Silence of the Winters - Dev_Sagittarius_Black - Harry Potter (2024)

Chapter 1: Arrival of the Cold Prince

Chapter Text

"I am Talking"

'I am Thinking'

Spells

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They say I am a man lost in memories, they forget they haven't given me anything else either.

-R-Kade

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Silence of the Winters

-Dev Sagittarius Black

~~Chapter 1: Arrival of the Cold Prince~~

Platform nine and three-quarters, the legendary platform built by the Goblins and Dwarves in the early 19th century when wizards and witches of Great Britain caught up with the knowledge of steam trains that worked wonders in transporting large groups from one place to another. The point of all of it was that it was way safer than sidelong apparition or the thousands of portkeys that they had to procure, just for the students.

There was just one problem. They needed a starting and an ending point. They just cannot open up a train in the middle of an alleyway as they had done with The Leaky Cauldron, acting up as the gateway to the busiest magical alley in Britain: Diagon Alley, nor could they just stop the train at Hogwarts, as even though it was made for students, won't it be odd to have a huge train come inside the great hall all of a sudden?

Also there was the problem of accommodation of that big thing on Hogwarts grounds...it was doubtless that students would protest for that.

So in the end a new station was made just for one single magical train which would be having only two stoppages, one at the busiest and oldest station in London, The King's Cross Station and the other will be the newly made Hogsmeade Station.

Still, they had to somehow bring all their students and yet keep all others out, which meant that another opening portal should be in there which was visible to the knowledgeable people only. Meaning that just like The Leaky Cauldron, this portal too had to be under Fidelius Charm with all of the wizarding world as secret keepers...or just a simple magical portal with muggle repelling and secrecy wards sewed in it.

Yet again, creating a new thing out of scratch at such a busy place was a sure thing that the wizarding world would readily be noticed by the mundane populace and therefore the idea of choosing a new portal instead of creating a new one, became more supported.

Finally, the portal chosen was the third pillar out of the four that were between platforms nine and ten, which subsequently led to the naming of the platform as Platform Nine and Three-quarters.

Over the years, the platform was regularly renovated and new features were added to it, like the five floos at the far end of the station or the portkey and apparition points that straightaway landed you on the platform instead of running all the way through the magical barrier.

The third out of the five floos flared a vibrant shade of green and out stepped a boy. The boy was actually not having a single luggage with him and was instead standing there in blue faded jeans, a plain white button down shirt with its sleeves rolled to three-fourths.

His hair was raven black and combed in a soft pompadour that also managed to reveal the thin lightning bolt scar just above his right eye. His face was completely edgy with the rich aristocratic look of being blessed with cupid bow lips that had slight uptwist at the ends and thick jawline with mild high cheekbones. But through all of this, the most captivating features were his Green eyes that were as Green as the glowing emeralds of old and were currently scanning the huge platform.

Finally nodding to himself, he strode out of the floo, snapping his fingers and clearing off the soot in an almost lazy way as he took in the look of the busy life at the platform with students and their parents bustling around.

Some chirped excitedly, while some were whispering with a strange excited glint in their eyes. Some telling their summer stories while some younger ones looked scared holding their parents tightly who were constantly giving words of encouragement.

The boy ignored all of that and instead took strong purposeful strides with equal gaps between his steps as he walked towards the huge red and black steam engine that was giving out smoke, meaning it was ready for departure.

The child wizard entered the compartment and started looking through the open cabins for an empty one. Finding one at the end of the train, he took it and looked around himself, getting each and every detail of the cabin ingrained in his brain. Shutting off the door to prevent the noise, he went straight to the window seat and sat with a straight yet relaxed posture.

Looking out of the window he saw a few families were still bustling. One such family was a gaggle of redheads, six, if he counted them right. All had the same clothing sense and were laughing joyously, mostly the twins were laughing and teasing while the others except for that little girl were rolling their eyes and/or grumbling incoherent syllables, the little girl for that matter looked confused between crying or laughing which he deduced was because she was actually upset at being the only one not to attend hogwarts while at the same time laughing at all of her brothers' antics.

Ignoring all of that, he pushed his hand in his jeans pocket and pulled out the latest book he was reading, Arithmetical Mysteries for you by Dobenmouse Chillards. Opening the dog-eared page, he got himself comfortable and started reading it. He loved to solve mysteries...they gave him a completely different sort of thrill.

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"Take care of my little girl, will you?"

"Of course I will, any other demands?" The answer was accompanied with a roll of gray eyes.

"Yes, one more, leave all your tensions and enjoy everything to the fullest. Make good, lifelong friendships that will always help you no matter what happens."

"You know I am good at making friends aunty, plus I will have my group there with me."

" Yes, and that's what I am proud of. Go Suzy, enjoy your year. And beware of attention seekers, they might just befriend you cause you are-"

"I know aunty, I know. They will befriend me because I am the sole niece and family of the Director of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. We have gone through this for the thousandth time now!"

"I know dearie, but as they say, prevention is better than cure. Now enough of all this, come give your old woman a big hug, so big that neither of us misses each other for the next ten months."

Saying so the older redhead woman hugged the younger one and finally with a forehead kiss, she sent the apple of her eyes off to the place where her little girl would finally become a strong woman. And as much as it hurts, she knows she will miss the bubbly girl every moment from now on. She closed her eyes and gave a silent prayer to whichever God was listening, to protect her child from all the harm and danger and turned away towards the apparition points.

.

"This time it's your turn."

"Yeah, I know, I still don't understand why they can't sit with us."

"You know them, they are our sisters but they also have family duties."

The two girls sighed before the blonde headed one gently knocked on the closed cabin door and waited patiently for any voice.

They waited

And waited

And...waited...but no voice was heard.

"Do you think it's empty?" The Blonde one asked her redhead friend who shrugged in response and knocked a bit louder. Still no response came and so they decided to peep in.

Sliding the door open, they saw a boy of their age wearing blue faded jeans and white button down shirt with one of his leg crossed over the other as he read a book. The opening of the door might have roused him up, as he looked up from his book and the most alluring emerald eyes Susan Bones had ever seen, landed on her...scrutinizing her worth.

Finally after what seemed like eternity to her did he speak one single word that was so cold yet smooth at the same time that it chilled her bones yet comforted her both at the same time, "Yes?"

That sound seemed to brake the two girls out of their trance as they flushed beet red and spoke in a hurried manner, "we have-" "can we-" then they both stopped and looked at each other before the redhead nodded and took a stand "We have been looking for an empty cabin for quite some time. This one looks as empty as we could find on this journey, can you please share it with us?" She said in a firm tone and tried to exude confidence.

The boy shrugged his shoulders and nodded and saw them give a sigh of relief as they came in dragging their trunks behind them, the blonde had an owl with her that was currently sleeping.

Susan took the other window seat and her childhood friend Hannah Abott sat beside her, with a friendly smile on their faces.

" Susan Bones, sorry for disturbing you and thank you for allowing us to settle in with you, and she is my friend, Hannah Abott." Susan said, nodding towards Hannah who nodded as a show of faithfulness.

The boy nodded slowly, "Harry, pleased to make your acquaintance. And don't worry about me. Here, this will give us all the privacy we need." Saying so the boy flicked his wand and muttered something creating an all too familiar bubble around him. The same bluish privacy bubble that her aunt used when she was deeply engrossed in some of her cases.

Susan and Hannah both looked at each other before shrugging, after all they do respect others' privacy.

.

Harry was deeply engrossed in his book reading through a paragraph on magical numbers and why they were so important when he felt a tingle from the privacy bubble. The tingle meant that the one who had caused it had known of how to rouse him up from his studies in a calm manner instead of just bursting the bubble by stepping in or poking it.

He looked up to see both the girls watching him a bit uneasily and removed the bubble, quirking his left eyebrow simultaneously.

"The driver announced that it was just thirty minutes before we reach the station, I thought it better to rouse you since we still have to change into school robes." Susan said with the same firm tone and Harry looked out to see that it was indeed dark outside, which means he missed the food cart and thus has been hungry for the past 7 hours.

The sole wizard of the cabin nodded and dog-eared his current page before pushing it in his bottomless pocket and moving out towards where he supposed the boys' toilet would be.

.

Harry re-entered the cabin when he got the inhabitants' permission and saw both the girls had changed to the Hogwarts black robes too. It was now just ten minutes left and so, opening his book again would be a waste. Therefore he instead chose to sit quietly and observe everything.

That was when he saw Susan fishing out a fistful of candies towards him, as he quirked his left eyebrow again she blushed before answering, "you were busy reading your book, so instead we bought it for you. Although it's of no use as we will reach Hogwarts pretty soon, Aunty says it's still half an hour from the station, so if you are feeling hungry, you can have these."

Harry knew that the girls were giving this without any desire for getting anything back, still he politely declined them for two reasons. One that they had bought it and so it was completely theirs and second, no matter the age, he was certainly not going to take eatables from someone he had met just a few hours ago.

So instead he looked out of the window at the intense darkness and the passing flashes of lamps or different sources of illumination.

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They reached the point where 11 small boats were floating in still water, each having a lamp hanging on a wooden stand that helped in faint visibility in and around the boat.

"No more tha' fer in a boat!" The half giant said aloud as he took one complete boat all to himself.

The students started hobbling in the damp Stoney dockyard to get one boat or the other. Someone tapped him from behind and he saw Susan and Hannah looking uneasily at him "Err...Harry, we have to sit with someone else. So we will see you later?" She asked hesitantly.

Harry gave a non committal shrug, it wasn't as if he was dying to meet them, he would be perfectly happy to just be left alone to his devices, but speaking that aloud to someone who had done nothing but respected his privacy was most surely not a good thing.

Therefore when he saw the two move away towards a boat with two girls, he himself took up a boat with a bushy brown haired girl and protruding teeth, a nervously shaking boy with baby fat holding his big brown toad and a petite girl with her features depicting her Asian descent, sitting proudly exuding confidence even though Harry could see that she too was as nervous as others.

"Hermione Granger, pleased to meet you, and he is Neville, Neville Longbottom." The bushy haired witch said and the boy bobbed his head a bit frantically as the boat gave a lurch.

"E'erione in? A'right! FORWARD!" The half giant boomed and all the boats started moving in tandem with their huge guide's one.

"Su Li, from the ancient and noble house of Li, the pleasure is mine." The Asian girl said smiling.

He wasn't in mood to entertain them but since they stared at him, he spoke out his name, "Harry".

"Just Harry? Isn't there a surname?" Hermione asked him.

"There is." He said and without anything else, started staring above, in the starry sky.

There was a beat of uncomfortable silence, not for Harry mind you, but for others which was broken again by Hermionie.

"Err, okay, which house do you think you two will be in? I have been asking everyone, and so far Gryffindor sounds best. It was also the house of Albus Dumbledore, the greatest wizard since Merlin the great. Although Ravenclaw sounds good too. Neville here says that both his parents were in Gryffindor so he would try for it, although he is not very sure of it." Harry was surprised that she was able to say all of that in one breath and still sit calmly...well not calmly, she was having an excited gleam in her chocolate brown eyes but she wasn't panting for air so yes, calmly.

"I think I will be in Ravenclaw, my family has been in the house for many generations with some members going in the other houses every two or three generations." Su said and yet again they looked towards Harry who just shrugged "Haven't thought."

"Ye all see tha' bridge o'er there? Tha's the point after which you'll see yer first glimpse of Hogwarts. DOWN!" He boomed the last word and ducked as the huge bridge swept over. And although it was only him who needed to duck, everyone else still followed suit.

The fog around them cleared a bit and Harry's eyes widened as he felt the ancient Hogwarts wards take him in. The ambient magic of the four ley lines with the magical concentration of over a thousand years, it was enough for anyone who had a bit of magical sensitivity to guess that what was about to come was a huge magical palace with its walls thrumming with raw arcane magicks.

And true to the Giant's words, the huge castle came into view with all its turrets and towers standing proudly, declaring themselves as an unconquerable palace that has fought with time and came out as the unquestionable winner. The towers with their windows lighted up gave off a majestic view as the castle bathed in pure unadulterated moon light.

They slowly reached the dockyard and stepped out of the little boats which Harry was sure were just working on magic as the planks looked soiled through the years of taking students to and maybe fro bundled up near the huge gates and the man raised his hand, his palm as big as a professional basketball, and knocked the door three times.

The door opened and an old witch wearing green robes that somehow reflected the lights thrown on her by the torches and lamps came out, she had a large black pointed hat and looked down on the students with a stern expression, her lips thinned as she saw a few students from her rectangular spectacles, in the end she nodded and thanked the giant as he told her about the number of students.

The old witch closed her eyes and prepared herself for what Harry thought to be a well practiced speech, "Welcome to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and wizardry, I am professor Minerva McGonagall, the deputy headmistress and transfiguration professor. Now moments later you will be inside and will be sorted into one of the four houses, Gryffindor, Slytherin, Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff, the sorting will be done according to your characters, your interests, your desires and your way of thinking."

"Your house will be your home and your housemates your family, for the next very important seven years of your life. You will have time for everything and whether it be your free period or after curfew, you will be staying in your common rooms, where you and your housemates can mingle and share anything and everything."

"You will also be awarded points for your good deeds and points will be deducted if you manage to find yourself in sticky situations where you are breaking school rules. Total points will be tallied up and the house with maximum points will be awarded the House cup. So I would suggest that you don't try to lose points deliberately. Now, wait here for a few minutes, and smarten yourselves before you are taken in to face the whole school including your seniors, the teachers and Headmaster Dumbledore himself." Saying so she walked inside and closed the door again.

Two things that Harry derived from this situation were, first, this lady was not to be crossed and second, not to be trusted either. The "Headmaster Dumbledore himself' part was said with so much of a hero-worship that he was sure she would blurt out any and everything he did to the headmaster and wood never stand against THE Albus Dumbledore.

"So Weasley, not here with your master? Did he not like you enough to take his pet with him?" A voice drawled behind him and Harry turned a bit to see a pale-faced, bleach blonde hair boy with silverish-blue eyes and an 'I-am-way-better-than-you' smirk. The person beside him, a tall lanky, red haired boy with a smattering of freckles and something black on his nose growled, apparently he was that particular 'Weasley' whom the pale-faced boy had taunted.

"Watch it Malfoy, you don't know where you are, your daddy won't help you here." Weasley growled

"Oh yeah? Trying to sound promising? Hollow threats you moron, my father is on the Board of Governors and Minister's personal friend, just one call and you lot would be thrown like a dish wash rag, not that you are any better anyways," he drawled and laughed along with two huge Buffons who looked more gorillas than human.

Weasley growled again and pulled his wand out glaring Malfoy who immediately did the same, but the supposed duel came to an abrupt end as the doors reopened and McGonagall cleared her throat in an irritated manner, glaring the two boys.

Harry walked inside behind a sandy haired boy and saw his surrounding. He had to admit it, Hogwarts was good in its own eccentric sort of way. It was not the majestic Beauxbatons Palace or like his residence but it was good. The Huge hall had four large tables that were filled with students, the ceiling was charmed to show the clear night sky, which thanks to the bushy witch, he came to know was done by Rowena Ravenclaw herself. There were large torches placed at regular intervals and ever-burning floating candles lined the walls and the ceiling.

There was another table that was present on a raised Dias which had the professors seated on it. There was just one seat empty beside the golden throne on which sat The Supreme Mugwump, Grand Sorcerer, Chief Warlock and the Headmaster of Hogwarts School - Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore.

Who also happened to be a very cunning politician meddling with everyone's life and yet looking like the friendliest human on earth. He was currently sitting with his overflowing silvery white beard, wearing purple robe littered with moons and stars and was smiling at everyone looking down from his half- moon spectacles covering his twinkling blue eyes.

Soon enough, they were standing in front of a three legged stool with a tattered looking black hat sitting on it. The crevice just above the rim of the hat opened and in a grumpy voice the hat started singing,

Oh you may not think I'm pretty,

But don't judge on what you see,

I'll eat myself if you can find

A smarter hat than me.

You can keep your bowlers black,

Your top hats sleek and tall,

For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat

And I can cap them all.

There's nothing hidden in your head

The Sorting Hat can't see,

So try me on and I will tell you

Where you ought to be.

You might belong in Gryffindor,

Where dwell the brave at heart,

Their daring, nerve and chivalry

Set Gryffindors apart;

You might belong in Hufflepuff,

Where they are just and loyal,

Those patient Hufflepuffs are true

And unafraid of toil;

Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,

If you've a ready mind,

Where those of wit and learning,

Will always find their kind;

Or perhaps in Slytherin

You'll make your real friends,

Those cunning folk use any means

To achieve their ends.

So put me on! Don't be afraid!

And don't get in a flap!

You're in safe hands (though I have none)

For I'm a Thinking Cap!

(*Taken from Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone)

After finishing his song, the hat bowed to each of the four tables and fell silent as the students and the teachers clapped. "I will now call out your names and you will come here one-by-one for your sorting." McGonagall said out loudly as she rolled and opened the piece of parchment in her hand.

"Abott, Hannah"

Harry saw the blonde girl who was there on the train with him move forward hesitantly, almost as slowly as if she would rather run back than face the sorting. She sat on the stool and the hat was dropped on her head. Ten seconds, that was the whole time the hat took before shouting out, "HUFFLEPUFF!"

"Bones, Susan."

The redhead who had accompanied him was the next one and Harry was very sure that she would be joining her friend. And like always he was right! It was four seconds this time before Susan Bones had a brilliant smile and joined her friend on the Hufflepuff table.

"Boot, Terry"

.

.

"Patil Padma"

"RAVENCLAW!"

"Patil Parvati."

"GRYFFINDOR!"

"Potter, Harry."

Everything went to pin-drop silence mode and a hush went throughout the hall as the name was called out. Every student looking forward and in the group of first years to look for the boy.

Harry knew this would happen and that is why he had been determined to just give out his first name and maintain his anonymity as much as he can though the time was up now. Therefore without any further ado, he waved his hand and removed the disillusionment on the Potter and Peverell family crest stitched in his robe just beneath the Hogwarts school crest, and stepped out. He saw the headmaster lean a bit further in his seat and inwardly shook his head at the blatant display of nosing in another's business.

Harry gave a respectful nod to the deputy headmistress and sat down with a regal pose on the wooden three legged stool, the hat was placed on his head, the last thing he saw before his vision was covered was the curious faces of his year mates.

('The Hat's voice in mind')

'Hmm...curious, oh so curious!" A voice sounded in his mind and he knew all his occlumency barriers had crumbled under the hat's penetration power.

'Of Course they have Mr Potter, what do you think? I was charmed by the four founders themselves.'

'That's pure lie. You might have been charmed but no one can keep it for that long. You have been instead sewed up in castle wards and therefore using the castle's magic to sustain.'

'Very brilliant Potter. I can see many instances in your life where you have used and sharpened your intelligence, for example the enhancement ritual. Oh and what is this? A parselmouth? Merlin's beard! Such cunningness...old master Salazar would have begged for you.'

'And...oh MY MERLIN! An elemental?! A bloody elemental in Hogwarts? After so many years? You are full of surprises aren't you Mr Potter?'

'You are not going to tell anything to anyone else, are you.' Harry said, forcing his emotions into calming down.

The bloody hat chuckled, 'And what if I do?'

'You won't see the next sunrise...I don't think being burned will help you much.'

The hat chuckled again 'Threats like that...everyone gives me threats like that. But don't you worry Potter. I am laced with secrecy spells, I can't give out anything to anyone else.'

'So was it all?...oh wait, that's not all, is it? No, not at all! You have an eidetic memory! Mistress Rowena's gift. And such love for books. You are not good for Gryffindor, you have bravery but you aren't headfirst into anything. Instead all your steps are well calculated. Aaaand...no, Hufflepuff isn't good either, you are not having 'that' sort of loyalty in you.'

'Confusion-confusion...where to put you? Your cunning-political mind begs for Slytherin and yet it will be a blunder if you are to put anywhere else but Ravenclaw with that level of Bibliophily... Anywhere you want me to put you? Any particular choices?'

'Aren't you the one who is supposed to put me in a house? Why are you asking me?'

'Yes, yes I am the one, but in cases where even I am confused it's good to consider other's opinions too.'

Harry's mind went completely silent for sometime which shocked the sorting Hat even more as this was almost unheard of, Harry knew this but simply ignored it 'Which one gives more privacy?'

'Both have the same privacy levels.' the Hat told him and for the first time in centuries was actually wondering what his wearer was truly thinking. He concluded that this Potter was truly an enigma considering all things he had seen in the boy's head.

This conclusion convinced him to start making plans to stay up in Headmaster's office more because he was sure this boy would soon stir up some trouble or do something extraordinary and he wouldn't miss it at all!!

'Then anywhere works for me'

The hat stayed silent for a while and Harry could hear murmurs of being a hatstall.

Finally the voice came back in his head 'You have been a tough one Mr Potter, you have the potential and can become both, an instrument of evil or the embodiment of goodness...use your choices wisely for one can desire great things from you. Better be...'

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Ending note- So, there you have it. The first chapter of this new fic that has been bugging me.

Please review! I need reviews to keep going, as they work like fuel for my drafted tractor brain cells.

To those who haven't guessed it by now, this is an AU, starting in first year with a cold, elemental, very intelligent WBWL Harry Potter. Yes he won't be all supreme, he will train hard, but right now, he is superb.

Thanking you for reading the story.

Here's the link to HAPHNE Server on discord:

https://discord.gg/haphne

Name: Harry/Daphne

Here's the link to my super private server on discord where I'll keep on updating new chapters, sneak peeks, Character designs, where you are free to talk and ask things regarding my fics directly:

Its a newly launched server...

https://discord.gg/Gcbcv4dxGx

Name: Dev Black's Empire

Waiting for your tasty reviews (even if they are critics...cause I love constructive criticism. Although don't mention length of the paras...sorry but I am trying to make it look like a novel.)

Regards,

Dev Black

Chapter 2: Reunions

Chapter Text

"I am talking"

'I am thinking'

Spells

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You never saw the sunrise? No problem, you are dead in his attendance anyways.

~ R-Kade

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Previously in SotW-

Finally the voice came back in his head 'You have been a tough one Potter, you have the potential and can become both, an instrument of evil or the embodiment of goodness...use your choices wisely for one can desire great things from you. Better be...'

Silence of the Winters

- Dev Sagittarius Black

~~ Chapter 2: Reunions~~

"RAVENCLAW!"

The table on the far end, filled with students dressed in blue trimmed robes and a beautiful female ghost flying over it burst into cheers, clapping with friendly faces.

The hat was removed and Harry ignored all of them as he left the stool and walked towards the said table, taking equal gaps between his steps, mindful of the stares he was recieving but busy pondering over what the hat had said.

"8 minutes Potter! You are the first hatstall in years!" Someone said as he passed them but he likely ignored that person and took the seat at the end of the table, patiently waiting for the sorting to end.

Something didn't add up...something or...someone was missing this sorting, it wasn't that big of a thing because he didn't care who attended or who missed it but the fact was he did, and that's what made it intriguing. He tried to remember the reason why he so much anticipated the sorting ceremony, and like an avalanche it hit him.

His brother...Alandale Henry Potter, The Boy-Who-Lived...wasn't here.

Harry looked around trying to see each and every face especially that of the first years and tried to match it with their name and see anyone who remotely looked like a Potter, but no, none of the left ones looked like a Potter and the ones who had been before him weren't Potter either, he was sure of that.

At first, he felt foolish to think it like that because if his brother had to be here then he was pretty sure that Alan Potter would have been sorted before Harry Potter, but then again, he was Alan Potter, and so he might have gotten some special treatment for being the Boy-who-lived. It also didn't help that he had only ever seen his brother in newspapers and that was when they were toddlers, after that anything related to Alan Potter was NOT published out and he was rumoured to be living somewhere secure.

"So, you are Harry Potter? Brother to THE Alan Potter?"

Harry followed the girl's voice and traced it to a girl two seats from him, she had red hairs with freckles near her forehead and brown eyes that were currently eying him up with hints of suspicion. Beside the girl sat another one with straight black open hairs and black eyes that sparkled in her heart shaped face depicting her asian ancestory.

He nodded in ascent "Yes. We haven't met much though." He told her trying to demotivate her from asking 'family' questions.

"Why?" She continued, either he wasn't THAT successful or she was just plain stupid to not take the hint. He looked to the Asian girl beside her who shrugged and gave a look saying 'sorry, she is like that', which means the redhead was stupid. And so if she is stupid, he better not waste his time on her.

"Hey, don't ignore me Potter!" The girl cried indignantly.

"Mari!"

"What?!" Both the redhead and her Asian friend had a staring contest as if talking with eyes, Harry didn't care one bit about the outcome and therefore pleasantly ignored the duo and returned his attention on sorting.

The sorting ended with Blaise Zabini, a dark skinned, tall boy with very short hairs and black eyes, being sorted into Slytherin. McGonagall took the stool and the hat out of the side gate and Headmaster Dumbledore stood up smiling down at everybody, his blue eyes twinkling madly.

"Welcome or is it Welcome back, now I know that we all are very hungry and would love nothing more than to devour the delicacies prepared by the brilliant house elves of Hogwarts, still we all need to do one thing first." He said and stood up.

"Everyone give a big round of applause for the one person without whose efforts and magical abilities we might have not been here enjoying this feast under this magnificent ceiling. The war hero of the previous war- Alandale Henry Potter, The Boy-Who-Lived!" The doors to the far end opened with a dramatic thud and Harry's eyes widened.

A...figure, wearing...or say packed in Hogwarts Gryffindor school robes, waddled with a proud grin showing of his pale yellow teeth, his multiple chin literally jiggling alongwith his portly belly that was finding it hard to be restrained in the large school robes. His hairs were as red as a Weasley and he was having hazel eyes instead of Harry's green ones. Round face and was about five to six inches shorter than Harry. There was also a faint 'V' shaped scar on his left cheek that was supposed to be a war scar and told everyone 'V for Victory'.

This was one of the reasons, Alan Potter was also known as Victor Potter. And currently that Victor was being escorted by two students,a Hufflepuff and a Ravenclaw, who had the Head boy and Girl badge on their left breast respectively. They looked a bit... uninterested in the celebrity whom they were escorting.

Everyone, Harry still can't believe it, every single person except the Slytherins, in the hall stood up and started clapped for the boy-who-lived, the Gryffindors more so than others cheering and whistling like they had just won a bloody world cup instead. Even more irritating was the "ALAN! ALAN!" shouts that the whole of Gryffindor table vibrated with.

'Disgusting' Harry thought but kept his words to himself and instead of watching how his blood relative basked in the glory and gave idiotic poses or how his school mates and teachers were fawning over him, he choose the moment to see who was not clapping.

Harry scanned the great hall and saw a greasy black haired professor wearing all black robes, pale sunken face with black onyx eyes was openly sneering at his brother and the attention he was receiving, he didn't know if this sneer was because if the attention Alan was receiving or because everyone was fawning over Alan Potter, he put that information for later use.

The other one was Professor McGonagall who had her lips thinned and looked agitated with everyone's stupidity, and even though she was clapping her facial expressions clearly said that she would rather eat live slugs than clap like this. Other than these two professors, everyone else looked genuinely happy with the fatty piglet.

"Yes, yes I know we all are genuinely happy with Alandale joining us, I think it will be much better that we also started feeding our hungry stomachs, so a few more words- Nitwit, Blubber, Oddment, Tweak!" Saying so Dumbledore clapped his hands twice and suddenly the table was laden with a variety of mouthwatering delicacies.

Harry internally sighed as he saw his brother run for his predestined seat beside Ronald Weasley, who too started devouring everything in his reach. He completely ignored the students who were beside him and instead focused on the delicious looking Lamb Chops placed in front of him.

"Hello, I am Cho, Cho Chang and she is my hot-headed friend, Marietta Edgecomb. We are in our second year." This time it was the Asian who introduced them. Harry nodded and gulped down his bolus first before introducing himself.

"It's a good thing at least one Potter has better table manners or I would be eating in kitchens instead." A voice drawled and he looked to his right to see a black haired tall, thin boy who was sneering at someone. Harry followed the boy's gaze and had to push his bile down.

Alan Potter had quite a diet. Either that or maybe he was competing with the other redhead beside him on who gulps down everything in his proximity faster and throws food out of his mouth like ping pong balls. Harry shook his head in disgust again before removing the image of the two gorillas who had the table manners of an ever hungry buffalo.

Nobody talked that much at the Ravenclaw table, and Harry was thankful for that. It was good because neither was anyone poking their noses in other's business nor were they expecting anyone to interrupt theirs. Unlike Gryffindor or Hufflepuff houses that were chatting loudly and no-one seemed to be respecting other's need of privacy. Slytherin table on the other hand was completely quite with occasional barbs and whispers and then the family power show.

It was then that Harry felt someone looking straight at him and he scanned the surrounding area discreetly for anyone even slightly interested in him. And there they were, The Headmaster and that black haired professor from earlier were openly staring him the former with a look a intense contemplation while the later with a look that depicted utter hatred. Why? He wasn't having the slightest idea of.

Magic was a brilliant thing, and Harry had to say that yet again as he saw every piece of the big dinner magically crumble to nothingness leaving their plates sparkling clean. He chanced a look at Alan Potter and wasn't surprised to see two cups of treacle tart going down his gloated throat by the passing seconds.

He shook his head again, his brother was going down his list of people he would like to meet as fast as the said brother was gulping down his treacle tart. 'Well, let's see what happens when we finally do meet.'

Headmaster Dumbledore stood up again, beaming at everyone as if they had done a big favor to the wizarding world in general and their goodness made his old wrinkly heart swell with pride. 'As if doing good without his meddling would ever make him proud' Harry thought but his face gave none of his emotions thanks to the stage 5 Occulomency shields protecting his mind.

"Ah, well the feast was as delicious as ever. And now none of you look like wanting to hear this old man ramble, but I am afraid, there are a few announcements that needed to be done before everyone went back to their beds."

"First of all, this year we have a new Defense against the Dark Arts professor, Quirinus Quirrell" A purple turban professor wearing purple robes stood up stumbling a bit and gave an uneasy smile as he began to clap for himself before minding his manners and bowing to the students who were clapping for their new professor.

"The Forbidden forest is as the name says, forbidden for any student not accompanied by a teacher, there are creatures that should better be seen with someone knowledgeable or not to be seen at all. Also, our caretaker Mr. Argus Filch has provided me with a list of Three-hundred and forty seven items, that are banned in Hogwarts" He smiled at the Weasley twins who waved back cheekily "Anyone found using them will be punished accordingly, whosoever wants to see the list can go through it in Mr. Filch's office."

"And lastly, the third floor corridor is 'out of bounds' for everyone. You would do well to not go looking after the reason if you don't want to die a very painful death." Some students laughed at first thinking of it as a joke, but they quickly became silent when they saw the grave expression on Dumbledore's face.

"Other than that, let's all have a very fruitful, joyous and enlightening year. And now who would like to sing the school song? Everyone pick up their favourite tune. " He said smiling proudly as the music started.

Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,

Teach us something, please,

Whether we be old and bald

Or young with scabby knees,

Our heads could do with filling

With some interesting stuff,

For now they're bare and full of air,

Dead flies and bits of fluff,

So teach us things worth knowing,

Bring back what we've forgot,

Just do your best, we'll do the rest,

And learn until our brains all rot.

(*Taken from Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone)

The Weasley twins took ending notes higher than everyone else and stretched it long enough to earn the Deputy headmistress' glare, which they returned with a wave and innocent puppy dog eyes.

"Ah music, the most divine thing. The purest form of magic with the most soothing nature." Dumbledore said as he wiped his eyes as if the horrendous school song and the students' shrieks helped him go on a field trip to the gates of heaven.

Harry shook his head as he followed the Prefect's command of standing in a line and following him, his mind was going through several things all at once, and thanks to his enhancement ritual, it was a very easy thing for him and allowed him to run several thoughts at once.

The prime matter that troubled him was Dumbledore's last announcement of not going to the third floor corridor, the old man might be a senile, meddling, goat f*cking bastard but he was also a very clever and cunning politician who had ruled the Wizengamot and the ICW for the last forty years, which means he very well knew what he was saying, when and where, so announcing something 'that' dangerous in a hall full of curious children who will no doubt try to explore the ancient castle on the first chance they get was something beyond simple senility...and that was indeed a troubling thing.

.

The Ravenclaw common room was located on the fifth floor of the Astronomy tower. The journey was completely silent, tiredness was a major contributing factor as neither did the prefects wanted to explain anything nor did the first years wanted to ask their thoughts aloud, they were Ravenclaws that didn't mean they had to ask about everything and poke their noses in every little matter.

It was as if there was an unspoken agreement between the two years. They reached an ornately carved door that had an eagle head knocker. The male prefect, one Derrick Moonsbow showed them how to knock on it twice.

Harry was surprised yet again as the eagle head opened it beak and spoke in a rich yet deep voice,

"Cities without people, Forests without trees,"

"Not a drop in the ocean, can you still guess me?"

'A map' Harry thought but kept silent as he saw Derrick smirk at the confused faces in front of him and launched in a brief description of how the knocker will ask you a question, it could be anything from scholastic things to riddles to historical questions.

The fact was if they were able to answer it they would be allowed inside and if not then they will either wait for someone or call a prefect or Professor Filius Flitwick who was the Head of House Ravenclaw and also the Charms Professor.

They entered the Ravenclaw common room and gasped at the beauty of all they saw. It was dark, not completely dark per se but dark enough to play a mini guerrilla war, the ceiling was charmed just like the great Hall to reveal the night sky further strengthening the belief of this being the work of Rowena Ravenclaw herself. The atmosphere too was neither too cold nor too hot...just cool.

Blue and bronze coloured sofas, chairs, tables and couches littered the common room with blue curtains. Currently the senior students were all lounging and talking languidly with each other and/or eying up the new batch of their house. There was also a white marble statue of the foundress of the house of Claws, Rowena Ravenclaw her head was christened with a beautiful tiara and her hands had a thick tome in one and her wand in the other.

Then there were shelves which had a series of books and various things including a few awards, all glistening in the light provided by the huge chandelier hanging from the ceiling.

There was also a fireplace with shimmering fire in it that would work as a source of warmth in the upcoming northern winters of Scotland and then there was a very big flurry carpet with its furs charmed to imitate sea waves, meaning if one stood bare foot on it, the person will most likely feel the tingling furs. If Harry had to describe the common room in one word, he would have said 'Elegant', this was something made just for a bibliophile.

Then there were two staircases going left and right and there were three doors except for the main one. There was a wooden podium with two mics that looked like it was used for in-house debates. And currently, there on the podium was no-one other than Professor Filius Flitwick himself. They knew they were supposed to gather around him and so they did.

"Welcome to the House of Claws children, myself your head of house and Charms Master Filius Flitwick. Now, there are a few rules to be followed in Ravenclaw along with a few things you all need to know. You all have been chosen to represent Ravenclaw house in Hogwarts to represent in what we pride and we pride in being the most knowledgeable ones in Hogwarts. For us, knowledge is the single most important thing that comes handy in each and every situation. I don't expect you all to compete for the first rank as to me, every knowledge is equal it shouldn't necessarily be scholastic."

"And to increase our knowledge, we here at Ravenclaw have various facilities, like the third door you see?" He asked pointing a wooden door completely black in colour. "That is a private in-house Library, made by your seniors to help the coming generations in their home work, but since the library is completely private, the books in there are not to be damaged and to be used in the most delicate manner."

"The second door, leads to a corridor having six rooms, each room is made for the year topper. Meaning whoever comes first in your first year will have the second year room, the second year topper will have the third year and so on till the sixth year topper gets the seventh year room. The exam to measure your capabilities will be the end-of-year exams."

"Thus whosoever scores maximum marks this year will have the second year room all to themselves till next end of year exams. Also do keep in mind that although we encourage it, you don't need to be top among all your schoolmates. This is a Ravenclaw things and therefore the competition is among your year mates studying in 'this' house only."

"And finally the last door, leads to my office via which I will be able to keep a close eyes on each of your activities." He sounded gravely in the last end rather than the bouncy squeaky tone he had been using to describe all other things.

"Ravenclaw as a house, enjoys diplomatic immunity with the other three houses meaning you may find friends and more in all of the houses unlike Gryffindor and Hufflepuff that mostly ignore Slytherins and Slytherin house that mostly keeps to itself. We are Ravenclaws and things like house rivalry are below us."

"We also conduct in-house debates and/or speeches once a month, names for participation can be given to prefects Derrick and Matilda. Also we have our own quidditch team which is of course is open for second years and above. And finally, Derrick and Matilda will now distribute you a small book and the map of Hogwarts marked with necessary classes and locations. Please do remember that this has been used and will be used other Ravenclaws too and so you need to keep it as well as it was given to you. Read and learn the points before submitting it to the prefects or me by the end of this month."

"Lastly, I hope you all know about the points system of Hogwarts, if not then you are free to ask any of the senior students, I am sure they won't mind helping you. What I want to say is, I don't want you to add points in our points jar but would be impressed if you don't help in 'deduction' of the points or add up as much as your actions withdrew from it." He said with a somber voice and then bidding them a cheerful 'good night' he hoped off the platform and went out, while the prefects distributed the said items.

Finally, after all the things were done, they were told that the left staircase was for boys and the right for girls, also that if a boy tried to go up the girl's dorms, then the stairs would flatten themselves preventing their journey in a spectacular manner. Also, and Harry didn't like this, they were supposed to be sharing a room with someone till their second year.

As soon as this was announced, the first year mob began pairing off. Harry was paired with a muggleborn boy having curly black hairs and dark brown eyes named Terry Boot. Both Harry and Terry reached a Black Mahogany wood door with two golden nameplates on it bearing:

𝓗𝒶𝓇𝓇𝓎 𝒫𝑜𝓉𝓉𝑒𝓇

𝒯𝑒𝓇𝓇𝓎 𝐵𝑜𝑜𝓉

The room was quite simple. There were two four-poster beds with bronze trimmed blue curtains around it, bedsheets and quilts, one window on the eastern side, two cupboards and two tables with wooden chairs and two night tables near the beds. There was the Ravenclaw house crest on the west wall and Hogwarts crest on the northern one.

They were too tired too chat up anything so instead they changed back into their night clothes and crawled in the cold beds. Terry choose the left bed as he wasn't an early riser and the right one had the window facing east, meaning first sunshine.

Harry crawled in his bed and closed his curtains. He then took the cross-legged meditative stance before clearing up his emotions and entering his mindscape, he had to sort the day out and remove the useless memories after all.

.

Twin emerald orbs opened at their usual 5 in the morning. And even though Harry had slept late at night he was feeling fresh all thanks to Occulomency and his enhanced mind. So instead of lying down a bit more, he decided it was better to just crawl out and start his morning activities.

He tip-toed out of the room with his bathroom necessities and just as he closed the door behind him he flicked his wand out from the invisible silk wand holster on his wrist and silenced his feet before continuing his morning rituals. He knew he will have to remain silent until he crossed the main doors and was on the grounds for his daily exercises.

.

"Good morning Harry, how are you?"

Harry looked up from his book on Ancient Runes into twin pools of never ending Grey's and gave a curt nod, "Good morning Heiress Bones, I am good." He said without any emotion and a soft voice that might send shivers down a growing hormonal girl.

Susan though nodded and gave a bright cheerful smile, "Please call me Susan, heiress Bones makes me feel awkward. And can I sit here?"

Harry acquiesced her first request with a nod and her second with a shrug. It wasn't necessary for students to keep sitting at their House tables on all days, that rule was just made for feasts.

Harry ignored her completely even though Susan glanced in his direction every now and then and her demeanor screamed that she wanted to ask a question or two, still she remained silent and Harry was thankful for that because he was most certainly not interested in being interrogated on his first day at Hogwarts.

By this time students began filling in and the great hall started buzzing with excited chatter. Some like Susan chose to sit with their friends in other houses while some kept to their house and joked with their friends and year mates.

"Err...I have to go Harry, professor Sprout is distributing schedules. See you later!" Susan said and scurried off towards the said professor who was patiently waiting for her. Harry for his part ignored her as he was busy slicing his omelet into thin pieces.

Soon enough Harry was joined with his Housemates and too soon for his liking the chatter around him died down which only meant one thing...but he won't just give in untill there was a...

'TAP TAP TAP'

...tap. Harry shook his head and turned to see the two redheads he didn't want to meet today, so instead he just quirked his left eyebrow. Apparently Alan Potter wanted to see Harry grovel in his presence and kiss his shiny arse. Both the Potters just stared at each other while the general mob waited with bated breath.

Finally, it was Alan who spoke up first, "So, 'you' are my brother? You look weak, not got much to eat? Or decided to live on the streets instead? Cause if ya do then come with me. I don't want you tarnishing my reputation." He said and an ugly sneer crawled up the redhead Potter's face while the Black headed one just gave a cool gaze.

'My brother can't be THIS idiot.'

"Are you mute or what? Or dumb enough to not understand what I am saying?" Alan again said, his voice raising octaves as he waved his hand in front of Harry's eyes.

'Or maybe he 'is'.'

"C'MON MAN SPEAK UP SOMETHING!" Alan screamed getting agitated and his ears went Red.

"Can't you hear you dumb nerd? He is the Boy-Who-Lived. ANSWER HIM!"

Harry turned his gaze to the tall lanky redhead boy with large hand, freckles, long nose and smaller than usual clothes that looked to be strained too much with magic...Ronald Weasley if he remembered correctly.

"Either he is just dumb or simply awestruck to meet you Alan. Anyone would be, you are the Boy-Who-Lived, the strongest of us all, you could just crush anyone with a 'snap' of your fingers!" Weasley said and snapped his fingers to emphasize.

Then Weasley turned towards Harry, "Yeah we know you are speechless and want autographs and all that but for that too you need a parchment and a bottle of dark liquid known as ink. Cause even if Alan is good he isn't the pompous type to carry all of that for his fans. So c'mon brin' it out, I know you have them in there."

Weasley was simultaneously moving his hand forward towards Harry's satchel but just as he opened the flap without Harry's permission, a hold of magic coursed from the protection runes stitvhed meticulously in the bag and into the lanky redhead who screamed as he was thrown over the Hufflepuff table just behind him.

"RON!" Alan shouted and ran towards his groaning lap dog as a few seniors started helping the fallen Weasley and Professors McGonagall and Flitwick moved towards the staircase to reach where the Potters had clashed...well sort of clashed anyway.

"YOU! HOW DARE YOU HURT RON! I'll show you just why I am to be respected you EVIL DARK BASTARD!" Alan screamed and already started moving back towards Harry at a furious pace with his wand in his chubby right hand and mini-sausage like fingers wrapped around it.

Harry's eyes moved towards the staff table and he saw the headmaster watching the ongoing incident but not moving an inch while the greasy black haired professor was smirking.

"Alan Potter!" McGonagall boomed but was late as Alan was already doing the wand motion of the first spell he knew, "Expelliarmus!" his voice rang out in the silent hall, but before the weak disarming spell could have reached Harry, a blast of pure unadulterred magic hit the Boy-who-lived straight and square in his chest making the boy fall like a sack of potatoes while Harry easily side stepped the oncoming spell.

Stunned silence encased the great hall, it was as if someone had just ripped the vocal cords of everyone present in it. It wasn't that big of a thing, but the boy-who-lived 'dueling' his brother and losing spectacularly was something that they were sure wasn't a daily occurrence.

"Pathetic" Harry's cold voice rang through the walls as he put his hand down and took his satchel. He walked up to the two boys knowing full well that Weasley was listening because the stitched runes in his bag didn't render the trespasser unconscious...on first hit atleast, second hit? Well, now Weasley would have to try again for that to happen, wouldn't he?

"Both of you are pathetic. No sense of discipline, no sense of self perseverance, a completely brash idiot who is too weak to do a thing without an equally idiot mosswipe." He said glaring the two boys with cold hatred filled eyes before looking up and around him and speaking in a louder voice, "An advice to you two and all those listening here...don't mess with me or touch my things without my permission...you won't like the consequences."

Harry said with the coldest voice glaring every single one as if challenging them to come up and challenge his authority before he swiftly turned towards his first class of the day leaving a stunned crowd behind him.

"Fifty points from Gryffindor and Ravenclaw for fighting in the Great Hall and disrupting the discipline and detention with Filch tonight, 7 pm." Severus Snape's silky voice echoed in the great hall as he announced the punishment with barely restrained glee. Giving punishments to the spawns of James Potter on the first day for fighting with each other. To Severus Snape, the year suddenly didn't seem all bad.

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Endingnote-There you have it, second chapter on time! I have tried my best to give the common room and the speech as real as it could have been. Trying to present it and help you imagine how the Ravenclaw common room might have looked like...like a dark enchanted room.

Thanking you for reading the story.

Here's the link to HAPHNE Server on discord:

https://discord.gg/haphne

Name: Harry/Daphne

Here's the link to my super private server on discord where I'll keep on updating new chapters, sneak peeks, Character designs, where you are free to talk and ask things regarding my fics directly:

Its a newly launched server...

https://discord.gg/Gcbcv4dxGx

Name: 𝕯𝖊𝖛 𝕭𝖑𝖆𝖈𝖐'𝖘 𝕰𝖒𝖕𝖎𝖗𝖊

Also I added a 'head of house' speech. This wasn't something done in the books and I felt it was sorely needed because this was Ravenclaw we are talking about. There has to be a reason on how Ravenclaws and Slytherins never forgot their way around Hogwarts. McGonagall was good but she lacked a few things, like taking her head of house responsibility more seriously. Even Snape was a better head of house than McGonagall, and although it's not her fault that she was also the deputy headmistress, still there are a few things that were just too necessary to be skipped.

I also introduced the famed WBWL Alan Potter in this chapter and made up how they would have first met. I tried to show a bit of how much of a bibliophile Harry is and how cold he could be. Don't worry, he will cool down but not that easily.

Liked it? Loved it? Hated it? Anything is welcomed...constructive criticism is appreciated but unnecessarily flaming it will most certainly NOT be tolerated. If you don't have anything good to say, then please hear me out and stop reading it.

Other than that all questions and suggestions are as always most welcomed. Love you guys ❤️

Regards,

Dev Black

Chapter 3: Confrontations

Chapter Text

"I am Talking"

'I am Thinking'

Spells

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The only one you need to be afraid of, keep motivated, work on and party with is 'you'.

~R-Kade

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Previously in SotW-

"Fifty points from Gryffindor and Ravenclaw for fighting in the Great Hall and disrupting the discipline and detention with Filch tonight, 7 pm." Severus Snape's silky voice echoed in the great hall as he announced the punishment with barely restrained glee. Giving punishments to the spawns of James Potter on the first day for fighting with each other. To Severus Snape, the year suddenly didn't seem all bad.

Silence of the Winters

- Dev Sagittarius Black

~~Chapter 3: Confrontations~~

Harry was idly standing near the door of Transfiguration class with his back pressed against the wall, his hands crossed over his chest, eyes closed and with a breathing rate which might make people believe that he was sleeping while standing there. Any outsider looking at him would for sure believe him to be unaware of his surroundings.

But like always, 'they' would be very wrong. Because Harry was fully aware of his surroundings as he had spread out a thin sheet of pure magic around himself in a 2 metre radius with his body's centre of mass as its focus.

The sheet was invisible to the naked eye and worked like a third eye for him. If anything that had mass, occupied space and/or contained magic passed through the sheet, he would be notified. And currently he was trying to expand its radius from its current 2 metre to something more.

Footsteps were heard behind him and he didn't need to turn to know that they were students for transfiguration. They were all maintaining a suitable distance from him and he appreciated that. Shortly, the large black mahogany door opened and they were all led inside the classroom.

The classroom was more like a hall with benches at the centre, a teacher's table and chair placed in front of the blackboard. The table was laden with heavy books and parchments with quills dipped in blue and black ink bottles. The walls were decorated with transfiguration pointers and some famous transfigurationists who had contributed to the field of atom manipulation. Then there were wooden cupboards that covered the back wall completely with charts and sticks placed on the edge racks.

Students 'wowed' at various little trinkets on display but not Harry. No, the teenage wizard wasn't interested in these trivial things. Instead he was eying up the most curious thing in that class...a 'patiently' waiting tabby cat that was perched on the teacher's table and was eying every student with its...well, cat-like eyes.

Harry knew that this was no ordinary cat and was most likely the woman McGonagall who had welcomed them yesterday. How you may ask? Well, the cat's magic which felt remarkably like her was a big give away for one. Other than that, he had yet to see a cat with spectacle marks on her nose sitting so... stiffly for such a long duration of time.

Still, just when the cat's eyes darted towards him, he immediately looked behind her towards the large blank blackboard, not at all showing that he knew her secret. It wouldn't be a secret if everyone knew about it, right? Unfortunately, his lack of surprise when McGonagall transformed back to her human self wasn't missed by the transfiguration mistress.

The lesson began as McGonagall started with a well practiced speech on introduction to the potentially dangerous branch of transfiguration as how it was one of the most difficult branches of magic and was used in nearly every field as well as day-to-day life and she wouldn't tolerate any kind of indiscipline in her class.

Then she taught them the Mutatio spell showing its correct wand movement before flicking her wand, conjuring a single wooden matchstick in front of every student. "You all have the time till the end of this class to convert this matchstick into a steel needle. Always remember, the three things needed are- Will Power, Imagination and Focus. Now begin!"

It was a very easy thing, tough for a first year but a toddler's play for him. Harry knew he could just snap his fingers and conjure a new silver needle out of thin air...but that would be showing off and he needed to stay under the radar until it was the appropriate time for his skills to emerge.

Therefore, he too, like others, brought his wand out and started doing the incorrect wand motion or muttering "Mutatio" at the wrong moment.

The class ended with Susan Bones from Hufflepuff and Padma Patil from Ravenclaw with the best transfigurations while Harry, Su Li, Terry Boot, Zacharias Smith and Hannah Abott had partial transfigurations.

Charms was almost the same with Harry giving just the appropriate amount of magic in his Lumos charm to power it up and give a light just like others' did.

Soon it was lunchtime and Harry was a bit disturbed as someone sat beside him, he turned his head and saw Susan Bones who gave a sun shaming smile as she started piling up her plate. "That transfiguration class was tiring, wasn't it?" She asked him. He just shrugged and went back to his ‘Arithmetical Mysteries for you’ book.

"You know you intrigue me. If I may ask, why do you, you know speak so less? Not that it's a bad thing, as it is way much better than Alan Potter who just can't keep his mouth shut. He is always bragging on and on abou-"

"SUE!"

The redhead witch abruptly stopped and turned her head to see Hannah subtly zipping her mouth shut. She was confused just for a moment before understanding dawned on her and her mouth opened in an 'O' then she blushed, she knew she had a habit of babbling when she was either nervous or confused or afraid even. And fortunately, right now she was all three of them (mind the sarcasm).

"I just...don't like speaking out my every thought. No-one bothers me and vice versa, seems good enough to me." Harry replies in a cool voice which although soft, was full of confidence.

"I can if you want me to.." Susan muttered involuntarily and her eyes widened to comical dimensions before she cleared up"I-I mean I can ta-talk to you, if we can be friends?" The stuttering redhead asked, forwarding her small hand, ready to pull back in a moment's notice.

Harry's eyes narrowed as he watched her hand, wheels churning in his head weighing the pros and cons of such a relationship with the girl. And finally after a full ten seconds, Harry's strong hand grasped the slowly retreating hand and shook it twice, the perfect number for such a relationship. Once would mean 'I don't trust you one bit and this is formal', thrice will mean 'we both trust each other' and four times will be over the board. Therefore 'twice' was the perfect number which meant, 'we know each other informally and I look forward to it,still I don't trust you very much.'

"Your hands..they are..cold?" Susan muttered more to herself in confusion and wasn't expecting an answer but still got one.

"I don't know the reason but my skin always remains cold." He of course knew the 'reason' but he didn't need to tell her that now...or maybe ever. Susan too shrugged it off as an oddity of his, maybe his magic wasn't fully unlocked to keep his body under optimum conditions everytime? Still she introduced her friend Hannah Abott, who followed the same tradition of handshakes before moving back to her plate as Harry went back to his book.

Defense against the dark arts could be declared the worst lecture to be taught in the entirety of Hogwarts magical education. Some might say History of Magic but Harry hadn't attended that class yet.

Truthfully, the teacher was a babbling bumbling baboon, nothing more but arguably more less. Nothing, seriously nothing was taught in the class except for the fact that the weather was good today. And how beautiful Hogwarts is. Whenever a question was asked, if it was related to studies it would be pulled back to the two discussed topics of how good the weather was and how beautiful Hogwarts is.

What confused Harry more were the weak legilimency shots on his shields whenever Quirell turned towards the blackboard. To confirm his haphazard guess, he too shot a legilimency trail and was more than surprised to see a full-fledged strong occlumency shield on work.

And this gave rise to several questions. How could an accomplished occlumens stutter? Why was he stuttering in the first place? Aren't there potions that cured Broca's area in Brain (the part of the brain responsible for speaking clearly) and weren't people afraid of losing their life that they had a stuttering DADA professor? For Merlin's sake, he could kill others or himself even while stuttering a spell!

Harry was drowned in these questions as he moved out of the class. Again he felt someone trying hard to slip under his shields and battled it out as harshly as he could. 'Things are more than quite fishy here'. He wondered if he was the only one whose mind was attacked or were there other students too, getting the good ol' legilimency attacks on their mental shields? 'This most certainly demands a thorough investigation.'

Finally, it was time for the last subject of their first day- History of Magic, and Harry had to give it to his seniors as they had described the subject as best as it really was, which was plainly b-o-r-i-n-g.

But that wasn't a problem with him. The time wasted by the ghost's droning could most certainly be utilised in more exciting things, like breaking the clue for the reason why number '8' was the most influential number or why '13' was classified as a death number. Therefore instead of indulging in trivial activities like 'sleeping' which almost half his class was, he chose this time to continue his personal task.

"Are you even getting what you are reading so thoroughly?"

Harry's eyes twitched a bit, he just hated being classified as an idiot or a dunderhead who knew nothing about the thing he was doing. He was half way into his fourth year right now with an abundance of raw magical power and the book he was reading was actually an ancient manuscript copied into a book which he was currently trying to decipher correctly.

Harry turned his head a bit to take in the girl beside him. Cold blue eyes, luscious blonde hairs that looked like interwoven golden silk, an 'I-am-above-you' look and that hidden sneer...he had seen this girl before...he raked his brain and mentally nodded 'yes, she was one of the two girls with whom Susan and Hannah had shared the boat last night'. He checked her robes too 'So she was in Slytherin'.

Unfortunately him checking her robes could have also been taken up as him checking her out. And Harry knew that's what the conclusion she had came up to as she involuntarily tightened her school robes around her and tried to cover whatever of her body was exposed. He rolled his eyes and sneered inwardly 'Like I would sully my teenage body just on her whimsical desires'.

So, instead of answering with a coherent word, he just gave her a nonchalant nod and returned back to his work 'This is more important after all'.

"It looks like a completely different language...I have seen it in Runes if I remember correctly...looks all Sanskrit to me." She continued.

"Because it is." He responded without looking up, 'What was the difference between 'pathti' and 'pathami' now? Oh yes they were past and future tenses of 'path' which meant study in sanskrit'

"I can help you with it, my family library has quite a few books on translating different old languages. I can ask my father to owl me a 'English to Sanskrit' or a 'Sanskrit to English' one."

When he turned to look at her, she was looking straight forward and was trying to look like she didn't care about him and would do so only if asked and that too for a suitable price.

'A little help will certainly be very useful...' he thought and frowned "What do you want?"

There was a very faint lip twitching before the girl masked it and turned back towards Harry, " Ten galleons for the transportation of a family heirloom. Five if damaged on return and two hundred if lost. You can have it till Yule and after that with two galleons a month. So how does it sound?" She looked positively ecstatic.

"For shutting your mouth. I mean what do you want for keeping quiet?" '...but unfortunately for her, I don't need any help'.

.

!..B.U.R.N..!

.

Her lips twisted in distaste as her eyes flashed with thinly leashed anger and the lost hidden sneer came full fledged as she pulled her nose up and shifted away from him. "Should have thought, the rates were high for a rag picker. That magic show in great hall was definitely a cheap trick, you aren't worth my time." Harry just smirked, if only she knew how much of a rag picker he was.

And yeah, he had heard the rumours cooked up by the ever-fast-delivery-service known as 'HOGWARTS RUMOR MILL'. Apparently Harry Potter had been over-stressed and hadn't been able to control his magic in the great hall today.

That was the reason why he had done accidental magic where Magic had protected him and his belongings from Alan in a desperate attempt.

'Accidental magic at 13? Don't you think it's a little late for those now? Yeah, but he is untrained and he is brother to Victor Potter, I'm sure his magical reserves are more which makes his magic even more unstable till properly trained' This was what the stupid rumor mill was cooking, and this was one of the more logical ones because obviously he wasn't trained by Gellert Grindelwald and nor was Morgan leFay his grandmother..... Like honestly!

Total load of troll-dung! Him not being able to control his magic was like saying you can't breath air or you can't drink water...and he was actually shocked that the Hogwarts populis believed this rumor.

'Well, it works for my plan to stay beneath the radar anyways. I don't want Dumbles sniffing down my back, yet' Harry thought and simply ignored the glaring girl beside him as he went to work 'Now what's the meaning of 'Shwaanah'.....'

The last class ended and Harry had to stifle his grin as he saw the girl beside him pack up everything as fast as she could while simultaneously waking up the other Slytherin girl sleeping beside her and then with a well practiced 'sniff' in his direction she sauntered out of the class. And Harry? He just couldn't care any less.

Dinner was as good as always. He had to give it to Hogwarts’ elves that they did know how to cook good appetizing food. Susan and Hannah weren't sitting with him so he turned his head and saw the two of them mingling with their fellow housemates 'Good for her...and me too' he thought as he gave a nod when Susan spotted him and gave a bright cheerful wave which was soon followed by Hannah in a more subdued manner.

Just then he felt his housemates go silent and someone cleared their throat behind him. He normally wouldn't have turned but the person sounded older than seventh years, and truly, his dinner disrupter was the Deputy Headmistress herself.

"Mr. Potter, headmaster has summoned you in his office after dinner, therefore you will do well to come to me rather than following your housemates to your common room."

Harry gave a polite nod "Sure professor." She nodded and went back to her seat with the ever present straight back and a cat-like grace.

"I am damn sure it's 'bout your show this morning with the Boy-Who-Lived."

Harry tilted his head right and saw the boy assigned to him, as his roommate looked at him with expectant eyes.

"We will see." Harry said looking straight in the boy's brown eyes and reading a few surface thoughts just for some enjoyment.

"You will have to be careful you know, they say Alan Potter and Dumbledore are on friendly terms. It will certainly not be good to get yourself in the headmaster's 'bad' list." The boy said with pure seriousness.

Seriously? He certainly didn't care, but... "Sure, I will keep a tab on my actions." Of course he will, he just didn't tell when he will start keeping tabs, maybe now? Maybe a decade later? Merlin only knows.

The boy nodded, "You better do. Not that I would mind a complete room to myself for two years with a double bed to boot but I don't wanna be a bad omen ya know." He said with a cheeky grin which Harry completely ignored as he went back to his dinner and the potions book beside him...Ah potions...Arithmancy was very exciting but Potions were like some sort of...stress reliever (no puns).

Rest of the dinner was a pleasant affair and after having one of those iced mint mouth fresheners, he got up and went to the transfiguration mistress who by the looks of it was just waiting for him, because as soon as he joined her, she started walking briskly towards Dumbledore's office.

"Ice Mice'', McGonagall said and turned towards him as the Griffin Gargoyle shifted to reveal the moving staircase. "You have to go alone from here Potter, I will be here once you come down."

Harry nodded and took up the stairs musing how subtly the conniving bastard showed blatant favoritism towards his old house Gryffindor by keeping his door guardian as a Griffin Gargoyle. It was a simple thing really, a 'Griffin' as your 'door' guardian...Griffin-door... Gryffindor.

His train of thoughts came to a halt because just as he was about to knock on the door, his magical senses tingled. So, instead of knocking, he released his magical sheet to take in anything different. And lo and behold, there it was.

Harry opened his eyes and looked at the innocently laying 'muggle' doormat with a stylish 'WELCOME' on it. He flicked his wand out and scanned the household contraption, and by the end of it, he was impressed.

The doormat was a scanner. A carefully crafted thin rune plate was inside it and scanned the person for their identity, magical signature and intentions alerting the headmaster of the person's nature of arrival...'ruddy brilliant Dumbledore'.

Well he would for sure use that rune plate when he had studied it afterwards, and so he stored the information making a mental note to do so very soon. But what now? Harry debated for a moment to switch on his geminus ring. It was a special ring that was given to him on his eleventh birthday, the speciality was that it just needed a bit of the wearer's magic and they would be able to change their details in both physical and magical manner.

There were far more better Geminus rings that could help you get 'any' form you want, but they were both expensive and took more than a bit magic, this one instead 'saved' one look and magical signature and would activate that particular one when the wearer sent a bit of their magic in it.

But it was just a moment's thought before he discarded it. He was sure that Hogwarts' wards already had his magical signature and showing up his hidden identity for free wasn't something he really needed. So instead he clammed up his occlumency shields to full force with just one thought outside indicating that Headmaster Dumbledore wanted to see him, and with this he stepped on the mat before knocking the door twice.

"Come in Harry!" Cane a muffled reply from inside and Harry had to shake his head, how easily Dumbledore showed his visitor that 'he' was more powerful and the one who controlled everything. It was subtle but it was there.

Harry opened the door and stepped inside a...well, double storey hall with its walls covered in bookshelves that were from the rock floor to the ceiling. Also the office was littered with various trinkets that either puffed smoke or made sound or just plainly glowed periodically. His desk was also a complete mess and so was the wall that was overloaded with portraits of previous headmasters/mistresses.

The person who called him, was sitting behind his desk in his flamboyant robe, wearing a grandfatherly smile and blue twinkling eyes behind his golden half moon spectacles. The other person in the room was...not so welcome surprise. Alan Potter was sitting in one of the two chairs in front of Dumbledore and was scowling at Harry while simultaneously popping a yellow candy from the bowl in front of him.

"Headmaster." Harry gave a polite small bow, not to the person, no that person wasn't someone to receive his bows. He bowed to the 'position'.

"Ah, yes Harry. How are you my dear boy? Lemon drop?" Dumbledore asked, smiling at him as he forwarded the bowl which Alan was gulping from.

Harry quirked an eyebrow as he denied the yellow candy, his senses tingling rapidly and so instead of taking anything from the old man he would rather check it thoroughly first, "Headmaster, I don't think I have ever given you the permission to use my first name and I am fine. Now, may I know why I am here?" He saw the damn smile diminish a bit but it was up in a moment's notice.

"Yes, yes of course. So, young Mr. Potter may I call you Harry?" He asked, his eyes full of hope like twinkling stars.

"No."

'...'

"WHAT?! You aren't serious are you?!" Alan exclaimed with wide eyes as if Harry had just said that Merlin was his bloody classmate.

"I assure you Alandale, I am very much serious. I am not on friendly terms with the headmaster and I am not sure how you are happy with it but allowing a 'stranger' to use my first name like long-lost friends is certainly something I am not agreeable to." Harry replied in a monotone with as impassive of a face as plausible.

"Are you daft?! He is DUMBLEDORE! The strongest wizard out there, one who even You-know-who was afraid of, he can call you ruddy well whatever he wishes to!" The redhead Potter cried again.

Harry looked straight at Alan before completely ignoring the male banshee and moved on to the oldest wizard in the room.

"HEY! You don't dare igno-" Alan began again but was stopped by Dumbledore, "No problem Alan." He said before turning to Harry,"I understand your reasons Mr. Potter. Now, why don't you take a seat and let's discuss your actions today in the Great hall this morning."

The 'seat' was the other empty chair, that his senses told, was laced with another rune plate, probably to help the centurion warlock in 'convincing' his visitors into doing things his way.

"I will just stand Headmaster, sitting would mean prolonging this small talk and I wouldn't want to disturb your tight schedule-" he paused a bit. Dumbledore waved his hand nonchalantly, "Nonsense Mr. Potter, I am free-", but his sentence was abruptly stopped "- or mine either." Harry finished himself and inwardly smirked at the third BURN of his first day.

Dumbledore gave an uneasy chuckle then cleared his throat, this meeting was not going his way. He needed to change the topic soon.

"Well, then let's come to the point of this meeting Mr. Potter. Your detention with Argus has been cancelled and instead of that you are just asked to say Sorry to young Alan here and promise me that you'll make sure not to do such things in future." The chief warlock said and was expecting Harry to shed thankful tears and beg for forgiveness. Unfortunately, he was so very wrong.

There was an uncomfortable silence for thirty seconds in which tension in that room rose in leaps and bounds before it was broken by Harry's cold yet slightly infuriated voice, "You mean to say that, the punishment given to both of us has been removed because he whined and you couldn't just clear one and leave the other one to show your biased nature."

"Then I have to apologise to him for the insults he threw, for his mosswipe of a friend who dared put his sausage fingers on my things 'without' my permission and to protect myself from that gobsh*t's little disarming spell? Is that what you mean headmaster?" Stunned silence welcomed his announcement and Dumbledore was relatively quite surprised as to how Harry had said all of that and not once did he resort to shouting like children his age would have.

"Ron is NOT a mosswipe and I am NOT A GOBsh*t! You can't call us that you SHODDY LITTLE NERDY!' Alan's hand immediately went for his wand, but before he could pull it out, Dumbledore took his stance.

"Mr. Potter please don't use expletives in my office, it does not suit such a young mouth as yourself. And as for my saying, let me rephrase it. You were the one who 'attacked' Alan here even though it was an accident, it was harmful as Alan had to mend his broken wrist so, yes you do have to apologise for attacking a renowned celebrity." Dumbledore told him calmly resting his hands on his wooden desk.

Harry couldn't believe his ears, if this was the strongest manipulative wizard who had ruled Wizengamot for the past forty years, he could imagine the number of fools ruling Magical Britain.

"So you are saying that I am the one attacked, eh? And a broken wrist? With due respect sir, we are in magical world, broken wrists are child's play for healers or are you saying Madam Pomfrey is incompetent?" Dumbledore's eyes widened a bit at the last statement "No-no Mr Potter, I assure you our resident healer has been with us for decades and has treated every one perfectly, she is more than capable but that's not the point here, point is your magic attacked Alan and you need to apologise."

Harry just shrugged, "Very well headmaster, then I would like an oath on magic from that...thing there, that his disarming spell was not based on the intent to cause me 'any' harm. If it's as you say it is, then that oath will be accepted and I will apologise immediately. And if not...then you very well know the consequences."

Dumbledore was about to speak but Harry wasn't done yet, "Also, I can sue him for attacking an heir to two most ancient and noble houses as well as the future lord of his own house. Sufficient to put him in a ministry holding cell for the next forty-eight hours, don't you think so sir?"

Colour fell from the warlock's face, this was certainly NOT how he had wanted this meeting to progress.

"Now Mr. Potter, don't you think it's a bit overboard? Plus oaths are not to be taken lightly, they could cause him some very serious damage. Surely you understand that and won't want your own blood to suffer because of an accidental mistake right? This is not as big of a thing as you are making it up to be." He said with a weak smile hoping to see some changes but Harry's face was as hard as steel.

"Since you are so hell bent on being both blind and biased, I am not doing anything you asked me to do, also I am not promising my actions against anyone who harasses me. If that thing and his lap dog don't stop, then I am very sure headmaster, next time it will be severe than a simple stunner. So, do stop these advances because you won't like the results."

"Also headmaster, I think you have forgotten the fact that you are headmaster of four houses and not a babysitter for one whiny brat. And please, don't call me next time without preparing some really good points before falsely accusing me." Harry swiftly turned leaving the two wizards with a stunned silence, he was about to open the door when Dumbledore called out.

"I haven't given you the permission to leave Mr. Potter."

Harry stopped and turned quirking his right eyebrow, "Is there something else you wish to discuss except what has already been done?"

"No, but this matter hasn't ended yet." Dumbledore replied, all his joviality gone.

"You wish to take it to court?" Harry asked again with the same hard tone and saw Dumbledore open his mouth before cutting him off "I don't think that will be a wise decision headmaster, boy-who-lived in ministry prison? Imagine the chaos it would bring. So it's better let's end it here and now. You already have my reasons, my answers and my warnings, I don't have to say anything else. Night headmaster." He said before leaving the office and walking downstairs with equal steps to where the deputy headmistress was still waiting for him.

McGonagall frowned when she saw him "I thought both you and your brother would be coming together?"

Harry took a deep breath as he tried to control both his emotions and instincts "He is busy being pampered by the headmaster. Is there anything I could help you with, professor?"

Truly? McGonagall was amused by his response but instead of laughing she bit down her cheeks and nodded. "The Headmaster restored points taken from Gryffindor house saying that your brother's actions were in heat of the moment and not by intent of harming you."

"Therefore, I too am restoring points taken from House Ravenclaw and would advise you to NOT do any such thing in future. Am I clear Mr. Potter?" She said with a stiff tone that demanded instant acquiesce. And so Harry nodded before bidding her good night and moving towards the Ravenclaw tower.

Although his face was calm, his inner self wasn't. 'Why did I act like that? I am neither THAT arrogant to use my head of house powers like that nor am I that brash for that matter. Then why did I resort to blatant threats? Why was I thinking like a raged bull? What gave me the feeling that I am the most invincible person? Why did I feel like no one can even touch me?'

Those were his thoughts with which he entered the almost silent common room. Not even bothering to think for the answer to the asked riddle as his subconscious already made him blurt it out. He instead moved upstairs and entered his room to find his roommate in his casuals, doing his charms homework.

"How did the meeting go? Did he ask you to apologise to Alan?" Terry asked as soon as he noticed Harry.

"He did." There wasn't any reason to antagonise your roommate. The person could be your best guard or your worst enemy, depending on what you make of him.

"Sooo? Did you apologise? Though personally, I don't think you would have."

Harry's eyes narrowed as he removed his shirt 'Unfortunately, my roommate is a good logician too' He turned toward Terry as he heard a whistle and quirked his left eyebrow at the boy who was eying his body with saucer wide eyes.

"Where did you get a body like that? A gym freak are you? There's NO bloody way you could have such a physique at such a young age!" The curly haired Ravenclaw exclaimed as he again scanned Harry's well toned 5'3" frame.

"Regular exercises" he said ignoring the word 'freak' completely, "And no I didn't apologise. Now have you done your Transfiguration essay?" Terry nodded.

"Good, but I haven't, so let me do mine." Saying so he pulled his books out and began his work.

.

Albus Dumbledore sat in his office sloshing the fire whiskey in his glass as he pondered over the day's events, more specifically the instances where the eldest Potter was in attendance. He looked at the amber liquid slosh as he went through his memories, occlumency was such an obscure yet equally marvellous branch of magic.

'Where did I go wrong? What did I do to get such a...cold response from Harry Potter? Everything was going good. Alan Potter had defeated Tom and Tom's residual magic had found the next thing which it can parasite over and since Alan was untouchable, it latched onto Harry Potter. That was what the dark aura from Potter's scar was, right? Was he wrong? Was it 'not' what he had thought it to be? Was that darkness something more than just Tom's residual magic? But if it was, then why, just why didn't it feel anything different then?'

The prophecy was clear, now more so than ever, Alan Potter was the one whom Tom had marked and Harry Potter's darkness was the thing that Tom didn't know about, 'But...can I use Harry's darkness as the 'power he knows not'? Will Harry Potter be the one to bring the surprise twist? And if yes...then how?'

Fawkes the phoenix watched his bonded lose himself deep in his own games. He intended to tell his bonded that the second boy that entered was not...well human entirely...he should have told his bonded, how...cold and hard the boy's magic had felt. It wasn't necessarily evil perse but it wasn't 'light' either, in fact the boy's magic was a mixture of his two personalities, the two powerful beings that lived in him and survived as a whole...one of them felt just like one of 'those'...the ones that were above all...the ones that controlled the arcane magics on earth and by extension...the earth herself.

But Fawkes didn't tell any of that, no, instead the phoenix was contended to see his bonded plan over and over and throw the previous plans before making a new one. It was almost... euphoric...almost.

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Ending note- There you have it guys, the third chapter and that too on time! Liked it? Loved it? Hated it? Please tell me! I am seriously working very hard with this fic and I want to see it finished, also the only thing to keep me motivated are your reviews, shower me with those.

I am not asking for much. Those who already have, a big THANK YOU to you guys, you are awesome and those who haven't...what wrong have I done? Please guys, just a simple 'good job Dev' is enough for me.

Also it's always exciting to hear your thoughts and ideas, they are the things that help me get through a few more intricate plot designs.

I have tried to make this fic more interesting and you might have noticed that by the ending lines. Who are the ones that Fawkes is thinking about? Any guesses? Although I already have my data ready, I do want to see what you guys come up with. Hidden treat, I plan on introducing those soon, or maybe laters? And the one(s) who guess it right will have their names in this fic as 'them'.

For those who are worried about the story's pace, just don't worry, this was the first day and so I had to write it in detail, Harry won't have meetings with Dumbledore every night nor will he have words with Alan either, so just chill and keep reading.

Also, one more thing, pairings have been decided, I was a bit confused, but I am sure of the pairings now. And I have to tell one thing very clearly,

Harry will not be indulging in any romantic scene untill his third year.

There will be crushes and one-sided love moments but that's it. I have made Harry a thirteen year old guy but even thirteen year olds don't go farther than simple kisses or maybe snog sessions. So, you will have to wait for that ;-)

Here's the link to HAPHNE Server on discord:

https://discord.gg/haphne

Name: Harry/Daphne

Here's the link to my super private server on discord where I'll keep on updating new chapters, sneak peeks, Character designs, where you are free to talk and ask things regarding my fics directly:

Its a newly launched server...

https://discord.gg/Gcbcv4dxGx

Name: 𝕯𝖊𝖛 𝕭𝖑𝖆𝖈𝖐'𝖘 𝕰𝖒𝖕𝖎𝖗𝖊

Thank you for reading,

With regards,

Dev Black

Chapter 4: Grievous Accidents

Chapter Text

"I am Talking"

'I am Thinking'

Spells

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You were made to follow the trend but I was born to make a new one trending.~

R-Kade

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Previously in SotW-

But Fawkes didn't tell any of that, no, instead the phoenix was contended to see his bonded plan over and over and throw the previous plans before making a new one. It was almost... euphoric...almost.

Silence of the Winters

-Dev Sagittarius Black

~~Chapter 4: Grievous Accidents~~

Days after that went fine, Harry attended Astronomy and Herbology, both were good subjects and a bit challenging. Challenging because he had never bothered to study those two except for the parts where he really needed them.

Herbology was good and calming in it's own way, with all the greenery and blooming flowers but the heavy clothing and the hot temperature inside the greenhouses always irked him.

Astronomy on the other hand was a bit neck and eye straining but the cool and dark atmosphere soothed him, he didn't know why but night time always soothed him and made him more forthcoming with his life.

Still he liked watching the night sky and twinkling stars but names and positions were something he didn't want his memory space to wasted on. That was his line of thought untill the professor told them about how much the position of planets, constellations and satellites matter in more than a few tough and old potions, rituals and arithmancy induced spell creation.

He also increased his friend circle with the addition of his roommate, Terry Boot whom Harry knew would join him sooner or later.

All things weren't good though, both Alandale and Weasley had taken it upon themselves to call him a dark wizard and spread weird rumours about him, Alan had even described his meeting with Dumbledore in a more...brash manner, apparently Harry had gone and challenged the headmaster over saying Sorry and then the two had fought over words before pulling out wands then Harry had used Dark magic to take Alan as Hostage making Dumbledore yield before Alan used his light magic and kicked Harry out of the office and prohibited him from never entering again...rotund load of bullsh*t really.

The thing was, he was bidding his time because none of the duo had ever said his name in front of him, so he too couldn't claim anything over his to-be harsh actions. But, the moment they become blatant he would readily put both the cheap monkey-farts in their places.

Still, today was a good day since after six days, today will be the class of one of his most favourite subject- Potions. Other classes were good yes, but Potions was something he was a prodigy at.

They said that the hook nosed professor was a real bastard, but he never cared what 'they' said, he was a firm believer of getting and making his own first impressions. So he would wait and go through the class to see if what 'they' said was true or were 'they' false again.

Harry had just finished up when the owls came, like always in flocks of hundreds and he never once cared about it...up and until a large Red tailed hawk came and sat right in front of him obviously garnering everyone's attention. The pure gold envelope tied to its talon was good enough to seek more attention.

The hawk was completely silent, just sitting there and eyed Harry with it's, well, Hawk eyes while Harry's cold gaze didn't waver a bit either.

No-one knew what to do, Terry even tried to get the letter only for the hawk to spread its wings and show it's talons while giving an ear piercing warning screech that immediately made the curly haired Ravenclaw to recoil in fear.

"For me?" Harry finally asked and saw the bird nod 'Hmm... intelligent bird'

He took the envelope and pushed it down his leather satchel. They might be his friends but they weren't trusted enough to pry in his personal lives. Closing his satchel he looked up to see the hawk still sitting and glaring him. Harry too just quirked his left eyebrow.

The hawk screeched indignantly and pecked his satchel before flying to his shoulder. "You want me to read it now?"

'Screech'

Harry wasn't comfortable with it but he did open the envelope only to find two letters, one long and one small, and a cylindrical wood shaped like some whistle. He took the smalller one and read -

If you are reading this one first then do write it in your reply. I am betting my five galleons on it.

Now coming to the topic in hand, this is about 'Horus'. Yes the hawk, I named her Horus, and don't you laugh! It is a good name! Although I don't think she is happy with it. Yes the hawk is a female and so, you are free to name her. I tried to name her after the Egyptian deity but he was a male.

Anyways, so yes she is a hawk, she is for you and yes you read that right, she is yours. Why? To send letters ofcourse! You will be sending letters with her. She has been enhanced like you, her speed is 200 miles per hour and her eye sight allows her to see five kilometres, her hearing sense has been modified too but I wasn't having enough time to check that.

So, yes she is yours, name her and all that, things to know about her is, firstly, she is very-very possessive, secondly she loves roasted meat and lastly...well there's a speciality which you will have to unlock with time.

Waiting for your letter, read the first one too.

Oh and till you discover that speciality, there's a whistle inside to call her whenever you want to.

There wasn't any signature but Harry didn't need one to know who could have gone through all this for him, alright that was crap, he just knew that handwriting and guessed who she was. But the fact of this whole thing was, he now owned a Hawk and had to send letters.

Harry sighed and looked at his shoulder to see the bird peering down at his letter, as of it can read everything and understand it better than him. "So you are mine?" He asked her and saw her give him a look like 'really? That's what you are asking?'

But he didn't mind her. "How about...Lily?" He asked her and saw her look at him closely which was quite a scary thing, "Your name, I don't know if you like it or not, how is it? Lily?" There were personal reasons to name her that, but no-one needed to know those.

The hawk eyed him up as if measuring his worth before screeching her acceptance and nudging her head in his ears making him give a soft smile.

Susan Bones was having a hard time, like hard-hard time and it wasn't because she was the niece of director of DMLE, nor was it because she had large shoes to fill and make her name while she was at Hogwarts. It wasn't her studies either, it was something else...infact just two words could have summed up all her problems - Harry and Potter.

Susan hadnot even seen Harry Potter untill that day when she met him in Hogwarts express and her first impression was, how much of a nerd he was, like really, who reads a boring Arithmancy book for straight eight hours throughout your first train ride to Hogwarts? Actually she knew who, a certain guy with the softest hairs combed back in a quiff, having a chiseled face with thick jawline and the most ensnaring emerald pools that had captured her dreams from that day onwards.

But it was weird, she had promised herself to 'not' to fall for any guy or anything like that. It wasn't like she was hopelessly in love with him either, there was just this attraction that had pulled her towards him and was coaxing her to make him open up about him which was forcing her to think on ways to do so which was ultimately forcing her to think about him everyday and that consciousness was responsible for making him appear in her dreams too, yes that was the only reason she was becoming something weird.

Sadly, she wasn't able to continue her line-of-thought as her musings were broken by the Hogwart's bell signifying their first lecture.

.

Harry was sitting idly beside Terry who was saying something about how Severus Snape, the Potions master was not someone who one would mess with, and how much thankful he was that he was sharing this class with puffs and not the Gryffs who always annoyed Snape or the Snakes whom he favoured.

It was nothing new to him as he too was there when they were given the introductory speech on different teachers and subjects by their house prefects. They had told how Snape hated everyone who wasn't in his house and deducted points for minor mistakes. But like always, Harry believed in making and perceiving his own first impressions. And so he would wait to see what to make of Severus Snape.

The doors closed with a 'BANG' and Severus Snape glided in the dark and dank potions room, his black robes billowing dramatically behind him. He reached his table and eyed each and every student, his eyes stayed a while longer on Harry but then moved on as if speaking to the boy was just wasting time.

The attendance was taken and Snape gave them a brief intro to the subtle art of Potion making and how he will teach them to bottle death, brew glory and ensnaring someone before calling all his earlier batches to be full of dunderheads.

"Potter! Tell me, what would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?" He sneered as Harry stood up frowning, he didn't like the way his new Potions master had picked him out. He knew the answer, it was child's play but then what about his goal of keeping a low profile? No, this was Potions, everything else could be compromised not this. But then his cover would blow off spectacularly...stil, this was Potions, he couldn't risk damaging it.

"Say something Potter, we don't have whole day to see you stare at me like a fool." Snape spat out like Harry was his worst enemy. Confusing the boy even more.

"Draught of the living death, sir." Harry said in his cold monotone voice, he saw Snape's eye twitch a bit but it was momentary.

"It was very easy." Snape sneered again "Where Potter, will I get a bezoar?" He again prodded the teenage mage.

"Stomach of a goat, sir." Harry was getting confused now, what had he done to recieve this?

"Child's play. Let's try again, what is the difference between monkshood and wolfsbane?" Snape was smirking now as if he had just showed Harry his place.

"They are the same plant sir, no difference." Harry knew something was off, was it because Snape's punishment had been renounced the first day? Was that the reason he was recieving this? Maybe, but Harry noticed Snape clench his fists behind his table and that smirk was nowhere to be seen.

"How many drops of Veritaserum is to be given to get the recipient under control?" Snape was for sure not going to back down now.

"Three drops in the middle of their tongue."

"What will I get if I added lacewing flies and powdered bicorn horn?"

"The polyjuice potion, sir."

"Squill bulb, murtlap tentacle and tincture of thyme are mixed, what's the result?"

"Felix felicis also known as Liquid luck."

Snape couldn't believe it, this was plainly impossible! The boy was blatantly cheating and showing him off. This was preposterous!

"How many more turns are needed to turn a boil cure into a healing salve?"

"Five clockwise and thirteen anticlockwise, but this has to be done before adding the porcupine quills or one will create an itching potion instead."

"Shut up Potter! This is what you are, a blatant cheating liar, knowing a little and showing it off to everyone, just like you father you too are a bragging dumb, you Potters are all same, not good for any honourable society." An ugly sneer crawled on Snape's face as he spewed all that.

Harry's gaze was cold, very cold, but he didn't say anything. This was a classroom full of twenty students. Also, even though not behaving like one, Snape was his teacher and someone Harry wasn't knowing about which was why he just kept on keeping a straight eye-to-eye contact with the bat professor.

"Glaring Potter? What are you going to do? Cry to the headmaster? May I clear it that I am the teacher here and you Potter CAN'T do a thing against me. Always remember that." Snape was the one glaring Harry and was so tempted to shoot a legilimency trail, just to see what Harry was thinking since neither was his face giving out anything nor was he refuting.

