Hogwarts Year 1 (Part V)
Harri ended up making a pokédoll that looked like Frigibax for Hagrid. Even though he knew that Frigibax had to be sent away for his own good (and for the good of Galar’s ecosystem), the quickly approaching date of the ice dragon’s departure was hitting him hard. She knew it wasn’t the same, but hoped that having a reminder of Frigibax would help Hagrid feel better about letting him go. Hagrid burst into tears when she presented him with the Frigibax pokédoll the day that Charlie was scheduled to pick Frigibax up, sobbing about how she was as clever as her father and kind as her mother. Ron had arranged for Charlie to come by during dinner on Sunday (they figured it was the best way to garner the least suspicion as most students would either be eating dinner or rushing to finish any homework they’d put off during the weekend) so Harri and her friends spent the day keeping Hagrid company. Dinner had just started when Harri noticed a humming sound and looked up in time to see a faint outline in the sky rapidly descend towards them. The Flygon gracefully pulled up and landed with ease in front of them and its tall, well muscled, red-haired rider jumped off.
“Good work Flygon,” he praised while lifting up his flight goggles and pulling down his scarf.
“Charlie!” Ron shouted, rushing up to hug his brother. Charlie laughed and ruffled Ron’s hair, Grubbin chirping happily from his shoulder while nipping at Charlie’s fingers.
“Hey, Ron! You’ve gotten tall.” A nudge from Flygon had Charlie looking up and greeting the others. Harri decided she liked Charlie; he had a good energy around him and Flygon was practically glowing with how much she cared for her trainer. “Nice to meet all of you! Hey there, Hagrid.” Charlie adopted a more serious expression while shaking the grounds keeper’s hand. “Let’s get to it then.” He walked around Flygon and unloaded a transport crate from her back. It was a dark green metal box with strategically placed holes to allow for airflow while keeping it insulated and sheltered from rain or snow; once the door was opened a soft cushion for the pokémon to rest on was revealed. Charlie lifted the crate up and followed Hagrid into his hut. A few minutes later they came back out and Charlie hefted the crate onto Flygon’s back. He quickly set about securing it for the long flight, making sure to triple check everything as Hagrid dabbed at his eyes while watching.
“He’s got a snack to tide him over and his teddy in case he gets lonely.” Hagrid sniffled and Harri patted his hand. Once Charlie made sure everything was ready he turned back to Hagrid.
“I’ll make sure he’s well taken care of.” He reassured. “I know how much you’ve always wanted a dragon type,” Charlie continued, “so I got permission to bring this with me.” He unslung the odd shaped backpack from where it was securely attached to him and opened it to reveal an occupied egg incubator. Harri stared at it with wide eyes as Hagrid sucked in a harsh breath. “Poachers got it from its nest and we were unsuccessful in getting the parents to accept it back after we recovered it. If you’re willing, and I’d completely understand if it’s too soon, I was hoping you’d raise it.” Hagrid shakily reached forward and accepted the incubator, holding it securely to his chest.
“Thank’s Charlie.” Hagrid managed to get out amid a new wave of tears. “This means more than I can say.” Charlie just smiled. He gave Ron another tight hug before swinging back up onto Flygon and lowering his flight goggles. He gave them all a jaunty wave as Flygon prepared for takeoff.
“Let’s go Flygon!” With another loud hum pokémon and rider launched into the sky and were quickly lost to the distance. They left Hagrid to get settled with his new egg after promising to visit during the week. With the reassurance that Hagrid’s new egg was from a non-shaddy source, and seeing how well he was doing now that he had the new egg to occupy him, Harri felt comfortable leaving him to his own devices. Hagrid readily agreed to send her a note when it hatched and come the end of March an adorable Deino, lovingly named Norbert, becomes Hagrid’s newest pokémon partner.
* * * * * *
Once the four day long-weekend that made up their spring break was over Harri and her friends finally allowed Hermione to start them on review for the end of year exams. They took things slowly and made sure to help each other not get overwhelmed or bogged down and insisted on breaks for club activities (Harri and Dreepy made it past the first Slytherin 4v4 elimination bracket in the spring Pokéringer tournament, but found themselves largely outclassed in the following 4v4 round) and relaxing. Their study group ended up getting a few new members as Susan Bones and Hannah Abbott (both from Hufflepuff) and the Patil twins (Padma from Ravenclaw and Parvati from Gryffindor) joined them for review sessions. Exams were steadily creeping closer and it wasn’t uncommon to see some of the older students grow snappish when disturbed while studying.
