Chapter 2
As the train wound its way north the clouds thickened and the sky began to grow darker.
"If it starts raining I will transport into the trunk forest," Saphira announced.
"Understood," the Rider said. Aloud Harry announced, "The food cart is coming. You guys can get what you want but I can also pop out and pick us up some lunch from anywhere you guys want."
"With an offer like that why would we want anything off the cart," Ginny pointed out with an impish grin.
"I know a great place to get some food," Cho spoke up. "I can show you where," the witch suggested.
"Alright, lead way," Harry directed.
"Take the location from my mind," Cho instructed.
The telepath did so and taking his girlfriend's hand popped away. Soon the couple was back with parcels of Chinese food.
As the group began to dig into the delicious smelling food Susan inquired, "Where did you get this from?"
"China," Harry replied. "Cho ordered everything because my Chinese isn't very good."
Most of the witches in the compartment were rolling their eyes at how casual Harry was at hopping across continents and ignoring magical borders that other magicians would be stumped by. It did start to rain and Saphira was transported into the trunk forest to keep Norbert company and stay dry. As the trip to Hogwarts began to enter its last legs darkness was all that could be observed through the window. The wind and rain hammered the Hogwarts Express.
"We must be nearly there," Ginny suggested.
"I think you just jinxed us," Harry declared as the train began to slow down.
"I take it we're not at the station yet?" Nym inquired, watching her boyfriend carefully and seeing his expression darken.
"Demons," Luna declared. "There are floating demons boarding the train."
"Bloody hell…you mean Dementors don't you," Nym said, looking to her boyfriend for confirmation and seeing his nod drew her wand. "It just had to be the beginning of the year I would learn to cast the Patronus."
"Should I summon mum and dad?" Neville asked as he retrieved his communications mirror right before the lamps went out.
"No need, if I kill one then I think the lot of them will scatter," Harry declared.
Silence for several moments then Hermione felt the need to point out, "But Harry, you can't kill a Dementor. At least it has never been done before."
"That doesn't mean it can't be done now. Stick together," the Rider instructed before he vanished, teleporting elsewhere. Harry spotted the group of Dementors converging on the rear entrance to the train as he appeared on top of the Express. "Up here you ugly bastards," the warrior shouted, drawing the attention of the dozen tall demons hidden in tattered and worn cloaks.
"Do you need me to fight Harry?" Saphira asked worriedly.
"No, but I need you to breathe fire when I tell you to," the mage replied as he teleported one of the portal rings into place in front of his dragon and teleported the connecting ring in a shrunken form into the palm of his hand.
"I understand your plan and I am ready," Saphira assured with her blood singing in her veins for battle.
"Now," Harry shouted as he caused the portal system to activate.
As the wormhole connected the two rings the Dementors began to swarm towards the lone figure in the torrential downpour. The falling rain was vaporized as it got close to the searing heat of the tongue of flame that leapt from the ring. Saphira's stream of fire was directed at the nearest demon. The monster screeched in agony as it caught fire from the enchanted flame. Within seconds it vaporized and the Rider directed the weapon in his grasp to the next target. After three Dementors vaporized in quick succession the demons turned and fled.
"Oh hell, I had to hold the damn thing in my hand," Harry muttered to himself as he dropped the burning hot portal ring. He caught the ring in his telekinetic grasp before it hit the train. Soon enough the self-healing ability the mage had developed as a child kicked in and corrected the burns. "I'm fine Saphira," the warlock soothed his worried dragon while teleporting back into his train compartment.
"What happened?" Hermione demanded.
"There were around a dozen Dementors. I took out three of them and the rest fled like I thought they would. They were under the impression they were indestructible. But they were wrong," Harry explained while drying himself with a charm.
Just then the door to the compartment was thrown open and Remus Lupin asked, "Is everyone alright in here?"
"We're fine Professor Lupin," Harry replied absentmindedly.
"How did you know my name?" Remus questioned the son of one of his best friends.
"Shit," Harry cursed mentally. Then aloud the wizard replied, "I did quite a bit of research on my parents' years in school. You were a prefect with my mother. If you're on the train you're likely our new DADA instructor."
"Smooth," Saphira commented.
Remus' expression which had been tense up until that moment softened at the mention of Lily Potter.
