A/N: Hello again everyone. Been a little bit but less of a break then before! To start off this chapter I am changing some things with the timeline, obviously. If you can spot it, let me know in a review! This will be a fast chapter, moving things along again and getting further into the summer as the story has been dragging just a tiny tiny bit. I'll make sure to go over some of the big stuff this chapter but it would qualify as a filler episode in a lot of ways.

Review answers below.

SkylerHollow: Yes theoretically he could do that, I thought I addressed this in an earlier chapter but I've done a few edits so it might have gotten omitted. He is focusing on Stats that help him the most at the moment, as his Perception is okay as long as he does not lose his glasses. He may get them in the future but his status as an adult is only truly valid in the Wizarding world so until he has an adult that can vouch for him he's kinda stuck without them.

Genuka: Read and find out! We will be picking up where the last chapter left off.

Nina0116: You are absolutely correct, he is still 12. It's a minor thing so I probably won't fix it but good catch!

Calebros: Handsome is unisex. The definition of a handsome woman is one who is striking and imposing in good looks rather than conventionally pretty. I like (sorta) the actress that portrayed her but my Rosmerta is not that one.

AmyMarie5112: Thank you! I love Hagrid, he's featured in every book and plays a key role in the canon story along with probably the most quoted line "you're a wizard, Harry". Definitely underappreciated. Plus I've always thought it'd be cool if he was surprisingly good at a few things and very integral to the workings at Hogwarts so he's getting special mention throughout my story.

ReadingAngel: The pairings are coming up! Summer will probably come to a close in the next couple of chapters and with the introduction of the rest of the students Harry will start to come into his own in the dating scene. I've got a few pairings in mind but definitely want it to feel natural as opposed to rushed and weird. I will say that his status as a Lord will definitely come into play and we will see a few dates come from that factoid. I hope this sated your curiosity enough to keep you interested!

And away we go.

Chapter 8: Basilisks, Boomslangs, Books, Broomsticks, Bits and Bridles

"You were saying?" Harry asked smugly as the Basilisk venom quickly ended the man's life. Luckily Accio didn't require much in the way of wand movements, so Harry was able to utilize the spell with the barest of twitches from his wrist. His bicep screamed in protest but he ignored it all the same.

It was over.

Timed Quest Completed! Save the Basilisk! Reward: 20 Skill Points, 6 Stat Points, 2,000 Galleons, and 4,000 Experience.

Ding! Level Up! You are now level 9! 18 Skill Points awarded. 46 Skill points unspent. 4 Stat Points unused. 1 Feat Point unused.

What a crazy life he lived Harry thought as he turned and emptied his stomach's contents onto the floor, the realization of taking the lives of 3 men hitting him as the adrenaline quickly left him. Even the prospect of another level so soon after the previous couldn't appease his heaving stomach.

Killing was not something that he had a lot of experience with, even in his alternate life the only one to truly be killed by him was Voldemort who had most assuredly deserved it. Guilt of causing Cedric and Sirius' deaths aside. Finally his stomach gave up trying to earn forgiveness and Harry was able to straighten up and assess his surroundings.

And immediately screamed in fright as the Basilisk was sitting coiled in front of him with the head pointed straight at him.

"Quiet." The large beast hissed and Harry promptly stopped screaming, but hissed as his ribs launched a protest as his outburst and recent vomiting. His arms weren't quiet bystanders either.

"Hello Great One" Kijani slithered onto his master's shoulder and addressed the immense beast while Harry collected himself.

"Hello youngling. Are you this one's familiar then?" The Basilisk asked in what seemed to be a conversational tone. Kijani hissed an affirmation in return.

"Are you going to kill me?" Harry abruptly asked, with scenarios on how to avoid such an occurrence playing through his head. His odds were terrible.

