Two
“Your lower left is open!” Moony calls from across the room as Harry boxes a dummy being controlled by Mamá.
Harry grits his teeth as the dummy kicks him in his left shin, he really sucks at this. He jumps back a few steps and puts his arms back into boxing position and bends his knees. “Good!” Mamá praises as he aims a punch at the dummies gut and blocks a hit going for his face.
It’s the end of the year assessment on his skills, so they’re going hard on him. Suddenly a stunner is shot at him from his right by Moony and he drops and rolls out of the way. He shoots the man a glare as he starts to get back up, the man just smiles innocently back.
He quickly is distracted by the dummy aiming a kick at his face. He lets out a startled sound as he dodges by throwing himself backwards. The dummy quickly advances and Harry swipes his foot hard against the side of the dummy's ankle making it stagger. He quickly gets to his feet clumsily and gets back into position.
“Good quick thinking,” Moony comments from a different position.
Harry tries to locate him with his hearing alone while also keeping his eyes trained on the dummy that is trying its hardest to catch Harry off guard. Moony’s behind him slightly to the right according to where his voice came from, but he wouldn’t trust it, Moony likes to play dirty.
Suddenly the dummy aims a kick to his shoulder and hits. “Focus!” Mamá chimes from her seat across the room.
“¡Fácil para ti decirlo! {easy for you to say}” He calls back to her as he tries to punch the dummy in its face, but to his dismay it blocks it.
As he’s mid kick another spell flies towards him and he ducks just in time. He doesn’t have time to look to the side because a fist comes flying towards him. He blocks it with his arm and winces in pain. Before the dummy retracts its fist he aims a low kick and gets it to take a few steps back. He follows and aims a few more punches before it can recover and gets one past its defences.
He left himself open and it punches him in the gut and he coughs. He quickly gets into a defensive stance as he has his coughing fit and works to block the attacks. “You lowered your guard again,” Moony sing-songs from yet another new position.
This goes on for a bit longer with Moony throwing spells at him periodically and Mamá trying to get hits in with the dummy. Finally after what feels like an eternity the dummy slumps to the floor and Mamá gets up from her seat and starts striding towards him. He immediately flops onto the ground and gasps for air while staring up at the ceiling.
Both Moony and Mamá’s faces come to look down at him from where he is lying down. Moony is looking at him with barely concealed amusement and Mamá is smiling down at him, pride shining in her eyes.
“Were you trying to kill me?” he asks dramatically and Moony lets out a booming laugh and Mamá chuckles.
“Oh, stop your whining and get up,” she says with a smile as she offers him a hand.
“Fine,” he sighs before grabbing her extended hand and letting her pull him to his feet.
“Must say, that’s one of your best rounds, still could use a lot of improvement, but you did well for yourself,” Moony says offhandedly, his eyes laughing at Harry.
“I’d like to see you do better, mutt,” Harry says with a playful glare directed at his uncle.
“Watch yourself,” Moony says with a smirk. “It’s not too late for me to eat all your sugar skulls and convince the elves not to make more.”
Harry gapes at him in mock shock. “You wouldn’t dare!” He says while pressing a hand to his chest.
The two suddenly burst out laughing and Mamá rolls her eyes. “Harry, I think you should go get some water, I think dehydration is getting to your head.”
He sighs dramatically as he goes to grab his water. He chugs a large amount and lets out a deep breath when he lowers the bottle. Moony throws a towel at his head and he rubs his sweat soaked hair with it. It makes his hair stand up even more than usual and Moony laughs at the sight and Mamá sighs exasperatedly as she flicks her wand at his hair.
It immediately is tamed a bit more than normal and he gives her a grateful smile. He had it cut recently and the person took it too short so it’s been a nightmare. Not to mention that magic itself seems to be making it a chaotic mess and almost nothing can counteract it.
He rests for a bit while talking and joking with his tío and mamá. He has one more assessment for the day, and then he can go and rest. Tomorrow he’s going to be taking a test on material Tía Mary has made him read throughout the year, and then Tío Padfoot will be testing him on his magic sensitivity.
