It was at times like this that Harry resented being trapped in a younger body. After a busy winter break attending to the war, the last thing he wanted was to return to daily homework and the school rumor mill. He'd felt like an adult for some time now, but was still expected to attend Hogwarts for two and a half more years. There was too much to do, so much to accomplish in the outside world for him to still be worrying over trivialities like O.W.L.'s and Quidditch.
But at the same time, he was rather uniquely equipped to prepare the other students for the war that was to come. He had advance warning of what was about to happen to the wizarding world, and was one of the few figures willing to train others to defend themselves. That, he decided, would be his goal for the remainder of his time at Hogwarts: to ensure that Neville and the others could look after themselves instead of needing to be rescued all the time. So he reluctantly accompanied Lily and Dahlia to King's Cross to return to the castle for the new term.
Many parents recognized them on Platform 9 and approached to give their well-wishes for James' recovery. The Daily Prophet had reported on his release from St. Mungo's a few days prior, with some added remarks about his various failures sprinkled in, as per usual. But Harry was heartened to see that most of the adults who approached Lily had nothing but kind things to say about her husband. Apparently public sentiment towards the man hadn't been entirely tarnished by Fudge's manipulation of the media.
"Oh look, there's Augusta!" said Lily, waving eagerly at the older woman. Harry hadn't spent a lot of time with Neville's Gran before, in either timeline – she struck him as a stern and no-nonsense kind of woman, and she kind of intimidated him. But Augusta returned Lily's smile and turned to greet her.
"Ah, if it isn't the potions genius!" Augusta beamed as she embraced Lily in a hug. "Well done on your accomplishment, dear."
"Please, I just got lucky," Lily said humbly. "How have you been, Augusta? It's been far too long."
"Indeed it has," Augusta agreed. "Keeping an eye on this troublemaker has been more work than I anticipated."
Neville sheepishly stood behind his Gran, nodding politely at Lily. Harry thought this was a rather patronizing way to refer to her grandson – he was nearing adulthood himself, and would soon have the weight of the world thrust upon his shoulders. And yet, she spoke of him as though he were a misbehaving child.
"We must get together again soon," said Lily. "I'd love to catch up sometime."
"As would I," said Augusta, leaning in conspiratorially. "I'd love to hear more about your husband's rebuke of Dumbledore that I've been hearing whispers about."
"Oh," said Lily, nervously looking around to ensure they weren't being eavesdropped upon. "That's...a long and complicated story."
"And I look forward to hearing it," said Augusta with a wink. "Good on him, in my opinion. Albus is a genius, but he doesn't understand people. If he did, my son and his wife might still be alive."
Harry saw Neville flinch behind Augusta. This was clearly a sensitive subject for him still.
"Shall we find a compartment, Neville?" Harry suggested loudly. He'd hoped to speak with Augusta Longbottom at some point, but this was clearly not the time or place.
"Sure," Neville shrugged. And he followed Harry and Dahlia onto the train, each waving goodbye to their guardian before being whisked away from the station and off towards Hogwarts. Dahlia skipped off to find her friends, leaving Harry and Neville to find an empty compartment for themselves.
"Have an alright holiday, Nev?" asked Harry as they settled into their seats.
"Yeah, I suppose," Neville shrugged. "I'm glad your dad's doing better now. That was good to hear."
"He'll be fine in a few weeks," Harry agreed.
Neville looked nervous as he contemplated his next words. "S-sorry again about all of that," he murmured. "The attack—"
"Was not your fault," Harry said firmly. "You saved his life by sounding the alarm, Neville. The Potters are forever grateful to you for that."
Neville nodded uncertainly at this. "Why did you tell me not to tell Dumbledore?" he asked quietly. "About how I saw the attack?"
Harry considered his answer very carefully. He did not want to alarm Neville with what he knew, but he also needed to stress the importance of discretion. "I'm guessing you heard about my family withdrawing from the Order?" he said. When Neville nodded, he continued, "They don't trust Dumbledore's judgment any more. And I don't either."
"But what does that have to do with my vision?" Neville frowned.
"Dumbledore might suspect that Voldemort can possess you like he can possess his snake," said Harry. "If he does, he might deem you too dangerous for other students to be around, and pull you out of Hogwarts."
Neville looked alarmed by this. "D'you really think Voldemort can possess me?" he asked fearfully.
"No," Harry said flatly. "You're stronger than Dumbledore thinks. And what your Gran thinks, for that matter. You're not a child anymore, Nev...you've faced him down multiple times and won. Don't ever let any adults tell you you're not good enough. Especially Dumbledore and Snape."
Neville blinked rapidly at this response. He turned his head away from Harry, shoulders shaking slightly. It was obvious Harry's words had struck a nerve. How much doubt has Augusta instilled within Neville? Harry wondered. Had she really spent his entire childhood telling him he was inadequate? Now he had multiple reasons to want to speak with her – he had to give her a piece of his mind about the kinds of ideas she was filling her grandson with.
