Disclaimer: Everything belongs to J.K Rowling.

A/N: Howdy dear readers, the last chapter for the year 2022. I've recently started to post this story on AO3 too, with the same name and username. Every chapter isn't uploaded yet, but they will be in due time. After that, I plan to post at the same pace there.

Anyways, I hope you enjoy the chapter!

To 2023!

Chapter 22: A Lesson Better Learnt

"There you are!" Hermione exclaimed as she found me sitting in the most secluded corner of the library. "I literally haven't seen you in days."

I didn't look up from my book on duelling etiquette. "I won't torture myself by attending Umbridge's classes when I don't have to."

Hermione sat down on a chair next to me. "There is a party in your honour in the common room…"

I turned a page absently. "I didn't know that half of the people has suddenly stopped believing in the prophet."

Hermione rolled her eyes but grimaced. "I know, I know…they probably haven't."

"So why would they throw a party in my honour?"

She shrugged. "You'd be surprised how much influence some of your friends have."

I paused in my reading. Or I paused pretending to read. "What is that supposed to mean?"

She gave me a pointed look. "You're friends with the three most popular girls in our house, one of them is the quidditch captain as well."

I had never even thought about it that way.

I looked up at her with an amused expression. "Okay, but how come I haven't heard a word about my own party before now?" I asked with raised eyebrows.

"I guess they thought it would be a surprise, but then you never came to the common room. It became quite awkward really."

I smiled. "I can guess."

Hermione looked at me expectantly. "So are you coming or not?"

"Not," I answered and arched a brow at her. "I'm sure you can understand that studying is a more productive free time activity than partying."

Hermione chuckled. "You're becoming more reclusive than I am. I swear you spend more time here and in your chamber than you do sleeping."

"That's probably right," I admitted with a sheepish look. "You know why."

Hermione picked up one of my books and flipped through it absently. "Yeah."

We fell into a comfortable silence where I was reading and she was looking through a book on water curses she seemingly found interesting. For once, I didn't actually mind her presence. Perhaps it was that I would leave in two days and not see her for an unknown period of time.

"You know, Harry," Hermione began without looking at me. "You don't have to be afraid to hang out with us just because you don't want to…teach us."

"I know, Hermione. I know…" I frowned. "I guess I've just become too used to being by myself."

Hermione gave my shoulder a squeeze. "Just make sure you spend some time with other people in China, okay? Don't just sit in your room all day."

I chuckled. "I'll try."

Hermione nodded. "And you will write."

I smiled. "Of course, Hermione. I just hope Hedwig has stayed in shape, flying across half the globe has got to be difficult, even for her…"

"She has never failed you before…why would she now?"

I glanced at a clock and the wall and raised my eyebrows in alarm. With a wave of my wand, my things folded themselves into my backpack and the books flew back to their resting places. Hermione sent me an impressed look. "Cool trick."

I stretched and yawned loudly. "Let's go and see if that party's still going on."

"Knowing Seamus, it definitely will be," Hermione said with a small smile.

The corridors felt different when I walked across them. I couldn't even place it at first. I just had to suppress a smile as I spotted ordinary things. The suit of armour which Peeves hid in. The secret passageway which everyone knew about. Yet everyone stayed well clear of it.

It dawned on me that I would miss the place.

The fat lady swung open with a huff and revealed the interior. It was quiet inside. No music. Definitely no party.

The party was over. Everyone had gone to bed

The dragon inside of me awoke with renewed vitality. It squirmed and growled and gnarled.

I stood transfixed in the portrait hole for a couple of seconds, fighting to gain it back under control.

-()-

I took a deep breath and stepped inside Rowena's room. Nothing was quite out of the ordinary. The armchairs were there, so was the table in between. None of the other doors were open, but that wasn't unusual.

Despite all of this, something felt off.

One of the doors opened and Rowena walked in out.

"I will apologise to her," I said as soon as I saw her.

My master nodded once but didn't say anything.

"I will leave tomorrow," I said.

She nodded again. "I know."

My master walked up to another door.

"I want to give you something," she said at the same time as the door opened.

