£ Cat tongue £

$ Serpent tongue $

: High Mind Speech:

SPRB

When Harry woke up that morning, to say his head hurt and core was drained, is like saying that the Ocean is a bit damp.

"Well Hello." A Male Voice filled with amusement filled his ears. "Sit up slowly. Whatever you did last… year really was …"

: It has just been the one night.: a chuckling mature female voice, like a gold brick wrapped in Black Velvet… floated through his head. : Your little helper got you to the main room, and your female got you here. You probably don't feel it yet but she kicked you in the leg several times.:

" I notice that you are older… Did we ever get to your name?" Harry ignored Ward, as he sat up and put his feet on the floor.

:Not really… and for the Life of You…I don't remember.:

"Isn't the Quote: 'For the Life of Me'?"

: That's what I said, for the life of you.: He could hear her smirking. : Do you have an idea?"

"Thorn birds." Harry smiled. "Maggie was my favourite. As I crafted you from bird and thorn…"

"Oh… You're not talking to me." Ward spoke to the lad. "Drink this for the headache…" Harry gagged on the potion, "And this for the taste."

Two minutes later his mind was clear… and his Core was still very low.

"Now I advise you not to use any magic today. See me after Dinner." He handed Harry his harness. "Potions is testing in ten minutes, Your Kyree left for her own testing, but your Mao… is right on time."

Harry slung his pouch rig into place. "Morning Mynx. Before you slap… understand that I just woke up with a reaction headache. You slap me and I will sing every night as Knight.

"You wouldn't."

"I'll even invite Crookshanks to join me."

"Oh… that's low." She hissed at him.

"Yes I know." Harry Stepped in and pressed his brow to hers. "I know my Queen loves me… but there's a time to slap and there's a time to sing." His rumbling Purr had Ward running his wand over him.

"Huh… any Mao blood?"

"No." Harry smiled as he continued to Purr. "My Cat Animagus form bleeding over. The only reason she has a Mao form is from a potion mishap."

The two of them threaded through the halls. They made it to the Potions labs just in time.

"Ok, one student to a desk. The list of potions I want you to brew is on the board. The books are in the top drawer to the left. Ingredients are in the right. Everything else is below. This is a test. If you can't brew it… stop. I will double down with your punishment for failure. And begin."

Harry smiled at Hermione, as he fished out the Text. He squinted at the board as he read through the list…

He found the first potion, easily enough. He remembered If from first year, and he remembered Ron's potion going off in his face due to bad roots. As he sorted out his ingredients, he had to exchange the current roots for fresh ones. Then he inspected his Cauldron… and found it tainted. A quick [Evonesco] cleared it up.

Hermione had frowned at her wilted blooms, before noticing Harry Exchange his roots. From that on, she remained behind Harry by half a minute. Knowing she would overtake him in the end.

Over the next three hours, the class worked in verbal silence. Several times, Harry had to exchange his supplies. While Hermione didn't need the same ingredients, she knew to not just accept what was in her box of ingredients.

When Harry finally pulled up, and retired from brewing… she double checked the potion… a variant of Polyjuice.

"Already brewed that one." She, too, pulled up.

They looked about and saw that half of the class was gone.

Just then a Tervardi, who was a bright blue when she entered, stirred her potion the wrong way… and was engulfed in a cloud of sulfur smoke. She blinked her large avain eyes, sneezed, and shook her head of Canary Yellow feathers.

"And I am going to call it." The Potion Mistress called out. "Finish the potion you are doing, and clean up. Congratulations. You are my Final cut." She looked at the Bird-lady… who now looked like a female Big Bird. "And what did you do wrong?"

"First thought would be stirring the wrong way … it was something…" she picked up the stirring rod to peer at it. "My rod… it was contaminated."

"You didn't double check." Hermione smiled, as her ears popped up. "Been there. Mine was a misidentified ingredient. I doubt that yours is permanent."

"Just don't give her any Canary Creams. Her plumage is delightful, her original shades or this." Harry grinned, as he crossed his arms and leaned on the brew bench behind him.

"Canarry Crreamss?" The Tervardi cocked her head in a jerky motion.