Harri studied diligently, but was more than happy to disappear down to Hagrid’s for tea and to play with Norbert when her friends (mostly Ron and Hermione, overachieving fiends that they were) got a bit too intense about reviewing. It didn’t help that their professors continued to give assignments as May wore on. Harri was relieved when the end of year exams finally began (if only because she hoped her friends would stop worrying so much once they were over) and actually found herself enjoying some of the tests. The written portions were tedious, but not overly demanding, while the practical demonstrations (crafting an item, demonstrating a basic aura manipulation skill, showcasing simple evasive maneuvers) actually ended up being fun. Everyone was relieved when the week of testing finally ended and since the weather had finally settled on warm (instead of almost warm with a side of rain) Harri was spending as much time as possible outside. The entire study group had picnics and friendly training battles by the Black Lake as they counted down the days until exams ended for the older students and the end of year feast.
Harri was on her way back to the Slytherin common room after a solo training session in her favorite hidden spot when she felt the beginning of a headache bloom. It wasn’t bad, nothing a quick nap couldn’t fix, and rubbing the bridge of her nose helped relieve the pain while she walked. She was so distracted that she didn’t notice Professor Quirrell walking towards her until she bumped into him.
“Oh! Sorry Professor, I wasn’t watching where I was going.” She apologized.
“N-not to worry P-p-potter. N-n-no harm done.” He reassured her before stepping around to continue on his way. Harri paused to lean against the wall as her headache pulsed. She went to keep walking when Ghost suddenly collapsed next to her with a cry.
“Ghost!” She shouted in alarm, going to her knees next to her partner and fighting off a wave of lightheadedness as she checked him over. Professor Quirrell heard her distressed shout and hurried back over.
“L-looks like just a case of o-over exertion, for the b-both of you,” he observed. “R-return him to his p-p-pokéball and we’ll get you both to the hospital wing.”
“Professor?” Harri shook her head to try and shake off another wave of pain and confusion as he gripped her shoulder firmly.
“Return your pokémon, Potter.” Professor Quirrell ordered. She shakily pulled out Ghost’s pokéball and returned him. “Goood,” his voice seemed to swirl as the hallway swam in her vision. “Now ssleeep.” The world went black and Harri was out before she slumped to the floor.
* * * * * *
Harri groaned as she woke up. Her head was pounding. She blearily looked around before sitting up in shock. This windowless chamber, sparsely illuminated with glowing crystals and blazing torches, didn’t look like any place in the school that she’d ever seen. Harri struggled to remember how she got here, drawing a blank except for Professor Quirrell saying something about getting her and Ghost to the hospital wing. She checked her belt, relieved to feel all of her pokéballs, and gripped Ghost’s tightly.
“So, you’re finally awake.” Harri spun around to see her B.A.S professor standing facing an ornate standing mirror.
“Professor? What-? Where are we?” She asked.
“We happen to be in the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side of the castle. Yes that one” He continued, cutting off her attempted exclamation about this being the place they were warned to avoid for fear of a painful death. Harri could only stare at his back, stunned at how relaxed he was being. All year he had been a terrified stuttering mess and now he was standing here, in the forbidden deadly corridor, like nothing was wrong! She released Ghost, relieved when he only wobbled slightly after his earlier collapse, and was shocked when he bodily stiffened, rings glowing brightly, and snarled at Professor Quirrell. Ghost was blaring with alarm and protective anger; something was very wrong here and Professor Quirrell was involved.
“Why are we here? What do you want?” She demanded, eyes darting as she searched for a way out of the room.