The awkward moment was thankfully interrupted as the compartment door slid open, and the Weasley twins entered. "Harry!" Fred greeted him jovially. "Just the man we wanted to see."
"Sorry to hear you and your family left the Order," said George. "Hard to blame your dad, though, given everything."
"It is unfortunate," Harry shrugged. "Hope we didn't cause the whole thing to collapse behind us."
"It was a very close thing," Fred grinned. "Kingsley saved it, to be honest. He took control of the meeting and calmed everyone down once you left, according to my dad. Everyone stayed after that, except that berk Mundungus, which is no great loss."
"Anyway," said George, "we aren't here to discuss such uncomfortable things. We have something to show you."
"Not more fireworks that will piss off Fudge, I hope?" Harry groaned good-naturedly.
"You said you're not a big scarf wearer," said Fred as he reached into his pocket.
"But how do you feel about jewelry?" asked George.
Fred procured a small chain necklace, reminding Harry of a Muggle crucifix minus the actual cross. Harry took it gently from him, sensing the subtle enchantments woven into the metal. "Is this a defensive item?" he asked.
"Sure is," said Fred. "Took some finessing, and it can't quite block spells aimed at the legs, but it'll shield against most curses aimed your way."
"Brilliant, you guys!" Harry grinned. He clasped the chain around his neck; he could faintly feel the magic of it resting against his skin, but it was a soothing presence, a gentle reminder that it was there watching out for him.
"We're hoping to make more, once we have the time," said George. "We'll be a bit busy with N.E.W.T.'s this term, but we reckon we could mass-produce them once we iron out a few of the kinks."
"I'd happily pay you for more," said Harry. "I'd feel better knowing my family was all wearing one of these."
"Hell, maybe we'll make one for the whole defense club," suggested Fred, looking to his twin for confirmation. "That's worth skiving off a few study sessions, I'd reckon."
"Speaking of which," said George, "can we invite Cormac to the next meeting?"
"McClaggen?" Harry frowned.
"That's the one," George nodded. "He's the only member of our Quidditch team that isn't in the club. It's been awkward talking about meetings with him lurking around the locker room."
Harry considered this. He didn't know the sixth-year very well, other than the fact that he was Gryffindor's new Keeper and he always asked dumb questions in Transfiguration classes. But he always seemed like an alright bloke.
"Is he trustworthy, d'you reckon?" he asked the twins.
"Yeah, I think so," Fred shrugged. "His dad's on the Wizengamot, and he's always going on in the common room about how your dad would be a way better Minister of Magic than Fudge."
"I see," Harry muttered. "I guess I have no issue with it, if he's willing to sign the form."
"Cool, thanks mate," said George.
"We just thought we'd check with you—" said Fred.
"Considering the latest scuttlebutt—" George continued.
"But if you're cool with it—"
"We'll let him know."
Harry hadn't kept up with the school rumor mill in a while, and wondered what kind of trouble McClaggen might have gotten into recently to warrant such a comment. But he didn't really care, so long as the twins vouched for him.
"I've been meaning to talk to you about something, actually," Harry told them. "You have to be more careful what you talk about in front of other people. Katie overheard you talking about the Order of the Phoenix last term."
Fred and George looked at each other in confusion. "But doesn't she know about the Order?" Fred asked blankly.
"She does now, but she didn't then," Harry huffed.
"But you and her have been going steady for a year now," said George, frowning. "Wouldn't she be one of the first people you told about it?"
Harry groaned – that had been Katie's argument as well. "It's complicated," he muttered. "Just watch what you say, will you?"
"Alright," Fred shrugged.
"Later, Potter," said George, and the twins retreated from the compartment.
They were not the first to approach Harry on the train about the next defense meeting, either. Several others poked their head into the compartment throughout the journey, asking when they would be getting together next. Clearly the news of James' attack had galvanized many students, wishing to bolster their own defenses. Harry knew they were all perfectly safe within Hogwarts, but he wouldn't complain about anything that inspired them to work harder.
Harry still had to worry about Percy, of course, feeling the young professor's watchful eye upon him the second he stepped foot in the Great Hall. He resolved to just keep his head down and avoid drawing attention to himself for the remainder of the year. Unfortunately, that would not be the case, as he felt a hand grab his arm on his way to the Ravenclaw Table and turned to see his girlfriend looking very cross with him.
"Hey," Harry said with a weak smile. "Good to see you again."
"Not one letter?" she demanded, crossing her arms. "I had to find out about your dad from the paper and receive all my updates about him from those terrible reporters?"
"It was a hectic couple of weeks," Harry sighed. "I didn't have time—"
"Writing a letter takes five minutes!" said Katie. "Or I could have come and visited, but I didn't know if it was allowed, if it was safe!"
