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Technically Speaking - Part 2 of 2
🕑 Added 2024-06-10 17:00:05 +0000 UTCHarry had hoped that there had been another option for international travel. He had never seen someone use bubbles. There had to be more than just Port Keys and Floo. It turned out that he was correct. However, it was not something he had expected.
The trio stood in line to board a cruise ship. There were easily four hundred people in line ahead of them and easily as many behind as well. The ship didn't look like it could hold all of them, but he had learned to stop questioning magic. Everyone in the line was clearly magical folk. There were even a few non-human folk among them. He caught sight of a cluster of goblins in bright floral shirts and shorts. They waved at him when they noticed he had seen them. It was a little unnerving to see a goblin smile. He swore he recognized a couple of them.
Harry wondered if Durmstrang had chosen the pirate ship for ascetic purposes. That was the only thing that made sense. Showing up in a cruise liner didn't have the same gravitas.
"I've never been on a boat." Harry whispered to Sirius. "What do I do if I get sea-sick?"
"There are potions." Sirius offered.
"How long is the trip?" Harry asked.
"We've selected the one-day package." Headmistress North answered.
"One day to cross the ocean?" Harry felt like that wasn't right.
"A mundane ship would take seven days." Sirius chimed in. "The ship travels along Ley Lines that run under the ocean. It's pure, primal magic that they use to power some interesting spells too. Each ship travels at a different speed."
His godfather currently wore a muggle two-piece business suit, and his hair was in a tidy side-part. They looked close enough to be related. Harry had his hair slicked back with enough hair gel to make it solid. His scar had been covered by an expertly placed bit of make-up and his glasses had been swapped for a set of Muggle contacts. They also served to change his green eyes to brown. Glamours, Polyjuice, and invisibility cloaks would trigger security wards. They didn't check for Muggle means.
Sirius was still a wanted man and there was no way Harry could move in public without being swarmed. His godfather would be able to drop the act once they were in international waters. Harry wasn't so lucky. There was no telling who could recognize him and spread the word. Thankfully, he could swap to glamours once they were on board. He was not a fan of contacts.
Harry wore a simple Muggle outfit of jeans and a T-shirt. The clothes were new and fit him, which felt a little odd. Mrs. Weasley had taken his measurements at some point to purchase him a new wardrobe.
The line moved steadily as the people started to board. A checkpoint of three Ministry workers were stationed at the end of the ramp that led to the ship. One sat at a desk while the other two stood behind, slightly angled and ready for trouble. Headmistress North went first. She handed over her identification without an issue.
Harry tried to keep hold of his anxiety as Sirius handed over his identification. The Ministry Agent stared at Sirius for a long time. He studied the man much too closely for Harry's comfort.
"Gerald White." The Ministry Agent at the end of the ramp read the name.
Sirius nodded.
"You look like Sirius Black." The Ministry Agent motioned to a small board with wanted criminals.
"That's ridiculous." Sirius scoffed. "Sirius Black doesn't wear glasses."
"You could take them off." The Ministry Agent countered.
"Then how would I see?" Sirius asked.
Harry held his breath. The Ministry Agent handed back the identification. Sirius gave the wizard a polite nod then followed Headmistress North up the ramp. The Ministry Agent looked expectantly to Harry. They hardly glanced at his identification.
He hurried up the ramp to follow. An arch awaited at the end of the path. He found himself on a completely different ship once he stepped through. It was smaller than the cruise liner. He could see the line of people in the distance.
"That was weird." Harry muttered.
"Come on." Sirius waved to him onward. "We've got a cabin in the private area."
The interior of the ship looked a lot like the Express. Except it was much more up to date and didn't have windows. There were doors that led to a private cabin. He followed Sirius and found himself in a small studio apartment complete with a kitchen, lounge, and a couple of comfy looking beds.
"The Academy is paying for this?" Harry asked.
"No." Sirius chuckled. "This is on me."
"This would put a dent in our yearly budget." Headmistress North said with a smile.
~§~
Harry stood on the deck outside, a mix of wonder and confusion played on his face. The ship was already starting the docking process. It had been six hours at the most. Sirius had taken a sea sickness potion and passed out within the first ten minutes.
Headmistress North smiled at him then pulled out a stack of paperwork. She spent the trip focused on her work. It left Harry with the choice between getting some sleep or staring off into nothing. There wasn't a window in the room. He imagined the ship was moving at an insane speed.