“Finally figured out all’s not well have you?” He turned to fully face her. “I’m not surprised it took you so long. After all, who would suspect p-p-poor st-stuttering P-professor Quirrell. No one, not even the old Gogoat, suspected that there was more to the stuttering oaf making a mockery of the Pokémon Battling and Survival Training class. They never imagined that I was here puppeting things from the shadows.” A tall shape emerged from the shadows behind the mirror. The pokémon had a purple-blue body with yellow markings, purple-white tentacle arms, a pink-purple beak, yellow irises with black sclera, and multiple purple tentacles on the top of its head. The yellow markings on its body glowed eerily as Professor Quirrel spoke again. “I am Imperio, starter and ace of Purity V, and this,” an arm settled on Professor Quirrell’s shoulders, “is my unwitting accomplice.” Harri couldn’t help the bolt of fear she felt as the pokémon introduced itself. This was one of Purity V’s pokémon, his top pokémon if it was to be believed, and she could feel the malice radiating from it. Its aura was full of contempt for Professor Quirrell and drenched in hatred for her.
“What have you done to him!?” If she could somehow separate Professor Quirrell from Imperio then maybe he could help her against it.
“Quirrell has been quite useful as a mouthpiece this past year. Poor fool never imagined that he would stumble upon me during an excursion to gain more battle experience. His weak will was no match for mine and it would have been much more difficult to infiltrate the castle without him. But unfortunately being under hypnosis prevents his aura from being able to unlock the mirror. That’s where you come in, Potter.” Imperio beckoned her forward. “I need you to retrieve the key. Do so and I will let you leave.” Harri didn’t believe it for a second, but until she figured out how to leave or free Professor Quirrell so he could help her, she was stuck. Ghost kept close to her legs and moved so he was in front of her as they approached the mirror.
“What do I have to do?”
“Look into the mirror and tell me what you see.” She edged closer to the mirror, Ghost keeping between herself and Professor Quirrell and Imperio, and looked into the mirror. She saw herself standing there, looking taller with Ghost and Opal by her side, her mentor’s hand resting on her shoulder while looking soproud. Harri looked around, swallowing hard, Opal wasn’t actually here with her.
“I see me,” she finally said. “I’m older, I guess. Ghost is there too. I don’t understand what kind of key I’m supposed to be looking for.”
“The key,” Imperio lectured through Professor Quirrell, “was created over 3,000 years ago by a Kalos king known as AZ. Driven to madness by the loss of his beloved partner, AZ created a device of limitless power. Fueled by Infinity Energy, the device returned his partner to life, but that wasn’t enough. He decided to end war, specifically the war that took his partner in the first place. AZ used the device to completely destroy both sides of the conflict and his device became known as the Ultimate Weapon. It was buried by the king’s brother and thought lost until Team Flare tried to get their hands on it some decades ago in a bid to destroy the world. They failed, obviously, and AZ once again vanished with the key. But old men are foolish and Dumbledore is the most foolish of all. He never believed that Purity V was dead and convinced AZ that those still loyal to Team Purity would attempt to steal the key. He persuaded the old king to give him the key to safeguard at Hogwarts and then placed it in this mirror. It is in there and you will get it for me! Now look again!”
Harri shuddered in sheer horror at something so powerful that it could restore life and destroy armies; that the key to the Ultimate Weapon had been hidden in a school and that Imperio wanted it. This was bad. This was so bad that she could barely think with how scared she was. If Imperio got the key, it would be able to revive Purity V and then use the Ultimate Weapon to crush any opposition to his return to power. The champion and gym leaders would be mobilized to take command of the ace and elite trainers in their areas to fight the threat. Opal would have to fight. Her mentor was an incredibly strong trainer, but she wasn’t getting any younger and Harri refused to let her fight something like Team Purity backed with the power of the Ultimate Weapon. Imperio would not be getting the key. She would make sure of it! Harri blinked in surprise as Mirror Opal patted mirror her's shoulder and proceeded to pull something out of her umbrella. It was a mess of bronze chainlink with a bronze key (with a red gem in the handle) dangling from them. Mirror Opal winked and tucked what could only be the key into Mirror Harri’s pocket. Her breath hitched as she felt a weight settle into her actual pocket.
“Well?” Imperio’s yellow markings pulsed nauseatingly. Ghost’s ears twitched, his aura mingling with hers as she projected her plan to him.
“I see,” she squinted, trying to make it look like she was concentrating while shifting slightly further away. “I see, it’s a- shadow ball!” She dove backwards and to the side with a shout, Ghost springing forward.
