Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of the intellectual property associated with Harry Potter.
Hi all,
Here's the next chapter. It has been a while since I wrote this chapter, but I had not realised how bad it is, and there is not much I can do to fix it. Oh, well. It's best to get it out of the way.
Chapter 37
11th January
Harry walked down the stairs into the common room with bleary eyes the next morning.
He could not sleep the night before because of his encounter with the ghost the night before. Although she surprised him, he did not feel threatened by her. He pondered whether he would ever see her again. The Bloody Baron's appearance was interesting as well because it appeared that he had purposefully prevented the woman from speaking to him.
At the bottom of the stairs, Master Footshredder and Charlus awaited him.
"Did you get any sleep last night?" Charlus inquired, his gaze drawn to the dark circles under his grandson's eyes.
"Not much," Harry replied, his response punctuated by a yawn.
"I am not going to be easy on you just because you do not know how to rest properly," Footshredder growled.
Harry shrugged, not wanting to explain his ghost encounter.
"Before we begin, I would like to tell you a few things about what it means to be my apprentice," Master Footshredder explained. "There will undoubtedly be a reaction from the Goblin Nation to the unprecedented event of a goblin teaching a human. Expect both positive and negative responses, but know that no goblin would dare to try anything while you are my apprentice."
"What about Mr. Flitwick? Isn't he half-human?" Harry asked.
"We do not discriminate against half-breeds as you wizards do," Fpootshredder sneered. "Only the goblin part of him matters in our minds. Nonetheless, there were a few fools who dared to question my decision."
"What happened to them?"
Footshredder grinned, flashing his fangs. "I removed their heads with my axe and turned them into dragon food."
Harry shuddered. He reminded himself not to provoke the goblin standing in front of him.
"For the duration of your apprenticeship, you will address me as Master Footshredder," Footshredder continued. "I demand to be treated with respect. Any form of impudence will result in an appropriate level of punishment from me."
"Yes, Master Footshredder." He did not want to know what a goblin thought of punishment.
"The last thing I need is for you to sign the magical contract," Footshredder said, reaching into his vest and pulling out a piece of parchment to show him. "In order to keep my secrets safe."
"I have already looked at it," Charlus said. "But I suggest you read it yourself. Knowing how to read and decipher contracts is an important skill to learn."
After Harry had read and signed the contract, Footshredder made a copy for him and kept his own in his vest.
"We need to improve your physique before I can teach you my movement technique," Footshredder explained. "We will start with some endurance exercises, and then I will show you a strengthening exercise commonly used by goblin warriors."
They exited the Gryffindor Tower and went outside.
"We will do two laps around Black Lake to warm up," Charlus said.
"That does not sound like a warm-up," Harry grumbled..
During the first lap around the lake, Charlus and Master Footshredder both set a blistering pace, making him look pedestrian in comparison. Although he completed it with little difficulty, he was already struggling to catch his breath. The second lap became even more difficult as they increased their speed. Harry was completely exhausted by the time he finished it.
"Weak!" Footshredder jeered. "How is it possible that two elders outperform someone your age?"
"I'm fine," Harry gasped as he got to his feet.
"I almost forgot to ask, but what is that ridiculous outfit you are wearing?"
"This is a tracksuit," Harry said, looking down at the green outfit. "It is comfortable and keeps me warm. Or were you unaware that it is bitterly cold right now?"
"Really? I had not noticed," Footshredder said, deadpan. "Strip down to your underwear."
"What?"
"You are going for a swim in Black Lake. A small wooden chest can be found at the lake's bottom, about forty feet down. You will retrieve it for me."
"Are you crazy? Do you know how cold it will be in the lake?"
"I am fully aware. Yesterday, I went for a refreshing swim in the lake. You can rest assured that the creatures in the lake will not bother you because I have made a deal with them."
That did not give me any peace of mind.
"Am I even capable of holding my breath for that long?" With a feeling of dread, Harry peered down into the seemingly bottomless depths.
"I'm going to cast the Bubble Head Charm on you," Charlus said.
Harry shivered as he undressed, acutely aware of the biting morning chill. This sensation, however, was relatively mild in comparison to what awaited him in the lake.
