Chapter 2

Yuno Lovecraft

The first day of Hogwarts began, Harry still pondering over what happened with Draco and the first year, Yuno. Harry decided to keep his witness to last night's spat a secret until he was ready to tell Hermoine and Ron. His morning was usual as kids looked and whispered about him with the usual gossip. Harry chuckled to himself that he had grown so accustomed to it.

They followed the Ravenclaws into the Great Hall, looking instinctively at the staff table as they entered. Professor Grubbly-Plank was chatting to Professor Sinistra, the Astronomy teacher, and Hagrid was once again conspicuous only by his absence. The enchanted ceiling above them echoed Harry's mood; it was a miserable rain-cloud gray.

"Dumbledore didn't even mention how long that Grubbly-Plank woman's staying," he said, as they made their way across to the Gryffindor table.

"Maybe . . ." said Hermione thoughtfully.

"What?" said both Harry and Ron together.

"Well . . . maybe he didn't want to draw attention to Hagrid not being here."

"What d'you mean, draw attention to it?" said Ron, half laughing. "How could we not notice?" Before Hermione could answer, Professor McGonagall handed out schedules to the trio.

Look at today!" groaned Ron. "History of Magic, double Potions, Divination, and double Defense Against the Dark Arts . . . Binns, Snape, Trelawney, and that Umbridge woman all in one day! I wish Fred and George'd hurry up and get those Skiving Snackboxes sorted. . . ."

"Do mine ears deceive me?" said Fred, arriving with George and squeezing onto the bench beside Harry.

"Hogwarts prefects surely don't wish to skive off lessons?"

"Look what we've got today," said Ron grumpily, shoving his schedule under Fred's nose. "That's the worst Monday I've ever seen."

"Fair point, little bro," said Fred, scanning the column.

"You can have a bit of Nosebleed Nougat cheap if you like."

"Why's it cheap?" said Ron suspiciously.

"Because you'll keep bleeding till you shrivel up, we haven't got an antidote yet," said George, helping himself to a kipper.

"Cheers," said Ron moodily, pocketing his schedule, "but I think I'll take the lessons."

"And speaking of your Skiving Snackboxes," said Hermione, eyeing Fred and George beadily, "you can't advertise for testers on the Gryffindor notice board."

"Says who?" said George, looking astonished.

"Says me," said Hermione. "And Ron."

"Leave me out of it," said Ron hastily.

Hermione glared at him.

Fred and George sniggered. "You'll be singing a different tune soon enough, Hermione," said Fred, thickly buttering a crumpet.

"You're starting your fifth year, you'll be begging us for a Snackbox before long."

"And why would starting fifth year mean I want a Skiving Snackbox?" asked Hermione. "Fifth year's O.W.L. year," said George.

"So?"

"So you've got your exams coming up, haven't you? They'll be keeping your noses so hard to that grindstone they'll be rubbed raw," said Fred with satisfaction.

"Half our year had minor breakdowns coming up to O.W.L.s," said George happily. "Tears and tantrums . . . Patricia Stimpson kept coming over faint. . . ."

"That's probably because they were just amateurs," an unknown voice said beside them. Fred and George turned to see Yuno Lovecraft standing behind them. He gave a friendly smile and wave.

"Aye, ain't you that Slytherin first year that made the Sorting Hat freak out" Fred asked

"Yeah, Yuno..something," George said.

"The very one" Yuno laughed as he sat down next to the two of them.

"Ummmm…what are you doing?" Hermoine asked as Yuno sat down next to Fred and George.

"Eating breakfast, what's it to you?" Yuno asked as he stole Ron's waffles ("Hey! Ron yelled realizing what happened).

"I see that, but you're with Slytherin, you should be sitting with your house," Hermoine said.

"Eh, don't want to be seen with that crowd, people might get the wrong idea about my magical abilities," Yuno said as he took a bite of his waffle.

George and Fred chuckled.