"What do you think we are going to do? Clap hands for you? You are a dumb cheating liar Potter. Sit down before I start taking points." Snape again looked for anything, any sign, any twitch to see what the boy was feeling buy it never came, instead Harry just sat back like a pre-programmed machine, one that was making plans on how to kill his enemy in different ways.

The lessons began and they were given a boil cure potion to make, thankfully everyone was good enough to not blast anything and so by the end of it, the group of Ravenclaws and Hufflepuff first years went outside as happily as they could after suffering double potions under Snape.

"That was awesome Harry! Really cool man, I mean no offence but till date I always thought you to be a mediocre, an above average at most but in Potions you seem to be a Prodigy dude!" Terry exclaimed happily as he walked beside Harry with Susan and Hannah behind them. "You are so helping me with my Potions homeworks now."

Harry looked towards Terry who flinched a bit and recoiled "I-I mean if you want to ofcourse." The mughleborn stuttered out.

Harry shrugged, it's not like he couldn't point out the wrong points also Terry was his roommate, better safe than sorry "I can point out a few things." Apparently that was all Terry needed because he happily nodded.

"You did very good Harry, and I know you didn't cheat either. Although I don't know why would professor Snape pick you out like that." Susan said and caught up to walk beside him.

"It's not what I did, it's something related to my father and maybe Alan." Harry said and kept walking. "Why? Did he tell you so?" Terry asked his voice full of sarcasm but Harry just shook his head in denial "It was all good till I gave point answers but just as I described something further, he claims me to be a braggart, pyar and cheater who is 'Just like my father', I took it from there."

The conversation died down as his friends knew that their friendship was just budding which clearly meant that it wasn't as strong as to discuss relatives, no matter living or dead.

It was only after dinner that Harry got time enough to open the second letter within the safety of his bed curtains.

If you read this one first then don't you dare tell me. I am betting my five galleons and if I lose it then I will take it from you. Now since that is done let me come to the good part~

HADRIAN JAMES POTTER! WHERE THE HELL IS MY LETTER?! Seriously Harry? No letter? Not even a simple 'I am good' even? Were we that bad or were you that desperate to leave your old lady that you forgot us as soon as you got new friends?

And here I was waiting that soon you'll send me a letter telling how good Hogwarts looks from the lake or how many girls fell for you or how manipulative Dumbles is even, and what I get? Nothing! And since you didn't do that, your punishment is to write a letter a week till your first year ends! And if I don't get my weekly letter then beware Potter I am coming there to kill you! Mwahahaha!

Now since that is done, let me tell you everything is fine here, I am doing good and so is your old man, we both miss you very much. He has his violin and I am busy with my piano, like who the hell cares for a dratted violin pfft.

Draxy and Droxy love you and miss you very much, they are even cleaning your room everyday even though you aren't here and then your blasted pet Selene. I am telling you Potter, you will take her the moment she goes through her second maturity I will not tolerate that depressing thing anymore than I have to. Always asking about you, stupid wreck that thing! She even ate Misters Jumpy and Clumpy! I have grounded her, she will only get rats for a week now.

And now your old man has to say his old simple things.

Hello Harry, how are you? I know you are doing great but please Harry, don't forget us. You know we only have you and not hearing from you is, well, not good. So I know you are busy with new friends and I hope so girlfriend but just a letter a fortnight is good.

Your grandlady was very worried, she was waiting for your letters and I guess she did tell you what she thought, well this is why she enhanced your bird ASAP. Now, here all of us are fine, Draxy, Droxy and all are missing you. Also don't tell this to her but I am planning a vacation since we know you aren't coming. So, well hope it goes well.

Well, summing up, do everything as good as you do. We are there for you always. Also, if you opened this letter first then do tell, it's my only chance to win some galleons, although I think I do know that you are going to open that one first.

Wishing well,

N and P (Don't blame me, this is how she wants us to address)

Harry winced as he read what his grandlady has been through and felt bad for doing this to her. He never knew that not writing letters would affect her this bad. He missed Draxy and Droxy too, they were his personal elves that would always be there for him. And Selene? She was his pet, his personal little basilisk. He smiled as he read about her being grounded. Oy the grandlady could ground a bloody basilisk of all things.

His old man's letter was no different, and he made a not to write once a week and send it via Lily. Doing so would also give him breathing room from his guardians. Also, going on a vacation was good as the two had left their desires after adopting him, so well, it was for sure a welcomed surprise for the grandlady.

Harry then gave a systematic reply and briefed them on how his week was spent till date. He knocked off the messing with professors part but included the Dumbledore office debacle. Writing up all his things he went to the window sill and blew the wooden whistle.

At first there was no response but then very soon there was a dark spot that kept on comping towards him before doing a mid-flight loop and landing on his windowsill. Harry just smiled as Lily nudged his hand. He then tied his letter and sent her off to his guardians before hitting the bed and going into his mindscape to assort the day out.

.

Days after that went as usual, simple changes were Alan and Weasely Junior's attempts to make Harry feel inferior. One such incident happened on Tuesday when they both tried to boast their achievements in the great hall, actually it was just one achievement going by 'defeated You-Know-Who at age one' and that ended spectacular like when Harry calmly pointed out that Alan can't say the name of someone whom he defeated at age one. After that, Alan pulled his wand out and McGonagall pulled both of them out of the great hall, as simple as that.

Harry's 'I know you' circle increased with the addition of Cedric Diggory, Anthony Goldstein and Su Li, the later because she was happy that he knew, in her words, their arts. Which meant his martial arts. Classes too were scheduled to having three classes with each house -

Gryffindor: Herbology, Astronomy and Monday's DADA class.

Hufflepuff:Transfiguration, Potions and Wednesday's DADA class.

Slytherin:Charms, History of Magic and Friday's DADA class.

.

The only thing different were the flying lessons. Thursday for Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff whereas Friday for Gryffindor and Slytherin. And since it was their first flying lesson, it was most certainly not that surprising that both, Puffs and Claws were divided, the newbies like muggleborns or half-bloods who had never flown were nervous while the purebloods and magical world connected Half-bloods were both excited and boastful of their abilities. Su Li told him that she was even planning to learn acrobatics on brooms, afterall that would be so cool, right? Right.

'PEEEEEEEEEP!'

"Line up everyone, what are you waiting for." The sharp voice of Hogwart's Quidditch refree and flying instructor Madam Rolanda Marie Hooch banged their ears and students immediately followed her instructions.

"Now raise your hand above your broom and say 'UP!'" she barked as she strolled through the rows of students.

Harry frowned at that, UP means commanding it. And even though it's good to be confident, commanding something as living as a broom was like barking orders at that enchanted Gargoyle guarding Headmaster's office. So instead he placed his hand and was actually surprised when the broom zipped up to his hands without even uttering a word.

Beside Harry, Terry was busy saying 'UPs' and ignored him while Su's eyes narrowed as she hadn't heard him say the word.

After some time, Harry then looked beside himself to see Susan's broom lying dead like a log, Hannah's was rolling, Terry got smacked in his face because he used some choice words while Su was standing proudly, admiring her broken bristled broom. In the end everyone held their brooms.

"Now mount your broom, grip it hard so that you don't fall off it's edge. You will fly four metres above the ground and hover their for two minutes before slowly coming down and landing. Now UP IN THE AIR EVERYONE!" 'PEEEEEEEEEP!' She blew her whistle and everyone slowly flew up to the height they were either asked to or were comfortable with.

Harry closed his eyes and a small smile crossed his lips. It would have been better if he were allowed to fly as much as he wanted, but this was better than nothing. There were several reasons he could have blamed but in the end it was a cut clear fact, flying always gave him relief from anything. He felt safest up in the air and all the pent up tension he had accumulated from week's worth of work was slowly eased out as cool wind blew on his face.

"He-hello Harry, enjo-ying the lessons?"

Harry turned to see a beet red Susan flying on his level, she had clutched the broom's neck tightly with both her hands and had locked her ankles. She was sweating too which told him she wasn't comfortable in air and that explained her wobbly flying. But why was she as red as her hairs? Nervousness? Maybe. What he didn't know was how almost all the girls were eying him as his hair swayed softly in the wind and his smile accentuated his aristocratic handsome features.

"It's good." He said and shrugged.

"Alright everyone, come down." 'PEEEEEEEEEP'. Hooch signalled their landing and students slowly started their descent.

"AAAAAAHAAH!"

Harry was just two metres from ground when he heard the girlish scream. He turned only to see his first Hogwart's friend going up at about 40 miles an hour jerking horribly. Susan's red hairs frizzling around her face as she was clutching the broom for dear life as it zoomed straight up giving breakneck jerks every now and then. And in her bout of intelligence, she had closed her eyes.

"Someone save her!." Hannah cried and it worked like cold water on Harry's mental systems because he immediately left everything behind and zoomed towards the jerking girl at break-neck speed, following her broom's every little twitch. He heard Hooch cry his name and saw someone else too mount their broom and fly towards Susan, but he ignored all of that, afterall this was more important.

The jerks were too much for the redhead Hufflepuff and she was finally tossed away by the broom making her plummet straight to her death bed.

Harry caught -hold the flailing girl mid-flight by her arm and heard something 'SNAP' but he pulled her up and made her sit behind him. The scared puff immediately wrapped her arms and legs around him in a deathgrip as he calmed his speeding broom. By the time the school broom was under control Susan was crying her heart out, her head buried in the crook of his neck.

Harry heaved a sigh of relief, but maybe that was too soon because just as he did that, he felt something magical pass near him. His eyes widened and his body involuntarily flipped left as some magical thing zipped past where he stood moments ago.

It was too thin to be a charmed ball of magic and swooped past him swiftly like an arrow, also it wasn't friendly, which only meant someone casted it with the intent to harm him. He turned to the direction where the jinxed arrow came from but found nothing except for students standing looking at him in confusion as to why wasn't he coming dow-

"AAAAAAHAAH!"

Harry groaned a bit, apparently, the stupid arrow did hit some girl. He turned and was shocked again as Su Li was flying towards the forbidden forest at breakneck speed, and her broom? Ofcourse jerking wildly...more so than the previous one.

'Damnit! '

!! CLIFFHANGER!!

Ending Note- I am evil, I know (Grinning evilly). There you have it guys, the fourth chapter and that too on time! Liked it? Loved it? Hated it? Please tell me! I am seriously working very hard with this fic and I want to see it finished, also the only thing to keep me motivated are your reviews, shower me with those.Your constructive criticism is appreciated wholeheartedly.

Many will have problems with how Snape treated Harry and how Harry didn't say a word and just followed Snape, right?

You have to take note of two things:

1. This is a cunning Harry who needs to get all the details before doing anything brash not canon one.

2. It's Harry's first week at Hogwarts and he has no idea why a teacher is antagonising him in his first class.

And lastly, trust me on this, Harry will take the perfect cold revenge on Snape in first year itself. The best one I could think of. This is a Revengeful Harry and henever forgets any slight towards him or his friends.

So just sit tight and keep reading, everything is planned perfectly.

Here's the link to HAPHNE Server on discord:

https://discord.gg/haphne

Name: Harry/Daphne

Here's the link to my super private server on discord where I'll keep on updating new chapters, sneak peeks, Character designs, where you are free to talk and ask things regarding my fics directly:

Its a newly launched server...

https://discord.gg/Gcbcv4dxGx

Name: 𝕯𝖊𝖛 𝕭𝖑𝖆𝖈𝖐'𝖘 𝕰𝖒𝖕𝖎𝖗𝖊

Thank you for reading,

With regards,

Dev Black

Chapter 5: Revelations

Chapter Text

"I am Talking."

'I am Thinking'

Spells

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Your experiences from past affect your present and your decisions in present will affect your future.

~ R-Kade

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Previously in SotW-

"AAAAAAHAAH!"

Harry groaned a bit, apparently, the stupid arrow did hit some another girl. He turned and was shocked again as Su Li was flying towards the forbidden forest at breakneck speed, and her broom? Ofcourse jerking wildly...more so than the previous one.

Silence of the Winters

-Dev Sagittarius Black

~~Chapter 5: Revelations~~

.

Harry didn't see anything after that. He was already moving towards Su before he knew. He heard cries beneath him and Madam Hooch too was zipping as fast as she could.

But, the school brooms were not doing what that stupid jinxed one was doing. Even with all their might, the school brooms were pure useless. Harry closed all other things around him that included the shrill scream from Susan that was piercing his eardrums.

Harry was lying flat against the broom handle when another mishap happened. Su's broom turned upside down and gave a strong jerk, making the screaming scared girl lose her grip on the flying piece of wood and plummet straight to her death.

Harry's eyes widened and his subconscious mind started calculating the height at which he would catch the falling ‘claw. He groaned when his calculations estimated the height to be two feet above the ground, which meant three deaths- his, Su's and Susan's. And if he stopped now then he will be responsible for voluntarily killing a fellow claw.

There was only one other way and that was too risky. He had been prohibited to use it for at least two months after his last excursion. But there was no other way now. He knew he would suffer the side effects and he would have to hide it all as soon as possible, but this was the only way to save everyone.

Harry closed his eyes and started concentrating on his inner self. The out of the world ancient connection he had accidentally connected to, when he was five years old.

His limbs elongated, his rib cage expanded while his waist contracted further as his shoulders sharpened, his face became more angular and the roots of his front hairs turned silver-grey, small tornadoes formed at the base of his feet and crawled upwards ending up cocooning his feet till shins. Harry opened his eyes only for his pupil to be turned completely grey with the green of his eyes pushed towards the circumference making it look like a halo...and so, Hadrian Potter- the first air elemental in centuries was reborn.

Everything happened in a matter of seconds after that, as, with a strong burst of speed, Harry zipped towards the falling claw and caught her amid her fall about seventy feet from the ground, totally safe and secured.

Su too wrapped her petite arms around his torso and started wailing her heart out as he slowly changed back to normal, his eyes turned back to forest green as his hairs returned to their former glory and limbs and diaphragm relaxed as the tornadoes disappeared and he slowly descended down.

All the claws and puffs surrounded him cheering, clapping and whistling as Madam Hooch too came down smiling proudly, her eyes laden with tears, "Thirty points to Harry Potter for rescuing two lives and ten more for excellent flying. I will talk to Albus for a special award for services to the school." She announced proudly before turning to everybody.

"And now, I am taking them to the hospital wing, no one should be seen flying or you will be rusticated before you could say Quidditch." She glared at everyone there before tugging at Harry's broom. It was quite hard as there was one Hannah Abott and another Padma Patil hugging both Susan and Su respectively.

"I am quite good Madam, I don't think I need to go-" "Oh hush Potter, Poppy won't keep you if not needed." Hooch chided him and he wisely kept his mouth shut as he felt something not-so-good rise in him.

It was useless.

He should have known earlier, and that pint of blood didn't help either. All in all, Harry had been strapped to a soggy and stiff hospital bed till dinnertime. Susan had her left shoulder dislocated. That would have been that 'SNAP' sound he had heard then. Su on the other hand was just feeling a bit unwell and both were to be released within an hour. sh*tty stupid luck.

The doors to hospital wing were banged open and a tall woman with her fiery red hairs flailing all over, came running in and hugged the life out of Susan. Harry guessed her to be the girl's relative of some kind. The two talked for sometime as Susan told her story while Amelia whispered sweet nothings in her ear. Finally the elder woman left Susan's bed and came towards Harry.

"Hello Harry. I should introduce myself first. I am Amelia Bones, director of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement of Britain and more importantly Susan's aunt." She said, smiling at the lying boy.

"A pleasure Madam Bones." Harry nodded in respect.

"Oh please, none of this Madam business. You have earned the right to call me Amelia." She corrected him but she didn't know that it was one of the things that Harry found difficult, so in the end he just shrugged.

"I don't know how to thank you Harry. Suzy is the only one left of us and...I don't know what I would have done if I had lost her today. House Bones owes you a life debt and my limitless gratitude. I-I just don't know how to thank you now."

Harry simply nodded, a house debt from an Ancient and noble house plus Director of the DMLE...well, sounds good.

"Auntie!" Susan cried and gave her aunt the look. Amelia was confused for a moment before understanding dawned on her face.

"Harry Potter, on behalf of Susan, I cordially invite you to the Yule celebration at Bones Manor or as it was also known, The Ossuary." She told him, smiling widely.

Harry thought about it, 'An invite to the house of the Director of DMLE is good, I don't have any other plans for yule either. Plus imagine the unbound knowledge I would have access to via the Bones family library, that was cherry on the sweet cake.' profits everywhere...

"I...decline." Harry muttered, shocking Susan and Amelia both, the latter didn't know why he did so but she had to invite him.

"No problem Harry, I know how busy young men like you are. How about New Year eve? We have a small party at Bones manor." Amelia tried again, putting her best smile.

"I...I am sorry Madam, but my schedule is pretty tight throughout the winter holidays. I can't shift them." He tried to wiggle his way out as he was indeed quite busy, if only for his personal interests. Plus he had some digging to do and translation books to write. Yule was also the best time for some specific rituals to be done only on super magical tetra leylined places like Hogwarts.

Amelia too was a bit confused, as to why Harry was refusing her offers. It wasn't like they were dark or anything, in fact they were the second most light sided family after the Potters themselves. Maybe he was going on some vacation with his guardians? Well, she still needed him at the manor, if only for Susan's sake...but this will be my last try, if he accepts then good if he doesn't...

"No problem Harry, winter holidays are always the busiest times. Homeworks, projects and all that. So, how about a week's visit in the summer, I am sure us little women could have a bit of your busy schedule then." She said with an impish grin.

Harry grumbled on the inside, this was the 'Third and the last' rule and he couldn't reject her offer now. 'Stupid woman, why the hell was she so being so persuasive, and why the bloody hell was she from an Ancient and noble house.' So he sighed inwardly "Sure Madam, I will be there, I can tell Susan the dates if that's good?" He asked her and she readily agreed as Susan sighed in relief.

Finally Amelia bid goodbye and went off before reassuring her niece once again and promising her that she was always there for her and this case will not be left out as a simple 'accident'.

"You know you could have accepted her offer of Yule and stayed with us till New year right." Susan began " Although, the summer holidays are good too. It's not like winter ones are the only ones when we celebrate. Daph, Trace and Hannah visit me during summertime too. It's not much different except for a few things, you know-"

"That would have been too much from both sides of the deal and who are these Daph and Trace? Your sisters?" Harry asked to divulge her from the current topic of staying at her home, he knew she would keep on ranting on that topic too and...

"You just think too much and yes, they are my sister, well not technically sisters per se but like sisters. I have known Hannah since four and Daph knew Trace since Two and I have known Daph since seven. It's actually a surprise that you don't know them as they are in our year and-...”

...yeah, she can rant.

The thing to think upon was that the jinx was indeed a jinx arrow, he was sure of that too. The target was not Su, it was him and he was safe just because of his exceptional magically enhanced senses. But ultimately there was one thing that could most certainly be derived from this situation and that was, there was someone who was thirsty for his blood. And he could make a good guess on who that specific person was. There was just one problem...proof.

But that's what the winter holidays were for, for now he will just have to stay safe from every dark corner at Hogwarts and although a bit difficult, he will have to keep his magical sensor sheet every time around him. Let's see how far he can go.

"I...I deeply apologize for the inconvenience caused by me. House Li, owes you a life debt. I won't trouble you after this day." Su whispered and Harry knew she was close to crying.

"Life debt is accepted Miss Li, but I would firstly like to know exactly what you were doing up there when everyone was asked to come down?" Harry inquired about her, although he knew what she was doing there.

Su looked up to the scrutinising cold jade eyes, that were looking as if scanning her soul looking for any lie she was about to sprout. She then looked towards Susan and said "I was trying to help Susan. That's why I was up there, trying to reach her and help you."

She felt bad now, as if all her pride had been crushed. As if all her work, all her practices were worthless when she was finally given a challenge. Master Fu was right, she was worthless, no one would ever need such a weak girl. What will Harry say? The girl who was planning to learn acrobatics on a broom, couldn't even control it.

"Then you were not an inconvenience. You were a fellow helper who wasn't able to see others in trouble. You were needed there and your help is appreciated. You are an excellent flyer and I personally don't want to see such an excellent girl who had learned her arts so well and is toe-to-toe with boys, go down the path of self depreciation. You were, are and will do good."

Harry wasn't someone whom anyone ever came to get comfort. They came to know things he knew and never told him things he asked them. They came to just talk to him or be afraid to talk to him. Giving comfort? That was something he was never good at. But watching such potential go under self depreciation was unacceptable. And he was relieved to see her thoughts go back on track.

Su smiled a bit, she knew Harry was just trying to encourage her but it was good. She had never been able to talk to him. The 'cold prince of Ravenclaw' was like an unknown to most of them. Just some sort of wild fascination to know what really goes through that brain of his.

She had been trying to talk to him for quite some time, this was the reason she had told him about her fascination with martial arts and acrobatics, just so she could impress him. And getting something close to compliment was a big thing. It also helped that he was quite more than good on eyes and caused some weird tingly feelings every now and then. Especially when he spoke in that spine thrilling voice of his.

Susan frowns at that, she liked, scratch that, she loved the way Harry rescued her, flying at breakneck speed, catching her amid her fall to death and then cradling her. Becoming her pillar, becoming her knight in shining armour.

But then he rescues Su too.

And how good it was, flying like that. As if he was air himself, no not air, as if he was...he was a storm, blasting everything and going for his goal, then he cradles her and she realises that holding him didn't feel as good as it was before, why? Because there's another one, another girl who is sharing her place. But at that moment all that mattered was landing safely.

And now this, encouraging her, the girl who barged in her personal space with Harry. And Harry motivating her? Bad. Su looking at Harry like her world depends on what he says? Very bad. She had planned to take things slow, to let things happen at their natural pace. But Su's entry had quickened things up. She can't lose all of that because of one girl even though it wasn't much...still it felt good. And she won't lose it without fighting.

Harry literally wanted to kill both of them. Ever since that rescue mission, both Su and Susan became more clingy, staying near him all the time. It was worse in classes he shared with both as they would try to make him their partner. It's just good he had Terry and till date the classes needed students working in pairs only therefore no threes.

"Where to now?" Su asked from his left side, she had been on his left since Susan took right, bugging him every now and then. Idiots.

"Potions." Harry said without any emotions, walking straight with equal steps.

"What happened to the Gryffindor-Slytherin flying lessons?" Terry asked out loud. He was the most oblivious one of current events. Harry felt they needed someone who was a good gossip person. Someone who knew most of the things happening around them.

"Cancelled. Auntie seized all the Hogwarts brooms for inspection." This had happened the same day and by dinner time Harry was the target of many Gryffs and Snakes. Point was, they could just mutter angrily behind his back, the moment things even tried to heat-up...well, madam Pomfrey would miss a few night's sleep.

Fun thing? Madam Bones had stripped Dumbledore off his knickers when he had tried to make it sound like an 'accidental mishap' and so of course he had gladly confiscated all the brooms for inspection till further notice.

"That's bad, they won't like it. We'll have to be alert from stray jinxes and hexes now." Terry was either paranoid or afraid, and what's 'we'? Harry was the one being targeted here.

They would have walked further but were stopped by a squeaky voice calling Harry. They turned only to find the half goblin professor of Hogwarts panting as he ran towards them.

"Yes professor?" Harry asked him as he panted and calmed down.

"Can I have some of your time?" Flitwick asked him and they knew it wasn't a question so Harry nodded and followed the dwarf professor towards his office.

Inside the office, Harry eyed everything on display while Flitwick ruffled his personal cupboard. He ignored the trap doors he had sensed and the secret pathway that was linked with the second red book on the fifth shelf towards his right. He saw the trophies and certificates Flitwick got from duelling championships, and the photographs of his favourite pupils. Harry noted that Flitwick wasn't biased towards his famous pupils. To him all were the same.

There was also a golden axe with blood painted on its blade. Which meant Flitwick was also well trained in melee weapons and was proud of his goblin heritage. The room was well kept except for all the ancient tomes and books scattered everywhere.

There were quills, parchments and ink bottles, ancient scripts and spell charts. Overall Harry assessed one thing very clearly, Flitwick was not someone to mess with and move. It's good to be in his good books and know his tricks before clashing their wands.

"Mr. Po..." Flitwick hesitated a bit then sighed "Harry?" He called out getting the green eyed elemental's attention.

Harry turned to see Flitwick smiling at him, not with pride, yes it was there but there was some sadness too, and the reason for this was the photograph in his hand.

A redhead girl was grinning, her green eyes gleaming with joy, she looked close to nineteen, she was holding some sort of certificate. It was handmade yet she was holding it with such pride as if it was the Order of Merlin itself. Beside her was the dwarf charms professor, younger than he was now but not by much, he too was laughing and then tumbled down the books he was standing on. And both of them laughed at that.

Harry knew who the girl was, but what was the reason for all this? And why make him miss his potions class for this? Snape was for sure doing a jig by now. "She was my star student, Harry. The best in charms for her age. She had memorised and practised almost all the charms no matter how tough it was. She was brilliant and a smart worker, a thinker and always the perfectionist. You know who she is right?" Flitwick asked the boy.

"Lily Potter, my...mother." Harry's tone, heavy though it was, wasn't able to give out how his heart felt. He had seen his mother, heard about her, read about her, and yearned to meet her. She was, is and forever will be his hero. A pity she left him before he could remember how her smile was, how she laughed, was she ticklish? Was she good at singing? Did she sing lullabies for him? Well, he was not a kid anymore so no need for all of that. He was a man now, yes... A man.

"Yes, yes Harry, she is Lily Potter. But do you know what paved her way to this cupboard? It was her selflessness and dedication for all things she loved. She was a proud woman, a strong headed one, going toe-to-toe with many people of her time. But I took her in her second year, when she saved the giant squid by feeding him because his tentacles were tied due to some accident. She was very much scared, yet the compassion compelled her to do what was right rather than what was easy."

Harry absorbed all of that and nodded, still confused as to why he was receiving such a lecture.

"You might be confused as to why I am lecturing you about her, yes? No problem, it's natural to be confused and find answers, humans have been doing so since ages. Now for this particular case," he sighed again "There are photographs of all my favourite pupils on the walls, not her, why? Because she was too good, she was so good that she didn't care about herself and gave up her life to protect you and your brother."

Then Flitwick looked in Harry's eyes "Just like you."

And suddenly everything clicked in place. Maybe Flitwick got that too because he kept the golden photo frame on his desk and bowed from his waist "I-I don't know how to thank you Harry. You saved one of my claws, you didn't care about your life and just...I am eternally grateful for your chivalrous act. I know how it is to lose one of my claws and...the experience is not good." Harry saw a tear drop splash on the cold stone floor.

Flitwick knows how it was 'to lose one of his'. There aren't any recent deaths at Hogwarts which meant it had been quite some time. Flitwick looked close to eighty and he won his ninth and last duelling championship when he was in his mid twenties, which means this 'loss' had occurred in the last fifty years. There was no Voldemort attack at Hogwarts so it could not be Voldemort either...what's it then?

"I can't award you points or the award but on my honour as a member of Clan Barchoke, I offer you my debt along with my eternal gratitude. If you need my help in anything, then just say it out loud. I will always be there for you." Flitwick told him bowing.

Harry contemplated the offer for sometime, it was interesting and quite a big thing to get a goblin indebted to you, it was bound to be useful.

"Anything professor?" Harry asked him again just to make sure that he heard it right.

"If it's in my power then yes, anything you want." Flitwick clarified his statement and was a bit astonished to see the cold boy interested so much.

Harry smirked, there was indeed something he needed.

"May I come in sir?"

"Ah, the great flyer of Hogwarts is here. Finally deemed us worthy enough for your late presence, did you." Snape drawled, as he watched Harry stand there staring cooly.

"Who are you staring at Potter? Why were you late?" Snape asked him, trying his best to control his urge to use legilimency and see what the brat was planning.

"Professor Flitwick stopped me for some talk. Here's the out pass." Harry wasn't going to call this man 'sir' till he behaved like one.

Snape took a look at it and Harry entered the dank, dark room. There was some black haired Ravenclaw girl who shifted and gave him an inviting smile. Harry ignored her and instead took his seat with Terry.

"Twenty points from Ravenclaw for lying to a professor and five more for coming in without permission." Snape's slithery voice came from the doorway. Harry heard Terry grumble but Harry didn't mind that.

.

"Why did Professor Flitwick call you Harry?" Susan asked as she sat beside him and began piling mashed potatoes and gravy.

"Just to talk about my mother. How she was his favourite student, how I rescued both of you without caring about myself...like her." Harry wasn't looking at anyone because he knew the pity looks he would receive and he hated that. He didn't want anyone's pity. He had worked this hard to prove himself. He won't let anyone pity him.

Thankfully no-one asked him anything else. At Least they were smart enough to know he won't answer them either.

.

"Hey boy! Stop there. Can't you read the plaque, it's the Restricted section. Students are not allowed inside. Who are you?" Irma Pince, the sexy librarian of Hogwarts stopped the boy and ran towards him.

"I'm Hadrian Potter madam, and here's a permission slip from my head of house, Filius Flitwick allowing me access to the restricted section for one year." Harry gave her the signed slip, he planned to get it done for two years but maybe it was too much.

Well one year wasn't bad either, he could get much work done in one year. And before Madam Pince could look inside, Harry was already looking through a shelf that contained potions books.

Thing was, Flitwick didn't sign the slip until Harry gave his word as Potter heir to not to touch any of the dark arts book inside the restricted section for this duration, the words were specific and clear, given by Flitwick himself, but there's nothing that is foolproof. Harry couldn't touch anything right? Yes 'touch', but it's a magical world and well, there are many things that could be done, right? Right.

Dumbledore sighed as he came back from the emergency meeting with the Board of Governors. Amelia's complaint had been taken more seriously than he had expected and now there was an investigation team, doodling over the school brooms. It didn't matter that much but having governors meddle in how he ran his school was something he despised. And how in Merlin's ball was Harry able to save two girls at the same time if both the brooms were jinxed in the first place.

And Rolanda, why couldn't she understand that saving two girls was not a service to school. But no, to her Harry this and Harry that and now she wants to give that award personally too. And how were two brooms jinxed in the first place? Was it Tom? But then why would he target Harry Potter? What's so special about that Potter boy?

And yes Potter, Alan. Blasted boy won't go towards the third floor corridor. ‘Should I motivate Ronald more? Ten more galleons perhaps?’ Money wasn't more important than getting Alan to the third floor. No, a simple meeting would do, the Weasleys would do whatever he said anyways. Yes, that was a good thing.

And about Harry Potter. He needed information on that unknown variable. How is he so calm? Is he too practising occlumency? That won't be good for his plans. And where did he learn that stunner? How did he get this knowledgeable at Dursleys? Why didn't they destroy his will like he planned? A visit was in order. Yes, he could only get more information on that boy from the point he had last left him.

Ending Note- Here you have it fellows! The fifth chapter of 'Silence of the Winters'. Hated it, liked it, loved it? Please tell.

Also it's always exciting to hear your thoughts and ideas, they are the things that help me get through a few more intricate plot designs.

So, what do you think about it?

Here's the link to HAPHNE Server on discord:

https://discord.gg/haphne

Name: Harry/Daphne

Here's the link to my super private server on discord where I'll keep on updating new chapters, sneak peeks, Character designs, where you are free to talk and ask things regarding my fics directly:

Its a newly launched server...

https://discord.gg/Gcbcv4dxGx

Name: 𝕯𝖊𝖛 𝕭𝖑𝖆𝖈𝖐'𝖘 𝕰𝖒𝖕𝖎𝖗𝖊

Thank you for reading,

With regards,

Dev Black

Chapter 6: Half-Blood Mother

Chapter Text

"I am Talking."

'I am Thinking.'

Spells

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The first step to solving a mystery is cleaning all the variables from the equation.

~R-Kade

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Previously in SotW-

And now Harry Potter, he needed information on that unknown variable. How is he so calm? Is he too practicing occlumency? That won't be good for his plans. And where did he learn that stunner? How did he get this knowledgeable at Dursleys? Why didn't they destroy his will like he planned? A visit is in order. Yes, he could only get more information on that boy from the point he had last left him.

Silence of the Winters

- Dev Sagittarius Black

~~Chapter 6: Half-blood Mother~~

Ronald Weasleywas standing in front of the door smiling proudly as he remembered the task that THE Albus Dumbledore had assigned him. He was supposed to take Alan to the third-floor corridor somehow which was a very easy task since Alan would go anywhere to make up for his lost reputation due to his idiot brother-who-lived-on-the-street. Ron knew he just needed some impulsive point now.

Dumbledore smiled as he watched the youngest male Weasley leave his office. Passive charms were wonderful things but they didn't have the same power as an accomplished orator like him. Last time he had used passive mind controllers to make the gullible Weasley boy do his work. Maybe that was the reason it took him so long. This time he knew it would take just a few days to see his plan come to fruition.

And now Albus knew where he was most needed. Number four, Privet Drive, Little Whining, Surrey. He took up the exact point and apparated out of his office.

There was a soft 'POP' sound and an Old man appeared on the footpath going along the road. He was wearing a pinstriped indigo suit and white shirt. His long silvery-gray beard and hairs were carefully braided. He looked around and nodded. Last time when he was here it was night time and so easier to blend in with his comfortable flamboyant robes, this time? Not so much.

Dumbledore looked around the part of England he had been about twelve years ago from now. Everything looked as it was that night. The same lamp posts and houses. Everything was just as he had seen then. He then flicked his wand and nodded at the intention and blood-based wards that were stretched over House no. 4.

'I am here for Harry Potter' he kept on thinking that and stepped inside the wards. It wasn't the toughest ward to crack. Therefore, for someone as good as him, well, it was a child's play.

He walked towards the wooden door and pressed the bell switch. There was a distinct chime signifying the working condition of the house. Dumbledore checked himself once more before adopting his grandfatherly smile. It never harmed to be polite, and he was dealing with the Dursleys here.

He waited

And waited

And... waited.

No response

He again pressed the bell twice and waited a bit more. But again, no sound came from inside. He frowned at that and tried again but received no response.

'It is the middle of September, where could the Dursleys have gone?' For a moment, he entertained the thought of seeking in. But he removed it as soon as it came, there was no way he was going to do that. Maybe they were on some extended family holiday? Well, then there's only one person to meet.

Dumbledore walked towards number three and pressed the bell. He waited patiently and smiled as he heard the 'coming' in Arabella Figg's distinctive shrill voice. He hadn't met her for the past twelve years either. It was Mundungus Fletcher and Dedalus Diggle who worked as their middlemen.

The door opened and Arabella gasped in surprise as she saw Dumbledore smiling at her, his blue eyes twinkling behind his half-moon glasses. "How are you Arabella? Long-time no see."

"Albus! How are you? Come in, come in." She ushered him inside and served him tea with scones.

"I was expecting Dedalus but he told me the work was done?" She asked him as she sat on the chair in front.

Dumbledore nodded "For now, yes. I just came to ask a few questions about our mutual subject. I am not intruding right?" It wasn't a question but a statement and Arabella knew better than to answer in affirmative.

"How can I help you?" She was certain he wouldn't go till he knew all the things, but there wasn't much to say, after all she did tell Dedalus everything she knew and observed.

"Well then, tell me what you noticed about young Harry. Was he bullied? And did someone suspicious like any wizard or witch visit him?" Albus asked her and sat patiently, observing each and every twitch of her face.

Arabella frowned a bit and asked one simple thing that left him shell shocked..."Harry who?"

"What is Baruffio's Brain elixir used for?"

"Page 67, third paragraph." Harry replied and kept on reading his Thousand Charms for you by Alison Bernard, an accomplished French enchanter from the sixteenth century. Quite a few of his writings were incorrect but they weren't blunders, which meant the mistakes could be easily corrected.

"Wasn't the potion's name significant enough to tell what it is used for?" Susan muttered from Harry's right, glaring at her book. Thankfully only Harry and Hannah heard her.

It had been one month now and Harry was slowly getting warmed up or at least accepting of their presence. Things were going smoother than he expected them to go. They were all getting enough time to study and each of them were doing their best to keep up. He liked the healthy competition but sometimes it evolved into something not so good for his head.

Su had joined them after that broom incident and Susan had made herself quite clear that she didn't approve of her joining them. Why? No particular reason, just that Susan didn't want her as she had worded "get everything"...what everything? Harry had no idea. Girls were complicated like that.

Therefore, the situation was like, helping Susan? Good. Helping Su? Good. Helping Susan and Su together or in each other's presence? Bad. Why? No idea. And it was unnerving to hear them grumble and mutter under their breath, it would have evolved into something more but Harry had made it clear that in his presence no stupid bickering should take place.

Another person who sometimes joined them was the only other first year Gryffindorett who had, besides Harry, taken partial residence in Hogwarts library. One Hermione Jean Granger. And although Harry welcomed every intelligent mind that had potential to evolve into something more profitable, he didn’t like spending too much time around her.

Hermione was someone whom Harry had some trouble controlling, mainly because of her 'I-know-better-than-you' attitude and pseudo haughtiness of knowing everything required. This was why she head butted into anything he told them, any explanation, any theory, just anything. It was like she wanted to prove herself more worthy than Harry.

And Harry? He didn't care one bit because her occlumency less memory was the easiest one to read. It was a surprise that her brain was well organized because she didn't have any idea about what occlumency was. But a well-organized brain with no occlumency? It was like advertising your thoughts out and begging to anyone to read them. Harry could have simply read her thoughts and gave her a direct explanation, slicing her ego with each word.

But then, what's the need? Why spoil your brain on a brainless person. So, Harry did the wiser thing, shutting her off and doing what he thought was best for himself. Hermione and her brain can go play merry-go-round with the Giant Squid. Honestly, Harry could feel why no one in her own house talked with her.

The other persons who didn't seem to give their attendance anymore were Alan and Ronald. They were either seen gobbling food or whispering conspicuously as if planning for world domination. Knowing them, it was probably about how Slytherins and Harry was evil.

The only place that needed his attention was the prohibited third floor corridor. One might ask why hadn't he visited that place like Ronald, Alandale, Draco or the Weasley twins, but they might forget that till date they weren't dealing with some sneaky professor of Hogwarts who walked up and down that corridor in a purple turban.

There was something wrong with that guy. Harry was sure he had seen something glowing red when the professor turned towards the board. He was also sure that it was him who jinxed Susan's and Su's brooms but how was he invisible then? There was no way that a simple disillusionment charm could be performed that well. Certainly not by Quirrell.

There's only one thing that could hide someone that perfectly but then, how had the Potter family heirloom fell into the dirty hands of Quirinus bloody Quirrell. And for that single thing...there's only one way to find the truth. It was monday today and he needed Saturday to finish that job.

"- and then McGonagall knocked 10 points because Alan was kicking Zach beneath the table." Susan finished up her daily rant of what happened here and what happened there while Harry finished up his food, thirty minutes earlier than he usually did. Actually it was because he took less in the first place.

"Terry, I will be taking an early night tonight." Harry told the curly haired Ravenclaw as he stood up to leave.

"You aren't feeling sick, right?" Su asked him "I too am done, come Harry I can accompa-" Susan stopped as Harry spoke up.

"I am fine Su, and Susan, thanks but I am feeling well enough right now." He told them and before they could protest any further, he was already moving towards the large double doors. Ignoring the curious looks of Dumbledore, Snape and of course Quirrell.

Thankfully Alan and Ron weren't curious about him. In fact they had left him completely to his tasks and he was very much thankful for that because he would hate to be classified as a bully, then again, they will need proof for what he did and how for that matter.

Harry traversed the serpentine corridor of the third floor as sneakily as possible and stood in front of the dark mahogany door beside classroom 3C, where their DADA classes were held. The golden plaque read:

Defense Against the Dark Arts office

Holder- Professor Quirinus Quirrell

Meeting time

Weekdays- 4 pm to 8 pm

Weekends- 3 pm to 9 pm

Harry looked sideways before whipped his wand out and flicked it on his Geminus ring given to him by his grand lady on his eleventh birthday. His hairs elongated and turned shades lighter turning almost silvery white, his eyes turned blue of the skies, and his height elongated till he reached a good 5'10" and a black robe cocooned him and a black obscuring hood fell halfway down his face.

Harry stretched out his magical sensor sheet and felt the locking and alert charms in place, plus the temporary ward lines that would scan and save his magical signature, 'Fat chance with that now.'

So Harry flicked his wand and whispered "Obscuro Magicae" negating the thin ward lines to alert Quirrell by scrambling the magic to obscure any activity temporarily. An "Alohomihora", the third level of Alohom*ora, to not only unlock the doors but also to freeze the protection charms for next ten seconds, he could have permanently dispelled the wards but he didn't for two reasons, first, Time and second, not to make Quirrell anymore suspicious.

The door opened and Harry stepped in only to stop midway.

"Quirinus, you are sooner than expected my dear, please turn off the- who are you?" The portrait was of an old man wearing rich robes, he looked thin and had sharp features, gray hairs fell down his shoulders in waves and frown lines marred his forehead below which there were twin pools of green that looked more lively than the portrait itself, the portrait looked old and beneath it there was a golden plaque with rust on its edges that read:

Sir Richmond Derrevans

First of his name

Lord of the Most Ancient house of Derrevans

Born- Aran-mānod 28, 1346

Died- Hornung 16, 1488

'Think fast Potter. Who the hell keeps an old portrait for guarding their rooms? Yeah, Quirrell does.'

There was also the problem of the ten second time gap he got to enter Quirrell's office, "Someone who doesn't care what you think of him." Harry said in his charmed voice that was heavier than usual.

"Oh, but you should, because even if you have dispelled the alert wards, I still have my ways to alert Quirinus of your arrival. He will be here in what, five minutes? And how much time do you need for whatever you have to do?"

'As much as I can get' "Won't take long." He said and stepped inside, just in time for the alert wards to reactivate.

Harry ignored the portrait and closed his eyes, concentrating on the room and his magical sensor sheet, trying his best to stretch it further and scan the Potter family heirloom. He tried to concentrate it thrice but failed again and again because of the reason that the room was filled with magical artifacts that were hindering his thin sensor sheet.

'Manual searching then' Harry decided and began rummaging through the drawers to look for the thing he sneaked in the professor's room.

"I can help you, you know. Afterall I have stayed in this room longer than you." The portrait of Richmond kept on ranting.

"Do you know there's a secret passage in this room, maybe the thing you need is hidden there?"

Harry thought about it but shook his head, no one in their right mind would hide something that precious in a damp, dark, rat-stricken passageway of Hogwarts.

"Oh, so bad, you won't find it any sooner, if you had been in your good senses, you would have taken my help the moment I had offered, now I will have to report Quirinus of your presence." Richmond's tone was of faux pity.

Wait! The portrait didn't tell out Harry's presence the moment he entered? Means, the portrait needs something from him that Quirrell won't give.

"How much has Hogwarts fallen that now spies are roaming freely and are able to sneak their way in DADA offices of poor stuttering professors." Richmond kept on his monologue.

'Poor stuttering professors? Sure, a poor stuttering professor is casting jinxes and alert wards.'

"My own house fell so deep that I don't think there are any living descendants of mine either. Not even that changed name Evans is left. Don't know why Grizmalad fought that stupid duel lead-"

Richmond kept on ranting but Harry stopped hearing anything after that sentence...'Not even that changed name...Evans is left.' He turned towards the portrait so fast there was audible sound that might have originated from the snapped muscles.

"Evans you say? Are you related to the Evans family line?" Harry asked Richmond Derrevans, whose name now meant more than just Derrevans to him.

Richmond puffed his chest out "Related boy? I am the first of the Derrevans, a family that gave rise to two new families with the names Evans and Derrijans. My too many times great grandsons brought this fate upon us Derrevans. And now? Now there aren't any living Derrijans or Evans. Tom promised to help me find my descendant and till date-"

"I..." 'I can't give him my identity that easily. But what if he helps me? Afterall he has indeed spent more time here...but what if he won't help me?' "I am a descendant of yours." Harry spoke out loud and kept the information about this 'Tom' to check upon later.

"My descendant?" Richmond frowned "Remove that hood, why fear from your ancestor boy?" The first of the Derrevans asked him.

"Besides the fact that you can see my face and tell Quirrell about me?"

"Oh no-no, my dear, Quirrell is already on his way to this room. But he doesn't control me. I am a free portrait, no one controls me. Quirinus brought me here to protect his secret and get the knowledge his master desires. I came with him because I wanted to meet my descendants, so you see, if you are really my descendant then I can go with you instead of being stuck on a wall." Richmond told him and gave his best tired face impression.

"How long till Quirrell is here?" This was more needed than all others.

"Three minutes, give or take a few more seconds." He said nonchalantly "So, you ready to take me with you?" He sounded excited, as if this room was the bane of his existence.

Harry thought for a while then shook his head, "First tell me, one thing. Have you ever seen Quirrell use any invisibility cloak? Silvery white in color that makes the wearer invisible from everything."

"You mean that stupid Potter invisibility cloak, right?"

Harry quirked his right eyebrow...stupid? But nodded, 'Throne a Donkey when needed'

"I have seen it somewhere, yes, but can't remember where." Richmond said, looking up from his portrait and frowning hard.

"Where have you seen it? In this room? Or some other place at Hogwarts? Or some other country?" Harry sounded impatient, but who can blame him, this was about his family heirloom after all.

Richmond grumbled "I am a portrait boy, we don't remember anything that easily. We need to see anything at least ten times to remember it as perfectly as my...living memories." There was longing in his voice when he said the last part.

"If you can't help me, then why should I? Stay here for another generation of Evans." Harry said and turned to move out of the door, no use of wasting his time on stupid old portraits. He will come here again next Saturday and freeze the idiot till dinner ends.

"No, wait, take me too. I am very useful. There was a reason Tom brought me in the first place. I have knowledge about arcane magics that have unbelievable power. One of which WILL be useful to you. I am all yours, and if you take me with-"

"Shut up you dolt." Harry growled a bit to emphasize his anger, this idiot was asking to take himself when he is the reason that Harry has to run away from his search. Plus, he can't remember where he had seen the cloak, though that gave him some clue of the cloak being somewhere here in Hogwarts. And then there was this 'Tom' and Quirrell's 'Master' he had to now worry about.

Every instinct of Harry was warning him not to take Richmond. The man seemed to be some shady character in the huge play of life. He so wanted to move away but then...arcane magics that have unbelievable power. One of which 'will'...yes, this old man was sure that one of his magical approaches WILL help him sometime.

"What's this special knowledge?" Harry was royally pissed off now. Quirrell could be here any moment and he was busy bantering with a dead man! Oh, bless his stupid luck.

Richmond smirked, and for a moment Harry felt as if the man wasn't dead, as if he was as alive as him and Susan "Why, the knowledge about the link between life and death of course." He said and looked towards Harry as if he knew what the teenage elemental was planning to do next.

But before Harry could've said or done anything, the door slammed open.

'!WHAM!'

"Who are you?" Quirrell thundered after pausing to catch his breath from running three staircases that changed their directions every now and then.

"Your Death." Harry growled and threw a "Lumos Maxima" before jumping out of the stone window. Quirrell shielded his eyes from the bright ball of sun shaming light and cried "Incarcerous!" But the black ropes that leaped out tried to grasp thin air before falling downwards. Quirrell ran towards the window and looked down only to see the illuminated grassy ground of Hogwarts. He looked around but unfortunately there was no sign of his intruder. It was as if he had vanished into thin air.

.

Harry groaned as he again emptied his stomach's content, and all that came out was water and a few drops of blood. He hated this...this after effect of using his elemental powers, although yes, he had been prohibited from using these for two months and opening the same wound again and again wasn't going to heal him faster.

Harry had gone through his elemental maturity a month before coming to Hogwarts. And had been prohibited from using his powers for the next two months. Unfortunately, he had to use his power last month when he saved Su and then again today...just because of a dead man, or he would have escaped via a much safer way.

"No Elemental Magic till December Potter, you are grounded!" Harry repeated his grand lady's words before holding his throbbing head and crawling out of the washroom towards the common room. Bed wasn't something he needed at the moment.

He needed some time alone to sort his mind out. Sort Quirrell and his lack of stutter when casting spells, sort the fact that Richmond was his ancestor from his mother's side who had seen his invisibility cloak somewhere and had the knowledge about the link between life and death.

Richmond's presence was a type of U-turn in his life, his presence and origin of house Evans would make his mother a half-blood and him a three-fourth, technically at least. Also, whoever this Tom is, he brought Richmond out from wherever that tattered portrait was for the knowledge of that link. And who is Quirrell's master? So many questions, so much work to do.

"What's the use of Aberto?"

"Used to open doors."

"But we have Alohom*ora for that!"

"You have a sword which kills, but will you ever say no to a gun?"

Susan opened her mouth but wisely kept shut. She wouldn't say no to a gun if offered during a battle of sorts. Being the niece of the director of DMLE, she knew how precious weapons could be.

It was 31st of October today, which meant Halloween! But Susan Bones was here sitting on table 4D in the library beside a seriously hot Harry Potter, who was busy reading some potion book from the restricted section. She had been excited for the public parties at Hogwarts, like the welcoming feast or the Yule fest or the Halloween or...well yeah.

But when they were all ending today's study session, having finished their homework earlier than usual and were getting ready for the Halloween feast, Harry had dropped his bomb. The 'I-am-NOT-going' bomb that everyone drops when they are in one of their moods. And yes, his 'Not' was not with a capital N it was fully capital.

They tried. Oh yes, they did, but to no avail. Harry just won't budge. When they had pressurized him too much, he gave away his secret. Or maybe one of the many reasons? And that secret shut them up- "twelve years ago, today I lost my parents. You think I should celebrate it and give them a toast for victory?"

That was sarcastically said and they understood what he meant. Then she too had told them about not feeling well, after all how could one feel good when Harry is not with them? And so she had denied her presence and crushed the 'Party Susan' deep down till Yule. She will be with Harry, no matter what, that's final!

"Susan?" Hannah's voice rang the now almost empty library as she and Su entered it. They walked towards 'their' table and stood.

"What happened?" Susan asked frowning as both of them fidgeted a bit.

"We want you to come with us. We don't want to leave you here. Harry is welcomed too if he wants, but his reasons are right. You aren't, I know how much you had wanted to celebrate Halloween feasts and all that comes with it. You were so excited about it, that you were barely concentrating in today's lessons." Hannah said and stopped giving Susan the 'look'.

Susan too started fidgeting and chanced a peak at Harry who was now eying her with his damned left eyebrow quirked, as if asking her 'Is it true?', Susan ignored him and turned towards Hannah with a defiant face "So what, it's my mood. I don't want to go now. You can't-"

"So you DID want to go, but stopped because I am not going." Harry announced then shook his head sadly muttering something close to 'Dummy girl'.

It took the combined effort of Harry, Hannah, Su and Party Susan to change 'Reluctant Susan' to Party one. Even then Susan had made him promise her that he wouldn't spend all his time in the library and instead would go to the kitchens. She had promised him that she would ask the kitchen elves of his arrival and how much he ate.

He had pointed out that he was unaware of the kitchen's location and how to access it. Susan had blushed furiously as Hannah and Su laughed at her expense. The redhead had then told her the Kitchen's location and how to access it by tickling the pear. Then with the last promise of checking with the elves, she had finally left him to his tasks.

Harry looked around himself and nodded, he was finally all alone. Not even Hermione, who was the only other person that stayed in the library as much as him, was here. Harry was quite impressed with Hermione's brain and her capacity to inhale everything.

Afterall he was an exceptional occlumens blessed with eidetic memory and undergone a full body enhancement ritual. His brain was capable of easily running five thoughts simultaneously. But hers wasn't, therefore it was impressive. Why the hell the hat didn't put the bushy girl in Ravenclaw? Merlin only knows.

Harry had been lying when he told Susan about going to the kitchen and all that hogwash but Madam Pince's presence was required at the Halloween feast and therefore, although reluctantly, she kicked him out of the library. This was why he found himself roaming the fourth-floor corridor and moving towards the Hogwarts kitchens.

Harry was about to step down the stairs when he heard some shuffling behind him, it was as if someone ran past him. He turned around swiftly only to see a piece of cloth vanish in thin air. He ran through a list of people who could do that and the first person that came was Quirinus Quirrell. And if Quirrell vanished out like that, then it meant Harry's invisibility cloak was just meters away from him.

Harry frowned at that and looked sideways before bringing his sensor sheet into action. Thankfully, there wasn't a single living being within a three meters radius. He silenced his shoes and sneaked towards the corner where he saw the cloth vanish out.

There he spread his sheet again and was surprised to find no one, Quirrell had either ran away or somehow turned himself into antimatter. Running away was more believable, but the question was why would Quirinus Quirrell be in the fourth floor corridor when the Hogwarts grand feast was being held in the great hall on the ground floor. Yeah, shady situations.

Harry took a deep breath before turning his head and looking down the length of the dark corridor that was lit by torches and candles at regular intervals. There wasn't a single person on view, no matter living or dead. No ghosts, no portraits, nothing. 'Where could he have run? The corridor was at least forty meters long so he couldn't have run away that fast, then where?'

The only other place Quirrell could have hidden behind were the big doors that every classroom at Hogwarts had. He made up his mind and crawled towards the first door spreading his sheet and putting his ear to listen to anything. Harry was on his sixth door when he saw that, he would have missed it if it wasn't three metres away from him or his eyesight wasn't enhanced via the enhancement ritual.

There it was, the flickering beam of light that was coming from inside of room 4G and was mixing with the glare from the torches outside it. Harry crouched down and looked at the centimeter-tall gap between the stone floor and the black Mahogany wood door, he smirked in triumph as he saw that it was indeed coming from inside of the room.

Which clearly meant that Quirrell was behind this door. Harry stood up and placed his ear on the door but unfortunately heard the same unadulterated silence he had been welcomed to at every other door down the corridor, 'Silencing charm then' , he closed his eyes and spread his sensor sheet to feel what that stuttering fool was doing but unfortunately that purple turban idiot was standing far away or just not in his three metre range.

Harry went through a number of scenarios of what Quirrell could be doing, meeting Tom? Or maybe his Master? And then there was the case of Richmond, that link between life and death. What if Quirrell found out how to use it and was doing some sort of ritual for his master? Afterall, today was Samahain, the day when the planes of living and dead were in closest proximity.

There were a lot of maybes but one thing was certain, whatever his dearest DADA professor was doing was bad and Harry won't let him do it. Plus he still needed his Potter invisibility cloak. Therefore he flicked his wand and whispered "Alohom*ora'' .There was no voice that indicated the unlocking of the door but Harry knew his spell had done its job. This was the side effect of using silencing charms: they silence whatever you want completely, not even the caster can get any voice from it afterwards.

Harry pushed the door two centimetres wide and peeped inside, what he saw made his vision go red with anger.

Ending Note- Dun Dunn Dunnnnnn...! Ain't I evil for another cliffy?

There you have it fellas, sixth chapter of 'Silence of the Winters'. Hated it? Liked it? Loved it? Please tell me! I love your reviews. I am eternally grateful to those who reviewed earlier. It just takes a few seconds to review it.

Just a simple 'Good work Dev' would do wonders for my motivation. So please take some time and review my work. Constructive criticism is appreciated.

So, what do you think of it?

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Its a newly launched server...

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Name: 𝕯𝖊𝖛 𝕭𝖑𝖆𝖈𝖐'𝖘 𝕰𝖒𝖕𝖎𝖗𝖊

Thank you for reading,

With regards,

Dev Black

Chapter 7: Deathly Halloween

Chapter Text

"I am Talking."

'I am Thinking'

Spells

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The word 'History' literally means 'His' story and the his in any story is definitely the victor.

~R-Kade

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Previously in SotW-

There were a lot of maybes but one thing was certain, whatever his dearest DADA professor was doing was bad and Harry won't let him do it, plus he still needed his Potter invisibility cloak. Therefore he flicked his wand and whispered "Alohom*ora" there was no voice that indicated the unlocking of the door but Harry knew his spell had done it's job. This was the side effect of using silencing charms they silence whatever you want completely, not even the caster can get any voice from it afterwards.

Harry pushed the door two centimetres wide and peeped inside, what he saw made his vision go red with anger.

Silence of the Winters

-Dev Sagittarius Black

~~Chapter 7: Deathly Halloween~~

Daphne Greengrass was having a perfect day. Why? Because she had received her orders in a day! And considering her small transportation business started just two months ago, this was a very good thing for future.

Transportation business, it was the best way to make some extra cash at Hogwarts. It was actually started by her father who had to find some way to make more money out of the stipulated amount given to him by her grandfather.

So, instead of wasting it on useless things, he started buying things not allowed at Hogwarts and bringing it via a ward hole he found in the school wards and he started supplying it successfully to his fellow school mates. After that, he started buying goods in stock during summer and winter holidays, bringing them to school and then selling them at a higher price.

This was something he had taught her and it made her feel independent, more responsible than others. And she wanted that. Also, there was no problem in dealing with her fellow students. Everyone, literally every-bloody-one wanted something or the other, especially boys.

Boys followed her wherever she went, asking to bring in one thing or the other just because they wanted some time with her. A smile here, a laugh there, a wink here, and a wiggle there and BINGO! you have whatever the hell you want. Daphne knew how good she was in social skills and she was proud of that. She just needed five minutes with a guy to make him dance around her pinky.

All but one...Harry-Bloody-Potter!

The Potter heir was the single boy in the whole of Hogwarts that dared to make fun of her right in her face. Who the hell did he think he was? Alright, he was the heir and the future lord of the Most Ancient and Most Noble houses of Potter and Peverell, something that was two levels higher than her house and three levels higher than herself. Okay, he was also brother to the supposed Boy-Who-Lived.

Anything else? No. Did he do something big enough to be a snobbish prat like he actually is? BIG NO! And she hated him for that. He was the first one who had made fun of her and she was determined to kick his shiny backdoor the moment she got her lucky chance.

This was what Daphne was musing about as she washed her hands in the second floor girl's washroom before she heard heavy footsteps behind her and moments later her world went black.

When Daphne next woke up there was something preventing her from opening her eyes. A blindfold maybe? She tried to wriggle a bit only to find both her hands and legs tied tightly and some hard surface beneath her. That's when she heard her captors' voice.

"Ooh my little princess woke up?"

'Ugh..old Warrington playing his games' Daphne thought with annoyance.

"She woke up earlier than planned, either she is stronger than we thought or Flint just wasn't able to hit hard." A commanding rough voice said and she groaned 'Pucey too...hard luck Daph'

"It wasn't me you idiot, Higgs was supposed to knock her out." Flint's sneer filled voice echoed in the unused classroom, then came an indignant 'HEY!' which Daphne knew came from Terrance Higgs.

"Stop bickering! It doesn't matter. We will wipe her memory out." Warrington tried to make sure they kept up with their timing.

"But none of us know how to obliviate someone. We could turn her into a vegetable with our carelessness."

'Damnit Merlin, is everyone of the dark sect here?' Daphne groaned as she heard the voice of dear beaver face Rosier...Felix Rosier.

"No need for any of that. Let her remember who deflowered her today. She needs to be less prude. I hate that shiny arse dancing every now and then. She needs to know who to be afraid of." Pucey silenced them before commanding them "Higgs, Rosier de-robe her. We can't be out of the feast for long."

For the second time in her life, Daphne felt fear. But she knew there wasn't anything she could do as she felt the vile hands of Higgs and Rosier on her body. She just had to accept her fate for now...she WILL show them what it is to mess with a Greengrass.

Harry saw the scene unfurl in front of his eyes and felt like tearing the boys. He had low patience for wrong doers and zero for rapists. There were two ways he could go, either punish them himself or stun them and call the authorities. But then, what's the proof? They are five heirs, he was very sure who would win in the end.

'Shoot or Stun...Shoot or Stun...Think Potter!'

A redhead boy's hand going inside the tied girl's skirt answered his question as he flicked his wand out and pushed some magic in his Geminus ring to change his appearance and magical signature.

Harry's hair elongated to his shoulder length and its colour turned silvery white as his eyes changed from emerald green to sky blue. His height elongated to a 5 '10'' and his body got covered in midnight black robes from tip to toe ending with a hood falling halfway over his face.

Harry smirked as he pushed his wand just an inch inside and taking the advantage of his surprise element, he shot two quick silent stunners towards both the seventh year Slytherin boys who fell like an overloaded sack of potatoes.

Left out boys jumped behind the fallen benches and shot back curses at him. Warrington cried Reducto in Harry's direction who dodged it and jumped away, shooting Ventus on the two torches, condemning the room to utter darkness.

Harry knew he had to rely more on his senses and keep on dodging till he knocked out all of them. Right now he was at a disadvantage of three-to-one and he knew that Warrington or Pucey would soon crawl out to Enerevate both Higgs and Rosier.

Harry smirked in darkness, it was quite some time since he had some fun like this. He sat back and spread out his sensor sheet to sense one of the boys moving towards the two fallen ones as slowly as he could. 'Well, we can't have that now, can we?'

"Reducto Maxima!" Harry cried and dodged an orange organ liquefier from the far end of the room. He grinned when he heard the satisfying crunch of a body falling down.

The room was eerily quiet and each of them knew there were only three of them now. No one dared to move or make a sound for the fear of another one cursing them instantly.

"Wh-who are you?" Flint finally broke up and asked out loud only to get a silent stunner straight in his open mouth. While Harry dodged a wide range reductor from the last one remaining. Unfortunately he was very near the three fallen boys.

Harry spurned out his sensor sheet and saw the last boy trembling a bit as he sat huddled behind a barricade of hidden benches near the bodies. Apparently he didn't know how easily he could revive his fallen comrades. Or maybe he did and knew what could happen if he moved an inch out of his confined space.

Harry was getting bored of watching him sit there and do nothing. Why the hell was that idiot wasting his precious time? And like that, Harry knew his fun time ended and stunned the last boy remaining. And now began the boring task of giving them their punishments...'Oh yeah, punishments'

Harry kept his sensor sheet active as he traversed the room once to make sure his targets were stunned properly before he revived Marcus Flint who woke up totally unaware of his situation. "WH-whazzit?" He asked groggily, shaking his head to clear his empty brain box.

"Punishment." Harry told him in his magically repressed voice.

"What?" Flint asked, trying to focus on the looming figure above him, he could make out a few things but nothing specific.

"You asked my name... To you lot I will forever be known asPunishment." Harry told the older Slytherin before knocking him out again.

After that flashy fight where the lying girl assumed that 'Punishment' won and subdued her possible rapists, she could only hear sounds of clothes being torn, flesh being ripped, crunches of flesh hitting flesh, some cracks here and there...but she didn't hear anyone scream, what was going on? It felt like this guy was literally tearing the Slytherin students!! 'But even he wouldn't do that to them right? Right??'

Not even her own brain said 'yes'

The next ten minutes were the most horrifying ten minutes for Daphne Greengrass as she just heard a few continuous sounds of ripping, crunching and bone cracking repeatedly. She didn't know who this 'Punishment' guy was or what he was doing now minutes after the fight was done, but she one thing was clear- she was very much in his debt. In fact, she knew she owed him her life and all the things a girl was proud of.

It was then that she felt her torn clothes being sewn shut. They won't be as good as they were before all this but that wasn't a problem. She was a Greengrass, she could buy Madam Malkins if she wanted to. Right now she just needed all the help she could get.

Just after Daphne felt the magical stitching being finished, light seeped through her blindfold, meaning he had re-lighted the torches. She waited a few seconds to finally get rid of her binds but he didn't do anything like that. Why isn't he opening my binds? Is he planning to leave me like that.

Harry watched the tied girl with confusion in both, his eyes and mind, with just one question 'What now?' This wasn't meant to happen. He was just planning on saving her, but what about the aftermath? He knew someone would find the boys the next morning but what of the tied girl? Should he untie her and show himself?

Not a chance!

Then, what to do..'.damnit Potter, think.'

Harry got his answer from Daphne herself as she made some noise, as if trying to speak through her gag. He went forwards and removed the cloth gag. Not at all touching her blindfold.

"Th-thank you! I don't know who you are but you have helped me today. And I owe you my life for that." Daphne gave out and although he didn't ask for it, he wasn't someone to say no to such an important thing. Life debts are important after all.

"Can you please untie me too? I want to see you and thank you properly." She tried her best convincing voice.

And this was what he was afraid of. Although he was having a false alibi, he still didn't want anyone to know it's him. Afterall he didn't have any other alibi either.

"I am willing to give an oath on my magic to not reveal your identity to anyone." Daphne finally gave in, thinking righteously that this was what he was afraid of. Why? She had no idea.

Harry considered her statement and nodded to himself that that could be arranged. And so, he gave his wand to her, permitting her to use it, as he couldn't find her wand. After the oath was done, Harry kept his wand back and untied her hands. She could easily untie her legs and blindfold, right?

Daphne was feeling, well, three different emotions- if it was even possible- all at the same time. Fear, excitement, curiosity. She wanted to see this person, she was actually excited to meet someone who was able to subdue five seventh year students but she was a bit afraid of him. She owes him her life...how will he use it? What if he uses it now? For his personal pleasures?

'Calm down Greengrass, just remove your blindfold, that's it!' She thought and with slightly trembling fingers, she removed the blindfold, only to find the room completely empty...No one, not even a single living being was in sight.

'But how is that even possible? Where did he go? I gave him an oath on magic for Merlin's sake!' She knew she should be happy about the fact that he didn't use her body like she was afraid he would. But that didn't ease her curiosity or fear of the mysterious fellow who literally owns her. She couldn't even check who he is until it's time for the Debt ritual when she is ready to be married.

Then Daphne looked around and it came to her like a sudden surge of astonishment that the room was literally devoid of any other living being. 'Where are the boys? Either he took them with himself or...they are here but disillusioned!' That's it! Disillusionment charm! It's idiotic to even think about carrying five unconscious nineteen year olds.

What did he do to hide them like this? Something really bad? She remembered how dirty and squishy those crunches were and she hated her gut instincts on this matter. But right now she needed to find the boys and tell Headmaster Dumbledore of their activities. And for that, she needed her wand, which was...?

Daphne's eyes widened as she remembered the last place her wand was with her just before going unconscious- Second floor girl's washroom! She leaped off the desk before running down the deadly silent corridor.

Harry ran as fast as he could before coming to a sudden halt just before a moving staircase. He had shrunk himself back to Harry Potter again and was now moving downstairs, or just anywhere where he could leave Daphne Greengrass. He didn't know her but could wager a good guess that she was the same Daphne about whom Susan was telling him in infirmary.

And, alibi or not, he was NOT going to reveal himself to someone who was in constant contact with his friends. Especially after what he had done just moments ago to the five boys. He knew he was too harsh with them but in his eyes they were all rapists, and all rapists needed to be punished that way, that particular curse was developed for this purpose only. He just hated rapists with contempt. Maybe it was some PTSD? Maybe.

Harry was just about to pass the second floor corridor when a very foul smell blasted his nose buds and his extra sensitive nose made him double over the staircase railing to stop him from gurgling out whatever he last ate.

Harry enforced his occlumency shields to full force and prevented his nose buds from smelling anything till released. He knew this smell, the same foul smell he had encountered several times in the neighbouring forests. The smell of a troll. Precisely a fully grown-up troll. Which subspecies? No idea.

Harry groaned as he heard a girlish scream that screamed (no puns intended) someone was in grave danger and had just met her own lil cause of death. He was hating Halloween more and more now. He so wanted to leave whoever it was to her fate but knew that the 'good boy' in him won't let him do that. So he sprinted off in the direction from which he heard that blasted girl scream.

Arriving at the site of destruction Harry didn't know what he had expected but watching a HUGE mountain troll swinging his club, smashing wash basins as one Hermione Granger kept on wailing beneath one of the basins and another girl from Slytherin knocked out unconscious in one of the stalls was certainly not one of his expectations.

Oh and did he mention two idiots, both redheads, one Weasley and one, to his great shame, Potter, throwing bathroom tiles at the troll to get his attention before running away from a swinging club that would smash them to puddle if it ever got lucky. No? Well, there you have it.

Harry knew he should run and call the teachers instead of running head-on in the little battle, but he also knew his fat brother and lazy arse Weasley would very soon tire themselves out and get killed by the time he brought the professors, not that it would be a great loss but he was afraid that if this happens earlier than expected, then the troll would surely kill Granger and that fallen Slytherin. That was something he couldn't let happen. Why? Because that would mean killing a good lot of brainpower and Harry was completely against ruining such strong potential.

"What the bloody hell are you doing there, watching the show?! Co-" Alan's rant was stopped as someone shrieked behind Harry.

"TRACEY!"

Both Harry and Alan turned to see Daphne Greengrass, her eyes bulging out of her socket with tears forming in them, her mouth wide open and an aghast look on her face. She then turned towards the troll and- call it an adrenaline rush or just plain stupidity- shoved Harry out of her way as she threw a large piece of stone straight at the troll's chest making the huge creature stagger a bit groaning as he rubbed the spot.

Before shaking his head and snarling at Daphne with bloodthirsty eyes full of vengeance.

Daphne gulped whatever she had and looked towards the wash basin where she was washing her hands before getting kidnapped. No trace of her wand. She knew they would have thrown her wand but she wanted to believe them to be stupid enough to not to do so.

"Aquamenti Maxima!" Harry cried out pointing his black, deathwood wand as he released a mere ten percent of his magic towards the foul creature, drenching him in cold waters from tip to toe.

"Flippendo" Harry shot again forcing the bulking thing to stagger back before tumbling down and falling on his gigantic buttocks. It was tough, magic resistant skin making it hard to flip.

"Aquamenti" This time the water summoning charm was for drenching the part of floor beneath the fallen troll who was moving relatively fast for someone his size.

But Harry wasn't in mood to entertain this anymore than required, therefore he kept on with his plan before the troll could get a whiff of what was about to happen, "Glacius Maxima!" He froze the water beneath the troll making the floor slippery enough for a gargantuan like him.

Everyone was looking at Harry with wide eyes as he single handedly kept on battling with the troll and looked like he was actually going to win! Daphne, with her magical training of three years could actually sense the magically charged atmosphere around the green eyed mage as he kept on firing spell-after-spell as rapidly as possible. She wondered if he had THIS much power and was THIS good with spells, then why the hell did he pose as just an average kid in their year?

"Impedimenta" Harry cried out, making the troll slow down and easier to shoot his master stroke. After all, it was time to end this small show. He smirked and let his magic pool in the center of his wand 'last time fifteen percent was enough' as he shouted out loud "CLOSE YOUR EYES EVERYONE!" Almost immediately, everyone either closed their eyes or ducked their head.

"BOMBARDA MAXIMA! " Harry screamed, targeting the blasting curse at the troll's bulbous head before ducking and shielding himself from the chunks of blood, muscle and bones that fell out of the falling troll. Hermione shrieked a bit as she saw green mucilaginous blood splatter on her forearm.

Ultimately the huge 12 feet tall, fully grown mountain troll fell with a vibrating thump so loud that the vibrations could be felt by every student inside the room.

"Is-is it de-dead?" Weasley stuttered coming back from his hideout behind the fallen stones and stall doors.

"No, just taking a small power nap." Harry said, his voice full of sarcasm, like seriously man! you just saw its head get blasted to smithereens and this is what you ask? Were you hit that hard in childhood?

"TRACEY!" Daphne cried as she ran towards the still unconscious girl who was now under some rubble thankfully nothing that could have harmed her seriously. Except the cut on her head from where blood was seeping in her white shirt.

Footsteps were heard behind them and Harry stood to a side as Minerva McGonagall, Severus Snape and Quirinus Quirrell came into view, stopping at the bathroom's threshold from where one of the troll's smelly leg was poking out.

"Merlin!" McGonagall gasped and held her chest in shock as she took in the scene presented before her eyes. A very much dead troll, a destroyed washroom, three of her lions, two Slytherins and one Ravenclaw- surprisingly, all in first year. Just what she had wanted to see today after killing a troll near the fifth floor staircase.

"You lot. Explain. Now!" She shrieked, barely containing her rage.

Harry kept on looking at all of them, keeping a close eye on Quirrell. The two Gryffindor boys looked at each other before Alan launched into a detailed explanation of how he and Ron came here to save Hermione and had nearly exhausted the troll by using spells taught to him by Mrs Weasley. He also told them that the duo would have easily subdued the troll if not for Harry barging in and becoming a liability.

McGonagall nodded, shooting Harry an inquisitive glance as she thought the elder Potter to be better than the idiot his actions proved he was. She then turned towards Hermionie who shrunk under the Transfiguration mistress' glare, "And why did you need to be rescued? What were you doing here in the first place?"

"I-I...I thought I had read enough about trolls to be able to subdue one of them easily. Guess I am not as good as I thought I was." She said and hung her head in shame.

"Of Course you aren't. You are nothing more than a big mouth who thinks herself to be better than her peers so much that you ignore blatant orders from Headmaster himself." Snape sneered at her as the girl kept on hanging her head in shame.

"And what about the Ravenclaw Potter and the two Slytherin girls?" McGonagall asked, eying the remaining ones.

"I guess I will ask the Slytherin girls myself when one of them is capable of answering. You can take care of the elder Potter. Merlin knows they cause enough trouble as it is." Snape drawled making Alan red while Harry's face didn't give any emotion.

"So, may we know what exactly you were doing here Mr. Potter?" McGonagall asked with fake sweetness lacing her words.

"I was going towards the kitchen when I heard a girl's scream and came here to check it " Harry told her in a completely calm voice that didn't give out any of the guilt he had for destroying the five boys or pride for destroying the troll or the thrill even of having blood on his hands after quite some time.

"Why weren't you at the Halloween feast?" She asked him again.

Harry just shrugged "Personal reasons."

"Potter there's a troll roaming the corridors I am-"

"Was, professor, there 'was' a troll roaming the corridors. He is dead now and I suppose healing the wounded is way more important than asking questions which could be done at a later date in an office enclosed by walls on four sides and a strong ceiling on the top." He wasn't saying it but they could sense the slight amount of anger that sunk in his words.

"I guess we could hear-"

"P-Professor McGonagall" McGonagall was yet again stopped but this time it was the DADA professor who stopped her "I-I guess Mr. Ha-Harry Potter is corr-ect. W-We need to ch-check Miss-s Davis fir-s-s-t." He said smiling reassuringly at her and at Harry.

McGonagall thought for a while before looking towards them with finality in her eyes "Who killed the troll?"

No one said a word until Hermione spoke "Harry killed it, professor. He successfully subdued the troll and then killed it."

"You single handedly killed a fully grown-up troll?!" There was clear astonishment in her words which was not so surprising seeing the killer here was a simple average first year boy, at least in her eyes.

Harry just shrugged. He wasn't interested in taking credits and now, he so wanted to kill Granger for pushing him as the centre of attention. This was one of the reasons he didn't want to take part in any of this hogwash.

"What's their condition Poppy?"

They were in the hospital wing under the deputy headmistress' eyes. She had awarded thirty points to her cubs and deducted twenty five for not abiding by the rules. Harry was not awarded points till he told them his reasons for not attending the Halloween feast while the two Slytherin girls were left because they were present at the wrong moment and just got caught in the crossfire.

Poppy Pomfrey, the aged mediwitch of Hogwarts serving the legendary castle since November 1974 was standing near one Hermione Granger's bed muttering charms and shaking her head in disappointment as the results flashed out before her.

"A concussion, fractured arm, not more than a hair lining and broken carpals." Pomfrey muttered as she arranged her potions for curing all of them before turning to her colleague.

"Weasley, Greengrass and Both the Potters are free to go, they just need a good night's rest. But, Davis and Granger need to spend a night here." She told her and started removing the useless potions back to her cupboard.

McGonagall nodded and turned towards the group and allowed them to move out with a very stern expression "I won't be able to take all of you to your common rooms therefore I am taking the Gryffindors and expect you Potter and Greengrass to go to your respective common rooms only. If I find you roaming the halls after this, I am going to deduct twenty points every time I find you. Am I clear?" She nodded as they acquiesced before moving out of the hospital wing.

Daphne too, bid good night to her friend and moved towards McGonagall's waiting group. Finally, Harry was about to move when someone grabbed his hand. He turned to look at the lying down slytherin girl who was looking at him with pleading puppy dog brown eyes "Please...I need your help." She wasn't holding his hand too tightly but he was curious as to why she would ask his help.

"We have allies in our common room, but the passage isn't safe. She has already been harmed leading us to this condition. Can you...can you please escort Daphne till the common room?" Maybe it was the puppy dog eyes or maybe it was the pure honesty that shone in her tears. Harry had no idea what it really was but he agreed to do it. Why? No idea. Was it because he had just seen what Daphne had to go through not hours ago? Maybe.

The group moved together till the point of divergence from where McGonagall took the Gryffindors and Harry accompanied Daphne towards the dungeons.

"You don't need to accompany me, I can take care of myself." Daphne said in her haughty above the world voice. Though she was secretly glad that he did because she wasn't sure if she was as good as him with her wand. She knew politics, after all she had been training in the arts from age seven and by the best politician no less!

But with a wand? Daphne knew she was good but good enough to fight a troll single handedly? Not at all. Then again, it gave rise to another question of why downside your talent and level of proficiency in classes when you could be the most brilliant one? But right there was something else she needed to clear out.

"Th-thanks." Daphne stuttered a bit as if tasting the new word on her tongue. She waited for a response but got none from him. Maybe he didn't hear it properly?

"Thank you, Potter." She tried once more only to get silence as response.

"When someone thanks you, you need to say something like ‘you're welcome’ or 'no problem’ or something like that." She scoffed trying to get a rise out of him.

Silence

"Ugh...you know that it's still at least 200 steps till we reach the Slytherin common room, right?" She asked him with faux curiosity.

"Yes." Harry's reply was as cold as ever, making her shiver a bit.

"Well then, you can at least say something to not make this small walk difficult. And by the way, how do you know where the Slytherin common room is?" This time it was real curiosity because she knew that a common room's address wasn't public knowledge for everyone to read. It was just for the inmates to know where the exact location was supposed to be.

Yet again Daphne got nothing but silence from the cold prince of Ravenclaw. Daphne 'Ugh-ed' then huffed and finally with her characteristic haughty sniff she stomped the rest of the way faster than Harry.

Just before Daphne was about to say the monthly password someone grabbed her arm and pulled her to a nearby alcove, pushing her back towards the cold stone wall and trapping her front by his presence. And she came face-to-face with the most mesmerizing green eyes she had ever seen just inches away from hers.

"Leave me Potter! Weren't able to keep your filthy paws away for long, were you." Daphne retorted but knew if he had wanted to do anything out of order, he wouldn't have waited for her to reach the common room where she could easily shout for help. Was it because he wanted to humiliate her more by using her near her common room?

"I didn't say 'no problem' because it was problematic, I didn't say 'anytime' because I won't put myself in danger to save you, I didn't say 'You're welcome' because you most certainly aren't. Other responses were as useless as your Thank you." His voice was cold and devoid of the impatient anger she knew he was trying to control, making her shiver a bit.

"I wasn't making this walk difficult by keeping silent. I was just minding my own business and was hoping you would do so too. I don't think one needs to talk to be able to walk, you might be some special case if you do." Harry spoke softly and she knew better than to refute him right now. "Also, we Ravenclaws are given a map of Hogwarts with all the house common rooms and publicly available places on our first night here."

"Lastly" Daphne gulped as she saw those green eyes flare with restrained power that could easily level down an alleyway even "You may think yourself as beautiful but you are still not beautiful enough to make me lose my control. Be happy you are alive for accusing me with such a shameful act. Night."

Harry released her and moved towards the great hall leaving an afraid yet curious girl standing in a deserted dungeon corridor who wasn't going to rest until she had received all her answers about the mysterious brother of the Boy-Who-Lived. She smirked as a plan started forming in her head, "Come back soon Tracey, we have got some work to do." She said and went back inside her common room.

Harry was walking towards the staircase deep in thought. Greengrass had nearly caught his slip. He knew she was not as gullible as the rest of his friends and therefore could cause some serious trouble.

This was why he had to show a bit of his anger and power, just so he could push down her 'direct' inquisitiveness. Cause he very well knew that she would find some other way to barge in his life, now that her curiosity has been pricked.

When she had thanked him, he was a bit confused as to why she was thanking him. Part of him was afraid she had seen him run and had joined the dots that he was the one who had rescued her. But that wasn't possible as he knew he ran away before she could remove her blindfold. Then he remembered she was there when he took that idiot troll down.

And then that 'Slytherin Common room's address' part, guess his real answer of 'I read your mind despite the Class three occlumency shields' would not have been taken as lightly as the 'I got a map' one.

Well, guess what? He was too tired to waste his brain cells on such a stupid matter. Where to now? Kitchen or dorms?

'~Grumble~'

Kitchen it is then...what can he say, defeating rowdy rapists and killing trolls always made him hungry.

Ending Note-There you have it fellas, sixth chapter of 'Silence of the Winters'. Hated it? Liked it? Loved it? Please tell me! I love your reviews. I am eternally grateful to those who reviewed earlier. It just takes a few seconds to review it. Constructive criticism is also appreciated.

I know many of you might think this to be a light punishment but trust me it isn't, next chapter you will see the complete extent of what Harry did 'after' the fight. So, wait for tomorrow so you can finally see what I cooked up for the 'to-be-rapists' and how much I despise them.

So, what do you think of it?

Here's the link to HAPHNE Server on discord:

https://discord.gg/haphne

Name: Harry/Daphne

Here's the link to my super private server on discord where I'll keep on updating new chapters, sneak peeks, Character designs, where you are free to talk and ask things regarding my fics directly:

Its a newly launched server...

https://discord.gg/Gcbcv4dxGx

Name: 𝕯𝖊𝖛 𝕭𝖑𝖆𝖈𝖐'𝖘 𝕰𝖒𝖕𝖎𝖗𝖊

Thank you for reading,

With regards,

Dev Black

Chapter 8: Punishment & Politics

Chapter Text

"I am Talking."

'I am Thinking'

Spells

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Guilty is a very volatile thing.

It can do anything for you and take everything from you.

~R-Kade

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Previously in SotW-

Well, guess what? He was really tired to waste his brain cells on such a stupid matter. Where to now? The Kitchen or the dorms?

'Grumble'

Kitchen it is then...what he could say, defeating rowdy rapists and killing trolls always made him hungry.

Silence of the Winters

-Dev Sagittarius Black

~~Chapter 8: Punishment and Politics~~

.

Cold blue eyes reflected the lights present in the room and a smirk formed on the owner's lips as he pulled out the five vials holding a clear yet viscous fluid in them. He then pulled out five injections and sucked up the contents of one of the vials in it. This method was ingenious and helped in making a person truthful for a month.

'One month is good enough for waking up these sleeping beauties' he thought as he injected the injection in the first body's forearm and emptied the vial attached to it.

'Four more to go'

'Merlin's bloody beard! What the hell. Ugh, not again...no, nO, NO! Damn...'

Harry mentally groaned as air was again pushed out of his lungs because he was hugged again by a certain crying redhead who had given him his, what, seventh hug of the day? Is it afternoon yet?

He had reassured her again and again that he was perfectly fine and wasn't harmed in any way whatsoever, that Madam Pomfrey had checked him and had declared him perfectly fine and that he did visit the kitchen and ate as much as he usually did.

Still, both Susan and Hannah just won't leave him alone. Telling him again and again how worried they were when they heard about the troll and even more when they were told that he fought and killed the troll single-handedly. They were ready to barge out of their common room and rush to where he was, but were restrained by their prefects and Madam Pomona Sprout.

"Leave him Sue, there's nothing wrong with Mr. I-don't-care-what-you-think-of-me-but-you-better-think-good here. To me he looks as good as the day he came here."

They turned around to see an oval faced girl with brown eyes behind round spectacles, her face curtained by black shoulder length hair, smiling widely showing off her white teeth.

"TRACEY!" Harry sighed in relief as Susan and Hannah left him and started hugging Tracey's life out of her.

Susan looked behind Tracey with excitement but frowned at not seeing whom she thought would be behind the only bubbly Slytherin girl ever. "Where's Daph? Won't she join us?" She asked their third sister.

