other 'punishment' her mind would cook up... "Well, since we've wasted enough time already, I will just assume that everyone else did the homework. So, now, children, let's start our second lesson." Tapping the blackboard with her wand, madam Umbridge made writing saying 'The principles of the defensive magic' appear on it. "The first chapter of your textbook was a shallow introduction of the defensive magic principles. Now you we will begin studying them in-depth. Please open page twenty eight and read the second chapter." ...And so another boring lesson began...
It was now near the end of the second DADA period, and Harry, pretty much like everyone else in the classroom, was bored out of his mind. Wanting to know how much of this torture he still had to endure, he pulled his watch out of his pocket and looked at the time: still fifteen minutes till the bell that would free them from this classroom... Sighing deeply, he closed the lid of the watch, returning them back to their place in his pocket, and continued staring at the book in front of him with an empty stare, not finding it in himself to actually try and read what was printed on the pages... Unfortunately for him, he had sighed to loudly, as madam Umbridge heard him.
"Ten points from Gryffindor for disrupting the class, Potter." The toad-like witch said with her eyes fixed on him... Since the green-eyed wizard was not expecting to be called at that moment, his reaction was kind of reflexive, something his minor training in mind arts could not control:
"What!" He blurted out, now definitely too loud. And this made Umbridge smile; not in a pleasant way of course.
"I see that you still don't understand that you can't misbehave in my classroom, Mr. Potter, and taking points doesn't seem to teach you anything. Maybe I should punish you with something more substantial?" The witch said in her (usual) sickly-sweet tone. "I heard that you love playing quidditch, Potter. Why don't I ban your from flying then?" Harry grit his teeth, but didn't respond: just like with Snape, it would only make things worse for him. ...This didn't mean that he won't try to bring this in front of professor McGonnagal in hopes that she will cancel this baseless punishment...
As soon as the damned lesson was finally finished, the young Potter headed to his head of the house in hopes that she'll do something about his predicament. After some searching, the green-eyed wizard found the professor McGonnagal in the corridor that led to both the Gryffindor common room and the deputy headmistress' office. Unfortunately for him, though, she remained quite indifferent to his pleas, stating that if madam Umbidge had punished him, he really did something that warranted the punishment. And even worse, she gave Harry a detention with Snape for losing all of the point house Gryffindor had earned in the last two weeks.
Even worse, just after professor McGonnagal finished with him, the young Potter ran into Oliver Wood, who, somehow, already knew about him being banned form flying. So he had to endure the second lecture about how bad he was, this time from his ex-captain...
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The next day, Saturday, was not at all good for Harry as well: thanks to professor McGonnagal, he had a whole day of detention with Snape. And the Potions master, made sure that the green-eyed youth had a full day of scrubbing cauldrons: Harry wasn't even allowed to leave for some lunch – instead a house elf brought him some food to eat during a short break he was allowed to have.
And if the whole day of physical labor while being belittled by the sneering Potions professor wasn't enough, because of his detention Harry had to miss the meeting of the DS. No, he was sure that his friends will be willing to repeat anything important that was said there, but this would not be the same as listening to that firsthand.
Plus, he didn't feel like he had any strength left in him at the moment... All he could do was reach the nearest armchair and drop into it. ...With his mind somewhere else, he didn't even notice Katie join him there, though when she wrapped her hand around his shoulders and pulled him in a loose hug, he finally noticed his girlfriend. She too looked worn out – Oliver had trials for the new seeker, and then there was a brutal five hours long training session to get Fay Dunbar – a pureblood witch who was a fan of quidditch, though she preferred being a beater over seeker – used to how the team was playing.
The two, though, didn't exchange words and just sat there together, drawing their strength from each other. Still their 'perfect' idyl couldn't last forever... And Katie was the first one to speak:
"Harry..." The pretty witch said quietly as she pulled her boyfriend closer to herself. "Tomorrow is the Hogsmeade day. Will you accompany me there?"
"Like on a date?" The young lord Potter asked back, making his girl smile at him.
"Like on a date." She confirmed with a small nod.
"Sure." The green-eyed youth replied with the smallest of shrugs. In response, his girlfriend nuzzled into the crook of his neck, still hugging him to her (rather developed) body.
Soon the clock stroke ten, and Katie, giving him a goodnight kiss on the cheek, headed to the girls dormitories. Sighing, Harry decided that he too should head for the bed if he didn't want to be fresh and well-rested tomorrow.
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The next morning Harry woke up early as usual, and after doing some exercises to keep himself fit, did some reading on his medical studies, while most of the other Gryffindor students were still sleeping... Finally, at about nine o'clock 'the masses' began descending to the common room from the dormitories, and this was a signal for the young Potter that his reading time was over. So, once he saw his Katie, he set the tome down and greeted his lovely girlfriend and taking her hand as the two of them headed to the Great hall for some breakfast.
