Chapter 5: Time for the real training to begin
On the day the students were scheduled to return to their homes, Harry got up early, did his morning workout, returned for a shower, grabbed a fresh pair of clothes, and returned downstairs to get his results that were on the table near the wall. Being the first person up, he called for Kreacher and gave him a set of instructions, which he was most delighted to comply with. Time for some payback. Then, he grabbed the envelope containing his grades, pulled out his results, and held down the black dot at the bottom right to make it reveal the numerical scores.
Pass Grades: Fail Grades:
Outstanding (O) Poor (P)
Exceeds Expectations (E.E.) Dreadful (D)
Acceptable (A) Troll (T)
The Results of Harry James Potter Second Year:
Charms: O (98)
Defense Against the Dark Arts: O (110)
Transfiguration: O (98)
Herbology: O (95)
History of Magic: E.E. (85)
Astronomy: E.E. (85)
Potions: O (98)
Signed, Minerva McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Overall, Harry was satisfied with his grades. For years he had wanted to prove himself, and with those blocks off of his magic, he could now make that a reality. However, this was only the start, as there was still more to be done before he went off to Gringotts later. The documents Filius gave him were of great importance as they would be the key to finally being free of his filthy muggle relatives. Filius' said his people would be able to alter the wards surrounding the house for 5 hours for him to do what he needed to do and get out of there. As for Arabella? He still found it hard to believe that she was a squib and was placed there by Dumbledore to observe him. While he wanted to be angry at her for not doing more for him whenever she would watch him when the Dursleys were away. It was true that while she made his visits dreadfully boring, they allowed him to be away from his relatives for a certain amount of time. There was also the issue: had she revealed who she really was and Dumbledore had found out, he would have replaced her with someone worse.
He then decided that the best way to ensure that she could not be blamed for his disappearance would be to have her sent on a vacation to the States. He bought the plane ticket and arranged for her to spend a week at a hotel in Muggle Massachusetts. Dobby paid her a visit two days ago, altered her memory, and erased every trace of his magical signature in case Dumbledore decided to try something. Then after taking a couple of minutes to think about a few things, he put his results in his pocket, left the common room, and headed to the entrance of the Great Hall.
Before going into the Hall, he decided to see where he ranked in all his classes and the year. Looking at the wall, he found where the second-year class rankings were. A small smile appeared on his face as he looked them over.
He achieved top positions in most of his classes and was tied for first place with Granger, something that definitely surprised him. Just when he was about to turn around, he saw Blaise heading his way with two others he recognized. "Morning Blaise. Heiress Davis. Heiress Greengrass," he greeted the two latter's like a proper Heir. Needless to say, the girls were surprised by the way he greeted them, much to Blaise's amusement.
The blonde one, Daphne Greengrass, quickly composed herself. "Well, met Heir Potter," she said in a cool neutral voice. "I must say that it took you long enough to realize your position in the wizarding world. Though better late than never."
Harry clicked his tongue, "motivation is a good thing. Please excuse my lack of decorum, as I was raised by muggles and had no knowledge of my heritage nor what was expected of me in the wizarding world until recently."
"Don't pay any attention to Daphne," the brunette, Tracey Davis, stepped forward. She gave him a once over, "I have to say that Blaise was right about you. . . You have certainly changed and are not the Headmaster's Golden Boy. Although I do have to wonder. . ."
"Wonder what?" He gave her a curious look.
"What do you think of those in Slytherin? Do you think we're Death Eaters in training like that redheaded imbecile Weasley?"
"I do not lump all Slytherin into one category. To judge the entire House based solely on the actions of a few idiots would make me a hypocrite," he answered. "Malfoy and his goons are spineless arrogant arseholes who have had everything handed to them since before they could walk. As for the rest of Slytherin House in general, y'all may be ambitious and cunning, but that hardly makes you evil."
The two had a stare-off for what seemed like several hours, but it was actually a few minutes before a smile etched on their faces. "Well, it's enough for me to hear you say that."
". . .I'll reserve my judgment of you for later," Daphne coolly said.
"Fair enough," giving her a curt nod, then turning back to Tracey. "Do I dare ask why you decided to interrogate me a moment ago?"
"Blaise said you weren't prejudiced against all Slytherin, so I wanted to see for myself. You never know who to trust around this castle."
Harry cast a quick look at Blaise before returning to her, "that's a valid point. Blaise made me aware of what it is like in Slytherin's House. You all have to adhere to certain rules and need to be careful since Malfoy and his gang's Death Eater parents are so close to the Minister of Magic Fudge. Or there will be consequences."
"Exactly. . . Where if their fathers had not pleaded to be under the imperius curse during the first war and Fudge pardoned them, then none of them would have made it this far. And maybe life would be easier for the rest of us." Tracey bitterly said.
"You're like me—a half-blood. Your dad is a pureblood from the Most Noble House of Davis and works for a well-known warding company. Meanwhile, your mum works for the W.E.A. at the Ministry and is a half-blood," raising a hand when she was about to speak. "Calm down. I don't care about that, as my own mother was a muggleborn. Despite her blood status, she proved herself over and over again and was the brightest witch of her age."
"So you are not prejudiced or a bigot," she curled her lips. "I think you and I gonna get along just fine."
". . .Hopefully, as it is time for new growth in me," held out a hand in comradery to which she accepted. "Also, you guys might want to get a move on; the other students are coming." Gesturing to the several students coming from all sides.
"Point taken. . ." the others went to check their overall rankings while he went to the Great Hall and sat at the Gryffindor table for breakfast.