"It kinda wasn't," Harry pointed out. "There was nearly an assassination attempt, and we had to set up a guard rotation—"
"All the same, you should have said something!" Katie groaned. "I'm your bloody girlfriend, Harry...why am I always the last to hear about these things?"
"I know, I'm sorry," Harry said gently, taking her hands in an attempt to calm her. People were starting to stare from around the Hall. "It's not like I'm trying to ignore you. It just slipped my mind."
"Yes well, I seem to slip your mind a lot, don't I?" Katie huffed. And she pulled away from him, turning to march back to the Gryffindor Table. Harry felt a twinge of annoyance at this behavior...couldn't she see how much stress he was under? Couldn't she give him a little bit of grace at a time like this? He would try to make things right with her another time, but for now, she was getting on his nerves a bit.
Complicating matters was the fact that Ravenclaw played Gryffindor in Quidditch in just a few short weeks, meaning they would be rivals for the first time. Harry had somehow managed to miss every match against Gryffindor thus far in the timeline, so it would be his first time ever facing off against his girlfriend on the pitch. He met with his team later that week, and although he was no longer the Captain, Cho deferred to him for strategy since he knew Gryffindor's play style so well.
"Their Chaser trio is strong, very strong," Harry told his own squad. "But they have a few weaknesses we can exploit."
"Like what?" asked Cho. "Angelina's gotten the better of me every time I've faced her."
"She has difficulty passing to her left," said Harry. "They compensate by having Katie trail behind her for short passes in case they need to go that direction, so if you block the right side and the Beaters disrupt Katie's progress, we can force Angie into bad passes."
Harry felt a bit bad exploiting his extensive knowledge of the Gryffindor players for his own team's gain. But such was the nature of Quidditch: you take every advantage you can get. Besides, Harry figured, the Gryffindors would have picked up a thing or two about Harry's own style from playing alongside him the year before, so that went both ways.
After being pestered about it for his entire first week back, Harry finally scheduled the next defense meeting for the following Wednesday evening. After checking the Marauder's Map to ensure that Percy wasn't lying in wait to intercept him along his route, he headed up to the Room of Requirement to get set up.
A few people were already loitering about the room: Neville, Hermione, Ron, Ginny, and Dahlia, the latter two off in their own corner giggling about something. Harry approached them first.
"Ladies," he said cordially. "Not talking about me, I take it?"
"Ew, you wish," Dahlia scoffed.
"Ouch," Harry deadpanned. "I have something for you."
He reached around his own neck and unclasped the chain necklace, holding it out to his sister. "Why would I wear that?" Dahlia demanded.
"It's a shield necklace," Harry explained. "It'll protect you from being hexed or cursed in the back."
"And why would I need it?" Dahlia asked. "Unlike you, I don't get into fights every few weeks."
"Humor me, will you?" Harry groaned. "There's a bloody war going on, and I'd like to know you're at least somewhat safe."
Dahlia begrudgingly took the necklace from him and clasped it around her own neck. "Ugh, it clashes with my pendant," she muttered, looking down at the small ruby already dangling there.
"Well, do you have to wear it all the time?" Harry asked. "Just save the pendant for special occasions."
"But Cormac gave it to me!" Dahlia protested.
"McClaggen?" Harry said, confused.
"Aye, there she is!"
Harry turned; Cormac McClaggen had strutted into the room, smiling in their direction. Dahlia giggled and rushed over to him, jumping up and planting a kiss on his lips as he pulled her in close.
"You didn't know?" Ginny giggled, seeing the dumbfounded look on Harry's face.
"She's with him now?" Harry stammered. "What happened to Boot?"
"Ask her," Ginny shrugged, slipping away to join in another conversation. Harry gaped at his sister and McClaggen, who were now playfully wrestling one another and laughing loudly. They seem awfully intimate, Harry thought murderously. What's McClaggen on about? If I find out that berk is trying anything fresh with her—
"Ready to get started, Harry?" asked Neville as he and Hermione approached.
"Huh? Oh, yeah," said Harry. The Room had managed to fill up while he was busy stewing over this latest development. He drew his wand and fired loud sparklers into the air to get everyone's attention. A bit excessive, perhaps, but it succeeded in causing Dahlia to jump with surprise and leap out of McClaggen's arms as the group gathered around to begin the meeting.
"Welcome back," Harry greeted the group. "I hope you've all been practicing your aim over the break, because we'll be assessing your accuracy today. But first, I want ten laps out of everybody."
The group groaned as a circular running track appeared, stretching all around the perimeter of the large room. Harry led the way, forcing everyone to follow him as he ran at a brisk pace around the ring. He knew once again that this wasn't the kind of fun activity anyone had hoped for, but he didn't care. His goal was to prepare the students as well as he could for battle, and if they were in good nimble shape, they stood a better chance at survival.