"I debated on it while you were screaming like a tasty sheep" was the candid response

"But… you're not going to, right? I know I said I would be in the air but you see my broomstick was broken an-" Harry started rambling as his survival instincts started kicking in again in the presence of Salazar's Basilisk

"Quiet." Again the Basilisk cut him off, only this time the beast extended its head towards Harry until he could feel the hot breath from the large nostrils.

Slowly the mouth opened before him, and Harry was sure he would die. It kept opening until it could easily swallow 2 Harry's standing on top of each other.

There was a rancid smell of death, hot breath washing over Harry. The venom sacks were easily as large as a Quaffle and the fangs were as long as his forearm. Suddenly the mouth snapped shut and Harry slowly came to the realization that it was a yawn. The Basilisk had just yawned at him!

"I tire. The other wizards are dead and you do not seem to pose a threat to me at present, Speaker. Please open the way to my nest so that I can rest." The Basilisk slithered closer to the statue of Salazar.

"Will there be more wizards? Are you going to be safe?" Harry asked as his mind caught up with the strangeness.

"My eyes will return to me in a fortnight. You killed their Speaker, and Speakers are rare these days so it is doubtful that another will appear in that time. Rarer still that they will know the words to summon me. Do you know the password?" There was a moment of silence as Harry processed the thought of the eyes returning.

"Ssspeak to me Ssslytherin, Greatessst of the Hogwartsss Four" Harry said, remembering the last time that those words were spoken almost cost the school so many lives.

"Very good. Shame on Salazar for making this password only accessible by Speakers and not all snakes. I will return to my slumber, if you have need of me in defense of the school use the entrance at the end of the dungeon hallway guarded by the Ashwinder" The Basilisk slithered up the statue and soon disappeared from sight.

Secret Passage discovered! Basilisk Defender acquired at Hogwarts!

"She is beautiful" Kijani chimed in from his spot on Harry's shoulder. Harry chuckled in response and after a moment's hesitation gathered up every bit of loot he could find in the room, his trouble at killing people out of mind at the moment.

***Break***

Ahhh. Sweet fresh air. Sweet sunshine. Sweet apple pie. Harry smiled contentedly and pushed the remains of the pie that he had just finished away from him. He patted his belly and belched. Hagrid was away on an errand so Harry was eating alone but that was honestly fine with him. After a successful foray into the Chamber and 2 levels Harry was feeling quite happy. This was cemented once he successfully made it to his rented place at Hogsmeade without being seen and rested away the broken bones, which was made a bit easier with help from Dobby who had been happy to transport him.

Upon waking Harry had finished up his summer homework to not have to worry about it, and sent a letter off to McGonagall to inquire about the progress with his plans to retake the end of year exams. He also sent off a letter to Ron just to let him know that they'd probably get a chance to hang out before term began, leaving just enough left out to be sure to perk the ginger's interest.

It had been about a day and a half since the beginning of the descent into the Chamber so this left another day and a half before he would be meeting with the warding team and the Davis's. Heading to his rented property and after leaving Dobby with instructions on what to pack to get ready for his departure Harry rested again. Being able to sleep on command was honestly one of his favorite things, memories of sleepless nightmare-ridden nights being on his mind along with loveless summers spent working in the heat and misery.

***Break***

Diagon Alley looked much like it usually did when Harry visited, though just a tad more active than his previous visits this summer as more of the day to day resumed after the novelty of families being reunited had passed. Harry ignored many of the looks thrown his way and stepped confidently into Quality Quidditch Supplies.

Sure he could probably wait until Sirius bought it, but where was the fun in that? Besides with the earlier ruining of his Nimbus there wasn't a chance for Sirius to see him fly beforehand, therefore probably no chance to prove the need for it.

Stepping up to the counter Harry caught the attention of the surprisingly cute girl behind it. She did a double take at his scar but thankfully kept it together.

"Hello Lord Potter, here to browse?" She inquired politely. Harry placed her as a 6th year Hufflepuff so chances are she was used to seeing him around school. Thank goodness novelty tended to wear off quickly.

