Chapter 3 by stargatesg1fan1
It was a weird experience for the Rider but he found he could hold a conversation with those around him while still being aware of the general intentions of those around him. This was likely another skill gleaned from Merlin's father. Now aware of just how far Dumbledore would go to manipulate Harry Potter the celebrity in question quickly scanned the general intentions of his compartment companions to make sure they were not agents of the Headmaster. None of the other five in the compartment proved to be plants by the old man but something else the mage sensed surprised him. With the exception of Hannah every female in the compartment was highly attracted to the Potter heir.
"What's going on?" Harry mentally inquired as he scanned the reasons the females were all drawn to him.
The Rider found he emitted some kind of musky aroma that drove the girls to distraction. There was also an aura of power about Harry that the witches could sense.
"I too sense these things," Saphira confirmed.
"Why did you not say anything?" The mage queried.
"I thought they were normal for a wizard-Rider," the dragon replied. "Besides…I do not think it is harmful. It is very…pleasant," Saphira added with the mental equivalent of a contented purr.
Harry continued to ponder this oddity as the train took off and began its journey towards Hogwarts. Around noon a lady pushing a food cart opened the door and inquired if anyone within the compartment wanted anything. The wealthy Potter heir purchased enough food to share with his companions while also being able to sample something of everything.
"What card did you get Harry?" Neville questioned after the Rider had consumed a chocolate frog, snatching the enchanted confection from the air before it could leap away.
"Nicholas Flamel," Harry announced.
"His card is rather rare," Hannah pointed out.
The shape-shifter began to examine the card.
Nicholas Flamel
Not much is known about Nicholas Flamel. Born in 1327 A.D. Flamel is considered to be the greatest alchemist to ever live. Nicholas is the only known creator of the Philosopher's Stone and the Elixir of Life which is generated as a byproduct from the stone. Nicholas and his wife Perenelle are known friends of Albus Dumbledore. Flamel enjoys attending the opera.
The appearance of the old alchemist was familiar to Harry for some reason. The ancient man's features reminded the Potter heir strongly of someone but he couldn't exactly pin down who that person would be. Oddly enough Flamel's image walked out of sight in the card for some time before reappearing later on.
Harry made sure he and his new friends weren't disturbed by any of his fans and people who wanted to gawk at the celebrity by applying a simple charm he had learned from the minds of the Weasley brothers to the compartment door. The Notice-Me-Not charm was rather simple to use which was good since the Rider possessed only memories of using the charm and no actual experience. Over the past month the Potter heir had discovered that he could channel his wizarding powers through the silver mark on his palm without needing a wand. This method of channeling power took greater mental focus than using magic with a wand but a little extra effort was worth it to get away from being completely dependent upon a fragile piece of wood.
When the world began to grow dark outside of the train the new friends put on their robes. It was easy enough to slip the robes on over mundane clothing so that's what the group of magicians did.
"We will arrive at Hogwarts in five minutes. Please leave your luggage on the train and it will be transported to your dormitories separately," a voice declared so that everyone in the train heard.
"Not bloody likely," Harry muttered, though everyone in the compartment heard him.
"I'm certainly not leaving all of my possessions out in the open," Neville agreed with his friend while patting the shrunken trunk in his pocket.
Everyone in the compartment had been intelligent enough to purchase enchanted shrinking luggage or have a family member apply the correct charms to their belongings.
"We should wait a few minutes before leaving. It's a madhouse out there," Hermione suggested while looking at the crowd surging off the train from the packed corridor.
The others saw no problem with this and were soon glad they had waited. When the friends did step off the train it quickly became obvious by the group of frightened youths standing near a giant of a man where they were supposed to go.
"I will see you up at the school. I'm supposed to ride the carriages," Cho announced before making her way over to the transports.
The group of first years followed the giant of a man down a slippery and poorly lit path towards a lake. Several times the Rider had to use his superior eyesight, reflexes, and strength to keep his friends from falling.
"These wizards aren't the brightest bunch are they," Harry sent to his dragon.
"No and they certainly do design structures oddly," the dragon replied from her position flying over the tree tops where she could see Hogwarts.
The blue dragon's projection of her vision to her Rider allowed him to see the many towered castle built atop a cliff on the other side of the lake that came into view as the group walked around a bend. A collection of rowboats were gathered at the bottom of the path.
"No more than four to a boat now," the guide whose name was Hagrid commanded.
Hagrid's name was easily picked up from the large man's mind as well as the fact that the boats were enchanted. Harry, Hermione, Susan, and Hannah climbed into one of the boats.
"Get in Neville," Harry urged.
"He said no more than four to a boat," pointed out the Longbottom heir.
"He won't notice," the celebrity assured while casually redirecting Hagrid's attention away from the rowboat the four friends were sitting in.
Neville shrugged with acceptance before climbing onboard the watercraft.
After ensuring everyone was in the boats Hagrid shouted, "Forward."
The command to activate the enchantments caused the boats to surge forward across the dark lake. The students had to duck to avoid hitting their heads on the low entrance to a dark tunnel concealed by a wall of ivy growing down the cliff face. The boats stopped at an underground cove, allowing the students to disembark.
"Don't forget Trevor, Neville," Hannah told her friend before passing him the toad from the bottom of the boat.
Hagrid led the first years up another path to the large front doors of Hogwarts. The large groundskeeper knocked on the portal several times. An older witch with dark hair and wearing emerald colored robes answered the door with an expression that brooked no misbehaving on her features.
"Thank you for seeing the first years to me Hagrid. You may take your seat," Professor McGonagall declared.
Harry picked up from a quick scan of the woman's mind that she was a Professor of Transfiguration. The teacher directed the students into the large entrance hall which was larger than Number 4 altogether. Torches provided lighting for the hallway but not nearly as much luminosity as electric lights would have supplied. McGonagall led the new students into a chamber off the entrance hall. Saphira stayed invisible outside. The many enchantments on the dragon's collar kept just about any form of magical detection from revealing her presence.
"I would like to take this opportunity to welcome you to Hogwarts. First on the agenda tonight is your sorting into your houses. These houses will act as your family while you are at school. Your classes will be with your housemates. You will sit at your house table at meal time. And you will likely spend a lot of your free time in the common room of your house," McGonagall explained. "If you don't know already the houses are called Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Slytherin, and Hufflepuff. Your good behavior and performance will gain your house points while the opposite behavior will lose your house points which count towards a house cup awarded at the end of the year to the house with the most points. In a few minutes the Sorting will take place in front of the whole school so I suggest you straighten your appearance up." McGonagall's gaze was especially intent upon Ron Weasley who was a walking disaster in appearance. The other first years had shied away from the ginger boy's smell. "I will return to collect you once the Sorting accommodations have been set up," the professor announced before leaving the chamber.
A good portion of the first years began speculating about what the Sorting ceremony would entail. The speculation was interrupted by a scream. The groups' attention was drawn to over a dozen ghosts drifting through a nearby wall. A spirit in monks clothing was chatting with several other spirits about some pseudo spirit named Peeves.
"What are you all doing here?" Another spirit suddenly inquired after noticing the first years.
"Waiting to be sorted," Harry answered, the only student brave enough to speak up.