The beds looked comfortable, so he decided to lay down. He didn't think he was tired. However, he woke to the signal that the boat had arrived. For the first time in who knows how long he felt rested. He didn't have any nightmares or wake up screaming. Either the beds were enchanted, or the distance helped calm his nerves.
"I haven't been to America in years." Sirius stretched as he stood beside Harry.
"You've been here before?" Harry asked.
"Summer of our sixth year." Sirius nodded. "James, Remus, Peter, and I came over for a vacation." The smile that had started to grow on his face soured. "You've never lived until you've ridden in a car with a British Pureblood behind the wheel."
Harry snorted in laughter.
"I'll have to tell you about that trip when you're older." Sirius patted him on the shoulder.
"Oh?" Harry raised his eyebrows, now really interested.
"You're still a pup, pup." Sirius ruffed his hair.
Rather he tried. The sheer amount of gel had turned it into a solid piece. Sirius glared at the shell of hair. He his wand and tapped the offending object. Harry let out a sigh as his hair relaxed.
"Thanks." Harry ran a hand through his freed locs. "I didn't realize how tense my head was."
"Happy to help." Sirius tucked his fake glasses in his jacket pocket. "Are you ready for this?"
"I think so." Harry shrugged. "They can't be any worse than Malfoy."
Sirius let out a loud bark of laughter.
"Gentlemen." Headmistress North approached them with the ever-present smile on her face. "There will be a car ready for us. Mister Black, You can see Mister Potter off before you get settled."
"Please." Sirius gave her his best charming smile. "Call me Sirius."
She gave him a polite smile in reply. Sirius sighed and turned his attention back to Harry. Harry chuckled.
"Laugh it up, pup." Sirius muttered. "Ladies love a British accent."
An excited crowd waited on the dock as they arrived. The trio waited patiently as the other passengers rushed off the ship. Harry tapped his pockets to make sure his shrunken trunks were still there. He had no reason to think otherwise. It was just an excess of nervous energy.
Headmistress North led them down the walkway and around the gathered crowd. A tall, pale man with wide, squared shoulders waited for them beside a black non-descript car. The suit he wore gave the impression of a butler. He wasn't the same size as Hagrid, but he was close to seven-feet in height.
"Ma'am." The voice was deep and rumbling.
"Thank you, Mister Lurch." Headmistress North gave him a nod. "This is Mister Lurch. He is on loan from one of our faculty members."
Harry nodded politely at him. Lurch opened the door for the Headmistress and waited for her get in. The inside was big enough for the three of them even if it wasn't magically expanded.
"Now." Headmistress North waited for them to get settled before she spoke. "There are a couple of options available to you. You can continue on your current studies through tutors to complete your OWLs and NEWTs. The other option being that you can take a modified curriculum that will mingle The Salem Witches Academy with the one from Hogwarts. For that you would need to take a few placement exams. The third option would be to transfer to Ilvermorny."
"No." Sirius said quickly. "That's not going to happen."
Harry gave his godfather a questioning look.
"It's too connected to Hogwarts." Sirius explained. "There are a lot of Pureblood families with relatives there. It wouldn't be all that difficult to slip a Death Eater or ten among the students and staff."
"How is Salem any different?" Harry asked.
"We don't have any connections to Hogwarts and Ilvermorny." Headmistress North explained. "It was one of the reasons it was so easy to slip you into the Tournament as our champion. This is the most contact we've had with Hogwarts in my tenure."
Harry focused on the choice. He wasn't going to completely ignore the fact that Voldemort and his minions would constantly try to track him down. If that was the case, he would need more than the OWLs to keep himself alive. He agreed with Sirius, Ilvermorny didn't sound like a good idea. Not only would it be easier to infiltrate, but Harry also didn't feel comfortable with that many people. America was a big place; one school would mean that the student body had to be in the thousands. There were maybe five hundred people at Hogwarts, including the staff.
"I think I'd like to do both." Harry said after a moment.
"Very well." Headmistress gave him a brighter smile.
"Am I going to be using tutors for the OWLs?" Harry asked.
"Yes." Sirius spoke up. "I called in some favors to get you the best. Trustworthy too."
"How?" Harry turned to face his godfather.
"The Black Family has contacts all over the world." Sirius gave him a smug smile. "That reminds me." He pulled a ring from his pocket and tossed it at Harry. "Catch."