For the majority of the morning, things were peaceful as Harry spoke with the members of the Quidditch team and Neville about their summer plans. During the last ten minutes, Weasley and Granger came rushing in looking worse for wear, evidenced by how pale they were and the dark circles around their eyes. Moreover, they were stiff and walking a little funny. Harry was silently laughing as he had Kreacher stick them to their beds so they would be late for breakfast, use a spell that would trigger their worse nightmares, and apply a tripping charm onto their shoes so when they'd reach the first steps of their dormitory's, they slip and fall down the stairs. However, this was only the start of what was to come for them, as more shocks were stored for them. The two lions seemed irritated that they couldn't get seats near Harry. Much to his relief, they had to sit at the end of the table near the entrance.
When Dumbledore finished his customary end-of-the-year speech and announced that Gryffindor had won the House Cup for the year, the lions burst into cheers and applause. All except for Harry, who believed it was a waste of time. . . What was the point of celebrating when they didn't even get to keep the cup with them? After all, it was just an empty cup! But for appearance's sake, he clapped and pretended to look happy. He then stroked Hedwig's feathers, and she playfully nipped his fingers. "All right, girl. You remember what to do, right?" She hooted and affectionately nuzzled against his face in confirmation. "Then let's go," Hedwig flew to his shoulder when he got up and made to leave the Hall with everyone else.
The students walked to the carriages and were taken to the Hogsmeade's train station. Having already shrunk his trunk and put it in his pocket, he boarded the Express with Neville and Luna, and they found an open compartment. Blaise came in a minute later, much to Neville's surprise, as he knew that while the Zabini Heir was not a member of Malfoy's gang, he usually kept to himself.
"Summer vacation is finally here. I can finally get some time to relax and enjoy myself." Blaise stretched in his seat. He then turned to the left, "do you still intend on going?"
"Better believe it," Harry nodded and looked out the window. "I get the feeling that changes are going to be made." He chuckled. "Should be interesting."
"Define interesting," a look of mischief appeared on Blaise's face. Though, it quickly vanished when the compartment door opened with Granger and Weasley standing in the doorway. "This should be amusing."
"What are you doing here, snake? You're not welcome in this compartment," Ron narrowed his eyes at Blaise. It was well known that the youngest Weasley boy hated those sorted into Slytherin.
"I was enjoying myself and sharing a conversation with the others before you, and the bushy-haired know-it-all came in acting like a gorilla," that comment earned a snort from Harry, a slight chuckle from Neville, and a smile from Luna. At the same time, Weasley's ears became red, and Granger narrowed her eyes at him for the insult. "Now, is there something the two of you want?"
"Not that it is any of your business, but we were looking for Harry," Hermione replied.
"Yeah, mate. Let's find a different compartment. One where there's no Slytherin around," Ron expected Harry to immediately leave with them, but he remained seated.
"I'm comfortable where I am, and in case you have noticed, Neville and Luna are also in here," gesturing to the two across from him. "Also, Blaise was right. We were enjoying ourselves before your arrival."
"Come on, mate, let's find a different compartment. We can play exploding snaps." Ron tried again.
However, when it looked like Harry wouldn't move, the two Gryffindors took their seats in the compartment, and Hermione started talking in a bossy voice. "Where have you been, Harry? We've been looking for you all morning. Also, how did you manage to tie for first place with me? Your not that smart? While you might be above average, you were never one for academics. Now all of a sudden, you managed to become one of the best students in our year? You even managed to beat me in some classes. That's not right. Harry, are you going to answer me?" She said all that in one breath; her cheeks were pink.
"For once, would you cut that arrogant and bossy attitude of yours? Seriously here, woman, you need to get over yourself and accept that you are not the best at everything." He glared at her. "To your questions, I simply studied and was more motivated."
"That cannot be it," Hermione vehemently replied. "I know you're hiding something. Ever since you discovered that you were a parseltongue, you've changed. You are much more reserved and ruthless."
"And what is it to you? If you do not like it, then you can leave. It's no skin off my nose," he responded in a cool voice, shocking her and Ron.
The next two hours were spent in silence, and when Ron was about to say something, his stomach twisted, and he immediately ran out of the compartment to look for a bathroom. Hermione ran after him as she felt a similar sensation.
The amused look on Harry's face was not lost to Blaise. "I take it you had something to do with that?" Harry whispered something into his ear, and his eyes widened. "You're sick," he burst out laughing.
". . .Not as sick as those two. I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't leave the bathrooms for the next few hours" He then stood up, "anyway, I think it's time for me to be on my way. Later, guys," leaving the compartment with Hedwig on his left shoulder. The two headed toward where the luggage compartment was and closed the blinds, and locked the door.
"Dobby, Kreacher. Can the two of you come here, please?" The two elves appeared before him. "Once again, I like to thank the two of you for helping me with this. Is everything ready?"
"Yes, young Harry. Everything has been prepared." Kreacher handed him a shrunken trunk full of all the necessities that would be needed. "The time window around the filthy muggles' home is decreasing. Kreacher advises that we leave at once."
"I agree. Let's go," he took their hands, and they apparated him to the backyard of #4 Privet Drive.
Harry glared at the house that had been nothing but a prison to him. The urge to have it burned down was strong, but he would never have to return to this place again. When the door to the backyard opened, his whale of a cousin stepped outside. "What are you doing here, freak? Shouldn't you be at that freak school of yours, or were kicked out?"