"I hope to see the lot of you in Hufflepuff where I was sorted," the monk stated.
"That'll be all then," McGonagall told the ghosts as she walked into the room. "It's time to sort these students." When the spirits had gone through one of the walls the professor instructed, "Line up single file behind me."
Harry fell in line behind Hermione and in front of Susan. The group reentered the entrance hall and made their way into the Great Hall. The massive chamber was illuminated by thousands of floating candles. The house tables looked just like Hogwarts, A History described. The dishes and cutlery were a golden hue. The table where the staff sat was up on a dais at the front of the hall. McGonagall guided the first years up so that they stood facing the student body with their backs to the staff table. The Rider also noticed that the ceiling was enchanted to show the sky above the school. McGonagall put a stool in place in front of the first years. A tattered hat was sat upon the stool. After several moments of silence the hat opened what had at first appeared to be a tear and began singing a tune describing the houses of Hogwarts briefly in a clever way. The hat also revealed that it would determine the house of the first years.
Even as the applause from the student body died down Hannah was called up to try on the hat. Harry did not pay much attention to where most of the first years were sorted over the next little while but he did focus on where his friends were placed. Hannah and Susan went to Hufflepuff. Neville and Hermione both went to Gryffindor. Soon enough the Rider found his own name being called.
The Potter heir's sensitive hearing picked up many whispers as he took a seat on the stool.
"Did she just call the Harry Potter?" One student whispered.
"He's a cute firstie," another girl whispered.
Moments later the hat settled on the shape-shifter's head.
"Where's your mind?" An intrigued voice whispered into the dragon Rider's ear.
"You tell me," the mentally solid youth replied, projecting his thoughts strongly.
"Never before have I not been able to sense a mind. Curious, most curious," the hat declared in a whisper. "I don't know where to sort you."
"Just put me in Gryffindor," Harry suggested, not caring much either way.
Being with two of his friends would suit the magician just fine.
"Very well," the hat replied before shouting out, "Gryffindor!"
The Rider set the hat upon the stool as a loud cheer broke out. He made his way over to the Gryffindor house table where he sat down between Hermione and Neville. One of the ghosts was sitting nearby in the center of the table but the Potter heir paid it no mind. The Sorting soon finished followed by Albus Dumbledore standing to speak.
"Welcome all to a brand new year at Hogwarts. I would like to say a few words before we begin our feast: Blubber, Oddment, Nitwit and Tweak!" Dumbledore declared.
"I think he's a bit of a nitwit," Harry whispered to Hermione as the gathered magicians clapped for the Headmaster.
"Harry, be nice," Hermione whispered. "He's a teacher!"
"That doesn't mean he can't be a barmy old fool," the wizard rebutted.
Any argument from Hermione was cut off as the table was suddenly filled to the point of almost overflowing with delicious food dishes. The hungry first years quickly dug into the meal.
"That food all looks so good," the ghost with a ruffled collar declared from nearby as the Potter heir sampled some of the very tasty looking dishes. "I haven't eaten anything in over five centuries. I don't have to eat of course but one grows to miss the little things. I am Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington of course," the ghost introduced himself.
"It's a pleasure to meet you Sir Nicholas," Hermione greeted.
"I remember hearing stories about you Sir Nicholas from my grandmother. You're the Gryffindor House Ghost right?" Neville queried.
"Ah yes, young Longbottom. Yes, I am the house ghost. I remember young Augusta. I suppose it has been a few years and she's no longer young Augusta but mostly everyone among the living is young to me," the ghost replied.
"You're nearly headless nick," the youngest ginger at the table, Ron Weasley, declared tactlessly.
"What does he mean nearly headless?" Another first year boy, Seamus Finnegan queried. "How can a person be nearly headless?"
"Like this," Nicholas said as he grabbed his head and lifted it to reveal only a sliver of ethereal flesh holding his head onto his neck.
The conversation with the ghost continued for a short while before the spirit drifted off. The first years got to know each other as dinner changed to dessert. Blood status came up fairly quickly. Seamus was a half blood, as was Dean Thomas. Lavender Brown, Parvati Patil, Neville, and Ron Weasley were all pureblood magic users.
When the dessert phase of the meal was over Dumbledore once more stood to speak, saying, "Now for a few announcements. First years must be made aware that the forest bordering the grounds is forbidden to all students because there are many dangerous creatures within. No magic is allowed between classes in the school corridors. Quidditch trials are held the second week of term. For more information see Madam Hooch. Last of all, I will warn you that the third floor corridor on the right hand side is off limits to any person who does not wish to meet a painful death." The hall was silent as the students waited for an explanation for that last statement but none was forthcoming. "Now let us sing the school song. Everyone sing their favorite tune," the Headmaster declared as he conjured a twisting and moving ribbon that formed the lyrics of the tune.
The song was ear splitting and horrifying. Saphira who was well concealed at the back of the room did not like the tune at all. Harry was just grateful that Merlin was such a great enchanter. The magic woven into the collar around the dragon's neck was so powerful a person could probably stumble into the large reptile and not notice. Even the curvature of the fabric of reality expanding around Saphira when she went into an enclosed space was unnoticeable unless one was granted awareness of her. After the song the students were dismissed. Percy Weasley, a rather stuck up ginger, led the first years out of the Great Hall.
"They really are fascinating," Hermione whispered to Harry as the group walked by many moving paintings.
"You don't have moving portraits in the muggle world?" Neville questioned curiously.
"No, we don't," Hermione replied as the group walked through yet another passage concealed behind a tapestry.
It had quickly become apparent to the mundane raised Harry and Hermione that their pureblood friends had no real concept of what the non-magical world was like. There would be plenty of time to educate the magical-raised in the coming years. The group suddenly stopped. Looking ahead Harry noticed a floating group of sticks at chest level. Suddenly the sticks leapt at Percy.
"Show yourself Peeves," Percy declared. "Peeves is a poltergeist," the prefect added to the first years.
The poltergeist blew a raspberry in the air in response.
"I'll retrieve the Bloody Baron," Percy warned.
Peeves immediately appeared holding the sticks.
"Firsties are so much fun," the poltergeist declared before letting out a mad cackle.
Harry found the poltergeist annoying and wanted it to go away. Instinctively the dragon Rider raised his right hand with his palm facing the spirit. A beam of golden light flashed out of the Potter male's hand and struck the mischievous spirit. Peeves vanished while the sticks he had been holding clattered to the ground. The group of first years plus one prefect turned to stare at the celebrity in awe.
"What did you just do?" Percy questioned.
"I'm not sure. I wanted him to go away and he went away. I found him annoying," Harry explained with a casual shrug of his shoulders.
Suddenly the entire group of magicians felt that they never wanted to annoy the Boy Who Lived. This life choice would serve the magical students well throughout the coming years.
"Yes, well we should be moving on again," Percy continued nervously.
"I do believe that one wants to urinate himself," an amused Saphira suggested to her companion.
"And he hasn't even seen you yet," Harry pointed out.
A short distance down the corridor the group stopped again in front of a portrait of a very overweight woman.
"Password please," the portrait prompted.
