Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of the intellectual property associated with Harry Potter.

Hi all,

Here's the next chapter. This is a slow chapter, with a lot of dialogue. One of my weaker chapters, but necessary.

Chapter 69

16th October

It was Sunday morning, and the club had convened in the Room of Requirements. They had arrived here shortly after breakfast to hold a club meeting. Everyone had been busy with their own issues for the past month, so they hadn't had a chance to sit down and catch up.

Harry yawned, sinking into his chair, still half asleep.

"Did you stay up late again working on one of your projects?" Daphne asked with a scowl.

"Nope."

Daphne turned to Neville, who quickly gave him away. "He wasn't in his bed when I went to sleep last night."

"Traitor."

Neville shrugged. "She would have gotten it from me eventually. This way, we can both save time. Do you know how terrifying she gets when she pulls out her wand?"

Harry nodded. "All too well."

Daphne sent him an icy look. "I don't believe you do. You may need a reminder."

Harry spent the night working on his Hummer in the workshop. He had just finished installing the engine and drivetrain, the most laborious part of the project. He had no idea how long it would take him to finish assembling the Hummer because he wouldn't dedicate as much time to it going forward. He wanted to get started on other projects that he had put off.

He could have worked faster, but he was new to engineering and wanted to avoid mistakes. It was worth the effort. After putting in so many hours on the project, he gained valuable mechanical skills. These skills would help him become more efficient in applying everything he learned about assembling a vehicle.

Gabrielle nudged him, and Harry focused his attention on Hermione, who was staring at him with an impatient look.

"Is there something on my face?" Harry asked

Hermione huffed. "Now that Harry is paying attention, I declare the first Phoenix Club meeting of the school year to be in session."

"What's with the formal introduction?" Terry asked.

"We haven't had a meeting in a long time," Hermione said. "There are a lot of important topics to get through, so I want everything to be organised and proper."

"This is a study club, Hermione," Daphne reminded her. "There is no need to be overly serious. We're all friends here, so do you really need to make this so serious?"

"Yes, I do," Hermione answered. "I asked Headmaster Flitwick if we could receive extra credit for our club activities. He said only if the group contributed significantly to the school in some way."

"Didn't we do that when we upgraded to the school brooms?" Tracy asked.

Hermione sighed. "Prior to September, there was no procedure in place to grant students extra credit. The headmaster decided to change this after observing the beneficial impact it had on the students. The Phoenix Club's efforts to improve the school brooms set an excellent example for others to follow."

"Be honest, Hermione," Susan said, laughing. "You badgered the headmaster into it, didn't you?"

"I merely made the suggestion," Hermione replied. "He saw merit in the suggestion and took it from there."

Terry leaned forward and whispered loudly. "I believe the power is getting to her head. Should we stop her before she gets out of control?"

"Terry Boot!" Hermione exclaimed.

"Do we all get credit for Harry's heroics with the greenhouse incident?" Padma asked. "He is part of the club, after all."

"I don't think emergency situations count towards extra credit," Daphne said with a smile.

"How about we rename the club to the Potter Club? That way, we can all share the spotlight," Gabrielle said with a mischievous grin. "Knowing Harry, he'll pull off another heroic rescue before the year ends, and that could give us some easy recognition."

Hermione cleared her throat. "If we could get back on track, please. Is there anything you'd like to discuss before we get started on the list of topics? Do you have any ideas, suggestions, or news to share?"

Neville raised his hand, appearing nervous. "Um, I don't know if this qualifies, but Padma and I are dating now."

Padma blushed as she looked down at the table.

"Since when?" Gabrielle demanded.

"A couple of weeks," Padma replied. "We wanted to keep it to ourselves first to see how it went before telling anyone else."

"I feel betrayed," Hannah sighed. "We should have known sooner."

"Who called it?" Harry asked, pointing at himself. "I have a talent for identifying potential relationships. Simply call me the love guru."

Susan shook her head. "Everyone could see it coming, Harry. Congratulations, you two. Padma, we can meet with the girls later and catch up on all the details of how it happened."