"Prankster Pals of ours." Harry smiled. "The creams are a candy that if a human eats it, we become a… well… you for a minute before you molt, returning to the 'you' who ate the cream." He shook his head, I don't know what would happen to you if you did. I would hate to cause you to have a full molt. I truly do like your plumage."

She gurgled.

Harry and Hermione both began to Purr.

SPRB

Dobby was ecstatic.

He had the Tree-tent and everyone inside it as Guests. Because Grangy had taken to sleeping with the Master, he had moved the eggs to her bed, and wrapped them in heat charmed blankets and detection wards.

The wood in the public areas was polished by hand to the highest gloss and shine.

All laundry was washed and hung or folded and stored.

He moved the Kyrees things to the Master's Quarters. He looked through the items in the pack and found book in a language unknown to him, a set of brushes and combs, and a pouch of… things… that he decided was for her 'magic'.

She seemed to enjoy wearing the harness Master Harry crafted for her, but the Mask-helm she carried in the pouch on her shoulder.

The two Tayledras were not quite Exhibitionists, but they were pushing the line. They 'enjoyed' each other and even the Snake-Lady in the Baths and their room.

The release of Tantric Energy from their Quarters was fed into Tree's core… and needed Master's Mana to filter it. Over the next year or two, a new room would be built, and when it finished…

Grungy preferred to 'nest' and, with Dobby's help, had twisted his blankets and cushions into a wallow that a Drake would kill for. He had known from the Second Day, he would Follow Harry anywhere he was welcome to… just for Dobby's cooking. Or so he whispered in his sleep.

That left a room open… and Knew by the twitching of his ears, that he was getting a new missy.

The Griffin in the outside room was a little stand-offish… until she Learned that he was in fact, a 'tailless Hertasi'.

A comparison he was not opposed to. While they didn't have the Bond and Magic from the Bond… they were very good at their jobs, and very hard workers.

He noticed the time by the Shadows of the Common Room, which he was cleaning because he was bored, that it was meal time… and if he wanted to feed Master Harry, he had to go.

SPRB

The next morning, Tish trotted at his side as entered the Blood Magic Classroom.

:The Shaman advised me that I should look into this class. If only to keep you safe.:

Harry snorted and ruffled her ears. "If I need you for help with Blood Magic… I am already screwed. But I am pleased that you want to try."

:Why do you keep touching my head? Not telling you to stop, but …:

"In my culture, a human bonds through touch. I do the same thing to Dobby. I do something similar to Hermione, Mynx, and Padfoot. I take it even further with Little Daphne."

Over the last Week, her proximity to him, and his openness with her allowed her to see the faces that went with the Names. Hermione's blurred into Mynx and back. As Daphne had two faces… and Padfoot was a black dog, both shaggy and clipped in a funny cut.

: Why was he clipped like that?:

"We were coming from a cold climate to a hot one. The shaggy coat is good for deep snow and The wind… but we went to a place known for sun and sand… and we chose a cut that would be found pleasing to the younger and most likely drunk women on the public beaches. Sand is not a friend to the feathered and furry. Thank all that's Holy for House Elves…" Harry snickered. "And His just gave birth… so she is going to be running a very tight Ship." The image of a clean cut man, in a pair of Union Jack printed Board Shorts, hanging his head as a female Dobby scolded him, her little fists on her hips.

"Good morning Class. Welcome to Blood Magic. There are two classes of Blood Mage. The Black… and the White. Understand, Blood Magic is considered a Dark Art. And used properly can bring the User Many Great Pleasures. Used Wrongly, and you will be lucky if your Death is quick.

"Now of the Two Classes: Black Blood Mages use their blood and the blood given freely by others to rewrite their reality. It must be given Freely, no possible hint of coercion or duress.

"White Blood Mages use the Blood and Life of Others to craft their Magic. The Only thing worse than A White Blood Mage… is a Soul Mage." Harry shifted in his seat, as he rubbed his Scar. The Instructor noticed that and nodded at him. "A White Blood Mage seeks to bring Pain and, in most cases, Fear. I hear of any of my Students practicing White Bone Magic… I will kill you myself."