It was as if someone had changed the season inside the room with a snap of their fingers. A cold radiated through the room like a dementor had appeared. I felt a shiver run down my spine, my hairs stood on end.

"Pick up the book," Rowena said and gestured for me to go inside. "Don't touch anything else."

I took some tentative steps inside. It felt like I was on the island of Azkaban. On the altar inside, I found three items. First of all, a book with two Rs engraved on it. I would have chuckled if I didn't feel so miserable. How could I not have thought about that when I saw it last year?

The next item was the vial of blood I had left there last year. I frowned as I looked upon it. It looked like there were pieces inside the bottle now.

"The blood has coagulated," my master explained upon seeing my look. "I still lack to power to perform a proper stasis charm."

I whipped around to face her faster than I thought possible. "What?!"

She raised her eyebrows.

"What do you mean 'lack the power'?" I continued.

She gave me a small smile. "This form grants me many advantages, but access to my full power, it gives me not."

I stared at her incredulously. "This isn't your full power?" I said and gestured to her. "You're the best witch I've ever seen."

My master smiled at me tiredly. "Thank you, but no. I still have all the knowledge and skill, I just lack the energy. The power."

"But…but…you've never lacked power when we've faced each other."

She arched an eyebrow. "You're fifteen now, not fully grown. In a year, you'll beat me by power alone."

I stared at her with wide eyes. This wasn't a revelation. It was something else. I didn't know what to say.

I returned my attention to the altar and my eyes widened when I recognised the last item.

Voldemort's horcrux.

Suddenly it made sense why the room was so cold.

I snatched the book up quickly and almost ran out the room. The door closed immediately, some warmth came back. But the cold had spread and lingered in the room.

Rowena handed me a backpack which looked like it was made out of pure silver. "Put it in here," she ordered.

I complied and zipped the bag closed. Rowena was looking at me with a frown on her face.

The warmth was finally starting to come back. The room felt like heaven now compared to a few moments ago.

"Keep the book in that bag at all times," Rowena said seriously. "Never take it out when you're not absolutely certain that you're alone."

I nodded quickly. "Yes master."

She let out a long breath. "I want to teach you something."

I smiled tiredly. "You're always teaching me something master."

"I know, but this is different…"

I raised my eyebrows and waited for her to continue.

Rowena plunged down in her armchair and gestured for me to do the same.

"Everything I've taught you as of yet, I've felt no…moral complications about," she began. "Everything I've taught you are things you've needed to know. Things you should know." She let out a long breath. "Now I've come to the point where I want to teach you something you should know, but don't need to know."

Her purple orbs met mine with a resolved look.

"I want to teach you how to kill."

Silence descended upon us like a heavy blanket.

"Didn't you say that you never wanted me to kill just days ago?" I whispered.

She nodded. "That's the thing…I'm not sure if you're ready for the knowledge on how to kill. You still lack the maturity to carry such a responsibility."

"I can already kill with the spells you've taught me," I said. "I know how to impale someone with a stake. How to devour someone with a conjured wolf."

Rowena nodded. "I know." My master frowned. "But you know as well as I do that the killing curse is different. That's it. There's no option to regret or change your mind."

I nodded once. I didn't particularly feel like learning that curse, but if she wanted me to, I would.

"You will be in danger in Nanshu," my master explained. "I want you to be able to defend yourself with any means possible."

"Surely stunning or incapacitating is enough?."

She pursed her lips. "Unconscious people can be revived. Injuries can be healed."

"If I think I'll have greater problems if I am supposed to be able to fend off several people at once…"

"Indeed," she conceded with a nod. "But that is what you have to be prepared for. I dearly hope your headmaster can arrange protections which are adequate; we have to prepare for them not being so."

"Why not go with the 'best way to win a fight is to never start it' method?"

She chuckled darkly. "That would indeed be the best way."

She stood up and straightened her skirt. "There is a spell which I want you to learn…" she trailed off. "It is not the killing curse…but it could become one."

I frowned and thought about what she said. What kind of spell was she talking about?

