Chapter 10

The next day Harry was exhausted. Tom had worked him hard with the new and improved version of his spell, and when they said farewells there was hardly any time to get a wink of sleep. He dragged himself through his morning classes, and when Harry finished his lunch he rose from the hall, and departed leaving the whispers behind him. While he was in his exhausted state he could hardly stand the looks, and was quick to depart after a small bite to eat.

In early September Hogwarts' grounds were always blessed with pleasant weather. Harry felt the gentle breeze and warm sunlight wash over him, invigorating his spirits. He decided that spending time outdoors would be the perfect antidote to his morning exhaustion.

With a spring in his step, Harry made his way across the sprawling lawns, his robes billowing behind him. The air was filled with the sweet scent of wildflowers, and the sound of birdsong echoed through the trees. Harry breathed deeply, savoring the tranquility of the moment. It was a fry cry from the sinister magic he had been working on just a few hours before. It was a relief to the soul to be in the presence of such peace, and he embraced it, grateful to see another beautiful day.

His destination was Hagrid's hut, located on the edge of the Forbidden Forest. Harry couldn't help but wonder what surprises awaited them in their second lesson. The first lesson had been so exciting he knew his professor would have difficulty following it up.

As Harry neared Hagrid's hut, an unusual commotion caught his attention. A sizeable cluster of students had gathered around the entrance, their animated chatter creating a buzz in the air. Intrigued, Harry hastened his steps and took a position at the back of the crowd, eager to unravel the mystery.

It seemed that the excitement had merely carried over from their first lesson, and Harry had a small grin on his face as recounted the day from earlier in the week.

.o.

With compassion, Harry watched the half-giant stumble through the introduction to his class. Among all the teachers and individuals the teenager detested, Hagrid was near the bottom of his list of people he wished to hex. In a way, Hagrid was the first to reveal to Harry that he was destined for greatness.

'This boy has had his name down since he was born. He's going to the finest school of witchcraft and wizardry in the world and he will study under the finest Headmaster Hogwarts has ever seen. Albus Dumbledore.'

The confirmation Harry craved, assuring him of his exceptional nature, had been confirmed that day. He now stood among the elite students of his time, apprenticing under a legendary wizard who had been revered and feared as one of the most powerful in the past century. The catalyst for this extraordinary journey began with Hagrid, something he would never forget.

Upon learning the circumstances surrounding Hagrid's birth from his fellow Slytherins, Harry's immediate reaction was one of revulsion. The concept of a creature and a wizard mating and producing offspring struck him as unnatural. It was during this encounter that Harry first encountered the term "half-breed." While the other Slytherins downplayed the severity of the term, Harry sensed its profound implications. Despite acknowledging the kindness possessed by creatures like Hagrid and Flitwick, he couldn't deny the truth embedded in the statement. The union between a creature and a wizard was seen as an abomination.

During the summer, Harry and Tom had an in-depth discussion about half-breeds, but the Dark Lord primarily focused on their utility. Tom emphasized that some Hogwarts students might look down upon Hagrid and Professor Flitwick due to their ancestry, but their magical abilities were undeniable. In a magical combat, they could easily defeat not only all of the students but also the majority of their parents. Tom believed that power was the true measure of a person's character, regardless of their heritage.

With nervous whispers filling the air, the half-giant led the group of third-year students to the forest's edge. However, Harry followed closely behind, eager to see what magical creatures Hagrid had tamed. He couldn't help but recall his first year when Draco had complained in the Common Room about being stuck in detention with Filch due to spying on Longbottom, Granger, and Weasley. According to the arrogant blonde, the trio was helping Hagrid smuggle a baby dragon out of the castle, and knowing Hagrid's nature, Harry couldn't completely dismiss the story.

Now Harry watched in anticipation wondering if they were about to come face to face with something spectacular. While it wasn't a dragon, Harry was no less awed by the creatures that stood before the gathered group of students. A pack of around half a dozen hippogriffs stood in the clearing, each grazing around slowly for food, but now watching the arriving students with trepidation.