Tracey shook her head sadly, "She won't be able to join us. It's just me for now. She will come once she has taken control of the Slytherin common room and finds some loophole in the Triumvirate's orders."

Both Susan and Hannah shook their heads sadly. Slytherin was probably the most, if not the only politically motivated house. Then they turned towards Harry and others, smiling widely as they pulled the bubbly Slytherin girl between them, "Everyone, meet Tracey Davis. One of our bestest friends from childhood. And Tracey! meet Terry Boot, Su Li and-"

"THE Harry Potter." Tracey said grinning widely as she turned towards Susan "I know Sue, we met yesterday" She told her before turning towards the stoic Potter heir. "Thank you, for both helping me last night with Daphne and saving me from my death. House Davis owes you a life debt regarding which you will very soon receive a signed letter from Lord Davis"

Harry nodded "House Potter accepts the life debt and the gratitude expressed." Tracey immediately sighed in relief. "Thank god it's over. No offense Harry but I am literally bonkers at pureblood mannerism. Sometimes I wish I was as good at it as Daphne is."

"Can we join others in the great hall now? I am sure half of our breakfast time has passed already." Terry whined and Harry left for Ravenclaw table with his group at toe, Susan and Hannah discussing last night's events with Tracey and what Harry helped her regarding their other sister Daphne. Harry wanted to get over with all this breakfast drama because he knew what was about to come. The results of his fight yesterday. He knew the disillusionment charm would have dropped off at about six in the morning.

They had just settled and Harry was cutting his omelet into thin pieces when he heard a not so welcomed voice behind him.

"And here I thought you couldn't fall any more than you already have."

The conversation stopped around him and everyone except Harry looked towards the source only to see the smirking form of a pale boy with slicked back bleach blonde hair, supported morally on each side by a walking gorilla-human hybrid or was it human-gorilla? Harry kept on slicing his omelet, this was more important than some pesky little ferret.

"Mingling with half-bloods Potter? Is this what I should expect of the future Lord of two houses? I pitied you for making weak companions, Now I don't know what to say." Malfoy tried again to get a rise out of the Potter heir who was still ignoring him.

Harry paused at 'weak companions' but kept on eating when he saw both Snape and Dumbledore eying this interaction, and as always not doing anything. 'Definitely not a place to kill someone'

"Are you deaf Potter? Don't you know one should turn around to listen to his superiors?" Malfoy drawled, but this time got a response, just not what he wished.

"Find them first"

Getting pissed off at being blatantly ignored and then insulted by the Potter heir he signalled his right handed gorilla to teach Harry about the Malfoy superiority.

Harry felt someone grab the back of his shirt and jerk him wildly backwards making him turn and come face-to-face with the self-proclaimed Slytherin Prince of Hogwarts, he winced internally as his back banged loudly with the table behind him making the plates rattle a bit while his knees banged against the seats. Harry looked down at the fat piece of appendage and traced it back to the right shoulder of a glaring idiot who couldn't differentiate between a wand and a twig. Vincent Crabbe if he remembered correctly.

"Call me by my given name." Harry's voice was as devoid of emotions as his eyes that glared at Crabbe before turning to Malfoy "I don't like being forced into doing things." He made a mental note to gift tweedle-dee something by tonight itself.

Malfoy waved his hand in a shoo-off manner as he completely ignored what Harry said.

"Now as I was saying, there are a few magical families that are both higher in station and have a lot of power under them. These families rule the wizarding world and can indirectly do whatever they wish. The Ancient and Noble house of Malfoy is the best among the modern upstanding families of magical Britain. We are one of the richest active houses with accomplishments enough to write a tome. We have the most say in Wizengamot with my Father, Lord Lucius Malfoy leading the families under us. He is also on the board of governors and a very good friend of Minister of Magic himself!" Draco announced with such reverence as if at any moment there would be a huge bang and Lucius Malfoy would manifest out of thin air and kiss his spoilt brat. Yuck.

Harry just quirked his right eyebrow as if to say 'Are you done or should I bring my mattress here?'

Draco might have got this in his little grain brain because his cheeks flushed a bit "All I am saying is, we Malfoys are current rulers of British Wizarding Empire and therefore a friendship with our house can be very much beneficial to you in the near as well as distant future. It will at least be better than the present company of weaklings you keep. Are they even potty trained Potter?" He said laughing with tweedle-dee and tweedle-dum as he forwarded his hand towards the still stone-faced Harry who looked at him with a very much bored expression. While the others glared daggers at the Malfoy heir. Terry had to be restrained by Tracey or he would have attacked the prat bare handed.

Ten seconds. Harry eyed the grey eyed boy for ten full seconds before shifting towards the outstretched hand which was now shrinking a bit away, and then back to the hand's owner's pale face. He was about to reply when another not-so-welcomed voice interrupted him.

"DON'T YOU DARE ACCEPT IT!"

Harry internally groaned and shook his head 'There goes my happy morning. Goodbye dear. Until next time' a long string of curse words followed this as he saw his wondrous awe inspiring sight of a brother.

Alandale 'Victor' Henry Potter came in waddling with his pet Weasley, panting as he stopped even though Harry knew he started running only when he entered the great hall moments ago. 'What a cheap waste of fresh air'

"DON'T YOU DARE MAKE THIS DEATH EATER YOUR FRIEND!" Alan snarled as he pulled his wand out. Weasley, Malfoy and Tweedle twins followed suite, even though the last two didn't know how to use it.

"I think we should stop this Albus. This won't do any good for any of us." McGonagall told in a worried tone to the century old warlock sitting beside her who was smiling at her, as if her protectiveness amused him. "No Minerva. I am very much sure this isn't for us to stop."

"But they can harm each other if we don't stop them now." The cat professor persisted with her demand.

"Minerva dear, as far as I know we need to shoot spells to attack someone, simple wand waving isn't banned at our school is it? Also, I know it won't come to that." Dumbledore said smiling with twinkling blue eyes, he wanted to see what Harry would really do. He had suspected for a long time that Harry had been hiding something from him. Since that first day when he had called the Potter brothers in his office, he had already sensed something different about Harry that day, but ignored it in the favour of a bout of accidental magic or fluctuations in magic inside Hogwarts which was a normal occurrence.

But then came the troll incident where a mediocre boy supposedly killed a full grown mountain troll. It wasn't his fault that he wasn't present on site to witness it. He was after all subduing his own troll with Flitwick while Minerva, Severus and unfortunately Quirell were handling the second one on the fifth floor. Three trolls! And here he thought nothing could enter Hogwarts without his permission.

A serious blow to his....ahem self-confidence.

But that was something to think later. Right now Dumbledore wanted to see what the mysterious green eyed Potter did in this situation. If he had to make a guess, he would go with accepting Malfoy's offer. Just like Tom would have done. Or will he outright reject it?

'Which direction are you going to take your house Harry Potter?'

"No one asked you Potter. Didn't your mother teach you not to speak when elders are discussing?" Draco sneered before laughing "Oh yeah, forgot you don't even have one."

Alan growled and was about to kill Malfoy barehanded when the huge doors of great hall banged open and Argus Filch, caretaker and most hated person of Hogwarts, though Snape and him certainly threaded on a fine line between first and second places, came in running, his face as pale as snow, sweat beads dropped and a foul smell wafted wherever he went. Making students scrunch their noses in disgust.

Though his expression didn't say this was his everyday perfume, it said as if he just came from tea-party with Thanatos himself.

Filch ignored everyone and just kept on running till he reached the teacher's table. What he said was anyone's guess because it was all hush-hush. The peculiar thing was, as soon as he delivered the news, each and every person sitting on the said table dropped whatever they were holding, their eyes wide and hands trembling. Even Dumbledore looked affected and his annoying smile completely vanished off his wrinkly 113 year old face.

In a sudden move, all of the teachers on the table including the four house heads and Dumbledore got up and followed Filch as he ran out of the great hall.

The great hall was silent for a minute and the next minute it was blasted with murmurs and students forming stories and speculations about what might have happened. This was certainly not something usually done and therefore a big thing for Hogwarts gossip mills.

Alan grinned showing his pale yellow teeth "There's no one to save you Malfoy. You sure you aren't feeling scared?"

"I don't need anyone to save me, Potty. I can take half-blood idiots like you any day I want." Malfoy sneered but in reality he was indeed feeling scared. His uncle Snape was the only one to protect him since he couldn't find five of the strongest members from the Dark Council. He knew they were planning something big last night but did they succeed? He could only guess. And now whatever news that idiot Filch brought forced his Uncle to leave him all alone.

"Oh yeah? Just like the time you tricked us in your midnight-"

"ALAN!" Weasley shouted and shook his head in a 'no' movement to tell the redhead Potter to keep his mouth shut.

Malfoy smirked "Got something to say Potty?" He drawled out before turning towards Harry, who had tuned both of them out and was busy with his plate full of warm omelet and a glass full of milk.

"May I know why you are eating an omelet when I am here talking to you?" Anger could be sensed from Malfoy's tone but it didn't have any effect on Harry. Malfoy pursed his lips and signalled Crabbe to turn Harry again.

Harry felt someone grab the back of his shirt collar for the second time this day. Harry shook his head in disappointment 'Just why couldn't idiots understand the language of tongue?'

In a moment's notice, Harry reached behind his back and grabbed the fat appendage clinging to his collar, he trailed his hand between ring finger and little finger down till the wrist and pressed the points two times within a centimetre distance from each other.

Just as Harry did this, he felt that hand leave his collar and moments later a deep gurgling scream echoed down the great hall. Harry turned his head slowly mentally congratulating himself for a gift well delivered to see the trembling form of one Draco Lucius Malfoy looking with saucer wide eyes at Vincent Crabbe's writhing form on ground as the said boy howled in agony crying for maybe second time in his life holding his slack right hand. First time was when he was born.

"Told you, I don't like being forced to do something." They knew who he was speaking to and so everyone kept silent as they prepared for what was about to come. Terry and Su even went as far as to grab their wands, in case it came handy?

"What have you done to Crabbe, Potter?" Malfoy growled as he twirled his wand, itching to use it on the emotionless boy sitting right in front of him.

"Just taught him something his living mother was unable to." Harry shot back as calmly as he could, he still remembered Malfoy's 'mother' comment, even though it wasn't meant for him, he did say that to his mother.

" ... " Malfoy growled again, bringing his wand between Harry's eyes, inches away from his face. This was meant to look threatening but to Malfoy's surprise, Harry smirked.

"Poor little Malfoy" Harry began in an innocent voice, "Not knowing how games are played and claiming himself to be the biggest player alive." He shook his head in mock pity before speaking again "Say Malfoy, why do you think I didn't subdue you the moment you opened your mouth? Let me tell you why." He leaned back a bit, completely assured that he was having the blonde idiot's full attention.

"Because I knew that would come off as me attacking you, and I for sure won't want that. But, if it's you who attacked me first then I can easily subdue you and claim that it happened in pure self-defense." Harry's smirk widened simultaneously with Malfoy's eyes, he knew his words were having a profound impact on the blonde idiot.

Harry inched forward towards the Hawthorn wood wand that was now trembling a bit "So go ahead boy, shoot me. I promise you, the reaction you receive will be ten times worse." Harry whispered the last so that only his closest ones could hear, namely Susan Bones who gasped from his right side and Terry Boot who looked at Harry with a bit of both astonishment and fear.

Malfoy contemplated his option and knew that what Harry said was definitely correct. Therefore...although quite grudgingly, he did remove his wand from its previous position and turned to look at his audience which included the entirety of the great hall, coincidentally his five elder supporters who helped him maintain his rule in Slytherin and his uncle Snape were not in this crowd. He then turned towards the still whimpering Slytherin boy "Stop crying like a girl, Crabbe. We are here for more important matters. Goyle will take you to Pomfrey later."

The self-assumed Slytherin prince then turned towards Harry and sniffed in minute disgust "You are more useful to me than Crabbe, this is the only reason I am not telling this to my father leading to your expulsion from Hogwarts. This is your last chance Potter, join me and we can rule Hogwarts together." He said smirking before looking at Terry and Tracey with disgust "I am even willing to ignore your previous mistakes." He said and pushed his wand back inside, and forwarded his hand again for a good ol' handshake.

This time Harry didn't take time to answer because he was afraid that THE Alandale Potter will butt his extra smelly head again leading to a not so friendly situation. "Malfoy, are you always this idiot or is this some hidden talent of yours?" Harry said as snidely as plausible.

"What?"

"Let's start with the beginning shall we?" Harry began and leaned back a bit to get comfortable, for he knew this might be his first and hopefully last long talk with the Malfoy heir.

"House Malfoy, a house that originated about 400 years ago in French colonies. your first witch was a muggleborn about whom no one knows." Harry saw Malfoy's face tint a bit pink "Not possible. You are lying through your teeth Potter!"

"Lying? Dear me Draco, and here I thought you would have given some of your useless time on Earth in reading the Malfoy family public records available at Ministère de la Magie. One of your forefathers, namely Armand Malfoy did a fraud with the French government resulting in your family being cursed with the UnVie curse, also giving you your current surname 'Malfoy' which can be further divided into two French words Mal and Foi which depicts your changing faith, bad changing faith actually."

Harry chanced a glance around himself, only to find each and every eye on him as everyone was literally drinking his words, this was why he never spoke much but he had started it and so it was his duty to finish today's assembly, "This also forced you towards British isles under the guidance of Mr. Septimus Malfoy about 250 years ago." He finished with finality in his words and grinned as he saw Malfoy's pink turn slowly into red.

"You don't know what you are saying Potter. My father will hear all about this. Then we will see where that smirk vanishes." Malfoy growled and was about to turn when Harry's voice stopped him "Won't you hear what I think of your offer Malfoy?" Malfoy didn't say a word but Harry knew he did stop to hear it. 'Idiot boy'

"It was in the 1860s that Mr. Septimus Malfoy caught the then Lord Arthemius Weasley giving Wizengamot secrets to Italy and Spain, red handed, giving rise to the Weasley-Malfoy blood feud. The Weasleys were stripped of their lands and titles while the Malfoys were given all of that, making them receive the title of a Noble house, making Lord Septimus Malfoy the first of his kind." Harry knew his words hit home when he saw Weasley go red, he chanced a look towards the other Weasleys. Thankfully they were quite far away, though he knew they would know about it by the end of the day.

"So, as I was saying Malfoy, there's a slight correction. House Malfoy is Noble, yes. But an Ancient house? Go clean your messed up brain." Harry said and sniffed trying to get the reaction he needed from the Malfoy heir. He felt someone grab his right hand and turned a bit to see Susan shaking her head in a 'No' movement. He squeezed her hand back and looked at Malfoy with disgust in his green eyes.

"I am warning you Potter, you are treading in dangerous waters now. This will NEVER end beneficially for you as it neither did for your parents." From Malfoy's tone, Harry knew he was close to getting the reaction he wanted.

"Empty threats Draco. We both know you can't do a thing here. So, as I was saying, the first thing you said was 'Here I thought you couldn't fall anymore'. Here it's clear you meant my current friend circle, which includes Heiresses of the Ancient and Most Noble houses of Abott and Li, Heiress presumptive of the Noble house of Davis and Heiress of the Most Ancient and Most Noble house of Bones. You claimed them as weaklings Malfoy. Do you really think you could get away with that? Despite the fact that they are way much better than you in classes with older house magics coursing rapidly through their veins."

Harry saw Malfoy's eyes widen as the situation's raw weight settled on his wobbly shoulders. "We are the Most Ancient and Most Noble Houses Malfoy, living on British soil since about 500 AD, we were shaping the world when your ancestors were busy mating goats in the French countryside." Harry said and got up from his seat, he looked much more intimidating as he stood a head taller than Malfoy giving the cold jade glare of death, he saw Draco's face redden in anger and his hand move back towards where his wand was tucked in. 'Excellent, just what I wanted'

"Ah-ah Draco. Don't you dare do that. You need supporters in the courtroom. Think how many can confess in your favour?"Harry was whispering but he made sure that Malfoy heard each and everything clearly "Choose your friends carefully Malfoy and your enemies even more so." He said and turned towards the great hall's wooden doors. He spread his magical sensor sheet to monitor what Malfoy was doing and kept his hand on his wand, just in case it came handy?

Harry stopped at the door's threshold and turned to see the whole of the great hall looking at him with saucer wide eyes. He completely ignored those idiot gossip machines and said quite loudly so that the entirety of the great hall heard what he said "And if having living mothers means having failure sons like you, I am more than happy to have a dead mother who still taught me how to value things in life." This was the last thing he said before vanishing out of the large doors leaving each and every one inside gobsmacked with his statements.

Harry had just gone a few meters from the door when all of a sudden he was ambushed by a group of overexcited teenagers he called friends.

"That was just...just...WOW Harry!" Terry exclaimed as he patted Harry's back.

"Yeah Harry, you completely stripped Malfoy off his skin. I am very sure he won't disturb us now." Su was giddy with excitement as she sandwiched one of his hands amid hers. Susan immediately broke her away as she hugged Harry as tightly as she could. "Although I don't like the way you dealt with it, I know you did it for us. And I am very much thankful for that." She gushed her affections and immediately took her place at his right.

"Harry?" Tracey called from behind them, he just quirked his left eyebrow in response. "Thank you for standing up for me Harry." She admitted smiling widely as he was the first person to stand for a halfblood Slytherin other than her friends, "Though I so want to kill you because now, the prat supreme Draco Malfoy will keep on wailing about today's incident for the complete school year. Oh and you will have to be on guard now because idiot or not, Draco Malfoy will not let go of this insult."

Harry internally sighed and nodded "I am prepared for it Tracey. I have had much worse than little boys with egotistical pompous fathers."

"It was quite an experience Harry, though I still don't know why you were goading Malfoy and telling him the result of his could-be actions at the same time?" Su asked him, tilting her head a bit.

"Some ways to play the game Su." Harry told her but sighed when he received blank stares. "There's a popular saying, 'Either you nourish a snake with everything you have or you kill it the moment you meet'. It's certainly not advisable to nourish a snake and beat it if you don't have its fangs under control. I just did that, nourish Malfoy with future plans and beat it with goading him."

"But why?!" Hannah asked, alarmed at seeing one of her friends take such a dangerous risk with Malfoy of all people.

"To tell that Snakelet who is controlling his fangs." There was something in Harry's voice that made them want to run away from him to the safest corners they could find and stay there till Hurricane Harry Potter finds it and obliterates it from existence.

They kept on talking between themselves before Susan spoke "By the way Harry, where did you get all that information about the Malfoy Family?" She asked him cutely scrunching her face.

"Records from the French Ministry of Magic." Harry almost dreaded the next question because he could wager and win a guess on what it was.

"And...why were you reading documents about House Malfoy from the French Ministry of Magic?" Susan prodded him.

They waited for his response but he just shook his head in a 'No' movement and kept on moving, after all he had to be prepared for what was about to come.

Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore was in one word, Destroyed. Literally, Utterly, f*cking Completely Destroyed as he stood in room 4G with the entirety of his staff looking as aghast as himself at the devastating scene right in front of their eyes.

Five bodies!

Five bodies of Students!

Hanging upside down from the ceiling!

All of them were senior Slytherin boys and Heirs of Ancient and Noble houses.

Their Clothes, Skin and Flesh were torn at quite a few places.

Hairs singed, nails pulled and fingers twisted at odd angles.

Some bones poked out of their skin like spikes on a dragon while some were deliberately repaired wrong to cause pain.

Blood pooled beneath them with chunks of what looked like human flesh that was torn from their bodies.

Their chest area was completely bare and red with WE-ARE-RA-PIS-TS carved on it, blood seeped from the cuts here and there turning the whole scene out of some werewolves or vampire attacks escapee's memory.

And the most shocking thing, the five of them were still living.

"Al-Albus?" For the second time in his life Severus Snape had lost his mask and was seen stuttering but everyone was too busy with more important matters to care for someone as good hearted as Snape.

"We need to pull them down and take them to the Infirmary first."

'I need to see if this is all that they have suffered or did their assailant do something more?' Dumbledore was sure there HAD to be something more because he won't let the boys live if it wasn't the case.

"They have been cursed." Pomfrey announced to them as emotionlessly as she could, hiding behind her meager as compared to Dumbledore occlumency barriers. It was necessary because if she hadn't enforced her barriers she might as well have been a wailing mess right now.

Dumbledore loved being right. He was after all the leader of the light, working day and night, for greater good with all his might. And so, he loved being right.

But right now he hated himself for that. For being right that is, Not for the leader of the Light part, it was His position, no one could hold it better than him. But coming back to current matters. "Were you able to discover which one was used?" Hopefully it's not as bad as his gut instincts were making it to be? Hopefully.

Pomfrey nodded and sighed deeply, eighty years of service and this was the first time she witnessed the return of this particular curse "The Viastís curse...from the 1600s."

Shocked gasps came from the ones who knew about it, some of them bowed their heads in shame. Shame coursing through their veins, shaming themselves for letting five of their students just go to the doors of death.

"What happened Albus? Can't we perform the counter curse? Some ritual? Anything to get rid of this curse?" The deputy headmistress asked the only person she ever looked forward to and watching him look a hundred years older all of a sudden was not calming her heart.

"Viastís curse Minerva" Flitwick began "was developed by Tmíma Mystiríon or the Greek counterpart of the Department of Mysteries in the early 1600s for punishing the rapists in the country. It enhanced the level of sexual hormones coursing through your body every day, doubling the rate, making the victim crawl for intercourse or simple relief, at the same time this curse numbed down all the sensory nerves in their reproductive organs and disturbed the muscles making erection, and indirectly ejacul*tion, impossible."

"The victim suffered this as long as they could and tried to get sexual relief via anyway possible before being killed by the society for their behaviour or committing suicide." The dwarf professor shook his head sadly and looked down.

"This was a government sanctioned curse so, no counter curse was developed. Only the punishment department holders were taught how to cast it and then were obliviated. But overtime, its use declined because of its harshness and slowly by the 1800s people forgot about the curse. This is actually the first time that I am seeing this curse in person." Flitwick told her and went back to staring at the floor.

It was probably minutes later but felt like an eternity stretched in the cold hospital room before McGonagall turned back towards the headmaster

"Albus? Who could bring such a horrible fate upon five teenage boys?"

Dumbledore sighed and spoke gravely "That's what I am trying to find Minerva." 'Also, what to say to their parents...' Because he knew that very soon he would have a full Wizengamot to answer to, each of them having a question worse than previous.

Ending Note- There you have it fellas, eighth chapter of 'Silence of the Winters'. Liked it? Loved it? Hated it? Please tell me. I am eager to hear your views on the punishment I gave. Is it too harsh? Is it too lenient? Or is it just the punishment they rightfully deserve? Please review.

Hope I am keeping up with the level of proficiency you want from me. I am up for any queries or suggestions you have regarding anything in my story.

So, what do you think of it? Was the punishment suitable for wannabe criminals? That's how much I hate them.

Here's the link to HAPHNE Server on discord:

https://discord.gg/haphne

Name: Harry/Daphne

Here's the link to my super private server on discord where I'll keep on updating new chapters, sneak peeks, Character designs, where you are free to talk and ask things regarding my fics directly:

Its a newly launched server...

https://discord.gg/Gcbcv4dxGx

Name: 𝕯𝖊𝖛 𝕭𝖑𝖆𝖈𝖐'𝖘 𝕰𝖒𝖕𝖎𝖗𝖊

Thank you for reading,

With regards,

Dev Black

Chapter 9: Investigations

Chapter Text

"I am Talking."

'I am Thinking'

Spells

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

I have shown you all my faces, and yet I have shown you none,

Believe me dear you wrongly thought, that you are the only one.

~R-Kade

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Previously in SotW-

It was probably minutes later but felt like an eternity stretched in the cold hospital room before McGonagall turned back towards the headmaster.

"Albus? Who could bring such a horrible fate upon five teenage boys?"

Dumbledore sighed and spoke gravely "That's what I am trying to find Minerva." 'Also, what to say to their parents...' Because he knew, that very soon he will have a full Wizengamot to answer to, each of them having a question worse than their predecessor.

Silence of the Winters

-Dev Sagittarius Black

~~Chapter 9: Investigations~~

"I want answers, Dumbledore!" Lord Warrington roared as he slammed his fist on Dumbledore's table.

"And I am telling you once again Lord Warrington, the answers you want can only be given by the boys who are right now in the Hogwarts infirmary, under special care of Madam Pomfrey. We can't do a thing until they wake up." Dumbledore was getting tired of all this now, Pomfrey had reported about the boys' condition to their parents this morning when she was able to cleanse them of their blood and repair their broken bones and tissues.

He could understand that it was her responsibility to tell a student's parents if they landed in her care but why so soon?! Because since that time in the morning, he had been paid visit by the five lords of the Dark sect with their leader and one of the Hogwarts Governor Lucius Malfoy with them. This was not how he had planned to take things from last night's accident.

"What about the portraits? The ghosts or even that useless poltergeist you have. Don't they listen to the commands of the headmaster? Ask any one of them!" Flint Sr. growled from his position near the fireplace. He still couldn't believe that his own son was cursed this harshly and RAPIST? Totally Absurd! 'Whoever did this will have hell to pay. I will personally make sure of that'

"The corridor was completely empty. Devoid of all the portraits, ghosts and Peeves as it is required of them to attend Hogwarts Starting, Halloween and ending feasts. Lastly, the portraits saw someone, was a group of first years which I am very sure couldn't do something like this." The centurion warlock steepled his fingers and waited patiently for the next attack.

"Then check those who were not in the great hall when this massacre happened. Do anything Dumbledore, I want this murderer punished in front of my eyes!"

"Once again Lord Pucey, we don't know when this accident-"

"Don't. you. dare. make. this. an. Accident! Whoever this assailant is, he has straightway killed five upstanding Most Ancient and Noble houses of Britain." A vein could be seen throbbing in his forehead as Lord Evan Rosier made his statement.

Dumbledore sighed tiredly, if possible he would have killed this assailant himself for giving him this much of a headache. "We still don't know when this happened. The boys were seen leaving the feast and haven't been seen after that. This could have taken place anytime from that moment. Also, he has not killed your houses as you so wisely put it."

"YET. DUMBLEDORE." Flint thundered "Not killed our houses YET! Everyone in this room knows about this curse, the most anyone was able to take it was Beaver the Bold, who suffered the curse for twenty five days before committing suicide. TWENTY FIVE DAYS HEADMASTER. JUST. TWENTY FIVE DAYS. This treachery will NOT be left unpunished!" He slammed his fist making the items on it rattle a bit.

"You see Dumbledore, we are not satisfied by how lightly you are taking this matter. We will take this to Wizengamot and I will forward a petition on the board to see your removal from your current position. It's quite clear, you can't run this school proficiently. Maybe we should close the school till we find a compatible headmaster." Lucius drawled and strutted out of the office door followed by the group of angry lords he brought with himself, all of them glaring daggers at the tired looking manipulator sitting on the seat of headmaster of Hogwarts.

Dumbledore shook his head tiredly. This was certainly going to cost him dozens of favors both in the Wizengamot and in the Hogwarts governor meeting. He knew he couldn't leave Hogwarts in Lucius Malfoy's hands, not with both Voldemort and Alan Potter roaming the halls freely.

Afterall, one of them has to die at the other's hands and Alan is most certainly not ready to be dead, yet. But that was for another time, right now, the question that bugged him most was, How could a person come inside Hogwarts, kill five blood heirs with an ancient Greek curse that was declared dead and vanish in thin air this easily?

He stood up and half pulled the eighteenth book on the eighth shelf titled Number One, opening a hidden vault behind the portrait of Former headmaster of Hogwarts Dexter Fortescue who whooped in excitement at being given a free rolling ride. Inside the metal vault were only two things, kept in different magic absorbing caskets so as to prevent their excessive magic accumulation thereby causing a blast enough to obliterate the castle from existence.

The headmaster of Hogwarts flicked his wand disabling the security charms, alarm wards and blast-locks on the right casket and sighed in relief as he pulled out the silvery cloth that felt like holding water itself. The legendary Potter family invisibility cloak, the third Hallow and one of the most important items he was ever able to collect. It was a shame he can't use it yet. And though he already had a plan, he still wasn't very much sure of it. Good thing was, the assailant was still unaware of this cloak and so he was sure that whoever it was, was either still inside Hogwarts or...there's another invisibility cloak that hides you from all the ward lines and security charms.

"Father?"

The 5'11" tall frame of Lucius Malfoy stopped mid-stride and gray eyes turned towards the half-bowed form of his son "I didn't expect to meet you here Draco. How are you?"

"I am fine Father, Thank you for asking." Malfoy junior looked up towards his father's face "There's someone I need to tell you about." Lucius frowned at that, he had asked Draco to tell him if anyone troubled him at Hogwarts, he just didn't think that anyone would have balls strong enough to stand against a Malfoy. Looks like he was wrong.

He turned towards the five lords that were behind him and smiled the most convincing smile which looked more sinister than friendly "Excuse us please. You are free to visit your Manors or your injured sons in the infirmary. We will meet tonight to discuss what will be our next step.

Lucius waited for the lords to move away, muttering angrily at what they were facing and cursing Dumbledore before turning towards his blood heir "Who?"

"Harry Potter."

!MASSACRE AT HOGWARTS!

- Tushar Jaju

Halloween or as we all know, The Samhain Night we have been celebrating since time immemorial was seen as one of the most horrific days in Hogwarts School of witchcraft and Wizardry, as all of a sudden, it's declared that, FIVE heirs of Most Ancient and Noble houses were found near dead on the morning of November 1st at 7 am to be exact. Yes, my dearest readers, you read that completely right.

FIVE heirs of Most Ancient and Noble houses namely, Flint, Warrington, Pucey, Higgs and Rosier were found in a very grotesque condition, their clothes torn, bones and tissues shattered, hanging from the ceiling and all of them had already lost a good amount of blood.

Another shocking news came from the infirmary when Hogwarts matron Madam Poppy Pomfrey checked the boys for any hidden injuries which included curses, hexes or jinxes not readily visible. What she found was really heart wrenching, all the boys were cursed. And not with any normal curse that you usually witness in a fight.

As per Madam Pomfrey's reports, all the boys have been cursed with the Viastís Curse developed by Tmíma Mystiríon or the Greek counterpart of the Department of Mysteries in the 1600s. This curse was developed to punish the rapists in early Greek thereby giving it another name as 'The RAPISTS curse', it was taught only to those holding the punishment department and then they too were obliviated after they retired from their jobs.

This particular curse was stopped from use in the mid 1700s because of its harshness and with time, everyone forgot that there was still a very vile curse out there whose counter-curse was still not made. The after effects of this curse makes the victim crave for sexual needs while dispelling all of their sensations making them go mad with abstinence.

This is the reason why victims are generally killed for inappropriate behavior or end up committing suicide. The longest survivor of this curse is declared to be Beaver the Bold who lived with it for Twenty-Five days before committing suicide like its former victims.

The Auror Department, Department of Mysteries, Unspeakable Field Office and Department of Hit wizards and Witches are all storming up and down to find both the culprit and the cure. No one knows what really happened that night in the room as the culprit is yet to be found while the victims are still unconscious and in Hogwarts infirmary. Their parents and close ones are all waiting for them to get their consciousness back so that we could move further from where we are currently stuck.

We were able to get words from a few of the victims' parents and senior officials at ministry:

"This is something unexpected from such a tight and rule-abiding institute as Hogwarts. All of us have heard tales about the strong Hogwarts wards, the only one who knows all about them as well as controls them is Headmaster Dumbledore. It's a surprise he was unaware of something as brutal as this happening right under his nose.

- Lord Cairotus Caius Warrington

Lord of the Ancient and Noble house of Warrington

"It's a Murder. No other word describes it. Whoever did this had straightaway killed five upstanding houses who have done nothing but think for betterment of the society. We just had a meeting with Dumbledore, and it's quite clear that he can't be trusted with holding such a powerful position as that of headmaster any longer now. I am taking this matter to Wizengamot and will forward petition in the Board of Governors to remove him from his current post.

- Lord Lucius Abraxas Malfoy

Lord of the Noble house of Malfoy

Member of the Hogwarts board of Governors.

"I still can't believe that something serious happened at such a sacred place. Dumbledore is my personal friend and I have given him my word that I will put the whole of the ministry to bring justice to such a horrendous act of massacre. My condolences and prayers are with families who are still struggling with such a delicate matter of life and death. And I assure you, whoever this person is, will not roam freely for long. We will find him and I promise you that he or she will be behind the bars within a month!"

- Cornelius Oswald Fudge

British Minister for Magic

Unfortunately, Madam Amelia Bones, Headmaster Albus Dumbledore, Chief Unspeakable Croaker and Chief Hit wizard Dazzinger were unavailable for interviews. But after all this, a few things came out dispelling the rumours we had built within us. Hogwarts is NOT the safest place in Britain. You-Know-Who might not have attacked it in his rise to power but that never means that the wards couldn't be bypassed.

Secondly, there's a serial killer out there who knows Magics unknown to the general populace. What could his presence at Hogwarts mean? What does it say about the Hogwarts security? How will it affect the mentality of students and precautions taken at Hogwarts? What will come out of this case of brutal killing?

Don't worry dear readers, we at Daily Prophet are working day-n-night to research each and everything as well as deliver the real truth to you ASAP, going as far as to camping on Hogwarts grounds along with the departmental teams who are working on this case.

For more information on Viastís curse and its history- Check page 3

For more information on the five Houses who were attacked- Check page 5

For more information on Albus Dumbledore's tenure as headmaster- Check page 8

And true to the Prophet's words, very soon there were tents on Hogwarts grounds from all the four departments, Aurors, Hit wizards, UFOs and Curse breaker section from the department of mysteries. Aurors patrolled the school and each and every secret way (that they could find) was strictly checked again and again for any clues available and then were sealed despite Dumbledore's protest of it being a safe way for students and teacher to empty the school if it will ever be targeted.

Teachers were interrogated by all the three departments separately and Dumbledore's office was sealed for the time being whenever the headmaster was taken under custody, though somehow he managed to wiggle his way inside it and undergo an office-arrest.

Though his floo was blocked and he was warned not to use his phoenix so as to prevent his sudden departure and a guard was to stand near the door and check every person who wanted to meet the centurion warlock. The guard also had an additional responsibility of checking on the headmaster every two hours.

Then there were guards who were allotted common rooms and had to guard it from all the harm and danger. For privacy reasons, these guards were from the same house that they had when at Hogwarts.

Harry had to thank his stars that all the students who were equal to or above fifteen years of age were under scrutiny because as the Minister and Dumbledore had quoted it ' First and Second year students are way too young to perform such a horrendous act.

In reality, the first years held Alandale Potter and his friend Ronald Weasley, Susan Bones and her friend Hannah Abott and of course Draco Malfoy whose father was the one holding Minister's threads, second years just got free pass because they weren't that much older than first years.

It was a hereditary rule that heirs and heiresses could step to the position of Lords and Ladies of their respective houses. They won't be able to sit on Wizengamot seats but their house status will be changed from dormant to active and they can appoint proxies also the goblin freeze on their family vaults will be officially removed and the vault money will be declared free to move in and out, goblin accountants will also be reappointed for their vaults. But what's the use of telling all of that here? Just a simple reason. A very simple troubling reason to be honest.

Heirs and heiresses to different houses were NOT to be questioned without the permission and sometimes presence of Lords and/or ladies of their houses. This was one of the main reasons that lords/ ladies or regents had to be invited to go through all this making it more of a time taking process.

This also came out as the reason for the parents to easily meet their children and although they were not allowed to walk freely in the corridors, there can be some special reasons that allowed you to do so. Though this wasn't the reason with muggleborns or half-bloods with no powerful magical relatives, they were even forced to take Veritaserum to prove their plea of not guilty.

No one was allowed to leave Hogwarts and all the future Hogsmeade trips were cancelled till this case was solved. Each and every letter was being monitored and parcels were being checked by aurors before being delivered to their respective recipients.

Special ward-makers were called to check Hogwarts wards and clean it of any and all mistakes. Dumbledore had again butted his hairy head in this and was handed his wrinkled arse back on a silver platter when it was declared to be a ministry order and any interference meant answering the Ministry officials including Unspeakable Croaker and Director Amelia Bones.

Two special healers were also hired from St. Mungos much to Madam Pomfrey's chagrin. They too gave the same results as the Hogwarts matron and were appointed assistant healers for the boys' care. While Madame Pomfrey was freed from her duty so as to serve other Hogwarts students with normal day-to-day injuries like spell mishaps or Potion accidents.

Harry was not having any problem with any of this, afterall he was already having free pass, no one bothered him and he didn't bother anyone, except for his friends that is. He had slowly started ignoring their weird habits too, like Susan had a habit to rant when she was either afraid, excited or nervous. She also made sure to always stay at his right side, no matter if they were sitting for dinner, in the library or just in any classroom. Susan made it a point to always be at his right side.

Terry had a completely different side that included both jealousy and cheekiness. How did Harry know? His green face when girls smiled at him or came to ask for questions and became extra touchy was enough proof of that. Other than that, he was a pretty loyal friend and tried his best to help Harry in any way he could. Oh, and he had a secret crush on someone whom every first year boy and a few second and senior years followed here and there like a lost puppy.

Tracey was the only bubbly Slytherin girl he had ever met. She had a level head but rarely used it. There was also a cunning Slytherin that was carefully hidden behind layers of joyfulness and ignorance. Though she also fulfilled his need for having ears all over Hogwarts. More appropriately some gossip queen. She filled that space quite easily, helping him have ears in the general Hogwarts populace.

Su was a fierce and headstrong girl, she was also quite cheerful when with Harry but otherwise, she tried to be as much into the background as plausible. Saying here and there while keeping silent most of the time. She had also grown quite touchy after the broom incident. Surprisingly, the softest heart bearer Susan didn't seem to like this growth. Why? He had no idea.

Hannah was the only other girl who tried to reason with everything and keep a cool head on her shoulders. She wasn't as good in classes as her best friend but she made it up with her tactical skills. Hannah was also the only girl to analyse things like Harry, or tried to. And though she never told this to him, he read her thoughts on her personal self. The strawberry blonde girl was more than a bit 'figure' conscious. She tried her best to hide her slightly chubby figure and baby fat but was hugely unsuccessful.

Things were pretty much the same for the next three weeks, patrolling, guarding, checking and re-checking, interrogations, re-interrogations and then one more interrogation. The only problematic thing was some specific aurors were Boy-Who-Lived fans.

Alandale Potter was having the time of his life, giving interviews to newspapers and magazines, telling stories of his supposed bravery, signing autographs and occasional photographs too. That was all okay with Harry, Afterall he had no right to burst someone else's bubble till it became problematic.

Though he indeed suffered some altercations with the fan-aurors and Hit wizards. He tried to keep as much distance as plausible ever since he had his first encounter with one of them.

"Aren't you Harry Potter? Brother to THE Boy-Who-Lived?"

Harry stopped and turned towards the excited elderly voice only to find a blonde man, about 6ft tall goggling him with giddy grey eyes as if meeting Harry equalled to being gifted a chocolate factory on Christmas.

"My greatest accomplishment." Either the sarcasm was too thin or the auror was a plain idiot to ignore it and nod vigorously.

"Can I request you for a photograph? I want a photograph with both the Potter brothers at the same time." The auror said and started moving towards Harry as if his permission wasn't required.

"I would have to decline your request Mr.-?"

"John Dawlish, senior auror and personal secretary to Head auror Rufus Scrimegour." Dawlish said and puffed his chest outstanding at his full height as if this was his greatest achievement. Showing off his gleaming silver badge that Harry was very sure was polished every day. Perhaps every hour.

"I congratulate you for your position Mr. Dawlish, but I will still have to decline you." Harry was finding it hard not to vomit as he saw three different emotions crawl over Dawlish at the same time- Anger, Disgust and confusion.

"But why?!"

"You see Mr. Dawlish, I am photophobic." Harry immediately turned around and walked away as fast as plausible. Taking equal gaps and giving off an aura of secured confidence. He was very sure that by the time Dawlish gets to know what photophobic really means, he would be fast asleep.

After that, Harry kept a good distance and wouldn't come near any of the fan aurors even with a fifty-foot pole. Not so surprisingly, most of the Hogwarts students shared the same mentality when stories of interrogation rooms and who did what rang through Hogwarts gossip mills.

The other thing that disturbed him happened two days ago when he met one of the slimiest humans on earth. He had anticipated meeting him for quite some days since parents were allowed to move around at Hogwarts with special reasons. And Lucius Abraxas Malfoy had plenty of those.

Harry was walking towards his common room from the Library. He had just turned the corner towards the second-floor staircase when he heard a very smooth voice behind him.

"Bless my soul, is that Harry Potter?"

For a moment Harry planned to run away from another fan auror. But then the voice seemed too smooth to belong to an auror. So, he turned around only to find his guess to be accurate. He cursed himself for that.

"Lord Malfoy." Harry bowed one-quarter in general heir courtesy.

"Heir Potter." Malfoy gave a stiff nod back "I was moving towards Hogwarts front gates thinking of meeting someone as knowledgeable in the field as you. I hope you don't mind accompanying me?" Both of them knew this wasn't a question, therefore Harry shrugged his shoulders and made an 'after you' gesture.

"I am flattered by the compliment but I am very sure you can ask anyone at Hogwarts that Hermionie Granger is the topper in our year." Harry was slightly confused as to why Lucius Malfoy of all people would ask his opinion on... anything for that matter.

A disgusted sneer crawled over Malfoy's face "Yes but I am very sure that a muggleborn girl like her will not be as knowledgeable about old families and their history as you are. Afterall, House Potter is a Most Ancient and Most Noble house whose members have been shaping Wizarding Britain since a very long time. You went as far as to tell my son our own history.

Harry nodded and didn't release the amused smirk that wanted to come on his face, he knew Malfoy Sr. was pissed and Malfoy Jr. had told his dear daddy everything. "I had to teach Draco because he was digging up his own grave by belittling Most Ancient and Noble houses, calling them weaklings and not considering their ancient family magic. I was just helping him by saying that having the minister for magic as your father's personal friend is not going to save his downfall."

Malfoy eyed Harry for a few seconds trying to come up with a subtler threat that, in his opinion, a thirteen-year-old brat, could easily understand "I thank you for helping my son but I also have an advice for you. Take it as some elderly gift." He said smiling before getting serious and giving his best glare "Sometimes one should think thrice before helping others. One cannot tell when they take insult to it and mark the advisor as their enemy.”

To Malfoy's surprise, Harry still looked unfazed, for a moment he wondered if his threat was too subtle and he should try a simpler approach. Afterall his son did say that this boy was average at best. But that thought went as soon as he heard the Potter heir's cold voice.

"Enemies, Lord Malfoy," 'Let's get your pea brain to work Malfoy' "are for toying with, messing around and poke with taunts before removing them from the equation. They are most certainly not meant to be afraid of." Harry internally smirked when he saw Malfoy frown a bit.

Lucius Malfoy had not expected what he heard. This was certainly not something he could come up with his own. It has to be from someone who had played in Wizengamot for more than twenty years at least. 'Wait! Does that mean the Potter heir was having his back covered by someone?' This might answer the brat's confidence. But who could train him?... Dumbledore?

"Wise words for someone as young as yourself, heir Potter. I am very sure you don't even know what you said right now." Malfoy smirked proudly as if reminding Harry of his position and age just gave him an org*sm. A weird fantasy to be honest. Yuck.

"And again here it is, maturity being defined by age. Isn't it good that I prefer maturity that comes with experience more than age? I am very much sure there are idiots as old as you." The jibe was well hidden and Harry smirked when he saw Malfoy's cheeks flush red.

"Age is necessary, Heir Potter. One should never undermine its importance. Your statement of valueing maturity with experience is as true as mine, because experience is directly proportional to age. The older you are, the more experience you get." Malfoy tried his best to convey his point. He totally ignored his son's altercation with the person he was now trying to reason with because he wanted to know if Harry Potter was truly saying what he was saying or was he pre-trained.

"The more experience you get, the more dangerous you become and the more dangerous you become, the less you are afraid of enemies. There you have it Lord Malfoy, my point completed. In fact, you helped me with it." Harry faux cheered confusing Malfoy as to how the circle really got completed? He tried to recheck every point and couldn't come with a reasonable comeback.

"Free advice from a thirteen-year-old experience Lord Malfoy, always think of the bigger picture and you will find the circle being completed already. Good day Lord Malfoy, I hope you succeed in catching the assassin. Afterall, what will others say if you failed at your attempt?" Harry said and bowed one-quarter before turning towards the staircase. He knew that now Malfoy will be busy for some time digging up his history 'Good luck with that too Lucy'

Lucius Malfoy stared at the descending form of the thirteen-year-old teenage wizard who was more than he showed. It was certain that someone very powerful was behind the Potter heir. The question was, who could train a teenage hormonal boy this good in pureblood politics?

There was only one other person who spoke as smoothly as to send a shrill through your spine. Only one person who looked very handsome yet grinned as evilly as Potter just did. And only one person who could play this well in the pureblood arena and charm or confuse anyone with his silky soft words. Only one person who had this much power inside him leashed this well.

.

The dark Lord Voldemort

.

Lucius shuddered to even think of the dark lord coming back from wherever he was. He will have to talk to his son Draco again and he knew that it was time to do some 'Harry Potter' study.

It was about three weeks later that Albus Dumbledore had his door banged open because before this, it was the auror guard who opened his door for him. The old warlock stopped writing his thirteenth plea of not guilty to DMLE when he saw a very pale and sweaty Severus Snape panting in his office.

"Something you wish to tell me, Severus?" Dumbledore asked, levitating a glass full of cool water towards the most hated professor of Hogwarts who had been scared for his life ever since the five boys had been cursed.

Snape ignored the glass and nodded frantically "Ma-Marcus Flint woke up just five minutes ago."

!!!No-no..wait, lemme say it first.... CLIFFHANGER!!!

Ending Note- Aaaaand there you have it fellas, Ninth chapter of 'Silence of the Winters'. Liked it? Loved it? Hated it? Please tell me! You don't know how blessed I feel when my reviews exceed my expectations. I read each and every one of them thrice and feel blessed to have such good and active readers as you.

And, I am sorry but I just couldn't help myself from giving you a solid cliffhanger. Curse me all you want but you too know that it's fun to have some cliffhangers in a story. Hope you will forgive this Devil for this small mistake mwahahaha...

Here's the link to my super private server on discord where I'll keep on updating new chapters, sneak peeks, Character designs, where you are free to talk and ask things regarding my fics directly:

Its a newly launched server...

https://discord.gg/Gcbcv4dxGx

Name: 𝕯𝖊𝖛 𝕭𝖑𝖆𝖈𝖐'𝖘 𝕰𝖒𝖕𝖎𝖗𝖊

Thank you for reading.

With regards,

Dev Black

Chapter 10: Everything Ends

Chapter Text

Author out!

"I am Talking."

'I am Thinking'

Spells

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You are quite, they call you a coward,

You spoke and now you are stupid.

You lost they will sneer,

You won they will cheer...

~R-Kade

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Previously in SotW-

"Something you wish to tell me Severus?" Dumbledore asked levitating a glass full of cool water towards the most hated professor of Hogwarts who had been scared for his life ever since the five boys had been cursed.

Snape ignored the glass and nodded frantically "Ma-Marcus Flint woke up just five minutes ago."

Silence of the Winters

-Dev Sagittarius Black

~~Chapter 10: Everything Ends~~

'WHAAAAAAAMM!'

The doors to the most daunted wing of Hogwarts School banged against the cold stone wall and two figures came running in as fast their bodies would allow. Though it was all for nought because by the time they arrived, the interview had already started and as a result they were just asked to stand beside the patient and maintain their silence.

Who told them to do so? The fiercest matron and old queen of the Hospital wing who had served the school for the past thirty two years, giving her the right to not be afraid of anyone. Be it a teacher, the headmaster, Minister for Magic or Mer-bloody-lin himself.

As it was, the Headmaster and his fellow lapdog Snivellous Snape stood three feet from the lying boy whose head was being cradled by his mother and who was being interrogated about the night that led him to this bed by Auror captain, Gawain Robards, one, who was already limited by the wing's queen's 'Just FIVE questions' limit.

"Hello Mr. Flint, I am auror captain, Gawain Robards. I am here to ask a few questions from you regarding Halloween night. You are feeling well enough to answer me, yes?" Robards asked the boy in a more soothing voice which could be traced back to the glare Flint Sr was burning him with and the presence of Lady Flint and Madam Pomfrey.

"Ye-sss. I am f-fine. A little headache, but I am fine." Flint muttered after taking a sip of his lukewarm Honey and Water syrup to rid himself of his itchy throat.

Actually, his itchy throat was cleaned the moment he took a sip of the sweet drink. The thing that made him drink it at a slow pace was the unnerving atmosphere around him. Red and Blue dressed aurors, Hitwizards, three unspeakables, three matrons, his parents, McGonagall, Dumbledore and head of his school House.

Then there were the seven light globes, the size rounding off to a bludger, each emitting a light of its own and showing something different that was regularly checked by one of the matrons. What were they? His bodily statistics? Merlin knows.

"Well then, my first question to you is, could you describe what really happened that night? If you can remember it, that is? I would like to know how much you do remember." Robards nodded and the dicta quill beside him sprung to life.

Flint remembered, he remembered very well what they were doing, it was unfortunate that he remembered because he just couldn't stop his mouth from speaking as soon as his brain found the required memory, which unfortunately happened to be the last one.

"We were standing in classroom 4G. All of us, under Warrington, planned for that day a week in advance. All of us were jealous of her, angry that she easily skirts with the high profile ones and ignores us completely till we, ourselves, require her." Everyone present frowned at that, they hadn't been aware of indulgence of a female entity. Nor had any girl, in their investigations, been found guilty.

"I wasn't that much against her, but she had refused to bow to Warrington and Pucey, and that's what angered them most. No one in the last seven years had ever denied them anything, and a mere firsty doing that was something they didn't take well. That was why they called us in on the twenty-fifth and told us of the plan." Flint looked contemplative of what he was going to say next, but by some invisible force words were thrown out of his mouth.

"We gave Parkinson some Sickles to change the water on Greengraas's bedside table with the one we gave her, which had three drops of diuretics in it. Enough to make the girl need to use loo instantly, we knew she drank two glasses fifteen minutes before dinner. And used that particular time to our advantage." Everyone was dead silent, two more names, both first year girls came out. One criminal, the other...still not clear.

"The five of us made some excuse and left the Great Hall just as Greengrass entered with Davis, we hid in the classroom next to it and followed them till they reached the second floor girl's bathroom." He was trying his best to keep silent or make some story but something inside him was forcing these words out of his mouth now.

"W-We stunned Davis a-nnd threw her in one of the stalls as we stunned Greengrass and carrrrried her to classroom 4G." There was a collective gasp as Flint described in detail, their misadventures in kidnapping the Greengrass heiress and what they were going to do with her.

When the disrobing part of the tale came, no one wanted to believe that someone as young as school boys would do something as horrible as this. Lady Flint began crying and took this from a totally different point of view.

"NooOOO! No my dearest son, you don't have to lie. No one is going to harm you, they will have to go through this lady to pluck your hairs even. I won't let any harm befall you my son, please tell us the truth. Don't be afraid of anyone."

She was holding the school boy's head and was crying bitterly,wailing her heart out, she couldn't believe her baby Marcus could do something this bad. He was surely covering for someone, most probably the one who is making him fight for life from death.

"I-I am not l-l-lying motherrr. I can't lie even if I want to." Flint grunted trying his best to stop his mouth, his body was not taking well to the strain he was putting on himself and that showed in the flickering light bubbles floating above his bed.

"Aurors, my patient is getting strained trying to answer you-" Pomfrey began but was not able to say any further as Robards asked (read requested) more time to get the details.

"Tell us what exactly happened that night Mr. Flint. The time when you all were ambushed." He so wanted to slap this boy hard, curse him with a shrivelling curse and leave this case, school kids raping a first year? Preposterous! But he knew that way of action would not be taken lightly.

"I was just standing by the side." Flint began, relatively more rr-elaxed because now, others had done all the things while he just stood there watching it. "They were deciding whether to obliviate Greengrass before Pucey rejected the idea and asked Higgs and Rosier to de-robe her."

If Flint had seen the faces around him he would have considered repenting his brash statements, but he didn't and therefore missed the angry aurors, hitwizards and his green mother and Matrons.

"What happened after that? Did they succeed?" Robards pressed, being aware of the glare he was receiving from the Hogwarts matron and keeping one eye at the flickering numbers in the glowing light globes overhead.

"Th-thenn h-h-he ca-me..." Flint muttered trembling lightly as sweat beads formed on his forehead and his eyes dilated as if re-watching the massacre happening right in front of his eyes.

"Completely Black...from tip to toe, everything was Black. Dark Black robes, gloved hands, shin-high black boots...half hooded face." Flint's body gave an involuntary shudder and the numbers showing his heartbeat increased rapidly while the one depicting his consciousness started declining.

"Robards I am telling you-" Pomfrey was stopped by the urgency in the Auror

"Anything else Mr Flint? Anything that you found different in him? His height? Width? Anything!" Robards pressed further trying more and more to get anything significant.

"He was as tall as father, if not a bit tallerrrr...aa-and long blonde hairs that I spotted when he jum-ped for cover...very gruffff voisse..."

"ENOUGH AURORS! THAT'S ENOUGH! GO AWAY AND THAT TOO NOW!" Pomfrey shouted and physically pushed the aurors away shouting at them while they begged for just one more question and as the other two Matrons started working on Flint, giving him anaesthetic and then trying their best to stabilise his condition.

Flint Sr. glared at Dumbledore as he consoled his wife, normally it was out of tradition for the lady of House Flint to cry like this and her husband to console, they had occulomency for Merlin's sake but this was not a normal condition. He looked towards his unconscious boy who would very soon leave this world, definitely not normal.

"Do everything in your power Dumbledore or I will kill each and every suspected male in your school." He so wanted to say this but controlled himself and shot a disgusted sneer in the old headmaster's direction before moving out of the stone wing that smelled of phenyl, potions and healing salves.

Two weeks, that's the time the aurors and Hitwizards took to re-re and redo the same things that they had previously done, though this time, there was a twist. That twist being the involvement of Heiress Daphne Greengrass in the interrogation process.

She had been forced to reveal her involvement as the victim which greatly incensed Lord Gerald Greengrass and he demanded repayment and House Debts from the five dark Houses that could have scarred her for lifetime.

In return the Greengrass heiress was asked to give a memory of the encounter, which although reluctantly she did give. Prime reason for the reluctance was her oath of not telling anyone her protector's identity which sounded dumb because she herself didn't know who saved her. In fact by the time she had removed the blindfold, there was no one in the room.

With due time the rest of the boys regained consciousness and gave their details. Not surprisingly, each of them told the same thing which further strengthened the belief of the boys being held under some kind of truth serum or ritual because raping a first year girl was certainly not something to be proud of and bragged about.

Cassius Warrington even gave his own memory which the aurors used to fasten their investigation by copying it and sending it to different auror departments worldwide and launching a country-wide SoS (Shoot on Sight) with a bounty of five hundred galleons if dead and seven hundred galleons if caught alive.

Unfortunately, no one succeeded in their pursuit of, as the Prophet called him, Ancient Murderer. There wasn't a single person who matched the description given by the boys.

The aurors investigated all the boys who were 5'8" or more, who had blonde hairs, or boys who had both the properties, and still nothing came out of their diligent investigations.

It was as if the person came out of thin air, cursed the boys and vanished back to wherever he came from.

"What can you tell us Mr Croaker, the situation is under control right?" Lucius Malfoy asked the hooded figure standing in the headmaster's office, currently the chief unspeakable and his assistant were the only two ones being glared at by five lords who had their sons under treatment in the Hogwarts hospital wing.

"I am afraid the news isn't good. We tried contacting Tmíma Mystríon but they are saying they closed working on this curse a century ago and after Grindelwald's attack, several of their spell works disintegrated into nothingness. Therefore they specifically told us to give up our hope on them helping us, even with the spell's arithmetical formula." Croaker told them in his charmed double voice that hid his real one.

Fact was, everyone knew that a spell crafted in a country is that particular country's jewel. The formula becomes even more important because that shows the intellectual level of the department workers and different nations have various reasons to be afraid of the base formula being stolen or their brains being bought by more powerful nations.

Grindelwald's attack just served as a good little excuse to not sabotage their diplomatic relations with each other.

"Who cares if they won't tell the base formula. You lot are said to be the best minds in Britain, right? So use those brains, derive the formula, and for Circe's sake do something productive!" Flint growled as he slammed his fist.

"Lord Flint" This time Croaker's voice sounded eerily scary "I very well understand your frustrations and therefore will excuse this outburst of yours, but do keep in mind that you of all people don't control the Department of Mysteries and therefore have no right whatsoever to tell us what we have to do, am I understood?"

"You dare tell me what-"

"Now-now gentlemen, we all are grown-ups here right. It would not suit any of us to bicker like hormonal teenagers." Lucius' smooth voice broke the argument and the man himself signalled Flint Sr. to keep his wand inside and sit down.

Then the bleach blonde Lord of House Malfoy turned towards Croaker "Chief Croaker, we understand your situation and know that you are doing all you can to help us. But surely this is not all, is it? You didn't call us just so you could break this news which I am sure would have been easier done by a letter, right?"

Croaker didn't respond for a while and Lucius shifted in his seat, he knew it was useless but the unspeakables did make themselves appear quite scary, and a pissed off chief appeared scarier.

"You are correct Lord Malfoy, I called everyone here to tell you that we have successfully cracked eighty percent of the base formula but we have yet to formulate the one that counters it." Croaker saw the Lords, Headmaster and his deputy sigh in despair.

"Our sons won't make it that far Croaker. Even now, after all this treatment they are being restrained and forcefully kept under a sleeping potion. We don't want them to live like that." Rosier looked down and sighed.

"Do anything Croaker, I just want my son to live a life free of all this stupidity. I can't watch him suffer and sit idle as he cries his night's out."

"We are doing all we can Lord Higgs, I have even formulated a few ways to stretch their lifespan. They are just speculations but they are all we have right now. If the situation comes to it, I will execute those plans and see where they take us in this battle." Croaker saw the Lords look at each other before Lucius nodded "Now, if there's anything else?"

None of them spoke.

"Very well, I will take my leave then." He rose from his chair and moved towards the door followed by his assistant.

They were quite a few yards away from the stone castle when his assistant spoke "If you don't mind me asking sir, what is it that you would have done to stretch the boys' lifespan?"

"Cut their balls off."

The chief's assistant stopped mid-stride and looked towards his hooded boss who walked away as if he just told them it would be sunny today. He still didn't know if his boss was joking or was he seriously considering cutting the boys' balls off?

Three days after this, the boys were taken home with the clause that a homely environment would benefit them more than the stenchy hospital wing with prying eyes and ears and matrons that neither gave them good tasty food nor allowed them better beds.

Slowly the tents too were removed from Hogwarts grounds and everyone except for the on-duty aurors and Hitwizards left the wizarding school to report somewhere else or just back to their old routine of reporting dark wizards doing something illegal and raiding their base.

Exactly five days later, the unspeakables were called to work whatever magic they could. Croaker reassured the parents that they had derived the base formula, though they were not sure if it was correct because they weren't going to try this curse on anyone. But they hadn't been able to derive the counter formula.

But since it was indeed a situation of 'do or die', Chief unspeakable Croaker executed his two deduced plans of- A, literally removing the boys' testicl*s, because as per the formula, this curse elevated the hormonal levels and according to the muggle born thirty five year old unspeakable Roar, who was given this project, Male hormones originated from some specific things called 'Salls' or was it shells? No...cells? Maybe.

Fact was it came from testicl*s and so those testicl*s were to be removed. Plan B said to cut off the part of the brain that had receptors to this hormone, this was to be executed if removing balls wasn't successful enough.

They had to execute both plans.

Quidditch was for sure cancelled completely, because one of the houses doesn't have enough players and House Slytherin was not willing to go for a tryout because, in their words, they wanted to honour their friends by not doing tryouts while they still had a chance at life.

In reality, Harry deduced it was more because they knew their bench-players weren't very good and they were training them before cup resumed in January and if by that time, the previous players are good enough, well and good. This was what Slytherin really stood for, ambition and resourcefulness. And that includes turning a disaster into an opportunity.

One week, exactly one week was all it took for a flock of Ravens to descend down the wooden tables of Hogwarts School. The event was more bizarre because of the dark atmosphere of December nights.

Each of them carrying a pitch black scroll.

And it was as if the colour of scrolls changed the mood of Hogwarts populace, because each of them knew what was written inside it.

Dumbledore stiffened in his seat at Hogwarts as he sensed what was about to happen.

"What happened Albus?" Bless his ignorant deputy to ask such a trivial question at such an inappropriate moment.

"We have got some guests Minerva." He said tersely, 'Some very impatient guests' immediately he stood up and ran towards the Hogwarts main gates with his deputy in tow which of course attracted the general populace of students and teachers alike.

But that was not what really drew their attention after all if not common it was not unusual for the Headmaster and his deputy to roam Hogwarts together (mind it, not that way), it was the five very loud bangs that caused the students to run towards the grounds and the sight there caused them to gasp in dread.

Seven men, each of them wearing complete black robes and had Five levitating dead bodies behind them, each body was about eight ft from ground level.

"Albus Dumbledore '' Lord Caius Warrington intoned in his gravely voice as wind howled around them, billowing their pitch black robes.

"Caius" Dumbledore stepped forward but stopped himself when he saw all other lords pointing their wands towards him.

"No headmaster, we aren't here for pleasantries anymore, we are here for...an announcement." Lucius Malfoy drawled out and signaled Lord Rosier who stepped forward and levitated a Blood red scroll towards the Chief Warlock.

"Tick Tock Dumbledore...Time passes and we lose ourselves faster than we expect." He glared once more and eyed each and every of the present staff and students before swirling his cloak and stomping his way to Hogwarts gates, the levitating bodies floated behind them as they passed the Hogwarts wards and portkeyed out.

Dumbledore slowly opened the scroll and sighed, it was as if he had aged a hundred years all of a sudden. Because there was just one line written on that scroll.

'Hogwarts will celebrate deadly Halloweens from now...'

Dumbledore knew he can't blame the Lord's because they were emotional, they had just lost their children after watching the young ones suffer so much, crying the nights out, cutting their testicl*s and parts of brain.

The aged wizard just shook his head, he knew that the school gained a few enemies, hopefully as the strongest wizard alive he'll be able to protect the residents.

Was it too much to ask for a simple vacation?....He sighed again

The days after this incident were rather glum for Hogwarts and the burial day was declared a complete Holiday for everyone.

Changes in day-to-day life were huge though. The entire Wizengamot had been called and the grown ups had banged their heads together to formulate the pathway for their nation. Giving rise to conclusions-

First, The search for the Ancient Murderer was to continue along with the SoS.

Second, The curse was declared partially illegal, not completely because whoever it was used on had accepted their faults. They had even given the memory that gave out their involvement with such a heinous act.

Third, the Department of Mysteries had been given the job to formulate the counter-curse and submit it for Wizengamot testing ASAP.

Fourth and last, The case (CR-93- Sc: 375- 00078- LND-WIZ) had been officially put to a halt since there was no evidence strong enough to push this case in one direction.

Changes in Hogwarts weren't as gargantuan as that in the Wizengamot but they were quite significant, like First and Second years moving in groups of three or more, no one roamed the Hogwarts halls after curfew.

The infamous Weasley twins et al. had for once stopped their crusade against Hogwarts discipline and had stopped pranking anyone they could. Mostly because they had received Warning howlers from Molly The Banshee Weasley, that they would be pulled out of Hogwarts immediately if they stepped a toe out-of-line.

Slytherin House suffered some changes of its own, including the power shift from the Dark Sect towards the Neutral one. Daphne Greengrass now held prominence in their monthly meetings and was the face of first year Slytherins whereas Draco Malfoy, who was again on a mission to gather more competent followers, was asked to be more subdued.

Slytherin House as one had also been given till January 7th to start tryouts and select new team members and bench players or else they will be removed from the yearly Quidditch Cup.

Harry felt someone sit close to him, far too close for a distant friend and too far for a very close one. He kept on writing the potion ingredients that could substitute for the three not very easily found ones in the formation of Eye-cure potion.

"How are you Harry?"

Harry internally sighed at the woman's method of starting a conversation but gave a small reassuring smile "I am fine Professor Sinistra, how about yourself?"

Sinistra sighed beside him and shook her head "Oh c'mon Harry I am very sure you can call me Aurora in our private meetings, yes? After All it's what?, the seventh time we are meeting here?"

"We are Professor, but I never knew this was some private meeting." He stopped writing and looked at her straight in the eyes, making redness crawl over her cheeks.

"I-I guess but we can name it like that. You are here after curfew in this deserted tower at this time of night. Part of me wants to hand you over to Filius for breaking rules but another part thanks you for the intelligent company you offer." This was of course a lie as she just wanted more and more of her time with him, why the hell keep Astronomy as a side subject? She could have started Charms or Potions or Merlin forbid Transfigurations just so she could spend more and more time with her most favourite boyfrie-erm-student.

'Deserted tower? Suuurrree, what were the fourteen other living magical cores that I sensed then?' He didn't say it out but he knew she was lying through her teeth of the tower being deserted.

Seriously, even after all the patrolling guards, students found ways to fool around. He gave a salute to their utter stupidity.

Harry didn't reply, instead he looked towards the twinkling stars that were only visible because of the Astronomy tower's charmed glass ceiling as it was literally snowing outside.

He didn't know if it was the cool atmosphere or the darkness but Nights were his home. He didn't know and didn't care, it was like his anguished, strained and tortured self found relief in the utter blackness amid stars. He became more forthcoming with his life at night, it was a dangerous thing but he was safe as long as no one knew.

A hand snapped its fingers in front of his eyes and he turned his head to see the hand retracting towards his companion Professor, and...did she reduce the distance or was she already this close when she sat?

"You started star gazing again, honestly Harry, sometimes it's like you love stars more than me." She giggled at her joke while he just stared at her face with such an intensity as to melt iron.

Right now he was successful enough to melt her and witness the redness grow as she shyly looked down.

"How may I help you Professor?" Harry asked her as politely as he could.

"Again with Professor? Okay, help me by saying Aurora. I don't want anything other than that from you right now." Aurora looked at his chiseled face and blushed when he quirked his left eyebrow. Still that didn't lessen the intensity with which she was pursuing her demand.

Harry internally sighed as he shook his head "I am sorry Professor but I won't be able to agree with you on this."

"What? But why?" She had never heard about Harry of all people denying a professor, but then she had never heard him break rules either and yet here he was sitting beside her three hours after curfew.

"Because I have to go get some sleep, it was nice talking to you Professor, may you have a great night." Harry wished her and turned swiftly to move out ASAP, what's with Aurora Sinistra and her private mission to shorten his 'starry time'? Idiot woman.

Sinistra watched with a tinge of depression as she saw Harry move down the stairs. She didn't know what to do to get him to notice her like a woman.

This was the seventh time she met him and the millionth time she yearned for him. It all started one night when she caught him copying an ancient manuscript to a tome. At first she thought him to be a senior student, what with his physique and height but then she saw his face and she swore she was a stuttering mess that night.

Such a handsome diamond shaped chiseled face with high cheekbones and perfectly strong jawline. The soft quiff of raven black hairs and the long pointed masculine nose and full pink coloured cupid bow lips with upturns at the ends. The ones that she had personally nicknamed 'edible lips' for obvious reasons.

And then there were his eyes. Oh how she wished she could replicate the exact colour and texture that were his. They were a complete set of greens that mixed within themselves to throw the most enchanting colours her mortal eyes could ever witness. She had literally lost herself a few times while glancing in his never ending pools of emerald.

Seriously! Such perfection should be classified illegal and banned from being shown to humanity. It should be thrown in a preserved cell with a strict jailor who never left their duty of watching him. And there was no one on planet Earth who could have done the jailor's job better than her, in her eyes at least.

She had time and again berated herself for feeling such...lewd things about someone ten years her junior. But then occlumency was not something she was very good at. Or maybe he was just too good for her meagre occlumency shields?

Circe knows how hard she tries to resist the urge to snog him senselessly, to plunge her tongue in his mouth and wrestle with him till he quenched her thirst and made her his, till his toes curled and lips looked identical to ripe tomatoes, till he owned her body, mind and soul.

Every single time it was the thought of taking it slow that calmed her and relieved her. Part of her calmness also came from her personal half-an-hour ME time she gave herself before sleeping.

Aurora knew this was infatuation which was crawling its way towards an insane lust for an underage teenager, which was seriously not a good thing. Nopes, not one bit. Especially since the boy she fancied was her own bloody STUDENT!

The astronomy professor sometimes wished to get some courage and tell her troubled messed up feelings to her best friend and colleague Irma but then she stopped because of the disaster it would cause. Her entire career would be destroyed and her degrees thrown into Knockturn Alley along with herself, to be used by a rich wizard as a one-night play toy.

The fact that her friend eyed her Harry like he was a juicy piece of meat didn't help much. Aurora knew if Irma asked then she could share anything with the sexy Hogwarts librarian but that anything did NOT include Harry Potter.

Still she could only watch as Harry spent the majority of his free time cooped up in that dank book house under the excessively watchful eyes of Irma Pince. Oh how unfair was the game of life, she moaned in despair before going after wayward Romeos and Juliets fooling around in the tower.

Yep, she knew she lied about the "deserted" tower, The Astronomy tower could never be deserted till Hogwarts nurtured young adolescent romances.

Ending Note-There you have it fellas, tenth editted chapter of SotW.

I know you might be thinking that Lord threatening Dumbledore about deaths might be a tad bit too much, but please do try to think this from their POV.

I'll be happy to answer your questions. I hope I answered a few in my author note at the beginning.

Liked it? Loved it? Hated it? Please tell me! You don't know how blessed I feel when my reviewers exceed my expectations. I read each and every one of them thrice and feel blessed to have such good and active readers as you.

Here's the link to my super private server on discord where I'll keep on updating new chapters, sneak peeks, Character designs, where you are free to talk and ask things regarding my fics directly:

Its a newly launched server...

https://discord.gg/Gcbcv4dxGx

Name: 𝕯𝖊𝖛 𝕭𝖑𝖆𝖈𝖐'𝖘 𝕰𝖒𝖕𝖎𝖗𝖊

Thank you for reading.

With regards,

Dev Black

Chapter 11: See you after Yule!

Chapter Text

Author out!

"I am Talking."

'I am Thinking'

Spells

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Your first book to read should be your own personal self,

and the first to write should be your life.

~R-Kade

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Previously in SotW-

The fact that her friend eyed her Harry like it was a juicy piece of meat didn't help much. Aurora knew if Irma asked then she could share anything with the sexy Hogwarts librarian but that anything did NOT include Harry Potter.

Still she could only watch as Harry spent majority of his free time cooped up in that dank book house under the excessively watchful eyes of Irma Pince. Oh how unfair was the game of life, she moaned in despair before going after wayward Romeos and Juliets fooling around in the tower. Yep, she knew she lied about deserted tower, Astronomy tower could never be deserted till Hogwarts nurtured young adolescent romances.

Silence of the Winters

-Dev Sagittarius Black

~~Chapter 11: See you after Yule! -~~

Harry?"

The cold Prince of Claws turned his head towards the woman sitting beside him "Yes Madam Pince?"

Irma Pince, the twenty-five year old sexy Hogwarts librarian, sat on a chair beside her most favourite student, who had, like herself, taken partial residence in the Library. Though he spent the majority of his time in the Restricted Section.

A person's first book should be their own personal self. One should know about himself/herself like no one else. They should know what they like, love and...lust after. And Irma Pince completely agreed that she was a sapiosexual woman.

It was one of the major reasons that she was attracted towards the coldest Ravenclaw she had ever met. Plus the fact that he was extraordinarily handsome didn't loosen her interest and the way he carried himself spoke volumes about his character and discipline.

Irma knew she was so enamoured by Harry Potter that one might go as far as to claim her a fangirl of the teenage mage, and unfortunately for her, she wouldn't be able to deny it either.

But all of the things she had ever wanted from the elusive boy was just imagination. Why? because Harry James Potter was SO stoic that getting him to even smile was something she had spectacularly been failing at. So how in Morgana's name was she ever going to get his attention that way?!

The thought of 'Patience bears the juicy fruit of success' was what kept her running this long. She still wasn't sure where her feelings truly lay in regards to her profession, her love life and herself.

"Madam Pince?" Harry called out to her again and she snapped back to the reality of sitting a foot from her obsession.

'Damn it Pince, just get on with the task and get the hell out of here!' "Your friends are waiting for you Harry. I asked them to wait a few minutes."

Harry just nodded in acceptance before dog-earring the page he was reading and moving out of the cold dark room filled with chained books not usually granted to thirteen year old firsties.

Susan, Su and Hannah were standing near the library door and were discussing something in a hurried manner, whispering as furiously as they could.

Harry just went where they were and stood with an expectant look on his face.

"Err...hey Harry, you weren't busy right?" Su asked him and got his response in denial.

Both Su and Hannah looked towards Susan who gulped as redness crawled over her cheeks, "So, you weren't busy, right. That's a good thing. Err...okay." She muttered something to herself that suspiciously sounded like 'Calm Down Bones'

"Harry, we were planning for a simple outing today. Err...you know it's the last day of school today before the Yule holidays and so we wanted to spend some time outside near the meeting tree." Susan spoke all of that while looking straight in his eyes.

"That's a good idea Susan." And it was, he didn't have any objection to meeting anywhere before each of them went back to wherever they dwelled and didn't come back to disturb him till January 7th.

Susan blushed in response as she bobbed her head "Thank you Harry, so we decided to meet together and since y-you are our friend, we want you to c-co-me with us." She stuttered and looked down in embarrassment 'Way to go Susan' She berated herself.

"And, what will we be doing there?" Harry asked them his voice, like always, devoid of all the emotions. They didn't know if he would respond in affirmative or just shoo them away.

Susan opened her mouth to say something but all that came out was incoherent gibberish and so she pushed Hannah to the front before rushing to stand behind.

"Hey! you said you'd do it!" Hannah whined before slowly looking towards Harry who was eyeing them as if they were nothing more than puppets and he was their puppeteer, controlling their strings and holding them till they gave him some profit before throwing them the moment he sucked up all that they could offer.

"Yeah so, what did you as-oh yes. Err...we won't do anything special Harry. Just sit there and relax." Hannah tried her brave face but she was as afraid of his reaction as Susan. Well maybe not as much because she didn't fancy Harry the way Susan did.

"Alright."

"No problem Harry, we know you are busy and won't be able to join us. We won't mind-"

"SUE! he agreed." Hannah shook her from the side, preventing her from embarrassing herself further.

Susan stopped her rant and looked towards Harry with astonishment clearly etched on her cute face "You did?"

Harry nodded his head and couldn't help the small uplift of his lips, Su and Hannah weren't restrained though and so they started laughing wholeheartedly at Sue's predicament, her glare made them laugh harder.

"I still can't understand why she can't join us. You are her friend right? Why don't you bring her here yourself?" Terry whined once more as he took his seat under the large oak tree near the circumference of the frosted black lake.

"Once again Terry, I don't know. I am NOT Daphne Greengrass, therefore I don't know how her mind works." Tracey shrugged and continued with her chicken sandwich...yummm

"Why are you of all people worried so much about her?" Hannah asked him, frowning in confusion.

"N-Not worried Hannah, I was just curious. Can't a boy be curious about his companions." Terry complained and vehemently denied anything to do with it.

And as much as the curly haired Ravenclaw hid it, Harry knew the exact reason why the boy was so insistent on the elusive Greengrass heiress joining their little gang of misfits.

It could be traced along the lines of a secret crush...a huge secret crush...A VERY huge secret crush, yeah that one. How did he know? Well, an open mind to read with no shields helped, being an expert seventh grade legilimens just sweetened the deal

But it wasn't Terry's fault actually, Harry had seen hordes of boys following her movement and stripping her naked with their eyes, gifting her various items and stupid pink cards.

He was very sure that if the girl wanted to, she could have any boy wrapped around her pinky. That 'any' of course did not include himself, he was sure of that.

To Harry she was nothing more than a girl with better than average looks and a levelled head on her shoulders that worked well for personal benefits and businesses. That's it.

"What are you guys going to do?" Terry asked them and they started their usual this and that, one thing Harry did learn was that all the girls he knew would meet on the 26th of December and spend the rest of the Yule holidays with each other till January 1st.

"What will you do Harry?" Susan asked him from his right side.

"Haven't planned yet. Maybe something productive." There were quite a few things he had in mind, but there was a problem, Su Li.

The girl had decided not to leave Hogwarts for Yule because China was quite a distance and she didn't like portkeys, while the modern broomstick way was not allowed in their Ancient Village. Harry didn't bother telling her the six other ways she could comfortably reach her homeland.

"What something productive exactly?" Su pressed further.

"Leave him Su, knowing him it will be something boring." Terry shooed off the matter completely.

"Something like solving Arithmetical equations, doing exercises or just reading a bit ahead." Harry was sure the reaction he got would not be the same if he told them his real plans.

"Told you, completely boooooring." Terry sighed as if he was physically exhausted by Harry's insistent need to go all bookwormish.

After that they started their general discussion and Harry simply tuned them out and focused his mind library on page three hundred twenty-six, third paragraph of Charms Unknown and Forgotten by Mark Williams II. In the paragraph that described an obscure branch of Charms division, precisely known as 'Mirror World'.

To anyone outside it would look like Harry Potter was just lounging off with his eyes closed, then again, when were they ever right?

Halfway through it he felt a weight settle down on his shoulder and he looked towards his right to see Susan using his shoulder as a makeshift pillow, both her arms snaked around his right one and lustrous red long hair curtained around her cute round face.

Harry looked around only to find Hannah reading her novel which she always carried around and tried to get ideas to write one of her own. Terry and Tracey playing gobstones while Su was glaring at them. Just the usual- wait, Su glaring at them?

Harry turned his head towards the petite asian girl but she immediately turned her point of vision towards the frosted lake, though her cheeks were deep red and kind of gave her away.

Harry entertained a simple thought of taking a sneak peak in her mindscape but then left the idea, he was not going to handle a girl's tension more than he should, period.

"What's that Harry?" Terry asked his roommate as he removed his outer heavy overcoat and hung it on one of the side hooks.

He still can't believe how Harry never felt the need to wear anything else other than a full shirt and a thin jumper with his sleeves rolled to three-fourths, no woolen caps, no overcoats. Just nothing else.

Atop that, his elusive roommate wanted to open the windows when sleeping. For god's sake, it's like -13°C out there and you want to open those bloody windows?! For what really? The hidden sunshine?

All he got in return was an indifferent shrug and Harry Potter returned to his devices. Which right now was scribbling on a piece of parchment in some other worldly language and doodling patterns on another one.

"Solving a problem." Harry didn't even look up from his current place of concentration.

"Looks more like you are creating one." Terry couldn't stop his cheek even though he wanted to. He waited for sometime and eyed his green eyed claw friend who was hell bent on scribbling more and more.

Sometimes he would lose himself and just glare at the problem before closing his eyes and frowning in deep concentration. Then he would open up in a snap, scribble something and then doodle some more.

Truly? This was Harry's weirdest habits that Terry had witnessed. The second most weird one was to run away from their room every night at quarter to one without making any noise whatsoever.

At first, Terry thought himself going deaf to not be able to hear a boy running out of his own bloody room but then the same thing happened the following night and then again and again and...again. 'Maybe the boy had washroom problems in winter? Hey, it's not a bad thing!'

He felt he should ask Harry what his cold mind was cooking but he didn't dare comment on it, part of the reason was because even if Harry had started to open up with them, he was still Harry Potter, THE dead scary wizard who kicked the arse of Alan Potter and his friend on the first day, played politics with Draco Malfoy and not to mention, killed a fully grown bloody troll single-handedly.

So, he just kept his mouth shut and let Harry do whatever he liked, afterall it was all good as long as it didn't come to bite him on his back side.

"Alright, do whatever you are doing man. I am just gonna sleep, Need to wake up early tomorrow. G'night."

"Bonne nuit." Came the reply and Terry closed his curtains shaking his head in amusem*nt, 'French this time. At Least I knew what language he used, last time his "Kalinichta" was a disaster' Terry silently chortled at the memory of pulling his wand out thinking the Greek 'Good night' was some kind of spell that Harry shot at him. He even fell from his bed, tangled up in bedsheets and pillows as he tried to take cover behind it.

All Harry did was quirk his left eyebrow in confusion before giving an amusing smile when Terry told the boy what caused his fall. 'Stupid prat'.

The next morning Terry saw Harry calling for his bird and giving her the two parchments, the scribbled and doodled one alongwith a letter addressed to his guardians.

Who his guardians are is a real mystery among those who know Harry personally. They had even tried to trick him into revealing their identities but had been hugely unsuccessful as Harry skirted around the questions in the most graceful ways and/or just confused them with his trickier answers. One thing was absolutely clear, no one could make Harry reveal a thing till he absolutely wanted to himself.

Susan had even wondered out loud in one of their Harry absent meetings during the search for the Ancient Murderer that it was a possibility that Harry's guardians would come to Hogwarts and meet him, check on his well-being and tear into Dumbledore like all the other parents did.

Alas to no avail. They didn't come in person though Harry did mention that they knew what had transpired in Hogwarts and were concerned for his well being as evidenced by the brief two foot long letter he received during breakfast the next day, note the sarcasm.

Breakfast was a chatty affair as everyone was excited to leave the happiness deprived halls of Hogwarts that were regularly patrolled by Aurors. It felt like a prison where Aurors stood at every major entrance and glared at you as if you were the Ancient Murderer.

At first the Hogwarts general populace protested against the rules and regulations that were forcefully imposed on them. Up and until, Madam Amelia Bones came and held a meeting in the Great Hall, three weeks earlier, The same day Marcus Flint Jr woke up.

"Attention everyone!" The Sonorous charmed voice of the Director of DMLE rang through the Great Hall, successfully accomplishing its task of getting every single living person's attention, ghosts don't matter.

"I received some disturbing news about students rebelling against the Auror and Hitwizard placements in Hogwarts. Placement which I may make clear is for your security only." She eyed everyone standing in the hall. Some of them shifted a bit nervously, she was afterall the Director of DMLE and one of the strongest women in the Wizarding world.

"This is the reason I am here, to solve your doubts. Anyone who wants to question the DMLE's interference in their daily lives can come forward." Amelia announced and within seconds a group of individuals stepped out of the mob and started shooting questions at her all together.

"SILENCE!" McGonagall's voice boomed and had the desired effect on every shouting individual. "Madam Bones is here to clarify your doubts, not to play a debate with you."

"Thank you Professor McGonagall." Amelia thanked the Transfiguration mistress before returning to her audience "One by one or no one."

The group looked at each other before a boy with copper-y hairs came and spoke up first "Madam Bones I would like to know why we are being guarded and from whom? Do you know what he looks like or is it just suspicion till date?"

"A good question Mr-?" Bones asked the chocolate eyed boy

"Cedric Diggory, Fourth year Hufflepuff Madam." The copper haired boy replied grinning bashfully at forgetting to introduce himself before asking.

"Amos son I s'pose?" Cedric nodded standing straighter "Mr. Diggory, I am not allowed to share private information but can provide you with your answer.You are being guarded from a very powerful and ruthless person who did not hesitate one bit in cursing five teenage wizards with a very closed off and ancient spell that takes quite a bit of your power to cast. To do so Five times...you can guess how powerful he is. And leaving the boys comatose depicts his ruthlessness"

"Another point is, Marcus Flint Jr. indeed woke up today and gave us a brief description of the murderer's body which includes nearly 5'8" or more in height and blonde hairs. This is also the reason that students who have these properties will once again be called for interrogation." Groans were heard from the group.