"The incantation is 'convadcryst'," she said seriously. "But I expect that you will be able to perform it silently."

"What does it do?" I said with a tinge of uncomfort.

My master took her wand out and conjured a great lion. It roared furiously and began to charge at Rowena.

A colourless light burst from her wand and struck the lion square in its face. My master's face lit up in a way I had never seen it before when she cast it.

The lion itself froze in the air and in one quick second it transformed from flesh and blood and mane and fur to a crystal the colour of the sea.

It had no way to move. I assumed it was dead.

"It is dead," Rowena confirmed in a whisper. Her gaze was fixed firmly on the lion. She looked at her wand as if she had never seen it before. "It was a very long time since I used that spell."

I pointed to the lion. "That's the same colour as your house," I remarked.

She nodded. "It is." Rowena closed her eyes for a couple of long moments. "Now, you try." My master conjured a small mouse and levitated it in the air. "Do it," she said in a whisper. "Put all your heart into it. Desire for it to become nothing."

I pointed my wand at the squirming mouse and squared my jaw. "Convadcryst," I said emotionlessly.

The same colourless light appeared out of my wand like an arrow and struck the mouse. The effect was instantaneous. It froze and turned into a crystal. A crystal vibrant shade of purple.

I stared at it for a long time. I didn't quite want to look at my master. When I finally did, she was looking at me with something I thought I would never see in her. Fear.

"What does the colour mean?" I asked, a little apprehensive.

"Nothing," she said raptly. "At least nothing I've been able to figure out."

I nodded. "Okay."

For the first time of my and my master's time together, I was certain that she had outright lied.

"There is a counter to this spell, 'noconcryst'," she said quietly and woke me from my thoughts. "It needs to be applied fast, within a minute or so. But there is a counter."

"That's good."

"Yes, but do think about whether ever using the counter is a good idea. You shouldn't use this spell if you don't want to kill."

"Is it one of those which will pass through magical shields?" I asked curiously.

The founder nodded. "Most shields will repel it, but not all."

I plunged down in my chair again and let out a long breath. I tried to relax but I found that I couldn't. It felt like a thousand lightings were coursing through my veins. It felt so good. It was a feeling I couldn't describe. It was something I had never experienced before, it wasn't physical or emotional.

It was magical.

"As for the continuation of your studies," my master began with a change of topic. "The book I gave you will enable you to communicate with me."

"That's why you don't want me to show it to anyone."

"Yes," she said seriously. "Be extra careful around your headmaster. He may figure out what it is."

"I will be careful, master," I promised.

Would Dumbledore really recognise a book made by Rowena Ravenclaw? I doubted it but I didn't know what knowledge the headmaster had about Hogwarts and its founders.

"Just one last thing before you leave, Harry," Rowena said with fond look.

I looked up and met her eyes. They were a great storm of emotions I could never dream to place.

"I know I'm not the most…emotional person you know," she began. Rowena smiled at me shyly. "But I am proud of you. Perhaps not about all you have done…"

It felt like I had stopped working.

"...but I am proud of you."

-()-

Tracey threw her hands up in surrender. "I give up, I'll never finish McGonagall's essay in time."

I tried to hide my smile by raising my book to cover my face. This was how it usually went.

"If only we had someone really good at transfiguration in our group," she said with a pointed look at the blonde sitting engrossed in her own book. Daphne paid her no mind whatsoever, sometimes I got the impression that you could commit a burglary in front of her and she would remain unphased.

Tracey pouted and turned towards me. "Draco, you're good at transfiguration."

Blaise snorted next to me; I retaliated with a soft push and a glare.

"Tracey, you do this every time, all of us know how it's going to end." I rolled my eyes with a tired look at Daphne. You would think that she sat in a room with nothing happening around her, I wasn't sure if I should be impressed by her focus or concerned for her mental well being.

"Yeah, it's just that someone is being all grumpy today," she said with a blatant look at Daphne again.

"You can't really blame her, can you?" Blaise said. "I'm impressed that only twelve people have landed in the hospital wing this far. If I were her, that number would be in the hundreds."