"How am I going to find it?" Harry asked.
"It is about ten feet out into the lake," Footshredder said. "It might take you some time to find it."
Charlus cast the Bubble-Head Charm on him, and Harry approached the water's edge. He dipped his foot into the water, cursing the bitter cold. Instead of wading in, he decided to jump in, fearing that if he didn't, he would never be able to. He took a few steps back before sprinting forward and leaping into the water. The intense cold shocked him so much that his mouth opened involuntarily as he dove beneath the surface. Fortunately, the bubble that encased his head kept him from inhaling water.
He dove down after reorienting himself. As he descended, he discovered that Footshredder was not as heartless as he appeared. Small globes of light were floating in the water, guiding his descent. He started looking for the chest as soon as he got to the bottom.
He was convinced that if he did not hurry, he would succumb to hypothermia at these temperatures. His grandfather appeared unconcerned, but the man was just as strict as Master Footshredder. He eventually found it, partially buried in a silt deposit, after several minutes of searching. He grasped the object and tucked it safely under his arm as he swam back to the surface.
Harry emerged from the water, his body trembling violently. "Could I please get some help here? Perhaps a warming charm or a pepper-up potion?"
"The next step is more effective if your body temperature is low," Footshredder explained.
When the goblin opened the chest, it revealed a small clay bowl and brush nestled within. The bowl contained a thick green paste with a foul odour.
"The goblins practise a body strengthening exercise called Kurrast," Footshredder explained. "It is an extreme approach to body strengthening that is quite painful. It works best when combined with the fever-nettle paste."
Footshredder began applying the paste to Harry's body, causing an instant and intense burning sensation wherever it came into contact with his skin. While it did manage to warm him up, he began to feel as if a million ants were crawling all over him. As the unbearable sensation worsened, he let out a groan, desperately attempting to relieve the itch by scratching it.
"You will have to endure it," Footshredder said sternly, slapping his hand away. "The sensation will wear off quickly."
The unpleasant sensation eventually subsided, leaving Harry relieved. He flinched as he noticed that the mixture had turned him into a green person.
"Are you trying to turn me into a goblin?" Harry joked.
"Get up. Pay close attention and follow my lead as I demonstrate the stance, which serves as the foundation for all other exercises."
Harry felt an overwhelming desire to cry as the goblin guided him through a series of exercises that worked every muscle in his body. It reminded me of yoga, or at least an extreme version of it. He was certain that his body wasn't designed to take such punishment. After all, it was designed with goblins in mind, who have stronger and more resilient bodies than humans. After he finished, he collapsed on the ground, unable to move an inch.
"Why did I agree to this?" Harry groaned.
"Stop whining. We will do the exercises three times a week. You should begin to see results almost immediately."
Harry did shed a few tears after hearing those words.
The Phoenix Club gathered in a corner of the common room for their club meeting. They were taking advantage of their lunch break to ensure some privacy.
"Are you all right, Harry?" Susan inquired, looking down at him as he lay supine on the sofa.
"I am fine," Harry said, shakily waving his arm. "This is nothing."
"Do you know why Daphne has been staring at me for the past ten minutes?" Susan inquired, bending down to whisper in his ear. A strand of her hair fell out of her braid and brushed against his face.
"Daphne will let you know when she is ready," Harry said distractedly, inhaling a faint strawberry scent from her hair.
Daphne was also observing Susan, which Harry had noticed because she was not exactly discreet about it. Harry expected her to approach Susan soon to discuss the possibility of her dating him alongside Daphne and Gabrielle. A strange mix of excitement and dread struck him. He was thrilled at the prospect of her becoming his girlfriend, but he was concerned about what his friends and the rest of the castle would think.
"Leave Harry to die alone," Hermione said heartlessly. "Does the Phoenix Club have any new issues to address before we begin?"
The other members of the club didn't have anything important to add. Despite how his body protested the abuse, Harry managed to sit up. "Wait a minute, I have something to tell you. A strange thing happened to me last night."
Daphne snorted. "So, it's just another typical day for you."
"Something very unusual," Harry emphasised. He then proceeded to tell them about the ghost he encountered.
