I don't own anything related to the Harry Potter Franchise


Chapter 8 - Back to School (With an extra scoop of staring)


September 1st, 1995

Nine o'clock the next morning found Harry leaning against a brick wall hemming in King's Cross Station's platform nine and three quarters, because he was quite a bit earlier than he'd intended to be and he didn't have anything better to do. Of course, with all of his belongings already moved to the Fourth year dormitories of Gryffindor's North tower, he wasn't forced to pack or carry anything beyond the casual clothing on his back and his school robes for later, so there hadn't been anything slowing him down.

Being as early as he was, Harry had the time to be grateful he'd pestered Hermione with nearly constant letters for the entire duration of the summer. For well over a month now, he'd described his rapid growth over and over again ad-nauseam, and as a result, she'd become adamant that she'd keep her cool. Truthfully, Harry was still a little bit nervous despite all of the letters, but mostly he knew that he was just being silly.

Another letter that Harry had sent about a week earlier was addressed to Neville Longbottom, asking the boy to meet him in a coach because he wanted to become closer friends this upcoming year. The letter explained that he'd grown and changed rapidly over the summer, and he had an interest in having friends who would be supportive to him. The letter finally said that Harry trusts Neville because of his excellent character

Unsurprisingly, Neville reacted positively to Harry's letter, because he was an excellent person with far fewer friends than he deserves. Harry took a moment to feel bad about how he'd ignored Neville in the past… Then, following that moment of self-reflection, he dedicated himself to making it up to the boy from this moment forward.

The one correspondence that hadn't gone so well despite his repeated efforts was the one between Harry and Ron. Over and over again Harry had attempted to explain that he was undergoing an extremely dramatic growth spurt, because he'd hoped to decrease the intensity of Ron's reaction. Too bad for Harry, Ron didn't seem to get the point. He just continued to repeat how Harry let him down by not coming to the burrow this year, and how he was missing out.

Harry was confused by Ron's belief that he was trying to neglect him, because he'd very clearly explained that he was convalescing from a serious problem with his magic and he wouldn't be comfortable to be around until he figured it out.

Above and beyond the fact that Ron's letters were vaguely sullen and sulky, the letters were also brief and for the most part they lacked any meaningful content, as if he couldn't be bothered to write them. He did, however, go on at great length and detail about the mess that happened after the Quidditch World Cup. Apparently his wand had been stolen at some point during the match and then he'd almost been blamed for the dark mark that ended up appearing in the sky.

The Delacour family had been way too shaken up over the thwarted kidnapping attempt earlier in the day to have any desire to stay overnight. Thankfully, what this meant was that Harry entirely missed the Death Eater part of the program, and for once he was completely uninvolved. He could honestly say good riddance to that little bit of drama, especially after the day that they'd already had up until that point. Instead, Harry had spent the night cuddled up with Fleur for the very first time, while watching Patrick Swayze seduce a woman out of her pants.

Woah...

Suffice it to say, Dirty Dancing is one hell of a movie to watch with a woman like Fleur Delacour lounging on top of you. Harry'd almost broken himself Occluding his body's extremely intense reactions, and in the end he hadn't even been entirely successful.

Oh sure, Harry may not have become hard in his pants, but when Fleur suddenly decided out loud that she was going to teach him how to dance like Patrick Swayze was in the movie, he'd blushed a brilliantly bright red color even with the barriers in place. Of course, Fleur immediately noticed his sudden loss of control and from then on she'd thoroughly enjoyed herself at his expense.

Thinking back to that whole entire night, and the close, soft, warm, affectionate barrage of completely relentless teasing that Fleur inflicted upon his body, Harry seriously didn't think she even realized just how much damage she was doing to his self-control. The woman prided herself on being the all knowing and teasing, older girl, and yet she seemed to take his restraint completely for granted.

Either way, the contents of that night were one of Harry's newest Patronus memories...

As Harry just stood there against the wall, vacantly enjoying his summer memories, people finally started to arrive on the platform, and bustle about the train. What this meant was that several people had already noted his presence by the time he returned to the here and now, and the real work was about to begin…

Harry had every intention of taking Fleur's advice literally, by acting as if nothing had changed at all over the summer. It was a plan that he could already see would be a little bit difficult to pull off, because he was already having to ignore several people's rather dramatic reactions to his brand new body type. Even with the platform still relatively empty, Harry was already becoming the subject of a lot of staring, and because he was all alone, it wasn't all that easy to act nonchalant.

Finally, Harry saw a head of bushy brown hair through the crowd, and he immediately called out, "hey Hermione... Mione... Over here!"

At Harry's call, Hermione scanned the crowd and then followed everyone's eyes in her friend's direction. After catching sight of him, she immediately sprinted over to engulf Harry in a vicious Hermione hug the likes of which he'd never received before. "Harry! I missed you, you look fantastic, well we knew that was going to be the case, but really, so tall, so strong looking, no more glasses, no more scar, your hair's so long, your clothing's new, your clothing fits, this is so exciting and your magic is under control now and..."

Hermione finally gasped and bent over, having run out of air a long, long damned time ago.

Harry broke out into happy laughter as he swooped in for another long, warm hug, with his long absent sister. She squeaked out in surprise when he hugged her, but since he knew exactly why she was surprised, he decided not to comment on it. After several seconds of really squeezing the girl, Harry pulled back and beamed a smile at his very best friend. "Breath Mione... I missed you too and yes, I'm quite different. I am however, going to act as nonchalant as possible. If I act as if nothing is different, everyone else will just follow my lead. So, if you can behave as if nothing's changed at all, that would be for the best."

Hermione had been extremely surprised by the very first hug Harry had ever initiated with her by himself, but then she'd quickly realized that this was a fantastic development! She stepped back, studied Harry and decisively declared, "I think you've grown more in maturity than you have in height Harry. You look so confident and self-assured now." She felt like she could wilt in relief. Her best friend looked so healthy now and it did wonders for her peace of mind. "I really am very happy for you Harry. Also, and I'm just being honest here by saying this... You've become completely gorgeous!"

Harry smiled as he watched Hermione do a little tap dance in her excitement. "Summer was kind to you as well, Mione. If I hadn't spent the summer with French Veela, your feminine wiles would be making me blush by now." Harry gave his best friend a full power perverted leer complete with waggling eyebrows.

"I take back my maturity comment," Hermione declared, equally quickly and decisively. She was beaming at him the entire time she said that however, and Harry smiled back. "Let's go get a carriage, Harry. I imagine Ron will be very late again so we might as well look to ourselves."

Nodding his understanding, Harry tried to be optimistic. Yeah. Maybe Ron would keep his cool... maybe. Harry secretly thought there were only two chances of that happening... fat and slim. On the other hand it really wasn't fair for Harry to just write his friend off and there was always the possibility...

Ugh...

Harry had already told Hermione about his concerns, but she remained cautiously optimistic. In the meantime, he knew exactly what to say to keep them both occupied. "Hey Mione... Will you help me get settled into Runes and Arithmancy this year?"

Hermione looked completely ecstatic at that question. "It's funny you should ask that, Harry. I've already set up a revision schedule for you so that you can be caught up with the rest of us within the first week! I don't know how much smarter this new Harry brain is, but I imagine that you'll be fine. I can't even believe what you were able to achieve before with your Swiss cheese brain," she huffed out. "Harry Potter 2.0," Hermione continued in a quiet voice. "It's remarkable and wonderful and I'm so proud and..." Hermione's smile faltered for a second and she leaned in close. "I'm excited and yet scared that I'll be supplanted as top student."

Placing an arm on his friend's shoulder as they walked, Harry whispered into Hermione's hair. "So far as I know, I'm very smart but not eidetic to the written word like you are. You're also infinitely more studious than I am so I think you'll be fine against me scholastically. Fair warning though... On the practical side of things you don't stand a snowball's chance in Hell. My magic is a force of nature now, so I don't want you to see me as a rival."

Gently, Harry turned Hermione around, held both of her shoulders, lowered his voice even further and stared into her eyes. "I'm being completely serious right now, Mione... I can accomplish extreme feats of absurdly powerful magic that even I can hardly believe and I'm the one doing them. I want you to be mentally prepared for that to happen because it would break my heart if I hurt you..."

After looking up at his face thoughtfully for several moments, Hermione slowly nodded her head. "I'm glad you told me that, Harry, and I promise that I'll control my jealousy. I know your concerns about Ron, and I don't want to add to your problems. I do want to excel but I will not resent you for being powerful."

"That's why you're my big sister Mione. You always have my best interests at heart." Harry beamed at the brown haired girl, as they walked down the train's central corridor.

When they found an empty carriage, Harry lifted Hermione's bag with ease, which of course elicited embellished ooooohs and aahhhhs from a smiling Hermione. She was doing a great job taking everything in stride, and Harry loved her to pieces for it. When they finally sat down, Hermione started describing her summer. She'd vacationed in the muggle portion of France for a lot of the summer, so Harry started talking to her in French. At first Hermione was shocked, but then she became excited that she could practice her French all of the time. Soon enough, they were conversing in steadily speeding up Parisian French and having a fantastic time. Neville soon joined them and they immediately switched back to English for his comfort. At first Neville was bashful and quiet, but Harry was having none of it, and kept drawing the boy into further conversation.

"Harry, I'm grateful that you gave me some advanced warning about your rather dramatic puberty," Neville began at great length. "It's going to be yet another thing that goes into the legend of Harry Potter for sure. I think I'd have passed out if this was just sprung on me." Neville laughed quietly and shook his head.

Clapping a hand on Neville's shoulder, Harry gave the boy a somewhat serious look. "I warned you because I trust you. It's as simple as that. I fear that I'll have a lot of people reacting negatively to my growth spurt, but I knew for a fact that you wouldn't. I'm also trying to be more confident nowadays. Last year, I'd have been far too nervous to approach you so candidly with a desire for a closer friendship."

Neville blushed but nodded. "I can certainly appreciate all of that Harry."