"Actually I was interested in buying your Firebolt, along with a few other supplies" Harry stated calmly, ignoring her look of shock

"Errrr… Okay, let me get a manager. Give me just a moment" And she stepped into a door behind the counter. Soon after she came back out followed by a middle-aged man that looked like a relative of Ludo Bagman.

"Good afternoon Mr. Potter. I hear you're interested in our Firebolt. Now I know that it says price on demand but it may be a bit out…" The man's condescending tone didn't sit well with Harry who straightened up in annoyance almost as soon as the man started talking.

"Let me cut you off right there. I came into your store today with the intent to buy the Firebolt. Maybe 2 or 3 of them. Along with quite a few supplies for my personal Quidditch pitch" Harry made sure to stress the word personal "Now, you can keep talking to me like I'm a bloody child or you can take your commission like a smart businessman and talk to me like a customer or I can take my business elsewhere"

The man had the decency to blush and look sheepish "Apologies Lord Potter its just that Mr. Malfoy came through here earlier and requested that the display model be held for him. Its registration number is 0007 so he was very interested…" The man started to state this to Harry who simply got more and more of a bored expression on his face, Lord persona coming fully to bear.

"That sounds great. 7 is my lucky number. I'll take it." Harry stated this simply and the girl behind her manager stifled a chuckle.

"I can have one scheduled to be…" Harry cut the man off for a third time by pulling out his expanding pouch that he had linked with his money in his Inventory. He started calmly counting out coins, the pouch magically supplying the amount he provided.

"I don't see Mr. Malfoy here and I was really looking forward to having a Firebolt, I simply cannot leave without it I'm sure you understand. I'm more than happy to pay the full amount now along with some other purchases" Harry cinched the top of the bag and cut off the supply of coins, of which currently counted out in the thousands.

"I will also take 14 Nimbus 2001's, 14 sets of Quidditch robes, self-sizing of course and 3 sets of Quidditch balls. Throw in 14 sets of gloves to include 6 sets of Chaser, 4 beater, 2 Seeker and 2 Keeper for wasting my time trying to tell me that anything about Mr. Malfoy means a damn thing to me" Harry levelled his gaze at the man and merely cocked an eyebrow when the man seemed ready to argue. Finally the man gave up and set off to get the stuff, forgetting that he had a worker behind him who was hired for that task.

"That was bloody brilliant Harry, you almost looked like a Malfoy yourself with that attitude" The girl smiled at him and giggled.

"You wound me. Malfoys look like flobberworms in expensive clothes. I just hate being treated like a child" Harry shared a chuckle with the girl at the flobberworm jibe.

"I'm Linda by the way. Just let me know if there's anything else we can get you. I should probably go help my manager before he realizes I'm over here chatting" She smiled at Harry and set off to help the grumbling man in the window, taking the Firebolt off of the display.

***Break***

Dobby left with the Quidditch supplies, to place them in the on-site storage until the Pitch was readied. Harry sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. He hadn't planned on buying all of that stuff but the opportunity to shove that guy's attitude back into his own face had been too tempting. Sure it hadn't put that much of a dent in his fortunes but living a life scrupulously and frugally like he had before was a hard habit to break.

He had kept one of the Nimbuses and the Firebolt in his inventory for use in his adventures so he at least accomplished what he wanted. Giving it up as something he wasn't going to undo, Harry set off to Flourish and Blott's to order a full stock for his library. It wouldn't have the rare books that he wanted, or at least not all of them, but all libraries started somewhere.

***Break***

"Are you sure you want such extensive wards, Lord Potter?" The warder asked again, reviewing the list of wards again.

"Yes. I am sure. I want to be safe in my home, and if that means buying damn near every ward you offer then that is a small price to pay" Harry replied again. The warding team was moving to and fro along the edges of his property in the distance, working hard to meet the request.

"Well, I guess I can't argue with a good payday" The older man pocketed the list and headed off to join his team.