"That is frightening," Hannah said. "I have never seen one of the Hogwarts ghosts act like that before."
Hannah considered anything out of the ordinary to be frightening. She could be high-strung at times and, in the right circumstances, she could be afraid of her own shadow. However, there were times when she was downright hilarious. Her ability to keep the club entertained served as a counterbalance and kept her from becoming too annoying.
"She wasn't scary." Harry shrugged. "I have no doubt she was attempting to convey a message to me."
Susan sighed. "It could only happen to you, Harry."
"Harry, could you describe the ghost you saw?" Terry asked. "Perhaps one of us came across it."
Padma gasped when Harry described the woman as best he could.
"That's the Grey Lady," Padma exclaimed. "I once caught a glimpse of her in the Ravenclaw common room. It's rare for her to show herself to the students."
"Who?" That was the first time Harry had heard that name.
"Helena Ravenclaw," Hermione replied. "She was the daughter of Rowena Ravenclaw."
"Is it really her? Terry asked somewhat sceptically. "Based on the ghost's behaviour last night, it seems unlikely that it was her."
"And what is up with the filter on her voice?" Neville spoke up, joining in the discussion. He flushed as everyone turned to look at him. "It is almost as if something is interfering with her ability to communicate with you."
"Perhaps something is using her to communicate with you because they cannot communicate with you themselves," Tracy speculated.
"Maybe the ghost is being possessed by another ghost?" Hannah giggled at the absurd thought. "Could it be that Peeves is pulling a prank on you, Harry?"
"It will explain why the Bloody Baron was there," Harry said, humouring her suggestion.
Tracy rolled her eyes. "While it may seem absurd, keep in mind that the ghosts residing within the castle differ significantly from the ghosts described by Muggles. The inclusion of magic opens up endless possibilities that we may not have considered."
The group talked about it for a few minutes more but could not come up with any theories other than that it was related to the Enchanted Wall. Everything seemed to be circling back to that in some way.
"She has been roaming the castle for nearly a millennium," Daphne pondered, resting her chin in her hands. "If it has anything to do with the Enchanted Wall, there is a good chance she knows something about it."
"If you see her again, make sure to ask her what she knows," Harry advised the two Ravenclaws.
"How about we approach it from a different perspective?" Tracy said. "How about we ask the Bloody Baron if he knows what is going on?"
Everyone stared at her incredulously.
"I volunteer Tracy to do the honours," Harry said, raising his hand. Tracy was forced to withdraw her suggestion after the rest of the group followed suit.
"Perhaps it is not such a bad idea after all. We could ask a Slytherin about the Bloody Baron." Daphne mused. "They would be more familiar with him than anyone else in the castle."
"It will give us a good reason to approach Blaise Zabini about joining our club," Hermione teased Tracy. "I volunteer for Tracy to do the honours."
"You guys suck," Tracy grumbled as the rest of the group agreed with her..
"Let us get back to the meeting," Hermione said after everyone had finished laughing at Tracy. "The first item on the agenda is Madam Hooch. She approached me yesterday to tell me that she had sold the old brooms and used the proceeds to buy a lot of Quidditch equipment."
"What brooms did she get?" Tracy asked.
"She got a good deal on some Cleansweep Sevens," Hermione replied. "She brought enough for both the flying lessons and one for each member of the Quidditch team."
"Why did she do that?" Tracy asked, perplexed. "While the Cleansweep Seven are not bad, the majority of the players already have superior brooms."
"She has been thinking about introducing a rule requiring all players to use standardised brooms provided by the school to make it more fair for everyone," Hermione explained.
"That is not a bad idea," Tracy reasoned.
Harry nodded. "It allows the better players to showcase their talent because they are not being outclassed by a superior broom."
"The next topic is about the new club room," Hermione said as she looked through her notes. "I believe we should postpone finding a new home for the club until the current situation is resolved."
"That is something I can agree on," Daphne said, nodding. "For the time being, we will have to continue to meet in the common room. But I wish we could have more privacy."
"Actually, I think I might have a solution," Padma said. "I discovered a spell in the library that allows one to muffle the words they are speaking. We can prevent others from listening in on our conversation."