Where a Scary Sorcereress once stood, a happy, almost child-like young woman stood. "Now, does everyone have a blade? There is no wand waving, no staff stomping, or anything else in the casting of Blood Magic. If you don't have one, run to the Craft Hall. Over the course of your career as a Blood Mage, you will gather knives like a Niffler gathers shiny." Her eyes found Harry's again. "I am sure, for the right price, Mister Potter can craft you one."

She snapped her fingers and six people remained in their seats. Everyone else ran for the Craft hall. She began to inspect the blades of the remaining students.

The Female Wolfen had a throwing knife with runes.

"Not bad… for a hunting knife. But this is a cleaver and you are wanting a scalpel."

The Wolfen nodded and trotted off.

Two Hertasi unrolled a soft leather bundle to reveal a selection of knives, everything from hilted fangs to shaved bone, chipped flint… and two smithed blades.

"Not bad." She trailed her fingers across them. "A good…starter set. You might get two… maybe three rituals out of these… and that includes attuning them to you. You will want to join the others in the Craft Hall. Smythe will have advice for you."

The Female Dragon-kin grinned as she drew a clawed dagger….

"A bagh nakh Dagger. Wicked." The instructor held out her hand for the Drake to hand it over. The fire-breather huffed, glared, but passed it over. "Oh… old… well blooded… but not by your hand. No. A good Combat blade, but a poor Mage's Focus." The instructor set the knife gently on the desk and took the Female's hands in hers… "Yes… I can see you as a Blood Battle Mage. It is the only one path of Black Blood Magic that uses the blood of others. You will need to register with Legal… after you go craft … two more… a matching set."

The Female snorted, and collecting her blade, left.

"One doesn't often see Kyree in the Blood Arts, much less a Shaman…"

:The Master suggested it to me, besides This one is my Dhorisha'ke'a'char.:

"Your Blade?"

: Harry. My Helm.:

Harry pulled it out of the pouch, and placed it before the Kyree.

"I see," the woman lifted the helm, "Elongated fangs, honed sharper than razor… but won't cut flesh unless you want them to… where did you…" Her eyes found the Lad looking away. "And I was just joking…"

"Smythe has declared that I am his Apprentice." Harry stroked the wand on his hip. "Having finished my … wand the day before, I thought it was a good idea to use her to craft my Battle-staff… the wand doesn't have any limiters, and I have snapped my bindings by leaving England… so I just cast the spell like I would normally. Tish noticed that I was going to do something stupid, and grabbed Hermione's Vine wand and ran, causing Hermione to give chase to just outside the room when everything went white."

: Literally.: Tish doggy grinned. :Idiot dumped Adept level magic in the room, and finished the six projects in the room.: She brushed her chestplate with a paw.

"So this is a result of… more magic than brains?" The instructor blinked at the Kyree and Boy.

"Oi!" Harry Potter blinked. "But yeah."

"First… your Blade." Harry slowly drew and handed the serpent blade to the woman.

"A blooded Kris… by a mundane. Or it would be a White Blood Blade… it was washed in your magic… and attuned to you enough to no longer be a White Blade. You will need to hold the binding ritual… it is as perfect as a Mundane Blade can be…" She set the blade on the desk. "What by the Star-Eyed… there is something in your blood…" she turned his arm over and traced the jagged scar. "And you have been touched by White Blood Magic…" She then found the scar from the fang…

"Tell me everything."

Harry sighed. He lifted the Blackthorn wand onto the desk. "Three months before my thirteenth birthday, I was… forced to rescue the sister of a friend, and faced a Shade of the man who gave me this." He tapped the scar on his brow. "I ended up killing a Snake over eighteen metres long. A Basilisk, almost a thousand years old. In Fact, I am heading back to collect the carcass this weekend. After her eyes were destroyed, she tracked me through the tunnels, before she attacked me from above. As she came down, my sword went up."

He paused. "I was untouched… except for a broken fang through my arm. I drag myself to the Diary that was the source of the Shades power and stabbed it with the Fang from my arm. The shade screamed and exploded into a white light."

Harry huffed. "Just under four months ago, I was kidnapped to be used to, and I Quote, 'Resurrect Your Foe!'. They took my blood by force, and tried to kill me afterwards." Harry inhaled. "I escaped from the Graveyard and ran with my tail between my shaky legs."