“Okay, up you get, time for the next assessment,” Mamá announces and Harry gets up with a weary sigh.
“Have your knife, Pup?” Moony asks and Harry nods while taking a pocket knife out of his pocket. “Good, we’re doing target practice and then practical.”
Mamá flicks her wand and a few targets appear around the room, some move and others stay still. Harry steps into the middle of the room, and Moony and Mamá stand against the only wall without targets in front of it.
“Your objective is to hit as many of the targets as possible in the next three minutes. When your knife hits something it will reappear in your pocket for you to throw it again. The more bullseyes you hit, the higher your score, understood?”
“Sí, Señorita.”
“Good, your time starts… Now!” Harry immediately flings the knife at the first target and hits an outer ring.
He quickly throws them, and he thinks his aim has gotten better. He misses all of the moving targets, but he hits almost all of the still ones. He even gets a few bullseyes, maybe not as many as he’d want, but he counts his blessings. It was embarrassing though when his aim was straight on, but he hit the target with the knife handle instead of the blade. He wasn’t living that one down anytime soon if Moony’s laughter was anything to go off of.
When the timer goes off he sighs tiredly. Only one more test and he can be done. This is the practical aspect he sucks the most at. He can throw knives and can fight hand-in-hand combat, but using a knife on a dummy is harder. It doesn’t help that they use one that is filled with bones, organs and blood (Mamá still won’t tell him if it’s real or not).
The targets disappear and a dummy appears. Mamá takes her spot again and aims her wand at it, Moony stands silently to her left. She counts down and the fight commences. This dummy goes much easier on him, and only has its body to fight back. It also mainly only blocks and rarely attacks. If he improves enough that will change.
The other change is that Moony doesn’t cast spells and just observes. He’s tracking Harry’s movement with the eyes of a predator and it sends shivers down his spine. Moony is clearly making mental notes on what needs to be improved and so on.
There’s also no shouted praise, warnings or tips. Those only come once he’s skilled enough to pay attention to them and the dummy at the same time. Instead, they’ll take note and then point them out and direct him the next session. Once he gets to a certain level the dummy will have a knife as well, and once that’s surpassed it will be Moony and Mamá he’s fighting.
If he did well in the hand-in-hand test then he’ll be graduating to actual people. If he does well enough in this he’ll graduate to the dummy trying to disarm him and attack him (without a weapon, of course).
His knife skills have improved too though so he’s able to break through the defences after some time and land a hit. It doesn’t hit the artery he was going for and he grits his teeth. He kicks low to break the defence and drives the knife deep into the dummy’s neck and slashes. Blood splatters everywhere and the smell permeates the air.
The dummy vanishes and he allows himself a small smile when he looks at Mamá. She walks forward and presses a soft kiss to his forehead and then traces the scar that runs through his left eyebrow and down his face softly. He had gotten it from an attack a few years back while they were visiting Diagon Alley, they haven’t gone back since.
“Good job my fawn, you’re improving swiftly. At this rate you’ll be able to hold your ground against most in no time,” she tells him fondly, but there’s a deep sadness in her eyes as she looks at him.
The scar across her right cheek shines in the light and he looks at it with a frown. He knows why she’s doing this, he’s not stupid. When he was a baby the Dark Lord, Lord Voldemort, had attacked them seeking to take his life. His papá had lost his life in the process and she had been gravely injured protecting him.
Many say he’s gone, but he doesn’t think she believed that for even a second. However, even if he is, in fact, dead, many of his followers are still lurking and seeking revenge. Harry may not have killed Voldemort, but he was the man’s intended target, so some might feel the need to finish what he started.
Aside from that, there is also another reason someone would target him. Lily Potter was strong enough to defeat Voldemort at the age of 21 and she has only improved since then. You can not attack her without at least being seriously maimed, which means there’s only way to get to her. Through Harry. He is her weakness, and they both know that.
Which means, in order to eliminate that weakness, they need to make sure he can defend himself. It also means that since he was four everyone in his life has been working to train and teach him so that he has a fighting chance if something happens and they aren’t there. It’s sad, yes, but it’s a simple fact of his life.