"But why again? Wasn't the first time detailed enough?" Someone shouted from the group and the student body parted to reveal a redhead boy with curly hair.

"Mordock Edgecomb, son of Madam Eileen Edgecomb, Seventh year Ravenclaw." The boy didn't know how the second year students started looking at their fellow mate Marietta who hid herself blushing a storm.

"Mr Edgecomb, I am very sure one may not find it difficult to answer a question that they have already answered if it helps in identifying the one who caused such devastation."

"But that's their matter right? Why are we being troubled for their family matters?"

Susan groaned a bit when she saw the one asked this question was none other than Hermione Granger. 'She just couldn't keep her doubts to herself, could she?'

Amelia opened her mouth before closing and looking more closely at the bushy haired Gryffindorette, "You don't look fifteen, what's your age girl?"

Hermione blushed a bit "Myself Hermione Granger Madam, First year Gryffindor."

"May I know exactly why you asked me a question when I am very sure that first and second years are, as you said, not being troubled by Aurors or Hitwizards for that matter?" It was placed like a question but it certainly was a statement and Hermione identified it very clearly, evidenced by the increase in shades of red on her cheeks.

"Th-They don't interrogate us but their presence is quite a trouble for our day-to-day life. So, I was just a bit curious-"

"Which I am very sure you shan't be because this is a case of five indirect murders and we are doing everything we can as silently as possible." Amelia shook her head at the idiocy of Hogwarts school children before looking back at them.

"Regardless, I will give the articulate answer you want." She said and took a deep breath, this was sensitive information that no one knew. Not the students at least.

"Do you even know exactly why the five boys were attacked? No? Anyone?" She asked everyone and got the same dumb faces in response.

"Amelia I don't think it's a good idea to tell them what happened." McGonagall precautioned her because she very well knew how this will tarnish her, the teachers and the school's general reputation in the Wizarding community.

This is part of the reason why The Daily Prophet had been prevented from printing this part of the murder, that but more because the lords were ashamed to admit their own blood did something so horrible.

"I know what I am doing Minerva. This is a necessary step to be taken against those who are planning to do something similar. I too wanted to hide the reasons like you, Dumbledore and the Prophet did but no one learns from a lesson that is hidden. Let me do this." Amelia looked away from the aged deputy and McGonagall knew she lost it then and there.

"The five boys, Cassius Warrington, Marcus Flint Jr, Felix Rosier, Terrence Higgs and Adrian Pucey tried to rape a first year Slytherin and-"

But no one was going to hear her as all hell broke loose inside the four walls of the Great Hall.

"Hey Sue, you're still here right?"

Susan shook her head wildly, flailing her auburn hair and looked at Hannah who was looking at her with a face that said 'You aren't out of your mind yet, right?'

"Completely fine Han. Just went back to memories of The Ossuary. I still can't believe it's December already." Susan gushed and watched Hannah shake her head in amusem*nt at her redhead friend's childish behaviour.

Susan still smiled at the memory she was really reminiscing about. That day her aunt had stayed till late at Hogwarts answering every student and reassuring the students about their safety again and again. The student body that had till date been sympathetic towards the five fallen Slytherins took a complete U-turn and agreed wholeheartedly with the Ancient Murderer.

There were a few who didn't like how he did and what he did, going as far as to claim him a maniac for taking such rash decisions that could end the life of five students. Their general idea was to stun the rapists and call the teachers.

These few selected individuals were a group of Ravenclaws and a certain bushy haired Gryffindorette.

But overall no one could deny the fact that Hogwarts wasn't as safe as they presumed it to be, not only from outside forces but also from those inside. This led them to writing a letter to their respective parents making the parents come back to Hogwarts for a personal round of tearing strips off of Dumbles and his merry little staff.

"I still don't know why Harry isn't coming wi-" Tracey stopped mid sentence as a throat cleared behind them.

Looking behind herself Tracey cursed her dumb luck as she found no one other than Harry Potter standing right behind her with an amused expression on his usually ice-carved face.

"I'm right here you know." Harry said in the rich baritone voice of his with a small smirk on his lips as Tracey opened and closed her mouth repeatedly before finally closing it and blushing a storm.

"So? It's not like we were planning to kill you, we were just discussing reasons as to why you aren't coming with us because you aren't telling the real ones." Hannah chirped as she filled her plate with mashed potatoes and sauce

"Do all you want to Hannah, I have already told you my reasons." Harry too took a plate and two omelets with strips of juicy bacon and a healthy supply of delicately chopped fruits. What could he say, he had a healthy diet.

"I still can't believe you can eat all that and still be this fit. I would look more like a baby elephant if I ate that for a week even." Terry complained and then glared at his plate which held four vegetable sandwiches.

"Regular exercises, right Harry? I've seen you move out of the common room at 5 in the morning. Sometimes I so wish I could accompany you." Su made a dream-like face before giving an impish grin "But my beauty sleep wins every time.

"When did you witness him move out then?" Susan questioned her which sounded more like a scathing remark, but Su didn't mind the tone, or maybe didn't notice? No that's not possible, girls have a hidden talent of sorts, right?

"Sometimes I accidentally wake up earlier for reading in advan-"

"Uh stop it, it's Christmas guys...No study-study please." Tracey shook her head and ate a mouthful of potatoes.

"Where's your watch Trace?" Hannah asked, holding the bubbly Slytherin's wrist.

"Uh-erm...it...it's kept in my trunk. Yeah, I didn't need it right now, so I kept it in my trunk. Like what's the need for a watch when we have each other for company?" Tracey gave an uneasy smile seeing as her friend still looked suspicious but then they shrugged and went back to chatting as they usually did.

Parting with his friends wasn't that hard for Harry. They were just everyday teenagers he toyed with more than others, right? And they will be back within a fortnight. So instead he was quite happy to get some time free from them and work on himself. That is after all the best kind of investment.

But it looked like others didn't share his mentality. How did he know? Getting a third good-bye hug from the same redhead girl gives a good idea. Plus the two he got from Tracey, she was the hardest hugger Harry had ever met. And then there was Hannah who gave one hug which equaled Tracey's two in duration. Terry thankfully just patted his back and made some joke.

"Do take care of yourself, alright?" Susan asked the same question for the umpteenth time and giggled when Harry sighed in exasperation.

"Hey, there's nothing wrong with being afraid of you and your trouble finding tendencies." She poked him in the sides but winced as she yet again didn't find the expected fatty layer and instead stuck her finger on something akin to a wall of stone. Why the hell would one lose all of their softness was beyond her.

"C'mon Sue, we need to-"

"Not got a home to visit, eh?"

Each of Harry's friends froze and turned to witness the arrival of Chief Redhead idiot of their year.

"I heard rumors that you aren't going to wherever you live on the streets for Yule. Yeah, I know it might be cold out there and so Hogwarts Castle became your own little home." Alandale waved off his hand and laughed along with his pet Weasel.

"What do you want, Potter?" Terry growled and took a step forward.

"Just to talk Boot, and maybe an offer to give if your dumb friend knows how to respond well." Weasley said from Alan's side.

"What offer?"

"You see Boot, leaving him here while I enjoy my vacations with a home cooked meal and thousands of gifts is not my thing. This is why I am here to forgive all his faults and forward a hand in friendship." The redhead fatty piglet said this as if Harry was to cry his eyes out in gratitude.

"Oh and where did this change in behaviour come from that you are ready to forgi-"

"Terry."

Just one word. One single word and Harry re-ascertained control of the situation. What can one say?

The deep baritone spine thrilling voice of his always made people listen to him no matter how less and low he spoke. Harry knew this and used it to the best of his advantage.

Besides there was no use getting bored by listening his relative's useless reasons when he had already seem the memory of Dumbledore convincing the Boy-Who-Left-His-Brain-In-A-Gutter on how he should forgive his brother and call him to The Burrow and introduce him to Weasley matriarch and poke him for more information on his past years 'Stupid, old, meddling, manipulative, goat f*cking, codger'

Harry looked at the living body that came from the same womb as himself. "So you are willing to forgive all my mistakes and forward a hand of friendship, right?"

"Are you dumb or deaf, oh wait maybe you are both!" The redhead boys laughed while the other group just stayed silent.

"Yes, I am willing to do so. There are a few things you need to work on and then I am willing to take you under my wing." Harry couldn't believe his ears. How could a person be This, with a capital T, idiotic? Maybe his brother was some god. God of Idiocy perhaps? Nah, that would be too low for his level of brain fullness. Please, DO note the sarcasm.

"What wing? The one that Harry broke on our first day?"

"No, maybe it was the one he broke in the headmaster's office."

"C'mon guys are you really forgetting the class performance one? The one where Alan attacked him and got beaten by his own House Head?"

"Daaaamnnn...I completely forgot that-" Hannah stopped herself from following Su, Terry and Tracey as they tore into the redhead Potter and turned towards a red faced Alan Potter "I completely forgot that...we were talking to a self imposed pompous, stupid, bragging fool who feels himself to be our superior and Merlin's gift to Wizardkind just because something accidental happened before he could even speak properly."

"Shove off Abbott!" Weasley snarled and pulled his wand out. That happened to be a blunder because within moments he was subjected to five different wands pointed right in his face with varying degrees of distance and temper of their owners.

But before anyone could do a thing, a slippery smooth voice interrupted them "May I know what it is that made a group of first years wave their wands in Hogwarts Hallway."

Severus Tobias Snape, the most hated professor of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry glided from his vantage point and stopped right in front of the two groups, his cloak, as usual, billowing in unseen wind.

"One would be a fool to not to expect Potter brats to disrupt discipline and cause nuisance for normal humans wherever they move." The potions proffesor drawled and eyed the Potter teens with something akin to pure disdain.

"But Professor, Harry wasn't-"

"Miss Li, I saw what your friend did and did not do with my own two eyes, it would be a better idea to prohibit yourself from correcting me in the near future if you don't want to unnecessarily lose your hard earned House Points."

Snape stopped Su before facing the Potter teens again "Ten points from both Gryffindor and Ravenclaw for disrupting discipline in Hogwarts hallway and causing unnecessary chaos among the student body."

"You know this isn't true, why don't you go see your snakes!"

"That's twenty points, Weasley I am sure you need to control yourself while speaking to a professor." Snape said as lazily as he could as if this was an everyday occurence and he was seriously getting bored now.

"You know the headmaster will hear all about this don't you? I am going to tell him everything and will ask him do something about it." Alan growled in annoyance making the slimeball professor smirk and bow to reach the redhead Potter's height "Do everything you wish to, Potter."

Snape said and turned swiftly to walk away before stopping just a couple of feet from them "Oh and both the Potters have successfully managed to find themselves in a three day long detention, every night at seven sharp. Ravenclaw Potter from today onwards and Gryffindor one from the day of his arrival." Snape internally smirked as he walked away, making plans on how he would goad Harry tonight 'It will be quite a learning experience for you Potters'. He really didn't know how wrong he was.

"Nothing good came from speaking to that slimy git." Alan mumbled under his breath glaring daggers at the walking away potion's master back before turning to look at his still silent brother who had yet to say a single thing since Snape disturbed them, though it looked like it didn't matter Harry one bit as the green eyed boy was completely engrossed in his own world contemplating something very deeply.

"And YOU! Offer Revoked! You won't ever stay within the same house as me. NEVER!" The piglet snarled and pushed his wand back to wherever he kept, maybe between his layers of fat? Before waddling as fast as he could towards one of the empty Horseless carriages that were rapidly getting filled with eager-to-leave students.

"Completely nutters that one." Terry said, shaking his head in disbelief while his companions nodded in agreement. Harry just stayed silent, lost in his own mindscape about the pictures and emotions he caught from the Potions professor's brain. To say they were a little troubling would be an understatement.

Harry was sure that he will have to ask the slimy git about these memories as nicely as possible 'Tonight will indeed be quite a learning experience, professor'

Finally everyone made up their mind that they were about to leave when they were again stopped by a throat clearing behind Harry. Susan, Hannah and Tracey grinned while Terry went red in the face and started looking sideways.

"Heir Potter?"

Harry turned around to see none other than the ice princess of Slytherin, one Daphne Greengrass standing behind him, exuding a soft aura of regal confidence "Yes?"

"I need to talk to you, privately." She didn't give out any emotion she might be feeling. Harry just shrugged nonchalantly and made an 'after you' gesture with his hand, because he had an idea that the girl already had a secured place in her mind.

And he was yet again proven right when she without a word ushered him into a nearly empty classroom.

Nearly empty because there were stray benches, chairs and a disillusioned fifth year Slytherin boy who was standing in a dark corner right behind the door of the classroom. How did he know? Three words, Sensor sheet and Legillimency.

"How may I help you heiress Greengrass?" Harry didn't pull his wand out but knew it could come in handy since this situation could easily turn against him in a matter of seconds. But thankfully it didn't come to that.

Greengrass just fetched out a sealed envelope from her robes and forwarded it to him. The parchment's texture was of high quality and the writing on it depicted the rich House it came from and the strong pureblood it belonged to.

"My grandfather, Lord Gerald Sandor Greengrass asked me to give this to you. He sends his best wishes for Yule and Happy New Year." Daphne then looked a bit strained. "Forgive me this delay, the letter arrived five days prior but I wasn't able to give it due to other projects that required my attention."

Harry took the letter and nodded his acceptance of her reasons for her tardiness though he very well knew that the delay was caused deliberately so that he may get as little time as possible to reply to it and she wasn't forced to witness what it resulted. How did he know all this? Guess it yourself.

Ten seconds. That was the time when both of them stared at each other before Harry had enough of her and quirked his right eyebrow, "What? Anything else heiress?"

Daphne blinked rapidly as if just now coming back to reality before slowly shaking her head, "Goodbye." She said and moved out of the room leaving the two boys inside it. What was the girl anticipating? His reply to the letter maybe? Maybe.

Harry was about to move when a small mischief formed in his head and he smirked "Find a better place to hide than behind the door Vincent, it's really disappointing." He smirked when he felt the fear come off in waves from the fifth year and the small thoughts of 'What will I tell Daphne now?' which confirmed Harry's suspicions about the boy's presence to be linked with the ice princess of Slytherin.

'When will they stop playing these foolish games and just accept me as their master already?' Harry thought as he moved out of the classroom 'Oh well, maybe the rush to the top has its own level of thrill'

Ending Note- There you have it readers, eleventh edited chapter of SotW.

Liked it? Loved it? Hated it? Please tell me! You don't know how blessed I feel when my reviewers exceed my expectations. I read each and every one of them thrice and feel blessed to have such good and active readers as you.

Big announcement for those who don't know, if you hate Snape and hate his behaviour till date in my story.....you'll abso-bloody-lutely love next chapter...

After all, it's the time to Slay Severus Snape !!

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Its a newly launched server...

https://discord.gg/Gcbcv4dxGx

Name: 𝕯𝖊𝖛 𝕭𝖑𝖆𝖈𝖐'𝖘 𝕰𝖒𝖕𝖎𝖗𝖊

Thank you for reading.

With regards,

Dev Black

Chapter 12: Severus Snape Slayed

Chapter Text

Author out!

"I am Talking."

'I am Thinking'

Spells

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Manipulation is a very simple yet useful technique in the playground,

The one who knows how to do it has already won the game.

~ R-Kade

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Previously in SotW-

Daphne blinked rapidly as if just now coming back to reality before slowly shaking her head, "Goodbye." She said and moved out of the room leaving the two boys inside it. What was the girl anticipating? His reply to the letter maybe? Maybe. Harry was about to move when a small mischief formed in his head and he smirked "Find a better place to hide than behind the door Vincent, it's really disappointing." He smirked when he felt the fear come off in waves from the fifth year and the small thoughts of 'What will I tell Daphne now?' which confirmed Harry's doubts about the boy's presence to be linked with the ice princess of Slytherin.

'When will they stop playing these foolish games and just admit me as their master already?' Harry thought as he moved out of the classroom 'Oh well, maybe the rush to top has it's own level of thrill'

Silence of the Winters

-Dev Sagittarius Black

~~Chapter 12: Severus Snape Slayed~~

'Knock Knock'

"Enter."

The muffled reply of his knock came from behind the door to the Potions Professor's office, before which Harry was standing to attend his detention and...get some answers to the questions stuck in his head since he'd peaked in said Professor's grade 3 occluded brain.

Harry checked his pocket once more and heard the soft clinking of metal that reassured the presence of the most needed item of the eve. If everything went according to plan, Harry would easily have the very first of his real life puppets.

Harry entered and saw the sniveling man sitting atthe teacher's desk, scribbling something in a register that was bound in a black leather cover with golden metal edges while a small silver cauldron simmered beside him. The blue smoke originating from the cauldron every three seconds and forming a halo gave the teenage mage a good idea of what the slimy git was brewing.

And Harry would admit that he was indeed impressed by the git, no matter how bad and childish he was, Severus Snape was indeed a genius in the field of Potions and its subordinates.

"Ah, Mr Potter, finally decided to grace me with your presence have you?" Snape said checking the time and tutting in a tired way, "A minute late Potter, that will be five points. I can't hope you'll learn how important time is, no wonder you are nothing more than mediocre in classes." Snape sneered before writing something in his register and taking a look in the cauldron.

"What are you staring at Potter? You might be an insufferable Know-it-all in potions but you aren't anything close to knowing everything in this room. Now what are you waiting for? Get out of my office, go to Potions classroom 3UG and start cleaning the cauldrons, No magic. And don't you dare play smart Potter for I am right behind you, and I know what liars like you are up to." Snape drawled and went towards his personal cupboard to bring out a fresh supply of ingredients for part two of this project.

'Powdered moonstone, chopped Adder's fork... twelve Jobberknoll feathers... Sopophorous beans...'

'THUMP'

Snape turned to look at his empty office and smirked 'Looks like Potter indeed went to clean the fifty two cauldrons...idiot boy' he thought gleefully and relaxed his mind, it was indeed a momentous decision on his part to add fourth and fifth year cauldrons to the third year ones. and then add Crabbe's and Goyle's splendid work of honor that left the cauldron looking more like a gutter than what it actually was.

'Honestly' Snape scoffed 'If not for Maddison Crabbe and Alexander Goyle being close to the dark lord I would have kicked those two blundering masses out of this dratted school!' He shook his head to remove such distracting thoughts 'Now where was I...? Ah, yes...The exquisite vial of Ptolemy'

"Please take three Dandelion Roots too professor, they increase the time duration of the Potion's efficiency from the standard three hours to five and a half."

Severus Snape froze where he stood, his eyes wide as a deer caught in headlights and a slight sheen of sweat glistened on his pale forehead before pure unyielding rage grasped his now an-occluded brain. He swiftly turned around and glared at...nothing? There was not a soul in the small office other than Snape himself.

It was then that Snape saw the air shimmer before the disillusionment charm wore off completely.

Snape immediately glared at the person sitting right in front of him? No not in front but in his own bloody chair, his legs on the desk which held the register he was just writing in and most frightening was the thirteen and a half inches long wand made of Peruvian Vipertooth heartstrings held in pitch black Yew wood...his wand!

And the boy was lazily twirling it betwixt his thumb, index and middle fingers with an inquisitive frown on his face.

"What. are. you. doing. with my wand. Potter?" Snape hissed, catching Harry's attention who looked at him as if this was a completely normal day. "Peruvian Vipertooth is it? No wonder you are such a slimy little thing professor."

Harry said and internally smirked when he saw Snape's pale face get a tint of red. It was definitely in anger, because if it was a stupid blush then Harry would curse Snape first and clear his doubts later. Seriously Man,Yuck!

Snape's mind was a wayward of emotions and ideas to do in such a situation, he could pull his secondary wand out and kick Potter's arse or throw a surprise wandless stunner and grab the wand before pushing Potter out of his office and calling Dumbledore to expel him or he could simply signal Dumbledore via floo and allow the headmaster himself to witnesses the stupid situation or he could dodge anything the first year-

Oh yes, a first year. How foolish he had been to think a little firsty would make him take such drastic measures, he could simply manipulate the situation to his benefit and then peacefully have Potter under his-

"Don't bother looking for ideas Professor Snape, all the ideas you just came up with have already been taken care of." Harry simply said and gave a very sinister smile when Snape looked at his face wide eyed.

'Honestly Severus, the boy is just a first year for Merlin's sake! He is just assuming things'

But that line of thought was immediately squashed when Harry gave a laugh, a hollow laugh, as hollow as his soul.

"Really professor? Assuming things? I assure you I am most certainly NOT assuming things. Proof can be given by the fact that thanks to you, I now know of your secondary wand's location on your left arm." Harry tilted his head and gave the most innocent expression he could muster "Last time I checked, aren't secondary wands illegal to all those who aren't working for the DMLE?"

Snape would NEVER admit it but this situation was making him feel something he had not felt for the past twelve gears of his useless existence...fear. Raw. primal. fear.

This was impossible. No one, neither Dumbledore nor even Voldemort could pass through his occlumency barriers without him knowing of the intrusion, and to even think that a thirteen year old brat did it.

It was just impossible! No! This was certainly some hallucination. It had to be. There was no way a little boy could do the undoable. And a Potter at that?! Completely impossible. All Potters are nothing but bragging fools who don't even belong in the Wizarding world!

"For someone who knows that his thoughts are being read" Harry said with casual indifference as he eyed Snape "You aren't thinking some good life saving thoughts Severus."

Snape's face looked like he just gulped down a gallon of his own blood. He closed his eyes and took a few calming breaths and focused his mind. He stepped inside his mindscape and looked at the huge black castle he had built up to store his memories, he tried his level best to find any outside presence but was unable to.

For a while he thought about going into his memory room and sealing it before throwing the thought out. He was sure that if Potter was indeed inside his mind then that would just make his way inside Snape's mindscape easier. And though he trusted his ultimate defense, he certainly wasn't in the mood to test it.

"Finally , some intelligent thoughts Severus. Looks like you aren't as great a fool as I thought you to be." The dratted voice of Harry Bloody Potter resonated deep inside his mind and echoed from each and every corner, edge and wall of his own bloody mindscape! 'What the hell is the brat doing to cause this without me knowing?' Snape grumbled and his blood seethed when he heard Harry's laughter echo like his words.

Snape sat down on the huge barren land and started erecting more and more defense walls around his mindscape, stone walls that oozed lava and had poisonous spikes imbedded in them, the whole castle was shielded and deadly creatures like manticores and nundus started roaming the grounds looking to prey on any and every presence not allowed inside Snape's mind.

Finally he ordered his mind to clean every room in the castle of any and every presence and throw it out.

A side-effect of this command included Snape's presence being thrown out of his own mind and he was already prepared for it. It was like a complete flush system and the youngest potions master of Hogwarts was sure Potter wouldn't have survived it either.

Memory Snape smiled when he saw the magical wave coming towards him, hurling whips and trying to catch every presence it could. Snape let the wave catch him and throw him out of the castle grounds.

That smile certainly wore off when he came back to reality. The real place where he had missed everything and crafted the path of his own downfall.

There he was. Harry James Potter looking through his private journal sitting casually on a plush Black and Silver throne, one leg over the other. While he, Severus Tobias Snape was bound to a stiff metal chair with magic suppressing handcuffs right in the centre of his own office that was completely locked from inside.

Snape would never admit it but he was indeed impressed with the boy's plan. Distracting him by angering him and slipping past his shields forcing him to go inside his mind leaving the real world completely. Then the boy came back and tied up his mortal self while his consciousness was busy cleaning the already empty space of his mindscape. 'How did the boy not end up in Slytherin?'

"Welcome back Professor, hope it's all comfortable, yes?" Harry asked the greasy haired man struggling to get out of his bonds. Idiot.

"Ah-Ah Professor, I know you know what it is that has bound you. I also know how good it is and you can do nothing to get rid of those. So please stop wasting time will you? I don't have much to waste on you." Harry said offhandedly and placed the book on the side table that hosted both of Snape's primary and secondary wands.

"Whatever be your reasons for doing this Potter. I assure you, you won't succeed. The moment I get out of this, you will pay very dearly." Snape said through gritted teeth as he kept on adding layers over his occlumency barrier and thinking of his ways of survival.

"I have a very good brain professor, this is why I learnt a very useful thing from you just this day. And with your generously offered permission I am quoting you, 'Do everything you wish to'." Harry grinned when he felt Snape's annoyance roll off him in waves of boiling rage.

"Now, since we have very well established the fact that you can't do a thing till I want you to. I will now do what I came for." Harry said and Snape internally gulped when he saw the boy flick his hand and the Blackthorn wood wand come in his hand.

"Potter I have told you before and am telling you again. This won't go unpunished. You can't keep me here forever and the moment I am free will be your last day!" Snape snarled at the end trying his level best to maintain decorum and a brave face while internally he was sh*tting himself dry.

"And here goes the faux intelligence you have been showing me. Idiot, why do you think I tied you up?" Harry flicked his wand and hit Snape's forehead with a stinger.

"Think Severus" Snape gritted his teeth at being referred to so casually, it stung. "Think very carefully...A mediocre boy of thirteen comes around and trespasses your meagre occlumency barriers. What will prevent him from completely obliviating you?"

Harry smiled coming right in front of his dear ol' potion master's horror struck face "Yes Severus. I will clean the memory of this encounter. Believe me when I say this, you won't even feel what happened after I am done with you." Harry said and pointed his wand at Snape's forehead.

"Lo-look Potter I am sure I can provide you a-anything you want from me without the need for our wands to rise." Snape stuttered out as the cold wand tip trailed over his forehead. Harry looked down at his stuttering professor contemplatively "Anything Severus?" He stopped trailing the wand but kept it still on the greasy bat's head.

Snape found the opening he needed and ignoring the 'Severus' part he nodded rapidly "Anything. No matter if you want me to brew something complicated, stop hurling insults at you, punish your brother." Sweat poured down Snape's forehead as he saw Harry lose his interest and start the game of Trail-your-wand

"O-or I can even give an oath on my magic to protect you from all harm and danger throughout your Hogwarts years." There, Snape gave his last and biggest offer, now it was pure luck and Potter's mind that would pave the wave for this evening.

Harry paused the trailing wand and quirked his left eyebrow, 'That last suggestion is indeed quite beneficial...'. Snape internally patted himself at a game played well, it was after all a very popular saying, Throne a donkey when needed.

Potter had fallen for his clean hearted offer that mentioned the entirety of his Hogwarts years. What Snape didn't say was, Harry Potter won't be staying a day in Hogwarts when Severus Snape is freed from the magic suppressing handcuffs.

All of Snape's thoughts went down the gutter hole when Harry Potter started laughing. It was a disturbing sight to be honest. To witness the most closed off boy laugh as if he was having fun with his toy.

Shamefully Snape realized that Potter was indeed having fun and he was the unfortunate toy.

"You are so easy to break Severus. Just a few clicks here and there and BINGO! You are ready to bestow me with protection even!" Harry said laughing heartily and Snape too gave an uneasy chuckle, he still had no idea how Potter's mind worked.

Slowly Harry's laughter died down and he shook his head "Sadly it's really hard to 'Throne a Donkey' when said Donkey is having a first class view of what goes on in that addled mind of yours." Harry said and looked straight into Snape's onyx eyes. Blazing jade met the cowering onyx ones and a maniac grin stretched across Harry's face. "You might be a grade 3 Occulomens Severus Tobias Snape."

Harry announced and pressed his wand tip more, making it painfully obvious to Snape that his demise was already written tonight. "But it's still nothing in front of a grade 7 Legilimens like me!" Harry growled before whispering "I will take what I want and more Severus...Legilimens."

And like that the full fury of a Grade 7 Master Legilimens was unleashed on the meagre (for him) Grade 3 occlumency shields of one Severus foot-in-his-mouth Snape.

Every lie, every single truth, each and every crime, every one of his secrets...his whole bloody life came out like an open book to read to the likes of Hadrian James Potter.

His student.

The boy he hated most.

The boy of the person he hated most.

The boy of the woman he loved most.

The boy whom he had been belittling since the day he met him.

The boy whose mere existence was a threat to his life.

His worst enemy.

.

.

.

And his soon to be Master

.

.

.

Three and half hours was the time it took Harry Potter to pull out of his dear professor's messed up mind. He immediately went to his throne and sat down. The memories...he still couldn't believe it. But the proof was all over the place.

The proof of how Severus Snape had been friends and an admirer of his mother.

The proof of how Severus Snape hated his father and his friends Remus John Lupin, Sirius Orion Black and Peter Patrick Pettigrew.

The proof of how Severus Snape joined the Death Eaters the day his parents married.

The proof of how Severus Snape heard parts of a prophecy given by none other than Sybil Patricia Trelawney that foretold the rise of The Chosen One who has been born with some power to Vanquish the dark lord.

The proof of how Severus Snape told this prophecy to none other than Voldemort himself.

The proof of how Albus Dumbledore, Voldemort and Severus Snape misinterpreted the prophecy and...

Harry closed his eyes as a lone tear drop fell from his right eye and traced it's path down his cheek

...and utterly butchered a joyful family...his joyful family.

Harry opened his eyes and their current state could have made even Death run for her mummy.

Completely red with ethereally glowing dark green eyes nursing raw arcane power inside them like some rich wine while small shards of silver floated in it. In that dark Potion's office room of Hogwarts, if he had wanted to he could have obliterated half the castle from existence.

But Harry Potter didn't do that. He didn't even follow with the sixty two mundane and twenty four magical ways to remove the useless existence of the person sitting right in front of his eyes.

Though he so wanted to try the eighth one this time. The one that includes hitting the person with a flesh peeling curse and then over-sensitizing the brain area.

Then heal before the person dies and re-curse him. The cycle repeats till the victim lost all his will to live and begged for the mercy that Death brought with herself.

But Harry didn't do that. It was very hard but he controlled himself, forcefully slamming down the delicious ideas of murdering Severus Snape. That would be too easy.

Plus, he would lose his very first personal pet and therefore he won't follow his plan of obliterating Snape. Harry calmed himself down and controlled his haywire magic, leashing it as hard as he always did and for the first time since he came back from Snape's mind really looked at Snape.

White drool escaped from the man's red-purple lips that had teeth marks on it and were bleeding profusely from being bitten down on very hard. His hairs were haywire looking more akin to a rat's nest and his breath still came in parts as his body involuntarily gulped as much oxygen as possible. His eyes were half lidded and only the white was being shown. Regular tremors coursed through the man's body and his head dropped on his right shoulder with a purple neck strained hard doing a tough job of joining the two together.

Overall Severus Snape had lost his sanity and was nothing more than a useless rotten vegetable now. And Harry didn't want that, not because he had any sympathy for the shoddy snake, it was more because of the trouble he would get himself if he left Snape like this for the whole world to witness.

"Now what to do." He muttered out loud thinking of something easier than the previous idea he had, he never thought that it would take him three long hours to witness Snape's whole life. Sadly, he couldn't come up with any other ideas. It was not that he hated the previous plan or couldn't do it.

It was just that, this method included moving inside Snape's mind and putting it back up to its former useless state and doing that needed quite a bit of power that Harry was unsure of using after using quite an amount on forcefully gleaming Snape's information for three continuous hours.

'Wait a moment...' Harry narrowed his eyes and another plan formed in his mind. One that would be very useful in the long run and would easily coerce Snape into being his puppet. And though it was a bit time and power consuming, it would certainly be worth it 'After all, dreams are a very powerful motivator...'

Having fully made up his mind with his latest plan, Harry brought both his hands to Snape's excessively oiled head, his fingers glowed ethereally as he positioned them in the places of the ten psychological senses of a mortal's body.

The five knowledge senses- Ears, Skin, Eyes, Tongue and Nose. And five Work senses- Voice, Hands, Feet, Anus and Genitals. Each of his digits placed themselves on the specific positions and the repair work began.

'Knock Knock'

"Enter."

Harry entered the office and strolled inside. He dutifully stayed where he was and saw his Potions professor recheck his softly simmering cauldron that he had to remake because he accidentally fell asleep for four hours straight.

The only excuse for his tardiness, according to Snape, could be traced to the tiring day he had and the dunderheads he had to deal with on an everyday basis.

"What are you looking at Potter? I told you, this cauldron holds something far higher than your troll level intelligence quotient. Now did you finish cleaning all the cauldrons?" Snape sneered at Harry who simply nodded.

"Don't just stand there pass me your wand right now." The dungeon dweller demanded and as soon as he got it he muttered "Priori Incantatem". Three summoning charms, five levitation charms and a straight line of eighteen transfiguration spell came out that had Snape make a face at how idiotic the boy was to not learn the spell in the first few tries.

Still satisfied that Potter hadn't used any cleaning charm he gave the wand back.

"You may go for now but remember, same time tomorrow. And I don't want any tardiness this time." Snape glared at Harry who just nodded twice and moved out of the room. After the door was closed Snape relaxed his mind and felt the tensed up state his mind was in.

Somehow it felt like his mind had just run a lifelong marathon and was as tired as it could ever be 'Seems like I should indeed take some rest before brewing'. Following his great idea, he flicked his wand putting the potion under stasis as he went through the doors to his personal chamber to get a good night's rest.

Harry closed the door to his shared room with Terry. Now that he was completely alone, he didn't need to close the windows that provided him with fresh cool air and the scenic starry night he loved to see. He also didn't need to put stupid velvet curtains around his bed either.

Usually he did so to protect his privacy from his muggleborn room partner but it brought a problem of making the temperature inside the curtains hotter than he liked.

He then snapped his fingers making his body completely bare as all his clothes vanished only to reappear on his trunk folded neatly. Harry cherished the cool temperature that thrummed his skin and seeped inside him, chilling him to his bone marrow, ridding him off all the pent up tension and stress.

Finally sighing in contentment he snapped his fingers again and his long and strong for a thirteen year old legs were covered in midnight blue cotton pajamas. He had a habit of sleeping without a T-shirt.

In his opinion it was a completely unnecessary piece of clothing that made him uncomfortable and indirectly led to a hot sleepless night.

It was then that Harry summoned his Hogwarts pants and fetched a small box, the size of a matchbox from his left pocket. He put the pants back to where it was and placed the box on his bed.

Flicking his wand he resized the box to it's former glory and opened the fruit of his hard work.

Eighty-nine vials. Eighty-nine clear vials, each having a glistening thread like substance that gave an eldritch glow. Eighty-nine threads that summarized the horrendous crimes of one Severus Tobias Snape and his merry little band of misfits.

Harry Potter grinned as right in front of his eyes was the juiciest fruit of current Wizarding Britain that could very easily push the whole of Wizarding Britain and indirectly the entirety of the Wizarding world topsy-turvy.

Oh how much would the people in these memories pay for just keeping these little pieces hidden and safe. And no, he didn't mean pay with money. He meant pay him with their everything...including their pesky lives.

But right now he just needed one vial. Harry pulled out the vial named S.S-PRCY and kept it aside in his trunk before closing the 'Memory Trunk' and shrinking it back to the size of a matchbox.

He then placed the Memory trunk at the seventh and most secure level of his Blood and Rune protected Traveler's Trunk. Now who would believe that a teenage boy held the strings to one-third of the British Wizengamot? The answer was very simple wasn't it? No one.

There was a side factor for keeping that particular memory vial. Harry fully intended to use the opportunity when the perfect day arrived in a fortnight.

More precisely, the day when all the Hogwarts students re-entered the castle and classes began as they usually did. That day will be marked as the worst day in Severus Snape's life.

But Harry knew that the real torture had already begun with his little plan that he got in the end.

Killing Snape wouldn't have made him relive all of his nightmares again and again, but sleeping would.

And tonight onwards, Severus Snape will relive all his nightmares every night till he begs Harry to cure him of it, "Welcome to the hell you created for yourself Snivellous."

Harry gave a small chuckle before shaking his head and closing his eyes to sort his day out.

It was time to throw out the useless memories and store the useful ones while correcting any mistakes he would have made unconsciously. What, he too was a normal human being.

Halfway through his memory sorting, Harry opened his eyes, he snapped his fingers and summoned the letter kept in the inner robe pocket.

The letter from Lord Gerald Sandor Greengrass, with all the Snape-y dealings he had completely forgotten about this, "Now let's see what you have got for me." He said and opened the golden envelope that spat a letter and a silk ribbon completely green in colour with golden borders.

To,

Heir Hadrian James Potter,

Heir apparent to the most Ancient and Most Noble Houses of Potter and Peverell,

Greetings Heir Potter,

Myself Gerald Greengrass, The One Hundred and Sixty-second Head of House Greengrass and a proud grandfather of two girls, one who is currently studying in the same Hogwarts year as yourself. Heir Potter I am writing this letter to express my gratitude and confirming my grand daughter's life debt for rescuing her on the night of the Thirty-First of October this year, from a fully grown Mountain troll.

I must say, it's very rare for a person as young as yourself to do something this huge. I wouldn't have paid any attention to this rumor if Daphne hadn't witnessed it with her own eyes and helped me form my views about your personal self. Regrettably I don't know much about you and therefore am unable to formulate the precise views which one perceives through meeting in person.

For this reason, I am inviting you for dinner at our family manor, The Fosse on the eve of Twenty-fifth. I am sure an aspiring young man such as yourself would easily see the benefits of visiting us, for there is much to discuss with you which can't be done in a simple piece of parchment.

I also need to witness the future of two Most Ancient and Noble Houses and am looking forward to the familial connections we could establish.

The green ribbon you received is a two way portkey that will be active from evening fall 4 o'clock on December Twenty-Fifth till darkness 11 o' clock and can be activated using the password 'Regality'.

I sincerely hope you will accept the invitation and allow this old heart to see the face of such budding courage in today's world which is overflowing with cowards.

With Regards,

Lord Gerald Sandor Greengrass,

Lord of the Ancient and Noble House of Greengrass

Harry read the complete letter once and crushed it 'The nerve of that man'. And to think he thought pureblood lords wouldn't disturb him until he reached his Wizarding majority of fifteen years.

He shook his head at the utter stupidity of his thoughts and sheer confidence on the part of Gerald Greengrass.

That old man had plainly told him how immature he was and how low Lord Greengrass thought of him in a thickly disguised invitation letter.

This was not a thing to be left alone, Lord Greengrass had at first completely disregarded the Three Rules of Letter Transportation and with this he had spat on his powers as a magical.

Then the part saying 'person as young as yourself' depicted what the Greengrass Lord thought about his maturity, the same bigoted one with which Lucius Malfoy lived his pathetic excuse of a life.

Then he says the troll obliterating incident as a rumor. And then he never deigns it necessary to classify it as an actual incident.

He is suspicious of how Harry will be able to take control of his Houses or if he will be able to run it smoothly depicting his jab on his maturity and intelligence and then he not so surprisingly throws the proposal of connections.

Most probably via a marriage contract between him and the one of the two girls. And by the mention of Daphne Greengrass being in his year and the trepidation on the said heiress face before she gave this letter.

Suffice to say, Harry had a very good idea of exactly who this girl was going to be.

Plus this way, Greengrass will be able to meddle with his life more and more. 'But what about his neutrality? Won't it be tarnished by joining hands with what the public perceives as a Light House?...Wait...! ' Harry reopened the letter and focused on just one line, '...proud grandfather of two girls...' he shook his head and threw the parchment away, 'What a shoddy little conniving bastard you are Gerald... '

Harry just crushed the letter once before crushing it even more and throwing it to a side. He will need to teach that old man that Hadrian Potter was not his common everyday snot stuck Noble House brat.

And to do so, Harry fished out his letter writing parchments from his trunk and started with the most adequate reply.

Tomorrow he would send the letter with Lily when she returned from his latest letter and Rune Parchments he sent his old man today.

Ending Note-There it is readers, finished version of Chapter Twelve, and that too within 24 hrs!

Liked it? Loved it? Hated it? Please tell me! You don't know how blessed I feel when my reviewers exceed my expectations. I read each and every one of them thrice and feel blessed to have such good and active readers as you. Even a simple 'Good work Dev'is also appreciated.

Here's the link to my super private server on discord where I'll keep on updating new chapters, sneak peeks, Character designs, where you are free to talk and ask things regarding my fics directly:

Its a newly launched server...

https://discord.gg/Gcbcv4dxGx

Name: 𝕯𝖊𝖛 𝕭𝖑𝖆𝖈𝖐'𝖘 𝕰𝖒𝖕𝖎𝖗𝖊

Thank you for reading.

With regards,

Dev Black

Chapter 13: The Minds of Divination

Chapter Text

Author out!

"I am Talking."

'I am Thinking'

Spells

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There could be infinite number of ends to a situation and yet one chooses what they think is best for them,

and that creates all the difference...

~ R-Kade

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Previously in SotW-

Harry just crushed the letter once before crushing it even more and throwing it to a side. He will need to teach that old man that Hadrian Potter was not his common everyday snot stuck Noble House brat.

And to do so, Harry fished out his letter writing parchments from his trunk and started with the most adequate reply.

Tomorrow he would send the letter with Lily when she returned from his latest letter and Rune Parchments he sent his old man today.

Silence of the Winters

-Dev Sagittarius Black

~~Chapter 13: The Minds of Divination~~

Stepping down the staircase of the Great Hall, Aurora Sinistra rushed off after a specific teenage male wizard walking towards the library along with a fellow Ravenclaw girl who was chatting animatedly with him.

Something painful clenched in Aurora's heart when she saw Harry give a soft smile to the girl who blushed hard in response 'What did the girl do to get him to smile?' immediately the hot professor's brain registered the asian girl as a potential threat.

"Harry! Wait." She cried and internally cheered as both the teens stopped and turned towards her, both having identical inquisitive frowns on their faces.

"Yes Professor?" Harry asked her, making her pause a bit as she realised the tiny thrill she got every time he addressed her, she wondered how her name would sound on his tongue as he moans it? 'Damn you Aurora. Don't make a fool of yourself! For Circe's sake, he is just a thirteen year old boy!'

"I wanted to know if you are free ton-I mean today's afternoon?" She asked him with all the professionalism she could offer.

Harry paused for a moment before nodding "I am professor, is there something you want from me?"

Aurora nodded "Actually, I do. Could you help me with decorating my tower? I mean the Astronomy tower? Every year I choose someone who is willing to help me do it, this year I want you."

This was of course a white lie but he was a first year, he won't know if Aurora chose anyone earlier or not and she certainly won't mind making this a tradition to be performed every year if Harry is the one helping her.

Harry just shrugged, "Sure professor, I will be there after lunch. If that is all?" He asked her and got her affirmative response.

Though Aurora clearly saw that the little girl was not that pleased and she'd narrowed her eyes suspiciously at her 'Hah! Take that little girl! You might have made him smile but I will make him laugh in the end!' She gave a small smirk that was only noticed by Su before moving away.

"She seemed a little weird, don't you think so Harry?" Su asked her crush who was moving towards the Library for further completion of their holiday homework.

"Weird? No, she has always been like that." he said nonchalantly.

"Always?" Su asked as she quirked her eyebrow in contemplation and frowned when Harry nodded in affirmative.

Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore gave a huge smile as he saw the first year teachers enter his office for the yearly meeting. He absolutely loved this part of the year. It helped in knowing each and every student's progress and how they were performing in classes as well as how much of an intelligence they bore.

This way he could easily help the future of Wizarding Britain in seeing and doing things the right way. This also gave him a good idea as to who had the heart to become his ally...and the will to become his foe.

But the teachers need not know this. He was sure they just saw this as a yearly meet to develop the underprivileged students and work for their betterment. And he had no problem with that, let every fool build his own castle till it's time for reality to demolish it. They didn't know and didn't care while he knew and didn't want them to care.

He had not planned on becoming all this and using such a useful and good thing for such things. But then, Voldemort came and he was forced to witness the rise of dark powers while the light diminished. He thought of knowing how the wizard was causing the unbalance and came up with the knowledge of a 'hiring' session going on in several secret places and rich manors of Wizarding Britain.

And THAT, had provided him with an idea on how to counter the changes, from then onwards when Voldemort focused on Purebloods and rich Half-bloods, Albus Dumbledore started focusing on poor ones or rich and/or muggleborns with interesting qualities.

After all, if the purebloods had family magicks then the newborns had a different quality of their own. If nothing else then at least they had a more potent source of magical power than the inbred bigots who ruled Britain.

And so, was created the very first Order of the Phoenix and an army of student wizards who were ready to fight if push came to shove.

Sadly, it was exactly then that Sybil Trelawney gave that prophecy and Alandale Potter became the Boy-Who-Lived by defeating, not killing, the dark lord Voldemort. Dumbledore only knew how devastated he was that night. All his plans. All the carefully crafted plots went straight into the gutter. Each and every one of his manipulations was undone by a mere toddler!

But all was not gone. This was the thought he had when he reached the dilapidated Potter cottage. Both James and Lily Potter were dead and there was no trace of Voldemort except for the black Acromantula silk cloak that Voldemort wore which was covered in ashes and the presence of the evil magic reeking piece of soul in the green eyed Potter's lightning bolt scar.

Dumbledore immediately guessed what happened there, Alandale Potter was The Chosen one of fate, he destroyed Voldemort's body and got marked on the cheek with a 'V' shaped scar while Hadrian Potter due to being less magically powerful got the piece of soul accidentally torn off in the encounter.

The situation was still under control and he sent Alandale to his most ardent supporters who would shape the boy's mentality to listen to everything he said while Hadrian Potter would have to live somewhere else.

Somewhere far, very far from where he could not even get a whiff of what his surname meant and how much power he held. While he, Dumbledore kept on with the ingenious method of measuring each of his student's potential and shaping them to do the right thing when the time really came.

"Since all of us are already here, I would like to announce the commencement of our annual Student's Performance Meet." Dumbledore announced with a jovial smile and clapped twice giving the elves the signal to send in the rune plated chairs for each member of his staff, if his staff members perceived it as some obscure branch of the super powerful wandless transfiguration that only he knew of, well all the better.

"Derrick."

Derrick Moonsbow, fifth year Ravenclaw prefect looked up from his current place on the recliner in front of the common room fireplace with the fifth year charms book in his hands "Potter? Hey buddy, sup?"

"I am good Derrick, though I had a question." This was the first time Harry had to ask someone something and that's because it wasn't related to studies or any such thing.

"Finally decided to ask a senior for help, did you? I am glad you did, I was going to come to you for you know...your grades are mediocre at best. I don't think it's good to not focus on anything else." Derrick gave the first year Potter an encouraging smile when he didn't get anything from his expressions.

"Yes well, I needed to know about a person not a subject Derrick." Harry really didn't know where in hell's name did the boy think of helping him with studies of all things.

"A person?" Harry nodded. Derrick shrugged "If they are in Hogwarts I can tell you, if not then I will have to ask Matilda, she is more into general knowledge and facts y'know."

Harry nodded it was actually her he was going to because according to his memory, it was she who'd said something about the person he wanted to know about but she'd actually left for Winter holidays. So it was Derrick Moonsbow this time. "Have you ever heard the name Sybil Patricia Trelawney?"

Derrick looked at him for a full five seconds before bursting out laughing, holding his stomach. Harry was confused, why would a responsible boy like Derrick be laughing at a person's name? Did he just say some joke? If he did then he for sure didn't quite understand it himself.

At Harry's confused look Derrick placed both his arms in surrender and slowly controlled himself "And why Harry would you be looking after our very Divination professor?" He asked the green eyed heir still smiling from the previous joke the said heir had involuntarily said.

"She teaches Divination here? Which tower and floor?" Harry completely ignored the elder boy's question as this was more important.

"Past the long corridor...atop the Divination stairwell..." Derrick said trying his best to imitate Trelawney "You will find me in the North Tower of Hogwarts dear boy of Cooooold!" He screamed and then started laughing again as he fell back on the plushy recliner. Harry didn't find it funny.

"Sorry bud, I wasn't able to stop myself because this actually the first time a first year asked me about She-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named five days into the Yule holidays. But you got your answer, yeah? Also, you will be given the Advanced map in your third year that describes the third year classes."

Harry nodded and excused himself, the boy was not usually weird. Ergo, this was either the O.W.L pressure or just the hilarity of the situation which made Harry wary of approaching the North tower of Hogwarts and into the lair of Sybil Trelawney. But he had a job to do and he would indeed find all the answers, period.

"Oh and Harry?" Said boy turned his head and quirked his left eyebrow. He had wanted to quirk his right one but he wasn't that pissed off by the idiotic behaviour the fifth year claw had just shown.

"I was serious about spending some time outside. One needs to know more than just studies. You can borrow my Cleansweep if you want to ride and release some stress. Merlin knows how good you are at it." Derrick told him, grinning. Harry just gave a nod "I will keep it in mind." And that's the most the fifth year prefect could have from him.

"So are we clear with what we have to do with the bottom and top five this year?" Dumbledore asked them as they finalized their tallying up of students and who needed an extra class in which areas of study.

When his staff members nodded their consent, Dumbledore gave a wide smile and steepled his fingers "Now, since that is done, I am sure we can talk about the selected few students now. And I would like to know about everyone's favourite Potter. So Minerva, let's start with you, what can you tell about him?"

Minerva gave a small smile of her own "He is not that good in transfigurations practical or theory but he is a hard worker. Give him a spell and he would practice it again and again till he is able to do it. He also gives the homework on time and never gives me the chance to complain for reaching late to class, perfectly well mannered boy."

The transfiguration mistress gushed with pride "I am telling you Albus, if he focuses more and manages to score better then I could easily declare him a model student even."

Dumbledore smiled widely and his century old heart swelled with pride 'Looks like sending him to the Weasleys was a good idea after all' "What about you Filius?"

"Never allowed me to deduct points. He is, as Minerva said, not blessed with scholastic aspects though he has a very huge thirst for knowledge. He even declined the position on his house Quidditch team in exchange for a year's worth of pass to the Restricted section!"

At everyone's alarmed face the squeaky professor completed himself "Under the oath to NOT to touch any dark arts book. Honestly Albus, both of us know that there is more in there than just Dark Arts."

"Yes, but still-"

"And he has Irma there to guard him, right Irma?" The charms professor hurriedly shifted the topic towards the sexy librarian whose eyes widened at such a sudden turn in events while she was busy planning ways to get her daily visitor to notice her as more than just professor

"Err...ye-yes. Harry reads nothing but Potions and sometimes Charms books. I haven't ever seen him read a Dark Book, not even DADA ones. Though he keeps on noting information from various Potions, Charms and Ritualistic books." The buxom librarian told them with a smile of her own.

"Ritualistic books?" Minerva asked the youngest librarian who just shrugged "Not every time but yes, sometimes they are indeed ritual books. Nothing dark though." She added the last bit hastily fearing that her tongue slip could have cost Harry his free pass to the Restricted Section and he would stop visiting her knowing it was her who caused this.

"Then it's-"

"Irma dear, we are not talking about Harry Potter. We are talking about Alan Potter." Dumbledore told her as if teaching a first year.

"We are?" Flitwick asked astound before shaking his head in denial "Then no, neither have I offered Alan any position at Ravenclaw Quidditch team nor did I give him any free pass for the Restricted Section. And why would I? The pass would expire before it saw the doors to the Library, the boy has never been seen anywhere near the book house." The dwarf charms professor shook his head again.

"And he might have done Transfiguration homework Minerva but that boy never submitted mine on time. in fact, for the first few times I had to make him understand that being the Boy-Who-Lived never meant 'No Homework'." Flitwick frowned thinking about that conversation.

Flitwick was really pissed off from the boy who joked about his height and heritage, if not for the Hogwarts bylaws, he was sure he would have challenged the boy to a duel and shown him what it was like when you mess with a 'Two foot ugly, old Liliputian'.

"Not at all Filius, I meant the other one." She said and looked towards a very confused Dumbledore "You were talking about Harry right?"

Dumbledore blinked twice at the urgency in his deputy's words before shaking his head in denial "No Minerva, I meant our favourite one. Alan Potter." It looked like it was a wrong thing to say because immediately the temperature in his office dropped by degrees.

"I guess you need to move out of your 'Alan can never harm anyone' image and step into the real world Albus." Minerva said as calmly as she could and frowned when the headmaster gave his own 'I-don't-know-what-you're-talking-about' look.

What followed would forever be known as the time when the supreme Albus Dumbledore got beaten down by his own staff just because he disagreed with their views on who the better Potter was. There was certainly no need to mention that the Supreme Mugwump would forever remember this meeting. Thankfully Severus Snape didn't take Harry Potter's side, but that was not a good fact because the potion's master didn't take any of the Potter boy's side and instead kept on insulting both of them equally.

"Professor Trelawney?" Harry asked aloud after not getting any reply to his third knock on the wooden door. Part of him wondered if this was indeed the real place or if Derrick decided to be a prat for the first time in his life. But then he threw that thought out. He knew if Derrick had indeed decided that this would be the first and last time the prefect dared prank anyone.

When he didn't get a reply, he called the Divination professor once more before slowly pushing the door ajar. He took a sneak peak and frowned at the condition of the room inside. It looked more like an attic than a real classroom.

Tea Tables with two-three chairs placed around them, crystal balls and a huge teapot with various tea cups around it. And then there was the mysterious mist that permeated the room from Merlin knows where.

"Professor Trelawney?" Harry called out once more but again got nothing in response and so he stepped inside. He wouldn't have if this task was not that important and this room didn't look like a Divination classroom.

But Harry didn't know any other branch of magic taught at Hogwarts that included the use of so many crystal balls 'So, you live this time Derrick' he thought as he passed the threshold and started moving around the tables calling out the professor's name again and again.

Harry indeed found the female Divinations professor. Though in the state he found her was not something he would ever like to meet any of his professors till absolutely necessary.

Sybil Patricia Trelawney was sitting on a chair in a hidden portion of the maze like room, with a bottle of sherry in her hand while a huge collection of various alcoholic drinks and their brands were kept in the hidden shelf beside which she was sitting.

With her face on the table, drool escaping her lips depicting her deep state of sleep.

Harry rubbed his forehead in frustration. He had just wasted twenty minutes in search of a drunk snoring witch 'No, I won't let go of this. If she can't answer me consciously then I will have them in her unconscious state' Harry breathed out his frustration and flicked his wand out of his silk wrist holster and pointed it at the sleeping woman.

"Legilimens" And with that he unleashed his magic on the sleeping unconscious Divinations professor of Hogwarts, in search of just one thing...The Chosen One's Prophecy.

Harry shook his head again as he touched his chest. It wasn't as painful as it was when he got hit by whatever it was that hit him, all thanks to his enhanced body and magic. But that didn't mean that it didn't hurt.

More emotionally than physically because...because he was Harry Potter, Master Legilimens Grade seven. And in all his encounters this was the first time he encountered it.

Who would have thought that seers are blessed? Not the 'I-know-the-Future' blessed, it was the 'I-have-a-mind-that-no one-could-conquer' blessed. So, back to the question, who would have thought that?

Harry was sure that he didn't. Up and until the moment that he entered Sybil Trelawney's messed up thing she used for a brain. He still remembered the experience because it most certainly wasn't a good one.

Harry had just entered the brain box of Sybil Trelawney and winced when he saw its condition. Spherical globes floating here and there. Encircling a HUGE impasse of green land that was barren at a few places and a few places held ditches too! What were the ditches supposed to mean in her life? He neither knew nor did he care one bit. Ergo, he just kept on moving.

The weather was a mixture of sunlight and sunset, in fact now that he noticed it, there were two suns and two moons. The land was littered with all kinds of flowers, good-bad, healthy and poisonous. It was like some kind of collection and not only of land...of weird creatures too. There were creatures roaming the lands.

They weren't bound by anything and didn't stop or guard anything in particular. It was like this mindscape was not a mindscape but a 'Freedom land' where everything was free and did whatever it wanted as long as it didn't disturb others.

And Harry was thankful for that policy because he was in no mood to deal with Grimms or falcons or deadly twelve feet tall laughing skeletons that were sitting round a bonfire. Were they even getting some heat? He had no idea.

Harry just kept on travelling and looking for a part where the prophecies that she had recited were stored. He needed to see some indication. Some tight locking system or confusing maze but all he got was a huge expanse of land filled with all the oddities the world could offer, and Harry had to admit that it was truly a very ingenious thing to have in a mindscape.

Finally getting tired of just roaming around doing nothing he decided to pluck a flower and see what it was or look in a ditch to see if they were some kind of underground tunnels. This was the precise moment when he saw a brightly glowing white tulip. Harry went forward and was about to touch it when he heard a voice behind him.

"I wouldn't do that if I was you, my dear."

Harry turned around to see the smiling figure of the woman whose head he was diddling with. He immediately took up a defensive stance and flicked his wand out to prevent any and everything she threw at him but she surprised him by laughing and waving her hand as if his presence didn't matter to her. Harry hated being classified as nothing, he had strived hard to-

"Oh you may have strived really hard to be whatever you are but I don't want any fights her." Her response confused him more "How could you read my mind? It's you who I am reading, not the other way round."

"Yes-yes and so is the mystery of magic." She answered cryptically before waving it off "Now that's for another time. Tell me what do you want, take it and leave. I have to attend a tea party with hollow bottles! And believe me, they get very grouchy when I am late."

Harry looked at her warily. If this was indeed Trelawney then it was no surprise Derrick laughed at him when he asked her location.

"Dear boy, stop those useless thoughts of yours! Just tell me what you want, take it and go." She snarled one moment and then smiled as if greeting a guest.

"Won't you harm me for being here or try to kick me out of your secrets?" Harry was wary because this was the first time a stranger was giving him free access to their secrets.

But Trelawney...or her image shook her head "Many come to this place, seeking what they desire. Some get what they want and some need to want it more for getting what they want. No one leaves this place empty handed." her cryptic replies could have made him ill if he was a normal boy with a normal brain but sadly for her, he was Hadrian Potter and so he nodded as he understood what she meant.

"I need to see the memory of June 1980 where Sybil Trelawney gave a prophecy." Harry said as clearly as he could and thought this was going to be the easiest thing he had done. He didn't know what the fates had in for him.

"Then you need to follow me young man. And tie your shoelaces, it doesn't look good on such a true heir as you."

Harry turned around as swiftly as possible, his wand at ready to subdue this new intruder who was...Sybil Patricia Trelawney? Dressed in a full body, high neck black robe that stuck her physique like second skin, her unruly hair in a tight bun with a really fierce expression in her brown eyes that were behind thin, frameless rectangular glasses which were placed on a thin and sharp nose. She was indeed Trelawney.

Harry turned his head again towards the one who had cautioned him from plucking the tulip and there she was, with all her shawls, beads and necklaces, her hair as rough as it usually were and peering at the other Trelawney from behind her round extra powered spectacles with something akin to fury. If Trelawney ever got furious that is.

"Tie your shoelaces heir and follow me. There is nothing to gape about around." The black suit Trelawney said with a sniff of disgust.

Harry was indeed impressed. Having one mind guardian was a common thing but having two mind guardians was something not easily seen. "For Ananke's sake Heir. Tie your shoelaces and just follow me!" The black suited one growled again and Harry looked down to see his shoelaces were indeed untied. 'Strange' Harry thought and flicked his wand to tie his shoelaces.

"Why follow you? He will go with me. I was here to take him first!" Shawl Trelawney said and took her steps to reach Black Trelawney.

"You are not good enough for that yet, it's your job to greet visitors, not show them around." Black Trelawney shouted at Shawl Trelawney as Harry took a step forward and fell.

Both of them stopped arguing as they saw Harry stand up and look at his shoes again. They were tied, yes, but they were tied to each other!

"Such an idiot boy we have. One who doesn't tie his shoelaces together." Black Trelawney spat while Shawl one calmed her down.

Harry flicked his wand again and looked up pointing it at both of them "This is the last time I am saying this. Do not mess with me." he growled and threw an organ liquefier at one of them who jumped to the side.

"Stop hitting us you troll. If it wasn't you then there's only one person who could be doing this." Black Trelawney growled and looked around while Shawl Trelawney shook her head muttering "This is what I feared."

"Who?"

"Why who else? Sybil Trelawney of course!" Both the Trelawney's exclaimed and snapped their fingers in anger.

"Awww...I hate you two. You ruined my perfect entry!"

Harry turned around again and he was gobsmacked by what he saw. Sybil Patricia Trelawney, age 13. With her hair in pigtails and a big cheerful smile on her face that showed the dental braces she used. She wasn't wearing any spectacles and so her brown eyes, glittering with joy, were completely free for the world to see. Or just Harry for now.

Harry shook his head. Three guardians? Was this even real? Exactly what level of Occulomens Trelawney was to host not one, not two but THREE guardians? He only knew about three people who had this level and Harry was sure that was only because they'd undergone several high power rituals.

"Oh that stupid classification again. When will people understand that we are way more than they could perceive?" Black Trelawney grumbled as Shawl and teen Trelawney laughed. "But that's beyond the point. Come Heir, I do have other tasks you know." She said and moved forward to grab Harry's hand but was immediately stopped by Shawl Trelawney.

"Who gave you the right to show him when I am still here?" And with that they started again.

"Let them argue. They always do that, come with me. I will show you the Prophecy chamber and many interesting things like The Dimensions Bridge, Plasma World and Whirlpool of Life. We even have the-"

"Stop right there girl. He came to see his prophecy and he will see just that and move out!" Black Trelawney snarled at the teen one who ran towards her shouting things like 'Who are you to tell me what to do' and 'I am the mistress of my own sphere'. What sphere? Harry literally had no idea. But that wasn't needed as the sister's started moving forward while arguing at the same time.

Wordlessly Harry followed them looking around himself at each and everything. His wand trained and his mind fully on guard, he couldn't be sure as which of the Trelawneys turned around and cursed him. One could never trust a mad person with what they had, have or will do.

But thankfully it didn't come to that as he trekked behind the three continuously arguing Trelawneys. He still couldn't believe that such a mad woman honed this good occulomency skills.

Harry saw the three momentarily pause and cursed himself for forgetting that somehow they could hear each and every one of his thoughts. Maybe this was a side benefit of such advanced occulomency skills?

Harry wasn't able to continue his musings because the three Trelawneys stopped arguing and turned to look at him simultaneously. Each having a completely different expression on their face before the teen Trelawney came towards him jumping giddily and laughing as she pulled his hand towards the other two.

"Come Harry. We finally reached the Prophecy Chamber! It's so unfair that they get to do whatever they want every single time!" Teen Trelawney whined as she pulled Harry by his arm.

"Behold Hadrian, for now you are going to witness the utter majesty of prophecies." Shawl Trelawney said and opened the huge black stone doors with just a push from her index finger. He absently noted that each of the Trelawneys referred to him differently.

Harry entered the dark room that had granite walls. glittering diamonds and other precious stones were imbedded within in the walls. There was no ceiling and the stars were clearly visible. He had never seen as clear starry night as now and he had seen more than a few hundred starry nights. "Where now?" He asked but got no response from either of the three Trelawneys. He turned around and saw why.

Harry was completely alone in that room. The door was closed and there was no one other than himself. No Shawl Trelawney, no Black Trelawney and no Teen Trelawney either. Just no one.

"Enter Hadrian James Potter-Peverell, First of his name, Air Elemental, bearer of the gifts of Mnemosyne, Asclepius, Circe, Aeolus and Athena and third owner of the gifts of Hades. Born on July Thirty-First, Nineteen Eighty. One, whose destiny had been carved on the perished sands of time even before he arrived on the mortal planes of life."

Harry frowned at the ethereal voice that was neither male nor female but a mixture of two. It was of someone who definitely knew him better than he thought though the naming of Greek gods and goddesses confused him a bit. "Who are you?" He asked aloud and in response got the entity to chuckle.

"Why? your guide of course. Come Seeker, enter deeper and meet me at the end. Everyone does."

Harry frowned at that, he certainly didn't think Trelawney could have something of this measure "I am not coming till you tell me who you are."

The voice chuckled again. "Then both of us can wait for another eternity and we still won't have shifted an inch on the immortal plane."

Harry contemplated his options before shrugging himself and moving forward. There was no other way he could move either. Throughout his way, the place seemed to stay the same with the voice of 'Come, Come dear Seeker' repeating itself.

Till the point he finally reached the end of his path, the end where a cave-sque threshold was giving off a bright eldritch glow from inside.

"Enter Seeker." The voice said and he entered only to freeze where he stood.

The room was HUGE with only a round 3-4 meters in height, elevated platform that had staircases around it. On top of the staircase was a gigantic single eye rotating slowly on its axis. The eye was the thing that was giving the eldritch glow and had electricity coursing through it where the pupil should be.

At the base of the eye was a woman, sitting completely naked and giving him an all knowing smile. She had frizzled brown hair, crooked nose and a thin frame...She was Trelawney.

No, she could have passed off as Trelawney if not for the hair having streaks of pure white and her eyes weren't hollow with the same electricity as 'the eye' floating through them.

"I am not that beautiful in person, am I?" The woman asked, seeing him stupefied and laughed when he didn't speak.

"Oh, I know all about you Hadrian. I have seen you be born, conquer and of course...kill them." She said with the same all-knowing smile making Harry pause in his actions.

"I have even waited for your arrival and foreseen the infinite ways this meeting of ours could end... unfortunately all of them end the same way."

"Who are you and how do you know so much about me?" Harry asked feeling wary, she certainly wasn't normal and therefore not entirely in his range of things he could destroy. "Ah, so you choose the six hundredth and ninety second method." She said, shaking her head and surprised.

"Well, to answer your questions, I am what you mortal knows as the 'inner eye' and knowing things is what I do. Peeping into the future, staying in the present and yet preserving the past is my job." Harry again frowned at the cryptic way she had answered him but didn't poke her on it.

"Oh, you may not 'poke me' because you can't." She said and laughed "Now tell elemental, what do you need." Harry's brow twitched at being called out so casually "If you know everything then you might also know what I want, why ask it from me?"

"Of course I do! But knowing things is a bore. This is why I enjoy my small moments of not knowing things and let it happen as it wants." Harry just quirked his right eyebrow at that but didn't say anything and pushed his mind to total blankness.

"A strong feat for a thirteen year old but not for you is it Tueur N-13?"Harry's eyes widened at the last part and out of habit he flicked his wrist...nothing? He looked at his hand and flicked it once more only to grab nothing.

"Such a shame Harry. Lost your wand already?" Trelawney said in the Teen Trelawney voice and immediately Harry remembered how she had come jumping his way and pulled his wand arm till they reached the doors of prophecy hall. "Not bad Harry. You remembered me!" She said in the same voice and cackled giddily.

Harry narrowed his eyes at her "Why are you playing with me? Give me what I want and save yourself." He growled.

Trelawney paused for a while before laughing more "I am playing with you? It's you who is wasting my time. Tell me what you seek elemental, take it and leave."

Lips thinned in frustration he spoke "The prophecy. I want that. The one that describes the fall of the dark lord. Given by you in the year 1980, June month." Harry spoke as clearly as he could. He was seriously getting irritated by this idiotic woman.

"Which world?" She asked him innocently, making him pause for a while. "You didn't think Sybil Trelawney just saw this world did you? This world's Sybil Trelawney lives here but each of Ananke's blessed ones have the power to witness changes in other worlds too. Just like they are blessed with me as their guardian."

'Means...' Harry's eyes widened at the implications of such a thing. Trelawney nodded "You would be correct in assuming that none of the things Sybil said was wrong. It was the place and time that she said that mattered."

"Could this mean that the Prophecy of June 1980 was for someone else?" Harry asked the...thing "It could have. But the one about whom this Prophecy was, took a rash decision and made the prophecy bound to occur."

'Voldemort' Harry thought and saw the woman nod.

"So, this Prophecy is bound to occur...means the monkey fart is still alive?"

"Why am I not surprised by your brain's capability? You are, after all, one of Athena's blessed ones," She smiled serenely but then nodded solemnly, "..but you are not here for that knowledge are you? Well, I think you already know the answer...soon you will have the chance and it's up to you to decide how you shape the future Elemental."

Harry nodded his head solemnly. He had been preparing himself and this has just strengthened his resolve. He still didn't know if the old wanker was alive or not but right now, he was inclined to believe that he might still be out there somewhere.

"But now, our time ends...and so, I will have to push you out." She said as if she was restraining herself from doing it.

"No! Give me the prophecy, I didn't do all of this to return empty handed like this!" Harry snarled and threw a wandless bodybinder at the smiling woman. To his horror, the woman just shook her head and placed her hand in front of the curse...She held the orange sizzling curse between her forefinger and thumb. Like literally held it, and smiled.

"I already gave you what you needed. As I have indeed said earlier, no one leaves this place empty-handed." She smiled at him, her hollow eyes crinkling, "You can have whatever more you want, elemental, but not from this place. My work was to inform you about the changes that had, have and will always be occurring where you stand. You cannot live a life without the strains of choosing between things important and easy. Powers you don't know yet have put faith in you and you shan't...upset them. Result could be...fatal."

Harry tried to move himself as he saw the woman slowly twist his curse in the palm of her hand and change it into raw electricity. The same as the large glowing eye and her eyes.

"We will meet again elemental. It's already carved. But for now..." She smiled and threw the ball swirling raw hot electricity in it right at him. He tried to dodge. To move away or channel his inner magic to block it. Oh yes he did every possible thing one could think of and yet...and yet he bore the full impact of whatever it was that thing threw at him.

The last thing he saw was her eerie smile before she whispered 'Until next time'...and the world collapsed around him.

.

.

.

.

.

Harry shook himself to bring him back to his present situation, which was sitting half naked on his bed in his Ravenclaw room.

After he had been literally thrown out of Trelawney's mindscape by whatever that thing was. He had immediately taken solace amid books because even if he had spent hours inside it, the real world had just felt half an hour and so he couldn't run away to the Astronomy Tower for the soothing atmosphere of a starry night.

This encounter had given him a lot to think about and Harry would kill himself before forgetting this incident.

The words, 'True Heir' and 'Powers you don't know yet' still rang his brain. He will know them all...he will work his very best to know and then conquer each of them.

But for now...'Voldemort might be alive...as alive as he could be and Hecate knows what he might be doing right now' This information was enough to strengthen his resolve to kill him. His mum...dad...

Harry gulped blood and clenched his fist, he had so wanted to kill Voldemort in his childhood when they first told him of 'The bad guy who killed his mummy and daddy', he had been naïve then, a child... powerful for his age, yes. But not enough to kill the darkest sorcerer of the century.

But now he wasn't. Now he had resources and will accomplish his task even if it took this entire world to go down the path of massacres and obliteration of human kind.

HE WILL DO IT!

Harry calmed himself once more and after ten seconds opened his eyes. They were back to the usual cold mirrors than the blazing infernos they had been not moments ago.

This was the state that helped him to think things. Take steps, play politics. Use his brain for his betterment and others destruction.

And right now the brain told him that there's one very important letter to write. 'Tueur N-13, eh? Thank you for showing me the right path, oh inner eye...'

But before he could have even gotten up from his comfortable bed to write the said letter, someone knocked on his door.

Harry narrowed his eyes and looked towards the door. He then looked at the time on his bedside clock '10:38 pm...who could it be?'. The knock sounded feeble, as if the person didn't want others to know they were here...or maybe they just wanted to check it if he was asleep? And then ambush him? Possible.

Harry flicked his hand and trained his wand on the door as he moved to open it. His adrenal glands started working overtime and his blood started running wild with magic. His mind activated the extra senses and he forwarded his magical sensor sheet towards the door.

"Harry? Open the door...It's me.". The voice was a hushed whisper, still his enhanced senses heard it clearly.

Harry paused momentarily before closing everything and still keeping his wand ready opened the door. What he saw made him frown.

"Su?...What happened?!"

Wait-Wait, let me say it....!!CLIFFHANGER!!

Ending Note:There you have it fellas, Edited and finished version of Chapter Thirteen!

Liked it? Loved it? Hated it? Please tell me! You don't know how blessed I feel when my reviewers exceed my expectations. I read each and every one of them thrice and feel blessed to have such good and active readers as you. Even a simple 'Good work Dev'is also appreciated.

Here's the link tomy super private serveron discord where I'll keep on updating new chapters, sneak peeks, Character designs, where you are free to talk and ask things regarding my fics directly:

Its a newly launched server...

https://discord.gg/Gcbcv4dxGx

Name:𝕯𝖊𝖛 𝕭𝖑𝖆𝖈𝖐'𝖘 𝕰𝖒𝖕𝖎𝖗𝖊

Thank you for reading.

With regards,

Dev Black

Chapter 14: Yule Times- Part One

Chapter Text

Note:There is a fight scene which a few readers might not agree with. But trust me, I had to do that even though, I didn't like it.

That was necessary for the plot and will shape up the future in Ravenclaw house as a whole, so bear with me till you get to see chapter 15, you'll know what I mean. Till then...

Author out!

"I am Talking."

'I am Thinking'

Spells

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Thinking about you is my only way to calm myself...oh success...

~ R-Kade

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Previously in SotW-

Harry paused momentarily before closing everything and still keeping his wand ready opened the door. What he saw made him frown.

"Su?...What happened?!"

Silence of the Winters

-Dev Sagittarius Black

~~Chapter 14: Yule Times- Part One~~

Su Li had tried her level best to postpone this day as much as possible. To bear everything and not ask anyone for help, especially not him.

The thought of 'What would he say' ran rampant through her mind, What would he say when he sees her weak? He had praised her that she was very good and had the power to go toe-to-toe with boys.

Yet all of that was useless. She was nothing more than a weakling. Nothing more than a girl who had tried and failed. She was sure that her master would be laughing at her when she wasn't able to stop them and let herself be bullied.

Before this, her roommate Padma was her only solace, she knew what happened every night, what with being her roommate and all. And was always there to collect her broken pieces and join them all over again by the night to build the laughing and bold Su Li who kicked off lessons till the day ended and night loomed over the horizon.

But Padma too had left for the Yule holidays, Sue knew she too should have left but...but she knew what would have happened if she dared to deny them.

And this was why she was standing here. Dressed in her midnight blue sleeping robes, standing in front of the door she had always wanted to come to. Though most certainly NOT in this state.

"Su?...What Happened?!" Harry asked the girl, who instead of her usual cool and bold self was looking down 'And...was that a sob?'

But what the girl did made him more worried than ever. The girl without looking up into his eyes threw herself on him, putting her petite arms around his neck, she collided her head with his stiff chest and started crying bitterly.

Harry was bewildered. Like really, really, really bewildered. This was literally the first time that he had seen someone cry...someone who he wasn't going to kill anyways.

And this was one of the situations that he wasn't trained to handle, but a crying girl in a boy's corridor could cause some weird rumors that he didn't want to think about 'For that matter, how was she in the boy's corridor?!'

"Err...Sue? Can you tell me what happened?" Harry asked her awkwardly and she sobbed out some unintelligible words that were so messed up that even he had to strain his ears. But he got what she wanted to say and that made him even more uncomfortable. Harry looked left and right before channeling magic out of his body and down the corridors, finding nothing alive he swiftly pulled Su inside his room and closed his door.

And now he was facing a messed up situation which he didn't have any idea how to tackle. And how could he? He never had friends his age. He had never seen his loved ones cry and the last time he, himself cried was, when he was five..years...old... Harry grinned at the strange idea that came in his head.

He took Su towards his bed and made the girl sit with him. It was a bit awkward at first but then he managed to still her at his left side and hesitantly encircled his left arm around her as she laid her head on his shoulder and kept weeping.

He slowly started moving his upper body back and forth, forcing Sue to do so too, and went down the memory lane. Looking out for that particular memory when he was having his first and last 'cry moment' in his new bed. He tried to follow what his grandlady did for him that night.

'What happened Harry? Not able to sleep?'

"What happened Sue? Not able to s-sl-sleep?" Harry stuttered a bit but controlled himself.

'Nightmares troubling you? Do you want to talk about it?'

"Nightmares troubling you?" He tried and calmed his mind first when he started to notice that she was slowly calming down herself "Want to talk about it?"

'I am here for you, you know that right? I will always be here for you my dearest.'

"I-I" 'Merlin's bloody beard, this is hard!' "I am h-ere for you. You know that right? I will al-always be here for you." Surprisingly it was this line that exponentially calmed her down and her hysterical wails reduced to silent sobs that diminished with time.

'You don't need to worry about anything Harry. We have loads of time. Whatever it is that's troubling you, we will remove it together, alright?'

"You don't need to worry about anything Sue. We have loads of time. Whatever it is that's troubling you, we will remove it together, alright?" He finished and internally sighed when he felt the girl nod. He was still doing the back and forth motion, no use taking any risks.

'Now stop crying and drink this first.' Harry remembered what it was that she gave and wiggled his fingers silently conjuring a glass of water and wandlessly making the water lukewarm for her.

"Now stop crying and drink this." He said and forwarded the glass full of water towards the now silent girl, she was still sniffing a bit but thankfully not that much.

Su reluctantly detached herself and took the glass from his hands and slowly sipped down the water. She mumbled something which sounded like a 'Thank you' as she gave the glass back, Harry just nodded.

"Now, will you tell me what happened?" He was so tempted to slip down her mental shields and see everything first hand. But she was his friend, a friend who came to him when she couldn't go to someone else, and so disrupting the trust she put in him didn't look like a good way to pay her back.

Therefore, he patiently waited for the girl to collect her wayward thoughts and arrange them into a more comprehensible manner. It was then that Harry noticed she was shivering a bit and he cursed himself for his momentary loss in mindfulness.

Harry got up and closed the glass window that he kept open for the cool December wind to infiltrate the small room and sooth his mind and body, relieving him from all his stress, tension and anxiety.

A starry sky and wind around him were the only two ways he could cool his head. Sometimes, the library helped when neither of these options weren't available.

He turned around only to see Sue still looking down, though this time her cheeks were cherry red 'What caused this change?'

"Wear a shirt, Harry." It wasn't as loud as she usually said things but it was louder than the faint mumbles and the message was quite clear. Harry shook his head at the second thing he forgot that night, he could only blame it on the bizarre situation that he found himself in.

"Done. You can look now." Harry said, closing the top button of his white shirt and rolling the sleeves to three-fourths.

Sue nodded and sighed before muttering aloud "I hate them." Harry frowned a bit but let her continue. The dark brown eyed asian girl looked straight into his eyes, her eyes akin to some restrained beast "I hate all of them."

"Who?" Harry asked the girl sitting on his bed.

And so, Sue gushed her heart out. telling him each and everything of what had transpired with her and how Hogwarts had made her feel.

The girl told him the nights when Padma held her as she cried herself, the moments when she had been pushed to a side in the girls washroom and laughed at, moments when neither he nor Terry or Padma had been with her and she had suffered the actions of some seniors.

Ending her Hogwarts life story, she told him how they had been disturbing her every night since Padma left. How they just banged on her door every three-four hours at night and then ran away before she could do a thing, how they started stealing her things and lastly, how they had barged in her room yesterday when she was unaware of it and destroyed her room.

Sue then procured out a small crumpled paper and gave it to Harry, she wasn't able to tell what it was as her tears poured down from her eyes and her body wracked with silent painful sobs. Harry took the paper and opened it, it was not a simple paper.

It was a photograph. A magical photograph that showed him a laughing family, Sue's family.

A short statured sturdily built man with long hair, a petite woman wearing hanfu and holding a small baby in her arms while two girls, twelve and nine if he guessed correctly, waved at the cameraman as every person in the pic laughed heartily.

The picture was completely crumpled. Harry turned the picture and stopped when he read what was written behind it.

Leave Hogwarts as soon as you can.

We are better off without blood thieves like you!

Harry frowned at that and looked towards the girl "Blood thieves?"

"The-they think we s-stole their bl-blood and indirectly their magic...and went to our homeland. They don't want me here." She cried more before shaking her head slightly and looking at him with tear filled eyes "But Harry, why does daddy say we have been in Ravenclaw for centuries then? How could we be blood thieves? I am not a blood thief Harry...I am..n-not..." She started weeping again.

Harry looked at her and felt a different emotion. Something he hadn't felt for anyone since he was eight years old. When they told him what had happened to his parents. Protectiveness. Fierce Protectiveness.

"Your father is right Su. House Li is an Ancient and Most Noble House and has been in the British isles for more than six hundred years. You are most certainly not what they call a blood thief." He told her the truth that was written in the ministry records.

After some time, Harry spoke "Who are they Sue? Do you know them?" He asked her and she shook her head in denial "Their leader or their face left for holidays. I don't know who the others are as they never did anything in front of me." She admitted.

"What about the times when, err..when they shoved you in crowds or laughed at you?" How could the girl not notice every face in the crowd that bullied her? After all, he had scanned each and every face and given them their rightful punishments when he was bullied first.

Harry hated bullies, especially those who manhandled someone's family. It eerily reminded him about three people who looked like a giant walrus, a horse and a fatty pig in a wig.

But Su just shook her head "It's not like everyone is here, the faces I knew left for the Yule holidays. The ones that do these things are completely new and haven't shown their faces yet."

Harry nodded, this could be a possible excuse, but.. "What about Cho Chang? She is also from China."

"Cho is from China, yes. But she is from mainland China. The creamiest place in the Chinese wizarding community. Her father is close to the emperor there and is quite rich. Plus, her mum is from Britain, so that makes her half-English and so, easily acceptable. While both my parents are of Chinese origin and my father is a simple businessman." Su explained the inner facts and he nodded in understanding.

Harry had never thought that one of his friends could be the victim of bullying, he had never cared about them to even ask or notice the signs. Everything was different for him from the start. Elder students were afraid of him for the first few weeks because he had supposedly 'dueled' and defeated Alandale Potter, who was supposed to be the strongest of them all. Stupid Boy-Who-Lived stories.

Harry could wager and win that all that hollow gobsh*te had ever done was give poses and sign autographs before gobbling down everything in his reach because he was 'having enough space for some snacks'.

After sometime when things started to cool down, he had gone and single handedly killed a troll. The students, at least in Ravenclaw, were wary of him after that and had left him and by extension Terry completely alone to their devices. Not wanting to strike his ire, they had not said a thing but then, there was nothing to be said in the first place.

It was a fairly understandable deal 'Not to touch his things and he will let them live'. If they didn't understand such simple things, then what the hell were they doing in the house of Claws?!

"Harry? Can I ask you something?" Sue called out to him and he looked at her and quirked his left eyebrow. "Can I...Can I sleep here tonight?" She stammered a bit.

"..."

"Please?"

"..."

"..."

"Su...you do know what you are asking right?"

Su gave a meek nod "I know it sounds weird and that's why I came to your door, hidden from all the eyes. I am thankful that the stairs collapse only when a boy is moving towards the girls dormitory and not the other way round."

She told him and continued "I won't sleep with you per se, I will sleep in your room, I mean on Terry's bed. And will go back to my room first thing tomorrow, you could wake me up when you wake up at five for your exercises." She told her reasons and in the end Harry could only give a small sigh of resignation.

The reason could easily be traced to the day's frustrating meeting with the eye and the power consuming time he had spent in the evening doing his usual elemental exercises. He swore that the first thing he did tomorrow morning would be to secure Su's door with the same runes as his and an additional 'eye' rune for special hidden intruders.

'Why is my life so twisted?' Harry asked to no one in particular before helping Su get comfortable and going to sleep, not before promising her that he will find some solution by tomorrow morning. It was an easy promise because he already had a good solution in his mind.

"Are you really sure about this Harry?" Su had asked him this every minute since they came out and he told the petite girl his plans for her tormentors.

"Yes." And he was! He had contemplated this for quite a long time in his mindscape after Su left for the realm of Morpheus. There were several other ways he could have gone through and yet this one sounded more promising, more strict and tough.

Some might classify his decision as brash and more Gryffindor-ish but other plans would most certainly not be as strong as this one. This plan would not only benefit Sue but also enhance the value and weight of his words in the Common Room and in House politics.

"Harry?" Sue called out to him in that same uncertain voice she had been using since last night, "Listening." He was busy activating the final eye symbol on the topmost point of the door.

A single eye rune that would immediately record and send the owner a signal that some living being just tried to enter the room without their permission, and a small shock and strength rune that he had carved on its handle for security purposes.