"So... Pick up any interesting plants over the summer?" Harry's question was a completely shameless and transparent bid to make Neville more comfortable, but he figured it was the thought that counts. The boy had a passion for Herbology that bordered on obsession, so the topic was perfect to draw him out.

It worked.

Neville immediately brightened as he started describing his greenhouses at home in great length and detail. Harry had only heard of even a fraction of what Neville was talking about, but was quite willing to listen and learn what he could.

Suddenly, the coach door crashed open to admit a freckle faced redhead with a wild assortment of half open luggage.

Then, immediately after the boy walked through the door, he froze still like a statue.

"Harry?" Ron asked the question with a look of supreme confusion upon his face.

"Yes Ron, It's me, Harry." he responded, while smiling and hoping to set a positive tone.

"Yooouuu git!" Ron roared at the ceiling in a spontaneous fit of profound rage. "You never told me you were going to look like a bloody Daily Prophet model!" As Ron crashed down into a bench, he looked extremely sullen and he muttered "every damned time, he gets everything..."

Harry gave his red headed... friend... a sidelong look, with a smile completely frozen upon his face. "How was your summer with your family, Ron?" Harry was unable to keep himself from slightly embellishing the word family.

Ron was too busy staring out the window to answer him.

By gesturing towards Ron, Harry non-verbally informed both Hermione and Neville that they owed him some galleons. They'd both tried to tell him that it would be fine, because Ron was his friend and surely the boy wouldn't resent him to such an absurd degree over the good things that happen to him. It was becoming rapidly apparent however that yes, yes he most certainly could.

Ugh...

Harry calmly turned back towards Neville while trying to just ignore the redhead sulking in the corner. "So you were telling me about magical pest control right?"

Conversation continued around the train compartment without Ron's involvement.

Later, Harry belatedly remembered yet another train ride to Hogwarts tradition, and he turned his attention to the carriage door. "Does anyone care if I magically bar the door? I don't relish the idea of yet another visit from a certain poncy, blond Slytherin this year. As nostalgic as it would be to be called filthy words by the textbook definition of a narcissist, I might skip that this year if I have the opportunity."

Neville nodded enthusiastically and Hermione looked thoughtful. "Only if you'll teach me the spell you use," she finally declared with enthusiasm. Ron didn't answer or look away from the window at all...

Harry turned to Hermione and grinned. "I'm not going to use a locking charm because that's against the rules and the spell's easily dispelled anyway. Instead, I'm going to fuse the door to the wall surrounding it which is not against the rules. Harry gave both Mione and Neville a rather rakish smile."

Neville did an extremely muggle fist pump, because Malfoy was a persistent nuisance that he was quite happy to be without.

Harry spent the next few minutes showing Hermione the wand movements and the words and then the two of them sealed the door.

It was also a great moment in timing, for only a minute or two after they finished their spells, there was rather insistent knocking on the door, followed by a persistent pounding. A head of poncy looking blond hair could be seen through the door's small vaguely translucent window.

Harry merely smiled at his friends and then silenced the door with a quick spell.

Hermione and Neville looked at each other, then looked at Harry, then they beamed wide and happy smiles.

"Best train ride ever," Neville declared succinctly.

Crossing the compartment, Hermione sat down next to Harry, and looked at him hesitantly until he performed an expansive lay it on me motion with his arms. Then, she looked away from Harry when she finally whispered her question. "Harry, could you do me a favor?"

Harry was intrigued by all of the whispering, which caused him to arch an eyebrow at his auburn haired friend.

"I was going to read and I was wondering if you could target me with some magic. I'd be interested in experiencing that wonderful aura shroud of yours for a couple of hours." Hermione looked like she thought she might be asking too much of him.

"One magical hug coming right up." Harry smiled because Hermione had a guilt complex a mile wide and low self-esteem to boot. He was already planning to mercilessly and relentlessly aura shrouding it out of her this year.

Bouncing across the carriage again, Hermione pulled her feet up and a book out. Harry released tendrils of his magic and cocooned her in his memories of a Hermione hug. She immediately started to relax, reading with great speed and skill.

With the exception of Ron, it really was the most relaxing train ride that any of them had experienced so far.


Four hours later, the Hogwarts Express arrived at Hogsmeade station, and Harry unsealed the compartment door so that he and his friends could disembark.

As they walked down the train's crowded central hallway, Ron glared at Harry as if his very existence was a personal affront to him, and then he turned his surly expression towards Hermione instead. "I'm going to go check on Dean and Seamus."

Soon enough, the redheaded boy was stalking off, without ever even looking back.

Hermione gave Harry a look of long suffering as they exited the train and dropped onto the platform.

For obvious reasons, Harry was quite happy to see Ron go. He'd found it somewhat tiring enduring the boy's spiteful looks and sullen silence. "Let's go catch a carriage yah..." Harry was also eager to move on now because a crowd of students were beginning to gather all around them, where they were openly gawking at him with their mouths hanging open. Harry could deny it all he wanted, but having crowds of people stare at you never really gets any easier.

The way everyone was currently gawking at him, almost made them look like they were under the effect of a Veela allure, which only served to make Harry sharply miss Fleur for a couple of seconds, at which point it settled down to a dull ache again.

Shaking it off, Harry pulled his shoulders back and ushered Neville and Hermione to walk directly in front of him. Harry didn't want his new image to make Hermione and Neville look like his entourage. They were his friends and he wanted them respected. Within the next half a minute, Harry, Neville and Hermione exited the train station, and moved up the cobblestone path towards the carriages in the distance.

As they approached the carriages, Harry briefly rubbed one of the two Thestrals that were standing calmly in front of the carriage. In an immediate response, Neville gave Harry a very significant look, to which Harry nodded and shrugged. Seeing Thestrals is seeing death, and Neville was a pure blood, so he'd understand the significance. As they climbed into the carriage, Neville very carefully didn't ask what happened, so Harry decided to take mercy on him.

"The family I stayed with this summer was attacked by mercenary slavers, Nev." Harry suddenly supplied with as calm an expression as he could. "I stunned and Incarceroused most of the attacking men, but there was a particularly determined mercenary who I was ultimately forced to kill. I didn't want to do it nor did I enjoy it, but the man was trying to kill my hosts and enslave their daughters, including a seven year old girl."

Harry shrugged his shoulders and then lowered his voice as he continued. "I hope you won't judge me too harshly Neville. I was trying to protect my friends."

Right away, Neville rapidly shook his head and waved his splayed out hands in front of his chest. "Harry I trust you," he replied, in a single rush of words. "If you killed that man, it was because he needed killing. I've known you for three years, and I've never once seen you commit any violence that didn't absolutely need to be done."

Hermione looked at Neville with clear affection, before placing her hand on Harry's forearm. "I agree with Neville, Harry. I'm also grateful that you have such a well developed Mindscape now. You can put those memories where they need to be. I want you to make them useful to you, rather than a hindrance. Thank you for giving me those books by the way. You were right. All of my memories were categorized and alphabetized for anyone's viewing pleasure. I have erected some sturdy walls and am safer from influence now."

Neville looked back and forth between Hermione and Harry for several seconds with no clear idea of what they were talking about. Then, a light seemed to enter his eyes and he snapped his fingers. "You two are talking about advanced Occlumency."

"Yes I am Neville, and I'm going to be loaning you some books as well. I have fixed my broken brain with Occlumency and I want you to enjoy the same benefits that I am." Harry stared at Neville for several moments, trying to impress on him how important he thought this was. Neville's short term memory was atrocious, so Harry knew this would help him immensely. It would also perhaps give the boy more confidence and daring. Belatedly, Harry reminded himself that he wasn't trying to turn Neville into a warrior.

Neville must have seen the gravity in Harry's expression because he nodded at Harry seriously. "I do already have the passive protections from Leglimency that come with basic Occlusions, but I can see you think it's important I do more... I'll begin reading the books tonight just as soon as we're unpacked."

When their carriage pulled up to the school's Entry Hall, Harry walked in without pausing to chat with anyone. To be honest, at this point Harry just wanted the whole spectacle over with, because he could feel his stomach begging for some food already. With that much in mind, they sat down at their house table and began waiting for the sorting to finally start.

While Harry was carefully reigning in his magic so as not to be felt by the students around him, at the moment it actually felt like it was the opposite that was happening. Harry began to feel many different eyes burning holes into his body from every conceivable direction, and with so much intensity he didn't even need his shroud to sense it all.

Turning towards a particularly strong feeling of scrutiny, Harry saw a lot of long red hair as he caught Ginny Weasley staring fixedly at him. As he looked back at the girl, she rapidly turned pink, then red, then white and then she dropped as if she was having cardiac arrest. Lavender Brown, who was sitting right next to her, grabbed her and quickly confirmed that she'd just fainted.

Harry had literally no idea how to react to what he just saw… Ginny Weasley's crush appeared to be getting worse by the second.

With a loud dramatic creaking noise followed by an equally loud bang, Professor McGonagall pushed open the Great Hall's doors and entered the room with a fresh batch of very small looking people.

Harry had grown so tall now that he was beginning to approach his full adult height (he hoped). As a result, these children just looked like less cute versions of Gabrielle to him. Nevertheless, Harry smiled at all of the first year kids the filed into the room, while trying his level best to look non-threatening. He could vividly remember his first day at Hogwarts and how he'd wished the welcome had been a little bit more... welcoming.

After the Sorting hat's song finally ended, the children were summoned one by one to put on the hat so that they could be welcomed into their houses. Harry clapped for everyone, rather than just his house and some of the people sitting nearby started following his lead.

The sorting ended, food instantly appeared in front of everyone and they all tucked in. Harry started picking out food before he realized that his table was still extremely still and quiet. Looking up again, he saw upwards of fifteen people staring at him with arched eyebrows and questioning eyes.

"I had a growth spurt," Harry explained casually.