"I'll expect the same astuteness in class Mr. Potter. I need to go check on the other students. I'm sure some towards the back of the train will have felt the Dementors that nearly paid us a visit," Remus said. "We'll be at Hogwarts in ten minutes," the professor added before closing the door.
"Sometimes you're too smooth for your own good Harry," Nym teased as the train began moving.
When the Hogwarts Express pulled up to Hogsmeade station students rushed out into the icy rain. Harry teleported with his friends directly into a dry carriage, which he easily expanded to fit them all.
"In this case we can definitely put up with your smoothness Harry," Ginny declared with a grin as she eyed the shivering forms of the magicians exiting the train platform.
As the coach moved towards the school any humor vanished from the group of friends as a wave of cold washed over the carriage.
"There are Dementors guarding the school," Saphira informed her bonded.
Then the dragon pushed out her powerful aura and encompassed the carriage she was connected to via the trunk shrunken in the pocket of her bonded. The Dementor's presence abated and the two demons flanking the school's gates shied away from the carriage as it passed through.
"Thank you Harry," Susan said, knowing her mate had pushed away the chill of the Dementors she had noticed guarding the gates.
Harry simply nodded his head, not denying the dispatching of the Dementor's aura was connected to him.
"Any chance we can avoid the rain again?" Cho requested.
The group was standing perfectly dry in the shadows of the Entrance Hall moments later.
"Our boyfriend is the best," Hermione declared.
"You say that a lot," Hannah pointed out.
"Doesn't make it any less true," Ginny replied while walking into the Great Hall which was filling rapidly with students.
The friends split up to their respective house tables just for the night of the start of term feast. The Sorting passed quickly with Harry and his friends joining in applause at the appropriate times.
"Good evening new and returning students," Dumbledore greeted as the Hall quieted and he projected an aura of trust. Harry and his friends had long learned to block out the aura once the celebrity had made them aware of it. "I must caution you of something before our excellent feast dulls your wits and makes you yearn for sleep. Our school is hosting several of the Dementors of Azkaban who are guarding the school on business of the Ministry of Magic. They guard every entrance and exit to the school and will not be deceived by charms, disguises, or even cloaks of invisibility. They will not fall for excuses and will harm you if you give them the chance. I hope our new Head Boy and Head Girl will keep students from running amuck of a Dementor." After time for Percy to preen Dumbledore added, "On a different subject, we welcome four new staff members this year. The first is Professor Lupin who will be filling the vacant Defense Against the Dark Arts position."
There was scattered applause. Remus didn't look as good as the other instructors with his shabbier robes.
"Secondly, Professor Kettleburn retired last year so Rubeus Hagrid will be taking over that vacant position." Without pausing for the students to absorb this information Dumbledore announced, "Professor Snape will be away from the school for some time on a research stint. Taking his place will be former Potions Professor Horace Slughorn. Professor Slughorn had some business to attend to and will not arrive until tomorrow. Our new Arithmancy instructor will also be arriving tomorrow. Professor Bridget Regan will be taking over that position."
There was silence for several moments at the end of this announcement before Harry stood and cheered. This set off an explosion of sound as every student not in Slytherin stood and clapped, hollered, and yelled profusely in jubilation. The only way Dumbledore got the student body to settle down was by summoning the food to the tables.
"Dumbledore looked worried in his eyes when he mentioned Snape," Neville observed before he took a bite of a chicken leg.
"He should be," Saphira commented. "He has no idea what happened to Snape."
Neither Rider nor dragon could realize that Dumbledore's worry wasn't for Snape's safety but was in fact distress at what the Potion's professor had revealed to the enemy before his death. Dumbledore already knew Snape had been killed thanks to the blood magic alarm in his office. While the old man felt some loss at the death of his son he was far too concerned with himself to let the death of a son bother him much.
"He did," Harry agreed before changing the topic of conversation to something else.
"McGonagall made the rounds early this morning. We snagged your schedules for you," George Weasley informed Harry and his friends the next morning as they took their seat at the Gryffindor table for breakfast.
"Thanks," Hermione replied as she eagerly scanned her schedule. "Good…we get to start new subjects today. We have Arithmancy at 9 O'clock. We'd best hurry up and leave soon to make it to the south tower on time."
"Relax Hermione, Harry will get us there on time," Susan said reassuringly.
"Does Harry here know some of the secret passages in that direction?" Fred Weasley asked teasingly.