Terry smirked. "Leave it to a Ravenclaw to uncover a solution before it's even asked for."
"You can teach us the spell after classes," Hermione said, smiling. "Next, Susan has a topic to discuss."
Susan cleared her throat. "Tonks was unable to attend today, but she gave me permission to share this with the rest of the group. Now that she has some free time, she is going to go through the books we discovered in the Room of Hidden Things. She has obtained permission to remove the school trunks containing the books from the Room of Requirement."
This had some of the club's members feeling particularly excited, with Hermione showing the most enthusiasm.
"Think about all the knowledge the books hold," Hermione exclaimed. "It may even have something on the Enchanted Wall.'
The meeting went on for another twenty minutes, but Harry did not hear any of it. He had fallen asleep, and the others had decided to leave him alone.
"What did you want to talk about, Daphne?" Susan asked quietly after a friend approached her after the meeting. Harry remained asleep on the sofa after the rest of the club had left, prompting her to speak softly.
"It is about your feelings for Harry," Daphne stated unequivocally.
"What?" Susan gasped. "I do not have any feelings for Harry."
Susan winced as Harry shifted in his sleep and quickly took Daphne's arm, leading them both further away for more privacy.
"There is no point in hiding it," Daphne said. "Everyone has noticed, including Harry himself. You are incredibly transparent."
"This is so embarrassing," Susan groaned, covering her hands with her face.
"You can't control the way you feel."
"Daphne," Susan said, looking her in the eyes. "I swear I will never stand in the way of you and Harry."
"Well, that is nice, but not what I was going for. I was wondering if you would be interested in becoming Harry's girlfriend alongside Gabrielle and me."
"Are you serious? I must have misheard."
"Did I stutter? So, are you interested?"
Susan bit her lower lip. "I really like Harry, but I am not sure how I feel about sharing a boy with two other girls. How come Harry is fine with having more than one girlfriend?"
"Hello? He is a typical boy, isn't he?" Daphne snorted. "But I believe there may be another reason, but it involves a secret of his that is not mine to share."
"Alright. Give me some time to think about it. I'm not opposed to the idea, but it's a significant decision. Plus, I haven't even had the chance to meet Gabrielle yet."
"That's fine," Daphne said. "Let's wake Harry up and send him off to bed. The sofa is going to make his body feel even worse if he sleeps there all night."
Amelia Bones sat in her seat, watching as the emergency Wizengamot session began. She glanced at her allies and noticed the unease reflected in their expressions. The previous few days had been chaotic as she dealt with the unfolding situation at Hogwarts. She had not slept a wink during that time, consumed by concern for Susan and trying to put out a dozen fires caused by the crisis.
When word got out about Hogwarts, it caused quite a stir in Magical Britain. Over the past few days, every owl that has been sent to the castle has returned without delivering their mail. Amelia quickly gathered a team and set out to investigate the situation after receiving the news. What she discovered was disheartening. The wards surrounding the castle were fully activated, a sight not seen since the previous war. The grounds were completely sealed off, preventing anyone from entering or leaving. Furthermore, all forms of communication were blocked, leaving them completely in the dark about the safety of the students and professors.
The student's parents were both outraged and concerned. They sent hundreds of howlers to the Minister's office, demanding that he act. Fudge had taken to hiding in his office after a press conference was disrupted by some parents ambushing him in the Ministry foyer. Amelia felt as if she had temporarily lost her hearing after hearing Molly Weasley berating the Minister. That woman was a howler disguised as a human.
"Can we please quiet down," Chief Warlock Doge yelled, but the Wizengamot members continued to gossip. They either did not hear him or chose to ignore him.
"He is not the person we want as our Chief Warlock in a crisis," Daniel Greengrass observed from his seat next to hers.
"He has no authority," Amelia agreed. "For the love of Merlin, why does he not use the Sonorous Charm?"
"He is over a hundred years old," Sirius said from the other side. "It's possible that his mind is deteriorating. Perhaps there comes a time in a witch's or wizard's life when they begin to lose their mental faculties. It might be worth investigating. Dumbledore is an excellent example of this."
"I do not think Dumbledore's age can be blamed for his actions," Amelia said. "He is still far too intelligent for his own good." ."