As Harry completed his fifth lap, he looked across the room and saw Dahlia and Cormac lagging behind the rest of the pack, jogging lightly and clearly less interested in the activity than enjoying each other's company. Harry quickened his pace, coming up behind the two and brushing close past them.
"Feeling sore today, McClaggen?" he taunted as he passed by. "Not gonna let me lap you like this on the Quidditch pitch, are you?"
Cormac grumbled, his competitive nature challenged, and he left Dahlia behind to chase after him. Harry did not allow him to catch up, staying a full lap ahead before finally slowing to a stop. He lightly stretched as the rest of the students finished their own laps; a few looked lightly winded, while most openly panted and wheezed from the physical activity.
"First five people, line up," Harry said frankly, as five target dummies appeared across the room from him. "Quickly now!"
Five at a time, students stepped forward to fire Stunning Spells at the practice dummies. Many of them were wildly off-target, but Harry noted that most of them were making small improvements from the last meeting. Neville, who had been among the worst aims last term, was able to hit five dummies out of ten rather than the previous two; and Cedric, who had been among the best with seven hits previously, now managed to up his count to eight.
"Alright, time for some grappling practice," Harry announced, to collective groans from the students. "I don't want to hear any moaning about it either! This is life or death – it isn't supposed to be fun."
Everyone looked annoyed with Harry for a moment, then they begrudgingly began to pair off for the exercise.
"Say, Harry?" piped up Luna. "D'you think you could show us how to cast a Patronus Charm?"
"Er...I don't think you'll be encountering many dementors in battle, Luna," said Harry.
"Wait, yeah, I'd like to learn that," said Lee Jordan. "I almost got the hang of it when your dad taught the Dueling Club, but never managed a corporeal one."
"I still remember the feeling of Harry's Patronus in that meeting," sighed Cho with a dreamy smile on her face. "It felt warm, and inviting, and happy."
Others murmured their agreement with this sentiment. Harry saw that the group could definitely use a pick-me-up after such a grueling workout, so he acquiesced.
"Very well," he said. The group excitedly gathered around him in a semi-circle as he drew his wand. "As you know, the key is to think about a happy memory. But not just any memory – the happiest memory you can think of. The moment in your life you felt the most satisfied and content."
"What's your memory?" asked George Weasley.
"My eleventh birthday," Harry smiled.
"Really?" said Dahlia, frowning. She clearly remembered the day very well. "Why?"
"Erm...I can't really explain it," said Harry. "But it was the day I felt the most loved and wanted in my life. And you're a big part of that."
A few people aww'ed at the sentiment. Dahlia still looked perplexed by his answer, but she rolled her eyes at Ginny's ribbing and fell back into line.
"Can you show us your Patronus again?" asked Hermione. "So we know what a successful cast looks like?"
Harry nodded and closed his eyes. He instantly recalled the sights and sounds of that morning in 1991: the smell of pancakes, the laughter of his parents, the discovery of a sibling he'd always wanted. "Expecto patronum!"
The silvery thestral burst from his wand and galloped overhead, drawing appreciative ooh's and ahh's from the other students. Harry too felt a burst of warmth from the creature's presence – he hadn't realized how much tension and negativity he'd been holding in. He smiled along with the other students as he watched the thestral flap its bony wings and rear its head for a few seconds, before releasing the spell and allowing it to dissipate into a fine mist.
"What form will our Patronus take?" asked Alicia Spinnet.
"Depends on the person," said Harry. "You won't know until it comes. But it will be a representation of your inner self, one way or another."
"What does that make you, Death incarnate?" quipped Fred Weasley, drawing nervous laughter from some of the other students.
"I imagine watching your professor get murdered gives you an interesting relationship to death," Harry said grimly. That killed the humor in short order.
Harry spent the next half-hour walking between students and giving pointers. The main instruction he gave was to relax not not overthink the spell, simply focusing on the happy memory. That was of course easier said than done, and wouldn't be much help if they faced an actual dementor. Even for him it was difficult to relax with one of those horrid creatures trying to suck out your soul.
Neville was the first to produce a corporeal Patronus after about ten minutes of effort. His silvery bear lumbered overhead, causing the students to again pause and laugh delightedly at the sight. Cedric succeeded soon after; his Patronus took the form of a lynx, its slender, muscular form streaking across the ceiling. A few other seventh-years managed to produce a spray of mist, but no other corporeal forms were forthcoming.
"Don't worry about getting it right the first time," Harry said encouragingly as he called for the exercise to stop. "It takes time to master. For your homework this week, keep up the target practice, and keep thinking about what your happiest memory is. If you need help deciding on one, ask me, Neville or Cedric and we can try to steer you in the right direction."
The students were in much higher spirits leaving the meeting, even after another grueling grappling session that required Dahlia to repair two more dislocated joints. Harry filed that note away for future reference: as much as he needed to instill a sense of discipline into most of them, he had to take morale into account as well. Even the occasional morsel of tangible progress and positive affirmation would make them feel like the hard work was worth their while.
