Chapter 30

On 29th August Rigel and Draco returned to their home while Harry and Thomas returned to Potter Castle where their whole family and then surprisingly Harry also met Daphne and her they got to know that Peter Pettigrew had escaped Azkaban. Harry spent the rest of the day with his family and he went to bed early. He was very tired. In next 2 days he was about to leave to Hogwarts

Next morning he was met by his Father and Grandfather arguing over a matter it was then he joined them

"No Dad I think we should not allow them to go to Hogsmeade" James said

"No we should allow them" Charlus said

"Remember Dad what Petigrew did he had killed 13 muggles and escaped, Sirius was about to be tossed to Azkaban he was saved by uncle Arcturus" James said it was true and very painful on the fateful Halloween night when James, Lily and sirius arrived at godric's Hollow they saw the cottage in ruin when they entered the cottage they saw (assumed) dead body of Dorea potter after seeing which Sirius went mad after sending James and his family to Potter Mansion he set off to find Pettigrew the traitorous Rat when he encountered him he tried to blame sirius and escape as he fired a spell and 13 muggles were instantly killed and he escaped and Sirius was hit with Laughing jinx soon Aurrors arrived to the scene they were already looking for Sirius Black to arrest him on the Charge of betraying Potters which led to the death of Dorea Potter and they were ordered by Albus Dumbledore and Barty Crouch Sr to send him directly to azkaban. Aurrors arrested Sirius and charged him with Murder of 13 muggles and Peter pettigrew it was then that Arcturus Black interfiered and James cleared that Peter was their Secret keeper after which sirius was cleared and Pettigrew was found within a week in a Muggle restaurant trying to steal some food.

"Grandfather I am capable enough to defend myself" Harry said

"Yes Harry I know are capable to defend yourself but you know James is scared to let you both go to Hogsmeade" Charlus said

"Common grandfather we have trained from a month at least we can defend ourselves and I will kill the rat if he confronts me" Thomas said

"Yes James we should send them to Hogsmeade they have trained for a month they can easily defend themselves I am sending them" Lily said firmly at which Dorea too nodded

"Ok then but Harry be careful from the rat and coot" James said smiling

Harry smiled and nodded at him

"and take this and I am sorry just couldn't wait to open your letter as there was something like badgy inside it and to my surprise I found that you are made quidditch captain this year Congratulations man I was made captain in my 5th year you are really good at it" James said handing harry the letter with badge in it

"Wow Harry, congratulations, what do you think? Will I be made the captain next year after the wood is gone?" Thomas said, giving Harry a handshake and everyone congratulated Harry. Soon Harry had to leave to Hogwarts when he reached the Kings Cross station he could see it was being guarded by several Potters army men he knew his grandfather was very scared inside but was very prideful to show it he deeply cared about safety of the family, he boarded the train

Harry and his friends walked through the train trying to find a compartment that was free. They passed Remus on their quest for one, sleeping soundly and had briefly considered going in there but they realized their excessive yelling and card-playing would keep him up for the whole journey. Eventually, they'd found one right at the back of the train and had locked it with simple locking charms, ones that were allowed on the train and anyone with a bit of intent could get past.

They pulled out their textbooks and games and got comfortable for what was sure to be a long train ride. Tracey congratulated Harry and daphne on their betrothal

Rest of the journey was

"Hey Tracey," said Harry. "I've got good news for you."

"What is it?" asked Tracey looking up from her textbook.

"I just got made Quidditch captain," he said smugly pulling out a letter along with a dark green badge with a silver QC emblazoned on the front. Harry pinned it to his robes happily, realizing he had just received exclusive permissions that none of his friends had.

"How the hell?" asked Tracey, and every one of Harry's friends agreed with her. "Flint's still in the school."

"Yeah, but the letter says something about how he wanted to focus on his NEWTS instead of Quidditch this year, and I'm not complaining. Derreck and Bile are too thick to become captain, Blethcley's graduated from Hogwarts and Pucey got kicked off the squad for bullying some muggleborns. That leaves me, Rigel and Draco, and I've been on the team longer. Sorry about that," he said to Rigel and Draco who just laughed it off.

"I can be vice-captain, right?" Rigel asked and Harry nodded.

"You are going to let the girls try-out this year, aren't you?" asked Tracey.

"Yes, of course. I'm not a sexist git like Flint," Harry assured her. Flint had a policy that no girls were allowed on the squad, dating back to several hundred years ago when it was implemented by even more sexist Slytherins. "And I'll be damn surprised if you don't get into the squad."