"Even better brother," Ginny said knowingly but without elaborating.
"Stop teasing them Ginny," Harry chastised lightly. "It was easy enough to get the Marauder's Map from you two."
"You can't have the map…I have it right here," George argued while holding up a piece of parchment he drew from his pocket.
"And how did you know about that anyway?" Fred questioned suspiciously.
"It's immaterial how I knew about the map. This is the original and that is a duplicate," Harry explained while holding up his own Marauder's Map. "It's only right that the son of Prongs should have the original."
"Lupin's memories were rather helpful," Saphira observed.
"Indeed they were. It only took moments to duplicate the map once I teleported it away from the twins. Even if Remus doesn't consciously remember all the charms they're all there in his subconscious. The runic and arithmetic capabilities of the Marauders were impressive at that age," Harry replied to his dragon alone.
The twins gaped as their eyes became wide with surprise.
"You're the son of Prongs," George said after a gasp of shock.
Harry nodded his head in confirmation.
"Who were the other Marauders?" Fred asked.
"He'll tell you later. We really must be getting to class," Susan told the twins, smiling amusedly at the crestfallen looks of the two pranksters.
"That was cruel," Hermione teased Susan as the third year members of their group walked out of the Great Hall.
"They'll live," the Hufflepuff replied just before Harry teleported the group to a location near the Arithmancy classroom.
The Rider and his companions ascended a spiraling staircase that wrapped around the inner diameter of the south tower. When they walked into the classroom they found that they were the first to arrive. The instructor was an attractive young woman that appeared to be in her mid-twenties with midnight black hair.
"Hello…I was told to expect most of the class to be late today. But you lot are early," the Professor greeted with a smile. "Sit where you'd like. I'm Professor Regan. I am taking over for Professor Vector who chose to pursue a research opportunity in some ancient ruins in southern Greece."
"Are you from America Professor?" Hermione asked, noticing the instructor's accent.
"Yes, Miss…," Bridget Regan prompted.
"Granger Ma'am, Hermione Granger," Hermione replied.
"Yes, I was raised across the pond as you lot call it. Let's have your names then," Bridget suggested to the others.
"I'm Harry Potter. They are Susan Bones and Hannah Abbot. And that's my friend Neville Longbottom," Harry introduced.
"It's a pleasure to meet you all," Bridget replied while examining the resident celebrity a little longer than the others. Bridget noticed that Harry Potter appeared a lot more mature physically than his age would have suggested. In a couple of years he would be breaking hearts if he wasn't already. "So do any of you have experience with Arithmancy?" Bridget inquired.
"We all do," Hannah replied.
"Really," Bridget said with a curious tone, inviting further elaboration.
"We all study together Professor. Harry and I were raised in the non-magical world and were always good at that type of math. We were curious about the mathematics of the magical world when we first entered it two years ago and started studying it. We taught our friends and they have enjoyed it as much as we do," Hermione explained.
"You've been studying Arithmancy for the last two years," Bridget clarified. Earning a nod from everyone in the group she smiled. "Well then you might just be able to accomplish the American program for Arithmancy in your time at Hogwarts. We start Arithmancy in our first year you see and we start magical school much younger. There's no use having you go over material you've already learned. How about this…I'll conjure you up a test to see how much material you know and you can take that while I get the other students settled."
The students nodded and took the test after the older witch conjured them each several sheets of paper, not parchment. The test took the rest of the class but when the group had finished they all felt confident they had performed well. Bridget waved her wand over the tests, grading them immediately, and smiled brilliantly when she was mentally fed the results.
"I take it we did well?" Harry queried.
"You all did superbly. You'll all easily be able to handle the third year of the American system. Some of you are naturally ahead of the others because of having an affinity for the subject but I think it would work well to have you at the same level," Bridget explained. "Now how to teach you at a different rate," the witch began with a thoughtful expression.
"Have you taught these classes before?" Harry questioned.
"Yes, why do you ask?" Bridget replied.
"That's brilliant Harry," Hermione said excitedly, catching on to her lover's idea. "Harry has a pensieve. You could let us view memories of your past lectures in the pensieve in a separate corner of the room during regular lessons."
Bridget's estimation of this group had just gone up.