"Caput Draconis," the ginger prefect replied which caused the portrait to swing open.
The first years followed Percy through the newly revealed portal into a comfortable and cozy common room filled with stuffed chairs and couches along with several tables. Harry observed that the room had to be magically expanded because the tower's outer dimensions did not support the volume the room showed from the inside. The students were directed to the girls and boys dormitories. The first year boys were roomed at the top of a flight of stairs. The tired first years slipped into their comfortable four poster beds; most too tired to do much else.
As soon as the other first year boys were asleep Harry got out of bed. Saphira was waiting for him in the common room.
"The one with the red fur on his head breathes too loudly. If he lived in the wild he would be eaten quickly. Well he would be if he did not smell so bad," the dragon amended.
Harry smirked before climbing onto his dragon's back. The large reptile walked towards the entrance and out of the portrait hole thanks to the expansion features of her collar. The portrait's consciousness did not even realize the dragon had passed through, so strong were the collar's enchantments. Dragon and Rider began wandering the school hallways exploring. It was only twenty minutes into their exploration that the pair of beings with extremely enhanced senses heard sounds of a confrontation around the next bend. Saphira quickly covered the distance and the invisible duo beheld three Slytherin boys who looked to be in their seventh year attacking a Hufflepuff witch who looked to be about fifth year and who wore a prefect's badge and little else. The prefect's robes were torn as two of the boys pawed at her exposed body. The witch seemed to be magically silenced. One Slytherin kept his wand trained on the the young woman at all times.
"Hurry up you two. We need to do this fast. There is less chance of anyone noticing anything amiss if we only have to obliviate a short portion of her memory," the wand bearer whispered.
"We could do this faster if this bitch stopped struggling. Be a good little nympho and take my prick," one of the other rapists harshly whispered as he pulled out his miserable excuse for manhood and forced himself into a position between the young woman's legs.
Harry noticed the look of terror on the attractive prefect's face as she struggled. Her hair was shifting colors. The Rider quickly realized the Hufflepuff was a shape-shifter like himself. The corridor happened to be devoid of portraits.
"Saphira…we're going to eviscerate these rapist bastards," the enraged Rider told his companion.
"Gladly," the dragon agreed, her own lust for blood rising over the link she shared with her favorite human.
The incredibly strong and quick Potter male leapt from his dragon's back and flipped through the air as Saphira charged. The warlock's foot connected with the side of the head of the Slytherin who was about to violate the Hufflepuff. The Rider's velocity was so great there was a distinct snap as the rapist's neck broke. At the same time Saphira's bulk fell upon the wand wielding rapist as she descended from a high leap. Luckily her Rider had silenced the rest of the corridor or the resulting crash might have awoken the whole school. The last rapist fell to a quick spin kick from the well trained martial artist which ended the Slytherin's life.
The warrior mage had become visible the moment he left Saphira's back. When the young woman realized she had been rescued she rushed forward into the arms of her savior. Realizing the barely clothed Hufflepuff couldn't make a sound Harry cancelled the charm silencing her.
"Thank you," the shape-shifting female managed to get out between sobs. "They jumped me on my patrol."
"It's ok Miss…they won't harm anyone again," the celebrity replied as he rubbed the girl's back and held her while trying not to stare at her very cute bum over her shoulders.
"Tonks…my name is Tonks," the Hufflepuff said as she pulled back to get a better look at her savior. After a gasp of surprise Tonks declared, "You're Harry Potter! You're a first year. How did you take out three seventh years?"
"I'd prefer not to answer any questions about that. We should probably get out of here. They were going to obliviate you. Something tells me they've done this before. They got everything they deserved," the Rider assured.
"I don't doubt that," Tonks agreed as she walked over and retrieved her wand nearby from the ground.
Tonks happened to expose everything of her femininity to the Rider when she bent over to retrieve her foci. With a whispered incantation of a repairing charm the young woman's clothes were repaired. Turning to her rescuer Tonks noticed his eyes quickly shift back up from what he had obviously been staring at.
"Quite far along for a first year aren't you," Tonks observed as she scanned the extremely fit form of the Rider along with commenting on the fact that he had been checking out her exposed body, struggling to act normal even though she felt terrified to go anywhere alone. "Do you mind walking me back to my common room?"
Harry could sense the feelings Tonks was practically projecting via his Rider's mind.
"Not at all," assured the warlock as he followed Tonks towards her common room. "So Tonks," Harry began to try to get the witch to focus on something other than the traumatizing experience she had just undergone. "I couldn't help but noticing that you're a shape-shifter."
Tonks' entire form tensed up as she stopped in her tracks.
"Yes, I'm a metamorphmagus…what of it?" The currently red haired fifth year demanded.
"Is that what I'm called?" The wizard queried, as he shifted his hair color to match his companion's mane.
Tonks gaped at the celebrity, amazed at finding another person like her. Suddenly the female shape-shifter had something new to focus her attention on other than her recent almost rape.
"Mr. Potter…I think we're going to be great friends. First of all…never tell anyone what you can do unless you absolutely trust them. People will use you if they find out what you can do," assured Tonks.
Tonks talked all the way back to her common room. The duo made plans for Tonks to help her hero overcome his problem with not being able to shift his skeletal structure in size. Before the currently pink haired witch entered the corridor leading into her common room she stepped up to the handsome Rider and placed a chaste kiss on his lips.
"Thank you for saving me hero. I'll never forget that," Nymphadora Tonks promised before disappearing around the corner of the corridor a short ways from her common room.
"I like her," Saphira declared from just behind her wizard.
The dragon had remained so close that the field surrounding her which kept anything from noticing her had extended to her Rider and his new friend. None of the portraits had noticed the passage of the couple.
"I do too," Harry agreed before climbing onto his dragon's back and exploring the school some more.
The next day Harry forced himself to tune out the many whispered conversations about him and the numerous stares directed his way. The Rider had no trouble finding his way around the school thanks to the knowledge taken from the minds of the Weasleys. The Weasley twins in particular knew just about every hidden passageway the school had to offer. Classes were likewise just as easy for the green eyed warlock. Harry concentrated on the practical side of magic because he already had the theory down from his copied knowledge. Herbology, the caring for and cultivating of both non-magical and magical plants, was an interesting enough class taught by a kindly witch named Pomona Sprout. Professor Sprout was also the Head of Hufflepuff House.
History of Magic was incredibly boring due to the fact that the instructor was a ghost with the singular talent of making anything he talked about seem uninteresting. Harry used this time to read his own personal history book collection which covered the course work and more. The wizard even managed to convince Hermione to do the same. A charm which put a cone of silence around the caster made it so the friends could read in peace. The other students in the class chose to take naps during that period instead of studying.
Harry enjoyed Charms and Transfiguration quite a bit. The teachers were intelligent and good at their jobs. The Potter heir was complimented by both instructors as being blessed with the skills of his parents. Harry changed his match into a needle after three tries and turned his cushion all the colors of the rainbow within five minutes. The sorcerer then went about helping his friends master the magic being taught.
Harry did not like Professor Quirrell who taught Defense Against the Dark Arts. Quirrell put out a vibe of evil and falsehood that the Rider couldn't pinpoint the exact nature of. Saphira summed the situation up rather nicely.