"Shouldn't you be going on a diet, Dudley? Your as fat as that useless shit stain you call a father?" Harry replied back with a smirk on his face. Dudley, who had been laughing, was now red in the face, his eyes narrowed hatefully at Harry. Maybe, I should have Hagrid come here and give you another piggy tail. You remember him, don't you? The big guy who gave you a tail before my first year."
"Shut up, freak! I'll teach you to respect your betters!" Dudley ran toward Harry with the intent to punch him in the face, but his cousin, who was in better shape thanks to Quidditch practice, training with Filius and the two Founders, and morning exercises, easily ducked under the boy's sloppy punch and landed one of his own knocking him on the down holding his nose.
"What's the matter, Dudley? You can do better than that." Looking down at the fat boy as he sat on the ground with his nose bleeding. Obviously, it was broken. Dudley got back up and tried to tackle Harry, but the more athletic cousin twisted to the side and grabbed Dudley's hair before hitting him again in the face a couple of times.
The sound of Dudley's bones crunching filled Harry's ears and rejuvenated him. All the times Dudley had beaten him over the years, it was time for the fat piece of shite to get what was coming to him. Within the next few minutes, Harry had broken Dudley's jaw, some teeth, his right and left arms, dislocated his shoulder and broke two of his ribs. Then after throwing him on the ground, he took his wand, casting the incarcerous spell, and immediately Dudley was bound in rope.
But Harry was far from done. He waved his wand again, using the levitation charm to lift Dudley into the air, and walked inside the house. Petunia immediately screamed, alerting her husband, who was eating some ice cream, when she saw the shape her son was in. "What have you done to him?"
"You freak! How dare you do this to my son. This time I will beat the magic out of you if it's the last thing I do! I knew we should have drowned you in the river instead of allowing you to stay under this roof." Vernon roared as he tried to charge at Harry but didn't get far when Harry banished at him, and the two fell to the floor.
"Kreacher, Dobby, get the blinds and make sure no one outside can see what is happening. I have some business to attend to. . ." he used the piercing curse on Vernon when he tried to get up. A golf ball-sized hole was in his left leg, and he fell to the floor screaming. His face was purple, and his mustache twitched. It didn't take long, but Vernon soon found himself bound in rope, the same with Petunia. "The four of us are going to have a chat," he levitated them onto the couch.
"You won't get away with, Potter. You know you're not allowed to use magic outside of school. They'll expel you for sure," a puce face Vernon stared at Harry in defiance.
"That is where you are wrong, Vernon, as the wards surrounding this house have been altered so no one at the Ministry will know that magic is being used." A smirk appeared on Harry's face when he saw Vernon's mustache twitch again when he said the word magic. His expression then darkened, "now, you three are going to listen. Since the day I was brought here, you all have abused me physically, mentally, and emotionally, starved me, badmouthed my parents, treated me like a slave, frequently beaten me, have received monthly stipulations for my upkeep, and not spent one knut on me except yourselves and this fat fuck you call a son and have made my life nothing but a living hell. That ends now!"
"You freak, we gave you more than what you deserved. We deserve that money for having to put up with—" Vernon didn't get to finish his rant as he was being electrocuted by Harry.
"I did not say you could talk," the cold steel in Harry's voice sent shivers down Dursleys spines. "Consider yourself fortunate. That I still need you, as you have something I want, and your gonna give it to me, or the consequences will be dire."
"What are you talking about, freak?! We won't give you anything!" Dudley screamed.
"That's right, Potter. You won't get anything out of us," Vernon added.
"You think so," he glared at them like a predator. "What say we test that hypothesis," creating lightning in his hands, he fired them at Vernon and Dudley, and the two screamed in agony.
This continued for the next ten minutes, with Harry sending high volts of lightning at them. The two fell onto the floor when he stopped, twitching in pain and gasping for air. "Perhaps I should try. . . Again." Giving them a dark look with his emerald eyes burning.
Petunia intervened when she saw sparks of lightning being built up in his hand. "Wait. Wait! What do you want?"
The lightning vanished from his hand. "I'm so glad you asked, Petunia. But before I answer you, let me ask this one question. Tell me, if our roles were reversed do you think my mum would have treated your son the same way you and your husband did to me? Would she?"
"No," Petunia said in a small voice, with tears falling down the side of her face. "Had me and Vernon died, Lily would have welcomed him with open arms and treated him like a son."
"Yet, you and your husband abused me," narrowing his eyes at her. "And all for what? Because you were angry and jealous of the fact that she could do something you couldn't. You could have accepted her— and me. But no. You pushed your anger and jealousy onto her infant son." She whimpered at the coldness of his voice. "But as much as I hate you and your family, I believe I have a solution that would help ensure that we never see each other again."
Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out his trunk, waved his wand over it to restore it to normal size, opened it, and retrieved his Hogsmeade slip and the documents he got from Filius. "You sign these papers. I walk away, and you never see me again."
"B-But yo-your. . .Headmaster said if you live here, then we be protected from those in your world." She claimed.
Harry gave her an incredulous look. "You'd believe him? Understand this, Petunia. I don't care what happens to you and your family. Had you and your husband treated me like a real human being, then I might have considered your safeties. But you two did the opposite and made my life here a living hell."
"Furthermore, I've stopped the monthly income the two of you have received for my upkeep and have taken it back with interest from your accounts." Turning to a scared Dudley, who raised his head. "There will be no more extravagant or extra presents for you, Dudley. You are a fat obnoxious bully that has been spared the rod for too long."
He returned his gaze to Petunia as Dudley started sobbing. "Sign these papers, and we will never have to see each other again, and no one from the magical world will harm you or your family for the next three weeks. After that, you're on your own. Do we have a deal?"