Harry snatched it out of the air with ease. He looked at the gawdy silver and gold ring. The Black Family sigil was carved on a stone that looked to be obsidian.
"What's this?" He held it up.
"Heir Ring." Sirius winked at him. "Congrats. You're my heir."
"Sirius." Harry felt a lump form in his throat.
"I know, I know." Sirius waved off the rising emotions. "I'm amazing."
Harry slipped it on his hand. A shot of magic raced through his body. The energy made his skin tingle similar to how he felt when he held his wand for the first time. There was a shot of pain from his scar, but it wasn't nearly as bad as he had experienced recently. It didn't even make him wince. A foreign sense of calm settled on his consciousness. He held his hand up to examine the ring.
"It's a bit gawdy." Harry motioned to the hand.
"Purebloods." Sirius shrugged.
Harry rolled his eyes.
"It will disappear if you will it." Sirius continued.
Harry squinted and the ring vanished. He could feel the tingle of magic where it had been. Absently, he rubbed his scar. His fingers came away covered in make-up.
"Let me get that." Headmistress North chuckled.
She waved her sparkling wand in the air in front of him. A cool tingle washed across his forehead. Bubbles fizzed against his skin. He could feel it intensify on his scar.
"Ow." Harry swiped the bubbles away as it turned painful.
"Hm." Headmistress North scrunched her face in concentration. "That shouldn't happen."
She leaned in closer to study his scar.
"That is not a normal scar." She tapped it with her wand.
A sharp pain lanced through his head.
"Stop that." Harry snapped.
"That will need to be dealt with." Headmistress North didn't seem to mind his outburst.
"What do you mean?" Harry asked.
"I try not to quantify magic as dark or evil." She settled back on her seat. "Magic is pure and it is dependent on the user to focus. However, that mark is so vile that no other word than evil fits."
Harry touched his scar. He settled back against the seat. Some part of him knew that it wasn't a regular scar. The fact that it only hurt when dealing with Voldemort, the nightmares, and all the little things he kept to himself.
"I'll talk to a few colleagues while you take your placement exams." Headmistress North's smile returned.
~§~
"Welcome to The Salem Witches Academy." Headmistress North waved a hand toward the building before them.
Harry wasn't sure what he had expected. The Municipal style, squat brick building was not it. He didn't feel any sort of repelling charm or magic to turn muggles away. It was on the edge of a small town that looked completely normal. Aside from the fact that everyone drove older model cars.
A few students waited outside for them. The group were all ladies around his age.
"We've arranged a tour for Harry." Headmistress North said. "If you'll come with me, Mister Black."
"Don't get into too much trouble." Sirius nudged Harry with his shoulder.
Harry rolled his eyes and entered the school. It was completely different than Hogwarts. The magical trip across the ocean hadn't bothered him. Changing his hair and applying makeup hadn't even made his think twice. Now, standing in the hallway of this rather mundane building, it hit him how his life had suddenly changed.
Was Riddle still trying to kill him? Yes. There was an ocean between them now. No doubt, the news would reach the Death Eaters soon, if not already. He didn't search the crowd at the 'trial' to see who had attended. If Lucius Malfoy was there then Riddle probably knew within a few hours at most. No one knew how Riddle would react to the news. Would he storm across the ocean to track Harry down? Would he send his minions? Would Riddle wash his hands of it all and focus on taking over the country?
Harry knew the last one was a longshot. It was only a matter of time before someone tried to kill him again. Thankfully, he was now surrounded by a crowd of complete strangers with unknown motivations and had no allies whatsoever. Sarcasm was a wonderful defense mechanism.
"Harry?" A girl spoke from nearby. "It was Harry, right?"
Harry turned toward the voice to see a familiar blonde approaching him. He squinted as he stared at her, trying to place where he knew her.
"The World Cup." She offered.
"Right." He nodded. "Sabrina, right?"
She nodded in reply. Now, in the light of day and without being covered in grit, he could see she was rather cute. Her outfit was a classic red dress with long sleeves and black buttons down the middle. It looked good on her petite form.
"What are you doing here?" She asked.
"I go here now." Harry shrugged.
"How?" She scrunched up her nose in confusion.
Despite the situation, Harry smiled. Definitely cute.
"It's a long story." Harry sighed.
"I've got time." Sabrina shrugged. "I'll show you around."
"Thanks." Harry nodded.
Sabrina led him to the head office to get his schedule.