"I like this midget, he should sit with us." Fred laughed.

Hermoine was about to protest when Professor McGonagall.

"Mr. Lovecraft, while I do like to see you adjusting swiftly to life at Hogwarts, I regret to inform you that you should sit with your own house," she said with a calm and gentle demeanor.

"I don't mean to disrespect your authority, Professor, but I don't see the problem with sitting with people who are a little more accepting towards me, and all I'm doing is promoting in-school relations between the houses," Yuno said as he looked up at McGonagall with a cheerful smile.

"While those noble intentions the rules are in place for a reason" McGonagall replied a little more sternly.

"Oh, and what exactly is wrong with students from different houses getting along? I'd understand if this was class, but it is only breakfast." Yuno replied. Harry, Ron, and Hermoine eyes widened a bit at Yuno's questioning of the Professor.

McGonagall took her time to respond to the rebuttal.

"I see where you're coming from, I will let this one incident slide one time, but this will be the last time, understood," McGonagall said

"Absolutely Professor, thank you, I'll see you in class later today!" Yuno said.

Harry was dumbfounded by the blatant and defiant attitude of Yuno. Most first-years wouldn't even consider challenging a Professor, let alone on the first day. What was it with this kid?

"Mate," Fred said wide-eyed after Professor McGonagall left "You got some steel nerves"

"It's all in the way you talk to people, catch more flies with honey as they say," Yuno says.

"You just can't challenge a Professor like that, they have rules for a reason," Hermoine said a bit annoyed with Yuno

Yuno eyed her, for once he didn't have a smirk on his face, instead an expression of annoyance. "If you always follow the rules, you're never gonna make it to the top kid," Yuno jabbed back at her.

"Kid? I'm older than you!" Hermoine said, her voice raised.

"Judging from what I've heard about your skills, I'd say otherwise." Yuno retorted back.

The two glared at each other, the tension high in the room.

The bell rang signaling that classes were about to begin. Yuno got up without breaking eye contact with Hermoine.

"There are other ways of settling this Granger. You ever want a duel, just let me know" Yuno said as he began to walk away

"Anytime, any day" Heromine shot back as he left, still holding a glare.

Everyone was taken aback by the verbal altercation between the two.

"Never seen you get so angry with anyone Hermoine" Fred said

"Yeah, not even us," George said.

"Snot-nosed brat is too cocky for his own good," Heromine grumbled as she got up.

Harry was somewhat glad it wasn't just him who thought something was off with Yuno. There was something off with him. It was only his first day and he was already throwing his weight around. Like he was on par with Dumbledore himself. Was he really that arrogant or was it…something darker.

The day was long, and History of Magic was boring as usual. Potions? miserable than usual since it was double with Snape. Divinations, bizarre as it could get and more talks about Harry dying a premature death, which was always fantastic. It became a game for Fred and George to guess Professor Trelawney's predictions on what way Harry was going to die. One way included Harry dying on the toilet, which Harry hoped wasn't the way he'd actually go out.

Finally, Harry, Ron, and Hermoine found themselves at Defense Against The Dark Arts. When they entered the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom they found Professor Umbridge already seated at the teacher's desk, wearing the fluffy pink cardigan of the night before and the black velvet bow on top of her head. Harry was again reminded forcibly of a large fly perched unwisely on top of an even larger toad. The class was quiet as it entered the room; Professor Umbridge was, as yet, an unknown quantity and nobody knew yet how strict a disciplinarian she was likely to be.

Harry looked around and was stunned to see Yuno sitting at one of the desks.

'What the hell?' Harry thought to himself. Why was the first year with the fifth years? It didn't make any sense.

"Well, good afternoon!" she said when finally the whole class had sat down.

A few people mumbled "Good afternoon," in reply.

"Tut, tut," said Professor Umbridge. "That won't do, now, will it? I should like you, please, to reply 'Good afternoon, Professor Umbridge.' One more time, please. Good afternoon, class!"