Tracy grasped Blaise's arm, who was sitting beside her. "I suppose this is as good a time as any to tell everyone that Blaise and I are dating as well."

Blaise nodded regally.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Daphne asked.

"Well, that was more predictable," Harry said. "This explains why Blaise has been so distant lately. He was too busy wooing Tracy."

"Yes, that is exactly the reason," Blaise sarcastically retorted. "And I don't woo. I seduce."

Tracy smacked him on the shoulder. "Don't get cocky. I was already interested in you, so there was no need to seduce me. You aren't as charming as you think."

"Well, I charmed myself into your—"

"Don't you dare finish that sentence," Tracy interrupted.

"—heart," Blaise concluded.

"Should we expect more couples among the club members?" Daphne asked. "Terry, do you have something to confess to?"

Terry lifted a finger to his lips and winked.

"Who is it?" Tracy looked around the table. "Hannah? Hermione? Which one of them appeals to you more?"

"Don't look at me," Hermione said. "There's no one I'm interested in at the moment."

"Not me," Hannah replied. "I'm still holding out hope that Harry will consider taking me on as another girlfriend."

Everyone looked at her in disbelief. Gabrielle appeared to be about to launch herself over the table and attack her.

"I'm kidding," Hannah grumbled. "Don't you know me by now? I make everything into a joke."

Harry pretended to wipe sweat from his brow, making everyone laugh.

"Is there anything else you want to share?" Hermione asked, looking at everyone.

"I'm not sure whether this counts as anything," Blaise said, "but Draco has been acting very un-Draco-like recently. He's been quiet, and he no longer goes out of his way to annoy others. It had been peaceful in the Slytherin common room."

"He hasn't been bothering me either," Harry observed. "Do you know the reason?"

Blaise shrugged. "Besides getting a lot of letters from his mother, I don't have a clue."

"Well, keep an eye on him just in case," Harry suggested. "People don't change that easily. There has to be a reason."

Blaise nodded.

"I have something to share," Gabrielle said. "What are we going to do about that cochon, Professor Lockhart?"

"What do you mean?" Daphne asked.

"He can hardly be called a competent Care of Magical Creatures professor," Gabrielle complained. "One of his roles as the professor is to look after the magical creatures at Hogwarts. For example, consider the herd of Thestrals that pulls the carriages for the students."

"I thought the carriages were charmed to move on their own," Hannah said. "What are Thestrals?"

"I have heard of them," Hermione answered. "They are in Hogwarts: A History. They are winged horses, visible only to those who have seen death."

Gabrielle shook her head. "That's not totally accurate. They need to understand death on a deeper level. It's not enough to have seen someone's death. Thestrals have a bad reputation because many think they bring death, but that's not true at all. They are lovely creatures with an unusual magical ability that unsettles people."

"So, Lockhart isn't doing his job," Harry prompted.

"No," Gabrielle spat. "Luna and I are helping them. Astoria and Ginny have also been of great help. I can't help any creatures in the Black Lake since the Merpeople are hostile to my race, therefore, they take care of them."

Susan frowned. "Did you tell the headmaster?"

"Yes, but the headmaster isn't going to fire him for such a small reason," Gabrielle replied. "As long as Lockhart is even slightly competent in his primary role as professor, which is to teach the class, he will not be fired. Because of all the previous incidents at Hogwarts, the headmaster found it difficult to find anyone to take over the position of Care of Magical Creatures."

"Well, some of us can help you take up some of the slack," Hermione said and the others agreed. "I doubt Lockhart will be around for more than a year."

"Speaking of Lockhart," Terry said. "I've been doing extra research on all of his books included in the curriculum. There were several inconsistencies in the dates when he was in two places at once. Unless he can copy himself, I don't see how that is possible."

"So, he's lying about his accomplishments," Daphne noted. "Why am I not surprised?"

"We could always expose him," Neville suggested.

"It's not going to work," Blaise warned.

"Why not?"

"For two main reasons," Blaise said. "One, his books have never been marketed as autobiographies based on true events. He gives that impression to everyone because he loves being the centre of attention.

"But he is deceiving so many people," Hermione objected.