That trepidation however was put aside as Hagrid tossed several ferrets in the direction of the animals as he began his instruction. They had learned all about the winged-horse like creatures, and when Hagrid asked for a volunteer on who would like to approach them the class had frozen. When the half-giant looked disheartened by the lack of willing participants Harry began walking towards the Professor, "I'll give it a try, Professor."

Hagrid lit up like a Christmas tree when Harry volunteered and motioned for the 3rd year Slytherin to join him at his side. When the two stood shoulder to stomach Hagrid leaned over and whispered instructions, "Alright, Buckbeack there is one of the more docile of the pack. Try giving him a soft approach. Offer him a bow and see if he bows back."

"And if he doesn't?" Harry asked nearly breathlessly as the creature locked eyes with him challengingly.

Shrugging, the Professor smiled, "We will get to that later."

Frowning at the instructions, Harry nodded, and began to move forward to address the creature. When he heard Hagrid's instruction to bow he did so, and the Hippogriff looked at him thoughtfully, before returning it.

What followed was magical. Harry was given the chance to pet the creature, but did put his foot down when Hagrid attempted to get him to mount the beast. Hagrid hardly let his good spirits sway, however, and promised to push Harry further the next time he encountered Buckbeak. At the end of the lesson, he would never forget Hagrid's large smile when he said, "I never believed a word they say about you, Harry. Not one."

.o.

It wasn't uncommon for the teachers to comment on Harry's skill with a wand. Most of them did. To hear the person who introduced him to the magical world say something kind about his character, however, had warmed him to the half-giant, and reminded himself of Tom's words about power.

In his research, Harry delved into the intriguing world of half-giants, discovering that they possessed remarkable spell resistance. Their magical abilities often matched, and sometimes even surpassed, those of their normal-sized counterparts. One such half-giant caught Harry's attention: the Headmistress of Beauxbatons, the prestigious French magical school. According to the article, she was a gifted magical marvel. Combining her spell resistance with her enchanting charm's abilities, she undoubtedly posed a formidable foe to any that might cross her.

Despite being aware of Hagrid's limited magical abilities, Harry acknowledged that the half-giant possessed immense physical strength, capable of easily overpowering and injuring anyone who dared to provoke or harm him. This realization, coupled with the faith that Hagrid placed in him, motivated Harry to uphold his commitment to excel in Care of Magical Creatures class, determined to continue giving his best efforts in the subject.

Luckily Hagrid led the class back to the same clearing they had last encountered the Hippogriffs last time, and found the pack waiting on them. This time however Hagrid was passing out ferrets to a few brave volunteers, Harry chief among them, to feed the beasts.

Shrugging, Harry approached Buckbeak with a slight grin on his face, and immediately tossed the large creature, a dead ferret. After Buckbeack had finished with his ferret the large creature approached the 3rd year Slytherin, and greeted Harry with a push of his head into the teens shoulder nearly knocking him over. This caused Harry to chuckle softly, and patted the beasts on the face, "You're not so bad, Buckbeak."

"May I feed him?" A soft, nervous, voice asked behind him.

Harry turned to see Daphne, Tracey, and Blaise Zabini standing nervously behind him, while the other Slytherins appeared to be doing their best to avoid the creatures like the plague. Meanwhile, several Gryffindors were catching on, and were leading the other houses to do the same.

The teen was surprised by her question, and merely stared at her for a moment, before Blaise grunted, "The others are doing it. I don't fancy failing an easy elective, because I was too scared to touch the beast."

Buckbeak seemed to sense that he had just been insulted and snapped at the dark-skinned boy with a snap of his beak causing all three Slytherin to take a step back. Harry wanted to chastise the boy, but then Tom's words echoed in his head, 'You need allies, Harry. They don't have to be your friends, you don't have to trust them, but you need to bring people over to your side. Show them that you are superior, and they will fall in line, or get out of your way.'

Deciding on a different approach Harry soothed the creature by tapping the side of its head gently, "Easy there, Buckbeak. Let's have another ferret, yeah? He didn't mean that."