"That went pretty well, I think," Neville grinned as the Room gradually emptied. "I feel like I'm improving fast."
"That's good," Harry nodded. "Because you'll have to lead these sessions yourself someday."
"What?" Neville said in alarm. "You're not quitting?"
"Not anytime soon," Harry shrugged. "But like I said, I'm pretty busy and can't devote a ton of time to training others. I have my own training to worry about, along with everything else going on in the world."
"You mean the war?" asked Hermione. "We don't have to worry about that for a while yet. We have more than two years of schooling left before that happens."
"You think the war won't come for you before then?" Harry asked pointedly. "You're Muggle-born, Hermione – you think if Voldemort takes control of Britain, you'll be allowed to complete your education?"
"You really think war will break out before we graduate?" asked Ron worriedly.
"Almost certainly," Harry nodded. "So if you're coasting now and thinking you have more time to improve, you're mistaken. You could find yourself in danger before you know it."
The trio looked stricken by this dire prediction. Harry left them to stew in this uncomfortable truth, exiting the Room of Requirement to head back to his dorm. His goal hadn't been to scare them, but maybe being scared was a good thing in this instance. It would put them in the right mindset to improve, and hopefully improve fast. Harry had a sneaking suspicion that their lives would be threatened far, far earlier than two and a half years from now.
"Out for a late-night stroll, Mr. Potter?"
Harry turned; Percy Weasley was striding down the corridor towards him. He cursed inwardly; he hadn't bothered to check the Map again before departing from the meeting.
"Er...yeah," Harry said lamely. "It's not curfew for another hour, is it?"
"That's true," Percy nodded. "Though I wonder why a group of thirty-odd students would all be out for a walk at the same time, in the same part of the castle?"
Harry gulped – how much did Percy know? He figured it best not to outright lie, in case the professor knew more than he was letting on. "A group of us were studying together," Harry explained.
"In the Astronomy Tower?" Percy asked, eyebrows raised. "I would think the library to be a better place to study."
"We were also practicing some spells," said Harry. "I don't reckon Madam Pince would appreciate us doing that in the library."
"What kind of spells?" Percy demanded. "I do hope you are aware that under school bylaws, recreational gatherings of more than seven students require the presence of a staff member—"
"—Unless it is for the purpose of preparing for classes and exams," Harry finished for him. "We're studying for our final exams and following the textbooks."
"Is that so?" Percy frowned. "Then why did my twin brothers look so guilty when I questioned them about their whereabouts this evening?"
"Perhaps you just bring that side out in them?" Harry suggested innocently.
"I know Fred and George better than just about anyone," Percy sniffed, "and despite their insistence to the contrary, I can tell when they are lying to me. Last chance, Mr. Potter: is there anything you need to tell me?"
"No, sir," Harry denied firmly. "What exactly do you think we were doing, if not studying?"
Percy eyed him suspiciously, as though judging whether to voice his suspicions aloud. He must have decided against it, as he quickly changed the subject.
"I heard you got into another argument with my boss over the break," said Percy. "I would again advise you against any such rash actions in the future."
"I don't recall arguing with Headmaster Dumbledore over the break?" Harry said innocently.
"I—you—I meant my other boss!" Percy spluttered. "Cornelius Fudge!"
"Oh," Harry shrugged. "I was under the impression you left your job at the Ministry to work here."
"Don't get cute now," Percy huffed. "I'm still under the Minister's employ while I'm here. It's no secret that he wants to keep an eye on things around here. Your father clearly had a lot of influence over the students here, and we'd hate to see any kind of, shall we say, rebellious attitudes towards our leadership in such difficult times."
"I wasn't aware we were in difficult times," Harry said, still feigning innocence. "Didn't Fudge say Voldemort was no threat to us?"
Percy narrowed his eyes at Harry. "Back to the common room with you," he snapped. "Curfew ends in thirty-five minutes. And if I get even a whiff that you're breaking school rules, I promise you won't get off as easily as the Quidditch incident with Mr. Malfoy."
"How would you have responded if someone threatened to molest your little sister, straight to your face?" Harry asked pointedly.
Percy's eyes went wide and his face purpled at this suggestion. He opened and closed his mouth a number of times, at a momentary loss for words. "Bed, Potter," he eventually mustered, and swept off down the hall. Harry headed in the opposite direction, hoping he'd gotten his point across (but seriously doubting it).
He'd successfully avoided trouble for now, but knew he would have to be more careful in the future. If Percy continued to suspect Harry was running an underground fighting club under his nose, he might dig deeper and discover the true purpose of the group. And that would spell trouble for not just him, but all the Potters.
