Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter
...
September was drawing to an end and still the Potter Club seemed to be the central focus for most conversations. Nothing more had happened since the spectacular display featuring the conjured birds. However, no one could make anything of it but for the fact that it had been highly advanced magic.
This of course had sent a swarm of people to the library in an attempt to learn the same. Hermione had managed to get it down pat quite quickly but could only maintain control over a couple of birds before they started acting naturally, one even trying to nest in her hair. After this event, Hermione had taken an interest in Harry's magical ability.
She had a general grasp of her own skills at the moment but was unsure how much raw power she could exert. Reading over magical theory, she was aware on a basic level that there were three things to focus on; the intent, the strength and the precision. Her precision she knew was pinpoint along with her intent, hence she rarely used more strength than necessary. She would never brag about it but she held her technical skill as the highest in the class. Her strength however was something that would develop in time. The only was she could push it any further forward was with continual practice and exerting herself in certain aspects. Even if she didn't take this route her power would grow appropriately with age, so nothing to fret about there.
Harry meanwhile was an enigma. She had managed to lose control with a couple of conjured birds while he had been able to maintain his hold on hundreds. Something like that shouldn't be feasible unless you had pinpoint magical precision and a lot of strength, uncontrollable amounts of raw power. Yet somehow Harry had a grasp on it perfectly despite only having recently discovered the magical world. She had a theory that Harry himself was just pure power in its truest form, no blockages or outside sources that would hinder him in anyway. Even with the spell they were working towards with Professor Flitwick in Charms, while she would be able to levitate the lightest of objects with ease she would only be able to make heavier objects fly with time. Harry meanwhile could probably try to levitate a tree and rip it out of the ground, roots and all.
Theoretically speaking of course, and more likely than not an incredible over exaggeration.
During class, after having perfected her own work, she would watch Harry endlessly as he struggled with first level spells, or at least appeared to have minimal control in order to maintain his cover. That of course begged the question as to the limits of his magical ability, or if he even had a limit to begin with. She couldn't help but feel that it had to do with why he had been targeted as a child, set upon by He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named himself. Most of his targets were set upon by his own men, loyal Death Eaters who would do anything for him. So why had he gone himself?
Hermione felt that she was on the right track but was missing vital information, intel that she likely wouldn't find in the library. It was also something that she doubted Harry was aware about and also might never be privy to the reason. She couldn't particularly believe that some official would one day come up and explain to Harry why he and his parents were attacked that night. Hermione also doubted that this was something that Harry would want to discover on his own.
"You alright Hermione?" asked Harry.
"Hmm, yes, why?" asked Hermione, snapping out of her daze.
"Class is finished," explained Harry. Hermione became somewhat flustered by this revelation as she set about packing up her belongings, Harry lightly chuckling at her antics. "No need to rush, classes are over for the day."
"They are?"
"Yea, I've got training with the Quidditch team so that they can see where best to put me," stated Harry. "Then I think Ron wants a few games of chess tonight to warm him up for the tourney."
"That's tomorrow, isn't it!"
"Yep," said Harry casually as both he and Hermione stood up from their desks and headed towards the exit. "For such a big event, it'd be a shame if Potter Club was to strike."
"Potter Club...do you think they would strike tomorrow?" asked Hermione.
"If they were smart they'd avoid it," said Harry as they entered the hustle and bustle that was the hallway. "The Professors would probably be expecting something and will be on high alert around the school, specifically the area where the tournament is going to be played. Somewhere else however might be completely vulnerable and become a target."
Hermione had to say that she enjoyed this immensely, acting like a secret agent by having the same chat that everybody else in the hallway was having. "So you think they've planned something?"
"Doubt it, everything they do seems to be set seemingly weeks in advance."
"So nothing will happen tomorrow then?"
"Doubt it," said Harry with a shrug of his shoulders.
"I wonder when they'll strike next then," mused Hermione.
"Probably in a couple weeks or so, I imagine that the leader will summon whoever he feels is necessary over the next couple of days so they can plan. If I'm right, I can't help but be a little afraid."
"Honestly, I'm excited."
"You better not laugh if something happens to me."
"Not going to promise anything," said Hermione with a cheeky smile.
"Great, anyways, I've got to go show off my stuff, I'll see you later."
"Sure, see you later Harry," said Hermione as Harry diverted down a different pathway. Hermione couldn't help but feel that there was something akin to a spring in her step as she went over towards the Gryffindor common room. Whether it was from the secrecy that was the conversation or the fact she had just been talking with Harry in general, she couldn't tell. One thing was for sure though.
Harry Potter wasn't just an enigma.