"Well, you've certainly tried" Harry grumbled under his breath. Turning around on the hilltop that he was on Harry surveyed his new home. Positioned to overlook the lake, the large mansion was beautiful with slate stone exterior and warm colors with large marble pillars ringing the courtyard at the front of the house. Mid-level expansion charms made the interior a bit larger than one would expect, as Harry didn't want his property to be dwarfed by his home and was fully furnished. He would be officially moving in tonight once the wards were completed. Also in the front of the house was a garden decorated with hedge sculptures of various magical creatures. Leading up to the home was a gravel pathway that encircled the fountain on display with a statue of a Gryphon roaring the water into the air. Just about 40 meters from the home was a large Quidditch pitch with a small shed to house the supplies. To ring that there were more pillars to mark the boundaries. At the rear of the house was a stone deck patio, complete with fireplace and cooking area for entertaining guests. There was a small dock leading into the water with a self-rowing row boat for excursions out into the water.

Overall he was very happy with the design, and felt that it was a good marriage of expensive and rustic. It was a Lord's home, but it definitely lived up to the title of home. And Harry could not wait to show his friends!

***Break***

The Davis family home was … not quite lavish but definitely well off. For a family that has seen its fair share of scorn in the wake of the Blood Purity war, Mr. Davis had done a fine job of securing his family's safety and security as Harry passed another layer in the wards. There were hedges lining the drive up to the home, just about shoulder height on the growing boy. Just over them he could make out a herd of about 10 horses in a paddock to the right of the building ahead. It looked like the Davis's were equestrians. He could also just make out the shape of what he assumed to be one of the 2 house elves brushing a particularly fine looking stallion.

The house elf, Litty, that was leading him had been going over a brief history of the home that Harry had at least picked up a few conversation pieces from. Won in a bet over horse racing, the mansion had been in the family for 6 generations and with it came the very horse that had lost that bet for the previous owner. Since then the Davis family had taken to horse breeding as a hobby and side income, and had produced many winners over the years. While the current Lord of the house did not have as much a taste for it as his ancestors, the Lady of the house had been a muggleborn jockey for the family that had caught the eye of a young heir. It wasn't until the previous Lord and Lady passed away after catching the wrong crossfire during the war that Mr. Davis had been able to marry the young woman but since then the family had done well and enjoyed their life along with their daughter Tracy. Fallen from grace slightly the name Davis did not carry the weight that it once did but it was still included in many prominent circles due to its history and not terrible wealth.

The wards that the elf had been admitting him through were many, having already passed 3 checkpoints, and had been installed in the wake of the death of Mr. Davis's parents and his subsequent wedding with a Muggleborn, a fact that had earned him a black mark and a large target in the eyes of Voldemort's supporters. With the war in the past however the Davis stallions had again earned a place in the local races under the watchful eye of Lady Davis, and with it a position amongst the Lords and Ladies of wizarding Britain who either participated or watched those races.

"Good afternoon Lord Potter" A voice called out ahead and Harry saw the short petite woman who had won the heart of a Pureblood heir. She had lovely brunette hair, pulled back in a stylish but still practical ponytail with decorative braiding throughout. Her figure was slight, and her fitness was obvious. Years of riding horses had earned her many freckles but they didn't clutter her face and really only served to highlight her striking blue eyes.

"Good afternoon, Lady Davis I presume?" Harry bowed politely briefly before continuing the walk to the door "I did not expect to be greeted so graciously. You look lovely today, I can see why the grounds and home are kept to such a high standard if it is to have hope of standing up to your presence"

The woman cocked an eyebrow and snorted in a manner that had Harry chuckling immediately, "You do me a service with the compliments. Most Lords simply treat me as another servant in their oh-so-grand visits"

"Well, shame on them" Harry bent and kissed her hand as was the custom once he made it to the doorway. She nodded in approval both of his manners and his obvious disdain for Lords that treat Muggleborns in any way differently than Purebloods and made room for him and the House Elf to come inside.

"And how has your new home treated you?" She asked once the door closed behind Harry.