"He smells off. I get the feeling that he would taste very bad," the dragon informed her companion.
When Friday arrived Harry did not hold out much hope for a good first potions class. Tonks had warned her hero about the greasy instructor Severus Snape. The Potion Master's glares directed his way were not lost on the Potter heir. Hedwig arrived that morning with the mail. The snowy owl dropped off a package containing a book Harry and Hermione had ordered from Flourish and Blotts along with a small envelope. The warlock opened the letter addressed to him and read:
Dear Harry,
I know you have a free afternoon on Fridays. Would you like to join me for tea at around three? Send an answer back with your owl.
Hagrid
Harry thought the request odd given that he had never talked to the giant man before in private but Saphira was a good judge of character.
"He smells friendly and I've watched how good he is with animals," the dragon informed her Rider.
"Neville, Hermione, would you like to join me for tea with Hagrid this afternoon at three?" Harry asked his nearby friends.
"Sure Harry," Neville agreed.
"Of course," Hermione responded.
Harry decided to take just Neville and Hermione this first time. The warlock sent Hedwig off with an acceptance of the invitation before heading to Potions with his friends. The potions classroom was in one of the dungeons in the bowels of the castle. The room was lined with jars containing pickled animal parts. It was during role call that the Potter heir discovered Severus Snape held a particular hatred for the young celebrity.
"Ah yes, Harry Potter," Snape said during roll call. "Our new celebrity," added the Potions Master in a tone that projected disdain for the Boy Who Lived. After finishing roll call Snape gave what sounded like a well rehearsed speech. "You are in this course to learn the subtle science and precise art of potion making. As there is little foolish wand jabbing here, I don't expect many of you to comprehend the beauty of potion brewing. For those few who do grasp this art I can show you how to bottle fame, brew glory, and even stopper death. The rest I suspect will be the usual class of morons I teach."
There was silence around the classroom for several moments as the students glanced at each other. Harry thought the greasy bastard was spouting a line of shit. If Snape could brew glory and fame he wouldn't be teaching a bunch of adolescents in a dark dungeon.
"Potter," Snape suddenly barked. "What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood."
Harry knew from his readings and copied knowledge that the answer was the Draught of Living Death. But there was no way the Rider was answering with that response.
"You'd get a mixture of wormwood and asphodel root," the dragon companion replied, earning a guffaw from the youngest Weasley in the castle and snickers from a great many others.
"Ten points from Gryffindor for your cheek Potter," Snape declared. "Let's see if you can get this one Potter. Where would you search if I told you to find me a bezoar?"
Again Harry knew the answer but again he wouldn't give the correct answer.
"I wouldn't look there myself but I'm sure that blonde thing that looks like a tosser over there would love to look," Harry said while indicating Malfoy. "Up your ass Sir, because there's obviously something quite uncomfortable stuck up there," the green eyed youth declared dramatically.
Snape's rage was so great he did not even bother reaching for his wand. The greasy potions brewer just lunged at the dark haired youth, a great mistake. The elf-like warrior moved so fast the mortals in the room had trouble focusing on him. Harry was out of his seat and standing next to the furniture as Snape's momentum caused the potions brewer to continue towards where the younger wizard had been sitting moments before. As Snape grasped for air and fell towards the desk behind where Harry and Hermione were sitting the well trained martial artist stepped forward and pushed down on the back of Snape's head.
The sound of Snape's nose shattering was clearly heard to all in the room but the young wizard was not done yet. As the greasy bastard sprawled across the desk the celebrity jabbed a shot into the downed man's kidney. Grasping Snape's hair the incredibly strong warlock repeatedly bashed the professor's face into the desk. Then, Harry grasped his enemy's right ankle before reaching around the thick leg of the desk he had been sitting at and grasping Snape's other ankle. Pulling hard caused Snape's groin to smash against the wooden desk leg with enough force to shatter the now unconscious man's pelvis and ensure Severus Snape would never procreate. All of this happened so fast most students barely processed that a fight had started let alone that their potions instructor was out for the count.
"Wizards are pathetic fighters. Someone might want to go get this bloke a bandage. If he bleeds out then I won't have anyone to play with for a couple of days at least," Harry declared with a grin.
Most of the class vacated the room in a hurry. The only people that stayed and that were conscious were Hermione and Neville.
"Harry…what did you just do?" Hermione whispered, still somewhat in shock.
"Relax Hermione. I've thought this out pretty well. I'll explain it to you later. Right now I need to concentrate," the Potter male said before closing his eyes.
Harry did not hear Hermione questioning what he needed to concentrate on as he projected out his mind towards Severus Snape. The man's mental barriers were impressive but Harry felt confident he could break through the protections. In Snape's unconscious state he put up less of a fight than he would have if he was awake. Unbeknownst to Harry his mind was much stronger than any mortal's mind thanks to his somewhat elven physiology. Saphira joined minds with her Rider, augmenting his impressive strength to shatter through Snape's barriers in moments. The two entities had at their disposal the sum total of Snape's life and existence. Working quickly the pair scanned through and took everything of value from Snape's mind.
Harry was quite surprised to find that Severus Snape had been great friends with his mother for a good portion of her life up until Hogwarts. Apparently Lily had befriended Snape outside of Petunia's knowledge because Petunia hadn't known anything of the friendship. The Potter heir devoured those memories of his mother. Then the Rider came upon the memories of Snape's service to Voldemort and the memories of part of a prophecy which the greasy bastard had revealed to the Dark Lord. It was all Harry could do to keep himself from killing Snape when he realized the man was responsible for the death of James and Lily Potter. Snape even had the gall to ask Voldemort for Lily Potter as a prize. The athletic Rider held back because Snape needed to be tortured plenty before he was allowed to die.
Just as Harry pulled out of Snape's ravaged mind and began examining a newly acquired knowledge of the black arts of magic, knowledge of battle magic, and much experience in potions brewing and creation, several people burst through the doors of the classroom. Albus Dumbledore, Minerva McGonagall, and Poppy Pomfrey looked on the scene with horror.
The Headmaster's Office a short while later…
"So Mr. Potter…would you care to tell me why you assaulted Professor Snape?" Dumbledore asked gravely, all mirth vanished from his countenance.
Harry paused for a moment as if collecting himself before replying, "Would you care to tell me why you ensured I was placed with my magic hating relatives for eleven long years of emotional and physical abuse?"
Dumbledore actually winced before declaring, "I'm afraid you were safest there. It was for the greater good."
Harry couldn't believe the gall of the man to make such claims. The perceptive Rider could tell Dumbledore was lying from the quickening of the ancient warlock's heartbeat. Enhanced hearing was just one of the perks of such an advanced form.
"You're full of shit," Harry declared, causing the portraits of former headmasters and headmistresses that had been silent up until this point to cry out in outrage.
Dumbledore silenced the portraits with a wave of his hand before focusing intently at the unflinching gaze of the younger wizard. Harry felt a foreign mind trying to enter his own. With the ferocity of an enraged dragon the last Potter lashed out with a mental probe that manifested itself so strongly the defeater of Grindewald was flung out of his chair. The firebird in the corner of the room resting on a bronze perch squawked in protest.