Harry also learned that he would need to remain vigilant even during regular hours. He received a small parcel via owl one morning at breakfast, assuming it to be a care package from his mother. He carelessly ripped it open, only to find himself staring at a leather-bound copy of Magick Moste Fowle by Ogbert the Odd. Harry hastily swept the highly illegal tome under the table before his classmates (or Percy) could see it, and read the accompanying note, written in Viktor Krum's messy scrawl:
Harry,
I have spoken with my nation's representative for the ICW about your concerns. He is open to meeting with the British and French representatives ahead of the summit this June. Bulgaria does not wish to be drawn into another war, but if you truly believe it necessary, I can twist his arm and convince him that preventative measures must be taken to prevent your Dark Lord from spreading his influence to the continent.
My professional season ends in May, so I will not be able to devote much time to this matter until then. I suggest you have your representative contact ours directly to arrange a meeting ahead of time. I will also warn you: if your Ministry continues to downplay the significance of this war, it will be difficult to convince other nations it is worth their attention.
Also, you mentioned in your last letter that you were interested in blood rituals that aren't technically legal in Britain. I've attached a book that has a few recipes you might find useful. I have not undergone any myself as they are illegal in professional Quidditch, but I can attest to their safety and usefulness. But be warned: doing too many rituals within a short period of time can addle the brain, so don't go overboard with them.
- V. K.
Harry had forgotten all about his previous request for information about blood rituals. The subject was effectively purged from the Hogwarts library, as he'd learned while scouring the Restricted Section the previous term. Dumbledore must have removed any and all references to it after Voldemort's rise to power – Harry was now certain that the Dark Lord had undergone several himself to enhance his physical and magical abilities. He'd asked Krum on the off-chance he knew of any reading materials on the subject, given that Durmstrang seemed more liberal in their studies of the Dark Arts.
But it wouldn't do to get caught with such an inflammatory text at a time like this. He discreetly charmed the book's cover to look like a Potions textbook and slipped it into his bag for safekeeping. Perhaps he would find a handful of useful rituals within the book later to perform over the summer. He would never be able to match Voldemort's strength if he continued on in his current adolescent form.
The passing mention that such rituals were illegal for pro Quidditch players did give him some pause. Part of him still wanted to pursue the sport professionally after Hogwarts, wanting to see if he truly had what it takes as a Seeker. If he performed any rituals on himself, was he forever preventing himself from pursuing that dream? Had he already done so by undergoing the Ritual of Ontogenesis? He knew it was a silly thing to worry about – the last thing he wanted was to lose the war because he was too preoccupied with becoming an athlete after graduation. Voldemort had to remain his top priority.
But there was still the inter-House Cup to worry about in the meantime. The match against Gryffindor arrived a couple weeks later, as the usual trash-talking and rivalry dynamics ramped up in the lead-up to the big game. Even Harry's friends within Gryffindor, like the Weasleys, steered clear of him in the halls and lobbed playful insults at him from afar. It was all in good fun, he knew, and things would go back to normal the following week regardless of the outcome.
Katie remained even more distant from him than usual, however. They always sat together in Charms and Transfiguration classes, but she deliberately sat across the room from him, avoiding his gaze before and after lessons. Was this part of the House rivalry fun and games? Or was she still cross with him after their argument earlier that month? They hadn't had a chance to talk about it since, and Harry worried that she still harbored resentment for his failure to keep her in the loop.
Still, she was a competitor, and Harry didn't want to be perceived as 'fraternizing with the enemy', as it were. He stuck to his Ravenclaw teammates all week and played his part as the cocky villain to Gryffindor like he was expected to. He couldn't quite explain why, but he somehow felt that emotions ran deeper this time around and his former teammates really, really wanted to beat him.
Harry took to the skies on Saturday morning to a chorus of mingled cheers and boos. The latter didn't bother him much anymore – as Viktor had explained to him the previous year, being really good at something meant attracting your fair share of haters as well as fans. He tuned out the crowd as the two teams squared off at center field and the match began.
"And we're off!" Lee Jordan exclaimed. "It's Spinnet with the Quaffle, dodging past Chang, passing to Bell, who streaks up the left side—"
The Gryffindor Chasers took an extremely aggressive approach to the start of the match, knifing through the Ravenclaw defense and flying circles around their Chasers. It was as Harry feared: their combined experience and talent far surpassed his own team, and they were the best chance at victory for the red and gold.
"You need to disrupt their passes!" Harry barked at his two Beaters as Angelina Johnson scored her second goal of the game. "You can't let them get into a rhythm!"
"So you're not gonna be pissed if I give your girlfriend a black eye?" asked Terry Boot, and from the look on his face, this was a serious concern rather than a lighthearted quip.
"She's tougher than she looks," Harry shot back. "Do what you have to do."
Play resumed, and Ravenclaw's Chasers continued to struggle on defense. "Another chance for Gryffindor!" Lee Jordan shouted excitedly. "Bell passes to Johnson, who streaks up the center...she's looking for Spinnet, but the pass is defended...oh, and she's lost the Quaffle!"
