Alone

            Magic is sentient. That is a fact no one can fight, though the wizarding world had  forgot that, for it had been one of the knowledge pieces Dumbledore had slowly guided the magic wielders away from, so he could control them more easily. He had been so successful that the children had no idea about it, from their parents only the purebloods knew this, but because of the Light Era which came prevented them from imparting many crucial information about magic. One of those things was that a child’s magic would do just about anything to aid their wielders and protect them. There had been strange cases where powerful children disappeared or got killed by muggle relatives, who got scared seeing the power manifest. The strongest witches and wizards had all been able to manifest their magic. Nowadays the magical community of England believes these stories to be myths. This makes it easy to label the truly powerful children as out of control and dangerous from there they could be killed off without suspicion.

            Dumbledore had made the public fear anyone he couldn’t control for they were in the way of the greater good. He hadn’t given up his own lover to have these fools ruin his plans for the future where he would rule, though not on the fore front. He was not stupid, they would rebel once they figured him out so he will always stay back as the grandfatherly man anyone can turn to, but who never wants fame. It had served him well for oh so long. Tom had posed threat to him, but a couple of well-placed charms and he had lost his true way to madness. The only downside was that the Slytherin had ensured his own survival. It had never crossed his mind that he might have searched for a way to protect himself from death to beat him. The other he hadn’t factored in was the strength and charisma of the boy. By the time he had made his move on the teen he had already amassed a following. His most trusted closed the circle around him the moment his behaviour first began to change, thus taking his chances of unhinging him to the point he will be killed. After the Slytherin graduated he went around the world for a bit with the monetary help of his followers, who would spear any money to help their leader get better and more versed in magic to be able to protect himself better. Then he came back as a powerful lord that he needed to label as dark so people wouldn’t accept him and his ideas. He had been partly successful, but his following which he had already amassed had stayed loyal to him they couldn’t be bullied into dropping him because they had such a great political weight in their world so he began rallying his own followers against them and spread rumours about how dangerous they are to everyone. These sabotage attempts made them go radical after their children had been ostracized and attacked for their and their parents’ views on things. No one cared that they had been going after innocent children until the so called dark side retaliated and did the same thing then they were called monsters for doing the same thing that happened to them. But this bit of historical knowledge they had kept silent about, no need for people to begin thinking too much they only need to use their brains enough to serve him and his needs anything else is pointless. The times when children with strong manifesting magic could walk around with no one harming them in England had been bygones so long that James Potter’s generation hadn’t been aware of them. On the other side outside of England the magical communities were fighting hard to protect these strong children for they are considered the new hope for everyone. Their magic the sign that magic is sentient and hard at work to guide them towards a better future. With this gap in knowledge the students of Hogwarts couldn’t be called idiots in good conscious, but that does not mean they would get away without consequences.

            Sitting in History of Magic the students began to make their move against the Gryffindor. Professor Binns has never been able to pay much attention to his students and this trait of his got worse since he became a ghost so when the students took their wands out and began to shoot spells at the green eyed boy there was no recognition or consequence. The students didn’t really care what type of spells they use, they just wanted to hit him and cause as much pain as they can. The smiles they wore melted off of their faces when after the first hit, which was a cutting curse and caught him on his left arm tearing in his clothes and cutting into his arm leaving a bleeding wound behind. After that first hit though they couldn’t land any more.

            Harry had been keeping his eyes on Hedwig since he sat down in class so the attack coming from his left had taken him by surprise, but he recovered quickly and the rest of the spells coming his way fell short on his shield, while it protected him his magic bubbled to the surface, fuelled by his anger and led by his eyes which focused on his attackers one by one. Soon the classroom was loud with cries of pain and fear as the first answering attack hit its target. The bully fell out of his chair, his robes singed by the small flame ball that hit him and the fire which still ate away at his clothes. The students turned their gaze back to their target, who looked on at his downed opponent with anger and magic glowing in his eyes then those emerald orbs turned to the rest of students and they felt shards of fear strike their hearts, but the braver and stupider part of the group decided to try to attack the boy together. Seeing how their spells couldn’t reach him though they made the choice to use the muggle method and beat him up. The boys ran towards the lone teen with their fists raised only to be caught by tendrils of magic glowing green just like the boy’s eyes. The unfortunate teens who became the test subjects of the manifesting magic got bruises and broken bones for the courage. The rest of the group watched helplessly in shocked silence as their peers got thrown around the room in every direction without a care for their wellbeing or the obstacles in their way. The next batch of idiots for what else could they be attacked the tendrils to weaken the target only to have their attacks get absorbed and then sent back at them just way stronger than they could have managed to do. They went down with screams of pain as cutting, boiling, bombing curses were sent back at them. The remaining teens who haven’t moved since the initial fail were now cowering in fear in a corner of the classroom hoping to avoid being attacked, but having no such luck as the fury of the wizard they angered turned to them now that everyone else had gotten their fair share. The magic shot at them grabbing the terrified, screaming youths. They were thrown around the room and the ones with less luck got spells thrown at them after being regarded as mere ragdolls. Seeing that there was no way to get away from the boy’s anger right now the teens began to use all their knowledge to defend themselves as they were treated as prey.

