Chapter 11
Well met, Potions Master Prince.
I'm aware that, other than Defense, my grades need work. I spent the last three years distracted by something that meant danger for me. I am hoping to focus more on my schoolwork this year.
Part of the reason I wasn't doing well in your class was because the Slytherins liked to toss random ingredients into my cauldron. It was mostly the fault of my glasses, however; my aunt didn't bother to buy the correct prescription, so it was difficult to read the board. I was never able to read Potions Theory, either, for the reason you saw in yesterday's newspaper. I'd like to have a potions tutor, but I know how difficult you find children (especially me), so I was wondering if you could assign a student?
Yours in service,
Harrison James Potter
Lord Gryffindor-Hufflepuff, Heir Black
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Boy-Who-Lived Abused!
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Fair eve, Hackblade.
I won't be free to take the Inheritance Test until Yule. Probably after Yule, actually; I've never celebrated it before.
Wait, Gringotts is closed during Yule break?
May your gold flow,
Harrison James Potter
Lord Gryffindor-Hufflepuff, Heir Merlin-Peverell-Slytherin-Ravenclaw-Black
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Fair morn, Harrison.
Gringotts is indeed closed for most of Yule break, but I believe we are open on the first day. You are welcome to take your Inheritance Test then.
There is an option for me to send you an Inheritance Test parchment. All you would have to do is place three drops of blood on it.
May your enemies die at your hand,
Hackblade
Potter Accountant
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Fair morn, Hackblade.
I would rather take the Inheritance Test in your office, given that no one can spy on me there. Also, Dumbledore won't be present. I'll be there on the first day of Yule break.
May your gold flow,
Harrison James Potter
Lord Gryffindor-Hufflepuff, Heir Merlin-Peverell-Slytherin-Ravenclaw-Black
P.S. Do I have to write out the whole b***dy title every time I send you a letter?
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Fair eve, Harrison.
I will see you on December 18, then.
May your enemies die at your hand,
Hackblade
Potter Accountant.
P.S. Yes.
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Dear Well met, Harrison.
Thank you so much for the Color-Varius Flore and the Draco Flore! They're really rare!
I would love to tutor you in Herbology. I'm not sure how good of a teacher I'd be, but I'll try.
Happy late birthday to you, too.
Yours in service,
Neville Longbottom
Heir Longbottom
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Harrison, Hermione, and the Weasleys boarded the train after much hugging, kissing, and some dramatic sobbing from Sirius.
"Sirius must be really fun to live with," Ron grinned as the six of them went towards their usual compartment.
"Usually," Harrison snorted. "Try living with a Marauder during a prank war."
"Prank war!" Fred and George exclaimed in glee.
"Don't even think about it!" Hermione said sharply.
"Already-"
"-are-"
"-Mia-"
"-dear."
"Wait until I find out what my Animagus form is and we'll team up to prank the whole school," Harrison grinned.
"Do I want to know?" asked a familiar voice, and Neville appeared, smiling.
"Well met, Heir Longbottom," Harrison greeted. "Probably not."
"Well met, Heir Black," Neville responded. "Um, usually people who are close just say 'Well met' and then their first name. If you want to... I mean..."
"Welcome to my growing group of friends," Harrison said cheerfully. "Do you two idiots want to join us in our usual compartment?"
"Sure, Harrigay," Fred smirked. Neville's eyes widened a little.
"Just let us talk to Lee first," George added.
"He can join us, too," Harrison suggested. "You can come too, Gin, if you like."
Ginny smiled. "Can I bring Luna?"
"Luna Lovegood?" Hermione frowned.
"Isn't she that nutter-" Ron began.
"She's not a nutter, Ron," Ginny snapped. "She just believes in things that most people don't believe in."
"Sure, she can join us, too," Harrison answered.
Thus, the group of nine were soon crammed into the compartment. Hermione worked some magic and enlarged the room so that everyone could sit comfortably.
"Well met, Miss Lovegood," Harrison greeted, once they were all sitting down.
"Heiress Lestrange, actually," Luna corrected in a dreamy tone. Neville froze, and the Weasleys looked surprised. "My mum was Rabastan and Rodolphus' little sister. She's the only Lestrange that isn't in Azkaban, so the Ministry gave her the ladyship."
"So, your father is on the Wizengamot?" Harrison asked in glee.
Luna smiled. "Yes, he is. He said Lord Black's trial was interesting."
"Gran said he was as dramatic as he always is," Neville agreed, still looking worried.
Luna gave Neville a sad smile, reached out, and squeezed his hand. Fred and George looked sympathetic and angry.
Ginny quickly changed the subject. "Does anyone know what's happening at Hogwarts this year?"