"Quite well, the construction was swift and to my specifications. The location was perfect and the warding team Lord Davis recommended met every expectation. A worthwhile investment" Harry took the moment responding to also look around the entryway. It was well decorated and had a lovely rug over the polished wood floors. Fresh flowers occupied the vases along the wall leading to a staircase going up to the second level. On either side of the stairs were a door leading off to the unknown.

"What bright flowers. They come from your fields?" Harry asked, making small talk as they went to the left of the staircase.

"Indeed. Pitty brought them in just this morning. Usually I leave them as snacks for the horses but Pitty insisted they be put on display." She replied as they set off down a hallway. There were only 3 doors, but they chose the one at the end of the hall which opened up into a large sitting room. The rear wall was primarily a window that overlooked the fields that must have been where the flowers came from. Hills rolled off into the distance and Harry could just make out a fence that ringed the edges of the property. Not quite as much land as he now owned but sizeable for the horses and quite well maintained.

Sitting in an armchair next to an empty fireplace sat Lord Davis, the same man that Harry had met just a few days ago. The man quickly stood up and shook Harry's hand.

"Harry, so good to see you! I hope there was no trouble getting here?" The man inquired in a friendly tone. A gesture to the House Elf sent her off, most likely for the tea that the meeting was for.

Lady Davis sat on the sofa near her husband while Harry took the offered armchair opposite Lord Davis.

"Of course. You so graciously provided a Portkey, that it hardly took a moment to visit your lovely home" Litty soon returned with tea and biscuits both of which Harry found to be quite delicious.

"It was no trouble. Now, tell me about your home. Did everything go well?" Small talk resumed, and Harry repeated what he had already said to Lady Davis.

"The lake is especially beautiful, I appreciate you finding such a great piece of land with little to no notice" Harry sipped on his tea while the topics turned to some new proposed laws in the Wizengamot, Lady Davis having a bit more to offer the conversation as her experience outweighed his own in those matters.

Soon a thudding could be heard upstairs, which quickly moved in the direction that Harry presumed were the stairs.

"Daddy! I can't find my riding gear! I think Pitty moved them again! I wanted t- Oh! Errr… Hello" Tracey Davis was every bit as cute as Harry remembered. A figure a little fuller than her mother's while still keeping the same height. A childhood of riding had also earned her the same freckles but her eyes were a mixture of both her mother's blue and her father's brown creating an attractive almost hazel.

Through gritted teeth Mr. Davis turned his head to his daughter with a smile plastered on his face, "Tracey dear, I'm sure you've met Lord Potter. He is here to visit for afternoon tea. You know. The tea that we told you about a few times over the past week?"

Tracey was blushing profusely as she had committed what was actually a fairly large faux-pas in high society. She obviously hadn't recognized him immediately and Harry merely glanced back and forth between her and her father who was doing his utmost not to show embarrassment, with an eyebrow cocked and hiding his amusement. With grace that Tracey did not expect Harry set his tea down and stood up, crossing the room in 3 strides and bowing before the young girl. Taking her hand and delivering a kiss to the knuckles he addressed her.

"Good afternoon, Heir Davis. I hope my visit hasn't come at a bad time" Harry smiled at her, as she got over her shock and recovered well enough to curtsy in what were obviously mostly riding clothes. Tight pants, and a sleeveless blouse covered by a leather vest. Certainly not the clothes you'd greet a visiting Lord with.

"Of course not, your Lordship. I let the days get away from me, and forgot the time of your visit. If you'll please excuse me, I'll change into some-" She started to try to say, before Harry cut her off.

"No" Harry stated with a smile, almost laughing at her shocked face.

"No?" She asked.

"No. You are not excused. In fact, I would be remiss if you did not join us" He almost cracked when she shot a furtive glance at her father who was watching the proceedings with a fair bit of interest.

"Surely I could not, Lord Potter. I would love to change into something more appropriate for afternoon tea" the young girl stated worriedly glancing again at her father.