"Should I eat the turkey?" Saphira asked from her position behind her wizard. "It looks tasty."
Even Fawkes couldn't sense the dragon through Merlin's enchantments.
"Only if it moves to attack me," the seated mage told his companion as Dumbledore climbed to his feet with wand drawn. "Although I think a phoenix might give you heartburn."
"You're a comedian," Saphira replied sarcastically.
Dumbledore, a look of rage plastered on his wrinkled features, projected a silent stunner out of his wand with such an immense amount of energy the air rippled with the spell's passing. Harry easily dodged with his reflexes and closed the distance to the old man with little effort. The agile Rider plucked Dumbledore's wand from the Headmaster's grasp while bringing a knee up into the old man's groin. As Dumbledore dropped to his knees clutching his groin Harry returned to his seat calmly. Dumbledore was eying the taken wand in horror while Harry twirled the foci between his fingers.
"Listen up old man. This is how life is going to go while I'm at Hogwarts. I'll do whatever the hell I want. If you do anything…and I mean anything…to displease me I'll slit your throat while you are sleeping," Harry threatened, earning another cry of indignation from the portraits.
"Take care of those annoying things would you?" The Rider requested of his dragon.
A large crash and grinding sound resounded out of nowhere and something tore through the wall of portraits as Dumbledore gaped on. Even the phoenix, Fawkes, squawked and gave the impression of gaping with its beak slightly open and staring at the damage emanating from nowhere detectable. The portraits were in tatters from the swipe of Saphira's tale.
"I know you can't expel me because you want me at your school for some reason. I know you were involved in the cover-up of what those three Slytherin seventh years were doing earlier in the week. I suspect that's pretty common around here under your watch. No more. Next time I'll make sure there's nothing left, like with your portraits. Now don't bother me again," Harry growled just before Saphira knocked Dumbledore's desk over onto the old man while her Rider leapt onto her back, vanishing from sight.
Saphira leapt out of the quickly expanded window and took flight. The dragon spiraled higher and circled the castle as her companion took the time to think.
"Despite what I told Hermione none of that was really planned out," Harry told Saphira.
"I thought as much. But I think it went rather well given the circumstances," Saphira replied.
"Indeed it did. I knew something rotten was going on around here after there was no mention of those seventh year Slytherin rapists we took out. But what I learned from Snape's mind just proved it. The old man was covering up the rapes while pocketing very healthy bribes from the fathers of those pureblood bastards. That's just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to corruption in this world. No more of that shit. We'll keep the good students of Hogwarts safe," the dragon Rider strongly projected to his partner, his passion on the matter clear to his dragon.
"Agreed…and if we have a little fun along the way then neither of us will complain," Saphira added with a feral tone to her thoughts.
Chapter 4 by stargatesg1fan1
Dragon and Rider circled towards one of the ramparts of the school. After landing a door was quickly found which allowed the pair to make good time in reaching Gryffindor tower. The whole school was abuzz with news of Harry Potter's actions in his first potions class. When the famous wizard walked through the passage to the common room protected by a portrait, he was met with the stares of most of the residents of his house and silence. The silence only lasted a few moments before a torrent of sound erupted from the students as they cheered the celebrity on. Congratulations were spewed forth by many, led by the Weasley twins.
Some minutes later Harry finally made it to Hermione and Neville sitting on one of the couches.
"I think you're going to be even more of a legend around here than you already were Harry," Neville declared with a grin.
"Harry…how could you assault a teacher? You nearly killed him," Hermione admonished quietly; perfectly aware she would get no support from any of the Gryffindors present in her views.
"Hermione, do you trust me?" Harry asked simply.
"Of course Harry. You know I trust you with my life," the book loving young woman declared while conveying her gratitude and affection for her best friend with her entrancing brown eyes.
"I know some information about Snape and Dumbledore that nobody else in this school, in the magical world, knows. I'm not yet ready to reveal what this knowledge entails or how I know it. But someday in the future you will know and you will hate Albus Dumbledore and Severus Snape for it. I think I've showed great restraint in not killing either of them. Now, would you like to start on some homework?" The Potter warrior inquired.
Hermione stared intently at her friend for a moment longer before nodding her agreement. Neville also agreed to change subjects, thinking what his friend had done was bloody brilliant.
"I suppose we missed tea with Hagrid," Harry mused. "Although I doubt I will be receiving another invite given what just occurred between the Headmaster and I," the sorcerer added as he idly twirled Dumbledore's former wand.
The Potter male felt an affinity with the wand taken as a trophy. The foci gave off the sensation that magic would be easier to channel through it.
"Isn't that Professor Dumbledore's wand Harry?" Hermione whispered.
Harry flicked the wand and erected a cone of silence around himself and his two friends.
"It just might be Hermione," agreed the warlock as he marveled at the ease with which he had just erected that enchantment.
The spell had barely taken any effort at all and less magic than usual from its caster.
"Wait a second…that wand is made of Elder wood," the plant loving Neville exclaimed.
"So," Hermione replied with confusion shared by Harry.
"Sometimes I forget that you two aren't magic raised given how skilled you are with magic. There is a legend called The Tale of the Three Brothers. These three brothers, the Peverell brothers, were said to have been gifted three objects from Death himself when they managed to cross a river without being killed. These three gifts/objects are called the Deathly Hallows. The Hallows consisted of a stone which could summon shades of deceased loved ones, an invisibility cloak that could conceal its wearer from Death itself, and a wand which could perform feats of magic not normally possible and which ensured its wielder was never defeated in battle," Neville explained. "The Elder wand was the only wand that was ever made of elder wood. Normally that wood is too unstable for wand material. Previous attempts to use that wood in wands have resulted in the wielder losing an arm or more in a violent magical explosion. Harry you must be very careful. Many people throughout history have searched for the Hallows and even today many would kill for even one."
"Hmm…I wonder if this wand is part of what has allowed Dumbledore to become so powerful," Harry mused.
"Who knows," Hermione replied. "You'd best be careful Harry and not speak of that wand to anybody. Now let's get to doing our homework."
When the next Thursday rolled around the first years were excited about the promised flying lessons. Hermione and Neville were less excited and more nervous than anything. Harry had to reassure his friends several times that they would be fine. The Rider knew he would be a good flyer given his bond with Saphira. Neville had received an enchanted glass sphere called a Remembrall in the mail that morning from his grandmother. The object filled with a red smoke when the bearer had forgotten something but did not reveal what that forgotten something was. It sounded like a completely useless object to Harry. Draco Malfoy and his two wizard followers, Crabbe and Goyle, walked by at the time Neville had received his package. The perceptive Rider had sensed Malfoy had wanted to steal the Remembrall from Neville's hand but held back due to fear of the wizard who had thrashed Severus Snape so badly. The telepathic Potter knew Malfoy's arrogance and stupidity would eventually overcome fear but for the time being the respite from being bothered was nice.
The Gryffindor first years joined the Slytherins later that day on the school grounds where several lines of school brooms were laying waiting for a rider. A witch, Madam Hooch, with short gray hair arrived shortly.