"Thank you!" squealed Tracey wrapping him a quick hug.

"Anytime Tracey," nodded Harry, putting the letter back into his pocket.

"Welcome!" said Dumbledore, the candlelight shimmering on his beard. "Welcome to another year at Hogwarts! I have a few things to say to you all, I think it best to get them out of the way before you become befuddled by our excellent feast..." Dumbledore cleared his throat and continued.

"I am pleased to welcome two new teachers to our ranks this year. First, Professor Lupin, who has kindly consented to fill the post of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher," he said, gesturing to Lupin who stood up and took a bow.

There was loud applause from everyone, since Lupin was the first Defense Professor they'd seen that actually looked competent. He was well-dressed in brand new robes and the scars on his face gave him a rugged look, and the student body already saw him as much more competent than both Quirrel and Lockhart. The Slytherin table was perhaps the loudest, led by Harry and his friends with Gryffindor close behind led by Thomas.

"Snape's pissed," Rigel whispered in Harry's ear subtly looking towards the potions master.

"Gee, I wonder why?" asked Harry drily. "Maybe because the job he's been wanting for 10 years just got taken by someone he hates?"

"Surely that can't be the case," said Daphne. "But in all seriousness, how long do you think they're gonna go until there's a duel in the hallways?"

"Until Snape gets pissed enough. Remus isn't going to fight him, but if Snape attacks first I'm going to love seeing Remus whoop his ass. It will be glorious," sighed Harry, Riggle nodded at him and each of his friends looked at them weirdly.

"Hey, we are fine with Snape but we are taking our uncle over him any day." Rigel said

"As to our second new appointment," Dumbledore continued as the great applause for Professor Lupin died away. "Well, I am sorry to tell you that Professor Kettleburn, our Care of Magical Creatures teacher, retired at the end of last year in order to enjoy more time with his remaining limbs. However, I am delighted to say that his place will be filled by none other than Rubeus Hagrid, who has agreed to take on this teaching job in addition to his gamekeeping duties."

Harry and his friends all looked at each other, their faces set in stone. "And we're screwed," Harry said at last, not joining in with the applause.

"Of all the goddamn teachers there are in this world, Dumbledore had to go with him," Draco complained as he sank down in his seat. All the Slytherins had similar looks upon their faces, too familiar with Hagrid's bias against them.

"Now the book makes sense," muttered Daphne. "Hagrid's the only one thick enough to give us a book that can take our heads off if we're not too careful. How did you guys get it to stop biting you?" she asked.

"Whacked it with a crowbar until it fell asleep and then I skinned the cover off so now it's a normal book," said Harry painfully. "It took me way too long."

"Well, I think that's everything of importance," said Dumbledore, breaking Harry out of the rousing discussion he was having. "Let the feast begin!" The golden plates and goblets before them filled suddenly with food and drink. Harry, suddenly very hungry, began to eat

Later at school, Harry found himself called up to the headmasters office shortly after the sorting feast. He arrived in the office, accompanied by Professor Snape, when he arrived he found the golden trio sitting at the side of the office.

In front of him he saw McGonagall standing to the left of Dumbledore who was looking at him with a grandfatherly smile and an annoyingly bright twinkle in his blue eyes. Harry mentally groaned, he just knew that he'd get a headache at the end of this.

"Ah, Mr Potter, please take a seat" Dumbledore gestured to the chair in front of the desk, Snape moved to stand on Dumbledore's right, Harry slowly sat on the chair. He looked around the office one more time before looking at Dumbledore. "How are you Mr Potter ?"

"I'm fine" Harry answered "yourself?"

"I am also fine" Dumbledore smiled

"Mr Potter, here are the important things I wished to discuss with you."

"Carry on" Harry said clearly irritated

"Peter Pettigrew has escaped from Azkaban"

"I'm aware" Harry replied

"Of course" Dumbledore inclined his head slightly "with that being said, I believe it's best for you and your brother to not go to Hogsmead, it's too dangerous for you to be there and..."

"No" Harry interrupted

"I beg your pardon?" Dumbledore asked slowly

"I said no, you're not my guardian and therefore you have no right to ban me from Hogsmead. I have my signed circular from my Guardian and my brother here has signed circular from my parents you have no rights to ban us" Harry said

"Mr Potter, please see the reason" Dumbledore said "Mr pettigrew is after..."