Sirius nodded before returning his attention to the befuddled Chief Warlock. "I almost feel sorry for him."
"Perhaps we should consider voting him out," Daniel suggested. "Given the current circumstances, I do not believe the traditional faction will object."
"The issue is who will take his place," Amelia grumbled. "It is preferable to deal with the idiot than to hire someone competent who works for your opponent."
"You're probably right," Daniel sighed.
Minister Fudge's patience had finally run out. He raised his wand and let out a loud bang, instantly quieting the crowd. All eyes were drawn to him.
"Thank you," Fudge said. "Let us not waste any time and get straight to the point. Hogwarts is currently inaccessible, and the students' safety is unknown. Any and all suggestions are welcome."
"Perhaps we should not have installed a goblin as headmaster," one of the traditionalists exclaimed. "Our children would not be in this situation if it were not for him."
There were more than a few shouts of agreement from the Wizengamot members.
"Do you have any proof of that, Lord Nott?" Amelia inquired, raising her voice. "Perhaps we should concentrate on finding a solution first and then worry about who is to blame later."
"Amelia is correct," Fudge said, "we need to focus on solving the problem." Do you know how the students are doing, Amelia?"
Technically, he was supposed to address her with her title when she was seated in the Bones seat, but she let it go. She glanced at Sirius, who gave her permission to share the information.
"There is one student we can say with absolute certainty is safe," Amelia said. "Heir Potter-Black has a familiar outside of Hogwarts, and he confirmed that Harry is alive and well."
"Are we really going to trust Dumbledore's phoenix?" Lord Parkinson rose to his feet and shook his fist.
"Sit down, Lord Parkinson, until you have something worthwhile to contribute to the discussion," Sirius sneered. "It is widely known that Dumbledore bound Fawkes with a dark artifact, so he cannot be held responsible. If I had to choose, I would trust him over you."
"You dare!"
"Enough. Lord Black, choose your word with more care," Fudge said.
Sirius nodded curtly, displaying no remorse whatsoever.
Fudge continued. "Let us assume that if Heir Potter-Black is fine, the other students are as well. Is there anyone who can offer any practical solutions to our problem?"
The members made some suggestions, but none of them seemed remotely feasible. As they struggled to devise a plan to breach Hogwarts, the chambers were filled with a sense of helplessness. After all, it was known as Britain's most heavily fortified location, so there was no simple solution.
"Fortunately, I had the foresight to call in someone with some expertise on the subject," Fudge said, turning to face the man beside him. "Can you come up with anything, Unspeakable Croaker?"
"The only way we will be able to enter the grounds is if we completely disable the school wards," Croaker responded.
"Will this have long-term consequences for the wards?" Amelia inquired, her voice tinged with scepticism. "How many people would we need to complete this task?"
"I do not believe the wards will be negatively impacted in the long run," Croaker replied. "As for your second question, bringing it down would almost certainly necessitate the combined efforts of over a hundred skilled witches and wizards. This assumes that we focus our efforts on a specific area of the wards."
Lord Greengrass rose from his seat. "There is no issue with the number of people we need. So, what are we waiting for?"
The members of the Wizengamot added their voices to Lord Greengrass.
"The problem is that we do not know why the wards were activated in the first place," Croaker stated. "There is a chance that instead of saving the students by bringing them down, we may end up hurting them."
Fudge looked around the room to see how everyone was reacting. "Let us put it to a vote. Are we in favour of carrying out the plan?"
The outcome was overwhelmingly in favour of bringing the wards down.
"It has been decided," Fudge declared, turning to Amelia. "I place this task in your capable hands. I expect the operation to be completed quickly."
Amelia gave a nod. While she shared Croaker's concerns about the plan, there was no concrete evidence that the students would be harmed. She began mentally compiling a mental list of people she wanted to recruit, in addition to her senior Aurors.
The Wizengamot session ended shortly after, and the details discussed in the meeting were quickly covered by the press. Although the public's concerns were momentarily eased, the outcome of the operation would determine how long this sense of calm would endure.