In anticipation of another ferret, Buckbeak displayed excitement. Harry utilized his wand to summon yet another lifeless ferret, propelling it into the air for the creature to capture. This act appeared to pacify the beast. Harry, unimpressed, addressed Blaise, reminding him of Professor Hagrid's advice. He emphasized the importance of showing respect to avoid offending the creature. Even though Buckbeak might not comprehend Blaise's words, the insult was clear and understood.

"I didn't take you for a beast whisperer, Potter." Draco snarled in the background.

Harry ignored the boy, and continued to pat Buckbeak, thankful that he seemed to be distracted with his dead ferret instead of listening to the idiotic one in his class. Stepping back towards his classmates, Harry moved beside Blaise, while keeping his eyes on the hippogriff, and instructing them at the same time, "Do as I do."

Blaise followed Harry's eyes as he stared into the yellow eyes of the large feathered creature, and mimicked the bow that Harry performed. Buckbeak seemed to take the teen in before returning the bow, but Harry noted it wasn't nearly as deep as the one he had received in their previous lesson. Nervously Blaise approached the hippogriff, and Buckbeak allowed Blaise to pat him on the side, while glancing at him sharply when getting closer to his head like Harry was. Blaise seemed to correctly interpret the message of staying close to the wings, and Harry just forced a grin at his classmate, who seemed surprised by the gesture, before returning it.

"Here." Harry said, summoning a dead ferret, and handing it to Blaise, "Toss him this, and I think all will be forgiven."

Blaise nodded and tossed the carcass into the air allowing Buckbeak to snap it up, and Harry stepped away from the creature while turning to the two Slytherin girls who remained frozen to the spot. Harry moved to stand beside them as Blaise suddenly looked a lot more nervous as he was left alone with the large feathered horse.

"He's nice as long as you are polite." Harry promised in what he hoped was a sincere voice.

Playing nicely was not something he was good at. Especially with people his age that he thought were below him. Putting on a fake gentle expression however strained his abilities to keep his personal feelings to himself. Tracey scoffed at his words, and tossed her brown hair over her shoulder, "I think I'd rather live a little longer."

"Just don't insult him." Harry said with a shrug, "It's your grade however, and you can always push me in front of you. I think I can reason with him."

Tracey seemed to bite her lip in consideration, while Daphne just stared at the magical creature with a look Harry couldn't quite decipher. Finally, the blonde seemed to make up her mind, "Come on Trace, if they can do it, we can too."

Daphne sounded confident, but her expression didn't quite convey the emotion. Instead she stepped forward addressing Buckbeak, and mimicked Harry and Blaise's attempts from earlier. Buckbeak seemed to watch the girl intently, and allowed Tracey time to join her classmate, and bow her own head, to wait for judgment.

Buckbeak squawked, making Blaise step away suddenly, and Tracy along with Daphne began to retreat, but Hagrid was with them now saying, "Don't move."

Both girls froze in place at their instructor's command. Both still had their heads bowed, and neither had their eyes on the beast. Harry's heart thudded in anticipation and wondered if he would have to defend himself or his classmates from a rogue hippogriff, but the feeling subsided when Buckbeak took two slow steps forward, before returning the bow.

Harry grinned at the creature and told his classmates, "Go on. Buckbeak wouldn't have bowed if he didn't want you to approach."

"Best to toss him a ferret if you are nervous." Hagrid suggested.

The two girls took the suggestion, which seemed to be the key to warming up their large new friend to their advances. Hagrid clapped his hands together, "Well done, Slytherins! Ten points to yer house."

Looking down at Harry the half-giant grinned, "Ten more points to yerself, Harry. Good job teaching the others, and warming them up to ole Buckbeak."

With a mighty pat on the shoulder that nearly knocked Harry over he watched as his classmates patted the creature, and talked excitedly among themselves. Harry had rarely seen any of the three of them smile, and was surprised to see it seemed genuine as they discussed the feeling of the creature's feathers. His eyes surveyed the remainder of his classmates, and saw that few were having the luck that they had, but varying degrees of success were on display. The Hufflepuffs seemed to stare at the creature in reverence, while many attempted to sketch the creature, while tossing their hippogriff dead ferrets from a distance.