"That's just it. I think that you are perfectly dressed. I'm not Malfoy you know, even if I do dress nicer now. And please, I insist you call me Harry. I've only been a Lord for about a week now and would love the opportunity not to be so uptight as to make you go through the trouble of changing when you already look quite striking as you are. If you are not opposed, Lord Davis. This is your home" Harry turned to address the man, who was looking equal parts amused, relieved, and shocked. Harry sent him a wink that helped secure the man's trust that no harm had been done with the interruption.

"Of course not. Please join us Tracey" Lord Davis indicated the spot next to Harry, and the small talk resumed even if the blush didn't quite leave Tracey's face as she observed someone so very different from the Boy-Who-Lived that had so often been a topic in the Slytherin Common Room.

***Break***

Henry Davis laughed uproariously at the joke that Harry had just finished telling. The mood of the room had become more and more relaxed as the talks went on, with Harry earning first name basis with all of the Davis family. They had just gotten done telling the story of the first flying lesson. There had been a fair bit of embellishment on Tracey's point of view as a bystander, but both parents were plenty impressed with Harry earning the title of youngest seeker in a century.

"Quidditch is about the only thing that my daughter loves as much as horses. If she's not taking her mare out for a run she is flipping through every magazine she can find to track her team" Henry offered. It wasn't his first factoid that the man had dropped in the conversation either, Harry had noticed. He took this as a good sign and turned to the aforementioned girl who had definitely calmed down since her untimely visit a couple hours ago.

"Oh really? I've never had the pleasure of riding a horse. Does it have many similarities to a broom?" Harry asked her. Henry nodded approvingly and shared a glance with his wife. It had not been the first time that Harry had spoken with her directly. This wasn't the most typical behaviour for a visiting Lord but very fews Lords were ever Harry's age.

"A few. Obviously a horse has more personality, unless we're talking about the school brooms, and there's a level of trust there that can't be found on a broom. But the feeling is completely different. You can feel the horse running and share a bond with it that a broom can't match" She said. She had steadily opened up during the conversation once she realized that Harry was not as full of himself as Malfoy had made him seem. She had even gotten comfy on the couch the way she liked to which Mr. Malfoy would have been sure to make a comment about. Her knees were pulled up to her chest and she was leaning heavily on the armrest.

It was also a position that proper clothing would not have allowed her to manage, and she was actually grateful that Harry had not had her change clothes as lengthy periods acting like a lady were very annoying to her.

"Interesting. I'd love to learn sometime. A broom will always be my first choice, but I'd be interested in the experience" Harry replied with another smile, the same smile that he had hit her with earlier when he asked her to join them. The same smile that was a combination of genuine happiness, teasing, and confidence. A smile that she was definitely not used to seeing on his face the few times that her and Daphne Greengrass had observed him in the Great Hall or in classes.

"Well the day is still young, and I do have a bit of business I should probably get to before supper. Why not today? Perhaps you could join us for supper afterwards Harry?" Henry offered. His Slytherin instincts were operating on full blast as he saw an opportunity for the two to interact a bit more before Harry left.

"Dad…" Tracey shot a warning glance at her father to match her warning tone.

"That actually sounds amazing, Henry, but it would be up to your daughter. I would not want to impose" Harry simply looked at the girl in question who was still glaring at her father for his unexpected offer. She realized that Harry was looking at her after a moment and blushed.

"Alright. But you should be prepared, I don't take this lightly" She warned him, eyeing his expensive clothes.

"I hope I don't make a fool of myself, how will I ever live it down" Harry asked rhetorically and chuckled.

"Perfect. Pitty, fetch Lord Potter some spare riding gear" Henry smiled as the two made their way to the side hallway that led to the entrance to the paddock.

***Break***

Horseback riding, it turned out, wasn't that different from riding Buckbeak. Which meant that Harry was passable at first. But after a few laps around the paddock Harry got what he was looking for.