"Everyone hurry up and stand beside your broomstick," Hooch barked. Harry took his place next to his broom between Neville and Hermione. "Stick out your right hand over the handle of your broomstick and tell it UP," the teacher instructed.
As the students began shouting the command with varying results Harry looked intently at his broom and whispered the command while visualizing the old construct leaping into his hand. Reality bent to the wizard's will and delivered the broom into his grasp. Hermione's broom moved a little while Neville's did not.
Hermione gazed at her best friend expectantly, knowing he would have some insight to offer due to his seemingly instinctual grasp of all things magical. Neville wasn't far behind the brown haired young woman in looking to the nearby celebrity.
"You just need to visualize the broom leaping into your hand and call on your magic like we do in spell casting," Harry explained. "There is no need to shout."
Neville and Hermione gained concentrated looks for a moment before whispering the command and their brooms leapt into their hands. The addendum to Hooch's instruction was quickly passed down the line and in short order everyone had summoned their broom. The flight instructor then schooled her students in how to appropriately sit on their booms. The students were quite glad for the invisible cushioning charms arranged in such a way so as to duplicate a comfortable seat.
"When my whistle sounds kick off from the ground hard and hover for a few moments before coming back to the ground by leaning forward," Hooch announced. "One, two," the woman began to count.
Harry's hand shot out and caught Neville's shoulder as he noticed his friend's muscles flex in readiness to leap early. The Longbottom heir was quite nervous.
"Steady there Neville," Harry cautioned as Hooch blew her whistle. "Now you can jump."
Neville leapt into the air while Hermione and Harry did the same. Harry quickly performed the maneuver before touching down. Hermione hadn't gone very high so touched down just after her best friend. Neville did not seem to be able to wrestle the old school broom into stabilizing and into the down position necessary to land. The Rider hopped on his broom and shot up into the air right next to his friend. The Potter heir grasped the handle of the errant broomstick with inhuman strength and willed the construct to stabilize with his magic. The broom settled and allowed Neville to land.
"Five points to Gryffindor Mr. Potter for excellent flying and the aid of a friend. Mr. Longbottom, here is a slightly better broom. I think it is time for that one to be retired," Hooch declared as she brought another broom for Neville from a bottomless satchel that had been concealed within her robes. "Now we will begin a series of exercises designed to familiarize you with flying."
Throughout the exercises Harry helped his two friends get comfortable with flying. Hermione did not care much for flying too high but she did not mind flying around at lower altitudes. Neville did not have too much trouble going a little higher than Hermione now that he had a better working broom but he did not go anywhere as close to the height Harry flew when Hooch let the students experiment much later in the flight session.
"Mr. Potter," Hooch drew the warlock's attention as she floated up next to him. "I would like to see if you can retrieve this snitch," the flight instructor explained as she held up a small golden ball which sprouted wings.
Harry nodded his agreement before Hooch released the magical object. The snitch immediately flew away at a very fast speed. With eyes sharper than a high elf's the Potter wizard tracked the snitch. Saphira, who was flying nearby, tracked the object as well. Harry willed his broom to move and tore off after his prey. The snitch seemed to be intelligent enough to discern it had a pursuer because it tried twisting through the air, turning sharply, flipping, and corkscrewing to get away. Harry stayed with the target through everything and even managed to gain on it. Finally the snitch dove towards the ground below at speeds that would be fatal to a non-magical person if a collision occurred. The Rider willed his broom to go faster, pushing more of his magic into his intent. The snitch drew nearer and nearer to the ground but still Harry did not pull up. With only a few feet to spare the warlock caught the snitch and pulled out of the dive, unintentionally performing his first Wronski Feint.
When Harry flew back towards his instructor he noticed the stunned look of amazement on her face and discerned the cheering of the Gryffindors who were on the ground.
"Mr. Potter…I think we need to go talk to Professor McGonagall," Hooch declared after she collected her wits.
"And she put you on the Gryffindor House Quidditch team?" Tonks clarified in amazement.
"Yes," Harry confirmed. "She pulled Oliver Wood right out of class. Hooch said I was the most natural flyer she had ever watched."
"Cor Harry, there hasn't been a seeker of your age in a long time," Tonks declared.
"In a century," Hermione confirmed.
Hermione, Harry, Tonks, Susan, Hannah, Neville, and Cho sat in a comfortable ring of chairs and couches in an unused classroom in an unused wing of the school on the sixth floor. When Hermione and Neville had learned that Tonks would be helping Harry with practical magic every evening in exchange for the Potter heir helping the fifth year with non-magical self defense the pair wanted in. Neville and Hermione did not feel the need to learn the non-magical self defense at the moment but they would probably change their minds in the future. The two first years were more than happy to learn practical magic from Tonks and Harry. The Gryffindor trio wanted to keep in touch with their three year mates they sat with on the train so had invited Hannah, Susan, and Cho to join the practice sessions.
"Wood was quite excited. He had to show me how to play of course but it was easy enough to learn the rules. I will have an extra practice session to attend every other day but I'll manage," Harry told his friends.
"That's great Harry," Susan said to her crush with a special smile just for him.
"So how have classes been going with Snape after what you did to him?" Cho questioned.
"Madam Pomfrey was only able to restore one testicle. I cursed it to throb painfully whenever Snape even looks at me with negative intent," the Rider replied.
The Potter mage's friends gaped at him in further amazement.
"How did you learn that spell?" Neville asked.
"I have my ways," Harry replied with an enigmatic smile.
"I heard Snape has been waking up every morning to a pile of dragon dung in his quarters and no matter how hard he tries to stop it he can't," Tonks announced. "You wouldn't know anything about that Harry would you?"
"I'm completely innocent," Harry declared, causing his friends to crack up.
Harry had discovered that the anti-apparation wards protecting Hogwarts did not stop him in the least from teleporting. The Rider wasn't quite sure why this was but did not lose any rest over the mystery. It wouldn't be until years later that the sorcerer discovered that the wizarding wards targeted the magical cores of witches and wizards. The dragon Rider's magical core was so vastly different from a normal witch or wizard's core that the wards couldn't even detect him. Harry's elf-like physiology affected him in ways he wouldn't become aware of for some time to come. There wasn't anything Snape could do to stop Saphira and her teleporting Rider from violating his quarters at will.
"So has anyone figured out what is on the third floor corridor? I know quite a few people in my house are curious about it," Cho spoke up.
"Typical wizard common sense…tell students a place is out of bounds on pain of death and they'll want to go investigate," Harry muttered loud enough for his friends to hear clearly.
"He hasn't even told the prefects what is in there," Tonks pointed out. "But I bet you know Harry."
All eyes focused on the dragon Rider. The warlock of course knew what was so dangerous about the third floor corridor. It hadn't been hard for Saphira or her enhanced Rider to pick up the canine scent of the Cerberus. Harry saw no harm in letting his friends know how dangerous wandering into that corridor was.
"There's a Cerberus behind one of the doors guarding the entrance to another chamber," Harry explained.
"A Cerberus," Hannah said weakly. "As in a giant dog with three heads that would rip a person to pieces," the Hufflepuff clarified.
"Indeed," Harry confirmed. "It's not a full grown Cerberus but it's still quite large. Dumbledore is a fool to keep such a beast in a school."