Hermione Granger and Neville Longbottom seemed to be attempting to befriend their beast, but it seemed that the proud Hippogriff they were paired up with didn't want them to get too close. He stopped the laugh that nearly passed his lips when Longbottom tripped backwards over a branch, and shook his head as Granger lost her nerve.

To Harry's left, a creature suddenly caught his attention. Unlike the others, this creature did not approach the group. Instead, it seated itself on a nearby hill, its gaze fixed upon the class. Perplexed, Harry observed the enormous black dog sitting on its hind legs, its unwavering stare directed at him. It was undoubtedly the largest dog he had ever encountered. Harry estimated that this dog could easily devour his Aunt Marge's dog, Ripper, and still have room for an afternoon snack.

As Harry's gaze met the creature's, an overwhelming sense of peril washed over him. Despite the distance between them, he could feel the danger radiating from the beast. It stood tall, its menacing presence filling the air. Harry's instincts kicked in, and he swiftly reached into his robes, retrieving his wand. The creature, a large black beast with glowing red eyes, seemed to sense Harry's movement. It bared its sharp teeth, revealing a snarl that Harry couldn't hear but could feel deep within his bones. The atmosphere grew heavy with anticipation as Harry braced himself for what he believed would be a fight.

Preparing to defend himself from the beast he almost called out to Hagrid when out of the corner of his eye he saw Malfoy on his feet approaching the other Slytherin's, looking smug, "You aren't dangerous at all are you? You great ugly brute! "

Turning his back on the dog on the hill Harry's eyes widened as Buckbeak cawed with rage and reared up. Unfortunately, Malfoy was out of striking range for the beast, but the Slytherin's that had been petting Buckpeak were not. In slow motion, Harry seemed to watch the beast raise its sharp hooves in preparation to strike Daphne, while Blaise had already tumbled over backward after getting shoved by one of the hippogriffs flaring wings. Tracey for her part was horror-struck, and Harry growled out and ripped his wand across his body causing all three Slytherin to come sliding backward out of the beast's reach.

Thankfully Hagrid who had been surging forward managed to get in front of them before Buckbeat went striding forward, and tossed a ferret to the side in an attempt to calm the creature down. Luckily for Draco the beast was more interested in another snack than its pride, unluckily for Draco, Hagrid whirled on the boy, "Have ye lost yer mind?"

Draco was pale as a ghost, while Hagrid boomed out, "A week detention with Mr. Filch! I will have ya kicked from me class for this foolishness. Had another Slytherin not just saved three other students from yer mistake I'd dock 100 points! "

The blonde Slytherin turned red with embarrassment as Hagrid grabbed the boy roughly by the arm and began dragging him back to the castle, "Class dismissed."

Mumbles followed the dismissal of the class, while Harry spun around to see if the large black dog was still standing watch. It seemed the excitement had sent the dog away, and Harry huffed as he realized he had become worked up over nothing. Hagrid would've easily handled the dog if he could handle hippogriffs. It was lucky Harry had drawn his wand at the sight of the creature, because he was unsure if he had been fast enough to help his classmates had the wand not already been in his hand.

"Potter." The deep voice of Blaise Zabini said, drawing him back to the attention of the other three Slytherins that had been successful in coaxing the hippogriff.

All three were looking at him with varying degrees of disbelief, but it was Blaise who spoke first, "You just saved our arses."

Shrugging, Harry glanced at Tracey whose jaw seemed to have become slightly unhinged, while Daphne just stared at him with a look of disbelief, "It was lucky my wand was already out."

Harry said modestly, but Tracey shook her head, finally closing her mouth, "I didn't even hear you use a spell."

"The summoning charm is one of the few I can do non-verbally." Harry admitted flippantly.

Daphne's eyes widened at this, "You used the summoning charm on all three of us, non-verbally? At the same time?"

Shuffling a little at her scrutiny Harry just shook his head, "It isn't a big deal, alright?"

