Harry hummed as he sat in the chamber once again breathing in the smell of the fresh air from the secondary entrance as the dark wind slowled around him. It was such an odd ability but luckily he was in a place he could practice. He felt at peace in here with no one around to bother him. At Least no one wanted to bother him. He blinked as he heard the small patter of bare feet on stone and he slowly turned his head as she walked close and sat beside him.
"Hello again Harry Potter." Her pale silvery eyes gleamed in the light as they sat together.
"Luna." Her name came from his lips softly and with no hesitation or uncomfortability. "How did you find me?"
"I walked." To this Harry only nodded and let out a small chuckle. "Now why hide here alone?"
"It's silent, peaceful…safe. It's where I can practice away from distractions, however, I do not feel ready yet."
"But you shall be."Harry let a snort free from his throat as he looked away from the monument to Slytherin. "Do not laugh, those that laugh in the face of death often dilute themselves to its dangers."
"And what's more dangerous at this moment?" His voice gravely as he growled.
"Dragons."
"Dragons?" Harry turned to Luna puzzled by her comment.
"Dragons." She stood and offered her his hand. He glanced down at the hand in front of his face, he hadn't realized she stood. He reached forward and took it pulling himself up and walked, well followed, her out the way she came. As she walked with him he noticed that it seemed like the moon was brighter because the Dark Forest was not that dark this time around. He couldn't help but be confused by that as they walked until he stopped upon hearing something he had never before.
"It's time to be as quiet as a mouse and look through the gaps." She crouched, pulling him down as well. "Now open your eyes to your danger."
Harry looked at her for a moment before following her hand outward to what it revealed and he felt his body run cold. Fire as high as the trees with claws and teeth bared covered by skin as thick as steel. Dragons.
"I was sorely wishing you were wrong Moon"
"Sadly your role as the Fool is to be surrounded by decisions such as these." Luna whispered as they saw a red haired man standing beside Dumbledore who was looking upon the creatures. "And there is one I can not see. So many contradictions to who he should be, only time will let me see what they are. "
"Thank you for this Luna." Harry looked at her. "Can you make it back to the castle safely?" To which she nodded. "I'll go back the way I came."
"Good luck Harry Potter." She smiled and hesitated before kissing his cheek. And he watched her dirty blonde hair disappear as he turned back to the dragons and his mind wondered what to do.
The next day he walked through the outside halls on his way to class he took notice of the crowds of people with badges on their shirts. He looked at them and saw them switch from "Cedric Rules" to "Potter Stinks". Which in defense of Cederic he understood why the Puffs had gone ahead with them and he knew he wasn't favored by slytherins either but it still itches at him that once again in two years the entire school was once more against him.
So similar to his second year except for the fact that now he had one less friend by his side with Ronald. The darkness of loneliness wasn't as bad as it had been that year. Perhaps it was a sign of growing up or maybe it's something more. Either way the sun felt good on him as he decided to cut through the courtyard when an annoying knat made itself known.
"Why in a rush Potter?! You don't like my work?" The ferret spoke up smirking as he had his group of followers around him. "I mean it only makes sense since you are not the actual champion. We should all show our respect for the Heir of House Diggory. After all, He might be a blood traitor but at least he's pureblood." Draco rolled off his spot to the grass and looked at him as the crowd around them built. "What's wrong Scarhead? Afraid to talk back?" He laughed as the crowd chuckled too. They all missed Harry's hair extending and his eyes graying in the middle before turning around.
"Now see here, Heir Malfoy." He turned on his heel as if militarized and stared straight at the young man. "I don't think that kind of talk is appropriate at school." He then turned around and began walking away.
"Gonna turn your back on me will you! Why I'll-" As Draco went to his holster for his wand he suddenly started coughing as his tongue seemed to swell in his mouth. He coughed at the sudden weight causing his words not to come out.
"Oh Draco….What's wrong? Something got your tongue?" Harry looked back over his shoulder. Before tapping his thigh, Malfoy gasped for air. "Just remember what you always say. You should respect your betters." Harry smirked as he continued on his way heading off as Moody hummed to himself.
Crouch had to admit it was very well handled. Making Draco realize that he in truth could do nothing to him. What made him odd was that he swore he never saw Potter reach for his wand and knew for a fact the boy couldn't know any silent magic yet. So what in the name of the Dark Lord happened? He watched as the boy went to the elder student who was in the competition. It was brief but judging from the face of the Hufflepuff boy Harry had told him about the dragons. Good. He was getting sick of seeing the confident look on the lad's face and now he could revel in the fear. He looked back over his shoulder quickly to make sure no one was behind him and spun his eye to look everywhere, every corner and side area before taking a drink of his flask and continuing on his way, his sudden nerves quieting slightly.