"It doesn't matter," Blaise replied. "Even if he were exposed as a fraud, there will be many witches who would look the other way because they find him handsome and charming."

"What's the second reason?" Harry asked.

Blaise leaned closer, a salacious smirk on his face. "There are rumours going around that he has had several relationships with married ladies. Some of these have an enormous influence on our society. I believe they wouldn't hesitate to defend him, either out of infatuation or fear that their adultery might be discovered by their husbands."

"That's gross," Susan exclaimed. "I always thought he was a creep."

"Let's hope he doesn't try anything with the female students," Gabrielle replied, scowling.

"Has he been bothering you?" Harry asked, feeling his protective instincts flare.

"No. I stay out of his way. I've noticed him watching us in the Great Hall on occasion, but that could be for any number of reasons.

"Well, we should keep an eye on him," Daphne said, before she smirked. "Perhaps he is a big fan of Harry's and is interested in becoming a part of his fan club."

Harry grimaced.

"What's the current total?" Tracy asked.

"Over a hundred students have joined the club," Daphne revealed. "Most of them are girls."

"Can we not talk about this?" Harry groused. "Do you realise how many times I've had to sign my autograph? I feel like taking out my wand and cursing all of them."

"That's one way to get them to stop," Terry agreed.

"Moving on," Hermione said. "If no one else has anything to contribute, we can begin discussing the issues on the agenda. First, Harry would like to update us on his occlumency progress."

Harry took a sip of water before speaking. "I reached occlumency level three a few days ago. I've already created my mind palace and organised my memories."

"Already?" Tracy cried. "I still haven't reached level two. What's your secret?"

It elicited identical reactions from the others. Only Hermione, Daphne, and Susan had gotten to level two, and the latter two had a head start over everyone.

"I found another approach to learning occlumency, which is a lot more effective than the one we have been using," Harry told them. He went on to explain that the Sorting Hat had provided him with the new method.

"When were you going to tell us?" Daphne asked.

"I wanted to test the method out first before I passed it onto you guys," he explained. "To make sure that there weren't any problems with it."

Harry worked every night for the last month to complete his mind palace. After constructing the main piles of rubbish that concealed his most important memories, he added additional touches to further safeguard them. First, he built a series of mazes made of rows of garbage, making it more difficult for invaders to navigate the junkyard and increasing the likelihood that they would stumble onto ambushes and traps he had laid out.

He then introduced additional magical creatures. He mainly used smaller creatures like Demiguises, Kneazles, Owls, and various magical snakes. Using smaller animals helped them to remain hidden among the rubbish and ambush intruders more effectively.

He utilised Demiguises a lot because of their ability to become invisible and because he was familiar with them. Perhaps it was his imagination, but the Demiguises appeared to be more intelligent than the other creatures in his mind palace, responding to commands more easily. He couldn't tell if this was due to being a Demiguise himself or if he simply found it easier to imagine them in his mind.

He added several packs of Matagots to protect both the exterior and the interior of the junkyard. Gabrielle had previously spoken about the magical creature and her desire to add them to her creature's trunk. He wasn't sure how he felt about meeting a Matagot because they seemed so intimidating, yet they were perfect for his mind palace. They could multiply if they were hit by any hostile spells, which sounded like it would provide plenty of security.

Harry was also interested in including Nightmares in his mind palace, since he felt they were poetic retribution to anyone trying to read his thoughts. Imagine someone trespassing into his mind only to be confronted with a Nightmare that may drag you into an eternal nightmare.

He didn't believe the Nightmares in his mind palace would be able to replicate the adverse effects of their real-life counterparts, but he was curious to find out if there were any negative consequences. From the other magical creatures in his mind palace, he realised they still held onto some of their magical powers.

The Nightmares would have to wait, however. He struggled to make them for a number of reasons. For starters, they were large creatures, and he found it difficult to create anything that size. Secondly, he lacked the necessary familiarity with them to effectively replicate them. He had looked into them, but there wasn't as much information available as there was for the Matagots.