The breakfast itself was much more lively than normal, as the third-years were making their guesses about what the Hogsmeade is like, while older students either laughed hearty at their guesses or were actually telling the stories, truthful and not, about what the village was...
As he was eating his breakfast, Harry also noticed Ronald Weasley alternatively glaring at Oliver Wood and Fay Dunbar. It looked like the 'chosen one' went to the seeker trials as well, but wasn't picked, which he though was very unfair. Oh well, from what the green-eyed wizard had seen, Ron wouldn't be a good seeker anyway... Though some might have tried to put him on the team just because of what he was declared to be by Dumbledore. Thankfully, Oliver wasn't like that, and everyone on the team was there, because they had talent.
Once the breakfast was over, Harry and Katie, along with the rest of the older students headed to Hogwarts' front doors, where the carriages that will be taking them to Hogsmeade were. Still, those who hadn't passed their OWLs had to give their signed permission slip to professor McGonnagal, before they could leave the castle grounds. NEWT-level students, unless banned form visiting the village, could leave as they pleased... Once Katie passed her permission slip to the deputy headmistress, it was Harry's turn, and so he handed his to the Scott witch. Professor McGonnagal was ready to say that he could go, when she noticed something:
"Mr. Potter, I'd like you to know that you can't sign your own permission slips." She said sternly, but the young wizard wasn't fazed by this.
"According to the rules, the permission slip to be valid should be signed by one's adult blood relative or a guardian." The deputy headmistress of Hogwarts raised her eyebrow as she tried to see where the young Potter was heading with this. "And I'm my own blood relative." That was obvious... 'Guess, the cat is out of the bag...' Harry though, while willing the Potter ring he wore to become visible. "...As for me being an adult..." He showed it to his Transfiguration professor... Having seen Charles and then James wear this ring, professor McGonnagal easily recognized it, and what it meant: Harry Potter was a legal adult.
"Very well, Mr. Potter." She said. "You can go."
"Harry? You're a lord?" Katie asked her boyfriend in a whisper, not wanting to attract more attention to them – she knew ho much he hated when people were gawking at him.
"Yeah, since the beginning of this summer." He replied. "Does this change anything between us?" He asked then, looking into Katie's eyes.
"Of course not, silly." She replied, before giving him a light kiss. Which still earned them a light glare from their head of the house.
"That's my Katie." Harry said, before taking his girlfriend's hand. "Now, shall we explore the village?" He asked rhetorically.
Visiting a completely magical settlement was a new experience for Harry, even if he had visited Diagon alley more than just several times. Hogsmeade wasn't very big, roughly a hundred houses (plus the Shrieking shack), most of which were shops ranging from Honeydukes that sold various magical sweets to a branch of Olivanders' wand shop. There also was an owl-post station in the village, as well as several pubs, the most popular of which was called 'Three broomsticks'.
With Katie as his guide, the visit to Hogsmeade was quite exciting for Harry: his girlfriend seemed to know quite a lot of interesting little facts about the village, and she happy to share this 'knowledge' with him. While also getting him to buy her a sizable chunk on Honeydukes chocolate in the process...
The couple decided to have their lunch at 'Three broomsticks'. While the pub was rather crowded with Hogwarts students visiting the village, they still easily found a table for themselves to sit at. And it just had to happened that Draconica and her friends were occupying the table next to theirs...
As they exchanged greetings, Harry noticed that his blond friend from Slytherin was trying to keep her distance from him – at the same time Astoria was trying to make eyes at him – but as they now were in a more relaxed atmosphere, compared to Hogwarts, the young Potter managed to get a glimpse of what was going on behind Draconica's mental shields. And what he saw surprised him: it was almost like she was acting against her true desires. Did she actually want to be with him? He didn't knew the answer to this question, but it still took a great weight off his mind – she didn't suddenly hate him after all...
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By four o'clock in the afternoon, the young couple returned to Hogwarts, with Harry still in a slight daze from all of the interesting things and places of Hogsmeade he was shown by his wonderful girlfriend. Though, he supposed, now that he had seen everything of interest in the village, his reasons for visiting it would be limited to buying things he needed, having dates or just getting out of the castle for some time...
Now, though, there was one more thing he had to do today: tonight Susan will be sending the open letter to the educational committee they had previously compiled, and he had to pass the signatures form the house Gryffindor to her... And with how many members of the house of Lions had signed under this letter, Harry was quite positive that they'll manage to remove Umbridge from the castle. There was even a chance that they'll finally get someone competent as their DADA professor...
That's all, folks!
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