"Thank you." Su said and hugged him tightly murmuring Thank yous continuously, her face buried in his chest, warmth seeping from her into him.

Harry knew that this Thank you was not like the one he had received from the Greengrass Heiress, the night he had saved her from the troll and her would-be rapists. This was a real Thank you. It was not said because he was doing all this, it was said because he was willing to do all this.

This Thank you was not a word...it was an emotion. One that he hadn't felt for a long time. And he didn't want to either, because the crimes he had done...let's just say that this Thank you was for humans and he most certainly was the most inhumane thing on Earth right now.

So he just grunted and pulled her from him "Now let's go and make the announcement. I will tell Lord Li about this later." Lily had finally come that night and he was in no mood to send her out again before she had taken some rest and then delivered the very important letter that he will write today along with the gifts he had to send.

Harry wouldn't have if not for his grandlady blackmailing him with sending his friends his most embarrassing photographs. 'Like, why would a woman click photographs of a five year old Harry in a Bugs Bunny suit trying to catch butterflies? Stupid woman'

"Yes." Sue said and grabbed his hand. It was another thing he had discovered this morning when they were going up the staircase. If a girl was in contact with a boy and they stepped on the stairs together then the stairs won't flatten.

It was a hit and trial method and he had plan B and C up if this didn't work. Though he would have to use them if he ever needed to reach a girl's dorm and didn't have a girl with him on this staircase 'Wait...I could just mind control someone?...Nah.'

Harry was thankful for the cool and dark atmosphere of the Common Room. It was always so calming plus, no one could see anyone till they were in light's range or had some really good advanced eyes like himself. Fortunately, no one did and so he was safe.

Harry counted nineteen members lounging in the Common Room 'Nineteen...just nineteen and they still bear the tormentors.' He shook his head slightly and stepped on the podium that was usually used for House debates. He switched on the mic and tapped it twice, successfully getting everyone's attention.

"A short announcement for everyone here." He began "Till date, some of you have had the pleasure of tormenting and bullying my friend Su Li. This will stop. From today onwards till I expressly tell you, Heiress Su Li is under the protection of the Most Ancient and Most Noble Houses of Potter and Peverell."

They heard quite a few of them gasp in surprise, after all, House Protection was not a day-to-day thing. There were certain things that both Houses had to agree on. To do such a thing was almost unprecedented.

"Therefore from today onwards, if I find any of you tormenting her in any way possible, stealing or destroying her things, pushing her just for fun, making her trip and fall or just anything that comes under the act of bullying. You will have me and the full force of two top tier Houses to answer. I hope that you know what that means and if you don't then ask someone before taking foolish action."

Harry switched the mic off and stepped down, amid all the stares he moved towards the main doors and Su quietly followed him with tears of happiness in her chocolate brown eyes and a huge smile stretched across her lips trying to split her face into two.

They exited the corridor and halfway through it, Su blushed profusely as she slowly entwined her fingers with his cold ones. Harry looked down at their joined hands and quirked his left eyebrow. She just blushed more and held tighter.

"Harry, I had a few questions to ask." Su said trying her level best to walk beside him as he took long strides of equal length.

"Ask."

"How were you able to give me warm water yesterday night? I never saw you pour it from that bedside jug and why were your windows open while you were bare chested?" She asked him and again blushed deep red, reminiscing the pleasant view that she was sure will warm her in her dreams, starting tonight.

Harry just kept on walking, what could he say? That he conjured a steel glass full of water and then heated it up just by wiggling his fingers? He would rather kiss Dumbledore than admit that to her. Not that he would kiss Dumbles either because that would be 'Urgh...where's the washroom, I have to vomit'

Thankfully he didn't have to say anything because Su stopped mid stride and squeaked 'Harry!' While her eyes widened and she gasped.

"What happened?" Harry studied her reaction and could only come to one, single conclusion..."Someone tried to enter my room!"

And like always, he was damn right!

"Hmm..They might be unconscious by now and will be in a hospital bed within the next ten minutes." He mused and was a bit amused when he saw Su gasp in horror. He turned towards her "Where do you want to see them? it will take us fifteen minutes till the Hospital Wing and eight till the Common Room."

"Hospital Wing then." Su said and ran toward said wing, still holding his hand which Harry gently pried away and took on a leisurely pace. He was certainly not hurried to see whoever was dumb enough to put their toe out of line even after he had warned them not to do so.

When they reached the Hogwarts Hospital Wing, Madam Pomfrey was not in the room while two boys and three girls were, standing around a bed where someone was lying, all were wearing casual clothes though Harry knew them to be from fifth and sixth years of House Ravenclaw. He strolled inside with Su at his side and others noticed his presence.

"What are you doing here Potter?" One of the boys with a burly build and deep grey eyes growled taking a few steps in the boy's direction before being restrained by the other one.

"Hello to you too Yanerds, how's your girlfriend doing?" Harry asked, more taunted and had to restrain a smirk when he saw the boy clench his hands in a tight fist. "It's your doing isn't it Potter? Of course it is! How could I ever forget the same effect it had on that Weasley when he touched your rag bag."

"Of course it is Yanerds. What powerful things runes are, aren't they? And if we imbue them with the castle's magic...I can't imagine how dear Sophie would have felt." Harry knew what he was doing was dangerous. But he also knew what was about to happen would happen anyways, so why not make it a bit more interesting?

Yanerds growled and shrugged off his friend Robin, pushing the boy away as he moved towards the teenage elemental.

"Call Madam Pomfrey Su. Quickly please." Harry told the petite girl beside him, a maniac glint in his glittering greens.

"Wh-What? But Harry-"

"NOW" The dominance in his voice might have been the factor or it could be the way air crackled around him that compulsed the girl beside him scurrying along the way to Pomfrey's lair.

Norman Yanerds growled and took strong, powerful strides towards the teenage heir who just smirked in response.

The burly boy ignored the cries of 'Norman don't!' or 'He is Harry Potter, Norman! Don't do anything harsh!'. He even dodged a stunner from behind him and turned to growl at them "Don't come between this. No one messes with a Yanerds." Before turning towards a smirking Harry Potter "Let's see what you got in your tiny arms, Potty."

Harry smiled before turning his face into an innocently curious one "I wonder what it would be like to feel 440 Volts of raw electricity course through your hands?"

And Norman Yanerds mind snapped at that as he punched the first year in front right in the gut. ACCIDENT...

"MADAM POMFREY! EMERGENCY!" Su barged into the madam's office only to find the office completely empty. Dread seeped in her veins as she eyed the empty office room 'Where are you madam?' Su thought warily before running outside as fast as her short yet strong legs could take. Harry needed her and she would do all she can!

"I don't think Norman understands the gravity of the situation and what Potter could do to him." Robin said, eying the situation which could very soon turn into a massacre.

"Oh stop it Rob." Marlene Whisborn, his fifth year hot girlfriend of two years admonished him "It's about time someone showed Potter his place. Granted he's got a princely face but that doesn't mean he can do whatever he wishes. What would you do if it was me who was lying in Soph's place?"

Ignoring the 'Princely face' comment, Robin knew better than to answer such a trick question, so he changed the topic instead "But Li was under his protection and he announced it publicly. It was idiotic of Sophie to take Potter's announcement as lightly as she did."

"But that's the-"

"Marie" Her other friend stopped her "I think Rob's right y'know. Wait! hear me first!" She hurried as she saw Marlene about to burst in an angry rant "It's not like we could reverse what happened right? Sophie did take that stupid decision and whatever Potter did, it did affect her and paralyzed her with burns all over her hand, didn't it?"

"And that's why Norman is avenging his girlfriend by paralyzing Potter too. Just hope he doesn't kill the brat." Marlene said and looked towards the scene where Norman was hanging Potter by his arms and repeatedly punching the boy 'Serves you right Potter. How dare you reject me?! This is what you get for that!' She had a pleasant smile on her face which turned into a frown when she saw that Potter was still smiling and not crying in pain like he should've.

"I still can't believe how you allowed her to be banged into the wall behind her,that cracked her ribs..."Harry tutted in faux pity while Yanerds growled and punched once more in the boy's gut. FAULT...

"Such a pity isn't it Yanerds? The killer and the killed right in the same room with nothing to stop you and you still can't do a thing.." Harry tightened his abs muscle to absorb the punch but Yanerds growled as he dropped the boy's hands, bent him and smashed his elbow on Harry's back. MISTAKE...

Yanerds grinned as he heard the satisfying crunch of bones breaking "How was that Potty? Did you feel how she must have felt?"

Harry just gave a hollow laugh "Not exactly, she got beaten by a masterpiece while I am being beaten by a daft and dumb Trog-" Norman smashed Harry's face on his knees. BLUNDER... "-uh...Troglo-dyte." Harry said and panted a bit as he hid all his pain behind occlumency shields and grinned widely showing his bloodied lips.

It was at this moment that Madam Pomfrey came with a panting Su Li behind her, Harry saw the matron rush in and gasp in shock. He immediately wiped off the smirk from his face and made a face full of pain as he looked towards the matron with bloodied lips, bloody nose and a rapidly forming ruise under his right eye.

"NORMAN YANERDS STOP RIGHT THERE!" Pomfrey snarled and pointed her wand at the burly boy who either didn't hear her or just ignored the woman. His friends though came running, the girls held his arms while Robin did his best to pull his friend away from the Potter Heir, there was only one thought running in his head 'sh*t just hit the f*cking fan'

Norman knew that his 'break time' time ended and he was kinda sad that he didn't have much fun with his toy. He still managed to kick Potter once in the sides as Robin pulled him up and gave himself an imaginary pat when he saw Potter wince a bit 'Serves you right Potty, beware your steps because you will get much worse until Sophie wakes up'

Norman didn't know how wrong he was...how far from truth he was or how lucky he was that Pomfrey was nearby and so Harry couldn't do a thing because of his need to stay 'Under the radar'.

'Count your days of freedom Yanerds...' Harry thought as he looked at the boy who was being scolded by Pomfrey 'Because within the next ten days you will be begging me to kill you...count your days of freedom Yanerds...for they are numbered now..'

The plan had gone without a hitch, Yanerds was the arch-douche and his girlfriend was likely the second in-command of the girl part of the 'Ravenclaw bully cult', now Harry only needed Yanerds alone for a few minutes and he'll indirectly have the entire Ravenclaw house under his thumb.

Pomfrey deducted fifty points from Ravenclaw and ten from each of Norman's friends for not stopping the boy when this began and gave them detentions with Snape and Filch for the rest of their holidays and told them that their parents, Head of House and Headmaster Dumbledore will hear all about this.

The matron then started treating Harry and forced him to remove his shirt to apply the salves making the girls in the room blush profusely and involuntarily think of ways to snag him as soon as plausible, before they stopped themselves because...because he was their enemy! 'At least till Sophie is well' The treachery filled part of their brains whispered.

Su was by his side the entire time even after he told her to go because his magic was actively healing him and he would be out in an hour. Madam Pomfrey corrected that to a day and glared his protest down.

Albus Dumbledore smiled down at the small parcel in his wrinkly old hands 'It's time for you to move away and play your part in my plans...farewell old friend' he flicked the power strumming elder wand and caste a few charms on the parcel before giving it to a large school owl "Take it to the burrow, alright?" The brown horned owl hooted and took off, flapping its large wings while Dumbledore saw its departure.

The headmaster had hoped Alan would have chosen to stay at Hogwarts rather than follow the Weasley boys out. That would have made his plans easier and faster 'Well, things can wait till Alan re-enters these halls' Dumbledore sighed thinking he should have put a compulsion on Alan to stay 'Next time, that will be what I do. It would speed up my plans' He had planned great things for Alan Potter and all he got was Harry Potter now.

And even that boy was a mystery in himself. After his eventful meeting with Arabella Figg that day, he had scanned her mind and saw all the memories that confirmed the fact that she indeed met Dedalus Diggle every month in Diagon Alley and updated him on Harry for the first four years before one day Dedalus himself told him that her work was over and she was now free from her task as Harry would be shifted to a new location.

She asked Dedalus if Dumbledore knew of that and he was aghast to see that Dedalus fetched out a letter with Dumbledore's own signature and Hogwarts seal on it that said Harry's shifting was necessary, thanked Arabella for her work and told her to not to contact him or Dedalus about Harry anymore because some specific groups might get suspicious. That was indeed some very strong twist in the plans, right? Wrong.

The strongest twist in this case came when he went to Dedalus' place and asked him about Harry. And Dedalus just asked the same wretched question 'Harry who?'

Dumbledore then scanned Dedalus' brain and what he saw made him completely numb. After four years of regularly meeting both Arabella and himself, Dedalus Diggle was completely obliviated of his task as Harry's reporter and who obliviated him? Why, Albus bloody Dumbledore himself! This incident gave rise to a few really tricky questions.

Why had he obliviated Dedalus Diggle?

Why did he sign a letter for Harry's shifting?

How did Dedalus get the letter and why the hell was that man robbed off this memory?

Why didn't he, Albus Dumbledore ever remember this happening?

Who was the person that had taken Dedalus' body and reported to him about Harry's condition every six months for the past twelve years?

And most of all...'Where do you really live Harry potter?'

He even went to the records room of Hogwarts that held all the records about students, staff members and everyone who ever attended Hogwarts.

Only the headmaster was to be allowed in that room. He took the book that held records of students from Harry's year and checked the address. He choked on his own saliva when it came up to be what he had never thought of:

Mr. H Potter

The cupboard under the stairs,

4 Privet Drive,

Little Whinging

SURREY

'THUMP THUMP THUMP!'

'Urgh...'

'KNOCK KNOCK, THUMP THUMP...KNOCK-THUMP, KNOCK-THUMP...!

"Omphh..." 'Thud' "Urgh..." Twin emeralds snapped open in the darkness as their owner groaned a bit, rubbing his back on which he fell. He had involuntarily stopped himself but it still hurt.

"HAARRRRYY! OPEN THE DOOOR!"

'Su?' Harry's eyes widened thinking the girl was in trouble because Yanerds and his group were still in Hogwarts. He immediately threw the sheets he had been tangled up in, flicked his wand out and pulled the door open with a sudden snap.

With a curse on his lips, cold murder raging storm in his glinting eyes and an angry sneer, he pointed his wand right in a petite girl's face who 'Eeeped' loudly and shrunk back with saucer wide eyes.

"Su? What happened?" Harry asked the girl, his wand still in the air as he scanned the corridor for any living person...no one.

"Err..yo-you are scaring me Harry." Su stuttered out, her eyes going cross as she stared at the glowing wand red glowing wand tip. Harry frowned as he took the cutting curse back and lowered his wand. "Who are you running from?" He asked her as she sighed in relief before frowning in confusion "Why would I be running from anyone at 4 in the morning?"

"No one is troubling you?" Harry asked her, totally confused. It didn't help him when she denied and looked at him as if he was the one who had gone bonkers.

"Then, exactly why are you standing here, banging my door like you burned Hades' beard with a candle at '4 in the morning'?" Harry asked her with as much patience as he could muster. Disturbing his sleep was really not a good way to start someone's day, his house elves had learnt that fact from their very first day.

"Because...it's Christmas? Aren't you excited!" She asked, grinning widely like she had just been offered a complete candy shop.

Harry looked at the grinning small piece of headache and ran four thoughts simultaneously.

'Breathe in...don't kill...breathe out...she's your friend...breath in...don't kill...breath out...she's your friend...breath in...'

'Ten...nine...eight...seven...six...five...do you work damnit!...ten...nine...eight...f*cking control my bloody anger...ten...nine...eight...'

'Why the hell are girls allowed to walk freely in the boy's corridor...Why is Hogwarts co-ed in the first place?!'

And of course...a special long string of curse words...special because he was making new curse words every second...

"Err...Harry? You alright? I didn't disturb you did I? And where's your shirt? And why is your room cold? Is that window still open? I told you to-"

"Su!" Harry stopped her, "I am alright. Yes you did disturb me. It was suffocating. Yes, the window is open and again, it was suffocating. Now please go, let me freshen myself first." He told the small bullet train who was no different than a bloody chatterbox. Especially since the time he took her under his protection two days ago.

"Go? But I can't, I have brought all my gifts here. We are going to open them together!" She exclaimed happily completely ignoring the 'You disturbed me' part and Harry took a look behind her to see the sack full of gifts wrapped in fancy papers...'sh*t dumb luck...just what I wanted' this was again followed by that same string of curse words because he wanted some thrice be DAMNED SLEEP! HE WAS UP TILL TWELVE FOR MERLIN'S SAKE!

"Alright, then keep this here and wait in the common room. I will come after my bath and call you back-"

But Su was already shaking and denying everything he said "Why take a bath this early? C'mon Harry, it's Christmas! And that reminds me." She gave him a very tight hug "Merry Christmas Harry!"

"Uh yeah, you too. Now leave." He grumbled at the girl who laughed and without hearing a word from him stepped inside his room, dragging her sack of gifts behind her "I have already sorted through all the gifts down there and brought all the gifts with our names of them."

"Now go get dressed and who the hell opens a window. Can't you feel how chilly your room is?" Su muttered and went towards the said window to close it. "Like honestly, what normal Human opens a window on December twenty-fifth at four because he was feeling 'suffocated'?" She shook her head. Her dramatics were more because she wanted to remove the picture of how Harry's shirtless body looked like 'For Circe's sake I need to learn occlumency!'

So finally, it was a yawning Harry who sat down wearing a green Tee AND a black jumper, because mini-mother Su won't let poor lil Harry get a cold 'Dumb midget' he mentally grumbled as he eyed his pile of gifts near the foot of his bed and frowned. There were quite a few gifts...quite much more than a few.

"What are you waiting for Harry? GET SET GO!" Su laughed giddily as she started with removing the golden wrapper from her first gift. Harry shook his head and picked the first one, it was wrapped in blue wrapping paper with a card on it that shouted 'To my coldest roommate, you know who it is from.' He pursed his lips and swore that this might be the stupidest thing he did every year.

It took Harry exactly half an hour to open all of his nearly twenty gifts. Was it more than the usual four he received every year? Maybe it was.

He had received some good gifts from the expected ones, A batch of homemade cookies from Hannah; A collection of chocolate frogs from Tracey; A quillstand, set of colourful ink bottles and a stack of parchments from Terry; A golden male's bracelet from Susan that had a few protection runes secretly imbibed in it; A letter from his friend in response to the 'very important' letter he had sent him regarding the prophecy and Su personally gave him a set of silver steel daggers. Harry didn't deny her and was thankful for that as expressed by the small smile as he pulled the dagger out. It wasn't goblin made or have any magic in it. Just plain very sharp steel daggers.

But it was the unexpected ones that surprised him. A book on advanced potions from Hermione Granger; a stack of second year Hogwarts books from Irma Pince; A set of everyday, all size robe from Aurora Sinistra; A diary from someone named Juliana Cohen; A batch of homemade cookies from Cho Chang; A map of Hogwarts depicting advanced classes from Derrick Moonsbow; A box written 'PRaNk kiT' from Gred and Forge Weasley; A letter from Lord Gerald Greengrass; Two letters from Lord Li and the last one was quite surprising... A Sanskrit-English-English dictionary and translation book from none other than Daphne Greengrass herself.

Su had asked him about the last one, which he just told her was a side project of his and about the other two gifts from his guardians. One was understandable, A golden Rolex men's watch but the other one was a helluva lot more confusing.

"Harry, why would your guardians send you a muggle doormat?" Su asked looking at the new looking doormat with a dark blue 'WELCOME' on it. Harry just shrugged "Because I asked for it. I want to keep this room clean." Harry said and placed the doormat outside his door with a sticking charm on its base that covered the rune circuit he had set a week ago.

He then strapped the Rolex watch on his left wrist and winced a bit when it connected his blood and magic to the muggle doormat innocently lying right outside his door. 'Thank you Dumbles for this idea...though thanks to my guardins and my mind, mine's way better than your 'non violent' one'

Harry smirked when he felt being given the controls of the runes inside the doormat via the watch. Now he had a very good surprise for those who would ever come on his threshold just to cause some mischief.

Ending Note:There you have it fellas editted and perfected version of chapter 14 of Silence of the Winters.

Liked it? Loved it? Needs some improvements? Please tell me! You don't know how blessed I feel when my reviewers exceed my expectations. I

read each and every one of them thrice and feel blessed to have such good and active readers as you. Even a simple 'Good work Dev' is appreciated.

Here's the link tomy super private serveron discord where I'll keep on updating new chapters, sneak peeks, Character designs, where you are free to talk and ask things regarding my fics directly:

Its a newly launched server...

https://discord.gg/Gcbcv4dxGx

Name:𝕯𝖊𝖛 𝕭𝖑𝖆𝖈𝖐'𝖘 𝕰𝖒𝖕𝖎𝖗𝖊

Thank you for reading.

With regards,

Dev Black

Chapter 15: Yule Times- Part Two

Chapter Text

Author out!

"I am Talking."

'I am Thinking'

Spells

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Being greedy helps you become more pragmatic and goal oriented.

Being greedy is good. Being Selfish isn't. Share your ideas with others.

Give them their percentage and let them think on how to earn more...

~ R-Kade

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Previously in SotW-

Harry smirked when he felt being given the controls of the runes inside the doormat via the watch. Now he had a very good surprise for those who would ever come on his threshold just to cause some mischief.

Silence of the Winters

-Dev Sagittarius Black

~~Chapter 15: Yule Times- Part Two~~

"Alan?" Ronald Bilius Weasley, Sixth and youngest son of Arthur and Molly Weasley, Best mate of the Boy-Who-Lived, proud Gryffindor, Slytherin hater, idiot supreme, one of the most insecure boys studying at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry asked his best mate who, like him, was stuffing his mouth with a chicken sandwich.

"Hmm?" Alan asked him as he eyed the pile of gifts in front of his eyes, frowning.

They seemed a bit lesser than he received last Christmas or the one before that or the one before that even, before that? He didn't remember but he was sure they might be more.

What happened to all his Gryffindor house mates? Why didn't they give him gifts? He had specially asked Percy to sort the ones from Gryffindor while keeping all others out.

And out of the sixty-eight Gryffs, only two gave him gifts and the two were none other than his best mate Ron and his brother Percy. Other than them, no one, not even that stupid Granger had given him anything.

And he had sent all of them his own autograph! What more could they need? Even Fred and George told him that they 'misplaced' his gift and couldn't find it now. Molly had admonished them and he had told them to be careful next time.

So, all he had were the gifts from Weasleys and the ones that children from all over the world gave him every year because they were fascinated by his, the 'Boy-Who-Lived' series. And why shouldn't they? It was after all his imagination.

Alright, a major part of those were of the series authors but his fans weren't supposed to know that. The writers got the profit he got the fame. Both happy. And then, he helped someone financially, didn't he?

"I don't know. Check it." Alan shrugged and saw Ron go for the paper parcel. He was sure that whatever it was, was something real cheap. Who the hell packs a costly gift in a paper parcel?

Weasley opened it and saw a clean, silvery cloak fall out. It was very slippery and felt as if they were holding water.

"What is it?" Alan asked the other redhead who shrugged in reply "Dunno, it has your name on it, looks kinda old though, I say we give this to mom, she was ranting the other day about not having enough rags."

"Why does she even need rags?" Alan asked his friend, making a crinkled curious face.

Weasley just shrugged and forwarded the cloak towards Alan who took it and gave it a scrutinizing look before proceeding to wrap it around himself.

"Hey there's a note wit-"

"AAAAAAH! WHAT THE HELLLLLLL!"

Ronald turned and what he saw weirded him out. The bloody stupidly useless cheap rag of a cloak was flying 'away' from Alan who was trying to keep it under control as that silvery thing wriggled all it could like a savage bull.

"ALAN!" He cried and started beating the cloak with a nearby broomstick. Not surprisingly, it didn't have any effect on the cloak as it kept on struggling and pointing towards the window.

"MOOOOOM! C'mere Alan's got a BULL CLOAK! HELP US PLEASE!" He screamed and started beating the cloak while Alan grabbed the thing between his legs and kept on pulling at it with his own two hands.

"What's it now-ALAN! RON! STOP IT!" Molly screamed and her eyes widened as another thought came into the mother hen's head "Percy checked the gifts this time. He might have missed it. Leave the cloak boys! IT LOOKS TO BE JINXED!"

Their eyes widened and they immediately left the cloak that as soon as free, literally 'SMASHED' through the closed glass window and flew away in the North direction "Bloody hell." Ron muttered looking wide eyed at the large hole that cloak had managed to create.

Molly rushed towards the boys "You two are alright, yes?" She asked, flicking her wand, checking for any injury "That jinxed cloak didn't harm you did it?"

"Err..not really, it did prick me though." Alan admitted and showed Molly his right hand's index finger that had a drop of blood on the tip. "

Oh no. This could be a blood thievery. Whoever sent it could use Alan's blood and do Merlin knows what!" She rapidly shook her head and flicked her wand healing the small cut "We will have to tell this to Dumbledore soon, was there anything else with it?"

Alan shook his head in denial while Ron nodded "Yes mum, this note came with it." He said and forwarded the note with a flourish cursive on it.

Your father left it in

my possession beforehe died.

It is time it was returned to you.

Use it well.

"That's stupid, why would Alan's father have a rag like Bull Cloak of all things?" Alan made a face at what Ron said.

"Mrs Weasley, maybe it was some sort of prank?" Alan asked the woman who had a pensive look on his face before she smiled widely "Yes dears. Now don't worry about it, how about I make some Christmas special brownies?" immediately both the boys grinned widely and looked like Santa personally gifted them this batch of brownies.

Meanwhile Molly was internally under a mental conflict, she knew that handwriting. It was definitely Dumbledore who gave that cloak to Alan and if Dumbledore told them it was James cloak and to 'Use it well'...She was very sure that it was the legendary Potter Cloak of Invisibility.

But then, if it was a family heirloom, why would it deny access to one of the only two left family members? 'There is definitely something wrong with that cloak' And she was sure Dumbledore would have answers to all these questions.

"Harry?" Su asked the boy whose right arm she had been leaning on, munching a chocolate frog, all dolled up in a thick heavy wool jacket and covered from tip to toe.

She still couldn't understand why Harry insisted on wearing just a plain white shirt with a thin jumper over it and that too, rolled up till three-fourths. She was like yes, the Wizarding world had warming charms but even then people wore wool.

Because having all their clothes with in-built runes was quite expensive and casting a warming charm every hour was a bit risky as well as tiring thing as it regularly sucked up your magic.

"Hmm?" He was still trying the 'Mirror World' branch of charms. If he somehow made that in the real world and was able to ascend into it...Bloody fantastic!

"Are you missing your friends?" She asked him, looking out at the horizon from under the oak tree near the lake. She frowned a bit as she saw a large white bird flying towards them 'What is a bird doing out in this cold?'

"No."

"..."

"You are dense." She grumbled and shook her head looking at the peaceful scenery and the flying white bird 'It's beautiful...' she smiled before frowning cutely again.

"Err...Harry?" Su asked him, looking straight at that white bird that was now glittering a bit.

"Hmm?" '...is different, there have only been two practitioners and neither of them have been found to date. One cannot be sure if they ascended and are living in some sort of mirror world or their bodies just got molecularly disrupted as the molecules weren't able to keep up with the energy that was channeled-'

"What's that? Looks like a giant glittering bird."

Harry just hummed "It might be one."

"And it's coming straight at us!"

That line made Harry snap his eyes open and he looked straight where Su was pointing with her gloved hand.

The boy squinted his eyes to focus more clearly before shaking his head and abruptly standing up "It's not a bird."

"What? What else could fly this high at this time of the day?" Su asked him, dusting some snow off as she too stood up beside him.

"A...piece of cloth." Harry muttered and waited looking at the thing that was still maybe 200 meters from them. "Harry...I am sorry but you aren't making any sense."

Harry just shook his head and focused in on the flying cloth. He nodded, his extra vision hadn't been wrong for this was indeed a piece of cloth. But what would make a piece of cloth fly like this? How did a piece pass the Hogwarts wards for that matter?

Harry witnessed the cloak's speed slowly dropping and very soon the cloak lost all its power and fell just a meter away from both Harry and Su.

"Looks like some sort of cloak, kinda old too." Su said and went forward to touch it only to have her hand pulled off as Harry jerked her from the back of her shirt.

"You don't touch anything that just dropped in front of you." Harry muttered and Su blushed as she forgot that necessary warning that her parents and master had tried their level best to ingrain in her.

But, when was the last time a flying silver cloak ended right in front of her when she was spending some quality time with her Harry? Err...just Harry, yes.

Harry eyed the cloak suspiciously. It could be some jinxed cloak that someone sent just to trouble someone or it could be some sort of prank by one of the Hogwarts students.

Harry wiggled his fingers and was surprised to see a few high level charms that would require him to use his wand.A

tracking charm, An infinite visibility charm, compulsion charm and a bloody mind connectivity one too 'This is most certainly not from a student. It has to be a powerful wizard with some good years of knowledge under his belt'

"Su?" He called out the girl who was looking for a stick to poke the cloak with. "Yes Harry?"

"Wait here while I take this cloak to Professor Flitwick." He told her and levitated the cloak.

"Why wait here? I could come with you." She said and straightened up. Harry had praised her stubbornness but sometimes she was a walking headache.

Especially since there was no one else for her to bug. Why was he even entertaining her? Oh yes, protections. Stupid Protections.

"No, two students with a levitating cloak would look suspicious. Also, you won't be able to keep up with me. It would be better if you stayed here." This reason was plainly idiotic but Harry didn't want to tell her the real one either.

So when she opened her mouth, Harry threw a low powered compulsion on her and was satisfied when she happily nodded.

It's the world that compelled him to take such drastic steps, he shook his head again and levitated the cloak saying the proper incantation and with the proper wand movement, he took a stride towards the Ravenclaw Tower.

Entering the hidden alcove near the fifth round staircase, yes an alcove. Not Filius Flitwick's office, that half-goblin would create too much of a nuisance.

Harry flicked a Lumos over his head and placed the cloak down on the cold stone floor. He then began to meticulously unravel the charms and remove them, cleansing the cloak off of all the charms he'd sensed.

It took him fifteen minutes before the cloak was completely cleansed, Harry rechecked the cloak and nodded, satisfied that the cloak was free of Charms he finally touched the cloak and gasped at the feeling it gave, almost immediately the cloak was singing in tune with his magic.

It was as if the cloak was made for him and couldn't control the joy of finally being in its rightful owner's hand.

Harry sent his magic into the cloak and was shocked at the utterly mouthwatering power it held.

The cloak was a powerhouse. A source of out-worldly power that held loads and loads of potential. It felt as if he just took a dip in liquid magic that saturated all his trigger points and charged him both magically and physically.

The feeling was phenomenal, as if he had just cast a thousand patronuses at once.

Harry shook his head and pulled himself out of the haze that this brilliant magical cloak had pushed him into and took a look at it. He didn't know how this came to him or why for that matter or even what it really was and what it did.

This was also why he needed to know who owned the cloak before him and therefore he spread the cloak completely while holding two of its corners with his hands and scanned the cloak for any family symbol. Nothing.

From end to end, there wasn't even a single symbol that could be of an ancient house, a guild or a personal mark. The cloak was completely free of any and all marked lines and/or blemishes that its magic removed by itself.

Harry was about to drop the cloak when he saw it. It was faint...a really very-very faint mark as if the ink had been soaked up by whoever used this cloak for such a long time.

And the symbol was huge. It covered the whole of the cloak and so was easily able to mix with the folds. It was only pure luck that he saw the thin lines and traced it perfectly to form the symbol.

A triangle...enclosing a ring...and a beaded stick dividing the thing into two equal halves...two pure black wings originated from the center of the triangle and encircled the ring and the stick.

His hands slacked and his fingers trembled a bit as his eyes registered the falling cloak and how it pooled on the cold stone floor below him.

But that was not meant as a sign of disrespect. That was actually meant as the sign of pure and utter bewilderment that Harry felt course through his nerves at the recognition of such a legacy.

Right there with him, in that small dirty alcove was one of the most prized things in all of the wizarding world.

The third Deathly Hallow.

The legendary Cloak of Death herself.

The Cloak of the legendary Ignotous Peverell.

The Cloak that had already seen generations of Potters and Peverells before him.

His House...His hands...His Hoak...His family heirloom...His ancestor's Legacy...

The everlasting, Peverell family's Cloak of Invisibility.

Harry reverently picked the cloak up with slightly trembling hands and took a deep whiff. It was completely useless because the cloak was charmed to be clear of any and all blemishes, and that included any type of smell too.

Still, holding the cloak he had been searching for the past six years was definitely an excuse to do idiotic things.

Thankfully, no one was there to witness him. And he had to pat himself for his momentary good decision to take this cloak away from Su.

Harry in a bout of childishness wrapped the cloak around his neck and smiled when he saw his lower body completely vanish into thin air.

Not even his enhanced vision could trace anything. There was nothing to be traced in the first place, no line that a disillusionment charm left, no shifting of air. Just nothing.

It was then he felt something prick his fingers and he pulled his hand from within to see a drop of blood on the tip of his index finger. He smiled and simply shrugged, it was after all the general blood protection he had read about. The cloak just confirmed it was in the hands of the Heir Apparent.

He wiggled his fingers and sighed as the cut completely vanished. Then he folded the cloak and kept it in his pant's endless pocket.

Today was really one of the best Christmases he had spent. He thought as he moved out of the alcove and towards the oak tree where he had left Su all alone.

But now that he thought of it, how did the cloak end up right in front of him? Why didn't the cloak do so earlier? What caused the sudden change?

Most of all, how was someone able to cast such complicated charms on such a magically resistant cloak?

There has got to be some way because according to the scriptures he had read, the cloak was the ultimate defense against anything so it was undoubtedly the most magically resistant thing too 'And to think that someone could successfully taint such a perfection with trackers over it...'

There were only two ways that could have been possible, either the wizard was more powerful or he had something equal to or greater than the power of The Cloak.

He couldn't see anyone wielding that much power and staying hidden for this long and there were only two things that held power equaling The Cloak.

The only other way could be that one of the Potters did this so that their children didn't play any mischief with The Cloak 'Yeah that could be the reason it held such strong charms in the first place'

But then again...Where was The Cloak kept all this time? There was only one person who knew of that and Harry didn't want to meet him for the second time so soon. But their meeting was inevitable, he was very sure of that.

'Also...I'm sure that I've recently encountered this same feeling and sense of security....somewhere in this castle....but where was it? Why can't I put my finger on that moment?!'

Green flame erupted from the fireplace continuously for the fourth time.

"You are late."

"It wasn't us. Mrs Abott wasn't able to help herself, she just packed extra things in Hannah's bag at the last moment." Tracey told and bowed her head shamefully, like others.

"Hannah?" The only redhead of the group enquired her best friend.

"She is just like that..." Hannah trailed off then each of the five girls sighed simultaneously and spoke out shaking their heads "Always." And broke out laughing as they hugged each other.

Sitting round the table each of the girls took a sweet roll prepared by the Bones family elves.

Savouring the delicious thing in their mouth as they swirled it with their tongue absorbing every little drop of sweetness from it before straining their neck muscles as they pushed it down their gullet.

Its taste still puts them in a blissful haze. Pure love they were, Sweet rolls.

"So finally the ice queen decides to grace us with her presence. Oh how we may thank your highness." Susan said and both she and Hannah bowed while Daphne waved her hand and pulled her 'I-am-above-the-world' face before they broke out laughing again.

"Seriously though, I thought you would leave this too. I know you won't." Hannah hastily added "But, the way you have been avoiding us. I couldn't help think that you would want to keep your distance."

"Yes Duph." (Yes, Duph not Daph) Susan began and smirked when she saw Daphne groan at their childhood nickname "Even that pig head here joined our group. What took you so long?" She calmly asked, ignoring Tracey's indignant 'HEY!' at being called a pig head.

"Tracey was able to join you because she could. She was already a half blood under the protection of House Greengrass. Therefore, in a Slytherin's eyes 'Mingling with dirty puffs' won't tarnish her reputation anymore than it already is."

They gave a pitying look to the brown haired girl who was busy munching on her buttered croissant. Seriously, where the hell did all of that go?

"But since I have been permitted by the Triumvirate's chief relations McKinzel and Head rule maker Butchead, I will join your group but-"

"But? Don't tell me you are prolonging it anymore. Terry will not be able to survive the heart attack." Those who knew who Terry was and how he felt towards Daphne had a hearty laugh imagining the situation.

"Oh she will join us the moment we reach Hogwarts. I am certainly not going to fill her in on everything and surely not on every little thing that Harry did." Tracey said offhandedly and widened her eyes when Daphne groaned at her bestie's tongue slip.

Why the hell she chose a gossiper for such an important task was beyond her. Daphne decided at that moment that she'll kill Tracey and bury her soon enough 'Maybe in an unknown grave in an unknown place..'

"What about Harry?" All traces of amusem*nt left Susan Bones as she narrowed her eyes on the groaning bleach blonde girl beside them.

No one said a thing wrong about her crush. No one. And that included her best friends too.

"Shut up Trace." Daphne grumbled when Tracey started saying her 'I am Sorrys' and looked at Susan and Hannah before pulling the day's Prophet and forwarding it towards Susan and Hannah, "Read it."

House Potter takes House Li under protection

- Atray Tiwari

Hadrian James Potter, Heir Apparent and future Lord to the Most Ancient and Most Noble Houses of Potter-Peverell publicly announced on December twenty-third that House Li was under the protection of House Potter-Peverell till he himself expressly revoked it.

This could have been taken as a childish fun play by a major teenager but said thirteen year old Heir was certainly NOT joking.

He indeed protected his vassal house by punishing its tormentor, one Sophie Mckinnon, a muggleborn fifth year Witch and gave her a one week stay in the Hospital wing. Her boyfriend, Norman Yanerds, Heir presumptive to the Noble house of Yanerds was so furious that he physically beat heir Potter.

"I have never seen anyone lose his temper and beat a physically inferior first year boy this brutally. Yanerds went as far as to straddle Mr. Potter and repeatedly beat the poor boy. Not even listening when I told him to stop. I would have stunned the boy if not for his equally guilty friends who were standing there and watching Yanerds physically assault Potter till I came there to stop him."

-Madam Poppy Pomfrey

Matron of the Hogwarts Hospital Wing

(since 1972)

Head of House Li, Zhu Qiang Li confirmed the House Protection act and submitted a verified copy to the British Ministry of Magic and its Chinese counterpart. The deal is signed by blood quill on both sides and is not yet visible to the general public except being present in the records.

Therefore, we really don't know what compelled Lord Li to sign the deal scroll and what compelled a teenage heir to take his classmate under his protection.

The act though is really brave and we must applaud Heir Potter for such a chivalrous display not usually seen.

Standing up against the bullies even though he was being beaten by a boy five year his senior not only tells how true to his words he is, it also describes that Heir Potter values his words more than his life and therefore respects the Ancient House Laws set forth by our ancestors.

Though a few of us clearly don't think so:

"I don't think young Harry should indulge in such things. He should study, play and live a normal life like a boy his age should. He most certainly shouldn't take such huge decisions and play in the grounds of grown ups. There is always the right time for everything and I feel he is being delusional about this being his time to give House Protections. One should come to the school staff members or to me in such dire consequences not take decisions themselves. I am greatly disappointed in him."

- Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore

Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

"I always thought that the prat was up to no good. Becoming famous is all that he wants. I tried to befriend him our first day and even tried to invite him with myself before Yule. But all he did was act like a dumb idiot and deny me everytime. He even dared to attack me the first time, shows how much he cares for his own. It's ironic how he wants to beat his own brother and then save some foreigner with house protections and what not. He is just jealous and I am afraid is a dark wizard in the making."

- Alandale Henry Potter

The Boy-Who-Lived

Susan immediately snatched the paper from Hannah's hand and threw it as if it burnt. "Auntie says all the Prophet writes is plain rubbish."

Daphne nodded understandingly "Yes, it mostly does. But apart from the two statements by the Boy-whose-head-lies-in-a-gutter and Albus Dumb-old-dork, everything else is completely factual. House Li is indeed under the protection of House Potter, there are documents that prove that, submitted to the Ministry office by Lord Li not two days ago."

Susan and Hannah both frowned at that "I really don't know what might have pushed Harry of all people to take Su under his protection."

Hannah spoke her thoughts before Susan interrupted her "And why did she need protection in the first place? To me she looked definitely fine when we left."

Hannah shook her head at her redhead friend, this was one of the things she wanted to ask from redhead best-friend and clear her views on matters regarding Su Li.

"Look, do you trust everyone in your group?" Daphne asked, looking straight at them.

"Of course I do, why wouldn't-"

"Not you Sue, you would pour your heart out to the first one that talks goody-goody with you for just half-an-hour." Daphne waved her off before looking towards Tracey and Hannah "Do you?"

"Su and Harry are a bit closed off and Terry is somewhat immature but they haven't given me any reason not to trust them." Hannah admitted and looked towards Tracey who shrugged "I agree with Hun here." (Again yes, Hun not Han)

Daphne couldn't believe her eyes, were her friends this dumb? Maybe they were. "Both of you trust Harry Potter?" She asked incredulously.

"Not both Duph, all three of us do." Susan chimed and her friends nodded.

'Yes, my friends are really dumb'

"Alright, so if you can't see it clearly then I will show you." Daphne said and turned towards her most level headed friend.

"Tell me Hannah, who in, I don't know how many years has been given a yearly pass for the restricted section? Which student, a first year at that, has killed a full grown, magically resistant mountain troll?"

She eyed her friends as if daring them to deny her claims "And if the rumors about him saving both you and Li at the same time-"

"They are true! Harry did save both of us." Susan shot back furiously

"My point Susan! That's my point. A BOY, not even in his second year, saves not one but two girls mid flight. Taking breakneck dives and doing dangerous stunts on the broom and yet is still drinking theories and eating theorems. Don't you see what's wrong?" Daphne asked them

"Maybe he needs to read a thing many times to be able to absorb it?" Susan feebly reasoned but even to her own ears it sounded really lame.

"Sue, don't you think it's a bit weird that a guy who was able to maintain balance on a broom with two girls and his weight on it. A guy who single handedly killed a troll and was able to do something powerful enough to put a fifth year girl into coma in the Hospital Wing, a guy who is a know-it-more-than-all at Potions is just mediocre at best and below average at worst?" Daphne asked them and looked at each one of them.

"You two weren't there and Trace was knocked out when he was fighting that thrice be damned troll." Daphne trembled a bit when she remembered that dreadful night.

"His magic, it was saturating the air in that corridor. It was thick, as thick and viscous as tar. The air was so charged that you could have literally sliced with a knife. Hogwarts' own walls thrummed as he shot his final bombarding hex that took the troll out."

Daphne involuntarily gulped down her fear "He was throwing high powered curses with ease and was doing it with so much fluidity as if...as if he had done exactly that his entire life."

"Now that you put it like that." Tracey began, all traces of her usual bubbly self gone. "It does feel like he has been bluffing us and doing his best to keep us in the dark."

Daphne nodded with a proud smile, glad that at least one of her friends was finally starting to see things her way. Just two more to go.

Susan and Hannah looked at each other as if having a silent conversation before Hannah spoke up "Alright Daphne, maybe Harry is bluffing us. Maybe he is keeping things from us. Maybe he does have loads and loads of secrets." She saw her bleach blonde friend nod her head "But."

"But he has not given us any reason to suspect him. He helps us all he can, going as far as to take Su under his protection and getting beaten for that, not that I like it. But it shows what he is willing to do. I am sure he has secrets but until it bites us. I am not going to betray him and his trust by being suspicious of him and his activities. Maybe we are his first friends and he is still uncomfortable around us?"

Tracey too nodded her head "Yes Duph, maybe he was betrayed by someone and so decides to keep everything to himself? We can't judge a book by its cover, right? I am sure whatever the reason is, Harry will tell us when he is ready or needs to. I don't think it's a good idea to poke his privacy just because you are suspicious of him."

Daphne shook her head at how easily Potter had managed to manipulate each of her friends into believing him to be the most innocent person on Earth.

"Think whatever you want to but I won't trust him just like that. I will thoroughly inspect him before deciding if I should trust him or not." Daphne too said her final words and crossed her arms over her developing chest.

Her three friends shook their heads in disappointment. Sometimes, it was better if one left what they did and just trusted with what was happening.

They were afraid that their icy Slytherin friend wasn't used to this sentiment and were not very enthusiastic if the situation between her and the coldest Ravenclaw ever lead to crossing of wands. It would most certainly not be...beneficial for either of them.

Harry looked down at his hands and growled in frustration.

It was January first today and he had been trying to get this particular trick down the last four days and was still unsuccessful.

The elemental glared at the hay-made humanoid dummy standing nine meters from him, his silver eyes glowing with ethereal unbound power in the torch lit room, giving an eldritch glow as he pushed his right hand and leaving his magic out, tried to swirl the air around his palm into forming stiff and sharp razor knives before throwing it at the dummy.

'Three meters...four...six...six and a half...no no nO NO!' "DAAAMNIT!" Harry growled and pushed both his hands together, blasting the dummy to smithereens.

He still can't push his air-blades more than seven meters. He could if he joined both his hands and then pushed them, channeling his power through both at the same time but without the other's support. Neither of his hands could work more than seven meter of distance.

He knew what was needed- Practice. More and more practice.

Coming out of the room Harry was really frustrated at yet again not being able to push his blades more than seven-eight meters.

There had been improvement but that was it. Only fourteen out of his thirty blades reached the eight meter tag.

The young mage turned round the corner and saw a lone figure coming from the dungeons and making his way up the staircase. Harry smirked, it was time for some good old payback and to relieve some weeks worth of stress.

Norman Yanerds, the 'bad boy' of Ravenclaw was certainly not in a good mood, Snape was a real moss wiping asshole.

It all started a week ago when his dearest Sophie was cursed and was knocked unconscious because she wanted to protect her heritage from a blood thief. And then Harry Potter happened.

Norman still growled whenever he thought of that stuck up brat. That one single piece of sh*t had completely upturned his whole bloody life.

What was wrong with 'avenging' his girlfriend's condition? And Potter was taunting him too! Why didn't anyone see that part?

NO! All they saw was how he had brutally beaten the crap out of that royal sh*thead. And he so wanted to kill that thing for it.

His girlfriend was still in the hospital wing though Pomfrey said she would be up by tomorrow, his fellow classmates hated him for losing nearly a hundred points.

Even Robin, his friend, hated him and admonished him for such a rash decision. His teachers hated him for beating a lil, poor firsty this brutally.

Atop that, his own bloody father hated him for such an idiotic thing that made him bow his head from shame in the Ministry and now his father was going to send letters to Potter of all people for a public forgiveness because he feared a stupid 'Blood Feud'.

Personally, Norman wanted the Potter brat to declare a Blood Feud. Then it would be easy to kill that stuck up ponce once he got that frog in his clutches.

That was another problematic thing. It had been one week since that incident and to date Potter had not been anywhere alone. He would get up really early and move into the library, come with his blood thief pet and go to bed early as well.

Norman did think of reaching for the brat's door but his rarely used Ravenclaw side whispered 'If he could make something happen to Sophie even though it was just a door belonging to a vassal of his, Merlin only knew what he, himself would have on his door to protect himself.'

Ergo, then onwards he had been waiting for the opportune moment to repeat the lesson he taught Potter in the Hospital Wing.

That was his line of thought before his world went dark.

"Whatcha doin Sue?!"

Susan 'Eeeped' and immediately closed her book, locking it. She turned around to see an impishly grinning Hannah.

"Don't you ever do that again Hannah Abott, or so help me from killing you!" She screamed incredulously and took deep breaths to control her raging heartbeat.

"Yeah- yeah, now what were you sketching this time?" She asked and forwarded her hand towards the art book before Susan slapped it away. "It's n-not complete Hun, I will show you when iit's done."

"But I want to see it right now. C'mon Sue don't be a spoilsport. Show me what it is!" She tried but her friend vehemently denied her any access.

Hannah narrowed her eyes at her redhead friend "So you aren't going to show me, eh?" She asked slowly and sighed when Susan shook her head in a 'NO' movement.

"No problem..."She said and turned a bit before grinning widely and snatching the art book right out of Susan's hand and running away "I will see it myself!"

She laughed and began running away from a shell shocked Susan Bones who began running after her blonde Hufflepuff best friend, trying her best to get her precious art book from her friend's clutches who dodged each and every of her attempts with cat-like grace, laughing merrily all the while.

"Urgh...damnnnn..." Deep grey eyes tried to focus around them as their owner rubbed the crust out.

He looked around massaging his still stiff shoulder over which he slept on but everything cleared when he saw the lone figure sitting on a plush black and silver throne, looking straight at him with cold green eyes.

Eying him like a predator and scanning his bloody soul to detect any hint of fear.

"What are you doing here Potty? Came to get your weekly beating, eh?" He sneered at the still sitting boy.

Harry shook his head in mock disappointment tutting as he did so "Wrong question Yanerds. I am in a good mood today, so i'm giving you another chance. Try again."

Yanerds growled and clenched his fist "You think you are in a situation to give me chances? Can't you see there's no one to save you this time around Potty?"

Harry just eyed the boy with bored eyes and sighed "Should have known that it was all monkey fart in that empty space between your ears."

He shook his head and flicked his wand out "Think Yanerds, use what little of your gutter is left and answer me." He said and shifted forward a bit to look straight in the boy's eyes. Shooting a legilimency trail into his Grade one occlumency barriers.

"For the past Twenty-nine minutes and thirty-two seconds you were completely at my mercy. I could have just used every spell I knew or just thrown you out of this room or pushed you down the staircase and no one, literally, no one in the castle would have known what crippled you or why. No one Yanerds, not even you." Harry said and stood up from his throne.

Yanerds snorted "Empty threats Potty, everyone within and out of Hogwarts knows that, currently you are my greatest enemy and-"

"Of course, no one likes their Punishment."

"-shut up. So, like I said, they know it already. So you would be suffering detentions beside me before you could even think of doing anything."

To his surprise, Harry laughed. A cold laugh yes, but a laugh nonetheless

"Oh Yanerds, poor-poor Yanerds." He said and laughed more before looking at said boy.

"This is a bigoted world Norman. Who do you think would win? A bad boy and Heir presumptuous of a small Noble House." Harry smirked at Yanerds, his green eyes glinting with thinly leashed desire of vengeance.

"-Or a tortured soul who had been nothing but good to everyone and is Heir Apparent and future Lord to two Most Ancient and Most Noble Houses with loads of favours, Life and House Debts? The case would be finished before it's opened and you would be rusticated for lying and trying to harm such a strong and powerful House."

Yanerds won't ever admit it but he was indeed feeling a bit afraid because everything Potter said was true.

The boy was already seen as a victim and a hero for trying to protect a blood thief while he was being classified as a brutish bully.

Yanerds knew that his father was already writing plea letters, what would he say when a ministry letter reached him regarding an upcoming case? His father had never liked him and he was sure he would let his son be rusticated and pushed into a ministry cell if his father had any choice.

Though Potter didn't need to know that and so he put on a brave face though what he didn't know was Harry was already having a first class view of everything that went on in that dump yard brain of his.

"You would be accidentally dead before you put a case against me." That false bravado was somewhat praiseworthy, if nothing else.

Harry waved his threat off as completely useless "Coming back to point. Do you know why I didn't do any of that in the past twenty-nine minutes? Well since I put the question in your grain brain, I should answer it too."

The elemental said and walked towards Yanerds and looking straight in the boy's greys he whispered "To make sure you know who 'beat the real sh*t' out of you...to make sure you know who not to mess with...To make very sure...who is the real 'bad boy'."

Norman threw a punch at Harry who caught it in his right hand and smiled "You know the rules Yanerds...let's begin."

"Al-right...He-hey Hun. St-stop." Both of them were panting but Hannah still held the locked art book close to her breast, not going to part with it until her demands were met.

"You going to show it to me?" She asked Susan with the same impish grin and after contemplating for five seconds said girl nodded in defeat.

"Yes. But you have to promise not to tell this to anyone. Not even Aunty." Hannah hesitated a bit at hiding something from the elder Bones woman but nodded.

"Give it to me, I will open the lock." But Hannah denied it. "Open it when it's in my hands." Susan made a face at the trust her friend put in her before shrugging the thought away and putting her wand in the lock.

This was not some magic trick. This just meant that the one who was opening the book was the owner and no one else, just a small primary security charm.

Hannah opened the art book and looked at the first page. Susan had designed the borders with colour balls, art-lights and painted vines. The page was filled with stylish calligraphy from Susan as she described how useful the book was and how she got it from Harry as a Christmas gift.

"So Harry gave you the book, eh?" Hannah asked and Susan nodded blushing "I just told him once that I liked sketching and that prat remembered it. This book is charmed to have infinite pages too." She told her smiling brightly.

Then Hannah turned the page and stopped for some time before smirking and looking at a tomato red Susan Bones "Thanking Harry by drawing his sketch, are you Sue?" She grinned when she saw Susan just look away her cheeks, if possible, reddened even more.

Hannah looked at the sketch and had to say that Susan indeed had a really good memory.

It was Harry Potter, yes. But not any Harry Potter. It was Harry Potter when he got Lily for the first time in the Great Hall.

He was shown to be looking at her and was smiling softly as the eagle nuzzled on his right side. She too remembered the day but not as widely as Susan.

The picture was titled 'HIS FIRST SMILE'.

Everything clicked in place. Every weird habit of her friend that she had witnessed and tried to ignore came out and she smiled as she trailed her finger along Harry's jawline.

"Sooo..." Susan groaned beside her and facepalmed, making Hannah grin wider.

"Harry, huh?"

'Nod'

"He knows?"

'Shake in denial'

"You plan on telling him?"

'...'

"Oh c'mon Sue tell me! How long?"

'incoherent gibberish'

"What? I didn't hear that." Hannah pressed and grinned when Susan groaned again.

"Since the day Lily bird came. I just wanted to befriend him because he looked really alone the first day I came and he had been very polite during our train ride. When did this start? I have no idea."

"This long and he is still oblivious to it." Hannah shook her head "And he has got every reason to do so!"

Susan again came back to her original self to protect Harry "I haven't shown him any real signs either."

"Still, you are the one whom he allows inside his space more than anyone." Hannah told her smirking and made a face when Susan looked at her like 'What?'.

"Sue, I am sure that no one has ever used his shoulder as a pillow." The blonde Hufflepuff grinned when Susan blushed harder.

"He is good isn't he? I don't know why Duph hates him." Susan said frowning sadly while Hannah shook her head.

"She doesn't hate him, she is just suspicious of Harry. And both of us know how she is, first suspicious then tentative and then a good trustworthy friend. So I would take this as her first step towards friendship." Hannah tried to reason it with her.

Susan just nodded silently and an easy silence fell before Hannah closed the book and locked it "So, what's the plan?"She asked grinning impishly.

And groaned when she saw Susan make that 'What?' face again. Susan was a very smart girl but sometimes she behaved like a dumb hippo.

"What's the plan Sue? You aren't thinking that I won't help you out did you? tell me what I have to do and let's pull Harry off the market before anyone else notices!"

Susan's eyes widened along with her smile and she hugged Hannah tightly, thanking her all the time.

"No plan yet. I had thought of taking things slowly till our third year and then ask him to Hogsmeade. Though start giving him hints from our second year onwards."

Hannah shook her head at that "That won't do. Too much time taking and though there's no one else striving for his attention right now...wait! Is this why you don't like Su? Because you think she has her eyes set on him too?"

Susan winced but nodded "She has 'this' look that says she is already head first for Harry, and now they are even closer. I don't like that."

Hannah smiled at how childish Susan sounded, she still couldn't believe that her best friend was jealous over her other best friend 'Oh Harry, you don't know how much of a storm you are causing in two of your female friends' She thought and giggled a bit.

"I wonder what he might be doing right now?" Susan asked aloud, making Hannah think of ways Harry would right now be entertaining himself with.

"So you are nothing more than a stack of sucked up rotten potatoes, eh? All bark and no brawl." Harry said, shaking his head in disappointment as he sat on the fallen boy's bloodied back while said boy panted for air.

"You know I actually pity your parents Yanerds. What a total waste they have created." He tutted sadly.

"You were no fun at all. One minute, forty-three seconds, that's the time it took to completely knock you out and here I thought you would be able to recharge my stiff muscles. this didn't get rid of the dust you worthless monkey dump." Below him Yanerds pitifully whimpered.

"You know what, I have a gift for you, I'm sure you will love it." Harry said and got up from where he sat and moved towards his throne.

"A very simple and helpful gift."

Yanerds turned his head and what he saw made his throat dry.

There in his tormentor's hands was a black and shiny stiff one meter long metal pole with a 4 inch diameter. Completely oiled and well polished. And Harry had a very innocent smile on his face, his eyes glinting merrily.

Yanerds whimpered as Harry stood near him holding the rod "N-NO P-P-Potttterrrrrr.."

'WHAM'

The rod slammed on the fallen boy's back as he started to crawl away "Accident." Harry spoke aloud grinning widely.

'WHAM!'

This one was on the back of Norman's knees and the boy screamed in agony.

It was good he had fore-silenced the room because he was sure this treatment was necessary.

Harry smiled when he heard the bones crunch again as the patella spat open from the other side the juncture became nothing more than powder. "Fault."

Harry gave a hollow laugh when he saw Norman lose all his hope and just lie flat on the ground waiting for his third hit.

'WHAAAM!'

'You will get what you so righteously deserve for touching me Yanerds' "Mistake..." It felt good to unleash the beast inside him. It was hungry, really hungry ever since he had stopped hunting.

Now it felt good. His inner beast was feeling satisfied '...if only Yanerds begged more...'

'WHAAAAMMMM!'

The fourth one landed right on Yanerds upper back and Yanerds just spat a pint of blood from his mouth.

"Blunder..." Harry growled before cheering in a faux baby voice "And now for the little hand that did all this."

Yanerds turned to look up at Harry only for him to slam the metal rod full force on his right hand and the boy cried as he felt each and every one of his hands bones turning to powder.

Norman cursed himself for falling head first in this situation and into the hands of a murderous first year psychopath!

That was the only thought that coursed through the bloodied, blood drooling shattered boy's head as he saw Harry place his right foot on the his chest and raise the rod for the sixth and probably last strike, if the savage murderous glint in his green eyes was any hint.

"Get ready to feel numbness, Yanerds" Harry said and was just about to slam the rod full force on said boy's skull when, Yanerds just joined both his hands and whimpered out one single word.

"Ma...Massss..terrrrr..."

And then everything changed.

Ending Note: There you have it fellas editted and perfected version of chapter 15 of Silence of the Winters.

Liked it? Loved it? Needs some improvements? Please tell me! You don't know how blessed I feel when my reviewers exceed my expectations.

I read each and every one of them thrice and feel blessed to have such good and active readers as you.

Even a simple 'Good work Dev' is appreciated.

Here's the link to my super private server on discord where I'll keep on updating new chapters, sneak peeks, Character designs, where you are free to talk and ask things regarding my fics directly:

Its a newly launched server...

https://discord.gg/Gcbcv4dxGx

Name: 𝕯𝖊𝖛 𝕭𝖑𝖆𝖈𝖐'𝖘 𝕰𝖒𝖕𝖎𝖗𝖊

Thank you for reading.

With regards,

Dev Black

Chapter 16: S stands for?

Chapter Text

Author out!

"I am Talking."

'I am Thinking'

Spells

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There are a hundred ways out of a situation, one just needs to be persistent enough to either find it,

or devise one...

~ R-Kade

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Previously in SotW-

Harry smirked when he felt being given the controls of the runes inside the doormat via the watch. Now he had a very good surprise for those who would ever come on his threshold just to cause some mischief.

Silence of the Winters

-Dev Sagittarius Black

~~Chapter 16: S stands for? Slave? Snape?...Slave Snape?~~

Footsteps echoed down the length of the corridor at a regular interval, depicting that the time interval and distance between rise and fall of the legs of the person is same throughout its journey, speaking volumes about the time he spent in discipline.

Hawk-like glowing emerald eyes scanned the dimly lit corridor for any other living entity out for a stroll in the deserted corridor at this time of night, thankfully for them, no one was foolish enough to do so.

It was January 4th, 2 o' clock midnight and Harry Potter was on his way to solve the final mystery of his Yule holidays- What lies behind the doors of the third floor corridor, though he had a very good idea what it was, courtesy of the Potions professor, coincidentally, he also happened to be the person whose entire life was stored in Harry's trunk.

Ergo, it of course showed the discussion between Dumbledore and Snape to protect something from the Flamels and how he suspected that Quirinus Quirell of all people would be after that item. This, though, provoked him to dig further to find out what the item was and his suspicions towards his favourite DADA professor increased manifold.

He had yet to find anything other than sensor wards engraved in walls to tell Dumbles who trespassed them and with what intentions, unfortunately, this time they were against Harry Potter, the same first year teenage mage who had disbanded all of them in eight seconds, it took this long because he was not a fluent ward breaker. Pointing out, disbanded, not broken.

Finally reaching the wooden door that was said to be guarding them from Death herself, he closed his eyes and spread his sensor sheet out.

'Idiot man, again a stupid sensor ward. What the hell is he playing with? Why aren't there anything else other than these?!' He had been asking the same question throughout his journey and was unable to get a good answer. Dismantling the ward, he placed his hand on the dingy door knob before giving it a full twist and stepping inside.

"sh*t."

"Harry?"

"Hmm?"

"May I know why you are reading Creatures Unbound by Marius De Lamberto? Wasn't he the mad discoverer who in an experiment to discover a new species chopped his limbs off himself?" Su asked as innocently as possible as if she was asking about the suspected winner of the next quidditch game between Chudley Cannons and Tutshill Tornados. Though in hindsight, it's not a thing to ask in the first place.

"Yes he was the one and yes this book is his and I am reading it because I want to read something other than the school books." Harry answered monotonously as he kept on reading about the three headed dogs also known as hell hounds.

This was actually his fifth book since he came from the third floor corridor last night, and to say that he was getting the answers he needed would be an understatement.

Harry had been trying to get a way to subdue a hellhound, a particularly angry and starving hellhound who is standing behind the dingy wooden doors of the Hogwarts Third Floor Corridor without slicing its heads off its body.

There was silence for a few minutes before Su again spoke, "Hey Harry, do you remember Norman Yanerds?"

"Yes, what of him?" Harry asked her without looking up from his book, actually he knew very well what happened but it would be better to hear the story that everyone else knows.

"They say he recovered from his fall just this morning and he's not in good condition, I say this is why we should have faith in god, serves him well." Su muttered angrily looking away from Harry.

"That's not how one should think Su, he fell from the fourth floor staircase. He suffered much more than he could have hurt others." Harry tried to placate her just to see her reaction.

"You Harry, the person he punched is you. Not others. You are too much of a noble hearted idiot, understand this Harry, this world is not all black and white. There is gray and dark grey that dwell with us and need to be taught a good lesson." She shook her head muttering a few choice words before looking straight at him and narrowing her eyes.

"May I know what happened to the apology letter that his father wrote to you on behalf of the whole of House Yanerds?" Harry just smiled and looked towards the horizon.

"I Accepted it."

"You accepted it? Just like that? Nothing else? No public apology? No debts? Just accepted it just like that?" Su asked him flabbergasted and became more irritated when she saw the idiot boy keep up his charismatic smile on the baby pink cupid bow chewable lips that were just begging her heart to draw blood by snogging 'em.

In the end Harry smiled when he heard Su muttering about how innocent he was. Oh how much he wanted to prove her his innocence, that Norman Yanerds was the same Norman Yanerds he was a month ago, that he was completely free, that there was nothing wrong with the boy's soul, that the boy would again try to corner him and 'beat the crap out' of him again…..but all of this would just be that, lies.

Because in reality, Norman Yanerds…..was now a soul slave of Lord Hadrian James Potter, now….and forever. The first of his kind.

"Harry?" Su asked him timidly from his side.

"Yes Su?" Harry asked her without removing his eyes from the book Untamed and Unbound by George J L Markinsons.

"They are coming today, aren't they?" She asked him and wanted to ask the next question very badly 'Are you happy with them or just us alone?' She was just confused if this was the right time or not.

"They are and don't tell them this but I did miss them." Harry said and smiled at her before looking back in the book.

'Alright, so….not the right time then.'

Harry had indeed missed his fellows, he didn't know why this was so but the holidays had been boring, no Terry with his cheekiness, no Susan with her rants, No Tracey with her PJs and poor imitations of various teachers, no Hannah with her soothing nature….Hogwarts felt empty without them.

Maybe this was what Friends were for? Having your back at all times and helping you maintain your balance in life. Earlier they were just a group of students he interacted more with than others but now? Now they were a group of students he (even though very small) wanted to interact with more than others.

He wouldn't call them best buddies because relations like that don't form within four months but they are still quite close. Not as close as his guardians but they do come in the top five levels on his priority list. Maybe the fifth one.

Harry knew he might have missed Su too if she had gone, after all this was Human nature- To work for something you don't have, to throw it away when it's yours and to cry for it when you have lost it. And even though Harry wasn't completely human, still most of his body was and so he was more accustomed to its tendencies.

The emotions were new though. Before this, he just had his guardians who were older than him and he just couldn't connect with them even if he had wanted to. Now though, he had a group of teenagers who were his age and had quite more than a few things to be learnt from.

For example- How to really live like a teenager. He still needed to learn that quality and stop behaving like a pre-programmed puppet that everyone in Hogwarts thinks he is, How did he know? Guess it yourself.

The doors to the Great Hall opened and students of various age groups came inside, chatting and laughing merrily, they sighed as the castle's motherly magic engulfed them and soothed their cores of the work of keeping their owners warm.

Harry felt someone grab his hand and looked down to see a petite thin hand in his. He traced it back and quirked his left eyebrow at the owner, she blushed.

"I-I just wanted to tell you that, thank you for having my back when they weren't here. I might not be able to express myself within groups but I did lo-like the time we spent together." Su said and released Harry's hand. Said boy nodded and tentatively squeezed her hand a bit before looking back towards the door.

And there they were, a group of four very cute witches, laughing joyously at something Tracey had just said before patting each other's arms and moving towards their respective tables. Susan and Hannah left their tables and instead moved towards the Ravenclaw one where Harry was sitting with a small smile on his lips. She saw him and took on a run.

Harry had but seconds to stand up as he took the auburn-haired missile straight on him. Susan engulfed him in her legendary 'bone' crushing hug and both of them remained silent for a few seconds before Susan spoke, "Missed me?"

Harry nodded in affirmative "I did, wasn't able to find anyone who rants as much as you do."

There was a beat of silence before the gaggle broke out laughing. Susan was red as a tomato as she slapped his chest and looked down before laughing. Terry joined them too as he patted Harry's back.

"Hope Hogwarts remained safe without us around you." Terry gave a cheeky grin before sitting on his right side.

Hannah gave him a small welcoming hug, though smaller in duration than the parting one while Tracey jumped in his arms muttering continuous 'Thank yous' and 'How did you know about it?' and ''I have been wearing it everyday and will wear it forever.'' Harry just nodded silently and released her.

Tracey had lost her watch before she went home for yule holidays. No one except Harry had known that, so he just took time to order one of the best girls watches out there, took time to charm it with protection and alert charms before parceling it as a Christmas gift.

"How did you spend your time Harry?" Terry asked him as Susan, Hannah and Tracey went back to their respective house tables for the re-welcoming feast to begin.

"Just doing things and finishing some homework." Harry muttered and went back to reading his book. Terry shook his head in pity before sighing and beginning his train of winter tales and how his family reacted and what not.

"Good morning everyone!" Tracey announced to the group of five who were sitting beneath the large oak tree near the frozen black lake.

It was a Sunday morning and so of course an extra holiday, Dumbledore had planned it like this because, in his views, students will get a day to be re-accustomed to Hogwarts life and leave their homely habits out.

Students just took this day to laze around and/or do some homework which they left during their holidays.

"Morning Trace, where were you?" Su asked the bubbly Slytherin girl who gave a huge grin before sidestepping to reveal the girl standing behind her.

Flawless porcelain white skin, luscious blonde hair that looked like interwoven silk, cold blue eyes, high cheekbones, small button nose and uplifted pink lips. Wearing a white colored high neck with dark blue jeans and a long knee length leather overcoat with silver embroidery and laced with the best quality warming charms the wizarding world could offer was none other than….

"Myself Daphne Victoria Greengrass, Heiress to the Ancient and Noble House of Greengrass, pleased to make your acquaintance." Daphne said and gave a small bow before standing in the pure heiress-que manner.

Harry just looked up and gave a small nod, Hannah and Susan grinned widely at seeing Daphne join their group, Su reciprocated Daphne's greetings and welcomed her while Terry remained silent and completely red to the tip of his hair as he looked away towards the lake.

"Alright, enough with this formal introduction" Tracey burst through the bubble and pointed towards Daphne "Everyone, this is Daphne Greengrass, yes she is in Slytherin, I already told you she will be joining us after Yule and so here she is, and Duph? Meet Su Li, Terry Boot and you already know Sue, Har and Hun."

Tracey said as innocently as plausible and ignoring Harry's quirked eyebrow at being called 'Har' like an everyday nickname and Daphne's twisted-in-distaste lips as she took her seat on Harry's left side because again, his right was preoccupied by a certain Bones Heiress.

All the while Daphne was cursing Tracey as 'she' was the one who was going to sit on Harry's immediate side to see if what the Potter boy said was true or false. But now her dumb friend took that opportunity off the market and by her sly smile she knew what she did and was very much enjoying it.

"Here Daphne, you can sit here." Terry said and patted the ground beside him, Daphne gave a small smile to the curly haired boy and took her seat while the rest of them started discussing whatever they were discussing before she joined them.

"…And then he served us the crab apples bouncing on one foot for five minutes!" Terry said and laughed along with others who were listening to his 'Street Boys Jokes'. Maybe everyone was listening except Daphne, why? Simple, she was here because she wanted to study Harry Potter more closely, not laugh at a boy's simple jokes half of which she couldn't even understand.

But out of sheer humanity, she took the pain to give a small giggle and internally sighed. She knew that one of the boys of the group was already wrapped around her finger, how you may ask?

It was clearly evident with the way Terry Boot's face lit up when he saw her laughing or how he would look at her while starting another of his PJs. Fact was, this happened every time and so she had started to ignore the drooling idiots, instead she was more focused on her targets.

Which, right now was none other than Harry Potter who was reading his Charms book. Daphne so wanted to see what was written inside the book. Because….because she wanted to see if he was really reading what the title said he is or was he bluffing them and reading something else? And for this she needed to sit beside him not in front. DAMN YOU TRACEY DAVIS!

But Daphne knew one more thing, she just couldn't tolerate another of Terry's PJs, so instead of letting him start another one of his she spoke up "I would like to know if my gift was any useful?" She asked, looking straight at the pinnacle of her curiosity.

…

"Err…Harry?" Susan called him from his right side.

"Yes?"

"Daphne asked you a question."

Harry looked to his right before looking towards Daphne "Apologies Heiress Greengrass, I wasn't able to understand who you were asking since you never spoke my name." Harry said in the most unapologetic manner and both of them understood it very well but none spoke about it.

"About your question, Yes, it did. I am thankful for the gift as it helped me write the next seven pages. I will return your book by evening fall the morrow. I didn't bring it here because I didn't know that you would be joining us today." Harry spoke looking straight at the blue-eyed goddess and none of the duo broke eye contact till he finished.

"No worries Heir Potter, it was a gift from my side not a loan, you can return it if you want and at any moment you are comfortable with. I am happy it was useful." Daphne said and gave Harry her best smiles. He just nodded once in acquiesce.

"Now, since I am planning to stay with everyone, I would like to know if I may call you by your first name Heir Potter?" Daphne again asked him.

"You may." Harry said nodding in affirmation before moving back to his book. Daphne waited for him to ask the question where the second one asks to call the first one by their name. But no such thing happened 'Is he planning to call me Heiress Greengrass every time we meet? Or is he planning to not talk to me ever again?' Her thought process went in vain as Tracey giggled much to her confusion.

"Woah Daphne, looks like we finally found someone capable enough to challenge your pureblood skills girl!" Tracey cheered while others laughed. Daphne on the other hand just shook her head and smiled 'Challenge MY pureblood etiquettes? In your dreams Potter. I have been learning from the best player out there…'

"Class dismissed, you are to write a foot long essay on various uses of the 'Draught of Peace' and submit it in next class, failure to do so will see you writing the same essay five times. Now, get out!"

Every single person in the room rushed out ASAP, Potions was the last class of the day and no one knew what had gotten into their "beloved" bat of the dungeons. He was much more grumpy, easy to provoke and had an insatiable urge to verbally abuse his students and then deduct points. Combined with Hufflepuff, their class had lost seventy-five points in total with three boys and two girls in detention on various days.

If this was how Snape welcomed his students then they were better off not returning.

"Potter you will be writing an extra foot for the amount of casualty you show in my class, you are having a very wrong impression of knowing everything as you are nothing more than a bighead fool who doesn't even know the 'P' of Potions. Failure to give this assignment will result in a week's worth of detention with me and of course, writing it again five times." Snape glared at Harry who still looked at Snape with a very much composed posture.

"Yes sir." Harry said and picked up his Scholar's Satchel following his group out of the room.

"This is too much! I am telling you Snape has never been this bad." Terry cried, throwing his hands up in exasperation and shaking his head. "He was bad before but this is worse, we should report this to our Head of Houses or maybe the Headmaster. They will at least have something for that overgrown bat."

"Terry! He is a teacher!" Hannah reprimanded the curly haired Ravenclaw as they took the stairs to the ground floor "Though what you said is right, he has changed for the worse and will eat us alive if we don't do something, we should tell our Head of Houses first and keep the Headmaster as a last resort, right Harry?"

Said boy was contemplating something and broke out from his reverie the moment he heard his name "Yes, professor Snape needs some awakening." He said and saw others nod, they were too gullible to understand the real meaning behind his words. It was finally time. The moment he had been waiting for since the day he saw Snape's memories.

"Harry, you especially need to report to Professor Flitwick, if Professor Snape is worse for us, he has turned worst for you." Susan said, clinging tightly to the Potter Heir who just nodded his consent "I will be more careful next time."

It was night by the time Harry got the chance to finally move out of his 'friend circle', honestly, they were good and all but they had an incessant need to know everything he did and what was the reason behind it. He didn't want to be rude to them and so kept on minding his own business till he got the right time to move out and finish the work he had started before Yule holidays.

After all, if Snape could wait this long, a few more hours won't hurt.

There were twenty-three simple ways he could surprise dear ole Snivellus about new developments in his messed up sh*tty life like blasting the door to smithereens, direct encounter, sneaking in and doing a Legilimency to show Snape how weak his mind was….endless possibilities and Harry choose the simplest one of all.

'Knock Knock'

Harry knew that by now Snape would have known that there was someone at his doorstep, therefore he simply pulled the cloak over himself, changed his voice and waited patiently for the locking charms to be removed and the pitch-black mahogany wood door to open.

Minutes later it did and Snape stood there peering out of the door in his Black and Green night robes with his wand in his right hand and a curse on his tongue tip.

"Who is it?" He called out and moved out of the threshold and into the corridor only to find no one.

"Homenum Revelio" Snape intoned in both back and forward directions only to find the corridor completely devoid of any living human being.

Snape frowned at that but since he couldn't do a thing, he went back into his room grumbling about Weasley twins for trying to prank him and how he will see both of them in the morning.

"Hello Snivellus."

Snape froze mid stride and swished his wand in reflex action. There were only a small group of people who called him by that name- Two were dead, One was in Azkaban for life and the last one was out of the country.

Therefore, this could only be the last one, problem was no one was visible in that room, ergo all he had were just that, assumptions.

"Accio Remus Lupin!" Snape snarled and jumped to the side for an impact to occur where he was standing, to his surprise there was no impact and instead came laughter. Cold, hollow laughter that gave the first wave of fear to the Potion master's spine.

"Who is it? Homenum Revelio!" Snape snarled pointing his wand in the direction of sound and was still surprised to see nothing even though the laughter was literally coming from that direction only, he was damn sure about it.

"Are you really that sure Snivellus?" The same voice called from behind him and he turned around with his wand and mind on alert only for the room to fall into utter darkness as all the torches and candles were blown off while that same person laughed from behind him, and the sound of boots hitting the cold stone floor came from his front.

"Lumos Maxima" Snape threw a large ball of light over him that temporarily blinded him. It was a blunder. A blunder that he would curse for the rest of his life. Because as soon as the ball of light blinded him, Snape was on the receiving end of a sharp jab at his wand arm's elbow, his wand was snatched out of his grip and then his left hand was twisted behind his back very painfully as his secondary wand was ripped off from the holster.

In a nutshell, within milliseconds, Severus Tobias Snape was at the mercy of his new Lord.

Snape screamed in pain as the person let his hand fall limply and kicked straight on the back of his solar plexus making him topple and fall face first on the cold hard stone floor.

"Tut Tut" Harry tutted as he held both of Snape's wands and tilted his head to a side looking at both of them closely "I so wish to break them, but then you would be completely useless. Even though your proficiency with potions is at par with me when I was ten years old, a wand is what every magical person needs now-a-days."

Snape immediately turned his head to look at the intruder and was shocked out of his mind before unbound rage fell over his mind on recognizing the person "POTTERR!"

"Ah, so you do recognize me, though we will have to change it to Master when alone." Harry said nodding as if he was telling this to a five-year-old kid.

"What. The. Hell. Are you doing. Potter?!" Snape asked the boy through gritted teeth as he glared a lifetime of hate at the boy.

"Funny how that one sentence brings back memories. Feels like Déjà vu isn't it?" Harry asked the fallen man with a faux grin before he widened his eyes and slapped his forehead shaking it and sighing tiredly "Forgot that I completely removed that meeting of ours. It was quite memorable you know, I will show that today again." He told Snape as if giving him condolences.

"Stop making up stories Potter. And answer me what I ask or else you will regret stepping in here." Snape threatened and was surprised when Harry just started laughing.

"Mor-Morgana Snape, you really th-think I would…Damn this is good. I have missed this so much." Harry said and started laughing again, confusing Snape and forcing the man to be more cautious with what appeared to be a slightly deranged boy.

Slowly Harry's laughter subsided and he looked at the two wands he held with a soft smile that lied the world of the devil that was inside him "Well, not wasting much of my time, cause even though your existence doesn't matter, I am here to finally make a deal with you, a deal, which I am sure you can't deny."

"A…deal? You are out of your mind Potter if you think I would even think of making a deal with the spoilt braggi-" But Snape wasn't able to continue his line of thought as Harry had completely silenced the man wandlessly.

"You speak way more than needed Severus, did I make that sound like an option? Sorry, my bad, let me rephrase it- I am here to give you something and take your everything, you don't have a choice but to say 'yes'. Now, it's up to you if you want to agree without any more physical harm or you want to test the waters?"

Harry quirked his left eyebrow at the man who was slowly standing up, having recovered from his previous encounter, and flexing his fingers he cried out "Incarcerous!"

The younger wizard just shook his head tiredly as he dodged the spell "Trust me, one day I will cure you out of your foolishness Snape."

Albus Dumbledore sat in his office, stroking his long silvery-white beard with one hand while sloshing a glass of firewhiskey with another pondering over the recent changes that had affected his plans.

First and the biggest was the misplacement of the Potter Cloak of Invisibility. No one knew where it was. He had planned to give it as a gift to Alandale on Christmas and then hint Molly into telling him that it was him who procured that cloak and gave it to Alan, telling the boy how selfless 'he' was and how 'he' didn't need cloaks to hide anymore.

This would work in his favor as this would show how powerful and selfless he was whereas this would also push Alan into doing a lot more things that would have needed the invisibility cloak. But now…now what?

Dumbledore suspected he knew where the cloak was at the moment and why it reacted how it did when Alan received it.

The cloak was an old treasure of the Potter family which was bestowed in the line when Ignatia Peverell married Henry Potter II. Since then, it had been passed down the generations. No one knows why but no one has ever been able to steal that cloak from the Potters. Maybe Dumbledore was the first non-Potter holder of the cloak in centuries, who had it for twelve long years.

But that was only possible because he had been permitted to use the cloak by the then holder James Potter to stand guard at the Longbottom Manor in Wales, since the Longbottoms refused to move to a smaller home and go under the Fidelius. This was why he took the cloak and stood guard at the Longbottom Manor but things hadn't gone as planned.

Point is, Dumbledore knew that he had been 'Permitted' to use the cloak by the then holder James. Meaning he had been permitted to use it by the then senior most Potter. But since both Harry and Alan were nothing more than toddlers then, the permission wasn't passed over.

James death before permitting his boys for the cloak brought in a new twist, Dumbledore who had been permitted by the cloak's previous owner was allowed to keep and use that cloak but now the ability to use the cloak and 'allow' people to use it laid in the hands on the new senior most Potter...Harry Potter.

Therefore, it was no surprise when the cloak pricked Alan and took a sample of blood of the new wizard that held it and Dumbledore was sure that it was only because the blood was of a Potter that the boy wasn't cursed on the spot or else Merlin only knows what happens when one tampers with the powers of Death.

So, that brings Dumbledore to the suspected holder of the cloak- Harry Potter. Why suspected? Because…Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore had spent twelve long years researching The Cloak and had finally been able to devise a method to permanently sew charms in it.

Hell he had himself taken the Elder Wand and had sewed various security and detection charms into The Cloak to stay there permanently.

The Elder Wand was used to counter the Cloak's Power of Death, both being the gift from the same entity and Dumbledore had used almost all his power to successfully charm The Cloak to completion.

And a mere teenager who had not even gone half through his first year and was average at best with Charms magic could NEVER and repeat NEVER EVER remove all the charms sewed meticulously with diligence. Therefore, Harry Potter was simply NOT a plausibility even.

This had to be someone else, someone as powerful as himself and blessed with the Gifts of Death to counter The Cloak's power. Which yet again brings him to one single person, and if The Cloak was really in his hands, then no one could save this world from crumbling to pieces, again.

Dumbledore sighed as he looked at the empty glass in his hand, he kept it aside and sat back devising another plan to push his plans further. The Cloak was out of his hands for now so he needed something else that would motivate Alan to start sneaking out and do as was needed to be done for the greater good.

But what else could take the place of the third Deathly Hallow that protected a person completely from anything?

All of a sudden Dumbledore's eyes started twinkling madly as he remembered one such artefact, it was not as good as The Cloak, still it was good enough to push his plans into fruition. He clapped his hands twice, "Toffee."

There was a soft 'pop' as a small grey elf with big blue eyes wearing a pillowcase with Hogwarts crest on it came into Dumbledore's line of vision. "Did Master Dumblees call Toffee? What can Toffee be doing for old Master?" The elf spoke in a squeaky raspy voice.

"Get Filch and ask him to bring the prank parchment he confiscated years ago from a group of boys called Marauders. Tell him I need that parchment." Dumbledore said and sat back in his chair as Toffee nodded and went with a soft 'pop' sound. It was good that in his later years he was close enough to the marauders that they told him their secret weapon which they used to roam around freely during night time.

"There are a hundred ways out of a situation, one just needs to be persistent enough to either find it, or devise one." Dumbledore said smiling as he patiently waited for Filch to arrive with his key to success.

"So, did we establish that all you have is cheap troll-balls for brains and sucked up sh*t fighting elegance? Yes, we did. Which means you won't try to get any idea that you could in any way best me anytime." Harry said sitting on Snape's soiled up back as said man panted, taking heavy breaths and gulping down as much air as humanly possible.

"Really Snivellus? Just three-and-half minutes? And you are one of his best ones?" Harry asked with a surprised tone.

"Circe's tight c*nt! How the hell did you lot cause such a ruckus last time? If this is what the best one took. I don't think I need more than an hour to finish you lot and go for the cherry of the cake. Totally disappointing." Harry said and shook his head tiredly while Snape just whimpered pitifully beneath him, no level of occlumency could hide his pain now.