“Umbreon!!” He launched a shadow ball, almost at point blank range, at the mirror. Thanks to long hours of practice with the Slytherin Royal Raid team it bounced off the mirror, knocking it down and shattering it in the process, and slammed into Imperio. The malicious pokémon was flung backwards with a cry of anger and alarm as Professor Quirrell collapsed like a puppet with its strings suddenly cut. She and Ghost started sprinting towards the door she’d finally spotted on the far side of the room. A burst of fire shot past them and collided with the door.
“Breon!” Ghost spun around and launched another shadow ball at the quickly approaching Imperio, but it simply swatted the attack away and slammed into Ghost. He was flung back towards her with a cry and barely managed to stagger to his feet after he landed. Harri threw her arms around Ghost and narrowly managed to make an aura shield in front of them to block the powerful lightning attack Imperio launched their way. It hissed in displeasure as the shield expanded to form a sphere around them and proceeded to wrap its arms around the shield and squeeze. She flinched at the added pressure and the malicious aura battering against hers, but continued to pour her aura into the shield. Ghost leaned against her and offered some of his aura in support; badly weakened from the earlier attack it wasn’t much, but his endless support and dedication bolstered her spirit more than anything. Imperio screeched in rage as her shield lit up in increased intensity, the glow was so bright that she had to squint, and it let go with a growl of pain. The shield started to flicker as her energy flagged. Imperio circled around them, watching the shield closely and waiting for the best angle to strike at when it was forced to fly back to avoid being struck by a massive white bird pokémon.
“Bra!!” It cried, hovering above the shield and launching a bright pink and white light at Imperio who screeched in pain as the attack landed. Imperio leveled a fierce glare at her before hissing at the flying pokémon and turning to flee. The new pokémon gave chase and Harri let the shield disappear now that the danger was gone. Her head spun now that she wasn’t focused on keeping the shield up. The stress of the day (night? When even was it? How much time had passed since Imperio had abducted her?) and her newly depleted aura reserves drained the last of her energy. Ghost curled around her, rings glowing comfortingly, as she slipped into unconsciousness.
* * * * * *
Harri woke up with a gasp, groaning as her head swam from sitting up so suddenly. Unlike the last time she woke up after passing out, she was in a soft bed and a quick look around the off white room revealed several other beds, one with the curtains pulled shut. It was the hospital wing, she realized and sank back into the fluffy pillows in relief.
“Umbreon! Bre bre!” Ghost cried joyfully from the foot of the bed once he noticed she was fully awake (her sudden movements having woken him up). He quickly, but still carefully, made his way up the bed to rub his head against her face. Harri wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her face into his fur. Footsteps alerted her to someone approaching, but she didn’t look up as Ghost was still completely relaxed. He wouldn’t let anyone with bad intentions near.
“Ah, Miss Potter. You’re finally awake.” Nurse Joy said as she moved around Harri’s bed to place a glass of water on the bedside table. “You gave us all quite the scare young lady. You’ve been asleep for three days, any longer and I would have had to transfer you to St Mungo’s.” Harri grabbed the water and quickly drained it, thanking the Nurse when she quickly refilled it.
“What happened?” She asked once her throat stopped feeling so dry.
“You had a bad case of aura exhaustion; you’ll have to take it easy for the next few days as your aura reserves build back up again. Your Umbreon just had to rest to recover from his minor injuries and the exhaustion from his hard battle.” Nurse Joy gave her a quick look over (taking her pulse and checking her eyes with a light) before going to get her something to eat. She came back shortly with a bowl of soup on a tray for her as well as some pokémon food and berries for Ghost. They both dug in and finished quickly. Harri leaned back more as a wave of tiredness washed over her. Ghost layed half on top of her as she drifted back to sleep. The next time she woke up it was to the sound of voices arguing, albeit in a calm manner. “I’m telling you Albus,” Nurse Joy said, “Miss Potter needs rest. She can speak to you once she’s been released from the hospital wing.”
“Now, now, Poppy. I’m sure that, thanks to your excellent care, Miss Potter will be feeling up to speaking with me.” Harri was surprised to see Headmaster Dumbledore basically bulldoze past Nurse Joy’s, completely reasonable, objections to make his way to her bed. “Harri, dear girl. It’s good to see you awake again.” Ghost bristled slightly, not enough for anyone but Harri herself to notice, as the Headmaster sat down in a chair placed by her bed. “Ah, tokens from your friends and admirers,” he said, gesturing to the rather large pile of candy and cards on the bedside table that she hadn’t noticed the first time she’d woken up. “What happened between you and Professor Quirrell was a complete secret, so, naturally, the entire school knows.” He smiled cheerfully as she grimaced at everyone somehow knowing she’d been abducted by the B.A.S professor before remembering that Professor Quirrell had been made to take her.