"Harry," Hermione admonished, still trying to overcome her idolization of authority figures.
"Hermione, you know I have no respect for that man. I've told you all some of what he has done to me in my life," the Potter mage growled, earning nods of agreement from his friends.
"Sorry," Hermione answered with an apologetic half smile.
"You will break that streak eventually Hermione," Harry assured the dentists' daughter.
Harry had explained a few of the things he had undergone at the Dursleys in his early years as well as the fact that Dumbledore had placed the Boy Who Lived there. Hermione was working on not idolizing all authority figures and only respecting those who earned it.
"Thank god Filch has been hovering around that corridor or a student would have likely been killed already," Tonks declared with obvious disapproval of the Headmaster's life choices. "Well let's get back to work. Your magic has had enough time to rest," the hard working prefect added as she got to her feet to continue training the first years.
None of the group of first years plus one second year grumbled. The magicians were too grateful that an older student would take the time to assist them in learning to wield magic.
It was only a few days later that a long thin package arrived at breakfast with a note attached. By the shape of the package alone Harry could tell the parcel contained a broomstick. The flight enchantments common on all magical brooms were also fairly easy for the sorcerer to sense. He opened the note first.
Do not open this package at the table for I do not wish everyone to see that I am gifting you a new Nimbus 2000. Consider it a gift for all of the birthdays I missed Mr. Potter. Oliver Wood will give you your first training session in Quidditch tonight on the pitch at seven o'clock.
Professor McGonagall
Harry was intelligent enough not to look McGonagall's way but would most definitely be sending the professor a thank you letter later. The sorcerer let Neville and Hermione read the note while he slid the broom into one of the pockets in his robes. The pockets were enchanted to be bottomless and much larger on the inside than out. If anyone asked, the wealthy Potter wizard would simply say he paid to have the enchantments put in place but in truth he had cast the magic himself.
"It really is a very nice broomstick," Hermione admitted as she, Neville, and Harry examined the unwrapped flying tool a short while later in the first year Gryffindor boy's dorm.
"So you like my broomstick do you Hermione," said Harry with a slowly growing smile. "Perhaps I'll let you ride it later on," the sorcerer teased.
"Harry," the book loving witch whispered with a blush. Marshalling her courage Miss Granger replied in a technique the flirtatious Tonks would approve of, stating, "I'd be happy to ride your broomstick later Harry."
The two best friends stared intently at each other, neither backing down from the innuendo laced challenge. It was Neville who finally broke the silence.
"Guys, before you two jump each other I think you should be made aware that we are going to be late for class," Neville pointed out, which served to break Hermione out of the staring match.
Neville and Harry shared an amused look as Hermione headed towards the door, never wanting to be late for class. The Rider's gaze followed Hermione's cute bum out the door. The green eyed warlock would hold his friend to her offer to ride his broom someday and not the flying implement currently sitting on his bed.
As soon as he was out of the front doors of the castle that night Harry leapt onto his new broom and shot into the air.
"You should ride on me instead," Saphira declared as she flew invisibly beside her favorite human.
"Saphira, I ride on you all the time. Are you actually jealous of my broom?" Harry amusedly queried.
"No, I just think you'd be safer on me than that twig," Saphira replied with a mental sniff of disdain for the Nimbus.
The bonded pair flew together for awhile until Wood showed up. The Gryffindor Quidditch Captain had the seeker fly for a portion of their allotted time practicing catching the snitch in order to let Harry get used to playing the sport on his new broom.
"We're going to win the Quidditch Cup this year for sure," Oliver declared with a grin. "Thank you McGonagall."
By the time the practice session was over Harry shared some of Wood's confidence in Gryffindor's chances at the Cup. The Potter mage had caught every snitch in record time thanks to his senses and the senses of his draconian companion. Several times the Rider had even had to let the snitch fly about for a bit in order to not seem too good at the task of catching the enchanted object.
Hermione was in the stands when Harry finished practice. The wizard flew down to his best friend.
"Where's Neville?" Harry inquired.
"Neville is helping Hannah with some Herbology homework," explained Hermione.
"So how about a ride," Harry offered.
"Sure," Hermione agreed as she stood up and approached her friend.
With a blush Hermione climbed onto the broom in front of her best friend and felt his arms wrap around her body to grip the handle between her legs.
"Hold on tight," the seeker urged before shooting into the air.
Hermione let loose a yip of joy as her friend flew expertly about the pitch. After some time of fast flying at lower heights the witch became comfortable enough to let her favorite wizard take her higher than she was comfortable going on her own. The two friends had a fantastic evening, one which they would repeat often throughout the coming years.
Time passed Harry by quickly. Between his training with his friends, Quidditch practice, his personal training, training with Saphira, and his extracurricular reading the Rider was kept quite busy. It was only thanks to his new physiology requiring no sleep in the conventional sense of the word that the mage was able to accomplish as much as he did. Saphira and Harry did all of their training together in the forest within his magical trunk. The magical tome in the tree house proved to be a valuable resource of spells, both modern and ancient. The tome looked up any spell Harry needed very quickly. With each passing day the dragon and her companion found themselves growing stronger.
Halloween morning provided the students with the scent of pumpkin based treats baking down in the kitchens. In Charms class Professor Flitwick broke an excited group of students into pairs so that they could learn to levitate objects. Harry's close friends had already mastered this charm a week after school started. The Rider himself had mastered the charm even before that and could now channel the spell through the silver mark on his palm so that he did not require a wand. Harry was naturally paired with Hermione. Neville was unfortunately stuck with Ronald Weasley because everyone else had quickly paired off.
"Remember class to utilize the swish and flick wrist movement we've been practicing. Also note that enunciation is key lest you end up like the wizard Baruffio whom as you will recall said f instead of s and acquired a buffalo on his chest," Flitwick warned the class.
Harry, Hermione, and Neville thought it best to hold back and pretend to fail at the charm for a few minutes. During this time Ron was shouting his attempts and flinging his arm about in a poor attempt at the correct wand movement.
Hermione couldn't stand the ginger's annoying voice much longer so informed him, "You need to make your gar longer Weasley. It's Wing-gar-dium Levi-o-sa."
"If you're so smart then let's see you do the spell," Ron replied.
Hermione shared an amused glance with her best friend and together both brought up their wands. Hermione performed the spell first with a whisper and a perfect wand movement followed by Harry catching the feather and making the object do an aerial show. The two top first years traded the feather back and forth as it danced about in the air above the table.
"Good show! See here what Mr. Potter and Miss Granger have managed to do," Flitwick called to the class.
As the three Gryffindor friends were walking away from the charms classroom later they all heard Ron Weasley's annoying voice coming from behind them.
"You think you're so clever Granger but you don't have any real friends. I bet Longbottom and Potter are just using you for homework answers," the youngest Weasley boy declared nastily.
"Unlike you Ron we aren't that shallow," Harry replied as he turned to face the jealous little bastard.
Neville's response was even better. The Longbottom heir's fist connected with Ron's jaw, laying the redhead out on the floor of the empty corridor.
"Don't badmouth our friend," Neville growled.