". . .Yes. I will sign the paperwork," she bowed her head in defeat.
"No tricks Petunia," he warned and retrieved a pen from the kitchen and placed it on her along with his Hogsmeade slip first. Kreacher snapped his fingers to remove the rope around her. The minute she was free, she grabbed the pen and signed the slip. Quickly checking her signature, he gave it to Hedwig and Dobby and had them proceed to phase 2. As soon as they apparated out of the house, he gave her the documents saying that she relinquished all custody she and her husband have on him.
A few minutes later, Dobby returned, and she had signed in all the designated areas. Harry checked them over as well before handing them to Dobby. "See, that wasn't so hard now, was it," it was a rhetorical question. Then, with a wide wave of his wand, Petunia fell asleep on the couch with her husband and son. Shrinking his trunk and returning it to his pocket, "all right, time to get out of here. Kreacher, erase their memories of what has happened within the last hour and any residual traces of my magic in the house, and have those two worthless sods healed." Inclining his head to Vernon and Dudley
"Right away, sir," Kreacher had taken a liking to Harry. Despite being a half-blood, he possessed the traits of a Black that would have made Lord Black proud.
"All right, Dobby, let's go to Gringotts." The elf grabbed his hand and apparated him to Griphook's office at Gringotts.
(0^0)
Miles away, at the wizarding bank of Gringotts, Filius was in Griphook's office with Ragnok and two others. The wizard to the right of Filius was a man who appeared to be in his early seventies and had more grey hairs than he did black. Nathanial Freeman. As a man who had been a part of the Mage order for over half a century, he had seen many things. Things that would shock most—even frighten them to the point where it would be too difficult for them to sleep at night. He remembered that when he was younger and still a cadet, Charlus had taken him under his wing and trained him to be the man he was today. Charlus Potter was an amazing man. Honorable. His mentor. His friend. He would never forget the day he heard that Charlus had been killed by Voldemort, as he swore vengeance against the murdering bastard. Then to add insult to injury, the psychotic fuck killed James and Lily, leaving their son an orphan. Unlike most of the wizarding world, he found it hard to believe that a fifteen-month-old baby could defeat the darkest wizard in history. Something was amiss, and Dumbledore knew something no one else didn't.
Oh, how he hated the old warlock as he had caused a significant amount of deaths and destructions during both the Great War with Grindelwald and the First War with Voldemort. The man preached about second chances and was strongly against using lethal force, but causes just as much pain and suffering as the ones he tried to fight. There was no such thing as a soft war. Just thinking about Dumbledore made his blood boil. The goat always believed he was right to the point of arrogance and acted all high and mighty. Pushing his negative thoughts away, Nathanial looked at Filius.
"The boy has five minutes left. Are you sure you gave him the right time?" The day Filius sent him a letter requesting that he come and train Charlus' grandson in the Dimension Zone was a surprise to him that he had to read the letter again twice.
"Relax, Nathanial. Harry will be here soon, that I guarantee. He has talent and is most eager to prove himself." Filius waved off his question. The next second, the boy in question appeared in the office with his elf Dobby. "Speak of the devil. Look who's here." A chuckle escaped his lips. "Nathanial Freeman, Anastasia Morgan, I like the two of you to meet my apprentice Harry Potter."
Harry looked at the two new adults and greeted them. "Good afternoon Mr. Freeman, Ms. Morgan. My name is Harry Potter. It's a pleasure to meet the two of you," offering a respectful bow to them.
The woman known as Anastasia was momentarily surprised by the boy as he looked like his father, though with his mother's eyes and grandmother's high cheekbones. She might be sixty-seven years old, but she could already tell there was something unique about the young man in front of her. Quickly finding her voice, "it's nice to meet you as well, Mr. Potter. I have to say you're different than from what I was expecting. You may have inherited your father's looks but are undoubtedly Dorea's grandson."
"You knew my grandmother?"
Anastasia nodded at his question. "She was a good friend to me, and we got along famously.
Nathanial then stepped forward. "Do you have everything you need?" His voice carried no nonsense.
"I do, sir."
"Sir, I like that right there. Brownie point for you." Clearing his throat. "Filius has informed us what you intend to do for the next month. Be warned now, Potter, if you slack off even once, then the training sessions will end. You will adhere to our rules and follow the training regime to the letter. I am giving up my time to train you, so you better not disappoint me."
Harry walked forward till he got in the man's face; though the older man was taller, he narrowed his eyes and looked him dead in the eyes. "Bring it on, and don't even think about holding back on me."
Nathanial smiled when he saw the fire in the boy's eyes. It was the same look of determination that once resided in Charlus' eyes when he fought in the first two wars. Charlus had laid waste to several hundreds of dark witches and wizards along with Arcturus; it garnered them a fierce reputation. He will never forget them as they were quite the duo who either killed their opponents without batting an eye or in indescribable agony until they begged for death. Grindelwald had definitely felt their powers before, either when they fought together or fought one on one. They left quite an impression and made sure he knew what he was up against. The last time Charlus dueled Grindelwald ended in a stalemate, with both adversaries receiving several injuries looking like hell. It was like a blood battle.
"You got balls, child. We will soon see if you have what it takes," stepping back to stand next to Ana.
Harry then handed the documents to Griphook and knelt down so he was at eye level with Dobby. "Thank you for your help today, Dobby. This meant more to me than what you could dream."
"Dobby was glad to have been able to help young Harry Potter," he squeaked and happily bounced up and down.
Then reaching up with his hand, he rubbed the elf's head. "Take good care of Hedwig for me."