Suddenly the Scary Sorcereress was back. "And why were you in a graveyard?"

"Bone of the Father

Flesh of the Servant

Blood of the Enemy."

Harry recanted the ritual of his nightmares.

The Sorcereress started laughing. "I think I will need a vial of your blood… freely given."

Harry dug out a vial and cork from his pouch, and using Holly, cut his palm, filled the glass vial, worked it and passed it to the Woman. He then healed the wound and vanished the excess blood.

"That easily?" She looked at him. "Do you know what I can do with this?"

"No… that's why I am here." Harry hooked his thumbs into the sash around his hips. "That said, I am trusting you for two reasons. One, you are going to want more freely given for other tests and projects… and two, you are a professional professor… you have a code… having a blood slave is pretty White."

"I think I will be keeping an eye on you, Mister Potter. Grymsythe is going to Love you in his class… but be warned. He has bet on you not surviving the year."

Harry nodded as he retrieved and returned his items to their places. "I have heard. The lady before us… what happens to her things, if she should die…"

"Are you going to try?"

"No Ma'am. She has yet to offend me… annoy me, yes… but she's like a Griffin with a Battle-staff up her…"

Tish snorted. : Maybe Your Battle-staff.:

The Teacher shook her head and strode off into the back of the classroom to the private lab.

:She smelled like the Headmistress… and olive oil.:

"Italian Vampire. One of the original Blood Magic Users." Harry exited the Blood Magic Wing, and headed to the Dungeon Crypt. "You are joining me for Necromancy?"

; Just today. She had a private message for Grymsythe.: there was that jiggle in her mind voice.

"And like all females in my life and Cats… you are enjoying keeping me in the Dark."

In the small cavern… compared to the Chamber of Secrets… Eight members stood around, not meeting anyone's eye. Everyone was leaning on a Staff with some form of Death motif.

:Draw me.: Maggie hissed, :Twirl me twice and slam my foot. Like those DIM Battle Mages from last year.:

Harry Complied. The Blackthorn Shaft was now a Staff holding an eye twice the size of his Fist.

"You're Late." the wizened man sneered at him.

"Master Grymsmythe, you have bet against me surviving the year. Please excuse me for taking the time to make sure you have not stacked the deck against me."

"I don't like your check." The Sneer deepened.

"So I shall turn the other one." Harry responded quickly.

"Haveth Thee no sense of self preservation?" A Hertasi with a Bone helm as well as her bone staff.

"No… not really." He ran his fingers through his hair, flashing his Scar.

Tish tilted her head before scuttling to the corner.

"Really… Mister Potter. Do you have a Calming potion? I think you will need it shortly." Grymsythe's sneer rolled from condescending to evil. "I usually save Spirit Magic for after the New Year to limit the damage to the Veil. Mister Potter here has a gift for us. A gift, I and a few others will need to relieve him of."

In the center of the Chamber, the little man drew a circle with chalk and a metre long compass.

"Now step into the circle, boy." the Wizard drew a second circle. "And I need a volunteer. Leave your staffs outside the Circles please. Both of you."

Harry shrugged and stamped Maggie on the flagstones outside his circle.

"Rhal volunteer." The bone capped Hertasi laid her staff on the ground as she picked her way across the line.

"Thank you Rhal." Grymsythe smiled at her. "Now all souls are the same. And the spell I will be using is very basic. The Difference between two souls is colour and density. The higher the evolution the darker and thicker the shading." He waved his hand and a pale bubble appeared around Rhal. "As you can see, she is a light green, as is common amongst her people. They rarely progress beyond this point due to the Reverence to Utho."

"Now for Mister Potter…" and a Darker green sprung up… matching his eyes. The whole class hissed and moved back…

Something like a body-bind spell hit Harry, freezing him in place.

"I see… that little scamp … good news, and bad news for you, boy. You have Five things threaded through your soul. Two almost identical knots…"

"Secrets. I am a secret-keeper for my Heir. An almost unbeatable form of protection." Harry answered without moving his jaw or lips.