Daphne slammed her book shut and glared at us. "I do have a name, you know," she said with an unimpressed look. "And as for the people in the hospital wing, I will have no qualms about sending another petulant plebeian there…" she trailed off with a pointed look at Blaise.

"Alright, alright, I'm only joking," Blaise said and held his arms up in surrender.

"I never understood why the Dark Lord favoured the 'cruciatus' as much as he did," Daphne continued. "But after this, I understand him completely."

I laughed at her joke and Blaise joined in hesitantly. "That was a joke, right?" He chuckled nervously.

Daphne nodded curtly. "Of course."

Tracey looked at Daphne with an exasperated expression. "Stop acting like you're evil and just help me with the essay."

"I am evil," Daphne responded evenly. I snorted; which earned me a glare.

Tracey rolled her eyes. "Yes 'Dark Lady Daphne', your evilness rivals that of a chocolate cupcake."

I shook my head with a contained smile.

"I like that simile, it fits her," someone said from behind us.

All of our heads snapped around to see who was talking. There he stood, leaning against one of the bookshelves with a neutral expression: Harry Potter. I immediately whipped my wand out of my pocket and I saw Tracey and Blaise do the same. "What are you doing here, Potter?" I asked with a voice more venomous than a basilisk.

"I would like to talk to Greengrass, in private."

The way he said her name was all wrong, he said it as if her name physically hurt him to say. Like it was something he would have to wash off his tongue later, that wasn't how her name should be said. Her name was harmonious, like a field of…green grass.

I raised my wand warningly. "You expect us to let you talk to her alone after what you did?" I responded scathingly.

"Fuck off," I heard Blaise say angrily behind me.

We formed something of a protective wall around Daphne who sat frozen in place behind us. Then Daphne cleared her throat loudly, drawing the attention of everyone. "Stop acting like foolish Gryffindors. I'll talk to him." She stood up and straightened her skirt. Potter gestured for them to go to an empty aisle and she followed with the coldest expression I'd ever seen on her face, and that was saying something. By all accounts, Potter should not be anywhere above the zero degree mark.

I followed their movements with my eyes narrowed. Blaise cleared his throat loudly. "Stop acting like a foolish Gryffindor Draco," he said with a wiggle of his eyebrows.

I glared at him. "I am not anything like a Gryffindor."

Blaise rolled his eyes. "Like you wouldn't charge in like a roaring lion if Potter laid a hand on her."

This time he received a death glare and to my frustration he only smiled broadly in return.

"Tracey," I said resolutely. "Do you think I'm like a Gryffindor?"

My eyes landed on her and she looked like she was about to play the quidditch world cup final. She was biting her nails with her eyes fixed on the spot I presumed Daphne and Potter were talking.

"Tracey," I said loudly to garner her attention. She jumped in her chair and looked at me.

"Yes?"

"Is there something going on between Daphne and Potter that we don't know about?"

Tracey's eyes widened for a second. "No!" she squeaked. "Nothing going on at all, they've never even met before. Why would you think that?"

I exchanged a glance with Blaise. "Well that sounds convincing," Blaise drawled sarcastically.

This only confirmed my suspicions. Potter had done what he did to Daphne for a reason. I couldn't wrap my head around what could possibly make him act so out of character. I squirmed in my seat at the thought. Could there be something between them? Had they had a secret relationship or something like that?

The thought made me more uneasy than I wanted to admit. I tried to push the images off Potter's smelly hands holding Daphne's beautiful, perfect hands.

"They had a…disagreement," Tracey conceded and threw her hands up in frustration. "I can't tell you anymore."

A disagreement didn't say much. Had Potter and Daphne been romantically involved, and then broken up?

I looked at the blonde who was saying something which by the look of her wasn't nice. Based on everything I had ever known about Daphne, I couldn't see her together with anyone. Much less with someone like Potter. Daphne was a lot of things, but easy to charm was not one of them.

Something I was beginning to learn the hard way.

Daphne returned to our table and began to pack her things up. "I need to do something," she said and disappeared from the library swiftly.