            Professor Binns never has been the most attentive when it came to the happenings in his classroom while he was teaching, this didn’t change with his death it only got worse. That is why he only realised there was something wrong when one of his students fell through him after they sailed through the air. The ghost turned to the others in the room only to freeze at the sight. He hadn’t seen such a powerful and angry wizard, who could manifest in who knows how long, while he had been alive. He couldn’t even recall who had been the last one he had met.

            “Enough!” shouted the ghost, but it had barely turned a couple of the teens’ heads and none of them were the one he had wanted to. “Stop it, this instant!” tried again the professor. This time he got a reaction, but not the way he had hoped for the boy only give him enough attention to hurl something at him. After it went through him and collided with the wall he felt happy he was already dead and couldn’t die again because he sure as hell wouldn’t have wanted to experience what it feels like to burn to death. Seeing no other option the ghost left through one of the walls to the class next to his to seek help from one of his colleagues. He found himself in Professor Vector’s class with third year students in deep concentration. “Professor Vector! I need help!” The witch at the front of the class turned towards the ghost who interrupted her in the middle of a sentence. She was about to ask what he needed help with, but the History Professor beat her, giving the information without verbal prompting. “There’s a fight in the classroom and I can’t stop it.”

            “Everyone stays in their seat until I’m back!” commanded the woman already running for the next classroom. While running that short distance she prepared herself mentally to be ready to disarm the whole class if the situation calls for it. This mind set would have been good in most cases, but this time it left her unprepared for the scene in the room she just entered. Students laying on the floor, on the furniture or on both in some cases. Only one teen was still standing with green tendrils of magic moving around him, picking up and throwing the others around, sending off spells towards anyone who tried to get up or crawl away. The Professor was brought out of her shock when a tendril lifted one of the children, while others broke one of the windows, and hurled the screaming boy out. Stepping forward quickly she levitated the boy back then turned to the standing teen. “What do you think you’re doing! He could have died!” her voice was strong and no nonsense, but she did not raise it, that was reserved for truly awful people, and only used after she has all the facts.

            Harry turned towards the newcomer his wand still in his hand pointing towards the ground, he didn’t need to raise it since that first shield spell, now that he was paying attention to his magic he could feel it so vividly and barely needed to direct it. He wasn’t sure how it was protecting him so well, but he could feel the magic feeding off of his emotions taking it as a guidance to gauge how much it needs to hurt someone. He didn’t know how to control it exactly, but did not care enough to try to minimise the impact on the other students, they’ve never been fair to him, treating him like a scapegoat whenever it was possible so they can take all the hits his magic wants to give them.

            Septima Vector had never been one to get shocked easily, but the sight of tendrils of magic moving around a teen and some bobbing in the air as if soft waves were rocking them while the end if it stays immobile was not something you see anytime. The Arithmancy professor was reminded of all those mind blowing and fantastical magical feats her friend Professor Babbling would talk about whenever there was a new ancient writing uncovered and interpreted. She never believed any of it, they seemed too farfetched to be true. Now in the face of this powerful wizard, whose magic was still developing she had to rethink everything she ever thought of magic. She felt sweat gathering at her hairline from the stress and fear, there was no way she would win if the boy decided to fight her too. In fact she would be lucky to walk away with her life. Unbeknownst to her that feeling came from the aura of the magic slowly filling the room to the brim with an oppressing feel to stop any kind of attempt at retaliation. The Professor raised her wand arm and watched the boy’s head lean slightly to the right and his left brow raise in question, his wand arm still in the same position it had been since she walked in. His motions indicated he was sure he could beat her, gulping she realized that there was no way she could win if he really decided to attack, a whole classroom were beaten by him without using his wand.

            “Stand down!” ordered the Professor with a slight tremble in her voice. The boy did not say anything only raised his other eyebrow waiting for her to make a move. Tense silence filled the air as they both waited for the other to make a move giving the woman an opportunity to look at the teen in front of her. Red and gold tie hanging loosely from his neck mostly hidden by his cloak just like the rest of his clothing, his pale skin contracting with his black hair and green eyes. After she looked him over she realized he made no move to stop hurting the other teens in the room as the magic began to move towards other unconscious classmates around him, he was only watching her to know if she will attack.  Having a duty to protect the kids in the room she sent a disarming spell at him. The moment the incantation left her lips she realized her mistake.

            Harry had never felt his magic so surely as he did since he let it come forward to wrap around him, watching it manifest and go after his tormentors he felt a calm never felt before wash over him. The magic used his roiling, overwhelming emotions as fuel to leave behind a clear mind. Watching the others getting their due from his magic should have scared him or filled him with some kind of vindictive emotion, but there was no place for that as his magic embraced him and filled him, forcing him to recognise the restrictions still on his person as they were washed with powerful waves. He let his magic take control knowing he could trust it to not hurt him no matter what. So when he heard a new voice, one belonging to an adult talk to him, he turned around. He wasn’t sure what they said so he waited for the Professor to repeat themselves, but they didn’t say anything. His magic cautioned him against doing anything like a sixth sense, he this sense it saved his life multiple times in his lifetime, meaning his magic had been what protected him throughout his life. The green eyed boy waited and then she ordered him to stand down. He looked at her incredulously, did she really think he would do so, he could beat her no matter how much more extensive her knowledge is because he has his magic right there next to and around him.