Harry Potter was an enigma wrapped in a riddle hidden in a labyrinth.
And she was determined to figure him out.
...
Susan watched the chess tournament intensely, or more so she watched the people around it. She, like many of the Hufflepuff students, had given it her best shot but was ultimately beaten by those better than her. She knew she wouldn't win but she had entered anyways and now she was supporting her fellow Hufflepuffs and waiting.
She had a feeling something would happen, especially now that it had come to the final four. Susan knew she wasn't the only one waiting in anticipation for both the final and for what the surprise would be. There had to be something, anything set up by the Potter Club, this was too good of an opportunity to pass up. Roughly fifty students plus a fair few professors, they were there and vulnerable.
So why hadn't anything happened yet?
Just because she hadn't been invited to partake in the spectacle that had happened in the great hall (her response to that had been as genuine as they came) possibly meant that Potter Club was still figuring out what to do with her. Her prank had been that much smaller and easier than both the rainbow and the birds, which would have taken incredible amounts of magic. She had basically been given the equipment and told what to do, likewise she assumed that the people who had painted on the Hogwarts walls were doing so as part of an initiation. Painting or putting Muggle novelty items on a chair were nothing in comparison to what had later been shown.
What she wanted to be able to do.
Susan knew that conjuring rainbows or summoning coloured birds wasn't something that was likely taught in the curriculum, or if it was only to a basic degree as opposed to using them how they had. Even though she had grown up surrounded by moving pictures and all kinds of magical devices she had never been so amazed as she had when the birds had exploded over the Great Hall. True wonder which she doubted that anybody in that room had experienced before.
Essentially, that was what she believed Potter club to be, not something which took pleasure in the torment of others for amusement, but rather a group of individuals who understood magic, and that in a world full of spells that the term 'magic' had lost its strength. When magic was normal it no longer seemed magical, or so she thought. She somehow envied the children who had come from the Muggle world and who had walked through that Great Hall alongside her with their jaws agape, and who were impressed by turning matchsticks into needles, astounded when their feet left the ground for the first time on a broomstick and were mesmerized by floating candles.
To her, that was the norm; there was nothing magical about basic magic that she saw on a day to day basis. She wanted to learn magic nobody else knew, something which would impress all those around her, and yet she wanted to do so in secret. To be hidden behind the veil of Potter Club, to astound behind the shadows. It wasn't conventional by any means, but when she heard and even joined in the whispers regarding the events she couldn't help but wish that they were talking about an act that she had done. Nobody seemed to even remember the prank she had pulled on Professor Quirrell and she didn't blame them; her joke was nothing in comparison.
"Hufflepuff advances!"
The declaration shook Susan out of her focus as a round of applause went up as the sixth year defeated the youngest person in the competition. She was actually quite surprised that Ron Weasley had managed to get so far and even secure some house points for Gryffindor.
Blinking several times she watched the crowd once again to see eyes shifting back and forth to one another; if she didn't know better she would guess that everyone was expecting Potter Club to strike at any moment. Somehow she couldn't help but feel that this was the joke, get everyone riled up for nothing. By not doing anything were they pulling the easiest prank of all time?
Surely not.
Surely?
...
Katie Bell watched the windows in anticipation that morning, grinding her teeth against one another whilst waiting for the mail. She, as she assumed many others, had partaken in the vandalism a couple weeks prior with the assistance of Fred Weasley, the only other person she knew that was in Potter Club. During their assignment she had done her best to try and pry any information out of him but he seemed as out of the loop as she was. Heck, he didn't even know whether his brother was part of Potter Club.
During the morning where their blatant disregard of the rules was on display, Fred had jumped up alongside his brother in an act to try and proclaim that he should be selected to join Potter Club. Katie knew that the residential class clown and his brother had a reputation to uphold. It would be actually a lot more noticeable if they hadn't done anything and would have brought a lot of attention upon them.
That day however seemed like ages ago and she wanted more. Sure, Quidditch training had begun, including having to help Harry Potter learn how to fly, as well as classes and assignments, but it still felt like she was lacking something. She had only gotten a taste of what Potter Club could offer and if the aftermath of her attack on school property was anything to go by. She had no idea how it was done but she wanted to do more, and she didn't know how much longer she could wait.
The screeching of owls alerted her of the impending mail delivery and her eyes burned with an intense fire as if trying to possess one of the owls to deliver a letter to her. When a letter did land in front of her however she was unsure of what it was. Katie turned her head side to side as if in confusion before checking the pristinely clean envelope.