It felt like I was sinking. Potter had just left. Now she has left. Did they go to do something together? I tried to not think about it, she probably just had to go to the bathroom or something.

Blaise looked at me sympathetically. I glared at him in return, he thought he knew more than anyone else. He was wrong.

Tracye sighed heavily and banged her head on the table. "Now I'll never finish the essay," she whined loudly.

WIth an incredibly loud, internal sigh. "Give it here, I'll have a look."

"You're a braver man than me, Gryffindor," I heard Blaise mutter next to me.

Tracye ignored him and practically threw herself at me. "Thank you, thank you, thank you. You're the best."

I pushed her away gently. "Never let it be said that Draco Malfoy is selfish," I grumbled.

Tracey's expression changed. "No, let that be said." Her glare was more intense than I could ever imagine coming from her. "I'll never forgive you for not giving me cookies."

-()-

"Did you have to approach me in front of my friends?" Greengrass asked with a cold look.

"You're rarely alone these days."

Greengrass' eyes narrowed at me and she took a step forward threateningly. "Have you been stalking me?"

"What?...No!" I spluttered. "I have other ways."

Daphne pinched her nose in distaste. "That sounds completely normal."

I ran a hand through my hair. "Look, I just wanted to say I'm sorry."

Greengrass raised her eyebrows. "Really? Or are you sorry that you were punished?"

The detentions with the caretaker had somehow become public knowledge, which was strange since I never told anyone or saw anyone during the detentions.

"I hate you Greengrass, and you're a despicable human being. However, what I did was...wrong, and I apologise for that."

Greengrass' lip curled. "Only a foolish Gryffindor would apologise solely because something was wrong."

I shrugged indifferently. "I've been called worse things."

Greengrass pierced me with a death glare. "Prove that you are sorry, then."

My eyes narrowed in response. "How?"

"An eye for an eye, isn't that what your precious muggle friends say?" Daphne looked as if saying the word muggle went against some kind of moral rule.

"You want to win against me in a duel!?"

"No," she smiled sweetly. "No, I want you to walk around with a pig's face for a week."

I shook my head. "Something realistic please."

Greengrass shrugged. "That or your apology is as good as nothing."

I rolled my eyes. "At least I tried." I turned around and left her in the aisle by herself. 'Two people make a relationship', perhaps it was true, but as of now. It wasn't hard to keep the ship floating, it was impossible to stop it from hitting the bottom.

-()-

The sun had barely gone above the horizon for the day but the castle was practically glowing with excitement. My trunk levitated behind me as I trudged through the ancient halls with a jawn every now and then. I had stayed up late the evening prior finishing up some reading on the other participating schools. That, paired with the early time for our departure meant I was even more tired than usual. The entrance hall was almost completely packed when I got down, it felt strange seeing this many of my schoolmates at the same place, but not wearing Hogwarts robes. Even though it was only four students leaving and that was seven in the morning, the entire school had the day off.

Umbridge was standing on top of one of the staircases and observing everyone with a sweet smile. That was what concerned me the most, I could deal with Umbridge myself, but could my friends? I frowned at the thought, I wasn't really abandoning them. Umbridge was unpleasant but she wasn't about to go and torture students.

Dumbledore was still here, it was like Hermione told me in first year: as long as Dumbledore is here, he can't hurt you. The difference was that it wasn't me in danger. A sombre thought struck me. Voldemort was in the castle.

The crowd of students pushed themselves out of the great hall to get a good look at those of us who departed. When I finally reached the one cart long train I was ready to curse people out of the way. Inside, I found out that I had a compartment all for myself for the journey. There were five personal compartments and then one for a small lunch area.

I made my way out of the train again and stood with the other competitors who were standing awkwardly besides Professor Flitwick who had just finished addressing the crowd. Montague had indeed made it to the tournament, as I expected. The other two were one seventh year girl from Ravenclaw who I had already forgotten the name of and a Slytherin girl in the same class as Montague. Her name was Antonia Dolohov, something which made me instinctually stay away from her. Based on her condescending glances and scowls, she felt the same way. The crowd cheered and I waved with a forced smile on my face. How long would this take?