"A white field… almost like a blanket… a swaddle blanket from…"

"My Mother. She died because she would not step aside for Him to Kill me." Harry forced out…

"What looks like a green weave of vines… oh, you have awoken an infantile Heartstone. She is nursing right now." The old Necromancer chuckled. "Now this Black…rotting mass. This is the gift I spoke of. Between the Protection of the Swaddle and the small size of the rot… you still live… no… not live, Survive." He was walking around the boy, his staff rubbing the wall of Harry's bubble. "You both Survive… and what is this… so that's why you were Chosen."

"Sir?" Rhal asked from her circle.

"Under the blanket, something else is holding the Rot at bay… His Bloodline Patron." The Old man grinned. "My Bet Stands… you will die before you step off the School Grounds, Mister Potter. Now nothing says you have to stay dead!"

"You are a right Bastard, Sir." Harry's magic snapped the bindings and bubble. "A word of warning… those who bet for my Death usually end up meeting Her personally."

"Noted. Now, everyone. A bag beside the door, one for each of you, and the runes that you threw when you tested in… is your name. Your name is on the bag. Get… I need to see the Headmistress."

Rhal scrambled to stay at Harry's side.

Harry found a Gladstone bag with the runes that he had thrown at the testing. As he picked it up… he found his path blocked by little Rhal. "Yes?"

"He said infant Heartstone." Her tail tip twitched.

"So… you are in Heartstone Magics?"

"No… They won't let Hertasi learn… but I needed an ice breaker. Heartstone was Lighter than asking about… your Soul Parasite." She looked down.

"Are you asking to study the Parasite… or are you asking to join the Entourage?"

"Entourage?"

:The group of people who follow him around.: Tish licked the bone mask. :He is my Dhorisha'ke'a'char. The Grunn is his Battle Brother and probably the only one who can stand up to him in brute complete combat. The Mao is not, and the only one who can call him to heel, his Shay'kreth'ashke. The Drakon is his best Mate… but Trogg's moving closer. The Lamia is just mooching, as the two Tayledras… they are just enjoying the hot baths.:

"You had me at hot bath." Rhal nodded.

"Dobby." A pop at his knee, he passed the Gladstone to the eager Elf. "We still have a Room open, correct?"

"Yes."

"This is Rhal. She is joining us." Harry turned to leave. "See to it."

:Um…: the warm wise words of Maggie washed over his mind. :Are you forgetting something?:

Harry turned at the Doorway and reached out to the Blackthorn Staff and 'pulled'. The Staff jumped from where he had planted her, and he snagged her Wand form from air, and tucked her into the sash as he exited the Chamber.

"Okay." A Viashino sneered, "That one is to be watched."

A Karsite female licked her lips. "I think I will see if he throws strong mages."

The male Karsite shook his head. "It's one thing to work with the dead, it's another to become one."

SPRB.

Harry found Hermione chatting with the Wolfen. "... And No… I am not trading breeding rights this year."

Harry frowned at the Witch who had yet to see him.

"So… there is a chance next year." She nodded. "You do realise that he is considered your property… and there are a few who will try to take him from you… one way or another."

Harry opened his mouth to butt in… when Hermione started laughing… evilly. "I almost wish that they would. You think he's a pretty face… just wait until I am endangered. We saw the Chimaera you three killed. We didn't know that he was strong enough to face it himself. So we went around… until you three walked past us and we knew that you could hold it at bay for us to fly overhead. He felt bad about the act, so we decided to reward you three as the great warriors that you are. That was before he was classed as a War Mage of a Master level because the test of his power was incomplete. Legal is retesting him on the Solstice."

"And you think you scare me?" The wolf head bared her fangs.

"Yes and no." The evil fell from the laughter and grin. "It doesn't matter if I scare you. What matters is who is the Strongest, Who Controls Him, and what you get out of it. His Pack is big enough right now. While I am not his Bitch, I am his Queen. We have a kitten, a Mutt and a gamma Wolf. He is not yet looking for a mate…"

"Great Goddess, No. When I asked you about Stud Services, I was not asking for myself, but for my sister. She is a white wolf, untouchable by the Pack, destined for the Priesthood."

"There is another option, if you really need a Breeder for her." Harry Stepped out of the shadows. "Give her Padfoot's address. He would do it just to piss on his mother's grave. But the choice is up to her. He too is more magic than brains."

TBC