Inwardly, Harry yearned to stand tall and show them that this was merely a glimpse of his extraordinary abilities. However, he couldn't help but feel a bit reserved on the inside. He wasn't accustomed to having children of his age regard him with such appreciation. Rarely, if ever, had he experienced pleasant interactions with anyone remotely close to his age. Now that he was having one, he felt uncertain and unsure of how to respond.

Growing up, Harry had always been the odd one out. His exceptional intelligence and advanced skills set him apart from his peers, making it difficult for him to connect with those his age. He had often faced indifference, if not outright hostility, from other children. The realization that someone his age could genuinely appreciate his talents was both surprising and unsettling.

Harry's mind raced as he tried to process this unexpected development. He had spent so long believing that he would never truly belong, that he had resigned himself to a life of solitude. The possibility of having a genuine connection with someone close to his age filled him with a mixture of hope and trepidation. He longed to embrace this opportunity, but his past experiences had left him guarded and wary.

As he stood there, grappling with his emotions, Harry knew he had a choice to make. He could either retreat into his shell, as he had always done, or he could take a chance and open himself up to the possibility of friendship. The decision was not easy, but deep down, Harry knew it was what Tom wanted him to do.

Scoffing Blaise said, "I won't forget this, Potter. That Hippogriff could've trampled me."

"Or hit me with one of its talons." Tracey muttered, and turned to Daphne.

Daphne for her part just nodded in confirmation at their words, and Harry sighed, "Just don't let anyone curse me in the back in the Common Room, yeah?"

This time it was Tracey who snorted, "That could be a full-time job."

Her eyes widened when she realized what she said, and Daphne looked at her sharply, while Blaise cracked another grin, "She's right, but I will at least try to give you a heads up. Thanks for looking out, Potter."

With that Blaise shrugged before turning his back on the group and walking back towards the castle. The trio were the last standing in the clearing, and the Hippogriffs had departed, seeming to sense that snack time was over. Tracey glanced between Harry and Daphne, the ladder of which could not stop staring at their male classmates. Clearing her throat Tracey said, "We should return to the castle. With some luck, Malfoy will be too embarrassed to show his face at dinner."

This seemed to snap Daphne out of her trance, and she shook her head, "Hopefully Zabini will curse Malfoy, and we can have dinner with a show."

Gathering her bag, and turning to see that Harry was doing the same, but purposefully avoiding her eyes she called out softly, "Zabini is right, Potter. We owe you one. I don't like being in debt to people, so expect a favor to fall into your lap sometime soon."

With a confident flick of her wrist, the young girl's long, flowing hair cascaded over her shoulder, mimicking the graceful gesture she had observed earlier from her friend Tracey. Determination etched upon her youthful face, she set forth on a purposeful march towards the looming castle that stood in the distance. Her half-blood best friend, trailed closely behind, their footsteps echoing in unison as they traversed the winding path.

.o.

As dinner time approached, news had spread like wildfire throughout the castle that Harry had astoundingly rescued three of his classmates from a perilous situation using non-verbal magic. Those who had previously regarded Harry with indifference or skepticism now regarded him with a newfound respect and admiration. However, Harry, overwhelmed by his sudden notoriety, yearned to express his frustration. Nonetheless, he refrained from doing so and instead chose to sit alone at his usual spot at the end of the table, immersing himself in his book on the Patronus Charm, seeking solace and distraction from the annoying attention.

When Tom had confessed to Harry that he could not cast the spell, the teen had practically given up on his hope of learning it. The spell that Tom had taught Harry seemed much more useful against the beasts anyway, and Harry wanted to harm them more than he wanted to subdue them. Still, there was something interesting about this piece of emotion-based magic that Harry couldn't quite put his finger on. Something was whispering into his mind saying that he shouldn't pass the spell up, but he also knew with all the extra studying Tom was assigning him he wouldn't have much time to dwell on it.

When a plate hit the table directly in front of him his eyes shot up, and he noticed Blaise Zabini take a seat in front of him. It wasn't completely unusual for the dark-skinned boy to sit across from him, but when the teen immediately addressed him Harry knew this was out of the norm, "Advanced charms, huh? I suppose you can cast a fair few of those since you can do the summoning charm non-verbally so well?"