"No duh," replied Seamus. "You only doubled in size over the summer and have the beginnings of a five o'clock shadow. We caught that part. What we wanted to know is the five Ws."

"Well then, in order of who, what, when, where, and why, I, Harry Potter... grew... over the summer... while living in France with distant relations of mine... because that's what teenagers do as time passes."

Hermione and Neville choked out laughter through their foods of choice and then smiled at Harry.

"I grew an inch over the summer," Neville pointed out helpfully.

"Half an inch," Hermione chimed in, with a huge smile.

Everyone else at the table just continued to look at the three of them as if they were crazy. It was the twins who ultimately saved Harry from the awkward silence.

"Well, thus ends the seeker career of Harry James Potter," began George.

"We will miss him," added Fred, with a grin.

"He

Was

A

Good man," Fred finished.

As Harry laughed at the twins antics, he was reminded once again that they really are fantastic guys. "I'm not dead guys, I'm just a late bloomer! I'll be jumping on a broom soon to see if I can still move like I want to, or if I have any skill in another area."

After that, the conversation slowly moved on to other things.

Dumbledore stood up and everyone quieted down, waiting for the man to speak. "Welcome and welcome back to all of you students out there. I have just a few announcements to make before you can be escorted back to your dormitories. Mr Filch, our caretaker, has once again increased the size of the banned articles book by several pages. This list has now become two separate books available upon inquiry. I've actually read them both myself and let me tell you that... they... are... riveting. I also have the obligation of telling you all that the Quidditch House Cup will not be taking place this year."

There was an immediate explosion of outrage from the entire school and an extremely loud "whaaaaat" from Fred and George.

"I have further items to mention," Dumbledore interrupted. "The Quidditch House Cup is cancelled because of an event taking place at the school this year. Hogwarts, for the first time in several centuries, will be Hosting the Tri-Wizard Tournament."

"Whaaaaat," Fred and George managed to inject loudly, once again, over the general yelling of the other students.

"That's correct," Dumbledore announced, as if he were talking about the weather. "The three schools, Hogwarts, Durmstrang and Beauxbatton, will be coming together this year, to take part in the Tri-Wizard tournament. The three schools will each submit their students to be chosen by an impartial judge. Then, the chosen champions of each school, will take part in three large trials and several smaller trials, as the year progresses. A thousand Galleons and eternal glory will go to the winner. However... This is not a competition to be taken lightly, as wizards can and indeed have lost their lives in the past to this challenge. That is why the International Games and Sports, Mr Crouch, Mr Ludo Bagman and I, have instated a minimum age restriction of seventeen.

Fred and George once again loudly and vocally complained because as it turns out they're only two months shy of seventeen and they wouldn't make the cut.

Dumbledore was staring right at the twins with a wry grin as he continued his speech. "There will also be several competitions between the three school's regular population. This will include a Dueling tournament, a Scholastic Decathlon and... an inter school Quidditch Cup!"

The entire school exploded in excitement at this new news and Fred and George looked mollified for the very first time since Dumbledore had begun speaking.

Dumbledore was giving the twins a knowing look at this point, as if he'd been stringing them along since the very beginning. "Tryouts for the different teams will take place a week from now. Madam Hooch will be running the tryouts for the Quidditch teams, so that students will be impartially chosen for their skill rather than their houses. Furthermore, there are going to be two new faces amongst our staff this year at Hogwarts. We will be graced with a new potions professor Mr. Slughorn who was a teacher many years ago, is known as having been one of the best and..."

BOOM!

As the wide double doors to the Great Hall slammed open, one of the ugliest men Harry had ever seen, haltingly limped into the room. He was a war veteran and that was the only way to describe him. He was extremely disfigured, with curse wounds and poorly healed injuries everywhere, had a fake leg and was missing an eye. The eye that he'd put into the socket to replace it was massive, electric blue and swiveling around in his head as if it had a mind of its own. It was an extremely unsettling thing to see.

"Mr. Moody here is going to be joining us as our Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor," Dumbledore continued, completely undaunted. "He's a celebrated ex-Auror of the highest caliber, so he'll have a lot to offer in his classes."

The Great Hall was very quiet as Moody sat down at the head table. Conversations didn't restart again for a good long while, as the man's electric blue eye swiveled around in his head.

When the twins finally turned back towards Harry, it was Fred who began speaking first. "Best get back on that broom of yours and see if you can move like you used to."

George injected his own question immediately after. "You're like twice the weight now, aren't you Harry?"

"I weigh only one third more thank you very much." Harry smiled and crossed his arms in mock affront. "I might just surprise you guys, but we'll all find out together, won't we. I'll meet you at the pitch within the next few days?"

The twins nodded and smiles of excitement were shared around.

Katie, Alicia and Angelina, were staring at Harry with looks of extreme curiosity on their faces. They'd always mothered Harry as the much smaller and weaker boy and now it looked like his transformation was of intense interest to them all.

Harry saw the girls' looks, and yet he could also feel that they weren't just perversely enjoying his new looks. He knew that they'd invested a lot of time and effort in him over the years loand they truly wanted what was best for him.

Angelina was the first one to speak. "Harry... If seeker doesn't work out, you can always try for keeper and make use of those excellent seeker reflexes. We're no longer in possession of an Oliver Wood in the posts after all."

"You could just grab some pom poms and cheer for us if you want," Katie added, while giving Harry a comically embellished leer.

"I appreciate the options, but first I'll get on a broom to see if I can still move like I want to," Harry replied, while smiling at Katie and Angelina.

Ron was currently giving Harry the stink eye from down the table and he wasn't going to any effort to hide it. What this meant was that the twins, Alicia, Angelina and Katie were all looking back and forth between the two of them with curious expressions on their faces. Harry figured it was safe to assume that Ron was angry at the attention he was currently receiving. When Hermione put her hand on his waist and smiled at him, he sent her back a strong hug with his aura, conveying both his appreciation and love for her.

Another welcoming feast tradition was Draco Malfoy walking over, to spout off whatever hateful nonsense he had in mind at the time. As it turns out, today would be no exception.

When Draco waltzed up to the Gryffindor table, he was shaking his head with a look of absolute disgust on his face. "Potter, Potter, Potter... I heard that you spent the summer in France, with a small flock of Veela!... Sub human creatures Potter?! Abominations?!... Have... you... no... shame?!"

At this point, Harry was begrudgingly impressed with Malfoy. Over the summer, he'd made good use of his Mindscape to become as confident and self-assured as he could possibly become. For that reason, he'd actually been wondering what Malfoy could possibly say to piss him off...

Well this had sure as Hell done it, thus, in a completely absurd kind of way, it was ingenious.

Harry was neck deep in a cold and vengeful rage. He thought about Fleur, Appoline and little Gabby, being reduced to "sub human creatures" by the likes of Draco. Then, as he took in Malfoy's gleefully smug expression, coupled with all of the Professors carefully playing dumb up at their table, Harry suddenly decided that enough was enough. Malfoy's behaviour had been out of control for far too long, and if the Professors weren't going to do something about it, then the students would have to do it themselves...

There was a rather dramatic change at Hogwarts this year after all, and judging by his behavior so far, Malfoy had completely overlooked its significance.

Without saying a word, Harry suddenly rose to his feet, gave the Professors' table an exceptionally meaningful look, circled the table, and began approaching Malfoy with purposeful strides.

Draco looked surprised at Harry's rapid approach and then surprised again at his increased size. As Harry walked closer, the boy blanched and stepped back several steps in his alarm. Then, when giggles broke out throughout the Great Hall, Draco's face flushed in embarrassment and he finally stood his ground. Of course, Malfoy would've been told about Harry's growth spurt, but unfortunately for him, his supreme arrogance made him brave.

Well, not anymore...

By the time Harry walked up to within two feet of Draco, hundreds of people were watching, including those same Professors who'd been so happy to act oblivious just twenty seconds earlier. That's when Harry did something that surprised the living Hell out of absolutely everyone.

Harry smiled a wide and happy smile at Malfoy and then greeted the boy as if they were the oldest of friends.

"Draco!... I'm so excited to see you!" Harry's voice was both sarcasm free and filled with easy charm. "I'm really looking forward to this year Draco. You see, you and I are finally going to become very close friends! In the past, your close relationship with Professor Snape has always kept away all of your admirers in the other houses! Well not anymore Draco! With Professor Snape no longer on staff, I can already see dozens of students from the other three house, that'll be looking to get to know you better. Oh, you are going to be VERY POPULAR this year Draco..."

Even as he spoke, Harry saw the moment that Malfoy figured out his real intentions. Very suddenly, Draco realized the true significance of Harry's "friendly" words, and his face became parchment white as a result.

Then, just a moment later, Harry saw that same understanding grow onto every other face within the Great Hall. Every student that Draco had ever taunted, insulted, pranked or attacked, while being protected by Snape, began beaming evil and twisted smiles in the boy's direction. Over the next ten to fifteen seconds, well over two hundred teenagers throughout the entire Great Hall, suddenly started planning overly complicated revenge plots and brainstorming ideas with their seat mates.

With an expansive arm movement, Harry gestured at all of the newly ecstatic looking young wizards and witches. "Look Draco! Look at how popular you are! We, all of us, are going to be calling upon you very, VERY soon Draco. Feel free to look forward to it..."

Harry smiled cheerfully one last time before returning to his table and dropping into his chair. After pulling in his seat, Harry turned back toward his food, with a completely serene expression upon his face.

Even after Harry sat back down at his table, the Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Gryffindor tables, all stared their openly gleeful hostility at Draco from every single direction, piercing him with their eyes...

And the last of the blood present in Draco's face slowly drained away, as he staggered back towards the safety of his table.


As Draco Malfoy ducked for cover amongst the Slytherin table's ranks, every single Professor sitting up at the Great Hall's head table suddenly felt like they were going to be ill. Harry Potter had just fomented a state of complete anarchy at their school, and the worst part about his actions was that they didn't have any right to complain...

They didn't have a single leg to stand on...