"That will work nicely. You can learn at your own pace as well. I'll begin copying my memories tonight and we can start next lesson. Now you had best get to your next class before you are late," the brunette instructor said as the students from her next class began to file in.
Bridget had proved to be an excellent instructor over the course of her first day of lessons. She kept all of the students engaged nicely, especially the male portion of her classes. It did not go unnoticed by any of the wizards present that their new teacher was quite attractive.
After Arithmancy, Harry and his friends had Transfiguration with Professor McGonagall. The witch lectured on the Animagus transformation and turned into a tabby cat for the class to inspect. The cat possessed markings around her eyes that resembled glasses.
"Professor, are the glasses markings a reflection of what you are wearing at the time of transformation or a manifestation of your personality?" Harry inquired, noticing there were no markings for the other things McGonagall had on her person at the time of transformation.
"An excellent question, Mr. Potter," the instructor praised. "The markings come from some defining trait that has added to your personality. I have had glasses for so long that my subconscious mind makes me think I need them even in animagus form."
"What she needs is a collar which she can slip into after transformation which hides those glasses markings with an illusion or color change charm," Saphira pointed out.
"Yes, she is rather easy to spot otherwise," Harry agreed with his dragon. "Learning to become an animagus might be interesting. Perhaps we can pay a little visit to Professor McGonagall tonight and see if we can't copy her knowledge on the animagus transformation along with anything else we find of interest."
Saphira's thoughts gave her approval to the suggested plan.
After lunch the third years had Ancient Runes. Professor Bathsheda Babbling was not a young witch and was not as fun as Professor Regan but the class was enjoyable none the less. The first years began with memorizing the runic alphabet and unlike Arithmancy there was no skipping ahead for the Rider and his friends who had studied far ahead. This advanced study meant that by the end of every class Harry and his friends had already completed all of their assignments and even had plenty of time to continue studying ahead.
Tonks and Cho strode into the study room with mirthful grins on their features.
"Did you lot hear what happened to the mini Malfoy today in Care of Magical Creatures?" Nym asked her friends as she stripped off her outer robes and began warming up for the sparring session she routinely had with her boyfriend.
"No we didn't. What happened?" Hermione asked.
"The little tosser attempted to bluster his way onto a hippogriff," Cho answered.
"I didn't think even Malfoy was that stupid," Hannah declared as the others were speechless with amazement.
"Never underestimate the stupidity of one of those Malfoy wizards," Neville said after a moment. "Did he survive?"
"Unfortunately he did," Nym replied.
"I suspect that little shit will go running to his daddy," Ginny pointed out. "He'll try to get Hagrid sacked."
"Oh, I don't think he'll have much luck there," Luna said knowingly while grinning at Harry.
"What Luna is implying is that I have taken steps to neutralize Lucius from the playing field," Harry assured.
"What did you do?" Susan inquired curiously.
"Trust me. You don't want to know the details. And I can't tell you more than that when there are people who can scan your mind fairly easily in this world and you might not even know it," the Rider asserted.
"Fine, just tell us what you can when you can," Hermione urged her boyfriend.
"I will," the mage assured. "Now, let's start sparring. We don't want to get soft."
"We sure don't. Hard is usually more fun," Nym said suggestively with a smirk while assuming her favorite fighting stance in a pair of skintight short shorts and a sports top.
Harry and Neville proved to the ladies many times throughout the sparring session that they rarely went soft.
Much later that night after most of Hogwarts castle was asleep Harry could be found deep within the Forbidden Forest, his eyes closed while he floated several feet off the ground. The mage was processing the many memories taken from Professor Minerva McGonagall's mind a half an hour earlier as the Scottish witch slept.
"Little one," Saphira suddenly sent; her mind asunder with turmoil from the deluge of repressed memories that swarmed into her conscious recollection.
Harry was reliving the past with his dragon as she recalled hunting in a magical forest and coming across an immense bronze dragon named Mnementh. Mnementh was a breed of dragon Saphira had never encountered before, injured and in a severe depression. Saphira gained Mnementh's trust as she nursed him back to health and brought him out of his depression. The bronze dragon was of a non-magical breed that could teleport through a dimension they called the Between. At hatching from their egg the dragons of Mnementh's breed were bonded with a human Rider much like the dragons of Saphira's breed were. But unlike Saphira's breed Mnementh's kind were not from Earth or even from her universe.