To the crowd, it must have looked like Angelina threw the Quaffle behind her to nobody in particular, giving possession back to Ravenclaw. What they didn't know was Harry's plan had worked perfectly: the Chasers had blocked Angelina's favored path to the right, and when she tried to dump it off to her left, the Beaters disrupted Katie's path so that the pass went awry.
"Chang with possession now...passing to Selwyn...back to Chang...she scores!" Lee announced as the Gryffindor faithful groaned. "The score is now 20 to 10 in favor of Gryffindor!"
Katie gave Harry a curious look as the two teams reset at midfield. Did she suspect that he was behind the unusual strategy to disrupt their attack? Did she take offense to him directing his Beaters to attack her when she didn't even have the Quaffle? He put it out of his mind as play resumed, now focusing on spotting the Snitch.
Ginny Weasley managed to spot the first one, streaking off across the pitch as Harry gave chase. He caught up to her easily, and while he could have streaked past her, he had a sneaking suspicion that he should stick close to her. Fred and George were lurking nearby, ready to attack the enemy Seeker, but they couldn't get a shot in without risking hitting their little sister.
Harry put on a burst of speed just as they reached the Snitch, arm stretching out past Ginny's and snatching it out of the air. "That's the first Snitch to Potter!" said Lee Jordan as the Ravenclaw students cheered. "Ravenclaw takes the lead, 60 to 20!"
"Oi, Potter! Using little girls as shields now?" Fred taunted as he circled past Harry.
"Does Ginny know you're calling her a 'little girl' when she's not around?" Harry fired back. He knew the youngest redhead well enough to know that she could look after herself and would take offense to her brothers' over-protective attitude. Fred narrowed his eyes and zoomed off to rejoin his team for the face-off.
Angelina won the next face-off, and Gryffindor looked poised for another aggressive push on Ravenclaw's goal. She pulled off an impressive fake pass to Alicia that baited Cho into swerving right, when instead she passed it behind the back to Katie. Unfortunately, Katie had pulled up short, wincing from a Bludger hit to the shin, forcing another turnover.
Targeting Katie proved to be an even more effective strategy than Harry imagined. He never realized how crucial she was to their intricate offense – Angelina was a gifted scorer and Alicia could make any pass with her eyes closed, but Katie was the glue that kept the whole thing together. Gryffindor attempted to mount two more attacks when play resumed, but taking Katie out of the play caused them to turn the Quaffle over both times. Harry could see the frustration mounting in Katie's expression as she recovered from yet another Bludger shot to the side.
Now that the Ravenclaw Chasers had learned to counter Gryffindor's offense, they were emboldened to begin ramping up their own offense. "Ravenclaw's on the attack now!" shouted Lee. "Selwyn passes to Wilson, who fakes it to Chang and lines up a shot...SAVED BY MCCLAGGEN!"
The Gryffindor crowd roared in appreciation at Cormac's spectacular diving grab, preventing the goal from scoring. Cormac shouted and pumped his fist in the air, reveling in the audience's attention. Harry felt a surge of dislike towards the boy, and had the sudden desire to see him knocked on his arse by the time the match ended.
Moments later, Harry spotted the second Snitch fluttering around the Ravenclaw goalposts. He dove after it, carefully ducking and rolling past a pair of well-placed Bludgers from the twins attempting to halt his progress. Poor Ginny couldn't even make it halfway to him before he was pulling out of his dive, the golden ball clutched tightly in his palm.
"That's another quick Snitch for Potter!" Lee Jordan groaned. "Gryffindor leads, 110 to 20!"
Harry called for a timeout before the next face-off, landing on the pitch as the team circled around him. "We can't let McClaggen get too confident," he said. "The Beaters should focus on him for a while to keep him from getting comfortable."
"Are you sure?" Cho frowned. "Our current plan was working quite well, I thought—"
"They'll figure out how to counter it eventually," Harry said, though he didn't know if this was accurate or not. "You heard how the crowd reacted to that save...we have to make sure they can't get any more momentum that way."
The team looked puzzled by this change in strategy, but they shrugged and nodded their agreement before taking back to the sky. Harry wasn't sure if his new plan was logically sound, or if his dislike of McClaggen was clouding his judgment. But the thought of seeing the cocky kid bloodied up a little by a Bludger overrode any feelings of uncertainty.
"And here's Ravenclaw with another chance," Lee announced soon after. "Chang slips past the defenders, throws it to Selwyn, who drops it—ooh, and that's a nasty late hit on McClaggen!"
Although the play was disrupted, Terry Boot had smacked a nasty Bludger that caught Cormac across the face. Madam Hooch blew her whistle as Cormac nearly fell off his broom, swearing loudly and clutching his nose, which was bleeding freely.
