Chapter 30
The next few days passed in a flurry of movement. Harry got no break from helping the first years to studying the extra topics that his father had him looking at. He was also now working on his own projects and writing back and forth with his two werewolf knights Xander and Kyra. They were helpful in letting him know when raids were happening and where. It was also thanks to them that he found out the main person behind it. None other than Dolores Umbridge, the new Professor. He frowned and looked at the newest report, this one from Xander. There had been another raid and this time directly on a vampire nest. Several childes were killed or captured. They were now on the run. Thanks to the goblins he also now had access to several Potter properties. He grabbed some ink and began writing to Xander telling them where one of the properties was and that they could hide there.
“Graham.”
The Slytherin came over, “Yeah?”
“Your father is good at wards correct?”
The older one nodded, “He is one of the best.”
“Can you write to him and ask him to ward one of my properties? It is for a group of vampires on the run from the raids. I would ask myself but I am unsure how he would take such a request from me.”
“He would take it. He knows who you are and what power you have but I can write to him in your stead.”
“Thank you. Oh you have your first Defense class soon. Listen, she is a bitch. Whatever you do, don’t garner her attention. Just keep your head low.”
Harry laughed, “That was already the plan. Don’t worry about me.”
The other smiled and ruffled his hair before walking off to write the letter and Harry finished up his own before heading to the owlery to send it off and made it to the classroom just in time for the door to be slammed shut behind him. He took his seat next to Draco and pulled out his notebook and textbook. One he had already read and hated. He waited patiently for the class to just get started so he could leave and learn something that he actually wanted to.
Professor Umbridge smiled as she stood and walked around the desk, “Good Morning class.” when she got a few mumbles in return her smile seemed to twitch at the corner, “No no that simply wont do. When I say good morning. I want you all to respond. Good Morning class.” Everyone spoke up and responded appropriately and she nodded. Before going into her lecture on a risk free way of learning spells.
Harry twitched and kept his head down but wasn’t like the sound of this class already.
“Miss there isn’t anything in the syllabus about using the spells.”
Umbridge turned, “You will raise your hand before speaking Miss?”
“Granger.”
“Miss Granger, why on earth would you need to use a defense spell? Do you think you will be attacked here?”
“Wait we are not going to use magic?”
“Please raise your hand.” She waited till he raised his hand and then nodded at him. “Yes Mister?”
“Weasley, So we are not using magic in a magic class?”
She tittered, “The Ministry has approved this class and if you study correctly there is no reason you will not be able to cast them for OWLs.”
Hermione raised her hand again nearly waving it around before she was called on, “But Professor it takes practice to learn how to cast spells properly. How do we know if we have wand movements right?”
“Miss Granger, do you doubt the Ministry and its teachings?”
“No Ma’am I am just saying.”
“Enough! Turn to chapter one and begin reading. Something to add, Mister Potter?”
Harry looked up and around the room. He hadn’t said anything, “No ma’am and please refer to me as Potter-Slytherin.”
“Excuse me? Detention Mister Potter for arguing with a Professor.”
Draco tensed next to him and Harry swallowed, oh this wasn’t good. “Yes Ma’am.”
“Another detention for speaking when not spoken to. Shall we continue?”
Harry said nothing and turned to read his chapter.
“Mister Potter. I said, shall we continue?”
He bit at the inside of his mouth and looked up to her anger tugging at his mind, “No ma’am.”
She seemed to give an odd smile and turned her back on him and he relaxed going back to pretending to read the chapter. Waiting for the minutes to tick down in the class before the bell rang and they were dismissed. He packed up quickly and bolted out of the classroom with the others on his heels as he tore a path to the common room ignoring everything and everyone in his path as he did so. Fully aware people were dodging out of his way and whispering as he went. His magic palpable in the air around him like a haze. He made his way into the common room and the fire flared to life and several Slytherins looked up from their studies.
“Harry, you need to calm down. Your magic is suffocating us.” Draco commented placing a hand on the other hand before jerking it away like he was shocked.
Green eyes glowed as he looked to the other before he took a few deep breaths and let his anger slowly slip out of him. Why was he so angry? Wait… it wasn’t his anger. He took a few deep breaths and closed his eyes before reaching through the link and tugging gently at the mental connect.
When he opened his eyes again he wasn’t in the common room but in the throne room. Three people were kneeling on the floor, one babbling out some excuse and begging for mercy.
He raised his hand and words left his lips and the man screamed and thrashed on the floor. He felt the anger slowly turn to a bubbling form of euphoria before settling into a neutral mood. “You disappoint me. Not only did you ruin the mission I set for you, but you betrayed and left your brothers behind to be injured and nearly killed.” the words deep and hissing. “Take him to the dungeons.” The man sobbed and begged for a second chance and his vision blurred.