She wasted no time by grabbing a butter knife and slicing across the top of the envelope before gripping the contents inside and unfolding it to reveal...a blank piece of paper. Katie blinked thrice before turning the paper over to see if there was anything written on the back, lo and behold there was nothing.
Katie knew though that it was important, possibly vitally so. Thus she pocketed the parchment in the hope that her hunch was true and Potter Club had indeed made contact.
...
"So who do you reckon will solve it first?" asked Harry as he sat beside Hermione in the library. Upon the desk they were working at was a collection of books both critical to their homework and their extracurricular activities. They had blended the two piles together to ensure that anybody who shot a glance their way wouldn't become suspicious of what they were really looking into.
"I reckon Susan might," said Hermione not turning her eyes away from the parchment she was working on. Unlike Harry she was actually focusing on her homework before working with him on whatever it was that he was researching. While the entertainment had it's place she did feel compelled to ensure that her schoolwork was completed only hours after it had been assigned. Only then would she be able to help Harry.
"Susan hey, my money would have been on Cho," said Harry as he looked at the four blank pieces of paper that separated his work bench from Hermione's. Not one of the pieces of parchment had been smudged by ink nor would Harry or Hermione be first in putting a single stroke down.
"Might I inquire into the details regarding what you believe the Potter Club will be conducting?" asked Hermione.
"You don't have to worry about talking about PC in a roundabout way." said Harry. "I chose this corner of the library because I set up both a Silencing Charm around it so nobody will hear us and a charm that will make people uninterested in coming towards this area; can't remember the name for that one but it helps quite a bit."
"That's...awfully convenient..."
"That's magic," said Harry as he rolled his neck from side to side. "So speak casually."
"Alright," said Hermione putting down her quill momentarily. "Having sent out those blank pieces of paper, what are you going to tell Susan, Cho, Katie and Lee?"
"Well, they have the length of an A4 sheet of paper to ask us whatever they wish," answered Harry. "If they fail to ask what is required of them then it is their own fault."
"And...what is required of them?" asked Hermione.
"We need them to learn two spells," said Harry passing over a piece of paper to Hermione.
"I know this first one," said Hermione. "That's for changing the sound of your voice."
"Considering that we'll have to speak with them eventually and nobody technically wants to know who anybody else is, we'll have to disguise ourselves somehow. Our features are easy, heck I'll probably hand out masks or something but our voices will give us away, at least until puberty."
Hermione couldn't help but giggle slightly before she focused on the second spell. "So what does this spell do?"
"That, is essentially the charm used to animate pictures. It's permanently etched into cameras and the like but when something like a portrait is painted, they have to use this spell in order to animate it," answered Harry.
"So we're going to animate a picture then, somehow I think you have something bigger planned than our club emblem," said Hermione returning her attention back to her schoolwork.
"Perhaps," mused Harry before he spotted something out of the corner of his eye. "Well, well, well, time to see who figured it out."
Reacting to Harry's comment, Hermione looked at the paper between them as ink marks began to scrawl across the top of the parchment. Harry couldn't help but chuckle at the first word that he assumed was more of a question than a statement.
Hello.
It was plain, simple and in very small writing. "Any guesses on who it is?" asked Harry.
"I'm sticking with Cho," said Hermione.
"Alright then, you can write to her," said Harry picking up the paper and holding it up in front of her.
"It could be a him."
"Seventy five percent chance that it's not Lee, so I'mma stick with her," said Harry waiting for Hermione to take the paper. Hermione looked at the parchment nervously before hesitantly reaching out and grabbing it. Placing it down in front of her, she wondered what she should say. Picking up her quill, Hermione inhaled deeply before dipping the tip into a jar of ink and beginning her reply.
Welcome.
"Welcome, really?" said Harry.
"Well it's better than saying hello back, now isn't it," said Hermione trying to justify her word. "See, they're replying back now."
Harry and Hermione sat in silence as they watched the markings appear on the paper stroke by stroke. The pair of them had developed this little piece of magic, having broken down the charms that would allow people to communicate through mirrors to a more simplistic version where they'd converse without the aid of sound and sight. The one main problem with it though was that the conversation couldn't be any longer than the parchment itself and you had no real idea who was on the other end.
Is this PC?
Hermione bit at her lip as she questioned how to respond. By all means it was who the person believed it was but for all they knew the person she was writing to could be surrounded by friends and the whole thing could be blown out of proportion without them knowing.
Are you alone?
"Nice," said Harry. "Secrecy is key."
"Hush you," said Hermione as she watched the ink write out in front of her.
I'm by myself in the library.
Harry couldn't help but laugh as he pushed himself up from his chair. "Where are you going?" asked Hermione in a demanding tone.