"Good afternoon, Professor Umbridge," they chanted back at her.

"There, now," said Professor Umbridge sweetly.

"That wasn't too difficult, was it? Wands away and quills out, please."

Many of the class exchanged gloomy looks; the order "wands away" had never yet been followed by a lesson they had found interesting. Harry shoved his wand back inside his bag and pulled out quill, ink, and parchment. Professor Umbridge opened her handbag, extracted her wand, which was an unusually short one, and tapped the blackboard sharply with it; words appeared on the board at once:

Defense Against the Dark Arts A Return to Basic Principles.

"Well now, your teaching in this subject has been rather disrupted and fragmented, hasn't it?" stated Professor Umbridge, turning to face the class with her hands clasped neatly in front of her. "The constant changing of teachers, many of whom do not seem to have followed any Ministry-approved curriculum, has unfortunately resulted in your being far below the standard we would expect to see in your O.W.L. year.

"You will be pleased to know, however, that these problems are now to be rectified. We will be following a carefully structured, theory-centered, Ministry-approved course of defensive magic this year."

Harry heard a snort from the back as Yuno covered his mouth trying not to laugh. Umbridge didn't seem to notice

"Please copy down the following" She rapped the blackboard again; the first message vanished and was replaced by:

Course aims:

the principles underlying defensive magic.

to recognize situations in which defensive magic can legally be used.

the use of defensive magic in a context for practical use.

For a couple of minutes, the room was full of the sound of scratching quills on parchment. When everyone had copied down Professor Umbridge's three-course aims she said,

"Has everybody got a copy of Defensive Magical Theory by Wilbert Slinkhard?"

There was a dull murmur of assent throughout the class.

"I think we'll try that again," said Professor Umbridge.

"When I ask you a question, I should like you to reply 'Yes, Professor Umbridge,' or 'No, Professor Umbridge.' So, has everyone got a copy of Defensive Magical Theory by Wilbert Slinkhard?"

"Yes, Professor Umbridge," rang through the room.

"Good," said Professor Umbridge.

"I should like you to turn to page five and read chapter one, 'Basics for Beginners.' There will be no need to talk." Professor Umbridge left the blackboard and settled herself in the chair behind the teacher's desk, observing them all with those pouchy toad's eyes. Harry decided to look back at Yuno who wasn't reading at all, but instead looking like he was writing notes of some sort, occasionally looking back and pretending to read.

"Mr. Potter!?" Umbridge said, breaking his concentration. Harry apologized and continued reading the boring book. He felt his concentration sliding away from him; he had soon read the same line half a dozen times without taking in more than the first few words. Several silent minutes passed.

Next to him, Ron was absentmindedly turning his quill over and over in his fingers, staring at the same spot on the page. Harry looked right and received a surprise to shake him out of his torpor.

Hermione had not even opened her copy of Defensive Magical Theory. She was staring fixedly at Professor Umbridge with her hand in the air. Harry could not remember Hermione ever neglecting to read when instructed to, or indeed resisting the temptation to open any book that came under her nose. He looked at her questioningly, but she merely shook her head slightly to indicate that she was not about to answer questions, and continued to stare at Professor Umbridge, who was looking just as resolutely in another direction. After several more minutes had passed, however, Harry was not the only one watching Hermione. The chapter they had been instructed to read was so tedious that more and more people were choosing to watch Hermione's mute attempt to catch Professor Umbridge's eye than to struggle on with "Basics for Beginners." When more than half the class was staring at Hermione rather than at their books, Professor Umbridge seemed to decide that she could ignore the situation no longer.

"Did you want to ask something about the chapter, dear?" she asked Hermione, as though she had only just noticed her.

"Not about the chapter, no," said Hermione.

"Well, we're reading just now," said Professor Umbridge, showing her small, pointed teeth. "If you have other queries we can deal with them at the end of class."