Only a few moments earlier, every single Professor present in the Great Hall allowed Malfoy to run his filthy mouth with impunity, because over the last three years, Snape's over the top protection and Dumbledore's infinite forgiveness policy had made punishing the boy far more trouble than it was worth. It hadn't happened all at once, but more and more often over time, the teaching staff had found themselves turning a blind eye to Draco's persistent bullying.

And now they were going to pay for it…

Every single second of their unprofessionalism, negligence and apathy, was finally turning around to bite them in the ass...

Harry Potter was cutting the Professors out of the disciplining process entirely, because they couldn't be relied on to do their jobs… He was seeking Justice by any means necessary… He was declaring no less than TOTAL WAR on Draco Lucius Malfoy…

And no less than three quarters of the student population had rallied to his cause with the fanaticism of religious extremists.

For the foreseeable future, the teaching staff would have to babysit the Malfoy heir twenty four hours a day, if they wanted to keep him out of the school's Hospital Wing...

What's more, they weren't going to succeed.

With no less than two hundred people determined to get revenge on the boy, Draco Malfoy was going to find his life at Hogwarts extremely difficult from this day forward.

At the tail end of those thoughts, the Professors all started feeling a pair of piercing green eyes digging holes into their heads, causing them to turn towards the Gryffindor table and the boy sitting among their ranks.

And they knew...

Harry Potter wasn't just punishing Draco. He was also punishing them... The intensity of his unblinking stare and the meaningful look on his face made that much as clear as day.


For a very long series of moments, no one sitting down at the Gryffindor table said a single word. What Harry had just done was so wildly out of character, no one even knew how to react. One thing was for certain though.

Draco Malfoy was doomed...

"That," began Fred slowly and in a very serious voice, "was the most charming death threat I have ever seen. I can't even believe how quickly you rallied together the entire school."

"Every house but Slytherin will be pranking and hexing Malfoy by the end of the day," George added, while beaming a madman's smile. "Ohhhh Harry. You became sooo scary over the summer."

Everyone sitting nearby nodded in perfect unison, before breaking out into somewhat manic laughter.

Harry merely smiled and continued to eat his food as if he had no idea what his friends were even talking about.


After dinner, Harry and the rest of the Gryffindors were led back to their dormitory, where he began to write out a letter to Fleur. The two of them intended to shamelessly burden Dobby in this regard, which would allow them to talk to each other extremely quickly.

.

Dear Fleur

The plan has worked, at least so far. I kept close to Hermione and Neville the whole day, and they were both just about perfect. We were extremely nonchalant as we went about our business, which caused most people to just shake their heads and roll their eyes.

There is an exception though… A few of the girls at my school look like they're being blasted with Veela allure when they look at me, which of course means I found myself missing you at random moments, throughout the entire day.

On the whole, the day was a success, but that isn't to say there wasn't any drama. The very first thing that boy Ron did is call me a git and scream about the injustice of it all. He hasn't said two words to me ever since. I find myself not all that torn up about it. I plan on focusing on my grades far more this year and he's never been scholastically inclined. That thought makes me feel disloyal but that makes no sense. I truly don't have time to play endless games of chess with him this year. I want to use my talents and excel for the first time, instead of hiding behind the moniker just Harry.

The second thing that happened, took place during dinner. A boy named Draco Malfoy who has always antagonized me, approached my table and began saying some very rude things. I moved close to him and for the very first time in my life I used pure physical intimidation. It was subtle enough, no showboating I promise, but it worked and he was freaked out. I also pointed out that the Professor he's always hid behind to get away with his bullying is no longer on staff. I said that part loudly. By the end of dinner, there was a minimum of two hundred students from three of the four houses who were looking for some payback. Draco will not have an easy time of it this year.

I was officially informed about the Tri-Wizard Tournament just an hour ago. While I did in fact know about the tournament, I was unaware of the other events taking place between the schools. I deemed flying a waste of valuable time this summer and it was. I was in a race just to be able to walk properly with all the growth I was experiencing. Now I wish I'd been just a little more immature and tried to keep up with my flying anyway. Over the next few days, I'll be trying out my flying. I have no idea whether or not I can still move like I could before, but I sincerely hope that I can. If I become part of my school Quidditch team, I will foist a Hogwarts jersey at you when we play your school and I will expect you to wear it!

I hope your first day back was fun, and you didn't miss me too terribly (a little is okay though).

Yours Truly

Harry James Potter

.

"Dobby can you assist me getting this letter to Fleur please?" Harry held up the letter because Dobby was both extremely fast and infinitely reliable.

POP

"Yes sir. If she doesn't wish to reply at this time, then I'll be back momentarily." Dobby had clearly been anticipating his need and had been waiting.

POP

Harry spent the next forty minutes reading his Arithmancy textbook while trying to deny that he was waiting for a return letter. He figured that Fleur was in fact returning one, when Dobby didn't return within five minutes.

POP

"The lady had some return writing to do, as she'd only just arrived back to her rooms when I got there." Dobby handed over a much more refined looking letter than the one Harry had written.

.

Dear Harry

People are sheep no? I knew my plan would work, I had no doubts. Your friends Hermione and Neville didn't let you down, so I find I already love them. This Ron boy is no loss to you Harry. You feel disloyal and sad about a boy who disregards your feelings so often? That is a sign of both your great nobility and stupidity. Oh dear. Even I don't think you'll ever hear a straightforward compliment from me. I finally noticed my compliment/insult this time, but I refuse to change it! I desire for my Harry to be as successful as he can possibly be. You humbled me this summer and I will not accept a JUST anything from you. If I don't find your school screaming your praises when I arrive two weeks before Halloween, I will be very upset with you. You are a Delacour in all but name now, and we demand the best out of you!

I do not believe today was the first time you ever physically intimidated someone. When I first broke into the study when we met, you were already rolling out of the way while simultaneously pulling a wand. The look in your eyes was intense, focused, deadly. In my arrogance, I did not think much of it at the time, but for the people who know you that kind of intensity must have been intimidating. Even before the magical explosion and the physical growth that followed you were a warrior. We know this for if it were not true you would be long dead. This Malfoy is too dumb to live. He repeatedly baits the bear and will someday have his head removed. I don't think it should be you who actually does so. If you are patient, he will eventually get himself removed by his own actions. It sounds like you have aided others in removing him, which is a tactic I approve of.

I had a somewhat eventful day returning to school. We do not have so much pomp and circumstance as your Hogwarts does in arriving to school, although we do have a feast. The idea that you had to travel to London to board a train only to go back to school is comical. What about boys/girls who live in Hogsmeade? Do they also have to commute to London? My school has a main entrance and a very large Floo bank. I arrived at school not even ten minutes after eating breakfast with Gabrielle. Gabrielle already misses you terribly and was sulking the last I saw of her. I imagine you would think it's all terribly cute. I perhaps miss you a little already, which is all you desired of me anyway. I did often think of you today as I wished the men at my school had even a fraction of your block headed willpower. I realized how much I was taking your restraint for granted when I had to stun a boy at lunch. I saw that he was about to propose marriage or something equally absurd in front of the entire school, so I acted quickly and subtly. I spent the entire day trying out for the right to take part in the delegation going to Hogwarts. The tryouts will continue for the next few weeks. Only a little under two thirds of my school will be coming, so they all must be the most skilled of their years. I easily destroyed my competition and am expected by my Headmistress to be our champion.

Harry Potter! I have no desire to sit in those Quidditch stands and watch you be attacked by rogue bludgers, a Dementor, struck by lightning or mauled by a dragon! If you absolutely must play this Quidditch, you will promise to play it as safely as possible, for I like my hair silver blonde not silver grey! If you desire to give me your school jersey then do so, but I will never give it back. I might even wear it depending on how cold it is outside. My school is quite good at Quidditch, so I fear I am only saying yes out of a desire to cheer for the underdog. I will be anxious to hear if you've retained your rumored skill on a broom. I believe you will, for a broom is a magical construct and you are a magical creature. You are the AIR Harry! We both know this. I think you will find you are as fast if not faster than you were before.

Stay in touch as often as you can and be safe 'Arry.

Sincerely Yours

Fleur Delacour

.

Harry fell back on his bed and blushed at being called her Harry. He blushed even more when he realized that he was holding the letter to his nose and honest to gods smelling it. "Oh dear Gods, I'm truly screwed," Harry muttered to himself.

"What have you got there?" A sullen voice called out the question, from the bed next to Harry's. Ron was standing there and looking at Harry with poorly concealed anger on his face.

"A letter from the family that housed me this summer," Harry replied.

"Oh yeah, this family of French Veela that I was never told about. Bet they were oh so much better than my family," Ron muttered darkly.

"You know exactly why I went there this summer," Harry replied, in a tired voice. "I had a problem with my magic that only they were qualified to help me with. I wouldn't have been good company the way I was."

"Whatever." Ron flounced towards the door as if he was disregarding the conversation entirely. "I don't have time for this." Ron walked back out of the room.

Whatever pressing business Ron had at eight Pm on his first day back at school, Harry had no idea. Pulling his bed hanging shut, Harry decided that he'd practice flying a broom in his Mindscape tonight and then experiment with the AIR element tomorrow morning. If, in the forty hours he has available in his sleep he can figure out how to best use his immense magic on a broom, he might become quite fast indeed. "I am the air," Harry repeated to himself with a small smile, as he started dozing off. It was worth a try anyway.


A lot happened in the three days following everyone's return to Hogwarts.

So far at least, the student body was far too busy settling in to their various classes to grab their brooms and run outside, even though every Quidditch player in the entire school desperately wanted to. In the meantime, Harry spent his every waking hour working on his secret side project...

When Harry woke up at 5 Am on Hogwarts's first day of classes, he was determined to find out whether or not he was elementally aligned with the air, and then if he was, he wanted to try to make contact with it.

With that idea in mind, Harry made quick work of getting dressed, ran down to the library, and quickly located a book called [Elementary guide to the Elements]. In the book was a series of steps aimed towards determining if you have an elemental affinity.