"Well" Harry shrugged as he raised his right hand and all of his fingertips lit with ethereal magic, pure white in color glowing with an unearthly power "Let's begin with the memory revival game, shall we?" He said and placed his fingers on the five knowledge senses of his brain.

All Snape knew was utter pain as a huge load of memories avalanched on his mind. His physical and mental condition wasn't good enough to resist a single hit even. Therefore, it was no surprise when within seconds Snape lost all his power and succumbed to utter blackness.

When he next opened his eyes, it was either of the three things-

A. He was back in the past.

B. He had been sleeping till date and just woke up and what he just saw was going to repeat itself in the real world.

Or the last option which he very much suspected to be the most appropriate one.

Harry had deliberately carried him to his office, threw him on the same stiff metal chair, bound his hands behind his back in magic suppressing handcuffs and was himself sitting on the same plush silver and black throne with one leg over the other, reading his personal journal while both of his wands were placed on a table beside it.

The only thing different were their clothes and their situation, last time Harry started the show but this time he was here to end it. And they both knew it very well.

"Welcome back Professor, feeling homey sir?" Harry asked with faux joyfulness as Snape drilled a hole in his skull with his glare.

"Life is such a cruel thing, isn't it? We started this game with the same things around us and so we end it the same way. I just felt a bit metamorphological and so did all this nonsense to show you that whatever you saw was indeed real. Hope you don't mind? Thank you."

"Do what you have come here for Potter and get lost, if you want to kill me, just do it." Snape said, gritting his teeth.

All of Harry's joyousness left him the moment Snape said these words and keeping the journal aside, Harry leaned forwards looking straight into Snape's onyx eyes.

"If I wanted to kill you Severus Snape, I would have done so the moment I saw the prophecy part." Snape's eyes widened a bit at the revelation "But then I had to control myself because even you have some uses."

Harry then dug in his pockets and pulled out a memory vial with the inscriptions S.S-PRCY written on it.

"This vial contains your memory of that night in Hogshead inn. The night you heard it and messed up my life Snape. I have so wanted to bind you and deliver you straight to the Azkaban with this memory vial stuck in your throat but I stopped myself." Harry controlled himself.

"There are only two options for you Snape- Either I come here every night, play with your brain, reveal all of your dirty little secrets in the most painful ways, torture you till you beg me to kill you and finally at the end of year give this vial to Amelia Bones and see that you are given a life sentence in Azkaban…..or you become my eternal soul slave."

There was no choice really. They weren't options, they were Snape's little room to breathe and live. Living for thirty-four years on Earth and serving two masters had taught Snape a few things. One of them was to accept whatever you get and work till you make it your best.

And right now, there was only one thing he could get from this messed up situation.

"You are one of the worst wizards to ever live, Potter. Mark my words, one day you will regret following this path." Snape said through gritted teeth as he glared at the stoic and calm boy.

"I am not that bad Snape, I have been blessed with a heart and some compassion even though you don't deserve it. I am willing to cure you of your nightmares." Harry said and smirked when he saw realization dawn on Snape's bloodied face.

"Yes Severus, I began your punishment that day itself. Killing you wouldn't have made you suffer and believe me when I say this, I could be much worse than just show you your bad deeds." Harry said with all of his seriousness and the gravity of the situation made Snape believe it immediately. He had been utterly wrong with regards to the eldest Potter and he knew he would regret it till he reached his grave.

Resigning himself to his fate he looked up towards the icy green eyes that were looking straight at him, maybe even now the eldest Potter was reading his thoughts? The smile that crept on the boy's face proved his assessment to be true.

"What will I have to do?"

Harry gave a really malicious grin.

Moving out of the dungeon room Harry sighed in relief as he rechecked his belongings. Having been assured of their presence he took on a leisurely stroll under the invisibility cloak. Subduing Snape without using magic was not an easy thing but was necessary so that his magical signature didn't solidify.

Harry couldn't use his other signature as he had already used it to become 'punishment'. And Snape would have made the connections way more easily than most.

Looking back, Harry couldn't help the small smile that escaped his lips, halfway through his first year and he already had two soul slaves to serve him as long as he lived and had dirty little secrets of Wizarding Britain in his tiny hands. Not too good but not too bad either. He was proud of what he had accomplished to date.

Especially the last part with Snape-

"For now, I don't have any task for you Snivellus except for one simple thing and I want it done without any mistakes" Harry said with pure seriousness "Understood?"

Snape just kept sitting on his knees with his head bowed and bobbed his head twice. Harry didn't want to push Snape into calling him Master or Lord yet because it made himself a bit uncomfortable.

"There is this ugly, idiot, bastard of a creature who works as the Potions Master at Hogwarts. That Hippogriff sh*t gave me a two-foot-long essay on various uses of 'Draught of Peace'." Harry said and grinned when he saw Snape look up at his face completely confused.

"I want you to finish that essay by tonight and give it to me by tomorrow morning. And I don't want any mistakes because if that gobsh*t, grain brain of a human scolds me for bad work and calls me for a week's worth of detention and forces me to write it five more times then you will be suffering my wrath, understood?"

Snape just looked at Harry with wide eyes trying to think if this was some kind of joke but when Harry again barked an 'Understood?' he immediately nodded his head and bowed his head down. This was certainly the weirdest task he would have ever done for any of his now ex-masters.

Harry still couldn't stop laughing at the memory as he crossed the fourth floor staircase and moved towards the Ravenclaw common room.

This day had certainly ended for the best. It was such a shame that all good things come to an end and Harry was waiting for his good times to end too. Because he knew that by the end of his school year, if his good times didn't end then someone else would win the game.

Which was Totally UNACCEPTABLE!

Ending Note: There you have it fellas editted and perfected version of chapter 16 of Silence of the Winters.

Liked it? Loved it? Needs some improvements? Please tell me! You don't know how blessed I feel when my reviewers exceed my expectations.

I read each and every one of them thrice and feel blessed to have such good and active readers as you.

Even a simple 'Good work Dev' is appreciated.

Here's the link to my super private server on discord where I'll keep on updating new chapters, sneak peeks, Character designs, where you are free to talk and ask things regarding my fics directly:

Its a newly launched server...

https://discord.gg/Gcbcv4dxGx

Name:𝕯𝖊𝖛 𝕭𝖑𝖆𝖈𝖐'𝖘 𝕰𝖒𝖕𝖎𝖗𝖊

Next Chapter: Chapter 17: Removing some Strings

Thank you for reading.

With regards,

Dev Black

Chapter 17: Removing some strings

Chapter Text

Author out!

"I am Talking."

'I am Thinking'

Spells

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Everyone knows their personal key to success, if you still don't,

then either you are not putting your worth in it or..

...working for the wrong thing

~ R-Kade

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Previously in SotW-

This day had certainly ended for the best. It was such a shame that all good things come to an end and Harry was waiting for his good times to end too. Because he knew that by the end of his school year, if his good times didn't end then someone else would win the game.

Which was Totally UNACCEPTABLE!

Silence of the Winters

-Dev Sagittarius Black

~~Chapter 17: Removing some strings~~

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Daphne Greengrass looked around as she saw her owl coming.

Baron was a pepper feathered eagle owl who had been her grandfather's gift to her on her tenth birthday. He was quiet, obedient, strong and independent, meaning he could take care of himself and only needed to be pampered every now and then.

But the best thing she liked about him was his intelligence, he was really very intelligent.

She had sometimes wondered if he was at par with humans because of the few things he did, like understanding each of her commands.

Reaching new places without any prior directions and the best thing- He somehow recognized the person for whom he was carrying the parcel.

This single property of his made him the most useful owl in their family owlery.

'Hooot' Baron came and perched on her shoulder as he peered at the letter in her hand.

"I need this delivered to grandfather by tomorrow evening or morning of the next day, okay?"

Daphne asked the owl who bobbed his head once then flew from her shoulder and sat on the stone windowsill in front of her.Then he forwarded his leg and looked at her expectantly.

Daphne just smiled "Sometimes I wonder what good I did to get you in my life. Thanks Baron."

She said as she tied the letter and saw her owl fly away till he was nothing more than a small spot and then disappeared into the darkness of the night sky.

Daphne then turned around and walked a bit down further peeking from behind the stone wall and looking straight at the open window of the astronomy tower from where cold January night wind cascaded down bringing in some of the falling snow flakes 'Still there….wonder what he is doing now? And why isn't he shivering with the cold wind hitting him directly?'

Daphne looked at the boy who was peering out of the open window and into the night sky, periodically taking huge gulps of the chilled air and then releasing it as a deep breath as if this relieved him in some weird way.

She once more looked at his clothing and frowned. He wasn't wearing anything other than a simple button-down white shirt with sleeves rolled till three-fourths and a plain black Lower.

Though there was one difference that she had noticed in him since she came back- He always had a Golden men's watch on his wrist.

In one of their group study sessions it was revealed by Su that it was a gift from his guardians, and so no one made a fuss about it.

Daphne had been keeping tabs on him since she joined the group.

Looking forward to getting anything out of the boy, just so she could latch onto it and move further to strategically peel off the secretive layers around him, to slowly clear the thick fog of mystery he seems to surround himself with and to show him, he was hugely unsuccessful in fooling her.

But to date, even after three whole weeks, she had yet to gleam even a hint of a lie from his carefully crafted sentences. His habit of speaking the least in their group meets didn't help either.

And the amount of cunning he put to carefully word his sentences was quite mind-boggling.

It was no surprise that her sisters respected him this much and never once even thought that all of his day-to-day interaction was just a mask to hide whatever it is that he is really doing.

There was another thing that had been eating her since December twenty-fifth of last year, when her grandfather invited him for a family dinner and he refused THE Gerald Greengrass.

Daphne could easily wager a guess of what was in that letter that she gave him and she knew that with the amount of pureblood etiquettes Harry showed, there was no way he didn't understand the implications of such an invitation, because for goodness sake, even Malfoy could understand such a blatant letter for strengthening family relations.

Though she was very grateful that her grandfather didn't send any of that to the blonde ponce of Slytherin.

So, it bogged her mind every time she thought about the 'WHY' part.

And after nearly a month-long wait, there was only one way to get answers. And not so surprisingly, she had the perfect excuse to start the conversation too.

Also, maybe this was the only place and time that she could find him alone.

"What are you doing here?" Daphne called out loudly as she went forward and stood beside him then as soon as the wind smashed against her skin, she changed her mind and instead shielded herself by leaning her back against the wall.

It was still a bit cold but not as much as the direct exposure.

"Waiting for you to finally come out." Harry said as he looked at the far distance "Your Jasmine fragrance has been wafting around this area for the past seven minutes."

In truth, it was his magical sheet that told him of her presence but she definitely didn't need to know that.

Daphne didn't say anything and instead looked at the boy standing calmly beside her.

Calm and composed, looking straight ahead, his emerald eyes completely cool and was that a spark of joyfulness in them? Hair waving slightly in tandem with the wind, a soft smile adorned his godly chiseled face, complete with the mild high cheekbones and uplifted lips with dark eyebrows and long dark eyelashes.

She felt heat rush up to her cheeks as they reddened slightly, it was no wonder she often heard girls whispering about him and giggling while looking at him.

And it was no wonder that he had to solve quite a few useless doubts of a few girls (some even in their senior years) when they sat for their group study in the library.

Daphne visibly shook her head and cleared her throat to focus her mind on the important task at hand, "Thank you."

Harry turned his head and quirked his left eyebrow at the girl beside him "For what now?" He asked her truly confused as to why all of a sudden, she was thanking him.

"For declining the letter of invitation that my grandfather sent you for Yule dinner." She said and looked up at him, meeting his eyes for the first time since she came here.

"There are not many who would understand what the letter meant and still decline it. Though that did make me a bit curious, you know, as to why you would decline it."

Harry accepted her thanks and looked back towards the night sky, what could he say? It was just so attractive, plus the soothing cool air…ahh, pure heaven.

But then, he could enjoy his personal peace time after he successfully fended the Greengrass Heiress curiosity off, right? Right.

"Your grandfather, Lord Gerald Sandor Greengrass" Harry began and took another sneak peek to see what she thought of her grandfather and was a bit troubled to see how 'high' she thought him to be.

'This needs to be done as fast as possible' "Is one of the most cunning individuals living at the moment. Who thinks no one is better than himself."

Harry shook his head when he saw the girl frown in confusion "He keeps on testing everyone around and is himself one of the biggest bigoted men who is more slippery than he needs to be. He thinks me to be nothing more than a snot-stuck, spoiled, stick-up-his-butt rich brat who would come running at the prospect of marrying a beautiful girl, drooling all over her and saying yes to everything he ordered."

This time Daphne wasn't able to hold herself as this man was, in her perspective, going completely wrong about her grandfather, after all her grandfather had said nothing but good things about the boy and here he was bad mouthing him?

She won't let that happen!

But just as Daphne opened her mouth to refute back, Harry raised his hand and stopped her as he knew full well what would come out of that mouth. How? Damn man, something that starts with L and ends with Y, easy now? Good.

"Tell me, do you know all the pureblood etiquettes?" Harry asked the girl beside him and she nodded though still glaring daggers at him at being ignored so easily.

And she did know them, after all being the pureblood Heiress of an Ancient and Noble House demanded her to do so. And she had been learning since she was eight years old.

"Then you would most certainly be familiar with The Three Rules of Letter Transportation, right?" Harry asked her with narrowed eyes and Daphne gave a confused shrug because again, she did.

In fact, they were one of the primary etiquettes being taught to children below ten years of age.

"Please tell me what it says, will you?" It was obvious that Harry wanted to hear it from the Greengrass heiress.

Daphne frowned for a while but did so "Owl an unknown, Elf your acquaintance and Family for Family. What's wrong with it?"

"Wow" Harry said in faux astonishment "It surprises me that we both have been taught the same rule and I am very sure Lord Greengrass had been taught the same simple thing too. Do you know the implications when one ignores any of the steps?"

Daphne shook her head in 'No' movement because as far as she could remember there were no implications written in her Family book.

Harry again quirked his left eyebrow and asked "And you never bothered asking either?" Again, she shook her head in a 'No' movement.

"Well, that's sad because one should know what they are doing, when they will possibly receive the outcome and what outcome it could be." He said offhandedly before turning completely serious and looking straight in her eye.

"Ignoring any of the steps, even a single one means that the sender is completely ignoring the receiver's power as a magical and is spitting on his House, Family Magiks and his personal magical power too. Your grandfather knew that fact very well and still ignored the first two steps and directly jumped on the third one."

"He thinks that I am one of the immature Noble Heirs who don't know anything and has been lucky to be born as a magical Heir and be contacted by him. Unfortunately for him he is wrong." Harry said and the fire in his eyes told Daphne how serious the boy was at the moment.

"Those rules were made for a reason, one's family is the most devoted thing someone gets in their life, sending your family member to an unknown person without any sort of precaution is not only de-meaning but also a practical joke on the receiver's powers. He practically spat on my powers as an Heir and a wizard as a whole."

Harry's hands gripped the window sill and Daphne was sure that if it was her hand, her bones might have become dust by now.

If what the Potter Heir said was true, then her grandfather had seriously insulted him and indirectly House Potter and Peverell too.

Therefore, it was no surprise that he didn't want to talk to her when her own grandfather and House insulted his.

"Wait a moment, you said grandfather tested you? Was this some kind of test?" Daphne asked, frowning at him and was surprised to see him nod with a contemplative expression on his face.

"And by rejecting the offer of joining us for dinner, you impressed him rather than disappointing him?"

Harry nodded and gave a small victorious grin "I don't know if you know this but I received a letter from lord Greengrass inviting me to join him and his family for a week worth of vacation at the Greengrass Chateau in France this summer, he of course apologized for the disrespect he showed towards Houses Potter and Peverell by disregarding the rules."

Utterly mind boggling. This was completely out of the normal pureblood games she had played to date.

She always thought herself to be the best one out there, at least the best one in their groups but here, when the game was indeed being played then she had fallen face first into the trap and lost it moments after it began.

And to her surprise, Harry Potter had taken the letter, read it and understood the real meaning of the words which were most certainly much deeper than what she had thought them to be.

Daphne knew her grandfather was planning for a marriage contract to further strengthen the Greengrass family in the wizarding world and being the Heiress of such a House, it was her responsibility to make it happen by hook or by crook.

"And what did you reply?" Daphne asked as snidely as she could because there was No, and she meant it, no bloody way that he would ignore the offer now, certainly not with the deal he was getting.

"I refused"

"…"

"….."

"WHAT?!" Daphne asked, totally astonished by his casual denial. Who the hell was he and what the bloody hell worked between the place between his ears?

And for goodness sake, why would someone as cunning as him ignore the blatant opportunity this easily?!

"Easy there Greengrass, If I didn't know better I would think that you wanted me to go with your family and ask for your hand. But fortunately, I do and so I took that reaction as more confused than outraged."

Daphne ignored the jibe and her inner self involuntarily saddened a bit when he called her Greengrass instead of Daphne.

It was a record, in all of their times together, of how Harry never called her out.

Since the day in their shared History of Magic class, when she first talked to him till now. NEVER. But that's fine by her, it's not like the world ends because Harry Potter didn't call her by her first name, right? Right.

"Take it however you want, but answer me. Why this time?" She asked him more patiently, easily falling back in her ice queen persona.

"There are five members in your family whom I can meet other than all your relatives, and in those five members, I know just one person and she isn't trusting of me enough and doesn't think of me as anything other than a passing curiosity that she is hell bent on solving."

Harry said without looking at her face 'Also I have already agreed to Madam Bones and wasting one week in two months is enough of a holiday for me. Not to mention staying away from a possible loveless marriage contract'

"I-What?" Daphne frowned at the reason, it was one of the most unexpected ones from a closed off boy like Harry.

"It's been three weeks since you joined us and tell me, did you ever think that if I am doing something it might be just that and not something else? Did you ever trust me enough for that? No. So why shouldn't I be wary that if I came over you would ask one of your family elves to keep an eye on me? Simple really, I don't want to be kept like a prisoner or maybe a lab rat."

Throughout his speech Harry hadn't even once looked at her or broke his calm face and the smooth yet quite commanding tone.

It was as if he was talking about the weather instead of the fact that he had caught her red handed and was directly punishing her through his coarse words.

There was a stretching uncomfortable silence between the two, for Daphne at least, Harry was just relaxing his mind more and more with the passing cold winds that splashed on his face and soothed his nerves. It was bloody fantastic.

"Alright-Alright, I give up." Daphne said, raising her hands in defeat causing Harry to look at her with his raised left eyebrow.

She then looked at his face and was at a momentary loss of speech before she regained herself and tried to give one of her most dazzling smiles that would have normal hormonal boys let loose their body fluids. Mind you 'Normal'.

"You caught me and caught me good." She said, still smiling and trying to discern what Harry thought of her from his facial expressions, unfortunately for her, his face was as blank as a plain straight wall.

Completely stiff with no emotions, not even the usual eye-twitches she caught in her father when he was angry or the glare her Grandfather used to give.

It was as if she was looking at a pre-programmed puppet…oh wait, was that an eye twitch?! Nope, it might be her imagination.

"But can you really blame me, Harry? I have always had an inquisitive mind. Asking questions about things that are mostly ignored by the general populace. Trying to dig up things and reaching the end of the tunnel. Looking beyond what is visible to normal eyes. Trying to solve any and all the mysteries I can bag and you, Harry Potter have been my biggest mystery to date!"

Daphne exclaimed at him as he quietly listened to her diatribe.

"Stunning the boy-who-should-have-died and Weasel on your first day, killing a full-grown Mountain Troll all by yourself while it took the Headmaster and Professor Flitwick and a team of Professors McGonagall, Snape and Quirrell to subdue their respective ones. Then flying at breakneck speed to save Su Li and Susan and still sitting in the Library with the pass to the Restricted Section for a full year. I am sure you exchanged your position on the quidditch team for that." Daphne said smirking before making a face as Harry's face didn't move a millimeter even.

"And even after all of that, THE Harry Potter is nothing more than an average student in class and is below average at worst. So of course, you are one hell of a mystery to me. Something that I have been trying to solve ever since I met you."

Daphne finished her tirade and looked at the boy expectantly to see what he says or thinks of her, after all even though she was not a legilimens, she was trained enough to see facial twitches and discern what they meant.

Harry remained silent for quite some time as he contemplated his next step.

He knew he could easily subdue the girl and put mind blocks on her to never think about that information or try to investigate him but that was an extreme case.

And by the way he had been scanning her mind since they started their 'small talk', Harry knew she was unaware of his real secrets. So instead, he used another powerful weapon- Words.

"Curiosity is not bad till it affects other aspects of your daily life." Harry said in his normal baritone as he looked at the faraway distance.

"This curiosity of yours, ever wondered why it didn't affect any of your friends?"

"Terry is my roommate and yet he trusts me more than anyone. Susan and Hannah have been with me since the beginning of school year and yet Susan's trust knows no bounds and Hannah isn't quite far behind." He said.

"Even Tracey, who joined us last before you opened her heart to all of us, isn't playing favorites or hiding things that could harm us, is she?"

Daphne opened her mouth to tell him that her curiosity isn't harming any of them either but he silenced her with a small hand gesture.

"Putting it in a very simple manner, your curiosity invokes suspicion and your suspicion invokes your distrust in me and my habits. You simply cannot hide your feelings of distrust and so I became more and more cautious around you. Now tell me, is this how a friendship works?" Harry knew what he was doing.

The ball was left in her court, yes. But the court management was done so perfectly that she could do nothing but pass it on to Team Harry.

And so she did.

Daphne thought about her situation and how she had behaved with him. Yes, there was suspicion and a hell lot of planning, it was a habit that she learned from her grandfather- Play with pre-cautions and have layers of planning in one thing and even then, be ready with an escape plan.

But in this game of hide 'n' seek, she had forgotten to hatch an escape plan and had paid greatly for that fault.

But the fact that all her methods had failed against the boy standing right beside her was also a huge point-to-be-noted.

And even now, with all the decisions in her hand she wasn't able to think of a method other than the one she would have tried to do 'after' she won.

"Alright Harry, you win. Though I am still curious as to why you are downplaying yourself, I am not going to bug you anymore."

Daphne said as honestly as possible and tried to give another small smile which was eloquently reverted with a totally blank face which saddened her a bit.

"I was a bit curious, yes. And I now understood what I did wrong. I am not asking you to stop all of this but I will ask you to give me another chance to prove my budding trust in you, can I at least get that?" She asked him with hopeful puppy dog eyes that no one had ever said no to.

"I am not someone who could give chances, they are not in my hands. It's life and things come-and-go. Maybe someday you will get your chance, that day will decide how our relationship begins or ends, till then, Night."

And with that Harry gave her a small 'Heir bow' given to their equals and moved away from the standing girl, taking equal steps and walking with a gait to make learned men drool.

Daphne sighed in sadness at not getting a direct response from the cold boy but she knew, he gave her as much as she could get without invoking his ire and if she remembered what he did to that Mountain Troll (which she did), she felt herself lucky she didn't.

Daphne turned around to bid him night but by then, she was the lone human standing in the deserted corridor, sighing again she determined herself to stop her tirade against Harry Potter and start to show her trust in him, if he can notice her distrust then he can easily notice the change too, right? Of course, right.

The days after those were incredibly passive for the green eyed Potter, though not so much for his younger brother as he tried to get answers to all his riddles that happened to circulate around the third floor corridor of Hogwarts.

It was a stroke of luck that when the junior Potter was telling about what he found on the chocolate frog card of Nicholas Flamel to his pet Weasel, Tracey was there to hear it and her less control over it spit the fact out quite easily.

Though it wasn't prudent to believe words of the bubbly Slytherin girl and Harry never wanted to test Legilimency against Alandale or Weasel, afraid of what contingency plans Dumbles would have kept in store if anyone other than him tried to invade his two slugs' mind.

Therefore, he invaded Tracey's.

And to say Harry was satisfied with the knowledge he gained would be an understatement.

There were quite more than a few things that could have helped him if he had scanned the gossiper's brain earlier. Well, better late than never, right?

And so, Harry took off in direction of the Hogwarts Gamekeeper- Rubeus Hagrid. There was a certain dog who needed to be tamed well.

"Sue?" Hannah asked as she plopped beside her redhead friend who was scribbling her short notes for the charms homework given to them today, she had yet to start it and here her friend was halfway finished.

"Yeah Hun?" Susan asked without bothering to look up from her short notes homework- 'Fifteen uses of the Knockback Jinx', Finding nine was an easy thing but the next six seemed to take the whole thing to another level of searching which was taking more than a few minutes.

"What are you doing?"

"Something which you haven't done yet- Homework." Susan said and laughed as she saw redness spread over Hannah's face before she controlled it.

"Very funny Sue, I meant what are you doing in regards to your more than a little crush on a certain green eyed wiz-mmph." Hannah was the one laughing this time as a red faced Sue shoved the pillow in the blonde Hufflepuff's face.

"Shut up Abott.'' Sue said but there was no real malice in her words and instead the redhead girl was smiling bashfully.

Subsiding her laughter and the impromptu moment created by Sue's embarrassment, Hannah plopped down beside the said redhead and repeated her question, this time more seriously.

"Nothing yet, why do you ask?" Sue was of course confused as to why all of a sudden, her best friend was bringing Harry into their conversation.

"Because my dearest Suzy, you are already acting blind to all the stares he receives. Today I even saw Lavender Brown making lost puppy eyes towards him. I don't know how fast or slow you want to take it with him but I would suggest you speed up a bit because with your speed, I am sure Harry would have already married and have two kids by the time you admit your crush."

Susan frowned at that, yes, both of that- Brown making lost puppy eyes and the comment about her speed of admission of her crush to Harry.

"I am waiting till first year ends Hun, I don't think Harry of all people is interested in any sort of relationship before second year."

"That may be true Sue and I am not telling you to just go and snog him straightaway." Hannah giggled when Sue's face turned a deep shade of pink, she shook her head at the girl before continuing.

"All I am saying is to advance your methods, so that even if Harry is quite a dunderhead in this subject, others get your hint and move away." Hannah told her.

Sue thought for a few minutes before sighing and looking up towards her best friend "And how do you propose I do that oh my love goddess?"

Hannah gave a Cheshire cat grin as she leaned forwards and started discussing ideas with her sister in all but blood, there was a certain announcement to make without saying it loud.

Harry looked around himself one last time as his fingers gripped the cold metal door knob of the dingy door on the third floor corridor that was said to protect Hogwarts students' population from Death herself.

Though the boy knew what was behind the door and how to control it all thanks to a certain gullible groundskeeper of Hogwarts who also happened to be the said 'Death's' Master and friend.

Twisting the door knob open, Harry stepped inside and looked at the softly snoring dog, the middle head suddenly wiggled his nose and growled a bit in annoyance before slowly opening one of its eyes and scanning the room, looking for the intruder whose smell wafted the air in the room and had reached the hell hound's nostrils. Flaring them with rage.

Harry knew this was his only cue to start his show as he was very sure that if he waited a bit longer then he would be found by his smell and 'Fluffy' would easily tear him to fluffs.

So, he went inside his bottomless pockets and picked up the bamboo flute given to him by Hagrid as a way to calm the monstrosity if they ever had the unfortunate experience again.

Harry still felt bad for manipulating the gullible gamekeeper but this had been more important and so he wasn't going to leave any door that could solve this mystery.

Oh, he knew what it was that was being protected but he just needed to see it once to make sure it was safe enough.

Pushing those thoughts aside, he placed the flute near his lips and blew a lot of air in it, it was good Fluffy just needed music and not a particular tone to sleep, he would later come back and try to play with the big dog a bit, but that's not for now.

There was also a question that Fluffy's presence in this room ignited in his brain- How in the name of Hades was Dumbledore able to bring a dog this big so secretly and how was he able to push it through that small door?

Because as far as Harry knew, portkeys and apparition were forbidden in Hogwarts for everyone and transfiguring a living thing was way quite a difficult thing and a magically resistant XXXX beast at that? Suffice to say, the big guy wasn't here by being transfigured into a smaller thing and then removing the transfiguration.

Harry smiled a bit when he saw the eyes of the middle head of the cerberus droop and then made a face as rotten fish smell came when the three faces dog-yawned before finally sleeping peacefully.

Harry immediately snapped his fingers and left the flute levitating mid air as air with a regular force pulsed through it causing it to play continuously as the lone elemental moved forward and placed his glowing hand on the cerberus' mid head as he delved deep into the peacefully sleeping monster's brain.

After all, it was far easier to control someone in their sleepy state than completely conscious.

Ten minutes later Harry nodded and left the Cerberus head panting a bit as beads of sweat dropped from his hairline and down his chiseled hard face, completely satisfied with his progress in taming the beast inside the big guy's brain box and registering himself as an alpha- someone whom to listen to and protect with all his might.

It took more than he had thought but, in the end, the result was more than enough for the toil.

A very-very useful piece of information he received via delving into the sleeping dog's brain was that…

Harry moved towards the wooden door and closed it completely, then he counted a third stone brick from the door's top hinge before tapping it thrice and then pushing it with a bit of his magic in it.

There was some rumbling as the wall behind the cerberus rumbled a bit before it moving very slowly from its place revealing a dirty and dark pathway downwards which coincidentally happened to be the secret passageway to the west part of Forbidden Forest.

"No wonder you came in so easily Fluffy." Harry smiled a really innocent smile before pushing the brick again, releasing the lever and indirectly, the wall from its previous predicament.

Harry slowly levitated the sleeping cerberus' front paw from the small manhole it was guarding, he opened it and threw a Lumos in it before delving into his elemental self, small cyclones encompassed his legs till his shin as his eyes turned glowing orbs of silver with a green hallow pushed to the periphery.

Harry levitated himself and slowly descended into the hidden pathway, his wand and magical sensor sheet ready to meet any and all surprises or shocks.

Ending Note:There you have it fellas, editted and perfected version of chapter 17 of Silence of the Winters.

Liked it? Loved it? Needs some improvements? Please tell me! You don't know how blessed I feel when my reviewers exceed my expectations.

I read each and every one of them thrice and feel blessed to have such good and active readers as you.

Even a simple 'Good work Dev' is appreciated.

Here's the link to my super private server on discord where I'll keep on updating new chapters, sneak peeks, Character designs, where you are free to talk and ask things regarding my fics directly:

Its a relatively newly launched server...

https://discord.gg/Gcbcv4dxGx

Name: 𝕯𝖊𝖛 𝕭𝖑𝖆𝖈𝖐'𝖘 𝕰𝖒𝖕𝖎𝖗𝖊

Next Chapter: Chapter 18: Stolen

Thank you for reading.

With regards,

Dev Black

Chapter 18: Stolen

Chapter Text

“I am Talking.”

‘ I am Thinking ’

Spells

§Parseltongue§

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A good writer is just a better liar,

because stories are nothing more

than fabrications of lasting lies...

~ R-Kade

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Previously in SotW-

Harry slowly levitated the sleeping cerberus' front paw from the small manhole it was guarding, he opened it and threw a Lumos in it before delving into his elemental self, small cyclones encompassed his legs till his shin as his eyes turned glowing orbs of silver with a green hallow pushed to the periphery.

Harry levitated himself and slowly descended into the hidden pathway, his wand and magical sensor sheet ready to meet any and all surprises or shocks.

Silence of the Winters

-Dev Sagittarius Black

~~Chapter 18: Stolen~~

"Our time here is comingto a close." A voice rasped.

"Yes, my lord, I can feel it too. We will soon taste the fruits of success and tell all of them of your return." A second more human-like voice agrees, the glee in it could easily be seen as just sugar-coated words to appease the predecessor.

"No, you fool! I won't announce my return like that. It needs to be grand. To tell all those who toasted my defeat, that Lord Voldemort is immortal and the most powerful wizard who not even death would dare to cross."

"Ye-yes master, as you say. We just need to know how to get that half-giant oaf to open his mouth about his cerberus. After that everything is already planned out." Quirrell replied,grinning from ear-to-ear as he felt the amusem*nt of his Lord through the mental connection they shared.

"Hmm…yes. Now let me take some rest, and don't do something foolish while my eyes are closed." Voldemort's voice growled and to show his displeasure he gave a small shock to Quirell's nervous system making the man wince in pain and nod fervently.

Descending down, Harry felt another of Dumbledore's security wards and this time it was presented as a thin sheet beneath the growing Devil's Snare. Again, it took him eight seconds to dismantle the ward.

Thankfully he need not worry about the Devil's Snare as his glowing ball of light was quite an effective weapon against it.

Moving further down he finally felt the floor beneath him, his sensor sheet told him that it was a plain stone floor with no hidden traps, still he stayed in his elemental form.

Why? Because it gave him a sense of freedom, sometimes things aren't as complicated as one perceived them to be.

Pushing the ball of light ahead him he finally came to an opening and was surprised to hear a clinking sound as if some metals were banging against each other. Looking up he understood why this was so.

Keys…hundreds of Keys with wings flying sometimes in tandem and other times against each other. The door in front of him was locked and Harry knew that it would only open if they inserted the correct key in the key-hole.

But this couldn't be as simple as that, right? There had to be some sort of controller who was monitoring all of this.

Also, he was damn sure that the right key would already have the sensor ward in it. After spending a total of three minutes and forty seconds, Harry had outlined Dumbledore's master plan of distributing sensor wards everywhere.

They were not placed haphazardly, instead they were placed at specific spots throughout the journey to be able to tell Dumbles when someone crossed these particular wards. They were like the mundane game levels with real life threats, no checkpoints and no extra lives.

Though most games have some cheat codes, right? Damn hell right. Harry grinned as he flicked his wand "Immobulous".

The wide area locomotion spell affected each of the keys flying overhead and they stopped wherever they were, just floating in the air in a particular direction periodically. They would remain halted like that till Harry left the room.

His eagle eyes helped him spot a slightly broken wing key which he immediately knew was the right one for the lock, but he just couldn't accio it as there were quite more than a few keys around it. So instead, Harry did the only logical option available- He took off.

Snatching the right key with a broken wing from where it was floating, Harry dismantled the wards and stepped inside the next room that, not to his surprise, held a huge chessboard with gigantic chess pieces.

None of the places looked empty and so, Harry knew that the moment he stepped on the board, he would have to choose a side and fight the other one or the armed guards would try to kill him. 'TRY'.

'WHAM!'

Harry immediately looked behind him with a severing hex on his lips and his wand glowing and poised like a conductor's baton, to shoot the hex and take a life as swiftly as possible and as soon as they came.

But then he paused at seeing what had happened, the door had automatically locked itself and the key had flown away. Within moments his ears caught the regular clinking sound of the keys.

He looked at the door before shaking his head, this was actually a pretty good trap and if, yes 'if', he ever came down again. He would find a temporary replacement for the trap. For now, though, he could simply remove the rewoven wards, blast the door and repair it to move out of the room.

Therefore, he turned towards the giant chess board instead.

Harry knew for sure that this was one of the teacher's works and probably not Flitwick's, Sprout's or Hagrid's, this could be either from Dumbles, McGonagall or Snape. Quirrell? 'Stop joking Potter' Harry shook his head and looked at the chess board. He knew it would only take him about five minutes to defeat the other king but what was the fun in that.

Meaning there had got to be some sort of cheat code for this level, right? Harry re-analysed his situation and looked at the chess pieces before an idea came to his mind. It was quite brash but it was just an experiment for the final plan to shape up.

He flicked his wand at the Rook "Bombarda Maxima!” The exploding hex hit the black rook straight at its crown and it disintegrated only to be reformed almost immediately.

Harry hummed and this time tried a different approach, he went near the black rook and raised his hands, palm facing the rook. He made a claw like motion and his hands glowed ethereal white; the same glow surrounded the black rook's outer boundary.

The teenage mage then slowly made a lifting motion and lifted the rook up from the chess board. He then clasped his hands and the rook in front of him immediately crumbled to dust.

But this time, instead of falling on the chessboard, it kept levitating in the air, thanks to Harry holding it with his elemental self.

He waited for next ten seconds before removing his 'touch' from the rook and let its pieces fall on the chess, as suspected, the rook was immediately recreated and stood proudly, looking as menacing as ever.

Harry nodded, completely satisfied with the results of his impromptu experiment.

The chess pieces and their runic scheme was connected with that of the board, so indirectly, to activate them, one needs to step on it and start with the game.

But what would happen if someone 'somehow' didn't even touch the board and crossed the room? Only one way to find it, isn't it?

Harry smirked as he levitated himself five feet above the board and moved towards the door at the other end, as he had presumed, there was nothing that could register his presence and so, the chess board wasn't activated either.

The elemental crossed the board easily and again dismantling the alert ward on the door, he stepped into the next room.

Surprisingly enough, the next room was empty. Completely devoid of anything.

Which made Harry even more alert because an empty room in a maze like this meant danger. Ergo, spreading out his 4 metre radius sensor sheet, Harry went as far as to put his magic in his already enhanced senses to strengthen them and it was then that he struck gold.

The moment his sense of smell was magically amplified, a strong stench of a Troll's body hit him like a truck. This odour would have been almost negligible to a normal human and just a bit perceptible to a magical one.

His enhanced sense of smell did register it but he was unable to put it where he had smelled that particular scent.

Now though? It was crystal clear as to who were the ones in this room. One might be wondering as to why 'were' and not 'was', right? Simple, Harry smelled three different types of Trolls in this room.

How much of a coincidence it was that the school was attacked by the same number of trolls at Halloween and then, there 'were' trolls in this room, not 'are'. Coincidence.

Pushing the thought aside, Harry floated towards the other end and dismantling the alert wards again 'Honestly, they are more of a hindrance now', he stepped inside the next room.

It didn't help that these wards he was regularly dismantling would place themselves with the original warder's signature after ten seconds. It was the same method he had used for Quirell's door when he had intruded that stuttering sh*t's office.

This room was a bit different than other ones, often Harry had seen this pattern and his brain was involuntarily solving it too, though since his mind wasn't fully focused on it, the process was a bit slower than usual. Still, he moved ahead where there were seven bottles.

Harry knew these bottles like the back of his hand, he didn't even need to read the stupid riddle which was written on the paper beside the bottles. Why? Well, duh, the one who wrote this trap told it to him, although not willingly.

It might have been Harry's way of searching through the man's mind for three continuous hours that gave him the answer.

Oh, nothing to worry about.

Harry took the small blue bottle, uncorked it and drank its non-aromatic, colourless, tasteless and texture-less content in one go. Then he picked the purple bottle as it contained his ticket for the 'return journey'.

The boy was about to move when mischief managed to sprout in his methodical head and grinning like a mad man, Harry pointed his wand towards the blue bottle "Aquamenti."

This would take care of anyone who came to have a drink to cross this fire, given that they were able to crack the riddle written by Snivelus.

But before he did that, Harry wanted to analyse the trap, therefore he moved towards the corridor where his magic sensor sheet started analysing the black flames. And the results surprised him.

And Harry would be damned before he said anything less than 'impressive' to the fascinating work of magic ahead of him- The fire of teleportation. It was quite an ingenious little trick of Severus that he had created using the 'Floo arithmetical system' and reactivity of potions.

The black flames weren’t simple flames, rather they were an intricate system of floo transportation with continuous magical circuit locked on a certain location, the potion, could be the necessary conduit to change the location of the person travelling through the flames.

Ergo, in all its grandeur, this was a glorified floo system with a pre-determined destination, most probably Dumledore’s office, and the potion would change the magical pathway inside the person travelling through the flames making him immune to the black flames as long as the potion is circulating within the person.

This was indeed ingenious work, he might even go as far as to praise his slave, mentally of course.

But then there was something else, Snape might have had his own stroke of genius to create something as enchanting as this flame but his vexatious brain couldn't, just couldn't comprehend how many things this simple invention could achieve.

Fortunately, Harry wasn't as idiot as his slave, he knew how to perceive an opportunity and grab it the moment it showed. And a flame like this, was most certainly a blessing to those who could see beneath the disguise.

He made a mental note to come later to take a bit of this fire but till then, Harry took a deep breath and moved into the next room.

This room was actually the simplest one of all, having nothing like the earlier rooms- No flying keys, No giant chess boards, No Trolls, No Potions…just nothing, except one really weird oddity- The Mirror of Erised.

Harry checked around and didn’t find any doors, which meant this was the final room and this mirror was the final defence.

Yes, he already knew about the mirror. It was one of the most researched things in the place that gave him the name Tueur N-13 .

Though, it was quite a surprise that an artefact of such antiquity was placed in a school of all things when its rightful place was either in the research guilds or the Department of Mysteries, he didn't particularly care which nation's department held it.

Stepping forward, Harry was about to come in contact when all of a sudden his senses tingled and moments later a really strong wave of compulsion charm hit his mind, the order was simple,

‘Come and look inside’

Harry was still three metres away and was a fifth level occlumens, with a passive level three shield active at all time, therefore the compulsion wasn’t able to penetrate his mind and the boy took a step back.

‘Well, for now…’ Harry opened the other two locked levels and raised up his occlumency shields, he then reinforced the shields with his magic and stepped in the mirror’s compulsion range.

Harry took a look in the mirror and paused…before clenching his fists and shaking in...anger? No, instead the elemental was laughing out loud.

His laughter was rising in octaves and soon enough it became a full blown laughter. The sound was weird though, it wasn’t a laugh that filled someone’s emptiness, it wasn’t the laugh that could give someone a ray of sunshine on a cloudy day.

It was not a laughter that could lift up a depressed person’s mood and it was most certainly not a laughter full of hope and joy, you could have never ever, even in hell’s deepest pits found such a hoarse laugh.

This was a laughter full of anguish, a laughter full of hate, a laughter devoid of ‘good’ emotions. This was a laugh which could only come out of a person with so much hate and anger that if combined they would end up sucking the living plane’s joy and still be not sated.

This was the hoarse laugh that no other thirteen year old could have ever given.

Because his reflection in the mirror stood for every single thing that Harry had worked himself not to ever miss or get. This was why the elemental had let out all of his mental scream and anger that he felt in that moment…as a laugh.

Mirror Harry had Selene wrapped around his torso and he smiled as he looked at real life Harry before looking up to mirror James and Lily and then looking back to get smiles from his guardians.

There were others too in the mirror, probably his ancestors. But they weren’t of any importance, in his eyes.

His father was smiling proudly as he patted mirror Harry’s shoulder, his old man standing beside them with his hands folded over his chest and a small smile.

His mother was standing with tears in her eyes as she gave the most beautiful smile Harry had ever seen on anyone’s face while his Grandlady was making faces at real life Harry and laughing after that.

They were sitting in a meadow and the picnic mat beside them was loaded with home cooked dishes and Harry somehow knew that it was his mother’s cooking, how? he didn’t know. Just that, it was

This…this was the perfect world, no Voldemort, no Dumbledore, no wars, nothing. Just a perfectly happy family enjoying a vacation near the snow-clad mountains.

§....up….§

A family, a happy family of his own. This had been his childhood dream, a wish which he asked for every night for the first five starting years of his life.

Something that he asked every time-

§..ke up, this is…§

-his uncle beat him to death for mistakes he had no control over and his aunt supported him. And this dream-

§...wake up, this is no…§

-had been suppressed for a really long time, because with age Harry had moulded himself to be independent, be more strict and disciplined. Whatever he was today, was a result of that motivation, and this-

§...Dad, wake up, this is not…§

-mirror was throwing all of his work right into his face, telling him that even if he became all that, even if he closed off everyone, that even if he became an emotionless machine, there will still, be a part of him who’d yearn for his childhood dream.

That there would be a part of him which would always haunt him.

§...lease dad, wake up, this is not real…§

Harry tightened his fist as anger started to cloud his mind, this…this mirror,this damn piece of reflective glass had absoLUTELY NO DAMN RIGHT TO MAKE FUN OF-

§Please Dad, wake up. This is not real at all§

-ALL OF HIS WORK BY THROWING THIS sh*t IN HIS FACE! HE WILL DES-

§wake up dad. This is NOT REAL AT ALL!§

Harry’s eyes flashed red as his fist got enveloped in silver-grey magic and an almost invisible yet palpable silverish white aura covered the elemental from tip to toe, raging around him like an inferno waiting to be released for destruction.

“I will smash you so that you-”

§WAKE UP DAD! THIS IS NOT REAL AT ALL!§

“-are not able to make fun of-wait what?” Harry frowned as he tried to listen to whatever he had just heard, it was terribly low but it seemed like someone was trying to talk to him.

§...UP DAD! THIS IS NOT REAL AT ALL! WAKE UP DAD! THIS IS NOT REAL AT ALL!§

Was that Selene? Harry frowned as he tried to concentrate more on the mirror Selene who was wrapped around his mirror self’s torso “Selene?”

Selene nodded her head and spoke the same sentence again §WAKE UP DAD! THIS IS NOT REAL! THIS MIRROR IS BAD!§

Harry concentrated more at what he was hearing and slowly the anger clouding his mind started receding. He looked down at his hand which was still clenched as a fist and was covered in his magic as a protective covering while he himself was exuding a visible and an opaque aura.

Last time he had done that was when he was five years old, the time when he had reached his breaking point.

‘But how is that possible? The mirror won’t let people see something they don’t want to because that would simply lead to its destruction…then how?’ Harry saved the question for later and made a mental note to research this topic on a later date.

There were more concerning matters right now.

Harry looked at Selene and thanked his lucky stars. He didn’t know if reflections could talk or not or if this was just a fluke, but he sure was thankful for this fluke ‘Maybe I should give her a couple of bunnies as a treat the next time I see her’

Harry looked in the mirror and started analysing the magical object to get the code on how to crack it. And the results didn’t surprise him.

The elemental moved behind the mirror. Flicking his Blackthorn wand out, he began unravelling the loads of security wards placed in and around the mirror. This would definitely take a lot more than he had anticipated.

Half an hour later, Harry rechecked the mirror thrice , both with his sensor sheet and his wand to locate any other hidden ward or anything like that. Thankfully there were none.

Harry was also grateful that Dumbledore didn't do anything else other than detection, intent, security, illusion, space dilution, signature, protection and of course his own alert wards. Note the bloody sarcasm.

Harry then peered at the mirror and looked at his reflection. Harry felt himself lost in the memory before shaking his head strongly as he felt the mirror's natural tendency of sucking life penetrate his mind and try to slip beneath his shields. This mirror was one of the reasons that motivated him to learn mind arts ASAP.

It was then that he noticed it, Mirror Harry looked straight in his eyes and gave an impish grin before pulling out a reddish brown slightly glittering stone from his pocket, he showed him the stone and juggled it from one hand to another before putting it in his pocket.

Almost immediately Harry felt something fall in his pocket too and he pushed his hand inside to pull out the red stone, looking wide eyed at the odd shaped thing.

Harry couldn't believe it, he was literally holding THE Philosoph- his eyes widened as he felt it. But that was completely impossible! There was no way in seven bloody freaking hells that there was a hidden alert ward woven secretly in the mirror, he had himself rechecked it thrice with both, his wand and sensor sheet. But then, how?...or more specifically, what.

Harry came to the second conclusion as his eyes traced the reddish-brown stone in his hand. But now was not the time to confirm suspicions. He knew that the ward might have alerted Dumbledore of the stone's removal from the mirror and the old man would do all he could to reach him ASAP.

There was only one way in-and-out and so, he was sure that Dumbles would be coming from that way too.

Damn you stupid Poor planning! Normally, he would have blamed luck but this was just a proof of his carelessness and not something he could blame on ole Luck.

This was just a perfect reason to be kicked out of school if nothing else, and though he didn't need Hogwarts to learn Magic, still getting kicked out was not something he entertained.

"Now what to do?"

Albus Percival Dumbledore, the current headmaster of Hogwarts was utilising his headmaster privileges as he slept in his comfy goose feather-quilt on his King size bed in the Headmaster’s personal chamber which was connected to the office via a staircase.

He was a happy old man, everything for the past few weeks had been going just according to the plan, like it should have in the first place. Because his plans were perfection incarnate, except a few but then, exceptions are always there, right? Right.

Right now, his plan of getting Alan to face Voldemort was working perfectly as the last time he had checked, the boys had found out about Fluffy and were trying to find what it was that the Cerberus was actually guarding.

Dumbledore had planned to suggest Hagrid for another one of his tea-chats with the trio, it was troubling that Alan was so dumb and combined with that youngest Weasley brat and you have the perfect pair of Tweedle-dee and Tweedle-dum.

But enough about that. Where were we…ah yes, Lemon drops. The perfect savoury little balls mixed with sugar and the perfect little tint of sourness of lemon. This was why he had bought twenty percent shares of the whole company.

Dumbledore was sleeping peacefully, dreaming about his perfect world and his perfect lemon drops when all of a sudden a shock vibrated throughtout his body. This was a big one that jolted him awake right away as the wave travelled through his nervous system.

Dumbledore sat upright, trying to clear the sleep-induced cobwebs in his brain .He had just been given one of the hardest alerts from one of his wards, which meant that something really important was in danger.

‘The wards around Privet Drive are no longer there because I removed them when I visited, this was also not something from Gellert because he died five years ago. So this only means the third thing….’ Dumbledore’s eyes widened as he swung his legs from under the blanket and ran for his office.

“Toffee!”

“Good Evening Proffeso Alby sirs, what can Toff-”

“Go wake up Minerva, Filius and Severus. Tell Severus to go on and check our suspect, and tell Minerva and Filius to meet me near the third floor corridor as soon as possible, it’s an emergency.” Dumbledore hurriedly gave the instructions and watched as the elf vanished with a loud ‘POP’ sound.

‘...we have to save the philosopher’s stone and prevent Voldemort’s early rising. Alan wasn’t ready to be sacrificed yet!’

“FAWKES!”

‘...’

“FAWK- '' Dumbledore wanted to bang his head right now or bang Quirell’s head for choosing the day his phoenix had just burned and reborn.

Well, he can run too then, right?.....Right??

Ending Note:There you have it fellas, editted and perfected version of chapter 18 of Silence of the Winters.

Liked it? Loved it? Needs some improvements? Please tell me! You don't know how blessed I feel when my reviewers exceed my expectations.

I read each and every one of them thrice and feel blessed to have such good and active readers as you.

Even a simple 'Good work Dev' is appreciated.

Here's the link to my super private server on discord where I'll keep on updating new chapters, sneak peeks, Character designs, where you are free to talk and ask things regarding my fics directly:

Its a relatively newly launched server...

https://discord.gg/Gcbcv4dxGx

Name:𝕯𝖊𝖛 𝕭𝖑𝖆𝖈𝖐'𝖘 𝕰𝖒𝖕𝖎𝖗𝖊

Next Chapter:Chapter 19: The Chase.

Thank you for reading.

With regards,

Dev Black

Chapter 19: The Chase

Chapter Text

“I am Talking.”

‘I am Thinking’

Spells

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The journey is sometimes way more better than the destination.

~ R-Kade

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-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Previously in SotW-

“FAWKES!”

‘...’

“FAWK- '' Dumbledore wanted to bang his head right now or bang Quirell’s head for choosing the day his phoenix had just burned and reborn.

Well, he can run too then, right?.....Right??

Silence of the Winters

-Dev Sagittarius Black

~~Chapter 19: The Chase~~

Harry looked around himself and felt the wards around the mirror start repairing themselves because the pin he had placed to stop them was bound to dissolve after ten seconds, therefore he simply stepped out of the ward range and started looking around.

He had two ways to survive what was coming for him- first, head on collision or second, sneaking out.

Harry knew for a fact that since the stone was so important, Dumbledore would be working his ass off to reach the third-floor corridor and would have called professors McGonagall, Snape and Flitwick by now too.

Ergo, the chance of fighting against the incoming strong wizards wasn't too slim. He knew he could easily lose but there was a ten percent chance that he could win too.

He could stay hidden in his cloak till Dumbledore came and then take the old man by surprise, because that was his best hope against the powerful aged wizard.

Then there was McGonagall, Harry was sure he could employ Snape against her and Flitwick for a few moments before he joined his hand and subdued the witch helping Snape to fully focus on dealing with the former Duelling champion of Hogwarts.

This was a really shaky plan and Harry could count his chances of winning on his own ten fingers. But there wasn't any other….way….. "Damn."

Harry's eyes widened as a new plan formulated in his mind and was supplied by the fourth part of his brain that he had allocated for that single purpose while the first two worked on his previous plans and the third one was carefully discerning the stone he held.

There was one more option before he followed the other two escape plans, once he had cooled his mind enough, he had easily sorted them out.

The one he was going for now was plan A, sneaking out in the invisibility cloak was plan B and head on collision was of course Plan C.

Harry's mind readied itself as he drank the contents from the purple bottle and trespassed from the mirror room to the potions room again. He then filled the purple bottle with water like he did the blue one and then swiftly moved towards the previous room which contained trolls.

He looked around the room and nodded, this was the room that held his escape route.

Trolls, eight to twelve feet tall huge creatures that were not good with heights and definitely not with listening to someone's command until one had used Imperio on them.

Harry was very sure that who had been here were not brought by the use of an unforgivable and the way they had been found roaming Hogwarts wasn't a coincidence.

Therefore Harry was definitely sure that there ought to be a secret passageway that connected this room to someplace inside Hogwarts.

Harry closed his eyes and spread his sensor sheet as far and around him as he could as he started floating around the room, touching the four walls with his sheet to see a door big enough for three huge trolls to move in and out of it. This was his last hope.

Dumbledore reached the third-floor corridor as soon as he could, he had sent three elves to inform the most competent professors he had- Minerva McGonagall, Severus Snape and Filius Flitwick.

By the time he reached there, he saw both Flitwick and McGonagall standing by the door with a sombre expression.

Severus was of course not there as he had an additional task to do and he just hoped that Severus succeeded in it. As soon as he passed his first ward line he felt his skin give a light tingle about the ward present there.

That was actually another shocking surprise as to how a person as incompetent in warding as Quirell and Voldemort both, was able to not only detect the ward but also successfully tamper with it.

He had thought that Tom would have simply either crossed it like he had several times before or would have just banished the whole ward line once he was sure about his success. This was why it was surprising when Dumbledore found the ward, he had casted still working as good as it did before and had detected no change in it.

"What happened Albus? All I was told by Toffee was that I had to reach the third floor corridor to fight. Is it related to the stone? It's still safe, isn't it?" Flitwick asked the aged headmaster who gave a tired sigh.

"I am afraid all is not well Filius, yes it's related to the stone, it's still in Hogwarts, I can sense it but it's not where it was supposed to be."

McGonagall gasped, placing a hand on her heart "Yeh mean ter sayh, that someone successfully broke in an' stole the stone?" Her Scottish accent was heavy in her speech.

Dumbledore just nodded his head sadly "Yes, I am afraid Minerva, this is what I meant. We are just waiting for- ah here he comes." Dumbledore looked towards the Potion's master who was running towards them, not running per se as 'Slytherins don't run' but he was definitely close to it and was taking as large strides as possible.

Dumbledore just quirked both of his eyebrows and saw Snape give an imperceptible nod. No one could understand the relief this single nod could give. This single nod made these matters much easier but much more complicated.

Easier because, Quirell and by stretch, Voldemort who was still sleeping in Quirell's bed chamber, therefore the Dark Lord was not going to come for them anytime soon.

Complicated because, someone other than Voldemort was after the stone and Dumbledore didn't know about them. Also, the fact that the person was already holding the stone and Dumbledore had been unaware of it spoke volumes about the powers of this thief.

One thing was crystal clear, their enemy was quite strong and maybe he could take all of them alone or he could have a team of magicals backing him and there was only one way to find.

Dumbledore flicked his wand and unlocked the door, it wasn't a surprise that the door was closed, it was after all a security measure of the aged warlock- all doors closed automatically, trapping the person behind them. As soon as the old man stepped inside, he couldn't help but whisper "Ohh my…"

Finding the door wasn't a tough thing, Harry grinned triumphantly when he found the four metres in height and three metres in width opening on the right wall, this was definitely the doorway to the outside and Harry was sure that the troll went in and out of it only this way.

He would have easily traversed through that gate as it was not like his size would have been a problem. Yes, his mind had a tendency to turn sarcastic in life-threatening situations.

There was just one problem, the gate was hidden behind a huge wall which was of course movable but, where was the lever with which it moved? That was one thing that Harry hadn't been able to find.

Harry had traced the length of the four walls and never once was he able to find a magical or even a mechanical setting behind a brick or something like that.

He looked around himself once more and growled in frustration before shaking his head and calming his mind. There was no reason to panic, a calm mind is way more helpful.

Harry took a deep breath and released it before pausing the two plans and stone-working mind's works and focusing all of his five minds on a possible escape route from this place.

Almost immediately he got the answer to his queries. A room is not just made up of four walls, right? There ought to be a ceiling and of course a floor too.

And since anyone could easily step on a lever attached to the floor thereby opening a door big enough for trolls to enter or exit there was only one place to safely build the switch.

Harry looked towards the ceiling and grinned as he took off towards it, there was no way in seven hells that the switch could be hidden for long now.

Dumbledore shook his head when he saw a bamboo flute playing in the room, lulling Fluffy to sleep. There was no way that someone 'just' knew how to make Fluffy fall asleep, this was definitely someone who had been in contact with Hagrid and the joyous gamekeeper had easily opened up on the secret.

"Is it common knowledge that Fluffy sleeps while listening to music?" The sarcasm in Snape's voice was so thick that one could cut it with a knife.

Dumbledore couldn't answer that and therefore just shook his head "I think I need to have a chat with Hagrid but for now, we should let his friend sleep." He said and opened the trap door before flicking his wand to conjure a slide and sliding down all the way to the Devil's Snare and beyond.

There were a lot of mysteries that could be created or solved tonight.

After about five minutes of flying around, Harry finally found it! The lever was located at the centre of the ceiling. The elemental was actually thankful of his pre-cautious nature that had prevented him from using all his elemental powers in the training that evening.

Because every day at about five in the evening, when he trained his elemental self in that abandoned room on the fourth floor, Harry made sure to use every last bit of his elemental energy so that he was tired enough to sleep and recharge to his maximum potential.

This also helped him push his elemental self and to stretch its boundaries, forcing his elemental self to increase its power reserve. It was definitely quite a draining process as the training was highly demanding in itself but, it was definitely worth it.

But today since he had 'other' plans, he took a break from tiring him till exhaustion and again, he was right in doing so.

Harry gave a sh*t eating grin as he pushed the central brick and sent a strong pulse of his magic through it. There was some rumbling as the brick went inside and the wall encasing the door started to shift revealing a dark path ahead with no lights at all.

"Albus, I don't think there had been any kind of theft, there might have been some kind of mistake." Filius said as he dropped down to the floor. It was always a pain that they had to fall like this, Albus always saved the levitation platform for going up only because sliding down was 'fun'.

And it was a shame that only the headmaster could activate the platform.

Dumbledore shook his head "No Filius, I am sure the stone has been stolen already as I can't feel it in the mirror, though I know it's still on Hogwarts grounds and this is why we should hurry up."

"But Albus, the broom we kept to catch the right key is still 'untouched'. No one had even shifted it an inch from its place and I haven't told anyone the password to get the right key. How do you think this intruder of yours passed this door with all its security charm intact and casted by you yourself?”

Dumbledore sighed a bit as that was actually a pretty good point, still he knew that the stone was not where it was supposed to be, and that meant, "Filius, please summon the right key and open the door."

Filius shook his head in exasperation but flicked his wand towards the door and muttered "Wit beyond measure is man's greatest treasure." He smiled softly when the door opened with a soft 'creak'.

Harry looked towards the door to the chess room, there had been some sound and he was very sure that it was the sound of the professors entering it.

His eyes widened as the thought crossed his head and he looked towards the still opening gate which was just a metre wide right now and not so surprisingly enough, he wasn't having the time to let it open completely.

There was also the problem of Dumbles noticing the open door, after all, he was sure it was perfectly normal for a secret door to open in a secret room on a secret passage when you are searching for a thief who stole something very precious hidden in that room. Yes, definitely normal.

So instead of taking the chance, Harry released the brick and cut off the magic forcing the stone wall to slowly start moving back to its previous position when it was hiding the secret passage before.

This was when Harry took his last risk of the night and with full speed, he dashed towards the slowly closing stone wall, quite sure of himself that he would make it through it.

The only problematic thing would be if the door closed right in front of Dumbledore, he could only hope that luck was on his side. Which it rarely was.

"Earlier, I was in doubt when Filius said this, but now I am very sure Albus that whatever you felt was just a fluke." McGonagall said as she analysed her chess board before looking towards the aged headmaster who frowned in confusion making her give a tired sigh.

"Look at it this way Albus, each and every of your wards failed as they didn’t register anyone else other than us when we were here last time, the wards are still fully functioning and haven't been tampered with as they have your signature all over them. Filius' broom was untouched and the keys were also flying also, there weren't any marks of the keys attacking something or someone as they would have if someone got a hold of the right one."

"And that's not even coming to my place." Minerva said before looking at the giant board "This board hasn't felt anyone since I had activated it in August. Hell, even the dust hasn't been removed, Albus, how do you think he went past this board without walking over it?" She asked him, clearly irritated.

Dumbledore frowned at the logic which his deputy presented, it was actually sound logic and something he can't just ignore. For a moment, the answer to her question came to his mind "By flying" but he threw it out as soon as it came, there was no possible way and he was sure if he had spoken it aloud then his deputy would have eaten him alive.

"I concede to your argument Minerva, but I still do know that the stone has been misplaced, I want to make sure that it is where I want it to be and for that to happen" Dumbledore pointed towards the giant board and gave a small smile "Please."

Minerva sighed tiredly and looked towards Flitwick who just gave a small shrug, he had tried and failed and it wasn't like he would find sleep anytime soon after all this right? So why not take a walk in the passage instead? Maybe Albus would finally let them see the stone too.

As a part goblin, Filius desired gold quite a bit and the Philosopher's stone could create a heaven made of pure gold.

Minerva placed her wand on the board "Tabula Statuam Subsisto" she sent a pulse of her magic in the board and nodded satisfactorily before walking towards the other end, if Albus was just being stubborn then so be it, she won't be pampering him anymore than she should.

Dumbledore just shook his head at his deputy's childishness before following behind her towards the other end of the room with Snape and Flitwick in tow.

Harry was flying at a really high speed as the wall behind him nearly closed leaving a thin slit of light before finally snapping shut, denying him of any further assistance in illuminating the path ahead him.

It was also just in time because a second later the other door opened and Minerva McGonagall walked inside followed swiftly by Albus Dumbledore, Filius Flitwick and Severus Snape.

The flying elemental slowly came to a halt and after sensing that the floor beneath him hid no traps descended down. He closed his eyes and stood taking gulps of air as he calmed his frantic mind and controlled his haywire magic from lashing out, leashing it as tightly as he usually did.

He looked behind himself and gave a small grin of satisfaction as the wall had closed completely. He knew that by now the professors might be standing in that empty room and since they weren't opening the wall, this was an absolutely perfect escape.

Then he flicked his wand and sent a glowing ball of light ahead and with his wand trained for any unwanted surprises Harry took off towards the other end of this passageway that hopefully opened somewhere within the school premises. He was finally safe now.

Dumbledore looked around himself in that empty room which was supposed to house three trolls. He had even made sure that the trolls were here and had a school house elf watching over the trolls, providing them food and cleaning whatever they excreted like he did for Fluffy.

But the elf reporting about the trolls to him told him on second of November, after much prodding and poking, that the trolls were no longer in the room.

Where and how they vanish was quite simple as the elf said that the trolls vanished after he gave them food on the thirty-first. So, it was quite clear as to who were the three trolls that entered Hogwarts and were killed that day.

They hadn’t entered Hogwarts from outside, instead they were in Hogwarts the whole time. But how did the trolls leave this room was still a mystery to him. He had suspected that Quirell knew about the trolls first because he was the one who had given the trolls to him at the school session.

But his deputy and other professors didn't know about the real mess that his ignorance had caused.

"Albus, where are the trolls that were supposed to be here?" McGonagall asked him as she looked around the room frowning in confusion.

"The trolls that Quirinus was supposed to bring were unfortunately broken free of his hold and were killed by a group of wizards as they were seen as a threat to the population." Dumbledore answered and like always sent a simple confounding jinx on the three professors to make them believe what he said.

He really liked this hex as it made 'convincing' even easier. He knew that there were more than a few doubts about it but for now they won't be raised any further. Therefore, without any further ado he took his group and crossed the room towards the Potion Chamber of Severus.

After nearly walking for the past ten minutes, Harry reached the end of the tunnel, he then again spread his sensor sheet and found a small crevice that would activate the door to start moving.

Shoving a pulse of his magic Harry started shuffling through his pocket before pulling out his invisibility cloak and wrapping it around himself as the door opened completely, leading his way towards the dungeons.

It was on his way towards the Ravenclaw common room that he decided to check the stone for anything that was not supposed to be there. And not to his surprise there was one thing that could easily cause trouble- The trace placed on stone.

Harry rubbed his eyes in frustration for not thinking of this earlier but he patted himself for doing it now as he was sure that if he had checked this 'after' he was in his bed then Dumbledore would have been at his door within two hours.

Harry was about to remove the trace when another great idea crawled in the devil's corner that he called his brain. He gave a small smirk and did an about turn 'I have a surprise gift for you headmaster'

"Severus?"

Severus looked at the arrangement in front of him and shook his head "The potion is not even a drop less than what it was, now even I am dubious about this thievery headmaster. There is no way that a person could move through the black fire without drinking the complete bottle."

Dumbledore gave a nervous chuckle as all three of his professors eyed him with a quirked right eyebrow that said 'I-told-you-so' and that they were irritated by his foolishness.

Still, he coughed a bit clearing his throat and took the blue bottle from Snape's hand, uncorking it he drank the content in one go before giving the bottle back to his Potions master and taking the purple bottle with him for his return.

"Alright, so I am now going inside, I will check the stone's presence and see why I felt the fluke and try to remove it, I will be back soon depending on how big the problem is. Also, you all have my sincere gratitude for coming to my aid at once. I am also feeling quite bad for waking you all up for no reason, hope I can make it up to later?" He asked with a small smile and laughed when he saw his staff members shake their heads before turning around and moving towards the black fire.

He was in the middle of the fire when all of a sudden, he felt a small tingle in his navel that increased manifold within moments and soon enough was pulling his body towards it. Dumbledore's eyes widened as he felt what was happening to him.

He turned around to his staff to tell them what had happened but before he could say even a word out, there was a quick tug on his magic and he was being squeezed through the floo tube.

Falling unceremoniously on the floor of his office fireplace Dumbledore shook his head as he saw the handcuffs in his hand that prevented him from doing magic. It also didn't help that there were iron bars over the floo network since he had closed it because it was nearly one at night.

Dumbledore slowly stood up struggling against the cramped-up space as he looked quite shocked from behind the bars into his own office and the ward gave him a tingle that some intruder had just tried to run past the black fire and ended up in his floo.

At that point, there was only one thing that crossed his mind no matter how uncharacteristic it sounded on his tongue "What the….hell"

Weeks passed by smoothly and February rolled in, soon enough Harry was sitting at table 7F in the library with his study group which consisted of Susan, Hannah, Daphne, Tracey, Su,Terry and him.

Harry hadn't been poked any further by Dumbledore or any of the professors and so he could safely assume that Dumbledore had not tried again even when he knew that the stone was missing.

Maybe part of the reason was that Quirell was still in Hogwarts and so Dumbledore didn't want this news to spread out but Harry was very sure that tracing the stone's last presence right outside his office didn't help matters either.

It was a last-minute thing and quite devious. As of now, the stone was neatly tucked in his Traveller's trunk, completely safe from all the harm and danger, and devoid of all the tracking charms of course.

The only other person who had been a bit problematic was no one other than Harry’s younger brother or Alandale Potter. He was hell bent on poking Harry every time they crossed paths.

Thankfully, all that the boy could do was spew nonsense about him like he did earlier or try to get him to raise his wand claiming with false bravado that this time he won't stop till he had sufficiently punished Harry for all his misdeeds.

Harry just ignored the boy every time which didn't do any good to his pompous inflated ego, to him Alandale was nothing more than a pompous famous brat who didn't know a thing about what he was doing or why he was doing it for that matter.

The boy had been pampered all his life and felt everyone should kiss the spot over which he had just finished his daily routine. Damn man….really yuck.

As everyone brought their books, parchments and stationery out, Harry stood up and started to move.

"Where are you going Harry?" Susan asked from his right as she marked page two hundred and sixty-three on her Transfiguration book.

"I need a book for our Charms homework Susan, anything you want me to bring?" He asked her with a quirked eyebrow and nodded when she shook her head. He was about to move when another voice stopped him.

"Harry, could you please bring Emily Barofeutte's Book of Everyday Transfigurations too?" Daphne asked him and he frowned in confusion "What for?"

"For our Transfiguration essay, she had assigned yesterday. It's due tomorrow, remember?" Daphne told him with her tone depicting as if she was talking to a five-year old boy.

Harry just nodded and was about to move when Terry abruptly stood up "You go Harry, I will bring that book. I am going there anyway." The curly haired boy said and shot towards the transfiguration section.

Harry was a bit surprised as to why Terry needed a transfiguration book when he was reading about Goblin rebellions of all things but didn't comment and moved away.

The green-eyed elemental came back a few minutes later with two books, he kept one in his hand while passing the other towards Daphne who looked a bit confused holding it "Advanced Charms by Theodore S. Gigimont? Why did you give it to me?"

"Page Two hundred and Seventy-four."

Daphne frowned a bit but didn't argue and opened said page. "Fourth paragraph, second line."

Daphne read what he said before bursting out "But that's not possible." She then turned towards Harry "Why is a Transfiguration spell explained in a Charms book?"

Harry just gave a small smile that had her look away for a moment which was definitely not missed by either of the attending females, two in particular narrowed their eyes "The arithmetical formula of Avifors is comprised of thirty-three percent transfiguration, sixty percent charms and the rest is magic, will and concentration."

"Professor McGonagall shows her cunning by teaching a charms spell as a transfiguration, one. The general populace will copy it from a transfiguration book and get general marks, you on the other hand, can copy it from a special book which is actually its real book and get special marks, it's up to you. Also, the book you asked for was a bit busy being manhandled." Harry said and went back to his book.

Daphne didn't even pretend to think twice as she dipped her eagle-feather quill in the ink pot and started with her transfiguration's homework.

Terry joined them a few minutes later looking a bit troubled "I am sorry Daphne, a few first years were doing their home- wait, what are you writing?" He asked a bit confused as Daphne looked up.

"No problem Terry, Harry brought this one, it's better than what I was asking for anyway." Terry nodded and gave a slight frown at his roommate, he sat down reading about the Goblin Rebellion of 1745..or was it 1475?...Urgh…

Half-an-hour into their work and suddenly someone cleared their throat behind them before saying "Hello Harry, can I speak to you for a moment?"

Harry turned behind him and took in the appearance of the girl. She had honey blonde hair, bluish-green eyes, a milky white skin tone and was the same height as him, which was only because he was taller than his peers meaning the girl was definitely a senior.

The girl wore casual clothes that clung to her body like second skin and yet gave the impression of hiding something better. He didn't know her name but had definitely seen her in the common room.

"Yes Miss-?

The girl gave a small smile before forwarding her hand "Hello Harry, I am Juliana Cohen, third year Ravenclaw. You know, the one that sent you that diary?" She asked him, still smiling.

It only took a moment before Harry nodded "Yes Miss Cohen, I do remember you. Thank you for the gracious gift, although unexpected it is quite useful."

And it was useful, he knew having an eidetic, occluded and enhanced memory helped him in remembering every single thing but writing it was quite fun in its own way.

Juliana nodded "I am happy it was useful and please call me Juliana or Julie." She said and continued "Now, you remember what you said in your letter? About giving me a gift I wanted since you had no idea what to give and I said I will ask for it later?"

Again Harry nodded, frowning a bit at what the girl was probably thinking, he had no idea what she could ask of him and he quashed his urge of using legilimency on the third year, partially because she was going to tell him anyways.

"Harry Potter, the gift I want is a day with you." Juliana blurted out looking like a ripe red tomato. Harry on the other hand frowned, totally confused "Pardon?"

The third year Ravenclaw blushed harder before controlling herself and purposefully ignoring the glare being sent her way by the girls beside him "Yes Harry, you heard me right. I want you to spend a day with me, a complete day without anyone else. Of course, the classes are out of this but the rest of the day, can you spend it with me?"

Harry thought about it for a full seven seconds as this was most probably the weirdest request of all.

He had expected the girl to ask him for homework or help her with potions or anything like that since he had specified that this would be a gift and not a debt that he was paying, therefore she was prohibited from asking for gold or political favour.

But this 'spend a day with me' was definitely NOT what he thought as a gift, still a gift is a gift right? And he did say he would give her what she wanted so he in the end, he just shrugged his shoulders and nodded "Alright Juliana, if this is what you want, which day you want it to be?"

Juliana nodded, trying to contain her excitement "Yes I do want this and how about tomorrow?"

Harry nodded his consent making her grin wider "Thank you so much for this Harry, I swear you won't regret it one bit." She said and went back towards a gaggle of girls that looked like they were waiting for her only.

Harry ignored all of that and instead focused on his book, he would rather have his mind focus on better things. But maybe others in his group didn't want this as even after five minutes of Juliana's departure, everyone was eying him up.

"Alright what's it?" Harry asked the group at large and keenly noticed their mixed reaction.

Daphne was eying him looking like she was judging something, Su was glaring at the door accompanied by Susan, Hannah was looking at him and then at Susan with pity-eyes and Terry was looking at him with something akin to astonishment.

"You don't mean to say you have no idea what just happened here?" Hannah asked him, astonished.

"Other than giving Miss Cohen a few hours of my life tomorrow, I don't think anything special happened." Harry shrugged his shoulders "Or maybe I am finally getting blind to nonsense."

"Bloody hell Harry, that was the least romantic way one could put it, you really have no idea what you just got yourself into, do you?" Terry asked his roommate and shook his head in exasperation when the boy shook his head in confusion.

"Alright, understand it this way, what's the date tomorrow?" The curly haired boy asked him.

"February Fourteenth."

"Exactly! And in the mundane world, this day is celebrated as Valentine's day!" The curly haired Claw exclaimed grinning from ear to ear.

"And, Juliana Cohen is a muggleborn Harry." Hannah filled him in looking at him with tired eyes.

"So, you think Juliana Cohen asked me for tomorrow's time to celebrate Valentine's day with me?" Harry asked them a bit shocked and saw them look at each other before nodding slowly "Then you all are more stupid than I give you the credit for."

"Or you are less knowledgeable than we give you credit for." Daphne said, smirking at him before starting with her homework.

"Lucky sod!" Terry said and clapped his hands only to be shushed by Madam Pince who had heard the entire conversation and was currently glaring at the door Juliana had left through.

"Urgh….damn…damn…daaaaammnnnn! I Hate her, Hate her, bloody Hate her!"

Hannah eyed the girl she shared her dorm with as she was on another of hers 'I-am-frustrated' rant. She had brought Susan here earlier than usual so that Susan could throw her temper tantrum and be calmed down before any of their other dorm mates arrived. Looks like this was a good idea.

"Why does she of all people get to go on a date with him? Why is she going with him for that matter? Aren't there enough boys in her year?" Susan said frowning and the expression would have looked cute if not for the situation.

Hannah just came and sat beside her redhead friend and held her from the side "You know, I think this happened for the best."

The blonde girl immediately took a step back and raised her hands in a placating manner as her redhead friend glared at her. "Please try to listen to my words first Sue, I think this happened for the best because-wait listen first-yes, now look at it this way, tomorrow is fourteenth of February, right?"

Susan gave three small nods.

"So, it's definitely an important day for Cohen, yes?"

Again, Susan nodded.

"So, let's say she has high expectations for tomorrow and whatever they will be doing and Harry being who he is, like you know all silent, cold, sarcastic type bores her-"

"Harry is NOT boring at all!"

"Of course he isn't, lioness, but that's for us, right? She is not that familiar with Harry, yeah?" This was actually tough because her friend was quite good with a good head on her shoulders but in times like this, she acted like a daft barbarian.

"So, let's say Harry bores her because he is not that talkative or anything and therefore what did he involuntarily do?" Hannah asked with an excited glint in her eyes trying to raise her best friend's hope but sighed when Susan just sat there frowning 'Yeah…a stupid barbarian…'

"He had involuntarily spoiled her day, her best day for which she had high expectations! You see what this means right? This means he won't be her favourite any longer and she won't be coming to him."

Hannah finally saw understanding settle in the redhead's eyes and so she progressed further "In fact, now that we see it, other girls will take a lesson and won't ever disturb Harry. That's good right?"

Hannah smiled as Susan jumped from her bed and hugged the life out of her in the legendary 'Susan Bones' bone crushing hug' "You are the best Hun! I don't know what I would have done without you! Thank You thank You! Thank you soooo much!"

The redhead said and giggled as Hannah patted her back praying to any god that was listening to make her fabricated tale come true.

But fate had fabricated other plans….

Ending Note: There you have it fellas, editted and perfected version of chapter 19 of Silence of the Winters.

Liked it? Loved it? Needs some improvements? Please tell me! You don't know how blessed I feel when my reviewers exceed my expectations.

I read each and every one of them thrice and feel blessed to have such good and active readers as you.

Even a simple 'Good work Dev' is appreciated.

Here's the link to my super private server on discord where I'll keep on updating new chapters, sneak peeks, Character designs, where you are free to talk and ask things regarding my fics directly:

Its a relatively newly launched server...

https://discord.gg/Gcbcv4dxGx

Name:𝕯𝖊𝖛 𝕭𝖑𝖆𝖈𝖐'𝖘 𝕰𝖒𝖕𝖎𝖗𝖊

Next Chapter:Chapter 20: A date to remember

Thank you for reading.

With regards,

Dev Black

Chapter 20: A Date to Remember

Chapter Text

Note: This chapter has a kiss scene, it was voted through a poll by my readers on ffn, so here it is.

“I am Talking.”

‘I am Thinking’

Spells

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One can never reason with their hearts.

~ R-Kade

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Previously in SotW-

Hannah smiled as Susan jumped from her bed and hugged the life out of her in the legendary 'Susan Bones' bone crushing hug' "You are the best Hun! I don't know what I would have done without you! Thank You thank You! Thank you soooo much!"

The redhead said and giggled as Hannah patted her back praying to any god that was listening to make her fabricated tale come true.

But fate had fabricated other plans….

Silence of the Winters

-Dev Sagittarius Black

~~Chapter 20: A Date to Remember~~

Juliana woke up to the new day, it was one of the days that she had been anticipating for quite some time, she looked towards the clock on her bedside table,

Monday

February 14th, 1994

04:45 am

'Perfect, ten minutes earlier' She smiled and got down from the bed, there was a certain person she was anticipating spending her day with.

Harry, as usual, had woken up at his usual time and readied himself for his early morning exercises, he had been doing so constantly and it was now almost like a second thing. He was quite sure that if he didn't exercise one day (if he is not on a mission) then he, himself would feel more lethargic and morally down.

Though there was a small change in his daily routine which would definitely change his day.

Juliana had been on his doorstep when he opened the door and followed him to the grounds. He'd asked her to stay in the tower because of the cold around them but she just smiled and was determined to sit there or walk around a bit, all bundled up in her winter clothes.

She was around him the entire time that he spent exercising and even took part in some of his exercises stating that she did do exercises as she was a reserve chaser on the Ravenclaw Quidditch team though she admitted that they didn't exercise as hard as him.

There was a moment of hesitation for Harry when he was about to remove his upper vest to go for his usual dive in the black lake before he shrugged that doubt away, it was not like Juliana could do anything, right? And Su had already seen him half naked the day she was in distress.

Therefore, Harry just pulled off his upper vest and threw it at the small pile beside him which consisted of a training jacket and his Green loose T-shirt before jumping in the water completely missing the loud 'gasp' that came from behind.

Juliana looked wide eyed at the spot where Harry just was before he removed the only piece of clothing he had on, his upper vest and though momentarily he did give her a mouth-watering view of the deliciously carved muscles of his back that rippled with each of his stretches before….HE JUMPED INTO THE FREEZING LAKE!

She had sworn to 'not' interfere in the boy's usual training routine and hadn't until he did this stunt. It had felt good that he acquiesced to her wish of staying with him as he continued his daily routine, but this was most certainly not what she counted as 'normal', even for a muggleborn witch like herself.

Still,after her Hufflepuff side died down, her Slytherin side woke up and started working in tandem with her Ravenclaw part. After a while of replaying her recent memory of Harry and the Lake, came to the grand conclusion that there were about ninety percent chances that this was indeed an everyday thing because the boy hadn't shown even an ounce of hesitation or nervousness before jumping into the bone chilling waters.

After her brain came to that conclusion, her mind stopped herself from prosecuting the earlier plan of either calling the professors or jumping in herself, blame her Gryffindor part for that, even though small. Ergo she decided to patiently wait for his arrival like she had been doing for the past two hours.

Now that her Ravenclaw part's work was done and only the Slytherin was left…well, couldn't she just go to one of those 'Memory retrieval' shops in Diagon this summer vacation and get a hard copy of Shirtless Potter?….mhmm…sounds good.

Harry came out ten minutes later completely drenched and panting. He even had a few plants in his hand that he kept beside his shirt as he toweled his body dry and then wore his clothes. All this time Juliana was definitely remembering each and every one of his pectorals and abs muscles with the thick for thirteen-year-old biceps. She was definitely not going to miss her chance of getting a hard copy now.

By the time the duo went back, they were on a first name basis and had shared a bit about how certain exercises worked out a person's mind and body. It was mostly Juliana who asked and Harry who either answered or just shrugged the question away when he didn't want to.

The rest of the day was perfectly simple as the two did whatever they wanted to; they didn't interact much in the hallways either except for the normal head bobbing as a greeting. She did steal him from his friends during lunch and forged his connections with her friends who took him in with a healthy interest about his life and how he was doing in classes and all that. Though that didn't mean that everyone liked this intrusion.

Library time had been theirs and they sat down together doing homework like they did everyday before Juliana came in to get Harry at about five o' clock, Juliana was definitely impressed with his knowledge in various subjects and was in awe of him with his arsenal of answers in potions, she was a Ravenclaw after all, Knowledge was Power for her.

After that, they spent the rest of the eve outside on Hogwarts grounds just talking about their family life. Again, it was Juliana who did most of the chatting while Harry just listened to whatever she said. After some time she proposed to draw on snow and create a small snowman manually, without magic.

They didn't notice the darkening of the skies and so by the time they were done it was nearly six-thirty. She suggested she knew of a place where they could clean themselves and without asking for permission, she pulled him towards the fifth floor and stopped afront a door beside the statue of Boris the Bewildered.

"Monsoon." Juliana said confidently and then after a small snap she pushed the door open "Welcome Harry," She began with a smile as she stepped inside and turned to face him "to the Prefect's Bathroom." She grinned in content and giggled a bit when Harry did lose his composure momentarily before re-composing himself.

"You go get changed while I fill that tub, there might be something in the cubicles." She pointed towards a set of doors and went towards the large pool size…well pool.

Harry analyzed the full situation before coming to one straight conclusion- Juliana had pre-planned all of this. It was not much but he had indeed given her his day therefore without a fuss he went towards the set of doors.

By the time Harry was back, the pool was half filled and there was this enchanting smell of roses and jasmines wafting his nostrils sending him to a world of pure bliss, the aroma was slightly visible as blue-colored fumes arising from the gargantuan bath twisting and turning themselves as they travelled around the room.

Also, there were bubbles, lots and lots of squishy round transparent bubbles that held the upper one-tenth of the surface and made the water look like a frosted fountain's frothing.

He gently stepped inside the tub and winced a bit, warm water. He should have already known that a normal witch would definitely want warm water, well he could of course use one of his simplest tricks now. It could also serve for him as a way to practice his powers.