Ding! Skill Unlocked! Equestrianism has increased by 1! It is now 1!

Pause!

Harry sank 14 points into the skill to bring it to 15, figuring that was high enough to impress Tracey but not so much that he would feel buyer's remorse from spending the points. Especially as the skill seemed to involve riding any horse-sized animal.

Unpause!

Almost immediately Harry noticed a difference, as the timid foal that Tracey had put him on responded more readily to his directions and he moved with the creature instead of trying to stay rigid in his seat.

"You didn't answer my question, Harry. What's the deal?" Tracey said from her place ahead of him, on the ground leading the horse to get Harry used to the feel.

"What do you mean?" Harry asked with a chuckle. He hoped she wasn't going to ask again.

"This. All of this. What's the deal? Term ended a week ago and you were still recovering from being thought to be the Heir of Slytherin. And! You very clearly had black hair. Since then you've been seen multiple times in Diagon, at the ministry, at Gringotts, with a Lord's ring and a completely new look and attitude buying houses from my dad. What's the deal?" She huffed at him.

"I had no idea you paid so much attention to me, Davis, should I be flattered or worried?" Harry asked dryly as her question hit a point that he wasn't sure he was ready for.

The horse stopped when Tracey did and she turned to Harry who was looking at her with a cocked eyebrow and a guarded expression. She sighed and resumed leading the horse around the paddock.

"I am a Slytherin. We keep tabs on future players, whether we like to or not, as who and what you know can change the opportunities that come up. I mean nothing by it, but of course we'd pay attention to someone proclaimed to be the Heir of Slytherin" She said, knowing she was probably pushing for information that she wasn't likely to get and risking ruining a fair bit of good progress with a potential groom. Merlin damn her upbringing she thought to herself as the thought of potential groom crossed her mind. That was definitely not on the table.

"I was woefully ignorant of my position in life, and had reasons to keep a lot of myself hidden behind facades and masks. So when an opportunity presented itself to step into the light and seize a lot of things I had wanted for quite a while, I took it. You know, the Hat almost put me into Ssslytherin" Harry hissed the last part in flawless Parseltongue, making the girl ahead of him jump in fright.

"Merlin, that is as creepy as the first time you did it" She glared at the boy after stopping the horse once again.

"Really? It sounds just like English to me" Harry mentioned off-handedly. He matched her glare with another blank look and cocked eyebrow.

"Stop looking like that. Even you would have to admit that it would be shocking. The change, not the Parseltongue. Less than a week ago you were perceived as a completely different person. It's almost enough to make one believe the Heir of Slytherin stuff." Tracey said this with crossed arms, not even pretending to lead the horse now.

"And what do you believe, Ms. Davis?" Harry asked.

"That's just it! I don't know what to believe. I barely knew you before, and definitely don't know you now." She argued back.

"Exactly. You don't know me. No one really does. They know, or think they know, the Boy-Who-Lived. Ron and Hermione know a bit, as they ignored the title long enough to get to know me. But the rest of the school? They know rumors, conspiracy theories, rhetoric passed through the gospel of Malfoy. The re-" Harry sighed and took a moment to see it a bit from her side, "Look. This is all new to me too. A week ago I was the unlucky orphan who was kept in a locked room for most of the summer. I had an opportunity to seize my Lordship, I took it. I had an opportunity to have a place of my own, I took it. I have an opportunity to reforge my image as I see fit and not let worry, or hyped up brats like Malfoy decide what that image should be. I'm taking it. That's all there really is to it" Harry gracefully hopped off of the horse and landed in front of Tracey with barely a splatter in the slightly muddy ground.

"Now, you can sit there and grill me on who you thought I was, or take me as you see I am now" Harry challenged her.

She stared at him for a moment with a thoughtful look, "Fine. I get it. I'm a Half-Blood in Slytherin, I know my fair share of perceived images being unfair. Let's start over shall we?" She extended a hand to Harry.