"Dobby will take very good care of Ms. Hedwig," he then apparated away.
Rising back up, the young Potter heir looked at Griphook, "all of the documents have been signed." He confirmed, then handed them to Filius.
"I'll get these to the Ministry's Child Welfare Department and have them silently processed. Congratulations on your freedom."
Griphook then led them out of the room and to the elevator, then rode it down to where the minecart was. From their Griphook, Anastasia, Nathanial, and Harry hopped inside, took their seats, and rode off, leaving Filius and Ragnok behind. The duo returned to the elevator and rode it to the main lobby so Filius could head to the Ministry and get the papers processed. The ride lasted for thirty minutes, and when the four went through the thief's downfall and passed over multiple wards and enchantments, they eventually arrived at their destination. Harry was the first to exit the cart; taking a brief look up, he could see that they were indeed in the lowest part of Gringotts. Ragnok told him once before that the location of the Dimension Zone was in the lowest part of the bank, and only a few people had ever been down here. Getting permission to travel this far took a great amount of permission and was only granted to a select few witches and wizards.
"Here we are," Griphook led them to the entrance, pressed the correct runic symbols, and pushed some of his magic into the vault door. Then with a fair amount of rumbling, the vault door opened, and a blinding white light appeared. "Everything has been prepared."
The humans walked inside after a few steps and were greeted with a spacious living room. "Please follow me, and I will show you around the house and the training ground." Griphook led them through the two-story house showing the kitchen, bedrooms, bathroom, underground study room, weight room, infirmary, and finally, the training ground. The atmosphere became a little heavier the minute they exited the house, and Harry momentarily fell to his knees at how thin the air was. A minute later, after controlling his breathing, he stood back up to see that the training ground was an endless void. Griphook turned to Nathanial and Anastasia. "I trust the two of you can handle things from here."
". . .Leave it to us," Nathanial nodded. When the goblin decided to take his leave, Harry returned to the living room with the adults. "All right, listen up. As you have already seen, we are in a different dimension where time flows much faster. What you saw out there was a demonstration as the temperatures, environment, and gravity will change based on Filius, Anastasia, and I's decision. We will put you through a strict training regime to build you up. Assuming you survive the training course, you will be mentally, physically, and magically stronger."
"You will be up at six-thirty a.m.; to begin your morning training with Filius. Breakfast will follow afterward. Then you will have academic lessons with either Filius or Ana to get you up to scrap. Just so we're clear, you won't be learning that useless crap at Hogwarts, not on my watch. Dumbledore and those fools at the Ministry made a mistake when they lowered the curriculum. Next will be your physical training; weight lifting to build up your muscles, running to build your stamina, and muggle martial arts. . ." Nathanial listed Harry's schedule and what they would be doing in the Zone for the next 18 months.
"Any questions?"
"Just one," Harry replied with determination in his eyes. "When do we start?"
Liking the fire in his eyes, the older man smirked. "Be out on the training ground in ten minutes. Your about to get the workout of your life."
Then with a nod, Harry went to his room, swapped his clothes for a green under armour shirt and a pair of black shorts, and was out of the house. Already on the training ground, Nathanial had his arms folded across his chest with his wand out. The two took their different stances though the older man was a bit surprised to see the familiar stance of Charlus Potter with a slight alteration to it that would make it look similar to Antonin Dolohov's. A blend of both combatants. "Now, let's see what Filius has taught you." He started things off by sending a fire comet, followed by an exploding, a wide cutting, and an unknown powerful blast of high-pressured water.
Harry dodged the first two spells by rolling away, blocked the cutting curse with a shield, and quickly used the freezing charm on the water, turning it into shards of ice. Then with a few waves of his wand turned them into sharp spears and sent them at his opponent. He followed this up by conjuring some arrows and some fiery animals.
Nathanial dodged, blocked, and counterattacked with his own spells.
(0^0)
A few hours (Zone Standard time) later, Filius arrived to see how things were going after concluding his business with the Department of Child Welfare. Surprisingly his meeting went better than expected, and after speaking with his contacts, they said they would have the documents finalized discreetly and within two days. After noticing that no one was in the house, he went to the training ground and was surprised to see Anastasia sitting on a chair, watching as Nathanial and Harry dueled. Well, that would be a bit of an exaggeration as the latter was on the defensive attacking less and less, sporting various injuries, while the former kept the pressure up by sending a volley of different spells.
"How long has this been going on?" Walking till he stood beside his friend.
Ana curled her lips into a small smile after checking her watch, "three hours and thirteen minutes. I have to give you credit, Filius, as you've trained the boy quite well. His repertoire of spells is something to behold, as I can only assume they come from the school's restricted section, with a handful of them coming from his family's library. Family magic, especially the Blacks and Potters, will make him a powerful foe in the future. The Potters are well-known for their prowess in magical combat; that's why they were revered and feared during the wars with Grindelwald and Voldemort."
"Personally, I am surprised he's able to last this long, though that really shouldn't surprise me. In addition, his potential is pretty frightening." Just as she finished speaking, Nathanial decided to end the duel by hitting the boy with a stunning spell to the chest. Harry then fell off his feet and lay on the ground.
". . .Trust me, Ana. This is only the start," Filius watched as Nathanial levitated an unconscious Harry into the air and dragged the boy to the house. "What do you think?"
"He passed my test," a sweating Nathanial answered while levitating the boy inside and onto the couch so Anastasia could treat his injuries. "Several deep cuts, multiple broken bones, some of his organs have probably been injured, and he might have a concussion. Despite all that, the boy kept fighting," a light smirk appeared on his face. "These incoming months are going to be interesting," heading into the kitchen to get a glass of water.