Within the book's first few pages, it cheerfully explained that to have an elemental affinity wasn't actually all that rare. It became quite a bit more serious a few pages later, when it explained that developing an affinity to the point of seeing it affect the world around you was extremely rare indeed. If the book was to be believed, Harry's creation of an air wall was extremely advanced stuff and really shouldn't have been possible.

While reading the book, Harry found himself becoming increasingly afraid that the air wall he'd made was just a fluke byproduct of his massive magical reserves. The book made it seem much more likely that it was just his powerful magic doing something miraculous in response to his desperation. According to the book, hundreds of people a year experience what they think is an elemental affinity, only to find out later that it was merely accidental magic.

After reading the book, Harry ran outside to complete his usual ten mile obstacle course around the Black Lake. He didn't want to slack off now just because he was back at school. After he was done with that however, he walked out to the Quidditch pitch, where he sat down in a wide and empty section of stands.

According to [Elementary Guide to the Elements], to reach out to your elemental affinity you must be an excellent Occlumancer which Harry was, and then it said you must be in an area that contained your element, which he hoped he always was. The book finally said that he must reach a perfect state of calm and then wait for subtle cues that he was communing with his element. The book was vague on this part, but said that it was usually an extremely profound experience.

Over the next few minutes, Harry settled into a full lotus and steadied his breathing until he was completely relaxed. He knew because of his Occlumency books that in regards to anything meditative or eclectic it was best to remain extremely patient and avoid frustration. For that reason, he didn't expect to succeed that morning or indeed any morning soon. He just sat there free of emotion, and let his thoughts fall off of his awareness without catching hold.

For about an hour, Harry just sat like that, and found himself feeling pretty damned centered as a result. In his super relaxed state, Harry heard the wind moving about the stadium and it involuntarily made him smile. He associated those noises with the movement and freedom he'd lacked so much in his childhood. He'd been peacefully taking it all in for quite a while, when it finally happened.

Harry felt warm… which was odd...

While it wasn't that unusual to be warm, it wasn't really a warm morning. The warmth was on the wind and was swirling around his body. While carefully controlling his enthusiasm, Harry listened with as open a mind as he could. The warm breeze began swirling around his legs, then torso, then his arms, as if it were a small animal. It was friendly, close and affectionate. Harry smiled because he'd started to feel like the air around him felt like Gabrielle. Then he heard it. He could hear distant yet nearby laughter, as if it was sound caught in a... wind.

The breeze seemed to approve of Harry's mental imagery regarding its appearance, for the laughter was definitely both young and feminine. Harry felt the warmth explore him over and under his clothes. The breeze ruffled his wild untamable hair, and Harry received the sense that it approved of such a hairstyle. Then it settled around his right hand, where it began coaxing him to look at it by lifting his hand inside of a pocket of air.

Opening his eyes, Harry looked down at his hand and saw a small sphere. Gods only know how he saw it for the sphere wasn't white like a tornado but invisible. Nevertheless, Harry saw it upon his hand, swirling atop his upturned palm. Harry gazed at the Air cavorting on his hand as if it was dancing in enthusiasm.

Harry felt his magic calling for him to embrace this creature, this feeling, so he followed his instincts. "We'll have fun together," Harry mused quietly, to the sprite that he couldn't quite see but saw and felt right there on his hand.

"Yes," the air replied in the smallest, sweetest, little voice. "I am a playmate of yours. We will dance in the air, race, dive and swirl. We have been together for a while now but you were unable to see or hear me. I have wished to find form for someone who enjoys me. You are not my master for no one ever is, but I become more than I am when I am with you. I am freedom personified when alone, but lack the consciousness to enjoy it. Your magic guides you and makes more of me, so we shall have fun."

Harry smiled and nodded at the little sprite. "We'll move well together."

"Yes," agreed the Air. "I am Aethir once again, as I have been before. This... will... be... fun..."

When their first encounter ended, Harry was left with traces of a breeze lingering against and around him. Aethir was noticeable only as a shifting patch of pressure, ever present and sliding along his skin. Her presence was smooth and warm and after getting used to it, Harry found that he liked the sensation. He was close to his affinity. She adored him and he loved her in return.

With a whoop of unbridled enthusiasm, Harry bounded down the stands like an absolute maniac, and sprinted back up to the north tower in record time.

In the two days that followed, Harry'd never let a single moment go by where he wasn't subtly manipulating the air. He went out of his way to move Aethir around in ways he imagined she might enjoy, for this wasn't just a one way transaction. Thankfully, Harry was able to do all of this without moving and he could also focus on his school work because of his overdeveloped Occlumency. Not only that, but when he went to sleep at the end of his first day, he found Aethir inside of his Mindscape both alive and moving. She'd taken up residence inside of his core and was enjoying the huge space immensely.

It was a good thing that Harry's affinity training was so low key and subtle, because the only other thing he was doing was dramatic in the extreme. Harry spent his first few days of classes completely swamped with both Arithmancy and Runes revision, to the point it looked like he was preparing for his NEWTS.

Hermione didn't just want Harry caught up. She wanted him caught up to her unbelievably high standards. Of course, this was a feat of memorization that would've been completely impossible before, but was merely onerous now.

Another dramatic development was Ron's reaction to Harry dropping Divination… When the boy found out about Harry's choice to begin taking Runes and Arithmancy instead, he reacted as if the decision was a betrayal of some kind.

A reaction that had Harry shaking his head in confusion...

Considering the fact that Ron couldn't say one civil word to Harry when they were together, he found it extremely odd that Ron was acting so butt-hurt about this. Truly, Harry'd have thought Ron would be glad for any excuse to be away from him, but noooo. Instead, the boy was acting as if Harry was a traitor of some kind.

As things stood, Harry and Ron would still see each other in all of their core classes, as well as the class Care of Magical Creatures. It was an extra elective that Harry still had every intention of going to, primarily out of loyalty to Hagrid.

Harry was taking an extra class now and the workload would've been quite the challenge if not for his well-developed Mindscape. Nowadays, he could flip through the pages of a textbook to scan its contents. Then, when he went to his Mindscape or Sleepscape, he could study what his subconscious brain had already picked up, for hours on end, at his leisure. Harry and Hermione had already read all of their current semester's textbooks cover to cover, and now they did quite a bit of revision while sleeping. Needless to say, they were both becoming extremely well prepared for the upcoming school year.


"It just feels like cheating is all," Hermione suddenly called out towards the ceiling, after throwing aside her books. "I have almost twice as much time to prepare as everyone else! It's just not right!"

After scoffing and shaking his head, Harry smiled at his over earnest friend. "Hermione... How do you think the rest of us felt with your near perfect recall of the written word? You've been cheating all along according to most Ravenclaws!"

Even as Harry laughed to take the sting out of his words, he turned to square up with his bushy haired friend. "Look… Hermione… I think you should stop thinking of studying like a competition between yourself and the rest of the school. Learning is more like golf than any other sport. You're playing to improve your game, and it achieves nothing for you to worry about anyone else's performance. I think the more we're capable of learning the better and happier we'll end up being. I'm not going to worry about how my grades effect some poor student's self-esteem."

Hermione stared at Harry for a good long time, before collapsing backwards onto the couch with her head on his lap. "I'm glad you said that just now, Harry. I was falling into my old habit of lording my massive brain over people. It's a hangup of a lonely childhood," she admitted softly.

Harry leaned back in their couch, looking at Hermione with a soft smile on his face. "I unearthed all of my childhood memories, with the help of two extremely capable, Veela mind-healers, and they slept for almost twenty-four hours afterwards."

When Hermione arched an eyebrow, Harry just nodded again because yes, it'd been just as bad as it sounds.

"The Delacour ladies got off lucky. I slept for nearly two days straight. My life has not been a pretty picture but I will share it with you because you're family. I will however, be telling it to you in short snippets as time goes by, because I already know that it'll make you sad." Harry shrugged as if to say "sorry, can't be helped."

Hermione nodded and smiled up at her friend. "Whatever my lil bro thinks is best."

Harry ran his hand through Hermione's long auburn hair and smiled. "Thank you for waiting, Hermione. I think I should point out before I tell you anything that Occlumency has made my memories more abstract, so at this point they make me stronger rather than hurt me. Do you get where I'm coming from?"

Hermione nodded seriously at first, but then a full power shit-eating grin appeared on her face. "If you will recall... I predicted this exact outcome at the end of last year."

Remembering Mione in the Hospital Wing saying something very similar, Harry belted out "well I'll be damned! You did!"

Hermione smiled happily and poked him in the ribs several times. "Aahhhh, nothing feels better than a good I told you so Harry!"

"Soak it up Sis because with my new vast intelligence it won't be happening anymore." Harry adopted a very overdone arrogant face.

"That's big sis to you little bro," Hermione declared both casually and dismissively. "Now stop putting it off and spill about five minutes of life content. That seems like a decent start."

Harry nodded and leaned back, once again running his hands softly through her unruly hair. "Well my mom's sister Aunt Petunia always resented my mother for..." Harry continued on for another six or seven minutes, laying a foundation for why his relatives behave the way they do, without getting into any of the more graphic details.

"Next time I'll describe my early life, now that you understand their messed up motives and psychology." Harry stretched out because unbeknownst to him, he'd been tensing up as he talked about the Dursleys.

Hermione bit her lower lip and looked extremely troubled. "You haven't even described anything that they've done to you yet and its already painting a pretty bleak picture."

"It's definitely bleak," Harry cheerfully replied. "That's why I must insist we speak of my past only during sunny days on the lawn."

"That's an inspired idea Harry! I'll bring the revision material with us," Hermione added.

Looking over at Hermione, Harry smiled even as he shook his head. "Mione... Try to remember that you can study for several hours at a time in your sleep now. An hour or two of idle activity during the day might even be a productive change for you. This summer, someone asked me if I had any hobbies and when I didn't have an answer, it made me feel unhealthy. Annnd speaking of this past summer, I actually have a letter to write," Harry admitted, while rising to his feet.