"What classes do you have?" The cute blonde asked. "I can show you where they are."
"That would be great." Harry smiled at her. "I've got Common Rituals, Incantation Theory, Independent Study, lunch, two blocks of Independent Study, and finally alchemy."
"Not bad." Sabrina nodded. "Independent Study is your tutoring, right?"
"I think so." Harry shrugged.
"Follow me." She led him back to the hall. "You can tell me how you got here."
"You were there at the World Cup." Harry waved a hand in the air.
"What does that have to do with anything?" Sabrina scrunched her brow again.
"Do you remember that glowing skull that showed up in the air?" Harry asked.
"Yeah, that's kind of hard to forget." Sabrina shivered.
"That was just the start of things." Harry sighed.
Harry walked her through the wand debacle, how Winky got blamed for it, and who she had worked for. Then, he moved on to the attack on Moody, and the start of the year. She was interested in the Tri-Wizard Tournament and the details about the other schools but wasn't happy when his name came out of the goblet. He explained that they had put him in as the champion of the Academy.
"There were a few that loved to point out it was an all-witches school." Harry rolled his eyes. "That joke got old really fast."
Harry continued on through the first two tasks, the debacle at the ball, and then the maze. He didn't realize his hands were shaking when he told her about the graveyard until she grabbed one. Her skin was soft against his palm and her fingers fit nicely between his.
"Sorry." Sabrina blushed but didn't let go. "You looked like you needed it."
Harry gave her a shaky smile and nodded.
"Then Headmistress North showed up at my trial and brought me here." Harry finished with a deep breath. "What about you?"
"My father signed my name in the Book of Satan after I was born." Sabrina shrugged. "My mother had me christened before. I couldn't stay at the normal school because I was a witch, but I couldn't go to The Academy of the Unseen Arts either. The Salem Witches Academy was the best option. It was that or have my magic sealed away and my memories erased."
Harry stared at her for a moment.
"Book of Satan." Harry said slowly. "I didn't go to church growing up, but that's the devil right?"
"That's the one." Sabrina laughed. "My family focused on a branch of magic that had a lot to do with demonic pacts and all of that. Salem, my familiar, is actually a demon I've entered into a contract with that benefits the both of us."
"That's." Harry searched for the words. "Pretty cool."
"Thanks." Sabrina flashed him a relieved smile. "The whole demon thing can freak people out."
"One of my favorite teachers was a werewolf." Harry shrugged. "I try not to go by rumors."
Sabrina smiled brightly at him.
"Meet me at lunch and I can introduce you to my friends." Sabrina said. "I've got to get to class."
"Bye." Harry waved at her as she rushed away.
~§~
Harry stood just inside the cafeteria. He had expected the classes to be different. The two schools didn't even use the same kind of grade system. He just hadn't expected the differences to be so pronounced. Common Rituals was an odd mixture of charms and transfiguration, but each function was incredibly specific. Some required components while others needed more than one person.
He had thought he knew what to expect from Incantation Theory. However, it turned out he was very, very wrong. It was the first day of class and he felt vastly unprepared. There looked to be little actual spell-casting in the syllabus.
Something so minor as a syllabus rocked his brain. Classwork was done with pens or pencils in notebook paper and the teachers handed out printed worksheets. They even had magically imbued typewriters. It felt like an actual school. He had forgotten how amazing modern writing implements were. A click simple click-pen amused him for longer than he wanted to admit.
Cordelia Goode, the tutor for Potions, was a graduate from Ilvermorny and leagues ahead of Snape in the teaching department. She didn't have a Mastery in Potions, but she could actually teach. By the end of the first session Harry was confident he could brew anything up to the third-year curriculum.
Even after all that, the cafeteria was what really threw him for a loop. Long tables with connected bench seats lined the large room. There was a line along one side of the room where students picked food from a buffet style area.
Now that he had got to see the student body gathered it finally hit him that he was in an all-girls school. Well, first he noticed there actually was a uniform, it just had a broader range than black robes. They wore a mixture of long-sleeved dresses in red or black, white button-down tops with a red or black skirt, or the same white shirt with red or black slacks. The footwear was a choice between black and white sneakers or black dress shoes. Witches used accessories and their hairstyles as an expression for some individuality.
A lot of the girls checked him out, but no one approached him. The entire room had gone quiet the moment he stepped inside. News of his arrival had spread thanks to the witches he had classes with. Hearing about him just wasn't the same as seeing him.