There was still more he could do with his mind palace, but the majority of the work was done. All of his memories were now organised, and he has seen a significant increase in memory retention and focus. As a result, his schoolwork became easier, and he was able to maintain his place as one of the top students in his year. Only Daphne and Hermoine had higher overall marks due to their theory work.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" Hermione asked, leaning forward. "I have been trying to reach level three for a while now so you can finally tell us what really happened earlier this year."

Everyone nodded in agreement.

Harry grabbed a notebook from his robe and placed it on the table. "I suggest that you keep it in this room so others can't find it."

Daphne nodded. "The ministry hates it when the magical community learns something like occlumency. If they discover that you're using a method that simplifies the discipline, you could get into trouble."

"We can study it later," Hermione said, looking down at her notes. "The next topic for discussion is Galahad and Lewis. You already know that I solved the puzzle, but it didn't help us much. Has anyone discovered anything else?"

Everyone exchanged glances, but nobody spoke up.

Hermione had solved the puzzle. It was similar to a rubix cube in that she needed to place each square in a specific order. Except she had to match runic characters rather than colours, and the task was far more challenging. As soon as she completed the first layer, the cube shrank by collapsing in on itself, before presenting a new problem to solve. This was repeated twice more before a small jewellery box was uncovered, containing a small golden key.

They weren't sure what the key was for, so they set it aside for the time being. They kept searching the library for more clues but found no references to Galahad or Lewis.

"There's still the restricted section," Padma suggested. "But we will need a permission slip from a professor to access it."

"Not exactly," Harry replied. "I have a means of entering the library undetected. I only need to disable the alert ward first."

"Is the risk really worth it?" Neville asked. "I don't believe we will find anything. Let's leave things alone for a moment. Perhaps something else might come to us later."

Harry frowned. He didn't want to let it go so quickly since he wanted to solve the mystery surrounding Lewis. He could have investigated the restricted section on his own, but he had to agree with Neville. The chances of finding anything were slim.

They continued the meeting, but the topics were mainly about school subjects and future study plans. A dispute arose about whether they would allow others to join their club. They had dealt with the same issue before but pushed it aside because of the chaos at Hogwarts.

Many students wanted to join because the group's members consistently ranked high academically. Some were driven by self-interest. They were all captivated by the mystique surrounding the club, especially Harry.

Everyone had mixed feelings on the topic. Nobody wanted to divulge the secret of the Room of Requirement to outsiders, so they had to think about gathering somewhere else. But they didn't want to rule out the possibility of adding others; otherwise, it wouldn't be a true club. Just a group of friends that studied and socialised together.

"I need to speak with you, Harry," Blaise said when the meeting ended. He turned to Tracy and kissed her. "I will catch up with you later."

Tracy nodded. The rest of their friends exited the room, and Blaise approached and sat next to him.

"What do you want to talk about?" Harry replied, looking at Blaise with concern. His companion seemed worried—a sight unfamiliar to him.

Blaise pulled a piece of parchment from his pocket. "I received a letter from my mother a month ago. I should have told you earlier, but I was worried about your reaction."

Harry raised an eyebrow. "Is it that serious? What is the letter about?"

Blaise pushed the letter across the table. "Read it."

Harry grabbed the letter and started reading. His mood darkened as he read on, restraining himself from bombarding Blaise with questions until he reached the end.

"You didn't follow her advice," Harry remarked, tossing the letter onto the table. "Despite being somewhat distant lately, you haven't ceased being my friend, from what I can see."

"Do you think I would stop because of that? Obsidian doesn't scare me," Blaise said. "You don't seem surprised about being targeted by them."

Harry shrugged. "They've already threatened me. However, I was unaware that they might have someone working for them within Hogwarts. There aren't many candidates for who it could be. I'd like to think I know every professor by now. I don't believe they are capable of doing something like this."

"Don't be so sure," Blaise warned. "Obsidian has a lot of influence. Lockhart is the only new professor, so he automatically goes to the top of my list. He may appear to be a bumbling idiot, yet appearances can be misleading. Besides, it might be a student for all we know."

Harry looked at him sceptically.

"They like to recruit their members young," Blaise said. "They are more malleable and hence easier to indoctrinate into their way of thinking."