“What happened to Professor Quirrell?” she asked. “Is he going to be ok now that Imperio is gone?”
“Due to being under hypnosis for such a long time, Professor Quirrell will have to spend some time at St Mungo’s and will unfortunately not be able to continue teaching Pokémon Battling and Survival Training. You did very well in breaking Imperio’s concentration on keeping Professor Quirrell controlled, a real masterstroke if I do say so myself.” He smiled genially, eyes twinkling with the force of his aura as it swirled around them.
“What’s going to happen to the key? And why did it appear in my pocket?” Harri asked, pulling her aura, more reduced then it usually was, closer to her body (Ghost, in contrast, seemed to be pumping his out more as if to hide her from Headmaster Dumbledore’s aura).
“I have spoken to AZ at length about that. As long as Imperio and others loyal to Purity V are still around there will always be a chance of them attempting to gain possession of it. He has agreed to hold onto it again while searching for a way to destroy it. As for why it appeared to you,” he smiled proudly, “the mirror is an aura enchanted object, although some may call it cursed. It is known as the Mirror of Erised and its purpose is to show nothing else except the heart’s desire of those who look into it. The mirror would only give the key to one who was looking into its depths and didn’t want to use the key.” Now Harri understood. Professor Quirrell was under hypnosis; he couldn't interact with the mirror at all because he wasn’t himself. Imperio wanted to use the key so it couldn’t get it, but Harri didn’t want the key (only to stop Imperio from getting it) so the mirror gave it to her. Nurse Joy came back over, a hard look in her eye, clearly ready to escort Headmaster Dumbledore out so she could get back to resting
“One last thing, dear girl.” He said. “I took the liberty of sending a letter to your Aunt and Uncle about what happened, so they are aware that you may need additional support this summer after this rather frightening incident.” Harri stared at him in complete confusion. Why, by Arceus, had he sent a letter to them? Opal was listed on all of her school paperwork. No one at Hogwarts shouldevenknow her Aunt and Uncle existed.
“I’m not sure what you mean, Sir. I’m not going to spend the summer with them.” Headmaster Dumbledore leveled her with a disappointed look.
“Now, Harri. I know that it can be tempting to want to take what you’ve learned this year and put it into practice by going off on your own, but you are still young. Children your age shouldn’t be going off on their own. It will be much safer, especially in light of Imperio being active in Galar again, for you to return to Little Whinging and remain there for the summer.”
“I’m sorry, Sir, but you don’t understand. I don’t live in Little Whinging. I haven’t seen or had any contact with my relatives since I was seven! They barely wanted me before I ran away and I’m sure they won’t want me back now.” Headmaster Dumbledore’s aghast expression (and Nurse Joy’s extremely worried one) was almost funny if she wasn’t slightly panicking about him trying to find a way to force her back. “Besides,” she continued, “I’m a fully licensed trainer. I took the exam when I turned ten and did well enough to qualify for a license that would let me start my journey. Legally, I’m allowed to go wherever I want when I’m not at school.”
“Be that as it may,” Headmaster Dumbledore managed to regain his composure, “but as your Headmaster, I can act in loco parentis and if I feel that something has negatively affected you while you have been away from home I have the authority, same as Officers and Nurses do in similar circumstances, to send you back to your guardians until it has been deemed alright for you to go out again.”
“But they aren’t my guardians!” Harri blurted out. She’d wanted to keep it hidden longer, to preserve her peace and anonymity in Ballonlea, but if it was between having people know where she lived and being forced back to the Dursleys, she would happily take the prior. “Opal Prince, the fairy type gym leader, made me the heir to her gym. As her heir, Opal has full legal rights as my guardian.”
“I see.” Dumbledore finally said after a tense silence. “It seems I’ll have to have a word with Opal.” He finally stood up and swept out of the hospital wing and Harri slumped back once she couldn’t feel his aura anymore, arms tight around Ghost as he nosed her cheek.