"if Pettigrew comes behind me I ll show him why people fear Potter " Harry looked at his brother and winked at him before looking back to Dumbledore "even if you do ban me then I can pretty much just sneak out and go to Hogsmead don't forget my Father was the most notorious and sneakiest student Hogwarts had ever seen,(Harry could see McGonagall nodding at this) even if my father may not give me some tricks but you have to remember who my Godfather is, let's not waste time here Dumbledore I think we are done"

"Very well Mr Potter" Dumbledore sighed and looked at Harry with that disappointed grandfather look "we are done"

"Come on Thomas what work do you have here" Harry called his brother who then followed him to the surprise of teachers and his friends.

Harry stood up on one of the tables in the Slytherin Common Room at 9 in the night, the same day after the feast and meeting. The 7th graders had just left the room to go study in their own rooms, and Harry had been waiting for this opportunity. "Can I have everyone's attention?" he yelled with a sonorous charm and everyone looked at the 3rd year standing on one of the round tables at the front of the room. "I, Hadrian Potter, am now the Quidditch Captain! Quidditch trials will be taking place on Sunday at 11 in the morning at the field, so make sure you're there."

"Are the girls going to be allowed to try-out this year?" asked a 6th year girl hopefully Harry didn't know the name of.

"I'm getting to that," he said looking up to the crowd of Slytherins. "Our previous captain, Marcus Flint, in his wisdom," Harry said that last word very sarcastically, "thought it a good idea to not allow girls onto the team, thinking they were inferior. I, on the other hand, am not like him. Girls will be allowed to try-out for the squad." This was met with cheers from all of the female Slytherins and most of the male ones, even if they didn't care about Quidditch at all.

"What!" shouted a 4th year boy from the back of the common room. "That bullshit!" Harry didn't know his name either and he didn't care about that.

"Any reason you think that?" Harry asked, raising an eyebrow whilst the rest of the Slytherins glared at the boy.

"Everybody knows that girls are inferior to us!" he shouted. "They'll never be as good as us males!"

"Know what?" asked Harry calmly. "Let me attach a pair of globes to your chest and let's see if that stops your ability to play Quidditch," he said and everybody laughed at the boy, who was reddened in anger and embarrassment.

"That's it!" he roared. "You and me in the dueling pit! Now! I formally challenge you, Hadrian Potter, to a duel!"

Everyone looked at Harry seeing how he would respond, being a year younger than the one challenging him. "Fine," shrugged Harry, stepping down from the table. "Will you hold my cloak for me?" he asked Daphne and she nodded, handing it to Rigel when he gave her his cloak. "Wish me luck," said Harry smiling.

"You don't need it," said Daphne.

Harry stepped down into the dueling pit that had been revealed by a 6th year; normally it was hidden but in the case of honor duels and to settle arguments, it could be revealed through a simple spell. Everyone gathered around the sides, watching the 2 duelists face each other.

"Scared Potter?" asked the boy. "It's not too late to back out."

"I've seen your spellwork. It's so pathetic I'd be surprised if you even managed one out of that wand," retorted Harry and several people laughed.

"What in Salazar's name is going on here?" A door had been slammed open and Snape had come marching out of his office as soon as he'd been alerted to the fact that the dueling pit had been opened.

One of the 6th years explained the situation to Snape who listened moving whilst Harry and the boy waited patiently. "Very well," sighed Snape. "I will officiate the duel. It will go on until someone is knocked out or gives up. Bow to each other," he said and the duelists bowed, the boy snarling at Harry whilst Harry just had a bored look on his face. "3, 2-"

The boy fired a spell on 2, just as Harry had expected him to. "Stupefy!" he yelled and the red light shot towards Harry who brought up a small shield silently with a flick of his wrist. The watcher's eyes widened- the boy was doing silent spells in his third year. "Stupefy!" he yelled again and this time Harry ducked under the spell instead of blocking it.

"Expelliarmus," Harry murmured but the boy managed to dodge the spell. "Confringo!" he yelled, not letting him recover. The jet of blue light hit near the boy's feet and sent him flying off his feet onto the floor, and he followed up with a "stupefy," that he managed to somehow deflect back towards Harry, who was then forced to dodge his own spell.

The boy stood up shakily and pointed his wand at Harry, saying something under his breath and a sickly yellow light flew out the tip of his wand. Harry brought up the usual shield but the spell managed to go through it and launched him backwards onto the floor. Harry rolled to absorb the impact and got up instantly, his left shoulder aching from where the spell had hit him. "Ready to give up?" asked the boy darkly, wobbling as he stood. The spell had taken a lot out of him and Harry doubted whether he could cast another one.