"I need to research a couple things, I'll be back shortly," said Harry walking off before Hermione could yell at him to come back. Not like she would raise her voice anyways, they were in the library after all. Instead she focused on the parchment in front of her knowing that they were waiting for a response.
In that case, I am pleased to inform you that this is indeed Potter Club and thus when we are done you will have to destroy this in order to keep your identity hidden.
Several seconds passed by before the response came.
I understand. I don't like it, but I understand.
Hermione breathed out a sigh of relief at that, not knowing how the person would respond to her comment. The conversation began to speed up and Hermione felt as if she was writing to a penpal whom she'd never met. Eventually she gave out the necessary information as she closed towards the end of the paper, informing them once more that they had to destroy the evidence after copying the spells somewhere safe. She also signed at the bottom of the paper with the club initials before setting fire to her own sheet right as Harry came back.
"So I take it it went well," said Harry.
"Everything was mentioned," acknowledged Hermione. "You find out who it was?"
"Nope, went to the bathroom instead," said Harry only just being able to react in time to catch the book Hermione threw at him. "Now that wasn't very nice."
"You're disgusting, you know that," said Hermione unable to wipe the smirk from her face.
"I'll take that as a compliment."
...
"Mister Potter, may I ask that you stay behind for a moment," declared Snape from the front of the class. Harry looked up from his bench where he had been packing up his belongings before tossing a sideways glance towards Hermione who merely shrugged her shoulders. Harry responded with a shrug in kind before sitting back down whilst waiting for everybody else to file out of the dungeon. When the only two people remaining were Harry and Snape, the professor stepped out from behind his bench and walked forward, every stride carrying purpose. Harry had originally been intimidated by Severus his first time around but considering he knew exactly what Snape was to Dumbledore he couldn't rightfully be scared of him.
Standing in front of the seated Harry, cold eyes glared down at the boy in front of him. "Mister Potter, do you have any idea why I might have asked you to stay behind?" asked Professor Snape.
"Maybe something to do with my schoolwork?" said Harry, completely unsure why he was still in class.
"I take great pride in my work Mister Potter and I also take great pride watching people succeed in this field. The number of people likely to succeed in my class are minimal and I would have it so; I don't wish to waste time with those lacking in skill however for the first five years of study I must put up with those incapable of brewing the simplest of draughts," declared Snape. "Might I see your cauldron."
It wasn't a request.
Harry reached beneath his desk and pulled out the item in question and placed it on his desk. Snape leaned over it before sticking his hand in and running a finger across the inside. A couple seconds passed before he pulled out his hand and inspected his fingertip. More time passed before he showed his finger to Harry. "What do you see mister Potter?"
"Your hand sir?" said Harry unsure of his answer.
"How very observant," said Snape sarcastically, or at least something reminiscent of sarcasm. "I was referring to the lack of grime or any other substance that has gone into your cauldron to this point."
"I clean it after every potion," stated Harry.
"I can tell that you clean it by hand as well," declared Snape. "Those who try to use magic to clean their cauldron often find their potions tainted." Harry was genuinely surprised by that but remained silent as Snape continued. "As of the moment there are only a few of your peers capable of producing potions of an adequate quality. I hope that I don't have to keep you behind once more to ridicule you on how poor your standard has become."
"I'll try not to disappoint," said Harry.
"We will see," said Snape before turning his back on Harry and walking towards his office. Figuring he had been dismissed, Harry headed off, contemplating the conversation he had just had. It certainly hadn't happened first time round and he pondered whether Snape had actually ever told him something akin to a compliment. It seemed that he struggled with giving them considering how much of a roundabout way he had gone about it.
He wasn't surprised when he was ambushed by Hermione who had been waiting for him just outside the dungeon. "Is everything alright?" she asked.
"Yea, just congratulating me on doing something right," said Harry as the two of them started walking down the corridor. "Trust me, wasn't what I was expecting."
"You make it sound like he expected you to fail," said Hermione as they rounded a corner, a chilly Autumn breeze sending shivers down their spines as they found themselves exposed to the elements.
"Wouldn't surprise me if he wanted me to," said Harry. "He did give me an idea for something later on but it'll have to wait a while, he isn't so blind as to not connect the dots."
"Do tell."
"Nope, I'm holding on to this one for later," said Harry cheekily. "On that note how are the spells going?"
Coming to an abrupt stop, Hermione started rummaging through her belongings before pulling out a piece of parchment and unrolling it to reveal a stick figure strolling across the page. "Stick people?" said Harry skeptically.