"I've got a query about your course aims," said Hermione.

Professor Umbridge raised her eyebrows. "And your name is — ?"

"Hermione Granger," said Hermione.

"Well, Miss Granger, I think the course aims are clear if you read them through carefully," said Professor Umbridge in a voice of determined sweetness. "Well, I don't," said Hermione bluntly. "There's nothing written up there about using defensive spells."

There was a short silence in which many members of the class turned their heads to frown at the three-course aims still written on the blackboard.

"Using defensive spells?" Professor Umbridge repeated with a little laugh.

"Why, I can't imagine any situation arising in my classroom that would require you to use a defensive spell, Miss Granger. You surely aren't expecting to be attacked during class?"

"We're not going to use magic?" Ron ejaculated loudly.

"Students raise their hands when they wish to speak in my class, Mr. — ?"

"Weasley," said Ron, thrusting his hand into the air. Professor Umbridge, smiling still more widely, turned her back on him. Harry and Hermione immediately raised their hands too. Professor Umbridge's pouchy eyes lingered on Harry for a moment before she addressed Hermione.

"Yes, Miss Granger? You wanted to ask something else?"

"Yes," said Hermione. "Surely the whole point of Defense Against the Dark Arts is to practice defensive spells?"

"Are you a Ministry-trained educational expert, Miss Granger?" asked Professor Umbridge in her falsely sweet voice. "No, but —"

"Well then, I'm afraid you are not qualified to decide what the 'whole point' of any class is. Wizards much older and cleverer than you have devised our new program of study. You will be learning about defensive spells in a secure, risk-free way —"

Yuno's hand shot up, as Umbridge took noticed

"Yes, Mr—-" Umbridge said, cocking an eyebrow at the young student.

"Lovecraft"

"Yes? You have a question?" Umbridge said sweetly

"Yeah, If this is how the Ministry trains their Auror's it's no wonder why dark wizard attacks are on the rise." Yuno taunted.

Everyone gasped at Yuno, as Umbridge's face turned red and her eye began to twitch.

"Mr. Lovecraft, I assure you that this course is highly regarded by the Ministry as a top curriculum in learning how to properly defend yourself against the dark arts," Umbridge said through gritted teeth trying to keep her composure.

"I do not wish to criticize the way things have been run in this school," she continued, an unconvincing smile stretching her wide mouth, "but you have been exposed to some very irresponsible wizards in this class, very irresponsible indeed — not to mention," she gave a nasty little laugh, "extremely dangerous half-breeds."

"At least his parents weren't cousins, like some pure-bloods" Yuno quipped.

Umbridge's smile disappeared from her face as she shook with anger. Her face twisted into a snarl.

"That's quite enough out of you,! I would give you detention myself if you didn't have it already with Professor Snape! GET OUT OF MY CLASS, IMMEDIATELY!" Umbridge yelled.

Yuno smiled as he bowed out and left the room. "Guess I struck a nerve," he chuckled as he closed the door behind him

Umbridge looked around as students' jaws were a-gape in shock. "The audacity of that mud-blood" Harry heard Umbridge say under her breath as she turned back to her desk.

"Class dismissed! All of you! Out!" she yelled.

The class left as instructed. Partially relieved that the boring class had ended abruptly, but people began to whisper about the outburst Yuno caused.

"There's something wrong with him," Ron said as they walked away from class.

"It's not just that, he knows too much for a first-year like he's been given information. He shouldn't know about Professor Lupin" Hermoine added.

"You're right there's something not right here. We should trail him if he's making any unusual movements." Harry said.

Ron and Hermione nodded in agreement as they went back to the Gryffindor common rooms. Waiting for nightfall. They were going to see what secrets Yuno Lovecraft was hiding.

(Later that Evening)

"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good," Harry said aloud as he, Ron, and Hermoine tracked Yuno's movements with the Marauders Map in the Gryffindor common rooms. He was currently walking the halls near the library.