"You wish," said Harry, firing a silvery light from his wand that the boy easily dodged.

"You missed," he taunted, bringing his own wand up, and that was when a small table crashed into him from behind knocking him to the floor, unconscious.

"Oh, did I?" asked Harry tiredly, stepping out of the pit.

"Mr Potter is the winner," said Snape without any emotion, hiding the fact that he was glad Harry had won. He cast a spell silently on the knocked out boy and we awoke with a gasp, standing up sorely. "Both duelists will come to my office to receive treatment for any injuries they sustained. Now," said Snape and Harry and the boy made their way with Snape to his office, one of them much happier than the other.

"That was quite impressive," said Dumbledore emerging from the pensieve memory Snape had supplied to him. "Mr Potter has turned out to be quite the formidable duelist." While on one hand he was glad that Hadrian still had good in him and was only using light spells, he was quite concerned about how strong he was becoming. This would make it very hard to convince him to sacrifice himself so that his brother could stop Voldemort.

"Silent spells in his third year," muttered Snape. "That's more advanced than any student I've ever taught."

"Yes, yes," concurred Dumbledore. Even he wasn't able to do a silent cast in his third year, and Tom definitely couldn't. This was very worrying. "Leave me Severus. I have some thinking to do," he said gravely sitting down whilst Snape left the room.

Harry walked beside his friends chatting amicably as they went down the sloping lawns to Hagrid's hut on the edge of the Forbidden Forest. It was only when he spotted three only-too-familiar backs ahead of them that he realized they must be having these lessons with the Gryffindors. Thomas was talking animatedly to Ron and Hermione, who were listening enraptured. Hagrid was waiting for his class at the door of his hut. He stood in his moleskin overcoat, with Fang the boarhound at his heels, looking impatient to start.

"C'mon, now, get a move on!" he called as the class approached. "Got a real treat for yeh today! Great lesson coming up! Everyone here? Right, follow me!" For one nasty moment, Harry thought that Hagrid was going to lead them into the forest. However, Hagrid strolled off around the edge of the trees, and five minutes later, they found themselves outside a kind of paddock. There was nothing in there.

"Everyone gather around the fence here!" he called. "That's it — make sure you can see — now, first' thing you'll want to do is open year books —"

"How?" said Draco coldly.

"Eh?" said Hagrid.

"How do we open our books?" Malfoy repeated. He took out his copy of The Monster Book of Monsters, which he had bound shut with a length of rope. Other people took theirs out too; some, had belted their book shut; others had crammed them inside tight bags or clamped them together with binder clips. Harry's was the most unique, being a simple brown book that he managed to open normally.

"Hasn' — hasn' anyone been able to open their books?" said Hagrid, looking crestfallen. The class all shook their heads apart from Harry.

"I managed," he admitted quietly.

"Yeh see. Young 'arry o'er 'were managed," said Hagrid happily. "How d'ya do it lad?"

"I ripped the cover off with a knife," replied Harry cheerfully and Hagrid shrunk back a bit concerned.

"Yeh've got ter stroke 'em," said Hagrid moving on, as though this was the most obvious thing in the world. "Look —" He took Hermione's copy and ripped off the Spellotape that bound it. The book tried to bite, but Hagrid ran a giant forefinger down its spine, and the book shivered, and then fell open and lay quiet in his hand.

"Oh, how silly we've all been!" Draco said. "We should have stroked them! Why didn't we guess!"

"I — I thought they were funny," Hagrid said uncertainly to Hermione.

"Oh, tremendously funny!" said Rigel. "I wonder why we didn't think of that! Maybe because the book was trying to bite our heads off!"

"Shut up, Rigel," said Harry quietly. Hagrid was looking downcast and Harry wanted Hagrid's first lesson to be a success.

"Right' then," said Hagrid, who seemed to have lost his thread, "so — so you've got yer books and'... an'... now yeh need the Magical Creatures. Yeah. So I'll go and' get 'em. Hang on..." He strode away from them into the forest and out of sight.

"And this class is already ruined," complained Daphne.

"Shut up you stupid bint!" shouted Ron angrily.

"What did you just say, Weasley?" asked Harry, backed by all the Slytherins apart from Daphne, the former having to restrain the latter from attacking Ron.