            Turns out she was serious, the moment she said the spell’s incantation his magic reacted. A couple of tendrils wrapped her up so tight and strong she could barely breath, while a strong shield popped up in front of him. In that moment three teacher ran in followed by Professor Binns.

            McGonagall had never seen such a magical feat performed before, but she knew Harry well enough to know he was not the one who attacked first. In his last three years he had been adamant at not antagonising anyone, even when he faced injustices. Sure he rose and gave quick, witty answers when Draco Malfoy antagonises him but not immediately so even if he now stood in the centre of chaos this was only a reaction to something and she does not want him to ever get to the point where he will attack first. At this thought a shudder went through her body.

            Flitwick stood rooted to his spot as he watched the magic he had only felt for a moment with his own before it turned on him and gave a warning to back off. Now coming face to face with the violent, emotion fuelled magic the hair on his back stood on end. He hastily put his wand away so he wouldn’t be perceived as a threat after his check not so long ago, waiting for the boy to make a move.

            Babbling had been complaining to everyone who has enough knowledge of the past accomplishments that shouldn’t have stopped in Britain, only for her British colleagues to not understand her plight, while the rest of the world looked on them as if they grew another head. She didn’t understand the looks until an Italian curse breaker explained that they should have children, who are capable of the feats she gushes about regularly. He told her that it could be that with the war most if not all of those children had been killed if that is the case then it could mean that the current generation going to Hogwarts has to have children to produce new ones. She had mourned all the potential they lost to the war for months, thinking she will not see anyone capable of greatness for who knows how long she was not prepared for the sight welcoming her once she set foot in the classroom.

            There was absolute silence in the room, you would have been able to hear if a pin were to be dropped on the ground, that is until an excited shriek shattered it. Six pairs of eyes turned towards the Ancient Runes Professor, who looked like a kid on Christmas morning when they saw their gifts under the tree, her wand was held loosely between the palms of her hands pointing at a wall.

            “How many tendrils do you have around? How many can you make? Is there a time limit on this manifestation? Does the colour mean anything or is it natural for your magic to be green? Is the glow of your eyes a by-product or an indicator? What’s the heaviest weight one tendril can lift? How far can they reach? When did you learn to make something so strong and efficient?” the moment the woman took a breath after she fired all those question in rapid fire McGonagall slapped her hand on her mouth so to not aggravate her lion. She felt Babbling say a couple more question muffled by her hand before she realized she was silenced.

            “Mr Potter, please release Professor Vector.”

            “No.”

            The Transfiguration Professor faltered a bit, but did not let the answer stop her. She knew that Harry was bound to retaliate at some point just didn’t know that he would do something so drastic. Though when she really thought about it with the amount abuse and bullying he put up with until today was enough to send anyone on a warpath. Taking a deep breath against the oppressing magic in the air was hard, it felt as she suddenly appareted to a place with real heavy humidity. Not knowing what to do she looked at her male colleague for help. The Charms Professor looked torn between helping her and staying quiet, in the end he chose the later.

            “Mr Potter. I know you are angry and you are completely justified in your feelings and I understand why you reacted the way you did. However, I must ask you to stop what you are doing so we can take care of everyone, who got hurt.” for some reason the boy did not find his reasoning good and a tendril swiped him off his feet. It was a mere warning to watch his words next time he spoke for he only fell back onto his butt then the tendril went back to its original place and not caring about him anymore. The Deputy Headmistress swallowed and took back the initiative to talk to the boy.

            “Mr Potter please consider how your actions look like.”

            “My actions? What about their actions? Are you not going to hold them accountable for anything?” shot the teen back with frustration colouring his tone.

            “Of course we’re going to hold them accountable for their actions, but you need to let them go for us to able to do that.”

            “How long?”

            “Pardon?”

            “How long are they going to be held accountable? How are you going to make sure this won’t happen again? Because in my experience they may get a slap on the wrist then they all go back to how things were before. Maybe what these little shits need is someone beating them to a pulp a couple of times and then they might think twice before they decide to gang up on someone.” spat the boy the last sentence. ”Do you know how it feels when there is nowhere to run from your tormentors? Because I do. I’m sick and tired of having to watch my back 24/7 just to stay safe. Our house is our family, sadly these good for nothing wastes of space decided to make it be like my family back in the muggle world. I am not going to take any more shit from anyone.” exclaimed the green eyed teen angrily.

            “Please Mr Potter let me take care of this mess, I promise they will get their appropriate punishment the moment they can move enough to do them.” swore the tall witch. Glowing eyes bore into her, judging her for long moments before the magic retreated back into the boy leaving behind the havoc it wreaked and the glowing eyes as a reminder that it was a breath away.