Harry didn't really know how to handle the attention. He was used to people staring at him and had thought he had adjusted to it. However, this wasn't because he was The Boy Who Lived. This was because he was a boy.
"Hey, Harry." Sabrina rescued him.
"Hey." Harry let out a ragged breath.
"Everything ok?" Sabrina moved to stand beside him.
"Culture shock." Harry shook his head.
Sabrina sighed. They stood in silence for a few moments.
"Let me walk you down the line." Sabrina led him over to the lunch options.
She pointed out the good dishes, the ones to avoid, and the rare ones that everyone wanted. It was strange to see normal food on offer. Pasta, sandwiches, salad, and various things that he only saw during the summer. He never realized how strange the Magical World was until now.
"And here are my friends." Sabrina led the shell-shocked boy over to a table.
There were two brunettes and one other blonde.
"Jenny, Valeria, and Zoe." Sabrina introduced them.
"Hello." Harry waved. "I'm Harry."
"British, nice." Valerie, one of the brunettes said.
"I didn't think the rumors were actually true." Jenny, another brunette, sighed and shook her head. "I owe Libby an apology."
"No, you don't." Zoe, the blonde smiled. "She needs to tell you sorry first."
Harry took an open spot. Sabrina sat next to him. The girls pelted him with questions. For once, Harry didn't mind the attention. They were asking about him, not Harry Potter.
He felt a lot better by the end of lunch. It started to sink in that here no one seemed to know, or care, who he was. Here he was Harry, the new kid from England and only guy on campus. These were 'problems' that he would gladly take instead of the ones at Hogwarts.
Myrtle Snow was his tutor in Charms. She reminded him of Professor Trelawney with better fashion sense. His final tutoring session was History of Magic taught by Rupert Giles. The older man was British as well. He currently lived in California and worked as a Librarian. One lesson with him had taught Harry more than the last four years with Binns. Hogwarts needed to fix that.
His day ended with alchemy. It was another subject that was familiar and completely different. The class was closer to Muggle Chemistry than Potions. His brain was tired by the time the day was done. He waved bye to Sabrina as he trudged out of the front doors of the school.
The blonde waved in reply but was heading in the opposite direction. His attention was soon torn away from her. A shocked scream brought him to high alert. He had his wand out and pointed in the direction of the noise before he knew it. Harry relaxed. He shook his head as he took in the scene in front of him.
A large black dog was trying to get through the crowd of witches. Progress had halted the moment a few of the girls stopped giving him pets. Sirius was enjoying the scratches and attention when Harry got outside. The vague scent of his godson made him remember why he was here in the first place.
Sirius rushed through the crowd toward Harry. He transformed from his canine form into human as he got closer. Harry braced for impact.
"Say hello to a free man!" Sirius ran toward Harry with wide arms.
Harry blushed as his godfather wrapped him in a tight hug.
"It went well?" Harry squeezed him back.
"Was there any doubt?" Sirius tried to lift Harry off his feet but couldn't do it.
"Careful, you old dog." Harry chuckled. "You're still recovering."
"Bah." Sirius let him go. "How was your first day?"
"Interesting." Harry chuckled. "I actually knew someone."
"Really?" Sirius wiggled his eyebrows. "At a Witches Academy?"
"We met at the World Cup." Harry rolled his eyes.
Sirius snorted. He muttered something under his breath that Harry didn't catch.
"And your classes?" Sirius slipped back into his 'parent' voice.
"Really weird." Harry shook his head. "It works, but it's different."
Sirius huffed.
"You know what I mean." Harry bumped his godfather with his shoulder. "They don't use wands. Even their spells need things to make them work. Some of them can't even be done without other people there to help with it. Half of the day was something with potions, but they didn't call it that."
"Well, old Voldy probably won't expect that." Sirius led him to a fancy car parked nearby.
"What's this?" Harry stopped beside the vehicle.
"I don't trust the family properties yet." Sirius opened the door and waved him in. "I've got some curse-breakers running over each location from top to bottom. We'll move in once it's safe."
"Why wouldn't it be safe?" Harry stepped into the car.
He paused once he was inside. Instead of a car, it was an apartment. After everything today, he just shook his head and sat on the plush couch. He leaned his head back. The cushions cradled him perfectly as he settled.
"My family have a long history of dangerous magic." Sirius closed the door behind him. "There are books in the library that can melt the skin off your face if you don't open it right. That is just the ones I know of. I'm having curse-breakers set them aside in a protective area. That way we don't stumble across one and lose something important."