Harry concentrated just a bit as he fished out the cold air around the room into a small tornado and with a small push, plundered it into the surrounding area near him, he smiled in victory and sighed in relief when the water in his vicinity dropped to about seven degrees Celsius. Perfect.

Harry sat there patiently for about three minutes before the door to one of the cubicles opened and Juliana stepped out.

He would be lying through his teeth if he denied the effect the girl had on him and his blood that was now pumping ferociously in his veins. He was not someone who could lose his mind so easily but there were instances when his mind did go under pause. This was definitely one of those moments.

Standing proudly nearly three meters away from him was Juliana Cohen, his date for Valentine's Day and she looked nothing less than a hot little minx, wearing a skimpy black two piece, her honey blonde hair open and falling down her shoulders in waves, her bluish green eyes danced with an intense hunger for him and a promise to help him enjoy everything if he so chose to.

"Mhmmm…. How's the water Harry?" Juliana asked as she walked closer to him showing off her sexy curves from hours of quidditch drills that Roger coursed through the Ravenclaw team's bench players.

"Good enough for me." Was his monotonous reply as the teenage mage slowly got his mind under control and was once again its ruler and not its slave. This was one of the primary lessons he had been taught- Your mind is completely yours, it's your choice what you make of it. A ruler or a slave.

Of course, it was a hard thing in his early life, but he tamed his mind enough to be his slave and not the opposite. So, it was definitely not going haywire when affronted by an admittedly seriously hot girl.

They stayed in the water for some time as Juliana did laps around the pool and talked about her life in general. She asked him a few questions which like always, he either answered in short suave sentences or completely ignored them as they touched a particularly sensitive topic.

Juliana was on her seventh lap around the pool when she suddenly stopped right in front of Harry and stepped a bit closer. Harry just quirked his left eyebrow and saw the girl blush a bit before shaking her head to sort her mind out. Harry so wanted to read the girl's brain but he had promised himself to let the girl do whatever she wanted as she had certainly hoped all this to be a surprise of sorts and he better let her have her fun.

"Say Harry," her voice was awfully nearing a hot sultry whisper as she took another step towards him, her emerging breasts looked like floating on the water surface "Have you ever kissed a girl?" She was continuously taking small steps towards the stoic boy and stopped when she was barely inches away from him.

Susan Bones sat down at the Hufflepuff table with Su on one side and Hannah on her left. Her day had gone okay at best and bad at worst. She thought she could easily survive the day with a practiced smile and glint in her eyes but that wasn't so. She just couldn't smile her best and enjoy the day knowing full well that her very good friend was right now with a, as she put it, future boyfriend snagging witch doing Helga knows what.

Even the eighteen Valentine's Day gifts and proposals she had received today was nothing compared to the time she spent with Harry beneath the leaves of the large oak tree sitting amidst its very large roots. She looked towards the large doors of the Great Hall and sighed in despair thinking the same thing that she had since the moment Juliana snatched Harry away from her 'Where are you, Harry?'

"Where's Terry?" Tracey called out and looked around for the curly haired mischief filled boy. Su just gave a nonchalant shrug "Off to some gardening. Well, that's what he said at least."

"That's surprising, his herbology marks don't say much about this new hobby of his." Tracey quipped and laughed along with the girls before digging in as food appeared in the empty trays aligned on the table.

"What are you thinking Daphne?" Tracey whispered as the said blonde queen poked at the honey cured ham on her plate and looked around occasionally.

"Nothing Tracey, just looking out for any more potential idiots." She muttered as she sliced a thin piece and placed it in her mouth, savoring its taste.

Tracey just gave a small smile and squeezed her long-time friend's hand. Being an heiress to a Most Ancient and Noble House and having boys drool for you might be something some girls their age and above dream about but that was most certainly not as easy as it looked to be. And Tracey, having first hand exposure of what her friend's life was like, completely disqualified herself from the list of such girls.

Daphne had gone through a lot of changes since they met when they were four years old. Actually, they met when they were two but Tracey didn't remember anything from when she was that small. Still, the younger Daphne smiled a lot more than this one and not the 'I-am-superior-than-you' one, it used to be a full blown heart warming innocent smile.

Younger Daphne ate according to her age and without a second thought about her figure, she definitely didn't have ulterior motives for every little thing and more importantly she definitely enjoyed her life.

This Daphne on the other hand smiled a lot less, only in their room when no one was looking or back at The Ossuary when they were on a vacation. She didn't eat much and did yoga and other things to keep her in proper shape. She had an ulterior motive hidden under an even ulterior one for each little thing she did. This Daphne definitely knew a lot more than the younger one but it certainly didn't help her in enjoying life.

She did things that were 'required' of her, set ambitions higher than she could achieve and strived till her last breath everyday to finish things not possible at thirteen years of age. This struggle of hers did fruit in the form of power she was slowly getting under her that would be useful to her in both, near and distant future, but was eating her mind and soul.

Today was one of those days that Daphne didn't like. It wasn't that she hated this day or any such thing, it was the fact that she had to put up a mask throughout the day that she hated. Smile every single time someone gave her a gift, open it right there if the person insisted and then strategically accept it without giving any hints for future relationships.

Tracey was sure she would have ended at St Mungos if it was her who was at the receiving end of twenty-three gifts and had to go through all of that smiling and accepting nonsense.

"Hello Susan."

The conversation immediately dropped around them as they turned towards the source of this hated voice.

"Alandale." Susan gave a one-word acknowledgement and a short nod telling him he had her attention.

Alan Potter grinned showing his pale yellow teeth and straightened up puffing his chest and indirectly his large belly before forwarding his hand towards his pet weasel who handed him 'something' wrapped shoddily in an ugly pink wrapper with green polka dots.

"I am inviting you, Susan Bones, to dine with me. I am sure you would see the privilege allowed to you." The fat head again gave a grin which he thought charming and humans thought ugly before forwarding his gift towards the said redhead.

"I think it's 'allow me' not 'allowed to you'." Tracey said and giggled along with Hannah and Su while Susan was having a hard time keeping a straight face as even Daphne gave a small smirk.

"Shut up Snake. No one asked your dirty opinions." Weasley growled as he took a step forward and was right into the bubbly Slytherin's face.

"Yes, because you would need brains to understand an intelligent suggestion." Tracey spat back but was held by Daphne before she could say anything else.

"Why you ugly-" Ron began but had to stop when he felt something poking on his stomach. He looked down and his eyes widened when he saw a wand straight at his…. "Greengrass what is this, do you think you could intimidate me with your fancy twig?"

"No, I could do a lot more. Now stay away and talk from a breathable distance, Weasley. We don't want the air around us to smell like a dump yard." Daphne said with a stone cold mask and was satisfied when Alan pulled Weasley out of their face.

"Calm down Ron, we are here for far more important things." Victor Potter told his boot licker and turned towards Tracey, his eyes narrowed and he sniffed in disgust "You should watch your step Davies, I won't be so lenient next time." He said and turned towards his personal eye candy, The Bones Heiress.

"So, Susan?"

"Forgive me for my negligence 'Mr.' Potter, but I find myself helpless against the situation acting against your invitation of allowing me the chance to dine with you." She said in a completely calm pureblood manner full of chipped words and tone depicting her utter sincerity.

"Situations acting against what? What are you saying Susan? come out clearly." Alan said completely confused and for once didn't make an argument as to why the people around her, especially the two Slytherins were shaking their heads looking at him.

"I can't take your gift nor your allowance." Susan said as simply as she could and saw an instant change in the redhead Potter.

"What? Why?!"

"Because I will be going to the Greenhouses after dinner and I am sure your gift won't be able to handle it." Susan said as straight faced as she could and picked up her fork again.

"Abott could do some work then, give it to her and she would keep it wherever you all sleep." Alan shrugged and looked towards Hannah who just shook her head at how much of a brainless idiot the boy was.

"No, Hannah too is coming with me along with Su, so they can't. And unless you want 'your' gift in the hands of two 'snakes', there is no other way." Susan said and gave a small smile towards Tracey whose eyes widened at the pure Slytherin way Susan had handled the redhead.

"Err..N-no. Not gonna happen…well, uh..no problem then, I could give this gift tomorrow yeah? It is the intent that matters right?" Alan gave a nervous chuckle before asking "But why couldn't you dine?"

"I rather love my current company and so I can't come there and having you here is not acceptable because you don't like my friends." Susan finally said and then completely ignored the aghast expression that crawled over Victor's face.

"But they are Slytherites! No one likes them except their own!" Weasley couldn't control himself and again took a step forward to stand beside his redhead friend.

"Well, I do, in fact, all of us do and you would do better than to call them names right in our face. Now please move away if your funny business is over." A new voice entered, and the girls smiled when they saw their curly haired friend standing right behind the two redheads.

Alan glanced around himself and at all of the faces who had seen this rejection. Some were smiling, some were laughing! They had the audacity to laugh at him! Him! The great Boy-Who-Lived, strongest wizard of their generation who had saved their sorry arses from You-ruddy well-know-who! There was just one person whom he had wanted to outshine today and it was getting increasingly difficult with all this.

"What's it in him, huh?" Alan said out loudly, unable to control his anger "What's it in that scrawny idiot that you lot seem to stick yourself to that nerdy? He is nothing more than a punching bag if I really wanted to, you understand?! Just because he shares my parents doesn't mean he is as wonderful as me. But you lot are loads of bricks, just like that twit."

It just took them two seconds to guess this mysterious boy's identity and Alan would be lying if he said the temperature didn't plummet suddenly. He looked around for the source and so each of their eyes glaring at him and their faces carved in stone.

"Congratulations Alandale, you have just carved your own Death Sentence. You have three seconds to leave before we finally snap out of our patience and seriously maim you." Su said as coldly and emotionlessly as she could and pulled her wand out as did her friends.

But any further action was stopped a squeaky voice interrupted their stand-off, "I don't think it would come to that Miss Li, Mr. Potter, don't you think your stay is being overextended here?" Flitwick squeaked and Alan even though was nothing more than a dumb idiot, he still knew when a professor assigned him an order.

Therefore, he just glared at Harry's group and got glared back with an equal if not more intensity before huffing and turned to walk towards the Gryffindor table.

Susan just sighed as Hannah squeezed her hand in comfort "Harry would have handled this much better." She said and looked towards the large double doors of the Great Hall with a certain yearning in her eyes.

"He might have but you certainly did quite well, not your fault Alan was born defective now, is it?" Terry said as he took the long route by walking from behind Daphne and sitting in front of her beside Hannah. They laughed at it and left it at that, resuming what they were doing before any of this happened.

Earlier she might have scoffed at that and would have said that it was her who would have done better. But Daphne Greengrass never had an ignorant eye for someone who was better than her in any field and even she conceded to the fact that Harry Potter would have certainly played best among any of them as he was leagues higher in it.

Therefore, she too turned towards the Great Hall doors with the same thought as Sue and Su both.

'Where are you, Harry?'

Harry was now perfectly sure that all of this was pre-planned as he saw a small table laden with food and decorated with a white tablecloth and purple velvet curtains around them. There were two wooden chairs with a padded back and bottom for better comfort.

"Come Harry, our dinner is waiting." Juliana chirped and gave a cute grin before walking towards the table. Being a gentleman, Harry helped her in sitting at the table by pulling her chair, she smiled and nodded in thanks.

Conversation followed as the elves began serving them and Harry couldn't help but smile at how easily Juliana had manipulated him throughout the day. She had indulged him in intelligent talk to start their evening and both being in Ravenclaw had appreciated that.

Then she had pulled him out towards the snowy grounds and had asked him to draw on snow the muggle way, then making an excuse of sweat and dirty clothes, she had convinced him for that bath.

Finally, she'd asked the elves to remove their Hogwarts robes and had his casual clothes brought for him as she had deliberately delayed their time in the bath so that they were past the time when dinner was served in Hogwarts and used this excuse to bring him to the Hogwarts kitchens where she had a fully working 'Romantic Dinner' ready for both.

All of this made Harry a bit more forthcoming with his answers and so, this time he did answer a few questions just so she doesn't feel completely left out. It wasn't much but Harry didn't know what else he could do. And perhaps he did a good thing because after he started answering her questions, her face glowed with excitement.

It was 8:45 now and they were just 15 minutes before curfew as they reached the fifth floor. Juliana had taken a tentative step and held Harry's cold hands as they had walked out of the kitchen door.

"Harry?" She called out his name to break the silence around them and said boy just hummed "Thank you." That made him frown a bit and he looked at her with his left eyebrow quirked up.

The third-year claw blushed a bit before smiling "I didn't know what you liked and what you didn't. So, I went through a general plan of how to spend the time together. The most I was actually afraid of was that you would at some point become bored by my chatter and would probably run off to your group."

"I mean, I wouldn't have complained if you did because it might have been the right thing to do but it wouldn't have made me feel good either. And I know I'm ranting now and you might be getting bored here too, but still you're here and not running towards the common room. I am-" She stopped her talk and her feet before taking a deep breath and closing her eyes.

"All I am saying is, thank you for listening and not running away Harry. You have been the most patient listener I have ever met. My chatter was part of the reason I was afraid of asking you out earlier, but you proved me wrong. You might not be the most outspoken boy but now I know why others in your group like and respect you." Juliana said as honestly as possible.

They started moving again and Juliana turned her head "So Harry, don't you have any questions of your own? I mean throughout our day, it was mostly I who did all the talking and asking, don't you want to ask any questions?" She asked the boy walking patiently beside her.

Harry nodded "I do have two questions."

"Really? Shoot then." The blonde girl grinned as they kept walking.

"What was it that you were going to do in the prefect's bath today?"

Juliana faltered in her steps as she heard his question, she glanced towards the cold prince of Ravenclaw and found him looking straight at her with those beautifully alluring emeralds of his.

"Leave it Harry, it doesn't matter." She said and was about to move when Harry's hand stopped her. She turned to look at him and he just stayed quiet. She was sure they could stand like this the whole night and the boy would not relent. So, she made up her mind to finally ruin her date 'Well, what else did I expect of my fate, at least now we both don't have anything else to do'

"I was going to kiss you Harry." She answered and looked down expecting the backlash of Harry making a disgusted face at her and running off towards the common room. Instead, he surprised her by asking another question "And, why didn't you?"

She chanced a look at his face to see if he was taunting her but to her surprise, he was completely calm and sounded genuinely confused. True, she had not gone forth with her plan of kissing him and instead took the coward's approach and swam away from Harry before moving out of the pool and towards the dress stalls. Because she just couldn't let her date end this badly, what if he got disgusted by her? She certainly didn't want to know that.

Taking a deep breath, she opened her mouth to spew the words out "Because you might get disgusted by me and my desire Harry." She continued as he frowned in confusion "It might not be normal for a thirteen-year-old boy to kiss a fifteen year old girl in the wizarding world as it isn't that much seen in the muggle world either."

"Therefore, I was kind of worried that you might not like me because I so wanted to kiss you and by doing so I might just ruin any chance of having any further relation with you. Not romance per se, but I thought you might not want to be my friend either after that disgusting act of mine. So instead, I chose the coward's path and went away." She said and Harry felt the girl was about to cry "I am sorry for spoiling your evening, Harry."

Just as Juliana turned to leave, she felt someone grip her hand and give a hard pull, she gasped as she was pulled from behind before being rotated midway and a soft 'thud' was heard as her back was pushed against the castle's wall.

She was about to open her mouth but all her protest died down when she felt a pair of soft lips over her own, coaxing her to open up more and giving her just the perfect hint of what lies for her if she took her chance.

Harry slowly grabbed her bottom lip between his and gave a hard suck before switching it for the top one, then tilting his head to the right returned on sucking the blonde bombshell's bottom ones and placed his right hand on her waist while his left dragged up and down on the side of her thigh.

Juliana gave a throaty moan as she felt Harry's slippery smooth tongue slither over her bottom lips and she clutched on his hairs more as he slipped his way inside her mouth and dipped his tongue in her before the hand grazing her thigh grazed her waist and the one already on her waist twirled on her soft belly which shriveled as his touch stimulated uncontrollable lust in her nerves and fired her hormones leaving her mind a total mess.

She couldn't control herself and launched her legs behind his waist completely securing him as he supported her weight with the help of the wall and a hand on her hip. She was sure that due to her skirt being short, the boy could certainly touch the bottom of her panties but that excited her even more.

Juliana wrongfully thought that she was finally regaining some semblance of control over her hormones before Harry's tongue started a war of dominance with her own and his right arm grazed the side of her boob.

The poor girl completely lost it when Harry softly cupped her boob from the side and grazed his thumb over her rock-hard nipples, she clutched him tighter between her legs as her ovaries exploded in euphoria and she felt her mind going into blankness and her body went lax.

Juliana felt Harry removing his hand and she won't deny the fact that she missed his touch, then slowly his mouth left her gaping open and then he held her just like that till she got herself under control, or as much control as needed to walk no matter how much staggered her walk was.

This was ruddy impossible, there was no way a guy so young could be such a mind boggling, heart shattering, ovary warming kisser, there was absolutely no bloody way that she could reach an org*sm just through a kiss, yet the proof was there, right between her legs.

"Wow Harry, th-that was….I can't find words as to how good it was…" Juliana mumbled looking at the cold eyed teenager with awestruck eyes as they walked towards the Ravenclaw common room which was now just a scant few steps away.

Harry just gave a small smile as he perceived the clear astonishment on Juliana's face "My guardians took me to a strip club to give me a more…practical example of 'the talk'. I might have learned a few tricks there." Normally he wouldn't have shared his trade secrets, but this girl certainly deserved some after all the work she had done for making his day good.

Also, this was not all he did, after all, who said that the obscure arts of Legilimency couldn't be used in such a trivial act such as this? That's right! No one. And so, he was free to learn all about her pleasure tactics that not even she knew about herself and impress her with his style. In the end, she did get her result, right? So, no harm done.

"Wow, that's so cool." Juliana mumbled and blushed beet red when she heard him next "I do think, this day ended well for you, am I right?" She nodded and before he was going to knock on the door held in his hand which was still cold. It was actually quite surprising as to how his lips were warm while his hands were cold. Or was it just her?

"Will….will we do th-that again?" She hated how hopeful she sounded but she couldn't deny her heart's desire and right now it screamed at her to beg him to do that again just once more…and keep doing that once more for another eternity to pass.

"If you don't let social norms prejudice your thinking and stop you from doing what you personally feel right…..then, sure."

And with that he knocked on the door-knob and answering the riddle stepped inside the claws nest while Juliana followed after him, making up her mind and calming down her heart as she imagined her next venture with the hottest mage, who could bring org*sms just with a simple kiss.

"Well, this is certainly huge."

Daphne just hummed as she prepared her bed to get some beauty sleep while Tracey eyed the gargantuan collection of various assortments placed strategically on her study table so that she doesn't mess any of the gifts with any other. All thanks to her personal House Elf Trixie who was more than happy to serve 'Mistress Daphy' in sorting the gifts out.

Tracey picked up a small handmade yet enchanted Valentine's Day card with a rose and twirled it betwixt her index finger and thumb before turning towards the Greengrass Heiress "This is from Terry, isn't it?"

Daphne took a glance and nodded "This is what he was 'gardening' for. He didn't write his name but forgot to change his handwriting which I remembered." Daphne said and both of them laughed, no one could beat a Slytherin in usage of Brain for more tricky ideas and to look for solutions when one doesn't seem to be occurring.

Well, except for maybe one Ravenclaw. One cold Ravenclaw with rich ebony locks, alluring emerald eyes and a stoic yet illegally handsome aristocratic face.

"And you don't need these gifts, do you? You don't even like them."

Daphne frowned in confusion and her best friend continued "Your facial expressions could fool others Duph but not Tracey Davis. I know you don't even appreciate these as they are not from someone you would have liked to receive these gifts from."

"And pray tell me, who this 'someone' might be Miss Davis?" Daphne's voice didn't carry any emotions but Tracey was unfazed and ironically enough, her own brain betrayed her by sending her a picture of the same cold hearted Ravenclaw boy. And not any simple picture, it was the one from their first talk on the Astronomy tower when she took a side profile view of the teenage mage.

"Someone like….Harry!" Tracey cried and laughed when Daphne gave her a totally shocked expression before throwing a pillow at the laughing girl who dodged it.

In truth, Daphne was not angry, well, maybe she was but that was on Tracey's ability to easily 'score home'. Daphne was pretty sure that Tracey hadn't meant it to be a perfect score but that didn't mean she couldn't hate the fact that she said the exact boy which her brain came up with.

Daphne could reason out her brain's thinking as Harry was definitely the boy she mostly thought about but that was not because she was in 'love' with Harry, it was more because she tried to come up with ways to gain his trust or think more about his latest habits or anything he did and his ulterior reason behind it.

Yes, Harry had told her that she was not doing any good but she just couldn't be all trusting in a minute, right? It was her ingrained ability to take mysteries with a head-on approach. Though, she did trust him now but that didn't mean she couldn't be….curious.

"Why Harry Potter all of a sudden?" Daphne asked her roommate who simply gave a shrug as she tore into a chocolate frog and sat on Daphne's bed.

"Because he is good looking? Honestly Daphne, can you name a girl in all of Hogwarts that would say 'No' to the boy wonder? I can't, seeing his current popularity with the opposite gender when a girl asks him out and plans a date for him. He is definitely more than quite handsome and the female populace are already understanding this, and he is still in his first year!"

"Plus, it certainly doesn't hurt that he has quite a spine shivering voice and hottie hot physique. Hell, I could vote Harry as the perfect definition of teenage Adonis even and could only hope he ages like a fine wine." Tracey sighed dreamily as she went into a mental world doing Merlin or in this case, Tracey knows what.

Daphne just shook her head as she tore a small piece of dark chocolate. Yes, she could admit that Harry was definitely good looking but she was not going to fantasize about doing anything with that boy! That was preposterous! And she did voice her thoughts out to Tracey.

Tracey just shook her head and looked towards the girl but before she could open her mouth Daphne spoke "And you know how much I hate these topics Tracey. I don't need to think about these things before the time comes. So please spare me any more of your Harry or any other boy's good looking speech."

Tracey made a face at that before looking towards the gifts and saying in a more serious voice "But you will have to Daphne." She said and looked towards the blonde girl who quirked her eyebrow.

"Valentine's Day was a muggle event which purebloods don't believe in but they do believe in intent gifts and that day, both muggle-born wizards and Half-bloods would try to sue you with richness and promises and your grandfather will start with the marriage proposals that are right now on halt." Tracey said in a matter-of-fact manner.

Daphne groaned and fell back on the pillow. Yes, all of what Tracey had said was true, she was fourteen years old right now, her birthday was in the month of November and so she had to start with the '93 batch instead of '92. She would be fifteen next year and that meant only one thing- Nightmare.

That's what she called it anyways. Doors to her marriage proposal would be unlocked and she would be on the receiving end of intention gifts and marriage contracts. Her grandfather would start the negotiations and Daphne would start fearing every letter she received from the conniving old man, afraid that it might contain her personal life imprisonment sentence.

"But that's not going to happen till next year, yeah? So be a good girl and leave it at that." Daphne growled and saw Tracey nod before giving the 'I-am-going-to-put-you-in-mortal-danger' impetus grin and starting off counting names of most handsome Hogwarts wizards.

"Stand still you bloody Scoundrel!"

"Davis, stay where you are and get your face smashed like a good girl or I am coming to there!"

"Ugh! Looks like that chocolate frog gave you

its ability to jump. No wonder you look like one too!"

"I am so going to kill you Davis. Just you see you bloody imp!"

And so on and so forth while the other girl just jumped and dodged the pillows, laughing all the while and still counting names of those wizards.

Ending Note:There you have it fellas, editted and perfected version of chapter 20 of Silence of the Winters.

Liked it? Loved it? Needs some improvements? Please tell me! You don't know how blessed I feel when my reviewers exceed my expectations.

I read each and every one of them thrice and feel blessed to have such good and active readers as you.

Even a simple 'Good work Dev' is appreciated.

Here's the link to my super private server on discord where I'll keep on updating new chapters, sneak peeks, Character designs, where you are free to talk and ask things regarding my fics directly:

Its a relatively newly launched server...

https://discord.gg/Gcbcv4dxGx

Name:𝕯𝖊𝖛 𝕭𝖑𝖆𝖈𝖐'𝖘 𝕰𝖒𝖕𝖎𝖗𝖊

Next Chapter:Chapter 21: Am I dead?

Thank you for reading.

With regards,

Dev Black

Chapter 21: Am I Dead?

Chapter Text

“I am Talking.”

‘I am Thinking’

Spells

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A man can never change three things once fixed- his stature, his nature and his signature.

~R-Kade

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Previously in SotW-

"I am so going to kill you Davis. Just you see you bloody imp!"

And so on and so forth while the other girl just jumped and dodged the pillows, laughing all the while and still counting names of those wizards.

Silence of the Winters

-Dev Sagittarius Black

~~Chapter 21: Am I Dead?~~

.

Days passed by like this and the winter season was coming to an end with the beginning of fresh blossoms and a new energy depicting the upcoming spring season.

The group stayed together even though there were a few unreasonable moments of bickering, according to Harry at least. Like, who the hell cares if you don't wear a "group matching" dress on one of the sundays? It's not like they were some kind of team or something, right?

And why should anyone be concerned if he hadn't seen even a single quidditch match till date? Quidditch was good but a violent sport with loads of cheers and fanfare and was just an annoying phase of a day which had a quidditch match scheduled which lasted for about three to four hours.

But maybe that wasn't what the rest of the general populace thought of, why you may ask?

Because they had convinced the cold prince of Ravenclaw to come to a freaking Gryffindor v/s Hufflepuff semi-final match wearing Hufflepuff supportive accessories because:

A. Susan and Hannah were their friends while there wasn't a single person in their group that was from Gryffindor.

B. Alan Potter was a reserve Quidditch seeker of Gryffindor house.

C. Susan really had mastered the 'hurt puppy' look and used it to its full advantage by being the one to convince the elder Potter.

The match ended without any unnecessary drama, Gryffindor won the match but that was mainly because Hufflepuff's main seeker was injured during their previous practice session by a rogue bludger and their secondary seeker wasn't that good.

It was during a simple night time stroll of the astronomy tower when Daphne finally got another meeting with the elusive boy from Ravenclaw. As usual, he was busy in his own little world with two tomes and a ball pen.

She strode towards the spot where he was sitting on a raised platform and stood right in front of him with her hands behind her back as she glanced at the tomes.

"What are you doing?"

"Swinging from Qutub Minar while drinking fire whiskey and singing Antarctica's National Anthem. Want to join me?"

An eyebrow twitch...clutching of fingers in a fist...a semi-translucent sneer crawling over her face...two deep breaths and she was fine again.

All the while, he was still doing what he was doing without a care in the world.

"I meant" Daphne began in a forced calm tone "Why are you translating an English tome to French?"

He still kept on writing without looking up and she had to wait for some time since he had to force the fifth part of his brain into indulging the girl while other four parts kept on doing their respective work of helping him remember the words, search the words in French language, form a sentence and write it down without a single spelling or grammatical mistake.

"I am translating the tome because it's my way of earning some free money."

"But, why would you need free money? You are the Heir of Two Most ancient and most Noble houses, hell you are in the top ten richest wizards in all of Europe!" She was actually confused with this fella and how his mind worked.

"The same reason why everyone earns free money, to spend it on themselves. I don't want to use my allowances for my other projects and I don't want to be a burden on my guardian's bank account. So, I am trying to earn the money I am spending on my accessories other than the tuition fees and other necessities." He spoke in a monotone as he still kept on translating the tome.

This did answer her question but she was still confused as to what projects he was working on and why he would take on such tasks to earn money.

Also were his guardians so poor that they couldn't afford for some experiments of a teenage wizard?

'Should I help him out with his financial problems? It's not like translators earn that much in the wizarding world because of translation charms' This of course didn't mean that she was hoping to score some brownie points in his trust department. Nope, not at all.

"I can help you out with some cash if it's really that important. I mean, it's not like you are earning much from translating these tomes, right? Also, it's kind of a tedious task. Don't take this as charity, this is a friend helping another one."

Daphne spoke with a small smile on her face as Harry kept on writing in his book. After two minutes he finally stopped writing and closed the pen's cap.

He looked up and Daphne had to control her blush as the alluring emeralds met her sapphire shade eyes for the first time that night, somehow the light from torches gave the green pools a water like shiny nature which made them even more mesmerizing.

"Thank you for your generosity but I am happy with earning 700 galleons per book."

"…"

"…"

"700 GALLEONS?! You are joking right? Tell me you are joking!" She exclaimed but he looked at her with the perfect poker face that he always had which certainly didn't help in making his earlier words a joke.

"Who pays 700 galleons to translate a book? Even professionals get 200 galleons at most. You are trying to pull a bluff on me, aren't you Harry?" She really wanted him to affirm her accusation but he simply shook his head.

"You aren't wrong, professional translators do get 200 galleons at most, but they are mediocre compared to what comes from my hands. You might see this as bragging but all the books that I wrote have perfect sentences without any grammatical or spelling errors."

"Also, the fact that I am translating a tome on truly Ancient Magicks, from nearly 7000 years ago into readable dialect and providing substitute for some of the materials that aren't available now for the potions and rituals in the original version helps with the price." Harry explained to her as he started gathering his stationery.

"So, you are getting 200 galleons for the translation work and 500 for all the research work? That's impressive." Daphne nodded while the boy just shrugged his shoulders.

She was doing her best to control her facial expressions and to reveal her 'I-am-really-impressed' face complete with saucer wide eyes "But 7000 years ago? Really? How did such a rare treasure fall into the hands of a thirteen year old wizard?"

Harry simply shrugged again, "My guardians are antiquarians."

"And they trust you enough to lend such a treasure to you for one complete year? My father wouldn't have let me touch something this precious until it was done under his watch." Daphne grumbled a bit before asking him "So, what will happen to these books after this?"

"I have to translate books in every language I know, and I have to translate two books per year, then these will be launched in other parts of the world in auctions and the like." He told her as he slowly got up from his bench and moved towards the window sill where the cool night wind blew.

"How many languages do you know?"

Heirs of prominent families were required to know three different languages while the Lords were required to have knowledge of five different dialects, though that was not done now since the invention of translation charms.

"Nine"

Daphne sighed at his response, 'Of course he knows nine languages, after all he is Harry, how can he be a simple boy? Wait, that's a ridiculous thought, shame on you Daphne!'

They stayed like that for sometime before Daphne finally mustered up the courage to ask the thing that she came here for, "Say Harry, will you join me and my family on summer solstice? We have an annual party on that day and I am free to invite my friends."

Harry stayed silent for some time before finally replying "No."

"What? Why? This is not because you are assuming that this invite is just a way to trap you in one of my top secret ploys is it?"

She asked with mirth in her eyes but he was still looking at her with impassive emeralds that made her sigh in disappointment 'And they said 'I' don't have a funny bone, does this guy even know what a joke is? Or am I that bad? Ugh!'

"No, it's because you don't understand what you are putting yourself into." He shook his head in disappointment when the girl beside him just frowned and tilted her head in confusion.

'And here she was challenging my authority as a better politician and noble heir than her', he thought as he shook his head tiredly 'For the last time, just when will they stop these games and admit me as their lord already?'

"Do you know about the Third and the last rule of an invite?" This was the same rule that Madam Bones used when she invited him to her family manor during summer holidays and he simply couldn't decline her offer.

"Yes, the rule states that the Ancient and Noble houses have three chances each to strengthen the relations between their houses. A representative, be it heir, a lord or lady or a regent, can't decline the third and last invite from another ancient and noble house until.."

"Until, the invited house wanted to cut off all friendly relations with the host's house and forcibly push their house relations towards neutral at best and enemies at worst. Right?" Harry asked her and she gave a small nod.

"Now, how many times have I declined an invite from your house? Twice. If this was to be an official invite then I would have had to attend the solstice ball and that wouldn't have gone well for you." Harry told her and hoped that she would understand his reasons.

"Is that why my grandfather was hesitant in inviting you over with an official letter?"

"Yes. He is afraid that if I decline it once again then he'll have no control over the family magicks as they would put my house into the neutral category on their own."

'I think he will most likely want to 'accidentally' meet me first before inviting me again' He thought before looking back towards the Greengrass heiress "This doesn't act right now because you invited me as a friend and not as heiress Greengrass."

Daphne nodded her head understanding the issue 'One thing is clear, I do get to learn a lot from him about these pureblood machinations'

"But, what's wrong in accepting the invite, this is not a personal one-on-one meet with my family right? There would be loads of other people, I don't think grandfather would pull his tricks amid all that press and public." She tried to reason with him and was glad when he shrugged.

"It is plausible but why take the chance? What if he did pull the marriage contract issue and wanted to announce it publicly at this year's house party? Better safe than sorry."

Daphne knew that the green-eyed mage was being excessively paranoid but she couldn't fault him for being precautious around her grandfather, what with their previous records.

"If there isn't anything else then I'd like to go back to my room." He said and turned towards the staircase that would lead him back towards his common room.

"Wa-wait! I'll come with you too." Daphne said and joined him on the descending staircase.

"You do know that we have to go in opposite directions right? Or do you want me to escort you to your common room again?"

Harry asked the pale girl who was somehow getting a rosy color on her cheeks. 'How did she do that? Was she manipulating the cells in her dermis or was it her body's response against cold?'

"Yes, I do. You can at least walk with me till the point of divergence right? Or are you going somewhere else?"

'It's better to revert the question back on him than to answer that', she thought as they started moving towards the said point of divergence.

Harry simply shrugged his shoulders and kept on walking with Daphne by his side, and was it just him or was her cheeks redder than before? He was really confused because Su and Susan had this ability too.

Was it something that was taught to girls only? 'No, sometimes Terry too gets red cheeks, maybe I should ask him?'

First week of May began and so did Hogwarts' exam season preparation. First year exams were going to be held from the first week of June onwards.

Therefore every single student in the castle was seen with books, notes, parchments and heavy satchels around their shoulders.

Harry had already studied his subjects and re-revised them so their study sessions mostly went with him giving a few pointers, only when asked, while doing his own preparations for writing faster with quills so that his writing speed could work in synchronization with his thought process.

Currently Harry was drenched in sweat as he looked around his training room. Scorched walls, torn dummies, mannequins with slashes around their waists and heads chopped out, charts with specific points depicted on the human body, score targets.

This was Harry's personal training room where he practised his elemental powers, meditated to clear his mind and remove the daily load of gobsh*t that the Hogwarts population called 'talking'.

Harry had expended every last drop of his elemental powers and he did so every night.

This was his only way of increasing his boundaries as fast and as soon as possible. He wiped his brow and checked his wrist watch.

'7:30 pm, dinner should end in half-an-hour, I can still grab something if I make it before eight.' he thought as he donned his outer robes and moved out of the room.

Harry was going down towards the third floor when he heard the rather loud Crash of some big metal thing collapsing on stone. He turned to look towards the point where it came from considering he was alone in that corridor, but everything was normal there.

Then he heard a girlish scream and someone groaned in pain from the floor beneath him, he ran downstairs and stopped at the base of the staircase.

His eyes widened a bit as he saw one of his relatively closer acquaintances lie on the cold hard floor with twisted limbs, metal armour pieces around her and...wait, was that blood? That's a lot of blood.

"SUSAN!" Harry screamed in shock and ran towards where the girl was lying 20 meters from him in a small pool of blood which was increasing rapidly in size.

"What happened to you? What were you doing here all alone in the first place?" Harry asked her but the Auburn haired girl could only moan in pain as her vision started blurring.

Susan felt cold hands on her forehead and the brightest emeralds 'Why are there spots in my vision? And why is everything blurry?' she thought to herself as she heard Harry mumble some choice words.

"Ha...harr..y?" Susan tried to say more but her body won't cooperate.

"Yes Susan, I am here." Harry told her as he checked the sword which was impaled in her waist. Harry looked at the girl's face and could see concussion form on her forehead as blood was clotting internally.

'sh*t this is bad...why didn't I learn anything other than basic healing from Grand Lady? Oh yes, cause I never needed that. Maybe I should ask her for those lessons now...stop being sarcastic to yourself Potter!'

Harry could only watch as the girl's eyelids slowly started drooping down and her pupils dilated 'Harry's here...ah well, I guess I don't need to stay conscious any...mo...r...e...'

Shaking his head he conjured a piece of cloth and pulled the sword out. Immediately he wrapped the cloth around her wound so that it wouldn't bleed anymore.

Then he held the girl in bridal style and lifted her as he ran towards Hogwarts hospital wing.

In his haste to reach Madam Pomfrey, he missed the cold red eyes that were lurking in the shadows of room 3C, piercing the back of his head as he ran with Susan in his arms ...a room which was just a few meters away from the point of accident.

Harry took as many shortcuts as possible as he ran towards the hospital wing, at first he was going to use his elemental powers but then remembered that he had just finished his daily training and so had used every little drop of those.

This meant he'll have to run physically all the way to the Hospital wing. He swore that tomorrow onwards, he'll leave about five-percent of his powers for emergencies. It won't do to be stuck in a similar situation due to some misfortune and rely solely on his legs.

"Madam Pomfrey? We need your help!" Harry announced as he entered the wing and laid Susan on the nearest bed, coincidentally it was the same one which she had been given when she was victim of, as the Hogwarts populace calls it, the broom mishap.

The matron's office opened as she came bustling in the hospital wing, fluidly releasing her wand from her wrist holster as she started the diagnostic charms on Susan.

"What happened, Potter? Did she fall or something or was it someone bullying her?" Pomfrey asked him as she watched the flickering lights above Susan.

Harry only shook his head in denial "I was going towards the Great hall when I heard her crash, there wasn't a single living thing around her."

Pomfrey didn't say anything after that as she simply hummed in acceptance and started flicking her wand.

Twenty minutes later, the matron sighed in relief and stopped moving around as she sorted through the salves and blood replenishing potions on Susan's bedside table.

"I don't know who did this or why but the girl was cursed twice. First with a really powerful Confundus, which is used to confuse a person, and then she was put under the Imperius curse. I'd call it her luck that she somehow stumbled and hurt herself as the pain helped relieve the brain from the curses holding her brain. If not, then she'd have done what the caster wanted her to do." Pomfrey said as she looked at the girl.

"Are you really sure there wasn't anyone near her?" The old matron asked him and sighed in disappointment when he thought for a while before denying.

"Alright, you can stay here till nine if you want to, I am going to floo headmaster and Miss Bones' guardian."

Pomfrey told him and then was about to move when Harry asked her how soon can Susan wake up because he was lucky he hadn't met any of their friends when he was bringing the redhead to the hospital wing, considering they were still having dinner in the great hall.

"She has a severe concussion and was actively fighting against the curse, I'd say that's the reason she crashed because she might have somehow fought it off and regained control of her consciousness for a while. But due to that and her blood loss, her magic is at its lowest point right now."

She told the boy somberly "She might not be able to wake up for a week at the very least and two weeks at most."

Harry sat on the chair near Susan's bed as he looked at the lying girl.

His first human acquaintance in Hogwarts. His first close acquaintance. How she had tried to befriend him on their first day, how she had tried to encourage him after his 'Snape sessions' back before winter holidays. How she tried to stay with him when he wasn't feeling festive for Halloween even though she wanted to party.

How the girl tried to mother him into eating more food every time they say and would get all chaotic whenever he ate less than usual, how she had included him, a total loner whom no one would have talked to, into their little group and how she would whine and do small things and would hope that he or anyone else hadn't noticed her.

And someone had tried to curse her. No, someone had cursed her and was making her do something against her wishes, it must have been too drastic because she had used almost all of her magical reserves in fighting off the curse in the end choosing to rely on pain rather than follow with the orders of Imperius.

One thing was certain, he would find who did this and make them regret their existence, make them...beg for death.

His mind has already started formulating plans on how to trace this person and how much to torture them, maybe increase their pain sensitivity and then pierce them with pins and molten hot knives?

Yeah, that sounds good enough.

But there was something else that needed to be done first. Harry made up his mind as his eyes hardened and he gently took Susan's hand in his own and began the process.

Harry woke up from his sleep as his brain registered the rather loud bang which he later came to know was Amelia Bones' regular way of checking in when her sole family was on death bed...almost there anyway.

Madam Amelia Bones stopped mid-stride as she looked at the lying body of her baby girl with a large scar near her abdomen.

Her niece looked so peaceful, it was as if she was sleeping and within moments she'd be up and hug her 'Good Morning' then berate her for working out late again...but Amelia knew this won't happen...her Susan...her precious niece...her only hope for surviving this blasted world was cursed twice in a supposedly 'safest' place on the continent and had nearly killed herself so that she couldn't do what her perpetrator had wanted her to do.

Amelia again leashed her anger as she remembered her latest session with Dumbledore, he had galls to call this as an unfortunate incident in the huge set-up to remove evil as whole.

Like always he had talked in riddles whenever he traversed dangerous waters.

All she had been able to take it from that old goat was 'Don't launch complete investigation because you don't have enough evidence and that person could be anyone unless Susan remembered their face when she was cursed'

And she had to give it to the headmaster that he was frustratingly right. It could be literally anyone out of the 700+ people residing in Hogwarts and they'd have cleared their wands by now.

At first she argued that they could simply trace back to those who weren't present during dinner time but then Pomfrey pointed out that it was possible that Susan had been cursed before dinner and had been told to execute the task during dinner time.

Because, according to Pomfrey, you can't reduce your magical reserves to its lowest levels within an hour or two or passive fighting with an imperius command. It has to be at least 4-5 hours of fighting that led them to this situation.

Now she could only wait for Susan's awakening and hope that her niece remembered her assailant's face.

It's a good thing that she had made Dumbledore swear on his words of protecting Susan until she is completely fine again. 'Well, he didn't have any other choice anyways'.

It was after all this that Amelia noticed the boy sitting beside her niece, Harry Potter. Poppy had told her that it was him who had carried Susan all the way from the point of accident to the Hospital wing.

"Harry, I don't know how I could ever thank you for what you did for my little girl. Time and again, you were there for her, I am sorry we troubled you so much. House Bones owes you another life debt."

For the first time in his life, Harry didn't care about the debt. The thing that was higher in priority was Susan's improvement and revenge, debts came after that.

"Even though I don't require it right now and it wasn't on my mind, as Heir apparent and future Lord of House Potter, I Accept the second Life debt owed by House Bones to House Potter, forwarded by the regent of House Bones." Harry nodded once before speaking again.

"Madam Bones, I am a minor and my 'relatives' are unavailable right now, therefore I won't be able to give an official statement or an interview but I'd like to tell you a few things.. unofficially." Harry said and noticed Amelia's frown.

"But why can't we get your relatives for questioning? Is it because they are muggles? I assure you, we will send our muggleborn officers so they don't have any trouble entering and exiting the wizarding world."

Bones was actually astonished with Harry's forwardness, she had already prepared a speech to convince Harry to tell her everything but here he was doing it himself, as if he already suspected what she was about to do.

'But, why unofficial methods?'

All of a sudden, Harry's eyes got that frosty look in them as he gazed straight into her eyes "Because they are unavailable madam, I don't know why but after my sixth birthday I haven't seen them, I contacted muggle authorities but it was useless as they weren't able to trace any of my..family."

Bones frowned again "Where were you living and how are you able to survive if they are not with you?"

But before Harry would have answered her, loud shouts of 'SUSAN!' reached their ears and moments later the entirety of said girl's close friend circle barged in the wing. Harry looked at Madam Bones and they nodded. They'll have this conversation and Harry's official/unofficial report later.

Quirinus Quirrel paced back-and-forth in his office clenching and unclenching his fist. He was angry, confused, disappointed and scared all together and everything just because of one boy….Harry Potter.

Quirrel still remembered the day he met the eldest Potter brat. He had scoffed at another person wasting fresh air, when his master had stopped him and told him the real secret.

The secret which could've changed everything.

Harry Potter, the eldest Potter brat, was actually the real boy who had reflected the dark lord's Killing curse. The emerald eyed mage was actually the True Boy-who-lived.

The dark lord didn't know why Dumbledore didn't proclaim Harry as the Boy-who-lived but slowly it made sense to both of them. Actually, it did to Voldemort and he beated sense in Quirrel. Same thing…almost.

At first Quirrel had internally scoffed at his master's words when he saw just how weak that boy was. Yes there was the broom incident but magical practitioners sometimes developed an extra sense to perceive magic.

But then happened the troll incident, where a weak Claw defeated a fully grown mountain troll with a blasting hex and had enough power to first create and then freeze water beneath the troll's leg.

Even Quirrell had to admit, the boy was indeed an enigma, a crafty little fox.

And thus began the game of research-back planning- random hexes-watching from 'shadows'-putting one of his friends under imperius and forcing her to fight the boy to death…..oops.

Quirell controlled himself and turned towards the laughing portrait of Richmond Derrevans. He swore to Merlin that if it wasn't for his Master's requirements, he would have blasted this portrait to smithereens ages ago. Quirell sometimes imagined how nerve-grating Derrevans would have been when alive if he was this irritating when dead.

"I don't want to say this but I-told-you-so. Richmond laughed in his portrait when he saw Quirell glare at him. He laughed harder when Quirell shut the curtains around him.

'Soon' Quirrel thought to himself. 'Very soon I'll acquire the knowledge of getting past that blasted Cerberus and then you won't be able to save this world from my Master's rise anymore Dumbledore'

Harry and his friends reached the point of divergence and wished each other 'good nights', he didn't say anything as there was still something that had to be done before he could call it a night.

They had been kicked out of the Hospital wing, even Hannah who was Susan's best friend, dorm-mate and sister in all but blood.

Harry had told them the truth which he had spoken loudly so that Madam Bones could hear it and gave his memory as an evidence considering the fact that Harry couldn't be questioned without a guardian and didn't want to follow loco parentis, that would give the Headmaster, the controls of his school life.

After all was said and done, Harry promised Madam Bones to tell her as much as he knew via letters. They had left Susan in Pomfrey's care and started their journey back to their respective common rooms.

On asking, Harry came to know that after Pomfrey told Dumbledore, he had asked McGonagall to tell Hannah about Susan but as they were all sitting together at the Dinner table, they all came to know what had happened and came to check-in as soon as possible.

The green eyed claw just nodded and entered his Ravenclaw dorm room with Terry before he announced that he forgot something and would be back soon.

Norman Yanerds was sitting in his favourite arm-chair, finishing his charms homework near the open window. This was the last of his work today and after this, he'll finally spend some quality time with his girlfriend before going back to sleep.

The burly sixth year had just finished writing his essay on Ten uses of Bubblehead Charm and was about to start rechecking the points before taking a much needed break when he felt something entering and exiting his outer robe pocket almost immediately.

He checked the pocket and pulled out a piece of parchment he was sure wasn't there moments ago. The content on that little innocent piece of paper made him gulp as his face paled.

I want the names and location of all the students who are fifth-year and below and were absent from Dinner. Also, if possible, find out what they were doing. I don't care how you get that information, I want the list within five days. Burn this note discreetly.

~Your Master

Norman looked around himself but couldn't find his master. Still, he knew that he was already being observed and any kind of disobedience will be met with severe punishments.

So, he did the intelligent thing and kept the small note in his pocket, he'll burn it later. Right now he needed to contact his girlfriend and his friends because there was a task that needed to be finished soon.

'Knock Knock'

"Come in"

The gate opened and closed as Severus Snape kept on chopping the African Lizard's tail into fine strips. He frowned when he didn't hear anyone and turned to watch the door, only to pause.

"Po-" Snape grabbed his throat as it felt someone was choking him before gurgling out "Ma-master" the greasy bat took large gulps of fresh air as his throat was released from constriction that his magic had made around himself so he could follow the oath he gave months ago when he enslaved himself to the whims of a first year kid.

'A first year kid who had bested you in every single way' the traitorous part of his mind spoke and he physically shook his head and tried to focus on his surroundings when he realised that it wasn't his mind that said the last sentence, it was-

'Mine, bravo Snivellus, you finally showed the first intelligent thought of your day, hopefully this transient phase remains as long as I am here' Snape's eyes flashed in anger.

"Stop doing that." The greasy bat growled.

"Or what? You'll challenge me? Or did you forget our previous sessions?" Harry replied with a small smirk before snapping his fingers.

"You are nothing more than a mere puppet who is being controlled by, as you put it so eloquently, a spawn of James Potter. Now stop being a brat and listen," Harry waved his hand and conjured the same black and silver throne that he did when he had made Snape his slave.

Snape went completely red but sat on his knees and bowed low waiting for his master to release him from this utterly embarrassing position.

Harry didn't.

"I have a task for you. You can do anything you want but I want you to make a list of all the sixth and seventh year students, as well as teachers who weren't present during dinner tonight, also what they were doing." Harry told the potions professor in a no nonsense tone.

"But-"

"Did I give you permission to speak yet, Snivellus?" Harry asked his servant before continuing "You are free to use any method necessary to fulfil the task, you have four days to finish it and I don't want any single person to be missed from your compiled list or you'll accidentally lose a finger. Am I clear?"

Snape didn't want to say anything so he remained silent.

"I…see…Ardeat Nervorum!" Harry said and saw as Snape started flailing on the floor. He kept the curse for another ten seconds before releasing Snape and healing him.

"We'll try it again. So, am I clear Snivellus?"

Snape didn't even hesitate and nodded feverishly "Yes Master, crystal clear. You'll get the list four-"

"Fourth day from now. Good and remember the warning on what will happen if you dare to leave out anyone." Harry said as he simply waved his wand and vanished his throne and moved out of the dungeons.

Now he just needed to wait four more days to punish the person or group that had cursed one of his closest acquaintances.

Till, then he could simply do the thing he was doing for her without telling anyone. But for now, he needed some sleep.

Ending Note: There you have it fellas, editted and perfected version of chapter 21 of Silence of the Winters.

Liked it? Loved it? Needs some improvements? Please tell me! You don't know how blessed I feel when my reviewers exceed my expectations.

I read each and every one of them thrice and feel blessed to have such good and active readers as you.

Even a simple 'Good work Dev' is appreciated.

Here's the link to my super private server on discord where I'll keep on updating new chapters, sneak peeks, Character designs, where you are free to talk and ask things regarding my fics directly:

Its a relatively newly launched server...

https://discord.gg/Gcbcv4dxGx

Name: 𝕯𝖊𝖛 𝕭𝖑𝖆𝖈𝖐'𝖘 𝕰𝖒𝖕𝖎𝖗𝖊

Next Chapter: Chapter 22: Surprised or Shocked?

Thank you for reading.

With regards,

Dev Black

Chapter 22: Surprised or Shocked?

Chapter Text

"I am Talking."

'I am Thinking'

Spells

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Either be the leader or follow one

~ R-Kade

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Previously in SotW:

"Fourth day from now. Good and remember the warning on what will happen if you dare to leave out anyone." Harry said as he simply waved his wand and vanished his throne and moved out of the dungeons.

Now he just needed to wait four more days to punish the person or group that had cursed one of his closest acquaintances. Till, then he could simply do the thing he was doing for her without telling anyone. But for now, he needed some sleep.

Silence of the Winters

-Dev Sagittarius Black

~~Chapter 22: Surprised or Shocked?~~

'…..completely useless….'

That was what Harry thought as he looked at the list in his hand.

"Yanerds, are you sure these were the only ones?" Harry's eyes narrowed the burly sixth year Ravenclaw bowing a few feet away from him.

"Ye-yes Master. Rest everyone was present at the dinner." Yanerds wanted to ask the boy exactly why he needed the list but he didn't. It had been drilled long ago into him that 'thinking' was something done by intellectual beings and that he wasn't one of them.

Yanerds was sure that he wouldn't have given any useful suggestions anyway.

'This list mostly comprises second and third years….are all fourth years satisfied with their preparation? Or is the fourth year syllabus that easy?...It was when I studied but they aren't me'

"Alright, Yanerds. Acceptable. You can get lost in whatever useless thing you were going to do to your girlfriend." Harry dismissed him nonchalantly as he had already read the boy's thoughts of excitement of snogging his girlfriend in one of the broom cupboards.

It was the reason why Harry had called him now in the first place. Yeah, little evil Potter, whatever, he had done far worse things.

Disgustingly enough, Yanerds blushed before bowing low and moving out of the room as fast as he could as if there was no mere devil but…Lucifer himself siting in the room waiting to torture him. Well, maybe it was true? Maybe.

Harry looked down at the list once more before moving out of the room 'Hopefully, Snivellous will be more helpful than this troglodyte…'

Hannah looked at the empty seat beside herself and sighed. It had been four days since that accident and Susan was still recuperating in the Hospital wing.

Hannah didn't know what was wrong or why Susan went to that corridor. All she knew was that Susan had gone to use the loo near the Great Hall and then hadn't returned.

Madam Bones had been the one to console her and then Harry proceeded to tell the story of what happened and how he was the one who rushed Susan to the Hospital Wing.

Thing is, curses were involved in this accident and no one had any idea as to who cursed Susan or when. Hannah and the teachers had given the statement that Susan was perfectly normal and wasn't behaving strangely when they had last seen the bubbly redhead.

Hannah had vowed that night, she would never let Susan fight her battles alone anymore. She wished for a time turner so that they could go back in time and see what had actually happened but they were said to be rare and one needed to follow many protocols regarding those.

The bell rang and the puffs gathered their stationery as they cleaned their stations 'One more lecture before I get to see Susan again'

"Mr Potter, you have to stay behind because I have to waste my time on telling you how to properly write an essay on Ten uses of Bubotuber paste. Everyone else, leave the class right now!" Snape commanded and watched as the snot nosed brats ran off.

"Professor can I stay for a whi-"

"I said get out Smith or was my instruction too complicated for your tiny brain?" Snape glared at the blonde heir of the Smith family whose eyes widened as he ran with his tail between his legs.

The doors closed and Snape fell on his knees as he pulled out a parchment and placed it on the table "These are all the names,I could get Master. And I have checked the minors, they were studying."

"And the professors?" Harry asked, scanning Snape's wrecked brain, internally laughing all the while as he saw the resentment when calling Harry his 'Master'.

"Trelawney and Kettleburn never eat at the staff table unless it's a special occasion, Burbage had been feeling sick for some time and Pince was busy with the students studying in the library…."

Snape trailed off and Harry narrowed his eyes immediately "And…what about Professor Quirell? What was he doing?"

Snape's silence was all the answer that Harry needed. He had been right, again. And like always, he hated it.

Cold green eyes narrowed as they left their last class of the day 'Should I do it now-?'

"I am so going to die with all this homework." Terry cried out loud "Can you see it Harry? They are already killing us…"

'-He looked ill, what's going on with that dubious creature now?-'

"...and we are just in our first year! I mean, how can we finish three different essays…"

'-I could do it now or I could wait for nightfall-'

"...and none of them are easy, let me tell you this in advance." Terry grumbled before looking towards Su "Hey Su…"

'-well, waiting for nightfall would be ideal because he might be more at ease and might not expect me-'

"...don't you agree with me? Shouldn't the teachers be more reliant during our exam time?"

Terry asked the petite girl walking on Harry's other side who nodded in agreement.

'-but if I do it right now, he won't expect me at all…hmm…what to do? Think Potter!'

"See Harry, Su agrees too! I am telling you- wait, Harry? Are you even listening?" Terry asked as he waved his hands in front of the green eyed mage's face who blinked.

"Yes Terry, unfortunately I was indeed listening to you whining about our minute workload which you can finish in thirty minutes if you copied from mine which you…ah yes, always do." Harry said without looking towards a shocked Terry.

Su started giggling and Terry made a face before making a hmph like noise and muttering something akin to 'stupid intelligent brats' and 'killing roommates in their sleep'

"Also as much as I'd like to listen to you cry more, I have a couple of questions to ask Professor Flitwick, it'd be better if you two went ahead without me. I will join you two in the library on the same table in an hour." Harry said as he left them and started walking in the direction of Quirell's room.

Outside the defence professor's classroom Harry pulled out his invisibility cloak and waited till the last student came out before slipping in through the open door and moving towards a dark corner.

The plan was simple, Harry had already activated hisGeminusring. He'll simply remove the cloak when standing a metre away from Quirell's back, stun the stuttering douchebag, tie him up and use legilimency to read the sh*thead's brain.

It was a really simple, swift and straightforward approach used by the guild and he had been trained in its usage by the guildmasters.

Making up his mind, Harry took the first couple of steps as silently as plausible, he could have simply activated his elemental abilities and floated towards the blubbering buffoon but he didn't want to waste his powers uselessly.

'Alright, the position is secured' Harry flicked his fingers and his wand came in his hand. The boy gulped down his nervousness as he stood a metre away from his DADA professor with his wand raised and pointed towards the said professor's back.

'...One…'

'...Two...'

'...Thre-'

"R…remove this Quirrrinusssss, it's ssufo-acting…"

Harry froze right where he was 'Who was that?' It was almost inaudible with how weak the guy sounded, the fact that Harry had been able to even hear the whisper in this room was itself a miracle, or maybe it was his advanced hearing? Who knows.

One thing was certain, there was someone else in this room. Someone really close to him, tied up and really ill, with how feeble they sounded 'How far have you fallen Quirrell, what new crazy sh*t you have gotten yourself into now?'

Quirell immediately reached for his wand and flicked it to shut and lock the door, all this non-verbally. Then he reached to the back of his head and to Harry's surprise slowly started removing his turban.

'What...is this guy doing?' Harry thought and he so wanted to throw up caution and simply attack the DADA professor, but he had to be patient. Maybe there was some sort of bond or there could be a rune circuit in the turban that'd release the person who is still struggling.

But what Harry saw was definitely not what he had expected to see. It was easily in the top five most grotesque things he had ever seen in this lifetime. Possibly, the fifth one.

A face….because that's what it was. A freaking complete face was stuck on the back of his DADA professor's head and Harry was most definitely at a loss of words as he saw the turban cloth fall to the ground and came face-to-face with that grotesque humanoid thing.

The face sneered before opening its blood-red eyes and speaking in that same raspy tone "Ahh...much betterrr…."

'What the hell….who is this? WHAT IS THIS?' Harry blinked from under the cloak as he looked at the grotesque head.

"This lowly servant wishes you good health, master."

Harry's brain was going into overdrive now, all of the five parts were set on decoding this mystery that had just smashed normalcy out of his life within moments.

"I would be if..you had executed even….one of your tasks…..perfectly." The face wheezed out.

"I-I am sorry my lord, I had no idea that my choice of candidate for our task would have such a strong will." Quirell whimpered in pain when the face scrunched itself.

Harry's eyes widened as his brain supplied one of the past memories…

'...But he doesn't control me. I am a free portrait, no one controls me. Quirinus brought me here to protect his secret and get the knowledge his master desires….'

That portrait in Quirell's room had told him about the DADA professor's master, but what had Quirell's master wanted? Ah yes…

'The knowledge about the link between life and death, that's what Richmond's portrait said. This means that this…face was ordering Quirrel around to learn about that link and considering this is a face…it looks like an obscure method of possession' Harry frowned at that 'But then why would this face order Quirell to stay at Hogwarts?'

"That Bones girl was already resisting you….passively when you placed her under the Imperius….but after that command to….. kill the elder Potter? She was resisting you with her full magical force…choosing to end her own life rather than kill her…frrrriend." The face rasped out and Harry's blood went cold.

'Susan had been commanded by Quirrel of all people to…kill me. So that crash into that suit of armour was completely voluntary, she hadn't intended to use pain as a method to end the curse, instead it was her way to end her life….foolish girl'

"It was an unprecedented turn of events Master, I never thought that a simple first year would be able to resist the combined power of an adult wizard and…" Quirell gulped before finishing "..the greatest dark lord in a century."

'The greatest dark lord in a century? But that was….and he's dead' Harry's eyes widened 'Quirell's master…knowledge about the link between life and death….no…nO…...NOOOO…!'

As soon as Harry connected the dots, he immediately focused the first part of his mind to stay in the room and not lose his screw by going to his mindscape right now. He clamped down his occlumency shields to the extreme or he'd have ended up going into a psychic shock.

This stuttering professor…this useless lump of time, space and oxygen…this sh*t-head profesor who was nothing more than a babbling bumbling Buffoon had actually been….the host of Voldemort's spirit form and no one knows for how long other than them.

Voldemort was alive, he hadn't died all those years ago. He was just biding his time and is now back among the living. And currently, the darkest lord in a century was trying to find a way to arrive at the land of living completely.

This realisation hit him so hard that Harry took an involuntary step back in shock as he gulped down the anticipation of what this news might do to the Guild.

"I don't…have enough power yet. It is just enough to…guide my most loyal follower." Quirell swelled in pride at hearing his master's words.

"Now make sssure…that you succeeeed in your final mission Quirinnus or remember….Lord Voldemort is as benevolent to those who succeeeed….as he is cruel to those who….fail…" And with that Voldemort's eyes drooped shut as he went to regain his powers.

"Don't worry my lord. I already have a way to get past that blasted cerberus, it will be in my hands soon and then your most loyal follower will bring you the stone.." Quirell smirked with pure malice "...and see to your complete resurrection."

With that Quirell picked up his purple turban cloth and began wrapping it around his head to cover Voldemort's face before moving out of the classroom. Harry waited for a few minutes before moving out of the classroom too.

This was too much to digest, he needed to process all the information and pass it to the guild as soon as he could. Time was his enemy right now. And Susan? Time to wake up.

"Sending letters to your guardians, Harry?"

Harry nodded his consent as he gave the instructions to Lily and saw her fly straight west before becoming a small speck in the endless night sky and then vanishing completely.

He had drafted a letter for the guild master as soon as he'd processed all the intel he had accidentally procured from that bumbling buffoon. The Letter was already coded and charmed to be read by the guild master only.

Harry knew he had to wait now because things were too complicated. He already had contingency plans in place but he had to protect a few people before he could launch a full scale attack on Lord Voldemort.

There was also the case of possession, if Voldemort could do it once then Harry was sure that the psychopath could do it again and that was not acceptable, at all.

But utilising Guild magic to trap such a powerful possessed required more than just one wizard and they'd need to start up the entirety of the rune circuit to trap the dark lord in infinity castle.

There was also the problem known as Susan Bones, Harry was anticipating the girl's awakening before, just because she was the only one who could've seen her perpetrator's face but now? Now he dreaded that.

Not because Voldemort or Quirell were powerful together, he knew they had enough power to duel a few mages but the problem lies with the fact that Amelia Bones might do something that could put the entirety of Hogwarts and possibly Britain in jeopardy or war.

'Afterall, the Death Eaters aren't dead, no they are walking in plain sight and currently in high ministry posts, a war at the moment will completely destabilise the country' Harry contemplated as he closed the curtains around his bed and took a meditative stance.

Harry knew he needed to focus and there was only one way to do that, still, he couldn't prevent his mind from speaking the pessimistic reality he was living in.

'Just one freaking mistake and this whole damn world would start shedding tears of blood again…'

"Mr Potter?"

Harry looked behind and nodded "Madam Pomfrey? How may I help you?"

The old matron smiled so bright that she could have shamed a hundred suns, "Why, by joining me and Amelia in the Hospital Wing of course, it's a private matter though I am sure Madam Bones won't mind the rest of you too, but please, stay outside until I call you in."

Pomfrey smiled as she moved out of the Great Hall with a spring in her step.

Something really good had happened with the old matron and Harry would bet a million galleons on what it was, he just wasn't in the mood to because that would also mean that Hogwarts would suddenly announce ceasefire and go under complete lockdown.

Harry and the rest of his friends joined madam Pomfrey in the Hospital Wing though everyone except the elemental had to stay outside, completely assured by Pomfrey that it was indeed a 'really great news' and that they'll soon know what it was all about.

"Madam Bones, Madam Pomfrey." Harry greeted them as he joined the matron in her domain wing of Hogwarts.

"Harry, how many times do I have to say that you of all people have the right to call me by my name?" Amelia exclaimed as she smiled at Harry.

Harry didn't say anything, more like he couldn't say anything.

Why? Well it might be because Harry was now standing in the Hospital Wing and was waiting for god to come? Nope, he wasn't dead, yet.

Then was it because Snape had suddenly taken a knife to Dumbledore's throat and then jumped through the veil of Death? Although desirable, it was still too far-fetched from reality and a bit dark.

Then maybe…just maybe, it was because one of Harry's closest acquaintances (read friends) who was cursed five days ago was now sitting in the Hospital Wing's bed and waving at him with tired but lively hazel eyes? Probably.

"Hello Harry!" Susan exclaimed and laughed with as much excitement as she could muster.

"Susan."

Susan's face dropped back as her eyebrows twitched "Why…OH WHY?!" she threw her hands towards the white ceiling.

"Why does this boy have to kill all of my joy? Why can't he be happy for once? Like I recovered from an illness in five days that could've taken any normal witch or wizard weeks to recover from!"

She looked back at Harry "Weeks! And instead of being happy like you should've, all you do is become a statue and say 'Susan'! Tell me Aunty, why shouldn't I kill this guy right here?"

Susan gave a cute pout as she looked towards her Aunt who was, much to the girl's surprise, laughing along with Madam Pomfrey.

"Two reasons actually." The old matron began "First, he saved your life by bringing you here just in time and second…" She trailed off as she looked towards Harry who frowned in confusion.

"And second?" Amelia asked as she too didn't know what else had Harry done in the meantime.

Pomfrey looked towards Susan and smiled "You are a strong witch Miss Bones, but even you couldn't recover from a curse and Magically induced coma within five days, this is why, Mr Potter here-" She looked towards Harry who connected the dots.

"-decided to link his own magic with yours and supply about thirty percent of his own magic everyday to you whenever he came to visit you with your friends, and I don't think anyone knows what he did."

Both the Bones women gasped in shock when the news was broken, sharing your own magic to heal a patient was almost unheard of and no one sane enough would give thirty-percent of their magic everyday.

"Harry, why did you do this?" Susan asked her male friend and only crush she ever had and probably ever will. This was a big deal and she knew that she might never be able to repay any of her debts. This was not just a gift….this was one of the best gifts anyone could've ever given.

Harry had already saved her life twice, he had two debts already and still he went ahead and shared his magic to speed-up the process, knowing full well that it'll be seen as a gift and not a life-debt.

Amelia didn't have any words for the eldest Potter anymore, she simply stood up from her chair, ran towards the boy and hugged him as tightly as she could.

Harry stiffened immediately as physical contact or shows of affection was not something he had ever been comfortable with due to his past and he stayed and Amelia for all intents and purposes was still a stranger, still, he allowed her the small moment of joy.

Susan wanted to jump out and give Harry one of her bone-crushing hugs but she knew that right now, she wasn't in the condition to do so and she'll have to bide her time before she is able to do that.

After they had settled around Susan from their past ordeal, Amelia asked the question that Harry was dreading.

"Susan, do you remember anything or anyone before you lost consciousness?" Her years as an auror, coming into form as she saw Susan frown a bit.

Susan frowned a bit as she tried to remember.

"No auntie, all I remember is going to the nearest washroom beside the Great Hall and the next thing is waking up here. I don't remember anything else."

Harry internally sighed in relief as he heard Susan's report, this was a good thing and was actually a boon even if Madam Bones didn't see it as such.

Wizarding Britain had just started to stabilise and get the recognition it deserved, the nation was now getting its place back in the I.C.W and Sorcery United. It was most definitely not ready for another full-scale war with the Darkest lord whom these Sheep had thought was dead.

Madam Bones consoled Susan and the visitors along with the matron collectively decided to keep her from knowing that she was actually Imperiused.

"Who's guarding Susan right now?" Madam Bones spoke aloud confusing Susan a bit, but the girl's eyes widened in shock when there was a loud 'POP' sound and a house elf was standing near the window adjacent to her bed.

"Toffee's be guarding Missy Boney, Madam Lia. How may Toffee be helping you?" Toffee asked Amelia while rubbing her clammy hands together.

"Toffee, ask the headmaster for a meeting now, i'll join him in his office soon regarding a few new developments." Amelia told the elf who bobbed her head before popping out of the Hospital Wing.

Madam Bones was actually unsure about doing things on her own when matters were this delicate, also Dumbledore's suggestions earlier had been pretty good and therefore she was willing to go an arm out and ask his insight on how to take it from here.

Soon enough, things settled back in the Hospital Wing and Harry was asked to invite the rest of their friends, everyone was obviously very happy with the news about Susan's awakening and were currently sitting around the girl chatting happily.

Madams Bones and Pomfrey went to Madam Pomfrey's office to discuss a few things regarding Susan and then the director of the DMLE would floo to the headmaster's office.

It was then that Harry felt something approaching, it was instantaneous, almost like a gut feeling regarding something which cannot be explained, it was as if something or someone had tied a knot around his navel and was pulling him towards the north-west direction.

Harry turned just in time for-

'TAP TAP TAP!'

The students sitting beside Susan's bed turned their heads as Harry got up and opened the window for Lily to enter into the Hospital Wing.

"What have you got for me Lily?" Harry asked and paused when he saw the plain black envelope 'Damnit, it's code Black'he took the envelope and placed it in his inner robe pocket before petting Lilly and turning towards his too-curious-for-their-own-damn-good friends.

"It's an emergency letter from my guardians, I'll have to go now. And Susan…" Harry turned towards the still bed-ridden girl and gave a small smile "I am really glad to have you back, it was a hassle watching Hannah whine all the time."

"Hannah does NOT whine!" Hannah harrumphed as everyone including Susan laughed as Harry left the Hospital Wing with Lily on his shoulder.

What everyone missed was the narrowed blue eyes of a certain Slytherin first year with blonde hair and extra curious mind which started to think of the possibilities in that envelope and what had made the emotionless boy run out of the wing so fast.

Harry eyed the small envelope before tearing it open and reading the contents. He knew it would come to this very soon, it was for this reason he had worked on his plans regarding this new development last night.

So finally, it was time to work on the plan that had been killing him since the school session began in september. Harry took a look at the single line that was written in the letter before burning it to a crisp.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

~~CODE BLACK~~

Tueur N-13, you are officially on active mission now. Raid the third floor corridor.

Prevent Lord Voldemort's uprising.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

"Hey roomie, you heard what that brother of yours was spouting off today?" Terry asked Harry as he changed into his PJs while Harry removed his shirt and sighed in relief.

Terry still didn't understand how could a boy, the same age as him, look like a freaking model from all those muggle magazines he had back at home.

Ok he knew that Harry trained a lot and that his training regiment was far more strict than those of quidditch players, still wasn't normal metabolism a factor?

The curly haired ravenclaw had lived with the mysterious cold boy for almost a year now and was thankfully on his good side, still he didn't know a single thing about his roommate other than the fact that he didn't like to sleep with a shirt and that he went somewhere at one in the morning.

"I'm still surprised that you listen to whatever gobble those two come up with, even their own housemates have stopped listening to them, when will you stop?" Harry asked the boy as he folded his clothes and arranged them on the rack.

"Well.." Terry began hesitantly "I was studying in the Library and I might've overheard a few things regarding you.

Harry frowned at that "Are they still whining about those detentions that Snape gave them for challenging me to a duel publicly?"

Harry would never admit to anyone but he had taken vindictive pleasure in watching the two boys get detentions for a week and lose thirty points, but in his mind, they deserved it.

Harry had overheard Alan talking about a certain cloak which was supposed to be his birthright, most likely told to him by Dumbles, and then the boys decided on their own that Harry had the cloak.

It was all good until Harry took the pain of scanning his brother's messed up brain which he did once per month to check on the idiot's progress regarding the Stone which he had somehow sensed and was searching for.

Well, he had checked that day and he scanned Alan's weird plan of challenging him to a wizard's duel 'As if that troglodyte could ever win against me'. Still, Harry had ordered Snape to stand on halt while he aggravated Alan's plan via legilimency.

And thus, Alan got detention along with his idiot Weasley pet while Harry went out scott-free. This aggravated the boy more and he started spreading rumours about Harry being a thief and dark boy.

Mr Victor Potter's exaggerated theories were so idiotic that no one except a few idiots listened to him anymore and regarding 'idiots' Harry already had a clear policy which he followed diligently.

"Well, yeah that too and then the two were talking something about going to the third floor corridor tonight and the boy-who-should-bath was talking about how if you gave him his freaking invisibility cloak back then he would have saved the school by now." Terry told Harry as he tried to gauge his friend's reaction.

"Invisibility cloak? That dumbhead thinks I have an invisibility cloak now?"

Harry shook his head while mentally making plans about removing that stupid idea of going down that chute on the third floor from his brother's brain. even though they didn't like each other, Harry couldn't let his left-out family go on a suicide mission.

Terry sighed in relief "You don't? And here I thought I could borrow it from you." He said sarcastically before moving, opening the curtains around his bed and sitting. "Also, why I am not surprised that you cared more about a rumour than your brother's stupid decision."

Harry smirked and looked towards the curly boy who was going to sleep. "My brother is a glorified idiot and you know what I think about idiots right?"

Terry laughed as he said "Don't let idiots ruin your day." Harry nodded and both the boys closed the curtains around their beds.

Harry sat in the lotus position that he used daily to sort his mind and save the things that were important while he removed others. He put four parts of his mind to work while the fifth one began thinking and took up the job of spatial awareness.

'This wait is troubling, I already stole the stone back in February, so Voldemort can forget about becoming immortal anytime soon but his presence is still a menace. And no one knows what that psychopath would do once he got his hands on the mirror and came to know that the stone wasn't there' Harry frowned while still in his mindscape.

'I should stop my elemental training for a few weeks and preserve my elemental powers till Quirrell is after that stone…hopefully, Quirrell still remains oblivious about my alert ward in the corridor…'

'Ugh…I think I extended my elemental training too much, well it's good that I won't be doing it for a few weeks now, by then I'll recharge myself and be ready to face and probably destroy Voldemort's current vessel before he learns about the stone's absence and ends up doing something drastic'

A man was walking on the cold stone floor, looking at the portraits sleeping throughout the corridor. He held up his wand with a glowing tip as he reached the staircase at the end of the corridor.

There was a palpable smell of rotten flesh coming from that man as he walked down the staircase and reached a deserted corridor devoid of any portrait or ghosts.

Crossing it, said man reached the end of the serpentine corridor and grabbed the handle of a dingy wooden door. The door which he had tried to cross several times in the past and was now finally going to cross it today.

'Soon master, very soon your loyal servant will have the stone in his hands and you will be able to gain an immortal body, Dumbledore isn't here today…I've been waiting for this day for a very long time'

And with that Quirinus Quirrell opened the door of the third floor corridor, as he stepped inside the first chamber containing the three headed cerberus the last thing visible before the door closed was a harp.

In one of the towers of the same ancient castle, located on the fifth floor, twin emerald orbs opened in shock as their body was jolted by a small electric current triggered by someone triggering their alert ward.

On scanning the magical signature, Harry's eyes froze and there was only one thought in his mind…

'sh*t…!'

Ending Note:There you have it fellas, editted and perfected version of chapter 22 of Silence of the Winters.

Liked it? Loved it? Needs some improvements? Please tell me! You don't know how blessed I feel when my reviewers exceed my expectations.

I read each and every one of them thrice and feel blessed to have such good and active readers as you.

Even a simple 'Good work Dev' is appreciated.

Here's the link to mysuper private server on discord where I'll keep on updating new chapters, sneak peeks, Character designs, where you are free to talk and ask things regarding my fics directly (As I am most active there):

Its a relatively newly launched server...

https://discord.gg/Gcbcv4dxGx

Name:𝕯𝖊𝖛 𝕭𝖑𝖆𝖈𝖐'𝖘 𝕰𝖒𝖕𝖎𝖗𝖊

Next Chapter: Chapter 23: The Final Showdown!!

Thank you for reading.

With regards,

Dev Black

Chapter 23: The Final Showdown

Chapter Text

"I am Talking."

'I am Thinking'

Spells

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Be creative in making mistakes, you're allowed to make new ones,

but aren't allowed to repeat them

~ R-Kade

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Previously in SotW:

In one of the towers of the same ancient castle, located on the fifth floor, twin emerald orbs opened in shock as their body was jolted by a small electric current triggered by someone triggering their alert ward.

On scanning the magical signature, Harry's eyes froze and there was only one thought in his mind…

'sh*t…!'

Silence of the Winters

-Dev Sagittarius Black

~~Chapter 23: The Final Showdown~~

"Ron! Ron!"

"...unh..five more mins mum.."

"I am not Mrs Weasley you idiot, wake up! Or did you forget what we had planned for tonight?" Alan whispered in his best friend's ears who hummed but continued to snore loudly.

'Honestly, he should've stopped eating more when I told him to, look at him now!' Alan sighed before grabbing hold of Ron's right arm and violently shaking him.

"wufgms..HWAA…WHAAZAAA..ALA-" Alan immediately placed his hand on Ron's mouth effectively shutting the boy off.

"Ron, don't forget the mission, Professor Dumbledore is not in Hogwarts and Snape might try to steal the stone today!" Alan reminded.

Ron's brain caught up and the boy woke up from his sleep-induced haze.

The redhead sat upright on his bed before he remembered the conversation that they had with Hagrid that afternoon about how he told someone how to get past Fluffy and Dumbledore not being in school to prevent Snape from stealing the stone.

"What are we waiting for Alan? Let's go!" Ron removed his sheets as he jumped from bed, he grabbed his wand from beneath the pillow and together, the two boys stepped down the boy's dormitory.

"Where are you two going now?"

Alan cursed his luck as both Hermione and Nevile were standing right beside the burning fireplace with their wands in their hands.

Harry closed the door behind him as he moved towards the common room, he flipped out his invisibility cloak and covered himself as he sneaked out of the common room and took off in the direction of the third-floor corridor.

'Damn it! I will have to kill Quirrell tonight, unfortunately since today was going to be the last day of my elemental practice. I over-extended myself and can't use my elemental powers at all…'

Harry is turning towards the staircase when he suddenly felt three more pings from the alert ward and his mind went to a halt when he sensed who they were:

Ronald Weasley

Hermione Granger

Alandale Potter

.

.

.

'To think that those three would have enough bad luck to go after the stone on the same day as Voldemort…how are they 'this' dumb?!'

Harry jumped into the corridor at the last moment because immediately after that, the staircase moved and joined the first-floor corridor.

The elemental didn't break his stride as he rushed towards the wooden door that held the Cerberus, he was already five minutes late and he didn't know if they would be able to fight the beast or if they were dead meat by now.

Opening the door, Harry saw that the Cerberus was fast asleep while there was a harp playing magically. He knew that it was Quirrel's work because none of the first years had any prior training in magical instruments.

Harry didn't know if he should be relieved that the idiots were still alive or feel bad for them because they were chasing after Voldemort who'd make their deaths even more torturous. Shaking his head, he continued.

Keeping his thoughts in check, he opened the trap door again and jumped down the chute. He cursed his luck as he had little to no elemental magic in him today, so he knew that he would have to rely completely on his magical prowess to fight Voldemort and save others.

Sliding through the slowly reforming vine bed which was burning, he praised Hermione's brain to be able to remember the plant and how to counter it, he knew it had to be her because there was no way that the other two troglodytes could remember this.

Harry easily slid through the vine bed and went towards the room with flying keys, the door was riddled with holes and the broomstick was nowhere to be seen.

So Harry did what he thought was best in that situation, "Bombarda Maxima!"

'BOOOOOM!'

"ALAN!"

Alan froze when he heard the blast and Hermione shouting his name, they just crossed the giant chessboard and his best friend had sacrificed himself to let them pass.

Alan swore that he will stop Snape even if that was the last thing he did and he won't let Ron's sacrifice go in vain, till this point they had been rushing to save the stone thinking that Snape was ahead of them, but this blast from behind changed things.

"What do you think that is, Hermione? Who could that be?" Alan asked his other friend who, he had to admit even though he didn't like it, was much more brilliant than him.

"If that was Professor McGonagall then we should be thankful that we aren't alone in this and that she heard our pleas but.." At this, Hermione looked back to the door that was behind them which led to the large empty room they just crossed.

"If it's Snape then we have to save Ron!" Alan caught up and left the parchment that he was holding on the table and was about to run back to save his best friend when Hermione grabbed his arm and pulled him back.

"You aren't going back there, Alan! You have much more important duty!" Hermione shouted at him.

"But RON-"

"I will go back and see if it's Professor Snape or not, if not then I will take the flying broom and get some help from one of the Professors, we have to save the stone, we can't take any risks." Hermione elaborated her plan as she took the parchment beside the potions and started to solve the potions riddle.

'Be safe Ron, I will come back as soon as I can!' Alan and Hermione were thinking the same thing.

Harry moved into the chessboard room and frowned at its state, the king of both sides was dead, the game had already been played and since both the kings were dead, Harry assumed that the game had been played twice.

'That means my brother's merry gang of misfits and Quirrell are both in either the troll room or in the potions, wait didn't I change the potion in that vial with water, that would mean…'

Harry's eyes widened when he imagined that both Voldemort and Alandale might end up in Dumbledore's floo which might be locked right now because the headmaster isn't in Hogwarts.

With that thought in mind, Harry sped towards the door on the other end but stopped when he saw the lying, bloodied form of one Ronald Bilius Weasley on the chess board.

Harry looked at the redhead and had the urge to leave the boy as he was but he knew that watching an innocent person suffer uselessly or die was not something his consciousness would allow.

Harry knew that he was a hypocrite considering the numerous people he had tortured and killed to date but they were all wrong and even if he wanted to leave Weasley to his fate or say all those things about him all year long, he knew that he couldn't.

"Oh for f*ck's sake!" Harry threw his hands in the air in frustration and pointed his wand towards the lying redhead and muttered "Episkey"

"The third clue here says that 'neither dwarf nor the giant holding death', and since we already know that the giant one had nettle wine, it means that this blue bottle contains the potion to go through that black fire." Hermione held the small blue vial and gulped,

"Alan, this is it, the potion is already half, Snape is already inside and only one of us could go, you'll have to go alone while I go back and get help." Hermione gave the blue vial to Alan who looked at the potion with both determination and a little bit of dread.

"Take the broomstick and call McGonagall as soon as possible Hermione and don't worry about me, I am the boy-who-lived, I finished you-know-who when I was a child, this is just an evil professor we are chasing, he won't stand a chance."

Alan puffed his thick chest out making Hermione frown in disgust before she shook her head and watched Alan gulp the entire potion in one go and throw the empty vial to a corner where it smashed and broke into pieces.

"All the best Alan," Hermione said and after nodding to each other, she turned towards the door and ran back towards the chessboard room while Alan started walking towards the black fire.

Hermionie was about to open the door to that large empty room when the door opened on its own and someone stepped in the room.

The Gryffindor girl's eyes widened in shock as she took a step back "YOU!"

Harry let out a small breath when his diagnostic charms confirmed that the Weasley male would live a few more boring years of his below-average life. He released his wand back into the holster and ran towards the troll chamber.

The chamber was, as he had already predicted, empty. So, without wasting any time, Harry ran towards the Potions chamber hoping against hope that he was still in time and that Alan and Hermione-no wait, Hermione only hadn't solved the riddle already.

The elemental opened the door and stopped when he saw Hermione's shocked face a metre away from his and by the looks of it, she was going for the door's handle.

"YOU!" Hermione screamed in shock and disbelief.

"Me yes. That's the second of your lot. Now, where's Alandale?" Harry asked the still shocked girl.

"What are you doing here? You aren't supposed to be here!" Hermione was still shocked as to how this boy of all people had joined them.

"I am trying to save you idiots from being more idiotic than usual, now .Alandale?"

Maybe it was the look on Harry's face or maybe it was the way he spoke, maybe it was the situation that they were in or maybe it was the fear of looming death that had clouded her mind, Hermione for the first time didn't argue with Harry and instead pointed him towards the corridor brimming with black flames lashing out like whips "He is in there, going to save the stone from Professor Snape."

'Snape? Oh you bloody ignorant fools…you don't even know who you are trying to save the stone from,' Harry shook his head.

"Where are you going? Why are you even in-" Hermione stopped again when those smouldering green eyes glared at her.