"The Ministry is bringing back the Triwizard Tournament," Luna responded, letting go of Neville's hand. "Dad told me."
"What's the Triwizard Tournament?" Harrison asked Hermione, who had gasped when Luna spoke.
"It's a tournament-"
"Duh," Ron muttered.
"-between Hogwarts, Beauxbatons and Durmstrang," Hermione continued, shooting Ron a dirty look. Lee grinned. "An impartial judge chooses the three most worthy students from each school, and the three compete against each other in three tasks. I-"
Luna suddenly stiffened, and her eyes glowed white.
"A fourth will come from the judge, unwelcome and unforeseen. His choice in the trials will change the world of magic forever. The champion will choose, and with his choice comes balance or chaos.
A fourth will come on Death's night...."
Luna gasped, and then fainted, right onto Ginny's lap.
"What. The f*ck. Was that," Harrison said blankly, after a long, shocked silence.
"It sounded like a prophecy," Neville said quietly. "But that's impossible."
Ginny gently pulled the blonde into her arms. "Luna said it's not genetic, but Magic picks a worthy magical to be a seer."
"What do you mean, magic picks seers?" Hermione frowned.
"Not magic, Magic," Ron corrected. "Mage? The goddess of magic?"
"There's a goddess of magic?" Harrison asked, eyes wide.
Fred pulled out his wand and flicked it. His trunk opened and a book soared out, landing in Harrison's lap. "Here, you and 'Mia can read that on your own time."
Harrison picked up the book.
Lady Mage and Entitatem Death, by Anonymous.
"But there's no such thing, isn't there?" Hermione whispered.
"'Mia, we live in a world of magic," Harrison pointed out. "Before you found out about this world, did you think magic existed? Or dragons?"
"No," Hermione admitted.
"Just because you can't see something, doesn't mean it's not real," Harrison reminded her.
"Yeah, like Thestrals," Neville said quietly. "You can only see them if you've seen someone die. They pull the carriages at Hogwarts."
Harrison frowned. "But I watched my mother die, and Quirrell. Why can't I see them?"
"You were too young to remember your mother dying," Hermione said after a pause. "And you were unconscious when Quirrell died."
"Are we going to talk about the prophecy?" Lee interjected. "It sounds important."
"'A fourth will come from the judge, unwelcome and unforeseen,'" Hermione quoted. "I think a fourth student is going to be chosen by that impartial judge for the Triwizard Tournament."
Of course she memorized it, Harrison thought, rolling his eyes.
"Surprising everyone," Ginny added. "'Unwelcome....' People are going to be upset, I guess?"
"What's the next line? Something about a choice changing magic," Ron said slowly.
"'His choice in the trials will change the world of magic forever,'" Hermione repeated. "However the champion decides to deal with the Tournament, it's going to change the wizarding world somehow."
"Why does it mention the champion's choice twice?" Harrison asked.
"It might affect two different things," Hermione mused.
"I think it might affect, not just the wizarding world, but magic itself," Ginny said slowly.
Neville paled. "Some wizards do say that magic is unbalanced now."
"What does that mean?" Hermione said.
"They claim that Dark and Light magic is supposed to be balanced," Ron replied, his face green. "That Dark magic isn't evil."
"Well, is a knife evil?" Harrison questioned. When the purebloods looked confused, he explained, "A tool is neither good nor evil, because it doesn't have emotions and can't make choices. The person who wields the tool, depending on his choices and the reasons behind those choices, is good or evil."
"So... magic isn't evil?" George said.
"I don't think so," Harrison said mildly.
"But Dark magic can kill people," Ron frowned. He didn't seem to be arguing, perse, because he looked confused.
"Well, so can Light magic," Ginny said, eyes widening a little. "Accio is Light magic, remember Ron? You can summon someone over a cliff."
"That's causation, not correlation," Hermione corrected, but she had a thoughtful expression on her face.
"What's correl- whatever you said?" Ron asked in confusion.
Lee, Fred and George sniggered, and Ginny rolled her eyes.
"But someone killing someone with a knife is also causation, not correlation," Harrison said.
Hermione nodded in agreement.
"So, are we on the Dark side now?" Ron frowned.
"I think we're more on the side of balance," Harrison corrected. "I know we wouldn't really be siding with Death Eaters and Vol -- er, You-Know-Who...."
"But you want balance, not tipping the balance in the Dark's favor," Neville guessed.
Ron relaxed. "I guess we can side with balance," He agreed.
"Does that mean we should start researching Dark magic, too?" Fred asked.
"For pranks, you know," George added with a innocent grin.
Hermione sighed so exasperatedly that the rest of the compartment burst out laughing.