"The midget sure likes to study a lot despite being torn in a troublemaker," Ron said.

"I doubt that's what he's doing" Hermonie chimed in with a huff.

"He is spending a lot of time there, considering he just had his detention with Snape," Harry said as he tapped the table contemplating on what the first year was up to.

The trio waited for a good half an hour before they started seeing Yuno walking the restricted section of the library.

"Why the bloody hell is he there?" Ron asked.

"Now is a good time to find out," Harry said as he grabbed his cloak of invisibility.

The trio made their way to the library managing to sneak past Madam Pince and into the restricted section without much difficulty. Yuno looked around to see if anyone was around.

"Is he looking for something?" Ron whispered under the cloak.

"Maybe?" Harry hummed in curiosity.

After some time Yuno seemed satisfied and raised his hand.

"Mgah'ehye ya llll ai fahff Y' ah llll ahnnn" he chanted as lime green magic surrounded him.

Harry, Ron, and Hermoine eyes widened and jaws went a-gape as Yuno cast the spell without a wand. It felt ancient, dark, and alien. The evil power that radiated off the young first-year made the trio want to puke from distress.

An inky void opened up in front of him, about two feet tall and a foot wide.

"Sup pipsqueak, how's Hogwart treating you?" a young male voice asked from the portal.

"Just dandy, gym-rat, nothing beats being stuck in a house with a bunch of rich magical hillbillies" Yuno jabbed back at the voice, his voice hiding a faint trace of a chuckle.

Harry Ron and Hermoine furrowed their brows as Yuno talked to the voice in the inky void. They were talking like old friends, siblings maybe?

"You're complaining about getting the house you wanted?" the voice asked confused

"Well yeah, I thought there'd be a few clever and cunning people in Slytherin, but almost everyone in that house is related to each other somehow and with the way the older ones talk about the girls, It's like I'm in…Virginia" Yuno shuttered

The voice began to laugh hysterically as Yuno rolled his eyes.

"Oh, shut it you squib," Yuno said with an annoyed look as the voice continued to cackle.

"God meat-head what's with all the laughing? The boss is trying to watch her show" a female voice said from the portal

"Pipsqueaks on the line.. we were just…talking…about his…first..day at…Hogwarts" the male voice said as he calmed himself between laughs.

"He thinks it's funny I got stuck with a bunch of magical hillbillies from Britain," Yuno said blankly as he pinched his brow

"HA-HA-HA how hilarious," the female voice said her voice filled with sarcasm. "Seriously though, it's good to hear from you Yuno. Things aren't the same without you here." the female voice said.

Yuno chuckled at the statement. "Thought you said and I quote, "it's going to be nice not hear your smart-ass comments all the time"

"They have a certain charm to them." the female voice chuckled back. "On a more serious note, anything to report?"

"I can confirm Umbridge is a double agent for Riddle or at least she's working with a Death Eater and is being manipulated by them. Either way, she's trying to hold the students back from learning any real defensive magic." Yuno reported.

Harry, Ron, and Hermoine let out a small gasp upon hearing the name.

"Voldemort?" Ron mouthed to them.

"So good news on both fronts then. She stagnates the students' growth and we have a lead to interrogate about Tommy's hideout. Not bad for your first day" the female voice congratulated.

"As much as I want that to be the case, some of the students are rebelling against her already. They might try to find a hideout to practice magic on their own, which could prove troublesome. I won't be able to keep an eye on them since I'm just a first-year and a Slytherin at that" Yuno said.

"So what are you going to do?" the male voice asked.

"I'll lay low for now until you two get here. Since you two are older they may be willing to trust you. Then we can start having some fun at this school" Yuno said with an evil smirk on his face

"Roger that, we'll see you in a few weeks, " the female voice said cheerfully

"See ya guys," Yuno said as he closed the portal with a snap of his fingers.