"Go help Weasley, I tried to heal him but it's not perfect, take him to Madam Pomfrey and go tell McGonagall to call Dumbledore, I will try to stop Alan from going on a suicide mission," Harry told her as he turned towards the flame corridor.

"You know Healing charms are-" Hermione began.

"NOW! Granger! Do as I say or both of your friends will die within half-an-hour!" The emergency and force in Harry's voice pushed Hermione to scurry off in the direction where she knew Ron was lying while Harry moved towards the corridor just in time to see Alan take the first stepinthe corridor.

"ALAN, NO!" Harry screamed but his brother ignored him and went completely into the fire. He turned back towards the sound and was surprised to see his brother standing in front of Hermione.

"What are you doing here? You shouldn't be here." Alan shouted over the flames as Harry ran towards him.

"And you shouldn't do what you are doing, step out of the flames this instant!" Harry yelled back was about to pull his wand to summon Alan out of the flames but he noticed how the open floo fireplace was active now and that his brother was already in the process of rapid floo transgressions.

Any moment now and Alan would be flooed to Dumbledore's office, thefloowhich might have Quirrell in it.

"You think I don't know what you are doing here?" Alan smirked as he saw his brother come to a halt.

"What? I am trying to save you, you damn idiot! Step out of the flames already or you will be trapped and likely be killed tonight!"

"Try all you want but it won't faze me. I know you want to save the stone and steal my credit but you're notthehero Harry, that's me." Alan puffed his chest out "I have always been the hero, the better one among us and I will be the hero this time too!"

And with that, Alan started moving towards the final chamber.

'WHAT THE-' Harry's brain stopped working for a few nanoseconds when he heard the utterly idiotic and abysmal sh*t of an excuse which proved his brother's minuscule prowess in thinking capacity and his IQ which was probably lower than the room temperature.

"What's wrong with you? Come back, don't go, it's not Snape that you are going after!" Harry screamed aloud but by then Alan had already crossed the fire.

'Wait what? Did Dumbledore refill the potion that allowed you to cross the flames? If that is the case then..' Harry turned towards the potion table, he could check the vial if there was even a drop left, the potion would still-

But the vial wasn't there, Harry looked around and saw broken pieces of glass that were there in a corner 'Can you be any more of an idiot?' Knowing his brother, Harry knew that he shouldn't ask such things, his brother might prove him wrong.

Harry looked around the room and realised that Hermione had already left 'Probably to save Weasley' he then made up his mind to use his life source and charge his elemental powers enough so that he could fly over the black flames and enter the chamber to fight Quirrel.

The elemental closed his eyes and was about to link his elemental self with his mortal one when he heard a voice that stopped him.

"Why am I not surprised that you already know Severus is not after the stone…after all, you aren't the dumb one who went inside, are you?"

Harry turned around and immediately flicked his wand out, the tip glowed as its master took a defensive stance, glaring at…nothing? The boy didn't utter a word but spread his magical senses around him, was Quirrell playing games with him now?

"Where are you? Show yourself."

Laughter boomed in the nearly empty chamber as Harry looked around, he could sense that the sound was originating from the dark corner to his far-right but he could neither see the man nor sense him.

"I have to say though, you are far more interesting than the presumedboy-who-lived.I've been observing you for a year now and I am quite pleased with your growth."

"Though I doubt it, I am glad that my progress makes you happy. Now come out and show yourself, your voice has changed but I know who you are." 'Quirrel, where the hell are you?' Harry looked to his right where the laughter boomed from and he was shocked at what he saw.

The shadow to his far right darkened and moved towards the corner where they coalesced and it seemed that they became more solid, as if the shadows from the entire room were running to that one point of convergence.

Slowly a shape started forming as a solid black mass emerged from the darkened corner and rose to Harry's height before rising even more. Hands and legs started forming as the shoulders space widened and a head of the same inky blackness emerged.

There was now a shadow figure standing right in front of Harry who was looking at it with wide eyes as he saw the figure slowly clear out to get Quirrell's smirking face.

"Quirrell," Harry muttered as the shadows over the man's torso crept down like snakes clinging to him while black wisps from the smirking DADA professor's limbs.

"Surprised Mr Potter?" Quirrel asked the boy who was still looking at him with a pointed wand and surprisingly enough there wasn't a single emotion that could be detected from the boy.

No fear, no anxiousness, no dread…it was as if the boy was a statue carved out of stone without any mind or emotions for that matter.

"Not at all, I already knew it was you who was after the stone, I am here to stop you from doing what you plan on doing Quirrell," Harry stated calmly as he was eying the smiling professor who finally stepped out of the shadows into the light.

"And pray tell me Potter, what do you think I am planning to do with the 'stone' as you put it?" Quirell was smiling as he walked out of the shadows and-

"Why, resurrect Voldemort of course."

The moment he had said that Quirrell stopped midstride, his eyes widened and glared at the boy "What are you saying, Potter? Have you lost your mind?!"

Harry allowed a small smirk to form on his face as he readied a spell chain in his head "SurprisedProfessor? I know all about that thing on the back of your skull."

"Watch your mou-

"Quirrrinussss….remove the turban now, I will sssspeeak to him persssonallly…."

Quirrell gulped as he heard his master's displeasure 'Bu-but you aren't strong enough for-AAAGGGGHHHHHHHH!"

"I hope…that thisss gave you a tasste of…my powerrrr…"

Harry gulped as he tightened his grip on his wand while Quirrell turned around and removed the turban, slowly yet surely that hideous face he had seen a few days ago came in front of his face, the same red glowing eyes full of malice glared at him with hatred.

"Potter…it's been some time, Harry Potter…"

Harry hated the way Voldemort's face said his name as if they were long-lost friends, but both of them knew better than that, "Voldemort, I take it, you need motivation for another vacation?"

Voldemort glared at the boy in front of him "It is always surprising how your father tried to joke too before I killed him myself."

Harry clenched his teeth as he glared at Voldemort, clamping down harder on his Occlumency shields so that he doesn't act rashly in such a sticky situation.

"Impressive Potter, I can't read your mind at all…to be able to challenge the might of Lord Voldemort, even though I am weakened, is impressive," The face smirked. "Never let it be known that Lord Voldemort doesn't appreciate his opponent's skills."

Harry didn't say anything and instead decided to stare at the speaking face in front of him 'Think Harry, think! This is Lord Voldemort you are facing, what to do? How to beat him?'

"I would have asked you to join me but we both know you aren't an idiot and won't join me, so let's talk about how you will try and fail to stop me from getting my hands on the stone and finishing my work that I started all those years ago in Godric's Hollow."

Harry frowned "Why would you even think that I would join you voluntarily? You are the worst wizard, you have killed innocents for power and you will kill anyone who stands in your way to gain that, it doesn't matter who they are."

Voldemort laughed as he looked at the boy, "There is only power and those too weak to seek it. I have seen your progress throughout the year, Potter, how you saved that girl from an accident and how you killed that troll."

"It is as clear as it could be Potter, we both are strong, you are just like me when I was your age, the world seemed boring and unjust, this is why I decided to…correct a few things and if it wasn't for you, I'd have won," Voldemort told the boy who was listening intently.

"Yes well, sorry for the disturbance, now I'll ask you to leave Quirrell and not to show up for a few more years because I don't think you'll leave the mortal plane today." Harry took the defensive stance once again and tightened his leg muscles.

"I am immortal Potter, I have left these mere limitations of mortal death long ago, you can't even comprehend-"

"CONFRINGO! DEPULSO!"

The first bright red beam of light shot towards Voldemort who jumped to the side immediately turning mid-air and casting aprotego.

"So you want to play Potter? Let's see how you do it!" Quirrell spat out as he readied his wand.

"What can I say?" Harry shrugged, "Your master was too boring,APOVOLI ORGANON!"**

"CONFRINGO!" Quirrell sidestepped the organ-expelling curse and blasted the ground where Harry was standing who jumped out of the way as dust and stone flew everywhere.

"Never expected a first year to know such Dark curses, what would Dumbledore say, Potter?" Quirrel mocked as he dodged a purple beam of light which was likely the eye-gouging curse.

"I don't care what he thinks, I am only here to kill you and that's what will happen today!REDUCTO MAXIMA!" Harry ducked as the conjunctivitis curse came his way.

"You can try Potter, this is not even making me sweat." Quirrell conjured a block of granite to block the reductor. Dust and pebbles flew from the point of impact as the granite was blasted.

"Mutatio LATA! Ventus!"** The floating dust turned to small pins and flew towards Quirrell who conjured another slab of granite to block the onslaught.

Quirrell jumped off the granite slab as Harry blasted it and pointed towards the rubble "TRANSMORFIGUO!"**

Four small golems started rising from the granite rubble with dark red eyes as they charged towards Harry.

'sh*t!' "BOMBARDA MAXIMA!" Harry blasted the central golems and the other two near it.

"AccioTie!" Quirrel pointed towards Harry's tie which got pulled towards the incoming Golem. "CALCITRARE MAXIMA"**

Harry's eyes widened as he watched the golem come at him "Difindo," Slicing his tie Harry moved to his left dodging the golem but got smashed in the face with the Punching hex, he winced as he felt something fluid travel down his right nostril. Likely blood.

"Give up Potter, you might be strong but you can never match my master's skills and knowledge, you will likely die just like your parents did that night." Quirrell taunted Harry who slipped and fell while dodging.

Harry hated this. He could see the difference, but that wasn't all, Quirrell's attacks were actually quite strong and he was pretty sure that the golem with hex techniques was old Voldy's suggestion.

"We'll see Quirrell, who dies tonight and who gets to see tomorrow's sunrise." Harry wiped the blood off as he glared at the monster in front of his eyes and a plan started forming in his mind.

"Enough playing Potter, time is of the essence so I'd like to end our little game here,AVADA KEDAVRA!" Green light shot out of Quirrell's wand and raced towards Harry.

'Perfect' Harry flicked his wand towards the incoming spell "AVIS!" A large flock of birds flew from his wand towards the incoming death ray "MUTARE MORTUOS!"**

Quirrell's eyes widened as the birds suddenly changed to a flock of eagles with steel beaks and claws, the group squeaked as one and went on to converge on Quirrell.

Harry smirked when he saw the fear on Quirrell's face, he then flicked his hand towards the two bottles of Nettle wine on the table and removing their cork, he threw the bottles at Quirrell with full force.

"BOMBARDA MAXIMA!" Quirrell blasted the flock of birds but winced as a few on the sides dodge the blast and he screamed in pain when they converged to pierce his skin.

What Quirrell failed to notice was that there was another blast that was hidden in the one that he did, small pieces of glass were scattered all over the floor in front of him as his face felt to be dripping with something and his robe was wet.

"Difindo!" cutting the last of the birds that were piercing his flesh he looked at the severed bird as large amounts of blood sprouted from the cut.

"Ignis Flagellum!"**

Quirrell's eyes widened in shock when a red hot fire whip lashed out of Potter's wand and moved towards him, he tried to dodge it but the pain from the birds was too much and the whip caught him on his chest.

"WHAT THE-AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH" Quirrell screamed as his face and body caught on fire courtesy of the two bottles of nettle wine that splashed on him when he blasted the birds.

"BOMBARDA MAXIMA OMNIS!" Harry blasted Quirrel to either side of the Troll chamber, hard. He knew that Quirrell was just shocked and that he didn't have much time before the psychopath's shock wore off.

Time was of the essence now 'Hope you finish your work fast Granger, cause this next one will suck up twenty-five percent of my power at once…'

"EXERCITUS MORTUORUM!"**

A giant wave of silver magic crossed through the rubble formed from the entire wall that had been crushed, the tonne load of weight started floating a foot above the level and soon enough got accumulated in seven different places.

"Arise…"

A skeleton hand made of stone rose from one of the accumulated spots followed by its body as the rubble got shaped and attached like a skeleton warrior, silver aura filling them, making their hollow eyes glow in the dim room.

"Glacius Ignis!" Quirrell screamed and extinguished the flames. His robes as well as his face, both were burnt in patches.

Red flesh was visible in Quirrell's hideous face as he glared at Harry who was doing the same from the other side but what shocked Quirrell was Harry's recent creation, his burning didn't cause him much harm.

Quirrell cursed his luck when he looked at what his overconfidence had caused him.

Seven fully formed skeleton warriors were standing in the room, brimming with Harry's magic giving out a silver aura, their eye sockets filled with the same silver glow as wisps of silvery vapour wafted out from their magically constructed bodies.

"Master….I am sorry to disturb you, but your servant needs your help." Quirrell knew his master wouldn't be pleased with this but if they didn't use his wraith powers, then they might not survive the onslaught from the Potter heir.

Apparently, Voldemort was also surprised by the thirteen-year-old's skill, knowledge and power he held, therefore without saying anything Voldemort summoned his power that he had inculcated in his wraith form over the years.

This was the power that had helped him enter and escape Gringotts unscathed when he had gone to look for the stone in the Flamel vault, this was the power that had helped him curse that broomstick when he had tried and failed to kill the Potter heir and on many such occasions.

The power to become one with the shadows, the power to become a shadow….the power to become darkness…

Quirrell felt his body get wrapped tightly by invisible ropes as snake-like writhing grazed his lower limbs. He jumped straight into the nearest shadowed spot and smirked at Potter, his half-burnt lips showing his teeth as his eyes glared at Harry with unbound malice.

"It has been a..fun night Potter-"

Harry raised his wand and pointed towards his DADA professor "PIERTOTUM LOCOMOTOR!"**

The skeletons charged towards Quirrell.

"-but I guess we both want to end this now, therefore" Quirrell pointed his wand towards the burning torches in the room "VENTUS!"

The burning torches went off and Harry's eyes widened as the last thing he saw before the light went off was Quirrell's body sinking in the shadows in the blink of an eye after which the chamber was pushed into darkness and…

"AVADA KEDAVRA!"**

'I have to do it, Harry and Alan are in trouble now…don't know why or how Harry followed us but I know he is strong and so will be able to handle Professor Snape better than Alan.'

Hermionie was levitating Ron's partially healed unconscious body as she grabbed the broom before crossing the room of flying keys and standing beneath the burnt Devil Snare.

The bushy-haired Gryffindor gulped as she raised her leg and sat on the broom 'I hate this…I know I am never going to be as good as Alan or Ron at this but desperate situations call for desperate measures,' Hermione thought before looking towards the still levitating Ron.

Pushing the trap door open with a hard push, Hermione thanked her lucky stars that the harp was still playing which meant that Fluffy was still sleeping, they had enough problems as it is.

Floating wobbly out of the trap-door hole with Ron's arms around her torso, tied together with his T-Shirt. Hermione slowly crossed the room, she squeaked a bit when a large gust of air pushed her forwards courtesy of Fluffy's snore.

'Where to now? Professor McGonagall or Madam Pomfrey?' Hermione looked at Ron and made up her mind.

'KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK!'

"Professor McGonagall! Please open the door!" Hermione screamed as she rapped on the door to the Transfiguration Professor's office which was connected to her personal suite.

"PROFESSOR MCGONA-" Hermione stopped as the door creaked open and McGongall stood there wrapping her night robe around her, frowning at Hermione's small form with tired, half-asleep eyes which widened in shock when she saw the sight in front of her eyes.

"Miss Granger?! What are you doing here at this-? And is that Weasley? What happened to him and why is he like this? What were you two-"

"Professor! We don't have much time!" Hermione screamed, effectively pausing McGonagall's terrified rant.

"What?"

"Yes professor, we don't have much time. Harry and Alan are fighting Professor Snape right now to save the Philosopher's Stone…"

"Oh for the last time GRANGER-"

"-we need to contact Professor Dumbledore now so that he can save Alan and Harry and the stone too! They are down there professor, we were there too, I had to run to call you so that you could call Headmaster Dumbledore!" Hermione finished and took a large gulp of air.

"Granger, why did you go after the stone? Didn't I tell you that the stone was safe at Hogwarts and that Professor Snape is one of the professors guarding the stone?" McGonagall asked her second favourite student with narrowed eyes.

"Fluffy was asleep when we reached him, we burned the Devil Snare, Alan opened the gate to the huge chess room…"

McGonagall's eyes widened as she heard Hermione count off the traps in the corridor.

"Three pieces were already damaged on the chess board, one of which was the king. Ron's skill in chess saved us but he had to sacrifice himself," Hermione cried as she retold the story.

"Then I solved the potions riddle professor, but the bottle was already half because Professor Snape had already finished half of it. Alan finished the rest and crossed the black flame corridor to save the stone. I-I don't even know how he is right now or if he is alive or not!" Hermione wailed out loud.

McGonagall's face had frozen in shock as she heard the tale and watched Hermione cry her heart out. She wanted to scold the girl for being so reckless but if what the first year Gryffindor had said was true, then they were in grave danger and there was only one thing left to do.

Green fire flared as Dumbledore stepped out of the floo in Professor McGonagall's office, he had been sleeping in one of the Ministry guest rooms due to some late-night meeting with Cornelius regarding the bi-annual Wizengamot session on the coming Summer Solstice.

That was when Dumbledore's floo had flared from the receptionist asking him if she could connect his floo to his deputy headmistress who was waiting for him because it was an emergency.

In truth, it was still May and the Wizengamot session was about a month from now, but he needed to get Voldemort and Quirrell in the same room soon. This was the reason why he had announced in today's staff meeting that he would be out of Hogwarts tonight.

It was all going according to the plan when he sensed Quirrell's signature followed by Alan and his friends, things were a bit suspicious when he felt Harry Potter's signature after them but he let it be, because this might help him gauge the potential in Potter brothers.

Dumbledore's perimeter alert ward around the mirror had signified to him about Alan's entry into the final chamber but suspiciously enough, he was the only one who had entered.

This was why Dumbledore was actually waiting for Quirrell to enter the final chamber and meet Alan there, the plan was to wait a few minutes before he would flash in the troll chamber, then drink the spare potion to cross the black flames and then fight Quirrell to death.

This way, it would solidify his image in Alan's eyes as the most powerful being in the entire magical world and would help him gain the boy-who-lived's complete loyalty.

This was why Dumbledore was more than a bit surprised when Minerva had floo-called him about some emergency and when he came he found Hermione Granger standing beside Minerva while a battered Ron Weasley was lying on the couch.

"What happened?" Dumbledore asked both the females who shared a worried glance before starting with the story.

'Ugh, from the right this time..' "Bombarda!" He screamed as he dodged the burning flame whip that passed through the point where he was standing moments ago.

The boy was standing beneath a large glowing ball of light that he had cast the moment he dodged Quirrell's first spell. He then proceeded to spread his senses that were five metres in radius with him at its centre.

Three of his skeleton soldiers had been destroyed by Quirrell and the rest were moving around trying to look for a wand point which was still hiding in the shadows somewhere and was shooting spells at Harry.

Harry was still standing but he wasn't unscathed, this guerilla warfare was taking a toll on his physical strength while maintaining the senses along with the magical lumos over his head combined with the five skeleton soldiers running purely on his magic was depleting his magic quickly.

The boy had three cuts on his right arm, a large gnash from his left shoulder running to his left hip bone.

Harry was sure that the punching hexes had broken at least two of his ribs. His right foot was also suffering from the flame whip that had caressed it when he had tried to dodge the severing hex aimed at his neck.

But all thanks to his fast reflexes and senses, the elemental was able to not only protect himself from any major harm, but he had also to severely damage Quirrell, this was of course a big bonus now when he was fighting in Quirrell's terrain.

Although he still wasn't sure how long he'd be able to keep this up or how long will Quirrell be able to keep this up.

'DUCK Potter!' "REDUCTO MAXIMA!"

"Why is the female gender so hard to convince on anything?" Dumbledore muttered as he crossed the second-floor corridor and went towards the third-floor one.

Both Minerva and Hermione were adamant about accompanying Dumbledore on his way to save the stone and were arguing with him as to why that was more important than taking Ronald Weasley to the Hospital wing.

In the end, Dumbledore had told them that he was more than capable of handling the thief and that they should care more about a fellow Gryffindor as a family. He might or might not have used compulsion charm as well as the confounding hex to cloud their judgement, but ah well.

So, this was why the headmaster was now moving towards the third-floor corridor so that he could travel down the chute and engage Quirrell.

Dumbledore wasn't worried though because according to the alert wards, Alan was still in the room with the mirror which meant that the boy was currently watching his dream and was enraptured in it while Quirrell and Harry had yet to cross it.

This meant that Quirrell might be fighting Harry Potter right now and since Harry Potter was a 'nobody' in the grand scheme, he was pretty much like a useless pawn and therefore expendable in the grand scheme…Dumbledore's eyes widened and he increased his speed and rushed towards the door.

'How did Alan break through the mirror's compulsion and why did he go back to the Potion's chamber now?'

"So this is it, eh?"

Harry glared at the nothingness around him. He had been beaten and he knew that. Quirrell had turned out to be a formidable opponent and had successfully beaten Harry Potter.

It was true that Quirrell was currently using Voldemort's power and that Harry couldn't use his elemental magic to fly above the shadows or he didn't have much magical power left due to the fight and spells that had absorbed his magic at an exponential rate.

But that didn't change the fact that Quirrell had won their fight and was only toying with him now. It was true that the DADA professor was not too different from the boy, with a burnt body and his right limb blasted out from down the shoulder but Harry didn't know that yet.

"HARRY?" Alan screamed and the said boy's eyes widened in shock as he saw a dark silhouette emerge from the black flame corridor 'No no no…not now…go back Alan…not now!'

"Where are you, you nerd? I can't see anything in here, what happened to the torches?" Alan asked as he walked in the darkness while walking with precaution along the wall.

Harry kept silent fearing that if he spoke then he might give his position away from within the invisibility cloak that he had used at the last moment.

Harry was also using the last of his elemental magic reserve to float a centimetre above the ground so that the shadows might not give his position away.

All of his skeletons were nothing more than dust now and Harry had to extinguish the Lumos ball to save his power and to hide himself, he could still sense Alan's location through his sensor sheet. And the redhead was straightaway pissing on all of his efforts.

"So you won't tell me huh? Snape wasn't in there, it's entirely possible that he left already, so this entire thing has been use-ACK! OUCH! OUCH! OUCHH! Damnit looks like you really are not going to help me here, some brother you are, I wish it was you who died that night instead of Mom and Dad!" Alan muttered before pulling out his wand.

"Lumo-"

"AVADA KEDAVRA!"

'NOO!'

Dumbledore flicked his wand and saw as the slide formed that went down the chute passing through the burnt Devil Snare, all the way to the floor.

The headmaster cursed his luck that Fawkes had suffered a burning day just three days ago and the passage that he had traced when the stone had been originally stolen led him to a special secret passage which could only be opened from the inside.

Even he himself had never known that such a door existed, so it was shocking news that a total outsider knew about this door and that they had somehow activated it to escape successfully.

But for now, other pressing matters needed to be taken care of, and so Dumbledore slid down the trap door, intent on finding Quirrell as he was sure that Harry Potter would have been dead by now.

"DEPULSO!" Harry screamed as the white beam of light left his wand and impacted Alan straightaway, flinging the boy seven feet back into the corner.

There was an audible crack in the crack which signified that the boy had smashed his head and had probably fallen unconscious 'Was that the crunch of glass? Probably'

"DEPULSO!" Harry cursed as he tried to dodge the spell that was racing his way but was unsuccessful and got hit on his right shoulder. He winced as he was thrown back and he smashed into the wall behind him falling unceremoniously on the floor.

Voldemort laughed as he sensed the still form of his opponent through the shadows around him, he knew that the boy was still alive which was a miracle in itself because they had been fighting for the last half-an-hour and to not only sustain that but also damage his body to this extent?

It was indeed praiseworthy, if not for the boy's morals Voldemort knew that he would have gone to any length to recruit the boy and train him as his own, after all, he cherished talent and knew when he saw potential, 'But alas, all good things come to an end and so will he.'

"I hope that you won't do anything Potter." Quirrell taunts Harry as he comes out of the shadows holding Alan's body as hostage "Because we both know what will happen to the last of your family if you try to do that."

"I don't…have to Quirrell…" Harry looked at his DADA professor who flicked his wand and another glowing ball of light started floating in the centre of the chamber.

"Granger is on her way…to call Dumbledore and..and McGonagall. You can kill me…and Alan too but you won't get your hands…on the stone tonight…" Harry took a huge breath of air as he tried to pass as much time as he could to gain enough power for one last spell.

"By the time that old coot arrives, I would have already left with the stone and resurrected my master. After that, this world will cry tears of blood, you two are the first of many sacrifices, Potter, be glad that your death marks the beginning of a new era." Quirrell grinned and turned towards the black flame corridor.

But then something weird happens, well according to Voldemort and Quirrell anyway. Harry laughs.

"What is the meaning of this Potter? Did you finally snap and step into insanity?!" Quirrell taunted the boy who kept on laughing.

"The stone that you are going after…that stone had already been stolen…months ago." Harry laughed out loud when he saw the look of utter frustration and anger on Quirrell's face.

"You are bluffing Potter, you don't even know what you are talking about anymore."

"If that is what you think Quirrell, but trust me when I say this, the stone is already stolen and…that mirror inside is nothing but an empty trap now." Harry wheezed out.

"And if it's stolen, who is the thief that crossed all these traps and why didn't that old fool tell his staff members about this?" Quirrell sneered but was internally getting worried that what Harry was saying might actually be true, even though its possibility was minute.

"I don't know why Dumbledore never told his staff members but I know who stole it before you." Harry smirked when he saw the frown on Quirrell's disgusting face "Me."

"You are lying Potter, there's no way you could ever-"

"How else do you think I came here the moment you came?... How do you think I already knew that it wasn't Snape but you who was after the stone? How do you think I knew about that idiot sticking at the back of your head?" Harry was slowly getting strong again as he was gaining enough strength for one last spell.

Quirrell didn't say anything for a few minutes but Voldemort knew the answer, they had failed. The stone was already stolen and there was no way that they'd ever be able to get their hands on it because no one knew where the boy had kept the stone.

All of his hard work, all of his frustration, his plans….everything went down the drain again because of one single boy. and again, the same single boy!

Quirrell screamed in unimaginable pain as Voldemort started severing their link forcefully, he knew that his servant was useless now and that he would be more of a burden than an asset. It was better to finish him off now than to suffer his mistake later.

Harry looked as Quirrell fell on his knees and screamed his lungs out, he summoned all of his leftover strength as he raised his wand and pointed it towards Quirrell, building up all of his expandable magical power he looked at the screaming creature 'Now or never'

'WHAM!'

The door to the far end of the chamber was blast opened as Dumbledore rushed in, his eyes widened in shock as he could not comprehend what was actually happening here. He was about to shout Harry's name but it was too late.

"BOMBARDA MAXIMA!"

A pure black ray with a silver wave rotating around it lept off his wand and rushed towards the DADA professor of Hogwarts and hit him straight on the head.

Quirrell's eyes widened moments before his head was blasted in a shower of flesh and bones as blood splashed on the wall and floor while the headless body fell over the unconscious body of Alandale Potter.

A black wraith emerging from the place where Quirrell's head should've been and opening its mouth in a mute agonising scream was the last thing Harry saw before his vision turned black and he fell unconscious.

Ending Note:You might be confused as to why Harry didn't use his elemental powers. Here's the reason: Voldemort will be really powerful with a huge army and creatures in SotW, it won't be like other fics or canon Voldemort. So, if I revealed Harry's elemental powers then when Harry finally fought (and killed) Voldemort, the dark lord would have been ready to counter Harry's elemental powers.

This way, Harry will have a surprise of his own which will help in killing Voldemort. Also, it was total coincidence on the character's part that Voldemort choose to go after the stone on the same day which harry had exhausted himself (it was planned by me for aforementioned reason but Harry hadn't planned on beng weak, which you can read above.

There you have it fellas, editted and perfected version of chapter 23 of Silence of the Winters.

Liked it? Loved it? Needs some improvements? Please tell me! You don't know how blessed I feel when my reviewers exceed my expectations.

I read each and every one of them thrice and feel blessed to have such good and active readers as you.

Even a simple 'Good work Dev' is appreciated.

Here's the link to mysuper private serveron discord where I'll keep on updating new chapters, sneak peeks, Character designs, where you are free to talk and ask things regarding my fics directly (As I am most active there):

Its a relatively newly launched server...

https://discord.gg/Gcbcv4dxGx

Name:𝕯𝖊𝖛 𝕭𝖑𝖆𝖈𝖐'𝖘 𝕰𝖒𝖕𝖎𝖗𝖊

Next Chapter: Chapter 24: Homecoming!!

**List of spells used and their actions:

Bombarda:Exploding Charm.

Episkey:Restoration (Minor healing spell).

Confringo:Blasting Hex.

Depulso:Banishing Hex.

Protego:Protection shield charm.

Apovoli Organon:Organ Expelling curse.

Reducto:To reduce objects to dust.

Mutatio Lata:Transfiguration to pins.

Ventus:Wind Charm.

Transmorfiguo:Golem Transfiguration and Animation.

Accio:Summoning charm.

Calcitrare:Punching Hex.

Diffindo:Slashing/Cutting Hex.

Avada Kedavra:Really?

Avis:Bird Conjuration.

Mutare Mortus:Transfiguring to deadly.

Ignis Flagellum:Flame Whip.

Exercitus Mortuorum:Army of the Dead.

Glacius Ignis:Flame freezing spell.

Piertotum Locomotor:Animation spell, brings inanimate to life.

Thank you for reading.

With regards,

Dev Black

Chapter 24: Homecoming

Chapter Text

"I am Talking."

'I am Thinking'

Spells

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You can visit the entire world and still your heart yearns for the one place that you called 'Home'.

~ R-Kade

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Previously in SotW:

Quirrell's eyes widened moments before his head was blasted in a shower of flesh and bones as blood splashed on the wall and floor while the headless body fell over the unconscious body of Alandale Potter.

A black wraith emerging from the place where Quirrell's head should've been and opening its mouth in a mute agonising scream was the last thing Harry saw before his vision turned black and he fell unconscious.

Silence of the Winters

-Dev Sagittarius Black

~~Chapter 24: Homecoming~~

Releasing the torrent of air which had been circulating his respiratory system, cold green eyes looked ahead, devoid of all the emotions that their owner was being tormented with.

It was mid June and exam season had just ended, students were given a week long holiday from classes while the papers were being corrected.

Therefore the group as a whole had decided to hangout in 'their' spot which was amid the large roots underneath the shade of the old oak tree near the black lake.

It was a typical summer day, with typical sunshine and typical breeze, typical laughter, typical talks and a typical day. Everything was 'typical' except what was going through Harry's mind, regarding a few things that had happened in the past few days, especially on that day.

Harry had woken up to a white ceiling and a hard bed, Pomfrey had been out and there were a few blinking lights glowing all around him, he knew they were telling his health status and that one of them would have already alerted the Matron about his return to consciousness.

Pomfrey was shocked with his recovery rate, that he had somehow managed to recover seventy-five percent of his lost magic and had cured his physical ailments within three days, something that would have taken an average magic wielder about ten days at the very least.

There were flowers, chocolates and everything around him and his wand was on the bedside table. His memory was a bit dull as his mind was still not completely recovered, thankfully, it was mrning hours when he had awoken therefore there wasn't anyone near his bed.

"You have really good friends Potter, cherish them." That's what Madam Pomfrey had told Harry when she had described how each one of them had visited when he was unconscious and how she had to kick them out forcefully and then prevent them from sneaking in.

'Stupid dumbheads, I was unconscious, not dead, you were doing nothing more than irritating the person who's one mistake could have cost me something serious' Harry thought as he watched the giant squid laze around in the lake and eat the bread crumbs dropped in the water by the Weasley twins.

Exams were obviously too easy for him as the elemental's advanced brain was too powerful with an impeccable amount of accuracy for recalling information and utilising it with precision in formulating the best possible answers which the mortal mind could comprehend.

Ergo, it was excruciatingly painful to decrease his mental prowess to the level of the sheep he resided with, just so he could bore his professors with above average answers at best.

Thankfully, his mental capabilities got a bit of leeway in Potions because of two reasons, one was of course Snivellus and the other was he was widely proclaimed as a potions prodigy, which worked in his favour, therefore for Potions, he had released three out of the five thought processes he possessed.

The entire school was awaiting the results because then they would be able to leave the school grounds and go back to their homes, to enjoy the summer vacations and their meagre lives caged between four walls, in their delusions of safety.

Harry wasn't one of them. No, the elemental knew what his result was going to be alongwith the fact that he would never believe in the delusions of safety when there were thousands of criminals running around causing havoc and millions of individuals being tortured everyday.

The mage knew that his previous win against Voldemort had been a fluke, he knew there was no way that the Dark Lord could have lost if it hadn't been for his momentary decision to tell him that the stone was already stolen.

Harry knew that if not for that, the situation would have been entirely different. The Potter and Peverell houses would have died that night and would only have been the first ones among the many that followed.

Dumbledore would have been able to stop Quirrell if he had reached the mirror chamber in time but Harry knew that he would have been dead that night if not for that lucky fluke and Voldemort's distracted self.

'All that training, all those hours in the rooms, all of my early mornings and late nights, my elemental training ...everything turned out to be a waste. Something that couldn't stand against Voldemort' Harry released another breath as he looked around.

'Have I not trained enough to achieve my full potential? Did I lack the discipline required to master the art of defence and protection of the weak? Did I let those easy victories last year delude my mind into hubris?' Harry glared at the boy that he saw was coming towards him.

'Maybe I have. Maybe I have indeed gone lax…maybe I've indeed forgotten my true purpose and how I am who I am…if not for those, I'd have had not let Voldemort win last night. Yes it was my victory, but it was a fluke, something that could have gone wrong if Voldemort had decided to punish me instead of Quirrell.'

"Harry, what do you say?" Susan asked him to which he looked at the redhead sitting towards his right with a confused frown "Pardon?"

'But what did I do wrong? Where did I lose my path? What changed in me? Why did I deviate?...Why?'

Susan frowned a bit but repeated her previous statement "I said, that considering the fact that you agreed for a week-long stay at The Ossuary, how about we do it at the end of the vacation, right Hannah?" Susan asked the boy sitting beside her as she looked towards her best friend.

It had been Hannah's idea, that since Harry had agreed to vacation, then why not ask him to visit you in the week that you had your birthday? At that time it had seemed such an exciting idea, now though? She wasn't that sure.

"Yeah." Hannah began,"I mean, we could go get the school shopping done too and then we could leave for Hogwarts together too right? If that's not much of a hassle?"

Harry thought about it before nodding "Works for me."

Susan gave a sun-shaming smile before hugging Harry shouting a loud 'Thank you' making Terry laugh while Su looked at the auburn haired girl with narrowed eyes. Harry on the other hand gave a simple grunt and went back to his thoughts.

Susan was happy, yes. This was what she had wanted, Harry had agreed to visit her during the week when she'd have her birthday, it was supposed to be really happy news. And it was, but there was something missing.

Something that had been missing for the past month, from the day that they had missed Harry during breakfast and their house heads had told them about Harry's presence in the Hogwarts Hospital Wing.

Susan can still remember the day as clear as a mirror's reflection, she had been devastated. Almost everyone in their, admittedly, large circle had been, including Daphne whom they had never seen show much emotions regarding Harry.

Harry had always been a pillar for all of them, someone whom everyone looked up to, someone who'd never fall even after being battered. They had never decided it but inherently everyone knew that Harry was the group's Alpha.

And to see him in such a condition was heart wrenching Broken bones, burnt flesh, bloodied limbs with scars over his upper torso. It had seemed as if Harry had battled a monster from the old legends that night while they had been sleeping peacefully.

Each of them visited him whenever they got time and it was a unanimous rule that they would immediately tell each other the moment their friend regained consciousness. Surprisingly enough, the list of visitors had included Professors McGonagall and Sinistra as well as Madam Pince.

But most surprising of them all was Hermione Granger. Susan knew she shouldn't have been that hostile towards her batchmate, but she didn't know why she had been…probably because it was the first day?

In the end Hannah had let Hermione stay because, well there was no reason for hernotto stay except the fact that the Gryffindor girl hanged around with Weasley and the boy-who-should-be-cursed-repeatedly, thankfully neither of them were here.

Well, the day Harry regained consciousness, each of them had been over the moon. For Susan, his entry into the Great Hall that day at lunch had been like an angel coming straight from God's palace.

And it had been. Until the girl had hugged Harry. His feeling, the way his magic responded to her, it was not how it usually did. She had never been good with feeling magic, still she was perceptive enough to know who had the best and who had the worst intentions.

There was a certain feel to the person's magic which her aunt had trained her in, just so she could stay away from those who'd want to use her because of her Aunt's position in the DMLE.

That feeling told her that Harry, the boy who had gone into the hospital, was different from the one who came out.

Susan had been skeptical about this at first, but over time, she and others noticed the change in Harry's behavior. The way he would stare distantly, the way he would be lost in some sort of deep thought process.

The way, Harry's soft green eyes would suddenly become raging infernos that would glare at nothing in particular before he would release a deep breath as if he had just finished off an internal battle against himself.

And slowly, everyone else along with Susan noticed how closed off Harry was becoming with himself, he wouldn't smile the small dimpled smiles he had come to show in the last few months, he would not even say anything unless specified.

But the biggest change was, he would simply wander off in his own mind and ignore everything else, like he had been doing before but everyone knew that even if he was simply ignoring them, he was still implicitly aware of what was going around him.

But after that day, Harry's descent into his mind was always followed by complete unawareness and ignorance of his surroundings. It was as if he would quite simply lose himself completely.

'What happened to you Harry? Why are you making a wall around yourself? Why are you undoing everything that we have built? Why Harry? Why are you destroying yourself? What happened that night?' Susan looked at her friend worriedly as he glared at the lake in front of them.

Harry on the other hand was still glaring at the boy who was about to join them very soon with an obviously frustrating news, if the hurried look on his face was any indication.

"Harry Potter?"

Harry looked up at the unknown boy with his right eyebrow raised, along with everyone else.

"Headmaster Dumbledore has summoned you to his office tonight after dinner, password is 'Piplup'."

'I was waiting for you headmaster, it's a surprise that it took you so long to call me, makes me think as to what you were planning for' Harry just gave a nod and sent the boy away.

"Harry, what do you think it could be?" Daphne asked him, frowning at the boy.

"Let's see, it's still a surprise, hopefully it remains a surprise and doesn't turn into a shock." Harry muttered.

'Knock Knock'

"Come in Harry!" Harry had almost rolled his eyes at that same little trick that the headmaster played on everyone to show his strength and superiority in a subtle way.

Harry entered the room and saw the headmaster sitting on his throne like chair behind his desk, smiling at him with twinkling eyes.

'This is most certainly going to end in a headache' both of them thought as Harry stood straight with his hands behind his back "Headmaster."

"Hello Harry, will you be so kind as to take a seat or are we in a hurry today too?" Dumbledore let out a small chuckle which irritated Harry because he couldn't see what was so funny about this, so he did the smart thing and didn't respond, at all.

"Well, aren't you going to take a seat, Harry?" Dumbledore asked again as he looked at Harry with twinkling blue eyes. Surprisingly, enough Harry didn't shift one bit.

"Harry?"

But Harry kept staring at the old headmaster straight into his eyes, without moving an inch.

"What's wrong?" Dumbledore asked as his twinkle dimmed a bit 'Why are you acting like this Potter? Just sit already, this meeting is quite long as it is'

"Headmaster, I think you're forgetting our last meeting, did I ever ask you to call me by my name and so much familiarity? I don't think we ever had a talk after that last one. How can you assume that I would allow that to happen now if I didn't let it pass last time?" Harry asked him.

Dumbledore's smile stiffened a bit but he relaxed immediately "Ofcourse-Ofcourse Mr. Potter. I am sorry for that small mistake on my part, now will you please take a seat as, I am afraid, this meeting is quite long and we have to discuss a few things."

"Sure Headmaster." Harry's sensor sheet alerted him about the rune plate that was sewed in the chair's cushion to make the person sitting on it more susceptible to Dumbledore's manipulations.

But Harry knew that it was more like a small chronic compulsion charm that continuously affected the person sitting on it, he was graded five occlumens, it would take that rune plate hours before it could even penetrate his shields.

Harry sat down on the chair and looked straight into the headmaster's eyes, "Now, professor, I'd like to know why I've been called to your office?"

Dumbledore nodded and pushed an envelope forward "These are your reports Mr. Potter, would you like to see it?"

"No, I don't want to see it." Harry refused, knowing full well where Dumbledore would go with it.

"Indeed? Well that's surprising but I still think it's a cause of concern Mr Potter, your report card says that your practical side of magic is 'average' while you have a relatively better grasp on theory than say eighty percent of your batchmates." Dumbledore stopped Harry from interrupting.

"I know for a fact that you are better at practical magic than almost everyone in the class, I've heard tales of exactly how you killed that troll months ago. I thought of that as a fluke but after your…fiasco, last month in that chamber, I'll assume that you can control your magic and use it better than everyone else."

Harry simply sat in front of the aged headmaster with a blank face, not showing any of his emotions regarding anything that was going on around him.

"So, the question arises Mr Potter?" The twinkling stopped entirely as Dumbledore looked straight at the boy sitting in front "Why have you forcefully decreased your prowess? Why are you forcing this absurd idea of being an average student when in reality you are head and shoulders above everyone else?"

"I don't know what you're saying, Headmaster, my scores in everything are the best I could've done. Regarding that chamber, I had heard Alandale and Weasley say something about it that day in the library, that's why I followed them and that spell? It was a lucky shot." Harry told him all of this with a straight face.

Dumbledore looked at the boy and shook his head tiredly. "I didn't play word games with you Mr Potter because I'd assumed that you might not like them, so please, I'd request you to not undermine my intelligence either."

Harry did frown at that 'Is there something he knows that he is not telling me?'

"Your magical signature Potter, your story about hearing it might be true but that doesn't explain that extra alert ward I found on the door to the third floor corridor, so you just happening to do something like that is an excuse at best and a lie at worst." Dumbledore clarified and smiled when he saw a minute snear crawl on Harry's face 'Got you!'

Harry heaved a sigh as he looked at the old wizard "I was curious about the corridor yes. That's why I learned the alert ward spell from the library to alert me if someone crossed it. I hadn't used it before but that day, I was suspicious about their plans. So, I did it."

Dumbledore smiled at the boy 'So masterful in deceiving others, aren't you?' "Ofcourse-Ofcourse, so, is that why everything in that chamber was destroyed and don't lie Mr Potter, I've seen Alan's memory about that night, he wasn't there the whole time, it was you who had been fighting Quirinus."

"Some of those spells, I might be old Mr Potter, but I am a transfigurations master. I could easily sense the usage of animation and transfiguration charms that both you and him used." Dumbledore's eyes narrowed at the boy.

Harry mentally cursed himself for forgetting to wipe that Mosswipe's memories and planting false ones 'I knew it, I was forgetting something! I am really going lax now'

"The Restricted Section is a place of knowledge Headmaster, I might be ignorant and have given an oath to not touch anything that's dark but that doesn't mean I wouldn't learn anything that could help me later. The spells you saw were examples of those." Harry clarified his statement and hoped that Dumbles would buy his excuse.

"So, you're saying that you learnt all those forbidden highly taxing spells, practiced enough to use them in a battle where one can't make a mistake even a small mistake, had that much magical power to hold the spells and you're still average in practical magic. Is this what you're saying, Potter?"

'Nicely cooked headmaster, why am I not surprised you took this much time to summon me, you've already turned every stone that could've been turned' Harry simply looked ahead and nodded 'I guess it is, time to reveal a few things'

"I admit that I have the skills Headmaster, but to show them or not is my personal choice. If I used all of my skills then do you think I'd remain as a mediocre student?" Harry asked him.

"Then my question changes. Why are you hiding your skills? What is your motive behind doing so?" Dumbledore moved forward and released a bit of his magic causing the air around him to thicken.

Harry simply shrugged, "Nothing harmful, I assure you. But I must say that for now, it's in your benefit to help me in concealing my abilities." Harry knew he was playing a big gamble now, but the second and third options were even more drastic and he wasn't ready to use them yet.

Dumbledore had almost smiled in triumph when he saw Harry finally admit something, Almost, "What do you mean?"

"Look at Professor Quirrell for example, I didn't know he was the one who was trying to steal the stone and Quirrell lost because he underestimated me, and we both know how it ended." Harry shrugged again.

"Therefore, if another adversary comes, shouldn't it be beneficial that they don't know about my skills? They'll likely make the same mistake again and will suffer because of that, just like their predecessors did."

Dumbledore frowned at this, now that he thought about it like that it was actually a really good point 'The best place to hide is in plain sight…'. Not to mention, this could help him get The Potter Heir's trust and then he might be able to manipulate-err guide the second Lord Potter too.

But for that to happen…"I can see the benefits of this, you could become more like a living moderator whom no one suspects and thus would show their sides to you that was normally hidden from the general populace, but I need to assess your skills for that."

Harry quirked his left eyebrow at that last statement, he hadn't known that Dumbledore would take up his half-ass fabrications but…assesing skills?

"Yes Mr Potter, I need to know how much you are capable of and when I should interfere in your things. Also, it would be beneficial if you reported anything out of the ordinary straight to me."

Dumbledore smiled at Harry "We can even work as a small team to help proper functioning of Hogwarts, I am willing to give you special privileges that would help you much more, like a forever access to the Restricted Section for one and anything else that-"

"No." Harry glared at Dumbledore with cold hate filled green eyes 'It's all the same for you lot isn't it? You politicians never let any opportunity to control and gain support go by, do you?'

"What?" Dumbledore asked the boy, frowns marring his forehead.

"I said no Headmaster, I am not going to become your personal puppet for controlling this school. I am not interested in anything that you could offer and I am most certainly 'not' going to show you my battle prowess." Harry glared back at the Headmaster with leashed fury.

The air that had normalised earlier thickened again as temperature dropped in the office beecause Dumbledore had again released his magic "You seem to be deluded Mr Potter…let me rephrase my earlier statement, it wasn't a request, you have to show your skills, or I'll have to report you to the DMLE for voluntarily and knowingly killing a Hogwarts Professor."

Harry's eyes darkened and the things on the far end of the office started to tremble as he released his magic in the office, the air was so thick that one could cut it with a knife.

"I think it's you who is deluded Headmaster, you seem to have something called narcissistic personality disorder, it was first identified by a muggle healer in 1898, I think you should look it up. It basically means that a person gets something akin to a 'God complex' and therefore thinks he is always right and that everyone should do what he says."

Dumbledore looked at Harry and gave a tight lipped smile "I know that I am mortal and thus I do make mistakes, why I mistakenly wore wrong socks yesterday and today I almost forgot to clean my purple dress robes. Eccentric? I have heard that but a mental patient? Careful there Mr Potter."

"Is the Headmaster of Hogwarts threatening a first year student in their office?" Harry asked with an innocent smile on his face forcing Dumbledore to stop his line of thinking.

The Chief Warlock knew the mistake he almost made and thus gave an uneasy chuckle as he dissipated his power and leaned back in his chair 'I don't know how you are a claw, because that cunning only deserved Slytherin'

"I think we are misunderstanding each other's intentions." Dumbledore said as twinkle returned in his eyes "I only wanted to know your skills to ensure your as well as the school's safety, also to know that you aren't learning anything dark in the name of defense."

"Then you don't have to worry Headmaster, because I haven't touched a single dark arts book in the Restricted Section, after all I gave an oath to Professor Flitwick regarding that. And as far as 'safety' goes, I think I did pretty well against Quirrell who had a mastery in DADA, I think I'll be able to handle others too." Harry admitted and dissipated his magic as he leaned back.

Dumbledore frowned at this, this is not what he wanted, the boy was again doing the same thing: Twisting his words and setting out decisions by himself, this is not how someone treats their Headmaster who also happens to be Albus Dumbledore!

"Now, Mr Potter, I am sure you understand the reason behind my suggestions, I don't know why you're trying to hide-"

"Nothing to hide Headmaster, and yes I understand the reason behind your words quite well indeed, you have my wellbeing as your primary concern which is appreciated, in fact I'll go as far as to say that when I step up as Lord Potter on my fifteenth birthday and take my seat on the Hogwarts Board of Governors, I'll be more than happy to support a few right causes."

Harry smiled internally when he saw Dumbledore pause 'I knew it! That's all that you want! House Potter-Peverell to support you, bribery always works with you people'

"But the Potters aren't on the board of governors, they haven't been there since 1931, are you planning to bring back the Potter house into politics?" Dumbledore queried the young heir.

"There are some plans, yes. But as of now, I can't tell you anything. All things considered, I still don't know much about exactly what or how I will do it, the school library has surprisingly little information on my ancestry." Harry admitted and narrowed his eyes at the Headmaster who nodded.

"I removed the Potter-Peverell and Longbottom ancestry books back during the first war, and reinstalling them didn't seem much work. You can take them if you want but they aren't much anyways, your House was one of the most secretive ones, actually, this gives rise to another question Mr Potter." Dumbledore steepled his fingers as he looked at the boy.

"Oh? and what might that be?"

"I had to check your residence due to academic affairs Mr Potter but it seems that you don't live where your address is mentioned. I'd like to know your current residence so that I am able to communicate with your guardians regarding your scholastics and extra curricular activities."

Dumbledore looked at Harry whose face was as if it was made of stone. No emotions, not even a slight twitch, nothing but cold hard eyes glared back 'Hmm…let's see if this works or not…Legilimens'

Harry felt the slight intrusion in his walls and smirked, he could have done so much right at that moment. He could've burned the magic, or pulled Dumbledore into his mental prison, or shocked the wizard to the core or-or..well, he didn't do any of that.

Why? Harry knew that the consequences of making the headmaster his enemy were dire and that the cons weighed more than the pros, right now he was here to get himself off, not get watched even more.

"I'd suggest you not do that again, Headmaster but I am sure you have my best interests at heart, so I'll let it go this one time. Now about the guardians, I am still living in Privet Drive. But, my guardians took a long vacation, you can send owls to the house, it will reach my guardians." Harry shrugged and relaxed a bit.

'Looks like the compulsion rune is finally working' Dumbledore smiled "Yes Mr Potter, of course. But I would like to know where you live, are your guardians supportive of your magical education?" Dumbledore's face was inquisitive, but Harry knew what that old coot wanted to know.

"Yes headmaster, perfectly happy. They even brought me new clothes and every other utility that was available for students attending Hogwarts. I am glad I got such good guardians, won't ever want them to come to any harm." Harry smiled but not at his thoughts, it was more at the face Dumbles was making.

"You…like your guardians? They didn't beat you or anything? They didn't ask you to stop doing weird things around them?" Dumbledore's thoughts were racing a mile a minute, he didn't know what was actually going on here.

"You should be happy Headmaster instead you somehow seem to be more worried, it's as if you wanted them to harm me. But that's not possible right? Because you care for my well being, right? Well I will tell you a secret." Harry leaned forward along with Dumbledore.

"My guardians were exactly like you said they were. But after going on an extended vacation, they have become more loving and accepting. I am not complaining and I am sure you would be happy with that information too." Harry leaned back in his chair.

"But Mr Potter, I need to know if you are being left alone or something? The world is a dangerous place for one as young as yourself, I could track down your relatives and persuade them to take you in."

Maybe it was something wrong that he had said, maybe it was the sudden shift in the weather or maybe it was that his age finally caught up to him and he was going senile, but Dumbledore suddenly felt the temperature in the room drop rapidly.

It was as if an unknown blizzard was about to come that would freeze the entirety of Hogwarts and all of its residents before leaving the lands to conquer the world. And then the feeling of dread disappeared entirely. Dumbledore took a few large gulps of air and blinked as drops of sweat travelled down his forehead.

"I don't think that they'd like that Professor, I am thankful that you are so concerned about my wellbeing but I'd like you to know that I am perfectly fine and happy as it is." Harry said with a tight lipped smile and although the thirteen year old boy had tried his best to hide it, a steely edge was still noticeable in his words.

"In fact, now that you mention it, I'd like to know exactly why you wanted to discuss my academics with my guardians, I thought that my academics were pretty good throughout the school session and almost everyone in my class was at the same level as me."

Dumbledore's eyes widened 'Oh no…he's still not under the influence of the compulsion rune' the headmaster laughed a bit hesitatingly as he tried to come up with an excuse for this slip-up, meanwhile Harry calmly looked at the Chief Warlock.

"I mean, it wasn't much of a concern per se, it was more because you are Alan's brother and James and Lily's son. They were very close to me and saw me as a guiding figure. That's why I took some special interest in you, completely professional, just so I could talk to your relatives regarding your average practical work."

"Shouldn't you be more concerned that Alandale has and had below average performance throughout the year?" Harry inquired the Headmaster who nodded.

"Yes, and seeing as Alan is my ward, I have indeed tried my best to correct him, I am sure, he will start working on his knowledge soon, but he's still a child, as are you Harry. That's why I was a bit more concerned." Dumbledore smiled his grandfatherly smile trying his best to hide his nervousness.

Harry knew completely well that the Headmaster was lying, but this lie helped him get away with the excuse of his current residence, so he didn't pursue it. It's not like his real guardians didn't know about Dumbledore anyways.

"I appreciate your concern Headmaster, this is why I'd like you to either ask me to send my guardians any letter that you want to deliver to my guardians or send it straight to my residence which you're so fond of visiting for apparently no real reason."

Dumbledore again gave a small chuckle as he cursed his rotten luck for not being able to get a single thing out of the elusive boy "I'll keep that in my mind for future reference."

"If that's all Headmaster?" Harry started to get up from his seat only to be stopped by the Headmaster "It isn't Mr Potter, I'd like to ask one last question and I want a straight answer this time."

The two looked at each other, Harry knew what was about to come and Dumbledore was prepared to drill every single detail out of the boy, he had let go of the previous two questions only because he was sure that he'd get those answers sometime in the future, but leaving this? Not a chance.

"What happened that night in that chamber Mr Potter? And this time, I want all the details."

Harry rubbed his forehead as he tried not to think about that accursed meeting. The only good thing that came out of that one meeting was the fact that he had been able to keep his skills and his residence as well as much of his previous knowledge regarding Voldemort a secret.

Harry told the headmaster about how he had followed the trio after he had sensed them, then he had tried to stop Alan from going in, he knew it wasn't Snape because Snape knew about the cerberus as he had seen Snape walking with a limp on the night of October 31st.

No he didn't know that Quirrell was the actual thief. Harry also denied anything related to Voldemort, saying that Voldemort had introduced himself and told him that he would kill both the Potters after which Harry started fighting the DADA professor.

Harry had given the headmaster his memory of the fight, the memory explicitly began from the point where Harry had shot the first spell and ended when he extinguished the lumos, it was a good thing that due to lack of light in the memory, Dumbledore couldn't see that Harry was actually floating in the air.

Then the memory ended when Harry blasted Quirrell's head with a bombarda curse. After this Dumbledore requested Harry let him keep a copy of the memory. Harry ofcourse refused and pulled the memory back in his head.

The meeting only went down spiral when Harry was asked another question as to why his wand had shocked Dumbledore with electricity when he had tried to hold it, the answer had been simple. Harry's wand was attached to him with blood and runes, therefore any person who didn't have Harry's magic would never be able to hold the wand.

The last thing on Dumbledore's agenda, Harry still laughed about it. The Headmaster of Hogwarts in another show of blatant favouritism had spewed out a baseless excuse and had tried to make him give the Potter family's invisibility cloak to Alandale.

'The nerve of that man…' Harry still couldn't believe how Dumbledore could even ask him to do that. The answer was simple, Harry had straight away denied all of the manipulative bastard's attempts to take away the cloak from its current owner, going as far as to threaten the boy with a detention for refusing Headmaster's words.

Harry straightaway told the headmaster that this cloak and the matter was a 'Potter-Peverell' House thing and that if Dumbledore wanted to intercede then he needed to show Harry proof that he had such rights in the familial sayings.

And considering the fact that they both knew, there wasn't any such thing, Harry asked the Supreme Mugwump to keep his nose out of the Potter-Peverell Family Matters and to never ever bring the topic of this cloak.

He had also told the Headmaster that if the cloak ever vanishes while he is in Hogwarts then Harry will come to Dumbledore for said cloak's retrieval.

After this, things in the office weren't simple talks but a battle of wills as both the elemental and the Chief Warlock released their magics which started saturating the air around them.

In the end, seeing as there was nothing going to calm either one of them, former Headmaster of Hogwarts, Armando Dippet dispersed the situation and Harry had immediately taken leave.

Harry again rubbed his forehead before releasing another deep breath and closing his eyes as he sat in the lotus position in his four-poster bed. Time to clear his mind and sort out his day's memories…'What a drag…'

Ending Note: There you have it fellas, editted and perfected version of chapter 24 of Silence of the Winters.

Liked it? Loved it? Needs some improvements? Please tell me! You don't know how blessed I feel when my reviewers exceed my expectations.

I read each and every one of them thrice and feel blessed to have such good and active readers as you.

Even a simple 'Good work Dev' is appreciated.

Here's the link to mysuper private serveron discord where I'll keep on updating new chapters, sneak peeks, Character designs, where you are free to talk and ask things regarding my fics directly (As I am most active there):

Its a relatively newly launched server...

https://discord.gg/Gcbcv4dxGx

Name:𝕯𝖊𝖛 𝕭𝖑𝖆𝖈𝖐'𝖘 𝕰𝖒𝖕𝖎𝖗𝖊

Next Chapter: Chapter 25: Home!!

Thank you for reading.

With regards,

Dev Black

Chapter 25: Home

Chapter Text

"I am Talking."

'I am Thinking'

Spells

§Parseltongue§

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The bricks make a building, the residents make it a 'home'.

~ R-Kade

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Previously in SotW:

In the end, seeing as there was nothing going to calm either one of them, former Headmaster of Hogwarts, Armando Dippet dispersed the situation and Harry had immediately taken leave.

Harry again rubbed his forehead before releasing another deep breath and closing his eyes as he sat in the lotus position in his four-poster bed. Time to clear his mind and sort out his day's memories…'What a drag…'

Silence of the Winters

-Dev Sagittarius Black

~~Chapter 25: Home~~

"Avery good evening to one and all…" Dumbledore began as he smiled benevolently at all of the smiling faces sitting in the great hall, wearing their pointed hats and excited to finally leave Hogwarts and visit their homes after a long and tiring school year.

"Harry?"

Said wizard turned around as he ignored Dumbledore's speech, well he didn't ignore per se, just kept it at the back of his mind and focused on his current problem that was looking at him with big puppy dog eyes.

"Juliana."

Over the months, their time spent had been great, they got to study together, spent some time in the Ravenclaw common room, they were on pretty good terms with each other's friends and Harry had helped Juliana with her exams, she had offered to do the same for him but he had refuted her attempt because both of them knew that he didn't need any help.

The corridor, alcove, library and astronomy tower kisses were another thing that had been frequent, thankfully both Juliana and Harry had decided that they were quite young and so they had kept it at that, nothing more.

Things strained after Harry had gone into the hospital wing after defeating Voldemort. And now, Juliana was here, probably to discuss their current situation with him. Harry looked around the table and Juliana flicked her wand muttering a privacy charm around the two of them.

"What do you think they are discussing?" Susan asked Hannah while watching her crush with hawk-like eyes, "I swear if that girl does something bad, I'll find her and make her cry."

Hannah mentally facepalmed when she heard Susan's statement 'Yeah sure, the same girl who hasn't even killed a fly will make Juliana Cohen cry…' "I don't know, maybe Harry will tell us on the train ride?"

"You think so? The way he has been acting lately, I don't think he wants to talk to any of us, much less explain anything." Susan looked down sadly as she gave a cute pout.

Hannah squeezed her best friend's hand under the table "Don't worry, I'm sure that Harry will cheer up when he reaches his home and by the time he meets us atThe Ossuary, I am sure he'll be back to his usual self."

Susan looked excitedly towards the blonde Hufflepuff, "Really? You think so?" Hannah just gave a reassuring smile and nodded making the redhead happy.

What neither of them knew was that the same question which Susan had asked earlier was currently being fired up rapidly in the minds of a certain blonde haired slytherin Ice Queen who was frowning at both Juliana and Harry.

Dumbledore finished his speech as he looked at all of the anticipatory faces waiting with baited excitement and nervousness about the most important part in his speech…The House cup.

"As it is, the session end is approaching and we have all of the house points, everyone has contributed their fair share of house points with either curricular-" he looked at Hermione who blushed "or Co-curricular activities." He smiled at the Weasley twins who waved back innocently.

"Therefore, counting the points and summing them up, we have Gryffindors with three hundred and twelve points, Hufflepuffs have a total of three hundred and seventy-two points, Slytherins with four hundred and fifty-five points while the Ravenclaw house stands with Four hundred and Seventy-two points!" Dumbledore announced the ending with a flare as everyone clapped.

Dumbledore patiently waited for the hubbub to subside as he watched the crestfallen faces in his old house while every other house was celebrating. Suspiciously enough, he noticed that Harry Potter and the girl beside him weren't celebrating.

'Ah well, time to end this false cheering, hopefully this will score me some loyalty with Alandale considering my previous plan failed for him' Dumbledore nodded "Yes-yes, I am sure all of us are happy, but there are some last minute points that needed to be added."

Everyone, including the professors, stopped cheering and looked towards the aged headmaster who was smiling, but now that smile didn't seem as grandfatherly as before.

"Let's begin with awarding Sixty points to one Hermione Granger for solving one of the trickiest potions riddles to help Hogwarts when it was in need, Sixty points to Ronald Weasley for the most spectacular game of chess and sacrificing themselves for his comrades."

Murmurs began as everyone looked towards the rapidly increasing rubies in the Gryffindor's point jar.

"WHAT?! Harry, he's literally giving the Gryffs points for solving riddles and playing chess!" Terry exclaimed from the said boy's left and Su nodded furiously from his right, "Why were these competitions private? I could've solved whatever Granger did!" She exclaimed.

Dumbledore smirked as he saw the commotion his announcement was causing 'Serves you right Harry Potter, you will be the reason why your house lost the cup they were winning…don't ever try to deny me anything I ask, you've to understand that they aren't requests..and now the finale'

Dumbledore smiled at the two Gryffindors before looking towards Alan and gave a barely noticeable wink "Seventy points to Alandale Potter for listening to his heart and for doing what was right instead of what was easy, for ensuring that everyone in the castle slep peacefully."

Everyone in the hall was gaping at Dumbledore's blatant show of favouritism while the teachers were glaring at the headmaster's back. This was not how they had supposed to end the school year.

"So, calculating the total points after the additional ones, we have Gryffindor house at the top with Five hundred and two points! I think the decorations need to be changed in the great hall because after five years, Gryffindor has-"

"A moment headmaster."

Dumbledore paused and frowned as he turned back to see McGonagall standing up from her chair beside his throne-like one, "Yes Minerva?"

"I know that I should be more than happy because my house is finally winning the house cup after so long and personally, I would love nothing more than to have the House cup in my office, but I think there are a few points that are yet to be added." McGonagall looked at her fellow professors before looking towards Harry.

Dumbledore's eyes widened in disbelief as he foresaw what was happening and he most certainly didn't like it one bit, this was going to ruin his plans again and he knew it! "Minerva, try to understand-"

"Five points to Harry Potter for correctly identifying an Animagus on the first day of his class. I had seen your reaction Mr Potter and I was duly impressed." McGonagall praised him as the boy dipped his head in a show of gratitude.

"Ten points to Harry Potter for helping me decorate the Astronomy tower during Yule, those charmed roses were excellent Harry." Aurora smiled at the boy.

Dumbledore looked on dumbly as each of his professors were hell bent on ruining his perfect plan 'Oh no…not you too…'

"Ten points to Harry Potter for correcting a few library books and restoring thirteen books to prime condition, I was always watching over you Harry." Madam Pince grinned as she saw Harry nod, the past few days had not been good for her and she just wanted to see him happy.

"And Five points to Mr Potter for being the best Ravenclaw student and showing true house qualities, I have to say this. I am extremely proud of the fact that someone as good as Harry is in my house." Flitwick said as he stood up before looking towards Minerva and smirking.

"Something you want to say Minerva?" The dwarf professor asked his longtime friend and colleague. "Don't worry, next year I will definitely convince Harry to undergo re-sorting and join my house." McGonagall muttered before grumbling about 'lucky house heads' as Flitwick laughed at his friend's antics.

"It is all well and good my dear professors but as of now, both Gryffindor and Ravenclaw are at an impasse regarding the House cup as both of them have the exact same number of points. We need a way to end this tie." Dumbledore told his professors as, the perfect plan for revenge while saving his previous one started forming in his mind 'Now I just have to ask him…'

"Harry!" Su shouted his name excitedly from his right side "We are equalling the Gryffindors now, one more point and either of us will win! Who do you think will help us?"

Harry frowned a bit before smirking and looking towards his slave on the teacher's table before whipping his wand under the table and shooting a non-verbal Legilimency trail towards the greasy haired professor.

Severus Snape's eyes widened when he felt a direct attack on his occlumency shields, he looked towards the eldest Potter brat and found him looking at him.

"Severus, can I have a word with you?" Snape turned his head towards Dumbledore as he allowed the legilimency trail in his mind, not that he had much of a choice.

Dumbledore smiled as he saw Severus nod his head once before standing up from his seat. Great hall went into pin-drop silence as they saw exactly who was standing and glaring daggers at them from the teachers table, in fact the teachers themselves were shocked that it was none other than Severus Snape who was standing and was about to give points to a house other than his own.

Snape sighed in frustration as he glared daggers at nothing, words were struggling to come out of his mouth, it was as if he would have loved to die a million times before he uttered them, in the end he had to say it and he knew it.

"One point…to the Ravenclaw Potter for being the best student at potions in the past twenty years and knowing almost everything in that subject that could be expected from a student."

And with that Snape immediately sat down as the entirety of Hogwarts practically BOOMED with loud applause and cheers from the three houses and the teachers table. Ravenclaws threw their pointed hats in the air and shouted with victory!

Dumbledore was aghast as he looked at Snape like the potions master had just killed his puppy, while said Potions master was avoiding everyone's eyes as everyone cheered on for the Claws.

"Now, Albus if you will?" Dumbledore could practically feel Flitwick's cheer in his squeaky voice that was suffocating him now, this was yet another ruined plan and it all came back to one single boy, again.

"So, according to the last minute points, RAVENCLAW WINS THE HOUSE CUP!" Dumbledore shouted with help fromSonoruscharm, so that he could be heard over the loud cheers, everyone still ignored him, he flicked his wand and all the overhead flags in the hall turned from Slytherin Green to Ravenclaw Blue.

"I didn't think that I'd get to talk to you here anymore."

Said person didn't turn his head but he did frown a bit when his mental peace was disturbed as someone came and stood near him.

"Are you still going to ignore me? Even though we are the only ones here?"

"..."

"Ugh…I so want to push you off this ledge!"

"I won't die and Susan will kill you."

"No, I am practically her sister, she won't harm me."

"Sure Greengrass, whatever lets you sleep easy." Harry sighed as he mentally traced the Ursa major.

Daphne made a face at that, it seems she still wasn't getting called by her name, even after all this time. Well, it didn't matter, she was happy to have finally found him alone here again. She had been visiting the tower every other night for the past one month just so she could get him alone and ask him a few things.

"What will it take for you to finally call me by my name?" Daphne muttered and frowned when she didn't receive a single response from the boy who was stargazing while sitting on the stone edge of the window sill.

"You know how you always teach me about the pureblood customs and etiquettes, I am surprised that you yourself don't follow one of the most basic ones." Daphne shook her head in mock pity as Harry turned to look at her for the first time that evening.

"Everytime we meet, you are the one who's sitting while I am standing and you don't even offer a seat to a lady." Daphne made her I-am-above-you face as she looked at Harry.

"You are not a lady, yet."

"Future lady then and I am the heiress, isn't that in the Harry Potter Book of manners?" The Slytherin squinted her eyes jokingly. She wasn't trying to joke per se, it was more of an ice-breaker for what was about to come next. Atleast, that's what she thought about it anyway.

"You want to sit? Mind you, we are on the fifth floor right now." Harry shrugged when Daphne nodded and forwarded his hand for her to hold.

Daphne held his hand and winced a bit at the sudden cold sensation she felt, she didn't get much time as her body was pulled forward.

Daphne made an 'EEP!' sound as she looked below from her current vantage point before immediately sitting down on the window sill beside Harry, "How come your hands are so cold?"

Harry simply shrugged as he continued to trace the Sagittarius, "No idea, they always are cold."

Daphne sighed as she tried her level best to relax her tumultuous mind, she looked at the twinkling stars and at the large expanse of the black lake beneath them while a warm wind blew through her long blonde hairs and she heard the cicadas chorused and the fireflies danced around the bushes.

The perfect view when someone thought about: eternal calm.

"I wanted to ask you something, Harry." Daphne began as she looked at the green eyed boy beside her.

"Yes?"

"Would you like to join me and my family for a week-long vacation? This time it's me who's asking, not my grandfather, and I promise you it's just for fun, no personal agenda." Daphne was mentally praying for whichever deity that was present to make Harry accept the invite.

"Is it Daphne Greengrass who's asking for the visit or is it Heiress Greengrass?" Harry asked the girl who frowned at that, "Is there a difference? I am both Daphne and Heiress Greengrass."

Harry nodded his head, "There is, you do remember our last conversation right? About the 'Third and the last' rule? It acts here if it's the Greengrass heiress who's inviting me."

Daphne thought for some time then smiled "No, it's Daphne who's inviting you, not the heiress."

Harry nodded and turned his face towards the night sky, relishing in the wind that was caressing his face like a mother's touch "Then no, I am bus during the vacations and we will most likely meet at the Bones Manor, plus you know how your grandfather could be if he corners me alone."

Daphne blushed a bit at that before controlling herself "Oh c'mon, I don't think that grandfather is that much bent on marrying me off with you, also, what if he is? Am I not good enough to be married to you?"

Harry turned his head towards said girl and she will vehemently deny it, but at that moment her heart was beating so fast that she was afraid it might simply burst out of her chest cavity, "You are one of the most beautiful girls that I've met with strong family magic coursing through your veins, any guy on this planet would be lucky to have you." Harry admitted to the wide eyed girl beside him.

Daphne was on cloud nine, if there was any such place that is, she couldn't believe her years. If this was a dream then it was definitely one of the best ones.

She knew Harry didn't say those things randomly and she also knew that he wasn't complimenting her, to him these were mere facts. And that made it even more beautiful. Because compliments were lies but facts were truths. A statement that no one could even dare to challenge.

"Tha-Thank you Harry." Daphne's eyes widened a bit and she clenched her fist 'Way to go Greengrass! Now he will think you are dumb and could melt in just one single line…technically I don't think he knows about it anyways'

Harry was of course reading what was going through the girl's brain but he ignored that and continued, "So, if I am able to impress Lord Greengrass, which we both know that involuntarily will, then Lord Greengrass would forward your hand for marriage."

Harry told her and saw that her blush was finally receding "And to reject a marriage proposal, there should be three reasons: One, if I didn't find your beauty good enough. Two, if you didn't have what it took to be a mother and three if you didn't have potent family magic."

Daphne waited with baited breath as Harry returned to star-gazing. Why was even doing that when she was waiting for him right by his side? Harry…

"And you don't come under any of them except my personal fourth one." Harry admitted.

"Fourth one?" There was another requirement? How many more to go?

"I never had a family of my own thanks to a few people, therefore, my one and only requirement is that I don't want to marry due to forced marriage contracts, if I want to marry, I'd like it to be with someone whom I'd want to start a family with."

If possible Daphne's blush increased and her face became as red as a tomato 'A family with Harry?! Not bad, not bad at all…No wait Daphne, this is Harry, he doesn't even call you by your name, stop imagining ridiculous things'

"I know you might think that it's too much for our age and you're right too. But i'll have to take up the Lord's seat on my fifteenth birthday and I'll be fourteen soon, so you can see why I'd give it some thought in advance." Harry shrugged.

"Hmm…understandable." 'Understandable? That's it? Quick change the topic Greengrass! Say something better! Think! Think!'

"Is that why you broke-up with Cohen today?" Daphne cursed her rotten luck the moment those words had left her mouth, she wished that she could simply go back in time and slap the daphne from five seconds ago. Maybe push her down the tower, will that work? Better than this anyways.

Harry's eyes left all of the warmth that had slowly started to accumulate as he remembered the reason he ended whatever he had with Juliana "That's private Greengrass. You'll likely have better luck asking about it from Juliana herself than me."

"I-I am sorry Harry, I shouldn't have asked. It was not my place to ask that from you." Daphne apologised but the look on the Ravenclaw Potter's face told her that it was of no use.

"Apology accepted, but now I think it's been some time and I should go back to the common room."

Daphne nodded, knowing full well that Harry won't stop even for a second now "Yes, you're right."

"Release my hand then."

Daphne blinked in confusion as she looked towards the boy, "My hand, the one that you've been holding this entire time." And he raised his hand to bring it to the eye level. Yep, her hand was holding his hand tightly, as if not wanting to part with it, holding it like a lifeline.

Daphne immediately released his hand as if it was burning and within moments she winced when a sudden dose of emptiness impacted her, it was as if someone had forcefully removed a piece of something really special. And her magic wanted it back ASAP!

The blue eyed girl turned her head and was surprised to find herself alone in that corridor. Harry had already left her while she was being tormented by those hand-related feelings.

Daphne looked towards the night sky and smiled as she remembered the first time that Harry had involuntarily complimented her and how it had made her feel and then there was the hand-holding.

The girl knew that if her grandfather chose Harry to be her husband, she wouldn't mind it. In fact, she might even work harder to get the boy's affections. But that was still one whole year away and right now she had other things to focus on.

'Like solving the reason as to why Harry was in the hospital wing and what had happened to make him so closed off from everything and everyone….what had forced you to build those walls again, Harry?' Daphne thought as she looked towards the night sky filled with stars, while cicadas choroused and the fireflies danced.

"Alohomihora"

The door to the DADA professor's office opened as all of the alert charms froze and a figure entered the room.

"Will you turn off the light? I am trying to sleep here!" Portrait of Sir Richmond Derrevans shouted in the dark as light fell on his portrait eyes.

That light was the last thing he saw before a black cloth covered the portrait and a frame-freezing and silencing charm was applied so that Derrevans couldn't run out of it.

The train ride back home was mostly uneventful. There group as whole took the last compartment and adjusted themselves in the seats.

The girls made their plans to meet soon after which Terry and Tracey started playing exploding snaps, Susan leaned on Harry's shoulder and dosed off, Hanna and Daphne began conversing in Hushed tones while Su glared at Susan before looking out of the window at the passing scenery.

Harry on the other hand had pulled a book on charms and was reading it, meanwhile another thought on his mind was regarding the question that he had been asking himself for quite some time now, but this time he had found the answer.

'Friends…That's what changed me, that's what made me weak, these boundaries and limitations, these meaningless relations and bonds…this is what forcefully diverged me from my path…And to get back to it…' Harry looked at all of his 'friends'.

'I will have to break these meaningless bonds earlier than I had anticipated'

Stepping down from the train he winced a bit as each of his friends except Terry, which he thanked his lucky stars for, hugged him, they were a bit upset as to why he couldn't give his address but there was nothing he could do.

Harry had also had to assure Susan repetitively that he'll contact her and they can send him the portkey toThe Ossuaryfor his summer visit, only after his last reassurance and another one of the twelve 'parting' hugs did Susan leave him and go to the place where her aunt was waiting for her.

Harry looked around the platform before something or someone caught his eye and he started moving towards them.

"Mas-masters Potter? Great Master Potter!"

"Hello Droxy, been some time." Harry gave a small smile at his first personal elf who was standing near the portkey point of the platform.

Draxy was trying his level best but he still couldn't help the first few tears that fell from his eyes. Still he wiped them and instead procured a simple square piece of wood from his pockets that had the Flamels House crest drawn on it.

Both Harry and Droxy held the piece of wood as Harry muttered "Maison." And was sucked in a vortex of colours.

Stepping in the huge expanse of land that was the Flamel's garden, Harry was immediately tackled by the excitable little elf who had been stopping himself from doing so because they'd been in the public eye.

Harry patted Droxy's head as the small elf hugged his leg and cried his heart out.

"Master shouldn't wait…Master's guardians be waiting for master in livin room." Droxy said, wiping his eyes.

Harry nodded and moved towards the big mansion that was situated in the middle of the huge expanse of land. It was made of white stone with golden and blue borders, and looked extremely exquisite with all its turrets and towers along with arched windows.

The mansion was more like a fairytale palace, it was beautiful yes, but in a fantasy way. What with all its arched windows and coloured glasses having mosaic paintings on them, and the most exquisite paintings adorning the ceilings.

There was a large beautiful fountain right in front of the large ornate main doors with white coloured wooden benches around it and fresh water fishes swimming in it and many of the outside walls had beautiful flowering plants growing on them.

It was picturesque beauty and clearly a place that was being taken care of quite well. There was also a large forest area on the eastern side with many magical plants and species in it along with a small lake on the edges of the forest.

Harry had just stepped inside the mansion's living room when he was immediately tackled in a bone crushing hug.

"Where were you? I missed you so very much! Do you even know how worried we were when you told us all about the flight and that accident with your friend Susan?"

"Penny, let the poor boy breathe, he just came back home, it had obviously been a tiring journey for him." A middle aged man with pepper brown hair said as he smiled at his excited wife and how she was mothering their adoptive son.

"Oh hush you Nick, my baby boy is here, I don't want to hear a word from you for the next few decades." Perenelle Flamel said before she started fretting over Harry again.

Nicholas still remembered the time when both their sons and daughter had died in that witch burning era. That's when he had begun to research the resurrection stone and ways to resurrect someone from the dead without making them an inferi.

It was actually an accident that had given him the Philosopher's stone and he had been grateful for all of its blessings and curse of immortality, but the fact was the same, they had not been able to get their children back.

Their bodies had slowly degenerated even under stasis charm and one day the old couple had decided to do the final rituals and let their children move to their own next great adventure.

NIcholas had immersed himself in his work after that and had tried to stay strong but Penny? She had never been the same.

Until one day, lady luck had shined upon them and blessed them with a small five year old boy shivering in the cold snow, lying in their garden.

Back then, no one knew how he came but one thing was for sure, that within a few days, he had brought Penny out of her depression and that had decided the boy's fate that day.

Harry simply looked at his grandlady as she fretted all over him, he even saw Draxy asking rapid fire questions from Droxy and wiping her tears as she witnessed his form, standing in the living room after ten whole months.

Something was amiss though…Something or someone….

§PAAAAPAAAAAAAA…§

'Ah, there we go…' Harry immediately moved out of Penny's grasp, perfectly in time for a twelve foot long and 150 pound snake with a ten centimetre diameter to tackle him and wrap around his torso.

"Hello Selene." Harry said and smiled involuntarily when the scales tightened around his torso as the snake hissed. Selene was his pet basilisk that he had accidentally bonded with on one of his guild missions.

The moment Selene had hatched, she had latched onto the first magical source that was near her to get nutrition, technically it should've been the original breeder but since he was dead and Harry was standing over the dead guy's corpse.

Well, since he had been unable to kill the basilisk, Harry took to caring for her and growing her with all the love and care he could give.

One unfortunate day, Selene had seen Television where there was a guy who looked like Harry and he had a young girl with him who kept referring to him as papa, his little basilisk had asked him what that word meant and Harry had explained it.

And since then she had decided that Harry was her father as he cared for her and had watched her hatch and therefore he was her papa, no one could blame her for that logic even though Harry had tried his level best to make her understand the fact that he was way too young to be a dad.

Princess Selene just didn't care and will likely do whatever she wished.

Harry just thanked his lucky stars that neither the Flamels nor the elves could understand Parseltongue and therefore they didn't know Selene's choice of diction regarding Harry.

§Papa..where have you been? I wass ssso lonely without you here. Don't leave me alone papa, take me with you wherever you go. I want to be with you.§

The basilisk hissed and Harry slowly patted her head that was currently resting on his right shoulder.

§Don't worry, little one. I won't leave you alone this time. Last time i had to go to Hogwarts alone, hopefully this time you'll be mature enough to attain your second level and then come with me.§

Harry hissed and slowly turned around with Selene still wrapped around him.

§Really? Papa won't leave Selene? That's so great! I'll show the new things I've learned while papa was away, I'll show you where I slept, the bed is so soft papa and you know the old lady you left me with is good too, even though a bit mad-§

And that's how Selene went on a tirade as to how her days went while he was away from her.

She knew she was ranting, but it wasn't her fault! Totally her Papa's fault for leaving her alone, she had just missed him too much.

"Harry? What happened ? Why is Selene crying?" Penny asked as she saw a drop of tear roll down the basilisk's soft yellow eyes.

Harry looked at his grand lady and shrugged. "She just missed me too much." All the while he was listening to his little pet's stories.

§-I mean who likes small bunnies when they could have a big cute basilisk like me? Wait, Selene is still cute right? Don't tell me that growing up will make Selene look ugly? She can never be ugly, right papa? I'll have to ask that old lad for some of that juice that she drinks to keep herself in-§

Harry sighed as he slowly sat on the sofa while Draxy came and hugged his leg as Droxy served him his favourite sweet rolls and his guardians sat on either side.

Soon enough Selene was sleeping peacefully, wrapped around his body, using him as her human pillow as well as source of warmth. While Harry and the Flamels discussed a few things.

There were many things that Harry knew he will have to tell them soon and a few things that he'll have to ask their help with. But that was for a later date, right now there was something that needed to be done.

Well, after he had finished all of his delicious sweet-roll anyways.

Harry looked at the black metal door that still had the impression of human faces and blood stains on it, there were depictions of torture that was made on the door with human blood, inscribed with the runes that would monitor the prisoners inside it.

It had been months since he had last visited his personal dungeons and now it was time to meet his prisoners again…they've gotten enough rest while he had left for Hogwarts, these coming few months, they will wish they were dead every . single . second.

It was time to refresh his own and his prisoners' memories, to tell them that their momentary lapse in their schedule was short lived and that it's back to the starting days again, except there was a fact that this time Harry was sure to unleash his demons.

The same demons that had been inside him for years and he had suppressed those for months, it was time to release them and invigorate his soul with the screams of his prisoners. Time to revitalise his nerves and his lax consciousness with screams, blood and pain.

The elemental pushed the door open and relished in the feeling of watching his personal 'playhouse', his eyes started glowing with malice as he looked around the dirty room and stopped at the three people sitting in a corner tied up with chains around their necks and limbs.

.

.

.

"Hello Dursleys."

Ending Note-There you have it fellas, Chapter Twenty-five of Silence of the Winters. Liked it? Loved it? Something missing? Please, do tell.

Important Note

With this Chapter, First year ends in Silence of the Winters. I thank you for all your love and support that you gave to my fic till date. Unfortunately, I think my writing style has changed too much for this fic. And that is not appreciated by many readers.

So as of now,Silence of the Winters is officialy on HIATUS!until further notice.

Next Chapter was going to explain Harry's past. Regarding how he got elemental powers, what happened to the dursleys and why is Harry the way he is. What is the guild and what isTueur N-13...but that will have to wait till my mood comes back for this story. I love this story and I will finish it, but right now? I guess those negatives reviews and flames have hit their mark.

Thank you for all your love and support, I will keep updating my others fics like usual.

Also, Here's the link to my super private server on discord where I'll keep on updating new chapter's sneak peeks, Character designs, where you are free to talk and ask things regarding my fics directly:

Its a relatively newly launched server...

https://discord.gg/Gcbcv4dxGx
Name: 𝕯𝖊𝖛 𝕭𝖑𝖆𝖈𝖐'𝖘 𝕰𝖒𝖕𝖎𝖗𝖊

I am waiting for all your reviews. Constructive criticism is appreciated, flames aren't welcomed.

Thank you for reading and comments.

With regards,

Dev Black