At Harry's mention of a letter, Hermione started making cartoonish, kissy faces at him, until he belted out in laughter. "When did you meet Dobby?"

"He's amazing," Hermione immediately gushed. "He was able to keep me from making a grievous error in judgment regarding house elves. I was thinking of house elves by human standards and I wanted them freed by any means necessary. He sat me down, told me off, and explained what House Elves really are. If you didn't evolve him like you did, I'd still be laboring in ignorance right now. They need us, they need our magic, and so they've made us need them in return. It's symbiotic... I still want to give them some more representation though," Hermione mused, mostly to herself.

Harry nodded and smiled at his friend as he rose up to his feet. It was nice that he could drag Mione away from studying long enough that they could actually connect with each other like this. He smiled again as he walked up to his room and bed. Pulling out a paper and quill he began to write.

.

Dear Fleur

My original intention was to send you a letter the last two nights, but I ended up swamped doing two very time consuming and important things. I beg your forgiveness, but I also didn't want to send you empty letters, without any visible progress.

One thing I managed to do was catch up on a whole years' worth of Arithmancy and Ancient Runes. As of an hour ago, I'm being told that I'll be among the most prepared in both of those classes, by none other than Hermione "The brightest witch of our generation" Granger.

This of course means that with the exception of one or two people, I'll be demolishing absolutely everyone in both of those classes.

My now ex-friend Ron was further angered that I changed electives and dropped that useless class Divination. I'd understand if he wanted to spend time with me, but since he's angered by my very presence all day, in the end I'm just baffled. Neville has been reading up on advanced Occlumency and is beginning to reach the point of making a Mindscape. He's diligent where Ron is lazy and he's making excellent progress. I really am very proud of him.

The second thing I did leads into an apology that I owe you. I never should have doubted you.

As it turns out you were right... I am the Air!

On my second day here, I woke up early, studied a guide to connecting with your elemental affinity and began seeking it out. After reading the book, I can now tell you that I accomplished what should usually take about ten years of dedicated meditation and toil, in only one morning. My affinity loves me, has always been watching over me and we've become very close. I've been learning how best to "play" with the Air within my Mindscape and it's amazing!

The Air's not really an offensive force per se. She's way too friendly for that. Her name's Aethir and she reminds me of Gabrielle. She wants to run, jump and move with endless enthusiasm. She'll never allow me to level buildings with a sweep of my arm, but I am going to be FAST. On my feet, in the air, doesn't matter. She both guides me to be more graceful and lends me agility at the same time. The effect is cumulative to the point I can move like an Olympic gymnast mixed with a jungle cat or something. While she can hinder other people like she did at the Quidditch World Cup, I'm under the impression she hates doing that kind of thing.

Last and perhaps most importantly, my connection with Aethir seems to make me feel more whole. There's been a lot of that this year for me. It feels like all of the puzzle pieces are finally fitting together.

A seventh year Ravenclaw girl asked me out yesterday morning, at random, while I was studying in the library. Even she seemed surprised. I smiled at her and politely told her that while she's lovely, dating her would be impossible since I have no idea who she is. I felt bad, but she seemed to take it well. Is that what your life is like?

I have been missing you! Hermione only gives me positive feedback and constructive criticism. I'm getting a seriously big head, Fleur! I need your witty banter to keep me grounded. You also sound so much better saying my name than anyone around here. I miss the silent H.

In regards to your last letter, I am now all but certain that I'll make the Quidditch team, and I insist that you keep the jersey. If you don't wear it, I'll let Gabrielle know that you have it and she'll steal it. I'm even more certain that I'll be excelling scholastically by the time you arrive. It's not so difficult now that I can study in my sleep…

Please tell me some of the five Ws with your return letter. What have you been up to, when, where, and why. Throwing in a How would be great too.

Hurry up and get over here so that we can hang out!

Yours truly

Harry Potter

.

After finishing his letter, Harry smiled and asked aloud "Dobby would you be so kind?"

POP

"Another friendly three page letter to Fleur, I assume," Dobby prodded, with a smirk.

"Yes, it is in fact quite friendly," Harry said, while laughing in defeat. "I get it Dobby. I'll be seeking to further my relationship with the fair Fleur at some point, but she's a tricky customer so bear with me, okay?"

"I only advocate that you be self-aware Harry that's all. You're doing a great job with her and she adores you." Dobby looked completely confident in Harry and he soaked it up like the sun.

"Love you Dobby, now get to work!" Harry grinned at the excited looking elf as he waved his hands in a shooing motion.

"With pleasure sir!" Dobby gave a snappy salute and then he was gone.

Harry pulled out some charcoal rubs and paper and started practicing his drawing again. He was actually quite good (in his own rather bias opinion) and improving every day. He'd kind of cheated and scanned like thirty art instruction books into his Mindscape for reference, but hey, any hobbyist would do the same right?

Fifty minutes later, Harry had finished a pretty decent rendition of the northern tower from an aerial perspective, when he heard a very welcome noise.

POP

A letter floated onto Harry's lap and Dobby was walking out of the room. "No time for witty banter from me sir, it's hers you want."

POP

Harry shook his head and then turned towards the letter in his lap.

.

Dear Harry

Oops I mean

Dear 'Arry (go ahead and picture me saying it in my sexy, sexy voice)

I figured you were getting settled into your new classes and thus had very little time to quill together a letter. What I didn't expect was such an enormous amount of productivity! Two classes worth of studying in merely three days is a huge deal, even with a Mindscape, and to Hermione's legendary satisfaction even! I have nothing to add about this ex-friend of yours, since you're far better off now and you know it. Neville will grow into a better more self-aware man very soon and just in time for me to meet him. I look forward to it.

You were dumb to have ever doubted me, for I am Fleur Delacour and thus above reproach.

You are the AIR! I KNEW IT AND I TOLD YOU SOOO!

Ahhh that felt goood. I believe you because I trust you 'Arry, but your level of development into your elemental affinity is obscene and you really are NOT a wizard. You are about as human as a dragon is 'Arry Potter! This is going to be fun to watch, and I can't wait. Krum is going to have to earn his title as the best in the world.

Do you really think that BLACKMAIL is the right way to get me to do anything, 'Arry? I shall dig a hole and hide the jersey before Gabrielle gets her hands on it.

That young lady's reaction to your presence does sound eerily similar to my life. For that girl to surprise even herself with her sudden confession, you must have been pumping out some serious animal magnetism. I suspect it's partially due to the calm competency you've started operating with nowadays. Women are suckers for confidence, but only if it's paired up with ability. I imagine the girl was saddened by your rejection but also a little relieved when you did so nicely. You are the mythical male Veela 'Arry, a true monster in the making. I must warn everyone!

I have missed you too 'Arry. I am experiencing the exact problem you are while here in school, only more so. You are the only person who tells me no in anything, and can relate to me on a normal plane. I have realized why I posture so much here. It is because I have been treated like a queen by my sycophants until naturally I believed my own hype.

I am trying to be more relatable to a select few, and there is one girl named Selene who I like to believe could be a friend. She is an extraordinary witch and we are different like night and day. She is a potions mastery student while I suffered through to the levels I needed. She is dark haired and short, unlike me. She is sweet and rather naïve, which is also counter to my personality. I believe we are so different that we will not chafe each other too much. I hope to introduce you to her when we meet again at Hogwarts. Same rules apply however. Do NOT, under any circumstances, pull your so called male Veela charms on my friend. You are MY 'Arry Potter, and no other Beauxbatons girl may have you.

Try outs for the right to go to Hogwarts are still ongoing. I have since two days ago been exempt and have been studying and relaxing.

Have you been practicing your drawing? Is there a piano for you to practice on in that barbaric castle of yours? Are you making new friends? Did you read that mystery novel I sent you with? Have you been running? Do you even lift bro? If I will be forced to endure your company in the upcoming months, I demand that you be sufficient eye candy!

I would write more but someone is knocking on my door and Dobby is waiting to return the letter.

Sincerely Yours

Fleur Delacour

.

Her Harry! She'd said it again! Fleur obviously wanted Harry to stay away from the Beauxbatton women, but she didn't seem as possessive of him in regards to the Hogwarts girls. That seemed to imply that it was less about a possessive attitude and more about pride.

Harry lay on his back looking at the ceiling, deep in thought, during which time he continually resisted the urge to write an immediate reply. The goal was for the letters to have real news and not seem needy. After resisting the urge to grab a quill for long enough, he started getting tired so he decided to fall asleep and get some work done.


The fourth day at Hogwarts started out similar to any other for Harry, as he awoke well before dawn refreshed and ready to go.

As bizarre as that sounds, it's the truth.

Between containing his magic properly and using a Mindscape, Harry needed waaay less sleep nowadays, which was a good thing because five Am was when he ran his ten mile obstacle course around the lake.

Of course the obstacles had caught the interest of the witches and wizards of the school, who'd assumed they were all part of an obscure ritual of some kind. No one had any idea that they were all just the obstacles for a purely physical exercise.

Harry smiled like a lunatic as he flew through the course and sometimes that almost felt literal. He was playing with Aethir who helped him in many small ways. She guided him to avoid unnecessary movements, improved his balance, reduced air resistance, buffeted the ground when he had to drop, whispered encouragement, and was just a joy to have around. That's what Aethir was after all. She was joy and movement personified. With her assistance Harry'd begun finishing his morning run in only two thirds of the time and had started a second lap.

After Harry finished running, Dobby always showed up with another of his excellent magically fortified nutrition smoothies. This one smoothie was so well designed and nutritious, it was theoretically the only food Harry needed to consume for an entire day. Thankfully, his higher than normal metabolism paired with his extremely strenuous exercise routine, demanded that he eat a lot purely to make up the calories he'd burned.