“Go and rest, Harry, you’ve had a long day,” Moony’s voice cuts through.
“Okay, see you guys at dinner. Te amo, {love you}” Harry says as he pulls away from his madre.
She smiles softly at him. “Te amo también, rest well my dear.”
“Don’t let the monsters of failure get you on your way out!” Moony calls out while Harry leaves, he playfully rolls his eyes at the man before exiting the training room.
As he walks the halls of the manor he can’t help but let the silence bury deep into his bones. His steps echo against the warm red walls and it makes the space feel empty. Since as long as he can remember it’s always felt as if something was missing, and when he’s alone he feels it most. It’s like something was ripped away from him and it left a gaping hole in his soul at its departure.
When he gets to his room he collapses onto his bed and closes his eyes in exhaustion.
Harry’s room is large and the ceiling is charmed to look like the night sky. Four constellations play about the ceiling, a doe and stag prance together as the stag shows off its magnificent antlers, a wolf and dog dance around them playing and goofing about. The walls are a deep blue to match the ceiling and have gold details painted across it. The floor is covered in a light grey carpet, and a large window sits directly in front of the door.
Bookshelves line the wall the door is in, each of them filled with books. Harry’s dresser lines one of the other walls next to a smaller bookshelf filled with objects. All the furniture in the room is made of birch wood, silhouettes of birds frolicking across the wood.
Harry’s headboard sits under the window, the emerald green blankets with golden decals are in a state of disarray. Stuffed animals sit among the chaos and you can see a book or two peeking out from under the blankets. A desk sits on the same wall and books and notebooks are spread across it, ink stains littering the floor and wood. On the wall above it a few notes are pinned up along with a few drawings.
Some books, clothes and toys are strewn across the floor. A broom sits propped up against his dresser, a Quidditch poster is pinned above it and a practice snitch case sits on the dresser right near the two. A few band posters are also on the walls and a drum set is placed under them. On one of his shelves there are a few bones and bird feathers along with photos of ravens, swallows, owls and vultures.
Outside the window the trees surrounding Potter Manor are marred in series of colorful leaves. The once green grass now brown, the dusting of frost covering the ground. The sun slowly setting behind the trees, retracting its warmth and welcoming the coolness of the moon to take sanctum. The autumn cold seeps through the glass and outside an ural owl with chocolate eyes peers into the window from a high branch.
Harry lets his eyes fall open and he raises his wrist into the air and twists it so he can see the band that runs around it. Four slim feathers overlap to create a band around his wrist, but on the centre of his outer wrist a cat skull sits there surrounded by the feathers. Throughout the band of feathers small things are hidden among them. A snitch, knife, stuffed animal, a lily flower and a symbol he hasn’t been able to find in any book.
It’s a thing everyone has, but only he seems to be able to see. Every person has a band of feathers wrapping around both wrists, but the items are different for each person. He even has a theory that the feathers belong to a different array of birds and that it’s different per person as well. Animals have something similar, but it’s a circle of feathers on their chests. He’s not sure why it’s different for them.
Another thing about the band that’s so unique is that as he has aged the items have changed within the band. Things have been added and others replaced. He’s even seen it within his friends and families bands. When he was younger there used to be a stag, but as he’s grown it was replaced by the cat skull.
He doesn’t know what it is, but he has a feeling it correlates with its owner in a way. He’s not sure how though. It’s like the objects on the band represent the person as a whole, their interests, but that wouldn’t explain the weird symbol he can’t find anywhere.
Harry sighs and sits up and stares at the opposite wall. He should probably take a shower, he smells of sweat. However, he feels a slight pull on his magic and he looks out the window. He immediately makes eye contact with the owl and a small smile spreads across his face.
He moves to sit at the head of his bed and he pushes the window open. He extends his arm and the owl immediately flies over to him and perches on his arm. The missing piece seems to vanish at the contact and he looks fondly at the owl.
This is no normal owl, he knows that. He’s been able to see this owl his whole life, but everyone else can’t. The owl feels as if it’s made of air even though it looks solid, and he feels a connection with it. Another anomaly is where there would be the marking on its chest there’s nothing.