He jolted and turned to Draco who was shaking his shoulder, his eyes wide and fearful. “Merlin, Harry you scared me. Your eyes went red and you started speaking in parseltongue. Your scar is bleeding.”
The younger wizard sighed and rubbed at his head his hand coming back red, “Can you cover me for the next class? I think I need to lay down. It’s charms right?”
“Yeah, I can get Severus to write you a note of absence. You go lay down.”
He nodded and groaned, “If you see Marcus can you…”
“Yeah.”
Harry thanked him before heading down to his dorm and curling up on his bed dabbing at his scar until it stopped bleeding and letting himself drift off to sleep.
“I’m sorry Harry, I let my emotions get the better of me. Are you alright?”
Harry looked up from where he was sleeping on his bed at home. He sat up and shifted, “Your mind or mine?”
“Yours. I felt you drift off and came to see you while you rested. Are you alright?”
“Yeah. Just a headache.”
The man smiled and sat next to him on the bed and pulled him close, “Our connection is a blessing and curse at times. How much did you see?”
“Just the last bit where you crucioed him and sent him to the dungeons. I am guessing he messed up pretty bad.”
“He did. He put Fenrir and Rowle at risk. Before you ask they are healing. Fenrir took a curse to the chest and broke some ribs and Rowle is healing from some lacerations and a concussion.”
Harry relaxed, “I am glad they are alright. Listen, I got detention. This Umbridge woman has it out for me. Though, I have it out for her too.”
“Oh? How did she come to be on your list?”
“She is the main force behind all the raids, I have a coven of vampires who are going to be taking refuge in one of my properties under Potter.”
“Ah yes, I remember now Lucius said she was quite the adversary in the Wizengamit. Just be careful. If you need my help, ask for it. Rest now my son.”
Harry smiled and laid back down his mind slipping back off into a dreamless sleep.
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Harry woke to someone curling up next to him. He shifted and smiled when he saw Marcus looking down at him, “Marcus.”
The man gave his smirking smile and ran a hand through the silky black strands, “Hey. Malfoy said you had a rough class. I saw your detention as well. Don’t worry, I know you didnt do anything. I just wanted to check on you.”
Green eyes crinkled and he tucked closer, “I’m fine. Just annoyed and father was on a bit of a rant. Something went wrong with a task.”
“Ahh. That would explain why Malfoy was stammering over himself about you hissing menacingly.”
“He needs to not freak out.”
“You're correct but I would be worried too if you did that in front of me. Harry you can’t let that happen in front of other people we can’t fully trust.”
“I know. So how is your apprenticeship?”
“I like it. I get to teach the first and second years mostly. Help with grading. Got my own quarters. Speaking of. Fourth floor, left side of the stairway. Go down that hall and take a right you will see a portrait of Uric the Oddball. My room is there. Password is Salamander.”
Harry snorted, “Really. Alright well at least it will be easy to find.”
Marcus nodded and pulled him close, “Your first detention is tonight after dinner. Be safe please. Just do as she says and keep your head down.”
“I will, I promise.” Harry kissed the other and sighed softly in pleasure. He felt safe and warm. He had missed Marcus over the Summer but he also knew that his father had been right. He had to learn to stand on his own two feet without the blanket of safety. He felt more confident now, knew he was capable of being his own man. He would have to be careful tonight.
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Dinner was a quiet affair and after it he made his way to the defense room and once inside he found the woman sitting at her desk working on a few sheets of paper. He waited to be noticed and once she looked up she smiled at him, “Please have a seat Mister Potter.”
Harry nodded and took a seat at one of the desks and watched as she brought over a quill and piece of parchment. “What would you like me to do, Professor?”
“I would like you to write the line on the board.”
“How many ma’am.”
“Until the lesson sinks in I think.”
Harry frowned and looked at the quill and raised his hand waiting to be called on, “Can I have some ink please?”
“Oh no dear you won’t need ink for that quill.”
He had a bad feeling about this and looked at the board and raised a brow, I will not tell lies? What the hell kind of line was that to write and how did it have to do with him. He scratched out the first line in his best handwriting and gasped as pain lanced through the back of his hand. He dropped the quill and watched the words appear on the back of his hand. What in the name of Merlin?
“Is there a problem, Mister Potter?”
He quickly shook his head and picked up the quill and wrote another line biting his lip at the pain. He felt a flash of anger race through him and he quickly focused on sending back that he was fine. He could handle this. His hand shook as he kept writing the lines. Every bite of pain dug this woman’s grave a little further. He wasn’t sure how long he had been writing the lines when she came around.
“Hmm, that will be enough for today. You are dismissed Mister Potter.”
Harry grabbed his bag and quickly made his way out of the room making his way to Terence’s room. He needed his knights. This woman was going down. Permanently.