"What?" Harry asked in surprise, blinking several times.

"Your book." Blaise pointed out neutrally, as he picked up a piece of potato with his fork, "Good read?"

"Very." Harry said in confusion and stared at the boy in bewilderment.

"Something on my face?" Blaise asked after a few moments. Initially, his fellow Slytherin had seemed content to ignore Harry's stare, but after Harry didn't look away it seemed he had tried his classmates' patience.

"No, sorry." Harry said dumbly, and Blaise just shrugged.

Harry didn't say anything else, and continued to read his book, attempting to ignore the new arrival of Zabini. Luckily the teen didn't attempt to engage Harry any further, and the last Potter was left in peace to study the Patronus charm. It didn't seem there was a lot of instruction on learning the charm, which made Harry frown deeply. Positive emotions and a study of the Mind Arts apparently would help, and Harry no longer had to wonder why Tom had struggled to cast the spell. It seemed fruitless though, the best a Patronus could do is repel a dementor, and he wasn't interested in playing nice with these creatures.

Closing his book with a sigh Blaise raised an eyebrow at him, "Which charm has you stumped?"

Glancing at the dark-skinned boy questioningly Blaise clarified, "You looked frustrated, and clearly unsatisfied by whatever you were looking into. What is it?"

"The Patronus charm." Harry muttered, "I didn't care for the effect the dementors had on me. As much as I'd rather avoid another encounter altogether, I would rather have something up my sleeve if I am unfortunate enough to have a second run-in."

In understanding Blaise nodded, but said nothing further. Harry for his part was rather confused. He may have exchanged more words with Blaise today, than he had in the entirety of his last year. He didn't quite understand it, but when shaking his head, he dismissed the thought, and decided to turn into the Common Room.

In the vast expanse of the hall, where most were lingering over dinner, Harry embarked on a solitary journey through the corridors leading back to the dungeons. Occasionally, a ghost would float past him, but not a single student seemed to be stirring. Upon reaching the common room, Harry found it eerily deserted. Recognizing an opportune moment to write to Tom earlier than usual, he proceeded to the room and with a smooth wave of his wand, quietly chanted, "Homenum Revelio."

After ensuring his privacy he pulled out the leatherbound book, and wrote his greeting to Tom, while pulling out his copy of Advanced Charms to wait for a response.

As he waited, his thoughts drifted back to their afternoon class. He had been fortunate to save his three classmates from harm by the Hippogriff, Buckbeak. He couldn't help but wonder about the trouble Hagrid would have faced, and the near certainty that Buckbeak would have been executed if he hadn't intervened.

While contemplating the incident, Harry's mind wandered back to the colossal canine he had encountered. Its piercing gaze hinted at intelligence, possibly even a touch of magical consciousness. Given its immense size, it could potentially be a magical beast of some kind. However, it might also merely be an unusual breed of dog. Harry had never seen a dog so large before. If he hadn't known better, he would have mistaken it for a wolf. Consulting "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" might shed some light on its identity. Nevertheless, an inexplicable unease lingered within him. Some inner instinct screamed that this encounter was significant, potentially even familiar, yet the exact connection eluded his grasp.

Seeing a familiar scrawl appear on the pages in front of him he sat up and read his master's greeting, before responding, 'Do you know anything about the Zabini family?'

Harry patiently waited for a response before a question appeared, 'Is this a potential ally?'

Lost in thought, Harry pondered over the question for a moment. What was it about Zabini and his family that intrigued him? Blaise had been relatively quiet and surprisingly less antagonistic toward Harry ever since he arrived at Hogwarts. If Hagrid was the person he was least inclined to curse, Blaise was arguably a close second. Following his mentor's advice to start gathering allies, it seemed like the dark-skinned teen would be a good choice. Additionally, rumors from classmates suggested that the Zabini family held liberal views in regard to magical practices.

'Yes.' Harry penned back.

'I do not believe I ever had any Zabinis in my service.