When their Riders died the dragons of Mnementh's world, Pern, would jump Between to what they thought was their death. They could not stand to live without their Riders. Mnementh's Rider had died of old age and the bronze dragon had suicided. But instead of dying Mnementh had come out of Between on the Earth of Saphira's universe after a period in the Between longer than he had ever experienced before.
As she nursed him back to health Mnementh shared with Saphira memories of his many adventures on Pern, a world distant from Earth colonized by Earthlings in the far future. Saphira shared these memories with her Rider and Eragon had been fascinated by the menace that was Thread which the people of Pern had faced. Eragon learned of an artificial intelligence which helped the Dragonriders of Pern eliminate the menace of Thread forever through the use of advanced technology. Mnementh had been in the space outside of the atmosphere of a planet many times. Oddly enough no being on Pern had ever realized the dragons could far outlive their human Riders because the dragons chose to suicide immediately upon a Rider's death.
When Mnementh's health was restored from the devastating effects of the jump between universes, he and Saphira mated. The two different breeds produced a new third breed which possessed the best traits of both parents. The hybrid race could teleport between thanks to its genetically engineered heritage as well as possessed the magical abilities of Saphira's breed.
As the flood of memories ended Saphira and Harry were left amazed at the revelation of the origins of one of her mates.
"I wonder," Saphira began before disappearing. Several moments later the dragon was back with a blast of cold air. "I just jumped between! I was far away and then came back."
"This is amazing," Harry told his excited dragon.
The pair spent the rest of the night exploring with travel between.
Draco Malfoy returned to class Thursday morning in the middle of double potions with Professor Slughorn.
"Take your seat Mr. Malfoy," Slughorn instructed.
After having taken his seat at a table next to where Harry and Hermione were working together brewing their shrinking solution the blonde twit said, "Professor Slughorn, I will require help cutting up my daisy roots because of my arm."
Slughorn looked blandly at the third year Slytherin and replied, "Unless Madam Pomfrey's skills have changed considerably since I last taught at Hogwarts your arm is fine Mr. Malfoy. In my class you will do your own work. Now get to it, you have a lot of work to catch up on."
Draco's features turned red at the reprimand and began cutting up his floral root while muttering, "When my father hears of this."
"He never tires of saying that. Poor little Draco, daddy has bigger problems," Hermione sent to her telepathic boyfriend.
"Indeed he does. It's all Lucius can handle keeping up with orders from Riddle. The Dark Tosser has been gearing up for something big ever since his rebirth. He hasn't let on to anyone outside of his inner circle of death eaters that he has returned. But I'm not idle either," Harry assured.
"Hey Harry, did you see the Daily Prophet this morning?" Seamus asked conversationally as he worked nearby.
"Are you referring to the article about Sirius Black being sighted?" Harry queried.
"Yes," Seamus confirmed.
Sirius had been spotted by a non-magical woman near Hogwarts. The non-magical had phoned the hotline but the Ministry arrived too late to find any sign of Black.
"I didn't get a chance to read the paper but Nym and Hermione gave me the highlights of all the important articles," Harry assured.
"I'm surprised you are being a good little boy and staying in Hogwarts Potter," Draco butted into the conversation. "I'd be after revenge if someone had betrayed my family like Black did yours."
"That's the difference between Harry and you, Malfoy," Hermione said as she finished washing up after the completion of a successful potion. "Harry isn't an imbecile."
As Hermione handed a vial of the completed potion to Slughorn the Gryffindors were laughing at an enraged Draco who was muttering deprivations against muggleborns.
"Full marks Miss Granger and Mr. Potter. You two have a real talent for potions," Slughorn informed the couple.
"Thank you Sir," Hermione replied to the teacher.
"You may leave early if you wish," Slughorn suggested.
"Have a good day Professor," Harry said to the instructor before leaving the room with Hermione on his arm.
While leaving the room Harry's keen hearing picked up Slughorn's last comment and he projected it telepathically to his girlfriend.
"Those two remind me a great deal of James and Lily Potter. Hermione may not look much like Lily but she definitely has Lily Potter's intelligence. And Harry is definitely much better with the females than his father was at that age," Slughorn told the class.
Then the teacher went off complimenting Neville on how well he brewed potions like his parents.
"Whatever shall we do with the free time we've been given before Defense Against the Dark Arts Mr. Potter?" Hermione questioned playfully.