"Right," Harry sighed. "You would know better than me."

"Do you hate me?"

"What are you talking about?"

"For having some family members who are part of Obsidian," Blaise clarified.

Harry shook his head. "Don't be ridiculous. You are not responsible for their actions. Besides, I thought you didn't get along with your family.

"I don't," Blaise replied, his expression softening. He grabbed the letter. "When I got this letter, I sent one back to my mother, asking if she could find anything more about the ones targeting you."

"Did you find anything?"

"Yes, but it's not going to be worth much," Blaise said. "Mother's informant discovered that the one responsible for attacking you is called Obsidian Eight."

"What a weird name."

"I would take it seriously. Very little is known about him. Obsidian's inner circle consists of nine members who exercise authority over the organisation. Nobody knows who they really are since they wear masks around the other members. They are vicious and will do everything to attain their objectives."

"I need to tell my grandfather," Harry told him. "Do you mind if I pass the letter on to him?"

Blaise handed the letter back to him. "As long as he doesn't tell anyone. If it leaks that my mother is spying on Obsidian, they will come after her."

"He will be discreet," Harry promised. He pointed to a sentence in the letter. "So your mother's getting married for the eighth time. Should I offer my congratulations?"

Blaise groaned. "I understand that it may sound bad, but she has valid reasons for marrying multiple times following the murders of her husbands."

"Murders? Did your mother kill them?"

"Yes, but you should know the backstory. The Zabinis are an ancient Italian family with plenty of prestige, wealth, and traditions. However, few are aware of our dark secret. Our family are thralls to a vampire family that has existed for centuries. In return for our incredible fortune, we must allow them to feed on us as if we were walking blood banks."

Harry's mouth dropped open. "You're kidding me."

"I wished. Vampire families are prevalent in Italy. Did you hear about the fight between vampires and werewolves in my country?"

"Lauren, my godfather's girlfriend, reported on the situation. Obsidian had a hand in it, correct?"

"Yes. It was initiated by my relatives, who are Obsidian members. They were aiming to eliminate the vampire family that controlled us. It was a really stupid move. If the vampire family finds out, our family could be wiped out. I don't enjoy being enthralled, either, but there must be a better way to go about it."

"Why was your family chosen by the vampires in the first place?"

"Because apparently Zabini blood tastes especially delicious," Blaise said, laughing. "I don't think it can be termed a magical ability because it doesn't provide any further benefits. It's just a trait of our family that makes us more desirable to vampires."

"That's messed up," Harry said. "What does this have to do with your mother?"

Blaise's expression darkened. "Vampires took the life of my father, my mother's first husband and the love of her life. They resented how he took time away from them, their preferred meal. My mother's blood is particularly exquisite, making her always sought after."

Harry leaned forward and patted his shoulder. "What a bunch of dickheads. I am sorry about your father."

Blaise agreed. "My mother sought revenge by sowing discord within the vampire family. She married one of them, reserving her blood solely for him. This clearly vexed the rest, leading them to plot his murder to reclaim her for themselves. Subsequently, she married another, who too met his end. The marriage and death cycle has continued up until this day."

"Isn't that kind of dumb?" Harry asked. "They must have known what your mother was doing?"

"They don't care. They consider it a game, and they are enamoured with my mother's blood. Some of them are arrogant enough to believe that they have sufficient protection against retaliation."

"It sounds quite tragic. Why is your mother putting herself through this torture?"

"They will use her either way," Blaise replied, biting his lip. "This way, she'll receive some satisfaction from taking some of them out. However, because the vampire family is huge, the actual damage she is doing to them is minor."

Harry jumped up and shoved the letter into his pocket. "Your family history is really depressing. I think I've heard enough for the day. Let's get out of here."

Blaise agreed and they left the Room of Requirement. They were walking down the sixth-floor corridor when Harry paused. A galloping sound reached his ears, and it appeared to be moving closer.

"Did you hear that?" Harry asked.

In response, Blaise brandished his wand, and Harry did the same. Out of nowhere, a ghost emerged from the wall. It was a headless man on horseback, carrying his head under his arm. He took a horn from his belt and let out a loud trumpeting noise.