"Harry James Potter!" Harry spun around as the ol so familiar tone of his, now only, best friend sounded across the hallway and gulped. Hermione snagged him by his arm and began pulling him with her into the common room. To everyone else in the room they knew what was about to happen and began to pack up and move out of there as quickly as they could. Hermione pushed Harry into a chair, sat her books down and spun around on him tying her now straight hair back. "Now Harry?" Her voice suddenly sweet and putting him more on edge then her angry tone. "What have you been doing?"
"What do you mean?"
"It doesn't take someone like Dumbledore to realize something has gone on here at this school Harry." She glared down at the boy who shifted uncomfortably in his chair. "I'm not angry at you Harry, I'm concerned."
"Well I told Sirius about me being entered like you told me to and he said he was too worried about me so he said he'd send me some books to help." Harry figured that was as much of the truth he probably should say at this moment in time after all chances are that she'd go running to a professor if she thought it was at all dangerous.
"So….you've only been training? Without asking me for help?" Hermione's eyes grew somber at that acknowledgement. "I guess… you no longer need me to help you with this then."
"Hermione…" Harry sighed seeing that she was already panicking in self doubt so he stood.
"No, no I get it Harry." She rubbed her eyes which grew watery. Harry stopped her by grabbing her hand as she was about to go up the stairs and he turned her to face him. "Let me go, Harry."
"Never 'Mione." He pulled her close, hugging her tightly. "You really need to get over this fear of no longer mattering to me." He whispered beside her ear softly. "I'm always going to need you." He felt her cry against his shoulder while his hand ran through her hair. "Though I might be taking some time to train alone, it's only to make sure you're safe."
"Okay Harry." She sniffled before wiping her eyes gently. Hermione slowly lifted her head off his shoulder and looked at him, finally seeing his eyes again. The green with the gray bridging out from the center of it. It was beautiful and cryptic at the same time. Menacing yet gentle. "I…" She looked away, her cheeks beginning to pinken.
"It's alright Hermione." Harry squeezed her one more time before he turned and began to head up the stairs. "I'm going to take a nap."
"Alright Harry." Hermione smiled as she watched him go up the stairs. She grabbed up her books and was about to turn when she noticed her hair. It no longer was the bushy mane like hair… in fact it was straight, flowing down her back. How?!, she thought before only one answer came to her mind. "Harry's heard me about how much I wish it was straight ...did he…" A thought that demanded research she thought as she turned to leave the common room.
Meanwhile up in the boy's dorm Harry laid in his bed yawning as he turned to his side, smiling as the covers were lifted and placed over him. His thoughts drifted off as he went…
"Come in! Come in! I'm just in the back!" A voice rang out as his eyes glanced around the shop. A shop that seemed so familiar to him now just as the voice.
"No rush." His voice rang out but it sounded strange to him now as he sat the books and second hand robes to the side. "Apologies if this is an inconvenient time."
An elderly man slid into view on his ladder and smiled at the young boy. "Ah none of that now." He slowly climbed himself down off the ladder and looked the boy up and down. "Coming in for your first wand I assume?"
"Yes, sir." He felt himself nod before slowly approaching the table.
"Well let's see what we can do for you. I am Garrick Ollivander, proprietor of this lovely store."
"How do you do sir?" His hand raised to shake Ollivander's own before a measuring tape was acquired and a similar feeling to when he had his robes done overtook him. Of the uncomfortability of being touched by another. No, not that he was touched by another but that it was them touching him.
"I am fine now, let's see a longer than normal wand, yes…very nice." He slowly moved away from the boy and into his rows of square boxes before grabbing a few and walking back. "Let's see Dragon heartstring, Oak, fourteen inches." He handed it to the boy who took it in his fingers before scowling at it and dropping it.
"I don't think that one liked me very much."
"Yes….wands are tricky fellows. The wand chooses the wizard young man, always remember that." Ollivander smiled before they went through trying a handful of others. Yet none seemed to fill the spot so Ollivander sighed and sat for a moment in contemplation before looking at him softly. He stood and slowly went to two boxes on the same shelf. He ran his hand along both before picking up the one on the left and walking back to him. "Try….try this one."
He handed the box to the boy who slowly opened it and his eyes widened. He slowly peeled the paper away before his fingers gingerly ran a finger down the length of it.
"Yew, thirteen and a half inches, with a phoenix feather within it's core….a powerful combination."
He slowly lifted the wand more until it situated itself perfectly in his hand and he took a deep breath.
"This is the one…." He was awe-inspired by it. Such beauty and yet strength that he could feel in the tips of his fingers.
"Ah well that'll be five galleons young mister ... .I'm sorry I never caught your name."
The boy smiled and reached into his pocket pulling out five gold coins and sitting them on the counter before. Beginning to head back to his things and out the door before turning to face him.
"Tom, Tom Riddle."