Ana revived Harry with a wave of her wand to hear him groan in pain. She helped him to his feet though it was clear that he was struggling to lift his body off the couch. "Easy child. You've sustained some serious injuries."
"I'll be fine," attempting to stand up on his own. "Whatever doesn't kill me makes me stronger."
She briefly caught him as he stumbled to the stairs. "It seems like you have Potter family stubbornness. You're just as stubborn as your grandfather," releasing a long sigh. "Come on, young man. Time to get you healed. Once that is done, I'll need to see what your current school level is so I can get an idea of what you need help with the most. . .before we move to the advanced studies."
There was a long pause as they walked to the infirmary, "u-um would you mind if I asked you something to that effect?"
"Go ahead."
"You knew my grandmother and mother when they were alive, right?" She gave him a curt nod, thinking she knew where this conversation was heading, but decided to let him continue. "Do you know how many O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s they received and what subjects they tested in?"
"That I do," Ana smiled. "Dorea earned fourteen O.W.L.s; tested in: Transfiguration, Charms, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Potions, Herbology, Astronomy, Care of Magical Creatures, Alchemy, Ancient Runes, Arithmancy, History of magic, Healing, Business, and Enchanting. As for her N.E.W.T.s, she received twelve. The only subjects she didn't test in were History of Magic and Astronomy. Your mum, however, received O.W.L.s in Transfiguration, Potion, History of Magic. . ."
"Ancient Runes, Arithmancy, Herbology, Care of Magical Creatures, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Astronomy, Charms, Alchemy, Rituals, and Enchanting. Thirteen O.W.L.s." Filius came into the room. The diminutive man had a proud smile on his face. "She received eleven N.E.W.T.s in all the subjects she tested in except for History of Magic and Astronomy." The happy smile on his face became one of sadness. "They were some of the best witches ever born into the magical world."
He moved to stand before the young man while Ana tended to him. "I had a feeling you'd be interested to know what your parents and grandparents' O.W.L and N.E.W.T results would be, so I managed to get these for you," he pulled out two folders from his robes and handed them over. "Look at these later."
Harry thanked him and put the folders on the side. "My grandmother and mum self-studied," it wasn't a question but a deduction. "A handful of the useful subjects were removed from the Hogwarts curriculum. . .and according to Mr. Freeman, the curriculum has dropped thanks to Dumbledore and the people in the Ministry. Because of them, the professors only teach the bare minimum or what they feel is relevant for the students to survive."
Ana giggled and looked at Filius. "I can see why it is you like this one so much. No doubt he inherited his mother's intellect."
Filius clicked his tongue before taking his leave. He left the two alone in the infirmary while heading to the study room to prepare the academic portion for the day.
(0^0)
During the next couple of hours, after Harry was healed, he found himself mentally and magically drained as he sat at one of the desks in the underground study room while the adults graded his work. At the minute, he was just glad to be done for the day, as he was sure he did his best while answering the questions and performing the spells they assigned. He could not show how knowledgeable he was in the past because he lived with his muggle relatives and the blocks that were on him. But that was then, and this is now. There would be nothing to hold him back; for he would prove and make a name for himself. All those who had liked to walk over him in the past will no longer be able to. For the memory of his parents. Grandparents. And the ancestors that came before him, he will rise.
Harry looked up to see that Filius and Anastasia had finished their discussion. The latter then said, "overall, you are an outstanding student. Your practical work is exceptional. However, you will need to work more on your theory." She folded her arms. "Filius has informed me about your marks from your first year. I will admit to being disappointed as you were only slightly above average. . .but after becoming aware that you had blocks on you and seeing your end-of-the-year results followed by the work you handed in. I now know what level you are at and what areas you need to improve in."
"Your formal lessons will begin tomorrow, so get some rest while you can."
"Yes, ma'am," rising from his seat, he left the room.
"What do you think?" Filius asked when Harry closed the door behind him. "Do you think he has the potential?"
". . .Only time will tell," she coolly replied. "When I look at him, I see a miniature version of Charlus and a little bit of Arcturus." She shuddered involuntarily at the memory of Lord Black. That man was ruthless, not to mention deadly if you got on the wrong side of him. Ana remembered how he would lay waste to numerous dark wizards and witches when he was still alive. He was also one of the few people in the Wizengamot who wasn't afraid to speak his mind and tell people what he thought of them. "However, let's see how these eighteen months go."
(0^0)
Over the next eight months, Harry would be put through a very rigorous schedule where he would get up and do exercises with Filius, which would consist of obstacle courses he had to complete in whatever time the man said. The obstacle course resembled that of what the muggle marines would run for training. He would then eat the food he brought with him out of Black manor, and even though it tasted worse than all of the potions he's taken together, times four, there was no denying its effects. By now, he was 13 years old, stood at 5'7, and gained some muscles on his arms, broad shoulders, and a visible six-pack. Guess all the training he's been through had done him some good as he was now smarter and stronger than when he entered. He could also thank the maturation ritual he performed. Some of the ingredients were easier to come by than others, as the Blacks and Potters had owned several companies around the world. Before leaving Hogwarts, he tasked his house elves with retrieving the ingredients he needed from the companies, but there were three crucial ingredients that the companies didn't have. Undiluted blood of a male horned serpent, a feather from a thunderbird coated in its tears, and a few strands of hair from a full veela. He wrote to Mr. Borgin to get these ingredients, who had to contact some of his business partners from the continent and in MACUSA. In total, he spent 23,411 galleons on the ingredients, but it was well worth it.