Harry, Ron, and Hermonie's minds raced as they heard the conversation transpired. Umbridge a possible double agent for Voldemort? Yuno using some ancient magic never seen before? Just what the hell was going on?

"This is insane," Ron said softly. Harry nodded in agreement. They had to get back and warn one of the Professors about this new development.

Yuno then turned in their direction. The trio froze and held their breath, despite being under the cloak of invisibility, Yuno's gaze made them feel small, as if a predator had just spotted them.

Yuno didn't break his gaze at them as he raised his hand again in a motion as if he were lifting something out of the ground.

"Nw ya uln Cath Pulag'nyth ng ah Iiahe Y' ulnah" Yuno chanted as a dark yellow inky void opened up out of the floor. A humanoid abomination began to pull itself out of the void. It had multiple eyes, slashing tentacles, and slimy mustard-yellow skin, with multiple tendril-like arms and legs. It took everything Harry and Hermoine had not to scream in terror as they covered Ron's mouth to prevent him from screaming.

"Mgah'n'ghft fahff ahf' ah r'luh llll n'ghftnahh. Ah'n'gha riuh'eor ymg' mgr'luh ahhainah" Yuno ordered the creature in the strange alien language. As he turned around and walked out into a portal he summoned with another chant in an alien language.

The abominations' eyes scanned the room looking for the trio. Its eyes were yellow with black slits like a cat, but gazing into them was like looking death in the face. Harry was frozen in terror, his heart feeling like it was going to explode out of his chest. He wasn't even sure he was breathing, all he could do was stay absolutely still as best he could.

The tentacles rustled around the bookshelves, gnashing around trying to see if any living thing was there, thirsting for something to kill.

The abomination went further down the isle of books far enough away that Harry and his friends could move without the fear of being caught. They silently moved as the thing searched the other section, its back turned to them. Creeping ever so slightly knowing that if they made one mistake they were dead. As they moved towards the exit, Hermonie accidentally bumped into the table and a lamp fell to the floor.

Harry didn't even think as he grabbed Ron and Hermoine and pulled them under the desk, pulling the cloak of invisibility over them. He heard the abomination barreling towards them. Its eyes filled with malicious joy knowing its prey was close and squealing with excitement. Its tendrils looked under the desk to see if its prey was hiding. Harry felt his blood run cold as the tentacles slid across the floor inches from where they were hiding. He could smell the rotting fish-like odor from the creature as the tentacles were only inches away. Harry thought he was going to die, that this is where we would meet his end in the maw of this thing. His mind raced with gruesome and horrifying images of his friend's death at the hands of this creature. He wanted to scream, but his mouth wouldn't let him in a defiant act of self-preservation.

Luckily, no miracle happened, as the creature slinked away elsewhere to look for them. Harry, Ron, and Hermoine moved ever so quietly toward the exit as they silently opened the door, creeped out, and closed the door behind them. The three of them stood there in a daze for what seemed like an eternity. They stood there until Hermoine finally broke the silence with a whisper

"Run"

The trio bolted out of the library and passed Madam Pince who yelled at them for running, taking away five points from Gryffindor, but they simply didn't care as they ran like that thing was chasing right behind them. They finally managed to get back to the Gryffindor common rooms and waited til they caught their breath.

All three of them didn't say anything, the image of that creature burned into their minds forever. It was Ron who finally spoke after what seemed like ten minutes of dead silence.

"What in god's name, was that…thing?" he stammered

"How is it even possible to possess magic like that? It shouldn't even exist in the first place" Hermonie said as she cradled into a ball, still traumatized.

Harry finally calming down a bit was able to produce a clear thought.

"Look this is a lot to take in right now, let just get some sleep and think this through tomorrow..hopefully, he said. Ron and Hermoine nodded in agreement. As the three got ready for bed, Ron couldn't help, but find the bathroom and puke from the stress he went through. That night, all three of them couldn't fall asleep as they pictured those yellow eyes staring back at them from the shadows.