Following the smoothie, Harry ran up to the room of requirements for his daily weight conditioning. What this meant was that by breakfast every morning, Harry was always starving. He was perhaps the only man at Hogwarts who was rivaling Ron in food consumption, but the foods he ate were cooked by Dobby and quite nutritious.

So far this year, Harry had taken his time while performing all of his daily grooming rituals, and for the first time ever he was dressed in clothing that actually fit him. As it turns out, with Appoline's gift cards and Dobby doing the shopping, it wasn't all that hard to be well tailored. Knowing that he was well put together gave Harry an additional jolt of confidence, which allowed him to walk with a bonus bit of spring in his step. Both his good habits from the summer and the Delacour's influence on his fashion were suiting him well.

It was a good time to be Harry Potter.

As Harry was approaching the Great Hall, he felt what could only be Fred and George, running up to flank him on both sides.

"Good

Morning

not

so

ickle

Harry

Potter," George finished before continuing by himself. "We aren't waiting anymore for people to figure out the new school term."

Fred continued speaking from where his brother stopped. "Today for sure, we're getting on our brooms, and we're dragging you out with us. The try-outs for the school team are in just three days. Aren't you concerned about them?"

Playing it cool, Harry nodded seriously so that he didn't end up appearing arrogant. "I'm quite a bit bigger than I was, but I'm really not all that much heavier, so I might be okay. Still yes, I am nervous, and I'll meet you at the pitch after school today."

With that agreed upon, Harry, Fred and George all nodded at each other in an oddly synchronized fashion, as if in that moment they'd become triplets. Of course, when they entered the Great Hall just fifteen seconds later, they were still laughing at their own antics.

Joking around like this was a good change of pace for Harry, who didn't have as much comedy relief in his life without Ron around. Not only that, but Harry was still being stared at by the majority of the school population these days, so it was nice to joke around with guys who don't care what other people think. Harry was still smiling in amusement as he sat down on the left of Hermione and to the right of Alicia Spinnet. Fred and George sat down across from him.

After making quick work of eating their breakfasts, Fred and George found themselves staring off in Ron's general direction. They were becoming increasingly annoyed by his reaction to the new Harry.

Fred leaned forward on his arms and rubbed his temple in frustration. "My brother and I tried talking to Ron again last night, but as per usual he's taking It rather hard that you'd dare have something good happen to you."

George leaned in like his brother as he deftly balanced an apple on the back of his hand. "I have a theory, but I'm not a big fan of it. If you don't make the Quidditch team because you're now so dashingly handsome and tall, he may cool down a little."

"We'd both rather the little git just grow up and realize that it's not all about him," Fred growled, while quite obviously simmering in anger. He smiled all of the sudden, and looked over at his brother. "I'm feeling a rush of creativity running through me George."

George smiled back at this brother and rapidly rose to his feet. "Oh yes dear brother. Let's go be... creative."

The twins hurried out of the Great Hall, while giving their brother a sidelong look of evil.

Harry had come to understand in the past that when the twins are being "creative," it meant that someone was going to find themselves the recipient of a rather elaborate prank. He wasn't close to Ron anymore, but he was still capable of feeling bad for him in that moment anyway.

When Hermione looked down the table at Ron, Harry could clearly see that she was sad, and that thought made him sad in return. At exactly the same time, if Harry Harry had his way, Hermione wouldn't end up with Ron. Ron was too immature to deal with other people being... well... more than him. Hermione is a better witch in every conceivable way than Ron is a wizard. Harry knew that the only really likely outcome would be that Ron would tear her down, in order to build himself up.

Needless to say, Harry would intervene if he ever saw it going that way, but until it did he'd keep his opinions to himself.

Moving with a spring in his step, Neville slid into the vacated spot across from Harry and smiled while grabbing some toast.

"How's the new school term been treating you so far Neville?" The question was mostly rhetorical. Harry could see right away that the boy had very few complaints, based on his wide and happy smile.

"Good, and I have you to thank for that," Neville replied. With that statement, his face lit up and it was even more obvious that he was way happier than usual.

"Oh how so?" Harry hastened to demolish his very healthy looking but enormous breakfast as he waited for the answer.

"I am finally remembering the things I hear in classes," Neville replied, while giving Harry a significant look and a smile. I don't have a broken brain anymore, exactly like you described.

Harry sent his arm across the table and they shook hands. "Good man! I knew it would help and I also knew that you'd take it seriously. How well developed?"

"Not very impressive yet but I'm working on it every day," Neville replied, with a shrug. "I've erected some flimsy barrier walls, yes, but more importantly I've built myself a bookshelf to store memories. Excellent idea that bookshelf, thank you Hermione."

Mione smiled and shrugged. "Well, if I didn't suggest you start a library, I wouldn't be living up to my own image now would I?"

"So what are you guys going to do with your free time, now that you're not cramming a whole years' worth of school courses into Harry's brain?" Neville looked bemused. Harry had pulled off the impossible yet again, and yet he was being told to keep it a secret.

"The twins are dragging me out to see if I can still fly," Harry replied, while moving his fork as if it was divebombing.

"I'm going to go watch, and catch him when he falls," Hermione added, between bites of apple.

While Hermione's answer was funny, Neville found himself shaking his head. "Hermione... Harry here could be seven foot tall, three hundred pounds, and he'd still outfly anyone we've ever met." Looking over at Harry, Neville quietly added, "just shake your head yes or no. Are you even truly worried?"

Harry sat perfectly still for several seconds in a row, just looking at both Neville and Hermione. Then he shook his head in a negative, with a look of chagrin in his face.

"We are not Ron," Neville declared, while giving Harry a serious look. "If you're going to do well, then we're both very happy for you."

Hermione and Harry beamed both at what Neville had said and his newfound assertive attitude.

"Well I have plans to meet Hannah Abbot in the fourth year greenhouse, to tutor her," Neville explained with a happy smile. "I've always really liked that girl."

Harry found it really refreshing for someone to be forthcoming about how they feel. "Ron had never admitted to liking a woman or how he thinks of anything that isn't either food or Quidditch. Harry leaned forward and whispered across the table. "Are you going to ask Hannah to be your date to the Yuletide Ball?"

At first Neville blushed, but then he firmed up his resolve and nodded. "Actually, now that you've brought that up, I was wondering if you know how to dance, and if you do, would you arrange to teach me? It's yet another thing that I've been putting off learning for the longest time."

"If you'd asked me that question just four months ago, I'd have confidently declared that I have no idea how to dance," Harry replied with a grin. "As a happy coincidence, over the summer I was taught a wide variety of dancing, by some of the most graceful ladies in the entire world. If I'm even half decent by their standards, than I should be pretty accomplished. If you can find a female partner to practice with, I'll show you what I know. No offense intended Neville, I don't think I'd want to pair up with you myself." Harry injected the joke into his voice.

Hermione immediately waved her arm in the air and said "oh me, me, I'd love that! I mean, I do know how to dance already but I don't know if what I know is the same as current wizarding styles. I wouldn't like to find out that I'm wrong at the ball."

Even though he thought Hermione was worrying over nothing, Harry was happy to get his sister involved. "While I doubt the dancing styles are all that different, the more variety we have, the more fun we'll have at the ball."

"Oooooh I love this new easy going, self-assured Harry," Hermione gushed. "Last year you would've run away from the very idea of dancing, as if it was a dragon! This all sounds like so much fun!"

Harry was enjoying Hermione's enthusiasm for something that wasn't studying, and he dedicated himself to making the upcoming dance as fun as possible for his female friend. "Okay Nev, just tell us when you want to get together and we'll hash it out."

Neville looked quite relieved. "I'll get back to you on that later then. I'm not all that coordinated so it'll probably take several lessons."

"No hurry, just don't wait too long or you'll become nervous and that doesn't help in anything." Harry was already packing his stuff up for class, as they wrapped up their conversation. Then, all of the sudden, he had a thought. "Neville, I do some exercising in the form of running every morning. Do you want to join me? The more you use your body the more coordination you can expect to have."

Neville looked thoughtfully at Harry before he bobbed his head noncommittally. "Let me get back to you on that Harry. I'm interested but not all of us can exist on four hours sleep. I'll probably join a couple times a week at most, but I'd still like to try."

"Okay, sounds good. Let's get moving or we'll be late to class." Harry slung his beaten up, book bag over his shoulders as everyone else picked up their gear.


After classes ended, Harry, Fred, George, Angelina, Alicia, Hermione and Katie, started walking down the various lawns of the school, heading in the direction of the Quidditch pitch.

With the exception of Hermione, everyone had brooms in hand, were chattering excitedly and were clearly looking forward to flying. The only damper on the ultra-buoyant atmosphere was the fact that Harry kept receiving concerned looks from everyone regarding his size and weight, and he couldn't reassure his friends without blowing most of his biggest secrets. Instead, Harry was extremely careful to make himself look at ease, as if he were at peace with whatever happened today and wouldn't have any hard feelings.

Sure enough, all of the Gryffs present appeared to relax somewhat, even as they continued to hope for the best…

Quite a few people from all of the other school houses were taking an interest in the Gryffindors' current actions, and were beginning to follow them at a medium distance, but they weren't the reason Harry ended up rolling his eyes.

Draco Malfoy, his goons and several of his housemates, were sitting around on the lawn, but at Harry's approach, they all rose up to their feet and blocked the path towards the pitch.

Harry could immediately tell that Malfoy intended to bait the bear.

"Potter, you can't seriously expect to beat anyone to the snitch now that you're a normal size can you? We all know the only reason you ever won a match was because you were so damn small on such an overpowered broom." It was a wonder that Draco could still act so pompous with his hair up in a wild, clearly hexed, updo.

Everyone from both groups were staring at the exchange between the two of them, as if they were just waiting to throw down at any second… What this meant to Harry was if he wanted to stop a full on gang war, he was going to have to be pretty decisive.

Well, fine… Harry could do decisive.