"I can think of a few things Miss Granger," the mage assured while pulling his girlfriend against his body and leaning down to capture her lips heatedly.
The witch melted against her man and moaned into his mouth while she felt the familiar sensation of teleportation. The duo drew back half a minute later and Hermione recognized a favorite spot on the roof of the castle that was quite flat. Harry had already laid wards to ensure none of his ladies fell off.
"My, my, someone is frisky today," Hermione teased as a bed appeared via teleportation.
"With you, always," Harry growled before pouncing on a squealing Hermione.
The tussled but happy couple arrived at their first DADA lesson of the year shortly before the class was set to begin. Professor Lupin had not yet arrived. Remus strode into the room and placed his tattered briefcase on his desk.
"Good morning students. If you would, please put your books back in your bags. Today will be a practical lesson and you will only require your wands," Remus announced.
Many of the students glanced at Harry. They had experienced many practical lessons under the Rider and wondered how Lupin would match up. Remus led the class out into the corridor and around the corner. The class came up short as they came upon Peeves shoving gum into a keyhole. When Lupin stopped with a small smile on his face Peeves wiggled his toes and turned around with a smirk on his face. The smirk vanished when the poltergeist spotted Harry.
"So sorry Mr. Potter," the poltergeist demurely said before vanishing rapidly.
Remus turned with one raised eyebrow and gazed upon the son of his best friends.
"What was that about?" Remus queried as he continued down the corridor to the staff room.
"Peeves and I have developed an understanding Sir," Harry replied cryptically.
"After you nearly blasted him out of existence for annoying you your first night in the castle," Seamus muttered but in a voice loud enough for Lupin's werewolf hearing to pick up.
"Well, quickly inside students," Lupin urged while opening the staff room door.
"A Boggart then," Harry concluded after he noticed the presence of the mildly dark creature from its magical essence as soon as he entered the room.
"I wonder how a Boggart would taste," Saphira put forth from her perch on the school roof where she was sunning herself.
"Not very good I would imagine," Harry replied in amusement.
"Five points to Gryffindor Mr. Potter," Remus announced, surprised a non-magically raised third year even knew what a Boggart was let alone how to recognize one inside of a shaking wardrobe. "Now, Boggarts love dark enclosed spaces such as wardrobes, the spaces under beds, cupboards under sinks, and even grandfather clocks. This one took up residence in the school yesterday and I asked the Headmaster if it could be left alone to give my third years some practice. Now, can anyone explain just what a Boggart is?"
Remus nodded to Hermione after her hand went up.
"A Boggart is a shape-shifter which takes the form it thinks whoever it faces will fear the most," Hermione explained.
"An excellent explanation," Remus praised. "The Boggart in the darkness has not yet assumed a form or so it is believed. We can't actually see a Boggart until it has already faced a person and assumed the form of their worst fear. Boggarts get confused when facing large groups because they are never sure which person's fear to change into. The charm to repel a Boggart is Riddikulus accompanied by amusement. You force the Boggart to change with your laughter and amusement, the power of your mind." Remus walked the class through the incantation and wand movement before asking, "Any volunteers."
Harry's hand was the only one that went up, the rest of class taking their lead from the previous year's instructor. Remus found this Harry Potter wasn't quite what he had been expecting when coming to Hogwarts and found himself curious as to the young wizard's greatest fear. Forgoing the coaching he would have given any other student but this impressive young man the werewolf nodded for Harry to proceed. Remus also had not missed the deferment of the class to Harry and wondered what that was about.
When Harry nodded his readiness Remus sent a spell to throw open the wardrobe. The Boggart surged out and split into multiple corpses strewn about the floor. Hermione, Nym, Susan, and the rest of the sorcerer's lovers and friends were all represented. Luckily the Boggart couldn't detect Saphira's presence even from reading the Rider thanks to her collar granted concealment enchantments.
Harry spoke the correct spell with a smirk rapidly forming on his lips and suddenly the scene shifted. The corpses started to shudder and open their eyes.
"Bloody hell," Nym cried. "If this is what it feels like to be dead I wish I had died sooner."
"Same here," Hermione agreed as her features were twisted in a mask of rapturous ecstasy.