Initially, the adults were reluctant to help him as any number of things could have gone wrong, not to mention rituals were dangerous and more so if they were done incorrectly. But after Harry told them about the ritual, he wished to perform, along with the reason why they reluctantly agreed. By performing the maturation ritual, he could remove the issue of going through puberty and not have to worry about his emotions getting in the way of his rational mind. When the ritual was done, he spoke only to see that his voice had deepened, and his face became more defined; Filius commented on how much he looked like his grandfather when he was seventeen. Another thing to be thankful for was that his understanding of magic had become more refined as he practiced the spells he got from the books at Borgin and Burkes, along with the spells in his family grimoire on his day of rest and free time.
Anastasia and Filius were strict with him regarding the academic portion of his training, and despite its heaviness, he eventually got the hang of it and was doing better. The former was a real taskmaster when it came to academics and didn't let him cut corners nor tolerate any slack. If anything, her teaching method was similar to Professor McGonagall and Severus', albeit a shade more strict than theirs combined. She was still somewhat fair and allowed him to rest when needed. Filius had also decided to help him with his occlumency to strengthen his mental shields and began teaching him how to separate the power of a spell from his own magic, gymnastics and taught how to speak different languages. While grueling, it was indeed beneficial as there will come a time when he might have to interact with people from different countries.
The most difficult part of his training would come in the form of his physical and dueling lessons, with all three of them put together. Nathanial was the hardest on him out of all the others, as he had Harry training in different locations, weather conditions, and different types of gravity. At first, Harry believed the man was trying to kill him, but after two weeks, he realized that the training he'd been going through was similar to what he did with the new recruits at the Mage Order. The man taught him different battle strategies, spells meant to break opponents, stealth, and how to defend himself if he didn't have his wand. Aikido, Wing Chun, and Krav Maga. As a result, Harry developed two different styles. The first was his aggressive form, in which he had a blend of both offensive and defensive capabilities. It also provided him with the ability to counterattack with great speed. His transitioning skills between both were fluid and swift. Moreover, he added his agility to the mix. This way, he could outmaneuver and overwhelm his opponents. However, there was a major flaw: he would need time to recover after dealing with so many highly dangerous opponents, and in time, people could launch a surprise attack on him.
His next style was more about defense and compensating for his primary form's weakness. To get a handle on his new style, he would need to be patient, observe his opponent's attack patterns, and probe for weaknesses in their techniques. This new style will enable you to outlast your opponents. By committing his focus entirely on defense, his mental resources to examining the enemy's moves. This will be effective to use as the enemy could grow tired and become frustrated to the point of making careless mistakes. But a weakness remained as he would only be attacking when necessary. He could develop a hybrid between the two styles. However, that was easier said than done. These two styles came from watching the memories of his grandfather and great-uncle. Their styles were truly exceptional, and he could see how they were able to best some of the most powerful duelists on the planet.
Sitting on the couch, he was reading through the Potter family grimoire when the adults entered the room. Closing the book when it was clear they wanted to talk with him. Nathanial folded his arms across his chest, and Harry thought he saw a ghost smile on the man's face.
"Well, Mr. Potter, I have to say that you have managed to. . .not disappoint me," he coolly said. "I will be honest with you, as there was a small part of me that said this would be a waste of time. But after eight months of being here. You've proven me wrong and have met my expectations." When the young man breathed a sigh of relief, he continued, "do not take this as an excuse to take it easy or believe that you are ready. This is only the start of what we intend to teach you. Your real training will begin soon enough. Very soon."
Visibly gulping and taking a deep breath. "What's next?" A part of him felt like he was going to regret asking that question. But the fact remained that Voldemort had over fifty years of magical experience and knowledge, and Dumbledore had even longer. Defeating them will be anything but easy. The two of them were magical juggernauts and not to be underestimated.
Ana replied, "you'll need to learn art of subtlety and how to deconstruct your enemies. I have seen that you possess a good amount of cunning. However, we must hone it. That will come with observing and analyzing the situations and people before striking at the opportune moment."
". . .if anyone knows how to destroy their enemies through subtlety and deconstruction, then it will be Arcturus," Filius added, and a grunt from Nathanial was heard. "I've seen how he would ruin his opponents in the Wizengamot and battlefield and was always amazed and frightened with his skills. I wouldn't want to meet either him or your grandfather in a dark alley."
"Um, how old do goblins get?" Harry asked, causing the adults, more notably Filius, to freeze. "The way you talk about my grandparents and late uncle indicates that you've known them since before they entered Hogwarts."
"That I did," Filius confirmed. "To your question: Goblins live up to a hundred and fifty years." He then pointed to himself. "Me? I am ninety-four years old."
"What?!" Harry exclaimed as his eyes became comically large.
"You heard right. Yet, in spite of that, I still feel like I am in my early sixties."
Nathaniel then cleared his throat, wanting to get back on track. "Also, you will need to learn how to manipulate your magic at will, keep it from leaking out whenever you are in combat, and not reveal your intentions."
"In other words, this will make me more efficient and be less predictable to my opponents who might like to study me in the hopes of finding a weakness." The older man inclined his head, telling him to continue. "Another thing is that while in combat, I'll be able to release a devastating amount of power, still conserve my stamina, and keep those I'm up against in the dark about the amount of power I have, am releasing and prevent them from reading my movements." Harry summarized.