He reaches to touch it and instead of feathers he feels warm air. It’s condensed so his hand doesn’t pass through, but it doesn’t have an actual body. He strokes it for a few minutes, the cool air grazing his face and breeze dancing through his hair.
The owl reaches a beak out finally and preens a lock of his hair. He frowns when the owl takes a step back a moment later and its soulful eyes land on his. He knows what it means, this happens every time. The owl gives him a sorrowful hoot before it dissipates and becomes one with the air once again.
Harry sighs and slumps against the window seal, his arm dangling above the ground claimed by dead grass. His breath is white and his arms are covered in goosebumps from the cold. After some time he finally pushes himself off the window seal and closes it. He really needs to take a shower.
——
“Right on time, kid,” Mary says without looking up from where she’s writing on the chalkboard at the back of the library.
Her brown skin glows in the sunlight streaming through the library windows. Her hair is a mess of meticulous curls, and she wears grey trousers and a black turtleneck.
“On time is my middle name,” Harry says with a cheeky grin as he takes a seat at the table placed before the board.
Mary clicks her tongue and then turns to face him, her hand placed under her chin and legs crossed as she leans against the wall. “Last I checked it was James.”
“No eres divertido, {you’re no fun}” he pouts and she laughs.
“You already have two fun tíos, you can survive a lame tía,” she retorts. “Now, have your quill?”
“Sí, but why can’t I use a pen? Quills are so inconvenient,” he whines.
“Do you seriously think your Professors will let you use a pen on an exam?”
“No, but you’re not my professor, are you?” He groans.
“I may as well be, considering I’ve been teaching you for the past six years.”
“Yeah, yeah, anyways, let’s get started, shall we, Profesora Macdonald?”
“Yes we shall, Mr. Potter. I’ll be handing you your exam and you will have three hours to complete it. It goes over most of the material we’ve reviewed and learned this year. If you pass I might take you for a little treat,” she says and Harry immediately perks up.
“What treat?”
“Ah, ah, ah, don’t get ahead of yourself, you have to pass first,” she smirks. “I’ll give you two ten minute breaks throughout the exam so that you can stretch and relax for a second. There are two written sections and you’ll have to write an essay at the end, the rest are multiple choice. Ready?”
He nods and she flicks her wand, a large piece of parchment appears in front of him. He takes his quill and ink out and waits for her go ahead. “Your time starts… now!” And Harry dips his quill and immediately starts.
The questions consist of Wixen history, charm and transfiguration theory, potion identification and uses, and a few maths, science and Inglés questions. He doesn’t know why there are muggle education questions sprinkled in considering he goes to a muggle primary school and takes quizzes all the time, but who’s he to question Mary? The only one that makes sense is the Inglés ones sense Español is the language his school uses.
The time passes slowly and finally he’s in the final 30 minutes. He only has two more metres of questions to answer and then he’s done. He smiles when he sees most of them are on defensive theory as well as a few dark arts questions. He excels in those two topics the most and he speeds through them.
He finishes with five minutes left and similes triumphantly. This is the first time he’s finished the whole of Mary’s exam and he’s proud of himself. When he looks up to see her looking at him smugly, pride deep in her eyes. She sweeps forward and takes the parchment from the table and skims over it, her smug expression growing the more she looks.
“Look at that, almost worthy of an O,” she says as she smirks at him. “I’ll have to do a more thorough grading, but I think you won that treat I mentioned. Merlin, I’m such a good teacher.”
Harry laughs at the admission. “Where would I be without my precious Professor,” he says sarcastically.
“Definitely not with your nose in a book 24/7,” she mutters. He rolls his eyes and gets up to stretch. “Now off you go to Sirius, make sure to tell him he’s a prat for me, will you?” She says with an innocent smile.
“What did he do now?” Harry laughs.
“Nothing, but I remembered a time while we were at Hogwarts when he turned my hair green and ruined my new robes, I’m feeling a bit salty about it,” she says with a dignified sniff.