I knew none in school, and do not believe there were many in Britain through my rise to power,

but as you know that could have changed.

I know that a member of their family fought adamantly for Grindelwald however.

I recall seeing the name in the papers often while I was in school.'

Harry studied the information, before tapping his wand to the journal allowing it all to disappear. The teen was a little disappointed to not learn more, and watched as more words began to appear.

'Is he powerful? An ally worth having?'

Frowning at the question Harry thought of the proposition. Blaise had always seemed to perform pretty well in class, but nowhere near as good as him. He couldn't recall ever seeing him trade spells with anyone, but Zabini did like to fly under the radar.

'He is quiet, and mostly keeps to himself, like me.

I am unsure how talented he is, but,

There was an incident in Care of Magical Creatures.

I saved him from getting trampled by a Hippogriff.

A member of the Greengrass family as well.

They made promises to watch my back, and that they owe me.

It may be nothing, but it could be a start.'

Harry knew he wouldn't have to explain further to Tom. He knew his mentor would understand.

'Debts are very serious in Pureblood families.

While it would be wise not to lord it over them, don't be afraid to ask for a favor.

If they try to become more friendly with you, do not spurn them.

Allies are hard to come by, and with their debt, they are less likely to turn on you.

As you say, it could be a start.'

The thought made him feel anxious. The more he opened himself up to outsiders the more likely one could turn on him. Harry swore to keep them at an arm's length with both eyes on his potential allies when he could.

'I will do as you have asked.'

'You would be wise to do so.

You should also know that the Greengrass family is quite prominent.

They are historically wealthy, and always neutral.

The Lord of the House in my time, was a powerful figure in the Wizengamot.

I am sure he has long since passed, but his political clout should still be intact.

I don't know about Zabini, but Greengrass could be a powerful ally to you.

Tread cautiously.'

As Tom ended the conversation, Harry contemplated revealing the peculiar dog he encountered. He wondered if his mentor had knowledge of mystical creatures that resembled the dog. However, the approaching footsteps of his housemates interrupted his thoughts. With a swift movement of his wand, the words in the journal vanished, and Harry concealed it, immersing himself in his charms book. His housemates entered the room without acknowledging him, continuing their enthusiastic discussion about the upcoming Quidditch tryouts.

Last year Draco had made the team by buying the entire team Nimbus 2001s. It was a pitiful move in Harry's opinion, but the blonde had proven to be capable on a broom. They had beaten Gryffindor, and Ravenclaw, but fell short to Hufflepuff. Diggory was undoubtedly the best seeker in the school at the time, and Harry suspected it would be more of the same if things didn't change.

I could beat Diggory. Harry thought to himself.

Harry blinked a few times and shook his head, uncertain of where the thought had originated. However, intuition told him it was valid. While Tom was away, he had engaged in some flying practice at Gaunt Manor during his spare time. Although it wasn't a regular activity, it still felt natural to him. After his previous experience, the idea of trying out for the Quidditch team seemed unwise. Nonetheless, Tom had urged him to gather allies. If his personality couldn't attract people, perhaps his broomstick skills could.

The thought seemed ridiculous, and if he felt anxious about trying to make allies the normal way, it nearly caused him an internal panic attack thinking about doing it through Quidditch. He had spent two weeks in the hospital wing after the last time…yet still the thought prevailed.

Scowling Harry closed his book aggressively drawing glances from his roommates, but he said nothing as he pushed his way into the bed. It had been an incredibly long day, and as he flicked his wand causing the drapes to fall over his bed, and his privacy charms to enable, he was asleep practically before his head hit the pillow. His last thought before he fell asleep was what it would be like to catch a snitch in front of the whole school. Proving himself after his failures two years ago.

(A/N) You just witnessed a turning point. It was subtle, but this chapter is just the beginning of huge implications for the rest of this arc. Cheers everyone, hope you are enjoying the story, and if you would like to read through Chapter 14 for free, join my discord page at "The Hunters Lounge" or add me at OrionB15 and I can send you a link. Leave a review of your thoughts so far, and I will see you all in two weeks!

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