The laughter began with Neville's guffaw of disbelief before the entire class broke into laughter. The Boggart turned its attention to the nearby Neville and changed shape and the Longbottom heir faced the creature down quickly. The Boggart quickly went through the entire class until Remus forced it back into the wardrobe.
"Well done class, you all paid very good attention early on," Remus complimented while appraising the class once more and filing away their competency for later. Given what Remus had heard of previous instructors in this subject he was quite interested in where their proficiency had originated from. "Your homework is to read the chapter on Boggarts and summarize it. This is due Monday. That will be all."
"Well Professor Lupin seems to be more confident than our previous professors," Neville observed as he and his friends piled out of the staff room.
"That's not difficult but I do agree he has promise," Harry replied.
"I'm still shocked Hermione's Boggart wasn't a less than perfectly scored piece of Homework," Neville teased Hermione.
"I totally agree," Harry added.
The witch mock glared at both males before declaring, "Gits, the both of you."
"But you still love us," Harry told his girlfriend, earning a growl of frustration from the bushy haired beauty.
Professor Lupin's next several lessons proved how competent he was, at least in the field of dark creatures. The third years learned about Red Caps, ghastly little goblin-like creatures which would conceal themselves wherever bloodshed had once occurred and just waiting to attack those who had gotten lost. Red Caps especially preferred deserted battlefields and castle dungeons. Lupin also taught of scaly monkey-like creatures with webbed hands called Kappas. Kappas preferred an environment of water, usually ponds. Kappas would also attack anyone who strayed into their domain.
Potions was nothing like it used to be under Snape's instruction. Professor Slughorn actually taught the students what they were supposed to do each lesson before they were allowed to begin the lab portion. The two elective courses were enjoyed by all of Harry's friends and the sorcerer himself particularly enjoyed advanced Arithmancy with Professor Regan. The attractive brunette was always fun to watch walking around the room as she animatedly lectured her students.
As October rolled around Quidditch season was fast approaching. Oliver was now in his seventh year at Hogwarts and obviously wanted to make his last season on the Gryffindor team count.
"Guys, even though we haven't lost since Harry joined the team," Oliver began his speech to the team one evening after practice while throwing the Seeker a grin. "I would really like to go out with a bang."
"Quidditch team orgy," Harry interjected.
Fred and George guffawed at the celebrity's insertion.
"We're game," Angelina spoke up, dumfounding the two beaters into amazed silence.
"She's just kidding," Alicia added with a smirk, deflating the two Weasleys on the team.
Harry could tell the three sexy chasers weren't completely kidding. Maybe he would actually try to start a Quidditch team orgy after they won the cup that year.
"Oliver, you don't need to make a big speech. You know we're unbeatable with Harry as Seeker," Katy pointed out while her teammates nodded their belief in this notion.
"Oh hush you all…you're making me blush," Harry told his friends teasingly.
"The day you blush Potter is the day Dumbledore wears a Muggle business suit to breakfast," Oliver declared after a bark of laughter.
"He just might, you never know," Harry warned.
Oliver had wanted three training sessions a week but the team managed to talk him down to one normal session and one session lasting half the time of a normal session. The team knew they really didn't have to practice that hard in order to win. But Oliver would still play his best so that he could hopefully catch the eye of a league scout.
Harry returned to the common room one evening after practice to find the residents abuzz with excitement. It didn't take too much of the telepath's talent to pick up that the excitement was about the posted notice of the impending first Hogsmeade weekend. A day exploring the magical village with his friends and girlfriends sounded like a grand time to the Rider. Harry took a quick shower after working up a slight sweat at practice before finding Hermione and Ginny waiting for him on his bed next to Ginny. Neville was over at his bed. When dressed, the celebrity and his friend and lovers transported to their personalized classroom to spend another evening working out, training, and just spending time together.
That night as was becoming common for him those days Harry could be found training deep in the forbidden forest in magics and physical feats that could not be matched by mortal mages. Saphira was out hunting in another part of the forest.
"Harry, I appear to have gotten lost in a part of the forest I've never been before and am unsure how to get back," Saphira sent to her Rider as he was cleaving through a conjured foe.
"I'll be right there," Harry assured before banishing his training opponents and teleporting away, his multi-weapon still in blade form.