"You heard me right!" shouted Ron but that was as far as he got before he collapsed on the floor holding his crotch. Everyone looked towards Harry who shrugged and put his wand back into its holster.

"Oooooooh!" squealed Lavender Brown, pointing toward the opposite side of the paddock and distracting them from the scuffle. Trotting toward them were a dozen of the most bizarre creatures Harry had ever seen.

They had the bodies, hind legs, and tails of horses, but the front legs, wings, and heads of what seemed to be giant eagles, with cruel, steel-colored beaks and large, brilliantly, orange eyes. The talons on their front legs were half a foot long and deadly looking. Each of the beasts had a thick leather collar around its neck, which was attached to a long chain, and the ends of all of these were held in the vast hands of Hagrid, who came jogging into the paddock behind the creatures. "Gee up, there!" he roared, shaking the chains and urging the creatures toward the fence where the class stood. Everyone drew back slightly as Hagrid reached them and tethered the creatures to the fence.

"Hippogriffs!" Hagrid roared happily, waving a hand at them. "Beautiful, aren' they?" Harry could sort of see what Hagrid meant. Once you got over the first shock of seeing something that was half horse, half bird, you started to appreciate the Hippogriffs' gleaming coats, changing smoothly from feather to hair, each of them a different color: stormy gray, bronze, pinkish roan, gleaming chestnut, and inky black.

"So," said Hagrid, rubbing his hands together and beaming around, "if ye wan' ter come a bit nearer..." No one seemed to want to, not even Thomas, Ron and Hermione thought Harry couldn't blame them.

"Now, first' thing yeh gotta know about' Hippogriffs' is, they're proud," said Hagrid. "Easily offended, Hippogriffs are. Don't never insult one, 'cause it might be the last thing yeh do."

"Yeh always wait for the Hippogriff to make the first move," Hagrid continued. "It's polite, see? Yeh walk toward him, and yeh bow, an' yeh wait. If he bows back, you're allowed to touch him. If he doesn' bow, then get away from him sharpish, 'cause those talons hurt." "Right — who wants to go first?"

Most of the class backed farther away in answer. The Hippogriffs were tossing their fierce heads and flexing their powerful wings; they didn't seem to like being tethered like this. "No one?" said Hagrid, with a pleading look. "Good man, Harry!" roared Hagrid. "Right then — let's see how ya get on with Buckbeak."

Harry looked around him and noticed that everyone apart from him had taken a few steps back making Hagrid think he had volunteered. "Traitors," he muttered before accepting the outcome.

Hagrid untied one of the chains, pulled the gray Hippogriff away from its fellows, and slipped off its leather collar. The class on the other side of the paddock seemed to be holding its breath. Hermione's eyes were narrowed maliciously. "Easy now, Harry," said Hagrid quietly. "Yeh've got eye contact, now try not to blink... Hippogriffs don't' trust ye if ye blink too much..."

Harry's eyes immediately began to water, but he didn't shut them. Buckbeak had turned his great, sharp head and was staring at Harry with one fierce orange eye. "That's it," said Hagrid. "That's it, Harry... Now, bow." Harry didn't feel much like exposing the back of his neck to Buckbeak, but he did as he was told. He gave a short bow and then looked up. The Hippogriff was still staring haughtily at him. It didn't move.

"Ah," said Hagrid, sounding worried. "Right — back away, now, Harry, easy does it —" But then, to Harry's enormous surprise, the Hippogriff suddenly bent its scaly front knees and sank into what was an unmistakable bow. "Well done, Harry!" said Hagrid, ecstatic. "Right — yeh can touch him! Pat his beak, go on!"

Feeling that a better reward would have been to back away, Harry moved slowly toward the Hippogriff and reached out toward it. He patted the beak several times and the Hippogriff closed its eyes lazily, as though enjoying it. The class broke into applause for everyone's surprise even Thomas all except for Ron and Hermione, who were looking deeply disappointed. Suddenly, the hippogriff's eyes widened and it pulled its front leg back and struck Harry on the arm leaving a deep gash that oozed blood.

Harry stumbled back, his arm numb from what was most likely shock. "Shit," he managed to utter before he collapsed on the floor.

"I'm taking him to the hospital wing!" said Hagrid loudly, picking up the unconscious Harry and walking off hurriedly with him. Everyone followed Hagrid, be it Gryffindor or Slytherin with Harry's friends at the front casting charms to stop the blood flow.

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