Flitwick walked inside the train and we competitors went over to our groups of friends to say goodbye. Hermione practically crushed my spine with her hug. "Don't you go causing any trouble now, do you hear me?"

I chuckled and patted her back. "Not any more than usual."

I turned to Ron and we nodded silently to each other. That was the good thing about Ron, no words were needed. With a quick wave to the rest of Gryffindor tower I turned around and walked inside of the train. I plunged down on my new bed with a sigh of content. Finally, I was free.

What was I freed from?

People.

But I became enslaved to myself instead.

-()-

"We need to start somewhere," Ron said with a shrug. "We might as well start with people in our own house."

I sighed frustratedly. "We don't know them though, they are Harry's teammates."

"We have to start asking people we don't know eventually, we might as well start now."

Our attempt to garner some interest for a duelling club had been difficult. Harry had left the castle just this morning; something was different. We didn't see him around much outside of classes anymore, but he was still here. It felt a little like losing your pinky toe, you don't see it much, but you still notice when it's gone.

"Alright then, but you do it," I responded stubbornly.

Ron nodded. "I expected as much."

The two we were talking about: Angelina Johnsson and Alicia Spinnet, were currently sitting and writing some essays in a corner of the common room. It was dinner time as well, which meant that it was only the four of us in the room, perfect for talking about things you didn't want to become widely known.

Ron stood up and sighed. "Here goes nothing." He went over to where they were sitting and cleared his throat loudly. "Hello," he began awkwardly.

I wanted to shake my head but stood up and hurried over to his rescue.

"Is this about quidditch? You'll have to do the tryouts as everyone else, Weasley," Angelina said in annoyance.

"No!" Ron said quickly. "We have something of a…umm…proposition."

Angelina gestured to a chair in front of her. "Let's hear it then."

Ron sat down hesitantly and casted a glance at me. I nodded supportively. "Well, you know how Umbridge is an awful teacher."

"That's an understatement," Alicia said bitterly.

"Yeah, but we wanted to do something about it. We've got our OWLs this year, you've got your NEWTs. All of us need to learn the subject, which we won't from Umbridge."

Angelina nodded slowly. "So what is your solution?"

"We were thinking about starting something of a defence club, so we can learn together."

"How many are in this club?" Alicia said with a frown.

"As of now, there is me, Hermione, and the rest of the Gryffindors in our year."

Angelina frowned. "That is what? Six? Plus, you're all fifth years, it will only be us teaching you."

"It's seven actually," I cut in and sat down. "And we were thinking about expanding with people in other houses, then everybody can help everyone."

"I doubt that many in our year will want to participate in this club, there are only six taking defence NEWTs this year. Two of them are Slytherins."

"Well, I've done some research on useful spells I could share? It would be easier to learn together," I explained.

Angelina frowned. "I'm sorry, but why should we want to learn anything from you?"

"Yeah," Alicia joined in. "You're Harry's friends and all, but you haven't actually done anything to warrant being listened to yourselves."

I frowned. "We've helped him plenty."

Angelina shrugged. "He was the one doing all the work though, wasn't he?"

I was about to retaliate when Ron put a hand on my shoulder. "Thanks for your time, you've given us lots to think about."

He led me away gently. "They're right," he said bluntly. "Harry is on the other side of the globe but we're still in his shadow," he continued.

I scowled. "Now you're just being jealous again."

"No!" Ron said vehemently. "I just want some recognition for what I am doing as well, and I know you do too."

"I do not!"

"Yeah you do, why do you always shove it in other's faces when you know something then! You want to show them that you know, that you're good enough."

I frowned. That hit a little bit too close to home. "Maybe you're right, but they're right as well. If we want to lead this group, we need to prove that we are capable."

"What do you have in mind?"

I took a deep breath. "Our aim is to resist Umbridge, right? So we have to show them that we can."

Ron gulped. "That sounds dangerous, Hermione. She isn't just a teacher, she is the ministry."

"Harry managed to one up her, then so can we." I paused and met his eyes determinedly. "I think it's time for us to finally step out of Harry's shadow."