Harry found traveling through the higher dimension he teleported through was much more difficult than usual. It was like being stuck in a viscous medium. The mage pushed with more of his power and suddenly broke through whatever was impeding him. Moments after he rematerialized next to his dragon the pair were surrounded by swirling orbs of bright multicolored lights. Harry recalled seeing something similar during his time as Eragon and could sense the power of the tiny beings swirling around him.
Suddenly a clear loud voice called out, "Hold." Rider and dragon whirled to face the beautiful woman gliding down out of the sky on translucent-silvery wings. The blonde female who appeared to be approximately Harry's age from her physique possessed an ethereal air about her. The woman's light green eyes suggested her age was far older than she appeared. "Who are you? How did you get in our realm? And where did you get that sword?" The blonde demanded after laying eyes on a blade that was very familiar to her.
Harry felt a wave of emotion wash over him when the woman mentioned the sword and the lights flashed more rapidly, their colors becoming more vibrant. The Rider being no idiot quickly discerned that he and his dragon had passed into some kind of pocket dimension.
"These beings are powerful but I do not think they mean us harm little one," Saphira sent to her bonded.
Suddenly Harry had a flash of memory and inquired, "Princess Dianna?"
The blonde's body tensed.
"I have not been known by that name in a long time, it's Queen Dianna now," the blonde replied. "How do you know me?"
"I am the reincarnation of a dragon Rider who was called Eragon. Saphira is the reincarnation of his dragon," Harry explained while indicating his companion.
"Treyis," Dianna whispered as her gaze swept over Harry's form, absorbing every bit of his appearance. "Emrys always said it would happen but I did not believe."
"You knew Myrrdin?" Harry probed, latching onto the name.
"Yes Rider, I am his aunt, as humans term the relation," Dianna explained while dispatching some of the orbs up into the sky where they swiftly disappeared from sight. "You do not appear to have many of Eragon's memories. I think I can help you there. My true name is incapable of being vocalized. My people communicate empathically and with light. But when I walk among other races I am known as Dianna. What do you call yourself now?"
"Harry, Harry Potter," the Rider replied.
"Well met Harry Potter. Come, we should discuss your past someplace more comfortable. If you will follow me," Dianna invited.
After climbing onto Saphira's back dragon and Rider took to the air and followed the Queen of the Fairies and her escort over the dense forest. As they flew Harry spotted many magical and non-magical species of animals that were supposedly extinct or thought myth. Saphira spotted several creatures that looked like deer with far more sprouts to their antlers.
"One of those is what I followed into this realm," Saphira informed her Rider.
Not long after spotting the deer-like creatures, Harry and Saphira spotted a group of massive trees rising hundreds of feet into the air well above the rest of the forest canopy. Among the higher branches there was what could only be called a palace of living wood and sparkling crystal formed somehow naturally or supernaturally. Many smaller structures the size of the glowing fairies were spaced throughout the rest of the tall tree city.
Dianna touched down on a terrace large enough for Saphira to set down upon.
"How can you see through Saphira's cloak?" Harry asked first after he had dismounted from his dragon.
"I assume Myrrdin made the collar?" Dianna asked amusedly. At Harry's nod she explained, "He used fairy magic for the enchantment. As far as I know only a Fey can see through that magic. Only a Fey can cast it. Which is why you were able to make those cloaking bands if you are Myrrdin's descendent physically. No matter how many generations have passed the fairy magic would still be strong within you."
The Queen took a seat in a chair carved out of white crystal while having refreshments brought. Harry sat in a chair opposite her and found the crystal was enchanted with some type of cushioning magic.
"Can you tell me about Eragon?" Harry requested.
"I did not know Eragon as well as I would have liked to. You see it was a time of war back then. This entire region of the world was under siege by a terrible enemy, the Sidhe. Millions of Sidhe terrorized all races. Sidhe are blue demon-like creatures that can shift between a small form and human form. In their natural state they are immortal and think themselves above all other beings. My mother and father were killed in that war," Dianna explained with a shudder at the recollection of the horror that existed back then. "Then Eragon came to this land with his Dragon Saphira, so much different than the dragons native to this region. For years Eragon lived among us and fought back against the Sidhe with magics we have never encountered before. Likewise we showed him new magics as well. He shared the bed of my half sister and together they had a son, Myrrdin. Jaimie, my sister, was half fairy and half witch."
Harry didn't ask how that birth came about; knowing Dianna might not like to discuss her father's infidelity.