13th January
Harry followed the procession of first-year Gryffindor and Ravenclaw students to the Transfiguration class, escorted by his grandfather. Their Defence Against the Dark Arts class had been moved to the second floor due to the presence of the Enchanted Wall. Apart from the staircase that connected the floors, the rest of the third floor was off-limits. Master Karlsson had reported that the Enchanted Wall had started to expand again, so they might have to find another way to move between floors.
He was still stiff from his earlier training session with Master Footshredder. Doubts crept in as he felt his muscles ache, making him question his decision to begin training with the goblin. However, he wasn't going to give up now that he had begun.
On a more positive note, his magical reserves had increased after two weeks of training with the Protego spell. He had gained forty-two units of magic, bringing his total to fifteen hundred and ninety. Although it may appear insignificant at first, an average daily gain of four units over the course of a year would result in an impressive total of over fourteen hundred units of magic acquired. What if he discovered a spell that was even more effective at increasing his magical reserves?
"Stop," Charlus demanded, yanking Harry out of his thoughts. Daphne nudged him, directing his attention to four senior students who were unconscious in the corridor. The students surveyed their surroundings with trepidation as if they sensed a lurking presence ready to strike at any moment.
"What is wrong with them?" Harry asked.
"They appear as if they are suffering from magical exhaustion," Charlus said. "But I will not know for certain until I hand them over to Madam Pomfrey."
Charlus addressed the class. "There has been a change in plans. I would like you to accompany me to the hospital wing so that these students can be examined."
Charlus summoned stretchers and placed the four students on them. He had some of the class levitate them up to the hospital wing, while he remained ready with his wand in hand for any potential danger.
They arrived at the hospital wing unscathed, and Madam Pomfrey rushed out of her office when she noticed the stretchers.
"What happened?" she asked sharply.
"I discovered them unconscious in the second-floor corridor," Charlus explained. "They appear to be suffering from magical exhaustion, but I am not a healer, so I will leave that determination to you."
"Very well," Pomfrey replied. She directed the students to float the stretchers over to empty beds and begin examining the injured students.
Charlus sent the headmaster a patronus message. Harry was taken aback to see his patronus in the form of a demiguise. When he noticed him staring, his grandfather raised an eyebrow, as if daring him to say anything. Harry averted his gaze, unsure how to process the fact that his grandfather's patronus matched his animagus form. Maybe it was just a coincidence.
Hermione observed Madam Pomfrey as she performed a series of diagnostic spells on one of the students. She seemed enthralled by the mediwitch's abilities. It was not surprising to see her showing interest in healing, given her previous interest in the subject.
"You were correct, Charlus. Mr Reece is suffering from magical exhaustion," Pomfrey said. She went on to examine the rest of the students, and she was about to finish when Headmaster Flitwick and his grandmother walked in.
"What's the situation?" Flitwick asked.
Charlus explained to him what happened before turning it over to Madam Pomfrey to get her diagnosis.
"It's really strange." Pomfrey frowned. "They are all in a state of magical exhaustion. At first, I thought they were careless and used too much magic, but..."
"What is it?" Minerva asked.
Madam indicated the student's wands. "I checked their wands to see if they had done any intensive magic in the last few hours, but there were only a few spells they would cast, and none of them would do this to them."
She went on to explain. "There are three stages of magical exhaustion," Pomfrey explained. "The third level is the most dangerous and can be fatal if not treated immediately." It happens when a witch's or wizard's magic is depleted to the point where it can no longer support certain bodily functions. Our bodies are magically reinforced, making them slightly more durable than Muggles. But it also means that we have become more reliant on magic to keep them functioning. These students are all in the second stage and on the verge of the third. It is still dangerous, but not life-threatening. But if you had not found them, it may have been a different story."
"Are you saying someone or something did this to them?" Charlus asked.
Madam Pomfrey nodded as she returned to supervise the students under her care.
"What could it be?" Flitwick sighed.
"I can only think of two things," Charlus said. "It's either the Enchanted Wallor..."
Harry stared at his grandfather, waiting for him to finish the sentence. When Charlus didn't, he was disappointed. What was the other option?
So, what do you think? Soon, the ministry is going to try and break through the wards at Hogwarts. Can they succeed?
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Thanks for reading.