"Draco... I beat you to the snitch while flying on a nimbus two thousand, while you were piloting a two thousand and one, and I had two rogue bludgers hunting me down the whole entire match," Harry pointed out in a loud and clear, but completely deadpan voice.

"Oooooohhhhhhhhhh!" All of the bystanders just standing around and watching immediately yelled as if Harry's words were a kick to the groin. It took several moments for the mob to stop loudly enjoying themselves.

"Harry's got a point there Malfoy, but maybe that's more because you seriously suck," Fred drawled out casually.

"I mean Malfoy did buy his way onto the Slytherin team in the first place," pointed out George.

"They haven't been a real threat ever since," Fred added, with perfect timing and a massive smile on his face.

"I'm going to make you pay for your disrespect, you blood traitors!" Draco suddenly screamed, as he instantly lost every scrap of his self-control. Unbeknownst to both Harry and the twins, Malfoy had been pranked at least a hundred times since Harry had rallied the school together four days earlier, and his temper was on a razor's edge. His face turned a bright red at their heckling, to the point that he looked like he might pass out like Ginny had. Then, all of the sudden and without any warning, he pulled out his wand and cast a high impact curse, directly at Harry's face.

While Harry was surprised Draco was attacking him in front of so many witnesses, that didn't mean that he wasn't ready to react. After sidestepping the boy's curse, Harry recruited Aethir around his body, letting her guide him towards faster speeds and sharper movements. During the single second that followed, Harry made excellent use of his newfound agility, leaping to the left, completing a quick spin back to the right, and then dashing towards Malfoy from an unexpected angle.

Draco was clearly shocked by the speed that Harry was moving at, because he was waving his wand back and forth as if he was having a seizure of some kind. He was trying to aim another curse at Harry. He didn't yet understand just how outclassed he really was.

Draco had no idea that it was already too late...

Dashing inside of Draco's extended wand arm, Harry slapped the boy hard across the face, using all the force of his rapidly moving body. Malfoy immediately went down hard on his back, with small trails of blood leaking from both his mouth and nose. Within the next instant, Harry had leapt back to the line of his friends, but this time he had Draco's wand in his right hand.

Just before both groups could grab for their wands, Harry put up a hand palm out and barked out the word, "enough! One more move from any of you and Draco here will need a new wand, because I'll snap this one in two!"

Even as he made that threat, Harry moved so that he was holding Draco's wand in both of his hands just above his upraised knee. Everyone immediately stopped moving, in order to stare at Harry instead.

After staring right back at the Slytherins for several seconds in a row, Harry suddenly gestured towards the Quidditch pitch. "This fight is completely pointless! If you think you're the best, then prove it! We have the Quidditch tryouts in only three days' time! I suggest you start practicing though, because not a one of you are a match for a Gryffindor!"

Turning towards Malfoy next, Harry gave the boy a look of utter contempt, mixed with equal amounts of disgust. "Just look at the meager skills that your so-called "pure blood" has graced you with, you ridiculous little pansy. Are you still trying to tell people that YOU are the pinnacle of magical breeding!? You were just beaten down by a single hard physical slap! You're obviously no match for even a physically fit MUGGLE Draco, and now even you know it! Go cry it off... I'll leave this wand somewhere public, to be found after you've left."

With that said, Harry casually turned away from Draco, with the express purpose of dismissing him.

"Ooohhhhhhhhh!" The swelling crowd once again yelled towards the sky as if Malfoy had been kicked in the crotch, and they didn't stop jumping around for about ten whole seconds.

At this point, Draco was blushing a bright red with humiliation, but he continued to stare daggers at Harry as he slowly rose to his feet. "You wouldn't dare break my wand Potter! That would get you expelled!"

Turning back around, Harry calmly returned his gaze to Draco's still bleeding face. After another prolonged moment, where Harry just stared at Draco, he started shaking his head as if the boy were too stupid to live. "Well... Maybe. I suppose I might get expelled for breaking your wand. You, on the other hand, will definitely get both expelled and arrested for casting an unprovoked high impact curse at me, in front of about forty witnesses. Do you want to go to the Headmaster's office to see who gets in more trouble? I'll make a point of asking for a pensieve review, which is my right under the rules of the school." Harry shrugged, staring at Malfoy as if waiting for his decision.

Draco's eyes immediately widened to the size of saucers. It was as if he'd never even imagined himself being subject to the same rules as the rest of them. Until now, he'd been sheltered by Snape so thoroughly, consequences like expulsion had never even been a possibility to him. As a result, Draco just stood there, frozen still and bleeding, for several moments in a row.

Finally, Draco covered his nose with his hand, turned towards his goons and spluttered out "let's go. We have better things to do." The whole group of Slytherins marched away, trying to look tough even in retreat.

Fred and George were quiet for several seconds following Draco's retreat, but then with picture perfect timing they both yelled towards the sky. "That was so wicked!"

"That really was extremely well done, Harry," Hermione beamed. "I love how, so far this year, you haven't even cast any spells at him, but he's been repeatedly humiliated anyway. It's like you're going out of your way to beat the crap out of him like a muggle would. For a completely brainwashed blood purist like Malfoy, your treatment of him must hurt even worse than the slap just did."

They all laughed.

"That was amazing though Harry!" Katie looked awe struck as she took a step closer. "Where did you learn to move like that?"

At first Harry just shrugged.

It didn't work. His friends just continued to stare at him.

Finally, Harry drew in a deep breath and gestured at his new body. He felt bad about it, but he really didn't have much choice but to bend the truth a bit. He adopted a chagrined look on his face and rubbed the back of his neck. "Well you see... I was growing very quickly over the summer, and I actually started becoming extremely clumsy as a result. I eventually took up running an obstacle course every day to get used to my new body. It worked of course, and I can successfully walk without tripping over my own feet. I kind of overcompensated at some point however, and I've become quite agile now. If you want to join me running in the morning, I created a version of the course here." Harry gestured towards the various wooden structures along the lakeshore. "I run it every morning at around five thirty Am."

"One of the seven mysteries of Hogwarts answered, and as per usual the answer is Harry Potter," Angelina drawled, with a smirk.

Angelina, Katie and Alicia looked like they might wake up early, not necessarily to take part but instead just to witness him running the course.

"Well yes," Harry admitted, with yet another shrug. "I didn't feel like explaining it to anyone, so I just didn't bring it up." Harry wanted to move on, so he pointed at his broom and then the pitch. "Umm guys? Weren't we going to fly today?"


That night at dinner, the entire group of Gryffindor Quidditch players came rolling back into the castle, enjoying a loud outpouring of enthusiasm. They were pushing each other and making a ruckus, as they sat down at their table in the Great Hall.

Seamus Finnegan looked at the group of them from where he was sitting down the table, with Ron on his other side. After a few moments he started waving his arm for their attention. "What's got you lot so riled up?"

"Oh nothing, just the fact that the Hogwarts Quidditch team is going to be entirely composed of Gryffindors this year!" Angelina had a wide and happy smile dominating her entire face.

"What about the six foot three seeker over there," injected Ron, while giving Harry a sneer.

George and Fred looked at each other and then adopted completely embellished looks of depression on their faces.

"Yes about our Harrykins," George started. "He is

Not

As

Good

As

He

Was," Fred finished, while still looking comically devastated.

Ron perked up immediately. "Really?"

"No you twit," Both Fred and George bellowed at exactly the same time. "He's better!"

"He's sooo much better," called out Alicia. "He's so graceful in the air now, it's like he's barely touching his broom! It more than makes up for his size changes."

"That's bull," Ron ranted immediately. "There has never been a seeker taller than five foot nine, in the entire history of professional Quidditch! He's far too heavy so his max speed could never..."

"And yet Harry was moving as fast as I've ever seen him fly and catching snitches from positions that I've never even seen before," announced Alicia, easily interrupting Ron.

"But..." At first Ron seemed to deflate into himself, but then he glared at Harry as if he'd stolen Christmas.

George and Fred looked at each other in silent communication before Fred nodded and turned back towards Ron. "You know Ron... being furious at other people for their good fortune and talent is the sure sign of a loser."

"I'm not a loser!" Ron had clearly yelled that far too loudly, because people at the other tables started chuckling at him.

"You're not even trying to get better at Quidditch or school," Fred replied in a cool voice that was rising in volume, despite his better intentions. "I never see you practicing or studying a single damned thing. Yet you seem to believe you should be Quidditch team captain or something equally absurd like head boy."

Ron's face was beet red, as he launched to his feet and stormed out of the Hall.

"I'm not sure that's going to help," Harry pointed out, in a low voice.

Fred shook his head, rested his elbows on the table and began massaging his temples. "No... Sorry Harry... It won't."

George froze his glass of water with a well performed Glacius spell, wrapped the glass shaped block of ice in a handkerchief and then handed it to his brother, to use for his new headache. "What Fred just did is actually similar to you slapping Malfoy, except we don't hate Ron. Did you think the slap would change Malfoy's behaviour?"

Harry nodded at George because he immediately understood where the boy was coming from. It sucked but the twins obviously thought that Ron was all but a lost cause. Belatedly, Harry turned towards a Hermione who was studying her food, and sent his aura shroud around her to let her know he cared. She looked up at him and smiled but her heart just wasn't into it.

Harry hated seeing Hermione down like that, so during the next few moments he began doing some very quick thinking. "Hey Neville... Do you want to have your first dance lesson tonight, now that you're done with the lovely Hannah?"

At first Neville looked a little bit reluctant, but then he saw how Harry was gesturing towards a visibly upset Hermione with his eyes. "I think that's a brilliant idea," he finally announced, with all of the enthusiasm that he could muster.

Turning back towards Hermione, Harry performed an elaborate courtly bow. "I'm going to need a lovely lady assistant please Hermione. Maybe I'll allow you to make me dance as well."

Between Harry's persistently positive and cheerful aura and the idea of dancing, Hermione couldn't help but cheer up. She was soon back to her normal self and having a great time with the dance practice.


To Be Continued


Author's Note:

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