“That somehow doesn’t surprise me, I’ll forward your message,” he says with a salute before leaving and she smiles.
——
When Harry enters the dungeon Sirius looks up sharply and smiles broadly at Harry. The man has his long thick hair tied up into a half ponytail showing off his studs. He also, clearly, hasn’t shaved in a few weeks. If you look closely you can see the scars of lip piercings under his lip. His grey eyes are full of life and childish excitement.
“Harry!” The man says while waving him over, his leather jacket rides up his arm a bit and Harry catches a glance at his band. It appears the same as usual.
“Mary wanted me to tell you that you’re a prat,” he says in a way of greeting.
The man rolls his eyes fondly, an amused smile plastered across his face. “What did I do now?” He asks exasperatedly.
“She says she’s feeling a bit salty about the time you turned her hair green and ruined her new robes,” Padfoot gapes at him.
“That happened in third year! I also wasn’t the one who ruined her robes, that was James! I’m innocent in that regard,” he says offended.
“Don’t shoot the messenger,” Harry says while putting his hands up in surrender.
“Ruined her new robes my ass,” he grumbles. Harry laughs and the man grins back at him. “Anyways, ready for your test?” He asks while rubbing his hands together.
“¡Sí! May I ask why we’re in the dungeons?” Harry asks curiously.
Padfoot leans against the table behind him, crosses his arms and looks towards the ceiling. “Me and Lily talked and we decided it would be a good time to see if you can sense dark objects… so we needed a place with more wards than normal.”
“Oh…”
“Yeah,” Padfoot says with a long winded sigh as he looks back at Harry. “I went back to my childhood home and found some objects for you to sense. Kreacher wasn’t very pleased to say the least.”
Harry frowns at the admission. “Aren’t you Lord Black?” Harry asks in confusion.
“Yes,” he says slowly, “why?”
“Why don’t you take Kreatcher and have him serve you? Out of what I’ve heard about your family, a good master would be a breath of fresh air for the old thing,” Harry reasons.
“…I’ll think about it,” Padfoot concedes. “Now, let’s get started.”
He turns to face the table he was leaning against not even a second ago and reached for the trunk on it to pull it forward. “I will start by showing you objects and you’ll have to tell me if they have magic or not. Afterwards I will have you sit in the middle of the room and I’ll place magical objects around you. You will have to identify the type of magic within them. Understood?”
“Sí Tío Padfoot,” Harry replies.
Padfoot nods and opens the trunk and took out an array of objects. He told Harry to hold out his hands and placed an object in each hand. Harry closed his eyes and felt for a tug and when he did he raised the hand with the object he felt the tug at. Padfoot quickly took and replaced and they went on like that for a while.
“Good job, Harry,” Sirius congratulated. “100% at that test, I’m impressed. Now onto the hard part of the assessment. Sit down on the scorch mark on the floor so we can begin the next part,” Harry nodded and did as he was asked.
“I’m going to place magical objects around you and you’ll have to identify the type of magic. We’ve only been working on this for a few months, so don’t feel discouraged if you don’t know the answer, just try your best.”
“Okay, do you want me to spread my magic out to sense them instead of touching them?” He asks, already knowing the answer.
“Yup.”
This one goes by with poor results. He at least seems to be able to sense dark objects a little bit easier than the others (he’ll take a win when he can). Even with the poor results when he opens his eyes Padfoot is standing in front of him leaning against the wall, hands in his pockets and smiling proudly at him.
“Soy malo en esto, {I suck at this}” he says dejectedly as he stands.
“Maybe, but these things take time. If it makes you feel better I used to drive my mother up a wall because I was pants at it even after learning it for years. Just know your learning speed is one to admire,” he says sincerely and Harry feels a little better.
“Okay Padfoot,” Harry sighs.
“Now come on. The weather is decent enough for a fly, just don’t tell your madre,” he says with a sparkle in his eye.
“Por favor, even if I didn’t tell her Moony and Mary would tell on us,” Harry laughs.
“Good point, go put something warm on and meet me on the grounds.”
“Aye aye, captain.”