The Rider had been making sure nobody came into the corridor and noticed Neville's actions with his powerful mind.
"Come on, let's get to class," Harry suggested as he wrapped an arm around a smiling Hermione's waist.
"Thanks you two," Hermione whispered gratefully a short ways down the hall.
"Anytime Hermione, anytime," Harry assured while Neville nodded in agreement.
Ron's accusations were made even more ridiculous and baseless by the fact that Harry was slightly ahead of Hermione in class rankings.
At the Halloween Feast that night in the Great Hall the chamber was decorated with a diverse collection of enchantments. Thousands of transfigured bats fluttered about the Hall. The Rider could sense the barrier that prevented the creatures from flying too close to the students.
"I'll be right back. I have to go use the restroom," Hermione informed Harry by whispering into his ear.
"Alright, I'll save your seat," Harry assured as he found a spot at the Gryffindor table.
"Where's Hermione going?" Neville asked, sitting next to Harry.
"She had to use the restroom. We'll save her a seat between us," explained the Potter heir.
It was only about two minutes after Hermione had left that Professor Quirrell ran into the Great Hall and up to the head table.
Loud enough for all to hear and while slumping against the head table Quirrell shouted, "There's a troll in the dungeons. I thought you should know."
The DADA professor then feinted.
"That man is the poorest excuse of a Defense Against the Dark Arts instructor I've ever heard of," Neville commented.
"Neville, I'm going to go make sure the troll isn't anywhere near Hermione," the Rider announced as he stood, already locating the beast with his mind and noticed it was heading in Hermione's direction.
"I'll come with you," Neville decided as Dumbledore calmed the student population down and issued instructions for them to return to their dorms.
"No, I'll be fine by myself. Neville, some of those secrets I haven't told you yet," Harry began. "Well I don't want to reveal any of them to anybody if I don't have to. I'll be fine on my own," the warlock insisted.
"Alright Harry," Neville agreed, trusting his powerful friend.
Harry exited the Great Hall without notice as Saphira came up beside him and he grasped onto her concealed form. Dragon and Rider immediately apparated into the girl's bathroom Hermione currently occupied. The Rider slid off of his dragon to find Hermione just exiting the stall she had been in.
"Harry…what are you doing here…in the girl's loo?" Hermione demanded.
"There's a troll loose in the school. I came here immediately. Are you still wearing the necklace I gave you for your birthday?" The warlock inquired as he picked up the horrible smell of the approaching creature before Hermione began to notice.
"Of course," the witch agreed as she washed her hands quickly.
The locket was enchanted with powerful protection spells by the Rider from magic he had learned from the tome in his trunk tree house.
"Good, then stay in this room," Harry instructed before turning and passing through the door into the hallway.
The troll was waiting just outside. The twelve foot tall creature wearing nothing but a loincloth immediately noticed the wizard and raised a large club that was the size of the first year mage. The troll was big but quite unintelligent and slow compared to the speed his opponent could move at. The club came down but did not crush the wizard like the troll suspected it would. Harry simply caught the weapon by the blunt part with his immense strength and yanked it from his opponent's grasp. The sound of the club hitting the floor if Harry had simply dodged would have drawn the attention of many of the castle's occupants. Hermione's gasp from where she peeked out of the bathroom let the warlock know his friend was watching.
The sorcerer did not much care at this point as he ran forward and dodged behind the troll. Harry then leapt onto the creature's back easily, wrapped his right arm around the troll's neck, and then pulled. The troll's neck snapped quickly under the Rider's grasp. The troll began to collapse backwards but Harry caught it and lowered it gently to the floor. When her best friend turned to face her Hermione noticed he wasn't even winded.
"How…how did you do that?" Hermione asked, in awe of her friend's power and strength.
"This is not the time or the place for explanations," Harry replied. "We need to be getting out of here. I don't want to explain to the teachers how I just did that."
"Right," Hermione agreed.
The dragon Rider took his friend's hand while Saphira was also touching him and the three teleported away to the room they practiced spells in. Hermione was surprised to find Tonks present.
"What are you doing here Tonks?" Hermione inquired.
"I could ask the same of you two. How did you get in here? I'd say you were invisible but the door never opened," the Hufflepuff pointed out.
"I think it's time they both knew a little more," Saphira suggested.
"Indeed," Harry projected back at his dragon. "Have a seat please ladies," the warlock requested aloud.
"So what's up Harry?" Tonks prompted when she was seated on the nearest couch on her favorite wizard's right with Hermione on his left.
"First off I need you two to agree to this spell I know. It works like a magical oath but instead of being threatened with the loss of your magic or life you simply won't be able to talk about what the spell is protecting except with each other or me," explained the mage.
"I've never heard of such a spell. It would be downright useful," Tonks pointed out.
"That's because everyone who has ever been put under the spell by its creator was also spelled to keep this enchantment's existence a secret," Harry announced.
"Who was the creator?" Hermione queried.
"Agree to the spell and I will tell you," the Potter heir replied.
Both females soon agreed and Harry cast the enchantment.
"It all started on my first visit to Diagon Alley," the wizard began to explain. "I found out Merlin was my ancestor and he left a few artifacts in my family vault for a certain descendant. I passed the tests to gain access to these artifacts. Hermione you knew I could teleport from a young age which you did not know Tonks. What's unusual is that anti-apparation wards don't stop me, including those around Hogwarts."
"Cor," Tonks whispered in amazement. "You're the heir to Merlin and you can apparate anywhere."
"Hermione, you already knew some of what I could do. What you did not know yet and Tonks found out when we first met is that I'm also a metamorphmagus. What neither of you know is that this isn't my true form. This was my base form before I uncovered certain artifacts. This is my base form now," Harry explained as he shifted into his true elf-like physiology.
Both females gaped at their friend as he stood and faced them, looking like a Princeling.
"You're gorgeous," Hermione whispered, earning a nod of agreement from a for once speechless Tonks.
Regaining her power of speech Tonks declared, "You look like a high elf. They supposedly went extinct millennia ago."
"I'm not so sure they are as extinct as everyone believes," Harry replied with a faraway look, remembering the beautiful elf woman he had glimpsed in a vision when Saphira's egg had hatched.
"What do you mean? And this is how you took out that troll isn't it," Hermione questioned.
"You took out the troll?" Tonks queried while her eyes roamed over the Rider's handsome form, unable to keep her gaze off of him.
Hermione was suffering from the same problem as the Hufflepuff.
"Hermione, I have a feeling you will find out some day. The troll was threatening Hermione so I killed it," Harry responded.
"With his bare hands," Hermione added with her face flushed while her mind had trouble focusing.
"Harry with you in that form I seem to be experiencing what men feel around Veela from what I've read," Tonks whispered before licking her lips. "If you don't change back now I won't be held accountable for what I'm going to do to you."
"Me too," Hermione added.
Harry kept that concept in mind for later before changing back.
"Interesting," the mage concluded as his draw on the two witches lessened somewhat although still maintaining an above normal presence now that they were aware of his true appearance.
"Show us what else you can do," Tonks suggested.
Harry spent some time showing the two cute witches what he could do but still keeping some of his abilities hidden and secret.