"I'm not an artist, okay," said Hermione as the figure seemed to take notice of the two humans and started waving.
"You could've at least given him a face," said Harry. As if responding to Harry's comment, the stickman slapped at it's face as if searching for eyes and a mouth. When it could find none however it started to panic, scrambling along the bottom of the page as if a face was something that it had dropped. "Do you think he knows what a face is or if he even needs one?"
Hermione, having had enough for the moment and put the paperwork back into her bag, removing the stickman from view. "I think we can debate the needs and necessities of an inanimate object another time," she declared.
"Looked pretty animate to me."
"Look, I didn't give him a face because...well...I don't know how," said Hermione as she turned her attention to the floor. Thankfully, her confidence grew once more when she felt a reassuring hand on her shoulder.
"You got any pencils from home?" asked Harry. "I'd rather not use all my ink trying to teach you how to draw an eye."
Hermione merely smiled as the two of them started walking down the corridor once more, apparently to practise art provided they didn't think of a better way to spend their time on the way.
...
Susan couldn't help but smile at the bird on her parchment cleaning its feathers in front of her. She had been having trouble with the spell she had discovered for weeks, having only been able to practice it in private and only when she had finished her assignments. While the spells she learned for Potter Club were more important in her eyes she still had to focus on her homework. Last thing she needed was to fall behind in Charms or Transfiguration.
Susan was proud more than anything, knowing full well that the spell was advanced magic and she was capable of performing it. She couldn't help but giggle as the bird in her picture took flight and zoomed off into the background, circling a handful of times before landing down further away from where it had originally begun. Biting at the inside of her lip she cast the spell once more to freeze the picture.
Rummaging through her belongings she grasped hold of her quill and a bottle of ink. Considering the rain outside it wasn't like she could do much at the moment anyway other than study or draw, and since her homework was up to date it seemed as good a time as any to work on her artistic creation.
As she began constructing a birdhouse she recalled her first few attempts at casting the spell. The failed attempts were entertaining in their own right where only a single piece of her creation would come to life or different parts would go at different speeds. It was odd to say the least.
Having grown up with her aunt who spent a vast amount of time at work, Susan had spent a great deal of time at home by herself. When she was five her aunt had gotten her some colouring books and from there she got books teaching her how to draw in three dimensions and so on so on. As a child she had often dreamed about becoming an artist but that was put on hold when she got her letter to Hogwarts, and suddenly her head was filled with another world of wonders.
Now though she was mixing what she loved with her future aspirations.
As she recast the spell on her paper she watched as the bird she had created flew around in confusion momentarily before noticing the birdhouse that had been custom built for him and headed in for a closer look. Susan giggled as the bird entered it's new home and started making himself cosy. With a smile on her face she knew that she'd draw a partner for him in the near future, but that was for another time.
Freezing the image once more she hid the paper beneath her bed in her trunk before heading down to the Hufflepuff common room. As expected with Hallowe'en quickly approaching a few of the older students had taken it upon themselves to start trying to terrify the first years with horrendous stories. Horrendous in both the terrifying and the terrible sense.
Still, it was entertainment and Susan couldn't help but wonder whether or not Potter Club would be using it's new weapons on the supposed scariest day of the year. If anything she could draw a cave full of bats, stick it to the front of the great hall and animate it. At least people would be able to see her work in action then.
Well, until she did as she was told.
For now, she would wait.
...
Harry stared at the ceiling knowing full well what would be happening tomorrow. As soon as midnight struck it would be the thirty first of October and the beginning of the real problems first year had dished out. Quirrell would come screaming down the hall during dinner, the troll having been unleashed into the dungeons. Harry briefly chuckled contemplating that during the pandemonium he stepped on the back of Quirrell's head just to injure Voldemort. Arguably he could go one step further and use the love that his mother had protected him with and kill Quirrell then, it was something to think about.
He highly doubted that Hermione would be upset with Ron's words as Hermione actually had quite a number of friends as opposed to last time. He knew that it was in her nature to correct Ron during their first lesson levitating feathers, nothing was going to change that. More likely than not though she would not be running off to the bathroom and becoming a potential target. Thus it made sense that the three of them would not be confronting the troll this time round.
Harry did fear however that Potter Club would be blamed, it only made sense to target the group that hadn't done anything nefarious as of late. The professors likely wouldn't announce it but rumours would spread and before he knew it anything related to the club would be torn to shreds. He had to be prepared to counter that somehow.
Pushing himself into a sitting position, Harry rubbed at his eyes as he contemplated his options. No matter what path he chose though he knew there were going to be repercussions.
Potter Club would not come out of this unscathed.