Harry looked at her for a moment as well, before smirking "We already started over when you showed up to afternoon tea in that outfit" and shook her hand before her shock could make her withdraw it.

***Break***

They had just finished a lesson on the canter, and she had shown some of her prowess on her mare with a few tricks on their obstacle course. This had prompted the confident girl to challenge him to a race, using any mounts in the stable. Harry, knowing he was without a doubt going to lose, merely asked which horse wouldn't mind some time in the field.

She had seemed almost puzzled by that question but stated that the gelding in stall 3 hadn't been taken out in a while. Harry quickly had the horse in question sorted out and actually seemed to hit it off with the lovely beast. It wasn't part of their breeding or racing stock, but it was still a great steed in its own right.

Setting the starting line at the exit of the paddock, they agreed to the finish line being a small line of trees in the distance, probably a quarter mile.

"You're going down, Potter" Tracey said with a challenging grin.

She wasn't able to crack him though and he merely smiled in response.

She huffed and had Pitty start the countdown.

"Go!" The high pitched voice of the House Elf started them both off at a sudden gallop, and it was pretty clear that Tracey had the advantage as she easily started to gain a lead.

"Hey Davis!" Harry shouted after about 30 seconds into the race.

"What Potter? Giving up already?" Tracey shouted back, excitement from the rush of the breakneck speeds bleeding into her voice.

"When I win, you have to come with me to the first Hogsmeade weekend!" Harry laughed uproariously as she slowed and looked at him in astonishment at the unexpected response.

"It's a deal then!" He shouted as he passed her, leading his steed to the right, away from her and away from their proposed course. She almost shouted at him, until she saw him hop onto his feet in the saddle! The horse maintained its impressive pace and she was astonished to see him barely blink an eye at the jostling that the gallop surely gave him. He turned to her and she could just make out his wink before he jumped off of the fucking galloping horse!

She shrieked, thinking he was surely going to hurt himself when he used his hotbar to bring his Firebolt into his hand and mounted it in a smooth motion.

"THAT'S A FIREBOLT" She shouted in astonishment.

"NO! THIS IS MY TRUSTY STEED!" Harry laughed aloud at her expression before using the broom's impressive ability to go from zero to one-hundred and fifty kilometers per hour in 10 seconds and shot off into the distance.

"That's a firebolt…" Tracey whispered to herself as she brought her horse to a trot.

***Break***

"You cheated," Tracey said simply.

"You said any mount in the stable. I had my Firebolt with me, and you said earlier that there were similarities between brooms and horses and brooms. Look, it even has stirrups!" Harry chuckled at her from his position on the large boulder he was seated on. The broom in question was laid across his knees. He had obviously gotten very comfy during the 5 minutes it had taken her to get to the line of trees.

"Obviously when I said mount I meant a horse. Not a bloody professional racing broom!" She said, the audacity of the move! She was still recovering from seeing Harry jump off of a moving horse, for Merlin's sake!

"Plus, I had no idea you had your broom with you. No idea you could wandlessly summon the bloody thing. And no idea you were going to ask me out during a race!" She said, trying to make sense of the position she now found herself.

"That is fair. But the fact remains, I beat you" Harry said with a chuckle.

Tracey bit her lip. She had to admit the whole move had a lot of balls, and she had been asked out in much worse ways by much worse people. Plus Harry did look striking with his windswept auburn hair, green eyes locked onto her hazel ones, that cocky smirk that she wanted to wipe of his smug face!

"Fine Potter. But before I give away my first Hogsmeade weekend you owe me a first date to actually see if you're useful outside of idiotic stunts!" She said with a firm tone.

Her stern face cracked into a blushing smile when Harry grinned at her "Ms. Davis, are you asking me out?"

*Fin*

A/N: Whew. What a fun chapter to write! And we have a date! Booya!

This chapter just kept pouring out once I decided to bring the Davis's into it. I didn't expect to finish it so soon! I hope everyone enjoyed it!

'Til next time!