“Don’t you worry dear,” Nurse Joy soothed while helping her settle back more comfortably, “Headmaster Dumbledore cares about every student who comes through Hogwarts’ halls. He only wants to make sure you’re well looked after and from what I know of Opal, there are few who manage to care as much as she does for those she views as family. Everything will be just fine.” Harri felt her muscles relax more. Regardless of what Nurse Joy thought about the Headmaster, the nurse was right about Opal. The Glimwood Tangle resonated with how much Opal cared for all those who called it home and the woman had endlessly demonstrated that she viewed Harri as belonging there.
* * * * * *
Harri was beyond relieved that Nurse Joy only kept her for another day of observation and released her in time to go back to her dorm in the dungeons to join her house before the end of year feast. She hadn’t wanted to miss the feast and potentially cause her friends more worry, but missing it would definitely be preferible to attending after the feast had already started. It was bad enough that everyone already knew that she had been attacked, she didn’t want walk past everyone as they stare and whisper.
“Harri!” Millie shouted when her friend caught sight of her entering the common room. Millie, Daphne, Tracy, and Blaise all rushed over and Harri summarily found herself in the center of a group hug. She reassured them as best as she could that she was fine, really she was, while avoiding the curious gazes of the older students. Thankfully they had to head up for the feast and the curious gazes were swapped for ones of indifference as the rest of Slytherin House closed ranks around her. She manages to wave to her friends in the other houses as everyone gets settled at their tables. Harri clenched her jaw and stared at the plate in front of her to avoid scowling as Headmaster Dumbledore stood up to speak (his attempted meddling in her summer living arrangement still rankled and had firmly cemented her initial cautious dislike of him).
“Another year has come and gone,” he cheerfully declared, “and I trust that all your heads are a little fuller than they were at the start. Before we commence with eating our wonderfully prepared feast, it is my absolute pleasure to announce this year's winners of the House Cup and Royal Raid Tournament. Slytherin has won both the House Cup and Royal Raid Tournament!” With a wave of his hands the large banners depicting the Hogwarts Crest changed into Slytherin green with a silver Raquaza in the middle. Harri cheered alongside her house and listened to the mixture of polite clapping and jeers (both playful and not) from the other houses. “Yes, yes. Well done Slytherin. A final reminder that the Hogwarts Express Ferry departs at precisely 11 tomorrow morning. Now, tuck in!” Excited chatter about everyone’s summer plans erupted as they all dug into the delicious food. Draco bragged to Pansey about the trip to Paldea his father was going to take him on (Blaise looked slightly relieved that this would mean that he wouldn’t have to spend any time entertaining Draco should his sort of friend’s family have decided to vacation in Alola like they usually did) and Pansey, in between gushing over how incredible Draco’s trip would be, responded that she would be visiting Unova.
“Are you going to do any traveling during the summer, Harri?” Daphne asked.
“Maybe locally. I want to train more and watch the Championship Tournament.” Harri kept it to herself that she wasn’t old enough or proved skilled enough to travel to other regions unaccompanied and Opal’s responsibilities to the gym made it so extended travel wasn’t exactly viable. One day, when she was older and more experienced she would explore the other regions, but until then she was more than happy to continue exploring in Galar.
“That sounds like fun.” Tracy grinned. “I won’t be going anywhere either. We should keep in touch and hang out, maybe see what the others from the study group are doing.” Harri readily agreed. The rest of the evening passed quickly and before she knew it they were packing up the last of their things before heading to the port. Harri, Daphne, and Tracy met up with Hermione and Ron to pick a compartment for the ride back. They passed the time by playing card games and chatting with friends that stopped by. When they finally docked, Harri made sure to say goodbye to her friends and promise to text and video chat before heading to the Flying Taxi terminal.
“Ah, Harri! There you are.” Opal was waiting for her with a smile. “It’s good to have you back again.” Harri ran the last few feet and wrapped her arms around her mentor. Having Opal wait for her in Ballonlea may have extended the amount of time people wouldn’t know where she lived, but now that Headmaster Dumbledore knew it would be sooner rather than later for everyone else to clue in and she’d really missed Opal. “Are you ready to head home?”
“More than anything.”