"Good day, Warden!" The ghost bowed from the seat of his horse. "My name is Sir Patrick Delaney-Podmore!"

Harry was left speechless.

Blaise nudged him in the side. "Say something. He is talking to you."

"Uh, hello," Harry began, regaining his voice. "I'm Harry Potter. Is there anything I can do for you?

"I'd like to request permission to enter the castle with my men on Halloween. It's Nearly Headless Nick's deathday party, and we're going to celebrate by hosting the Headless Hunt. It's only proper that I first seek your consent."

"Okay," Harry replied hesitantly. He had no idea what Patrick was talking about, so he asked a question. "What's a deathday party?"

"It's to commemorate the day a ghost died," Patrick explained as if it were obvious. "It's Nearly Headless Nick's fifth hundredth deathday party. They don't come along very often."

"Okay, you have my permission," Harry said, wanting the conversation to end.

"Good man!" Patrick saluted him. "If you have time, you ought to come to the party. I promise it will be a party to die for."

After saying that, Patrick vanished back into the wall.

"Well, that happened," Blaise snorted. "Just another episode of Harry Potter's strange encounters."

"Shut it," Harry said, then continued moving. "All things considered, that was a fairly tame encounter."

"Are you going to attend the deathday party?"

"Hell, no."

Blaise gave him a critical glance. "It could be a wonderful opportunity to gather some information. The ghosts will all be gathered in one place."

"The ghosts aren't speaking to me at the moment," Harry reminded him. "Except for Myrtle."

"There's no harm in trying."

"Dammit," Harry cursed. "Okay, but you're coming with me. I'm not going alone."

"I'm dying of anticipation."

"Don't you start."

31st October

"Why did we agree to come along with you?" Daphne asked, shivering as they entered the room where the deathday party was being held.

"Because you're a glutton for punishment?" Harry said.

It felt like they had walked into a freezer filled with rotten food. While the dozens of ghosts in attendance could be blamed for the former impression, it was all too true in the case of the latter. There were tables set up, each filled with plates of rotting foods that were giving off a strong odour.

Harry wanted to walk right back out of the room, cursing himself for letting Blaise persuade him to attend.

Daphne tightened her shawl around her shoulders, hoping to get some warmth. "If I ever make such a stupid decision again, kill me."

"There's no need to be so negative," Blaise said, glancing around with a smile. He was dressed in formal robes for the occasion. "Think about it this way. We're going to be the life of the party."

Daphne took out her wand and sent a stinging hex into Blaise's side, causing him to jump.
"Take control of your woman, Potter. She's out of control."

Daphne raised an eyebrow at him, tapping her wand against her arm.

"You got what you deserved," Harry told Blaise.

Susan poked him in the side. "Where do we even stand? I don't want to have ghosts phasing through me."

Harry pointed. "There's an exorcism circle over there. Just stand inside it for the remainder of the party."

"What?" Susan asked, looking where he was pointing with confusion.

Gabrielle slapped his arm. "Don't be mean. Daphne, he needs to be punished."

"Ow!" Harry rubbed his backside, glaring at Daphne. "Why did you have to hit me there?"

Daphne shrugged. "Felt like it."

"Let's go and meet the rest of the partygoers," Blaise said, walking over to a ghostly old gentleman standing by himself. "Good day, sir. What's making you look so dour? You look as if you are attending someone's funeral."

The old ghost glared at him before floating away. Blaise moved onto another ghost.

"Let's stay away from him," Harry suggested. He spotted Nearly Headless Nick and walked over to him. "Hello, Nick. Happy deathday to you."

Nick turned around. "Mr Potter, what are you doing here?"

"Patrick invited me to the party," Harry said before wrinkling his nose. "Probably should have eaten before coming here, though."

"It's not a good night to be out alone," Nicholas said, drifting closer to him and whispering. "I suggest you head for the Halloween Feast quickly before it's too late."

Harry stared at Nearly Headless Nick as he floated away. What the hell was he talking about?

So, what do you think? In the next chapter, Halloween rears its ugly head again.

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Thanks for reading.