"Hmph, couldn't have said it better. Looks like there's hope for you yet." A visible smirk appeared on his face. "Tomorrow is Sunday, so you better savor your time off. Because come Monday, you will be wishing you never agreed to this."
Mustering his courage and steeling his resolve, he stood up. "I am not afraid," there was no trace of fear in either his eyes or voice. He nodded to them and went to retire for the night.
Filius narrowed his eyes at his friend, "remember Nathanial, we are here to train Harry, not kill him."
"I know what I'm doing," shrugging off the reprimand. "The child is unique and possesses a strong connection to his magical core. When I spoke to the Council a few days ago, they were intrigued to learn that the boy is progressing well. But he still has much to learn, and there's a lot of untapped power within him. Given the right incentive, he could potentially rival Charlus, Arcturus, Grindelwald, Voldemort, and Dumbledore at their peaks. Probably even surpass them."
Ana hardened her gaze at him, for she did not miss the look of anger in his eyes when he mentioned the two latter's. "There's more, isn't there?"
Mentally cursing her observation skills, he let out an exasperated breath and replied. "The old bastard has crossed our Order and is searching for his weapon. He's hired some people to dig up any leads on the boy's location. After our first month of being here, I left for a day to contact Dobby and Kreacher and have them retrieve any of the tracking instruments in Dumbledore's office while he was attending a meeting in Brazil. They have already been destroyed," raising a hand at her. "Furthermore, I think he realized how weak the blood wards around the boy's aunt and uncle's house have become and that they are no longer his guardians. I still can't believe he put a child under such things as they usually yield dangerous consequences."
"As for Voldemort. . .," he had to take a breath when he thought of that murdering psychopath. "I reported to the Council what was said regarding the Horcruxes he made. To think that someone would willingly go so far as to create seven of those abominations is unthinkable. Where ever he is. . . I know he must be plotting something big. Should he get what he wants, what happened during the last war will look tame compared to the one coming that'll come."
"On that, we are agreed. However, we cannot ruin the lives of others—Harry's just to defeat him. He has suffered enough," Filius voiced.
(0^0)
Dumbledore was not a happy man. For the better part of two weeks, he had been unable to locate Harry. When Molly reported that she hadn't seen him exit the train, he became worried and immediately apparated to Arabella's residence, where he demanded to know if she had seen him or any suspicious activity around his aunt and uncle's house. To his shock, she revealed that Vernon and Petunia had been arrested on a handful of charges: tax fraud, child abuse and neglect, embezzlement (Vernon had been stealing money from his job at Grunnings Drills), harassing his secretary, and abusing his position by bullying his employees. Adding insult to injury, he punched the muggle officer and tried to escape but didn't get far as he was too fat. The evidence was overwhelming, and the judge sentenced Petunia to thirty years in prison. Vernon got life and was to be put on a diet. Their son Dudley had been sent to live with his aunt Marge.
Greatly angered by the news, he apparated to the Ministry of Magic and went to the Child's Welfare Department to see if Vernon's sister had obtained custody over the boy. They denied that she had custody over him as Petunia had signed the paperwork releasing their guardianship over Harry. When asked who his guardian was? They refused to answer him. Even when he tried to use his position as both Chief Warlock and Supreme Mugwump, they refused to say anything as it was deemed confidential information.
Dumbledore was not a fool as he knew that Vernon and Petunia would abuse and mistreat the boy, which he had wanted. For Harry to be so mistreated that when it came time for him to come to Hogwarts, it would appear to be a safe haven, and he could appear like a caring grandfather. If it were brought to light on what he did to the and his family, then there would be serious consequences from the Ancient Houses. That will not bode well for his plans for him and Tom. Sure, he knew that Tom was alive, thanks to his Horcruxes. A theory that had been proven right, as evidenced when Tom used young Ginevra Weasley to open the Chamber of Secrets and unleashed a basilisk on the students. The only thing was. How many Horcruxes did Tom create? So far, he only knew of two: the one in Harry's scar and Tom's diary that had been destroyed.
Speaking of Harry, he was glad he was still the boy's magical guardian, meaning he still had control over the boy. Perhaps he could convince Molly to create a marriage contract between Ginevra and Harry. That would forever place him under his influence as the Weasley family was loyal only to him. It was an excellent plan as the Weasleys would gain access to the Potter family fortune, he would obtain all of their books and artifacts, and when Harry dies in his final confrontation with Tom, he would have already married Ginny. She would be pregnant with his child, and the power of the House of Potter would be his to do with as he pleased.
Resolving himself, he grabbed a quill and some parchment and began writing to Molly and Snaggletooth at Gringotts. Unbeknownst to him, Phineas Black had been glaring furiously at him from his portrait. His glare was so fierce that it would have burned into the back of Albus's head. He would need to go to his portrait in Grimmauld and speak with Arcturus. They might be dead, but by Merlin's magic, they would do anything to ensure the House of Black had a future. Fortunately, he wasn't alone, as Fawkes sent a disapproving glare to Dumbledore.
A/N: As I said in the Author notes in Chapter 2, I put the Hyperbolic Time Chamber in this story but decided to put my own spin on it. Instead of the Zone's gravity being ten times the gravity of Earth's, I decided to increase it. Along with that, I added different environments and made the place they were staying at bigger. This will teach Harry how to survive and become stronger. Harry will not be OP or a god in this story. No, he will have to work for his power and to get what he wants.
The maturation ritual he performed made it so that he wouldn't have to suffer through puberty. Two rituals have been completed; five more to go. What will they be?
As for his fighting styles, you all can pretty much guess what they'll be from.
Next Chapter: New spells and meeting the family