Terry did not look one bit remorseful as Madam Hooch chewed him out for the late hit. Harry wondered if the boy harbored his own resentment towards McClaggen, who was dating the girl he'd just broken up with the previous term. For the first time, Harry was glad to have Terry on his team, and gave the boy a subtle thumbs-up as the teams lined up to reset play.
The next time Ravenclaw got possession, the Beaters went hard at the opposing Keeper once more. Despite a solid defensive effort, Cho managed to slip past the Gryffindor Chasers and line up a shot. Cormac lined up to defend, but he was forced to duck out of the way of another pair of Bludgers, giving Cho a free shot on the right goal.
"Another goal for Ravenclaw!" Lee announced. "And this game is turning into a rout!"
Harry wondered if they ought to take their foot off the gas and focus on defending for a while. They were already up by a hundred points, so even if Ginny caught the final Snitch, the result was all but assured. But Harry said nothing, allowing his Beaters to continue alternating between pummeling Cormac and Katie. He could see that the Gryffindors had lost hope, that they were resigned to their fate, and he hoped to put them out of their misery sooner than later.
He got the chance soon after. The final Snitch appeared near midfield, and Harry shot after it. The twins half-heartedly tried to stop him with a pair of Bludgers that he easily rolled past, before plucking the golden ball out of the air and winning the match for Ravenclaw, 190 to 20.
Ginny begrudgingly shook Harry's hand as they landed, as did the twins. However, the Gryffindor Chasers didn't so much as look his way as they trudged back to the locker room. McClaggen, who sported a bloody nose and bruised chin, glared in Harry's direction as he followed them off the field. Now that the heat of competition was past, Harry felt a twinge of guilt...going after the Keeper had gotten them a free goal or two, but was it really necessary in such a blowout victory?
Harry quickly got changed and exited the locker room to greet his family. James and Lily were waiting outside for him; the former was greeting students passing by, all wanting to wish him well on his recovery. "Did the Healers say you could come today?" Harry asked his father as they shared a hug.
"Nope," James grinned devilishly. "But you know what they say: ask forgiveness, not permission."
"They told you to at least bring your cane if you were going to leave the house!" Lily groaned as she helped keep her husband steady on his feet.
"Yes, well, I 'lost' it, didn't I?" James winked, causing Harry to chuckle as his mother rolled her eyes.
"Where's Dahlia?" Harry asked.
"Off to find Cormac, I imagine," Lily sighed. "She's cross with you for getting him hurt, you know."
"What for?" Harry groaned. "I'm not a Beater – hell, I'm not even the team captain anymore!"
"Yes, and I'm sure you had nothing to do with team strategy today," James said with a knowing smirk. "Personally, I think it was good for McClaggen to have his ego deflated a little bit—"
"Ugh, you two!" Lily huffed. "Can't you let Dahlia date someone without trying to demolish the poor boy?"
"She's free to date whoever she wants," Harry shrugged. "Her own fault for choosing a Quidditch rival, really...what did she think was gonna happen?"
"Oh, honestly!" Lily groaned as James laughed appreciatively at the quip.
Harry took his leave soon after to look for his girlfriend. He waited outside the Gryffindor locker room for her, shivering in the cold afternoon air. Eventually Angelina and Alicia emerged, and to his surprise, they walked right up to him.
"She doesn't want to speak with you," Alicia said frankly.
"What? Why not?" Harry frowned.
"Oh, don't be a sore winner now," said Angelina. "You know Katie is hyper-competitive and doesn't take losing well."
"Alright," Harry sighed. "But she isn't seriously mad about our Beaters targeting her, is she?"
"It's about much more than that, Potter," said Alicia. "Or do you really not realize that by now?"
"Well, then why doesn't she come and talk to me directly about it?" Harry demanded, starting to grow annoyed.
"Oi, don't shoot the messenger," Angelina said, throwing up her hands for peace. "Just leave her be for today, will you?"
"Fine," Harry grumbled. But he continued to loiter outside the locker room anyway, even as the last few students had disappeared up the path back to the castle. He at least wanted her to know he'd waited up for her.
Katie finally came out ten minutes after the rest of her team, looking miserable. She looked up at him in surprise, her eyes red from crying. He thought about saying something to comfort her, but knew it would only make things worse. She gave him a withering look and took off down the path, snow crunching beneath her boots as she hurried away.
Harry watched her go, still somewhat annoyed but also wondering where things had gone so terribly wrong between them. Should he put in the effort to make things right with her again? Was it even worth it at this point? He felt terribly for even humoring that thought, but he was starting to believe the relationship was more trouble than it was worth.
But Harry would address that problem another day. Katie would come around eventually. Right?
A/N: The relationship angst won't last forever, I promise. And it should be obvious by now, but neither Harry nor Katie is a perfect person – they are both hormonal teenagers with subpar communication and social skills, as most people their age are. Show them a bit of grace as they navigate this turbulent and messy time in their lives!