"Good idea." Harry's eyes were starting to droop. "We're staying here until then?"
"Yes." Sirius nodded as he flopped down into a comfy recliner.
"Ok." Harry shrugged. "This is a nice couch."
Sirius laughed.
~§~
It had taken three weeks for the curse-breakers to give the first house a pass. While it was wonderful to have his own room, the old mansion was woefully behind in amenities. The car was practically a modern studio apartment. Magic worked hard to fill the gaps. The last Black to live in the mansion had died nearly two-hundred years ago. Without House Elves, the place had been placed under a statis charm that was locked to the property. The furniture was uncomfortable, the portraits thought it was still the 1700s, and the place was never bright enough.
School had been quite the adjustment. The new classes and approach to magic mingled in with his OWL tutors in a mind-numbing cocktail. Both used magic, but it was like learning two different languages at the same time.
Three weeks had been the absolute limit for his life to be somewhat normal.
The day started out normal enough. He arrived at the Academy, met Sabrina for breakfast, and did his first few classes as usual. Things got weird when he went to his tutoring session. Myrtle Snow wasn't there. In her place was a British Wizard dressed in black robes. From the way he studied the classroom with open disdain to the permanent sneer on his face, his manner screamed Pureblood.
Harry came to a stop in the doorway when he saw the wizard. For a moment, the two stared at each other. It wasn't until the wizard raised his wand that Harry recognized him. He didn't know the man by name, but he knew his face. The wizard had been among the Death Eaters that had appeared in the graveyard.
Harry snapped his arm up, his wand at the ready, and summoned a nearby desk. He raised it just in time to intercept a Killing Curse. It shattered upon impact. The sound echoed around the room and out into the hall. He could hear screams from nearby. Harry gathered the broken pieces of the desk and launched them at the Death Eater. They blocked the assault with a shield and sent a jet of fire back at him.
Rituals weren't going to help him right now. Maybe if he had a group backing him up, using rituals to strengthen him and his magic, but in the heat of things it was useless. Alchemy, however, had some interesting uses.
Fire was an important part of Alchemy. It plays a pivotal role in the transmutation process that is the core of study. Fire is the terrestrial manifestation of the Sun. One of the most common vehicles to unleash the potential is freshly cut wood. Years of absorbing the energy from the Sun provides plenty of fuel in the process. On a more personal level, fire is also within every living being. It helps guide various organs, physical health as a hole, and, on a deeper level, the growth of a soul.
All of which are incredibly interesting. Manipulating it inside of a person on such a level takes time, focus, and a lot of skill. On a more practical level, fire also has physical functions as well. Each heartbeat circulates the essence of fire within a person.
Harry latched onto the conjured fire. He forced the spell back to the Death Eaters wand and up along the outstretched arm. The progress of the fire made their veins shine even through the thick sleeve of their robe. For a brief moment, the Death Eater glowed. His heart was a beacon of light. The moment passed and a jet of flame burst from the Death Eaters chest.
The Death Eater dropped to the floor. His entire body was quickly engulfed in flames. It burned much faster than any natural fire could. The body was reduced to ash within a matter of seconds.
Teachers and students arrived a moment later. Oddly enough, there was no smell. Harry was thankful for that. He had no desire to discover what that bouquet would be.
"Harry!" Sabrina yelled as she rushed up to him. "What happened?"
"Death Eater." Harry glared at the pile of ash. "Sent to kill me."
"This is insane." Sabrina muttered.
"Welcome to my life." Harry gave her a crooked grin. "We've got jackets."
"Mister Potter." The ever-pleasant voice of Headmistress North said. "I'm glad to have found you." She came to a stop beside him to take in the pile of ash. "I do hope that isn't Miss Snow."
"No." Harry shook his head. "It was a Death Eater. Is there a way to check up on her?"
"I'll send someone shortly." The Headmistress nodded. "Now. What was I here for?" She tapped her chin. "Ah, yes. Mister Potter. I have finally gathered the needed ingredients to deal with that miasma on your forehead. Please follow me."
Sabrina gave him an odd look. He motioned her to join him instead of answering her silent question. Headmistress North led them through the school. They started in the muggle style building until they hit the second basement level. The tiled floors and brick walls gave way to classical architecture. A stone tunnel with thick wooden supports and cobblestone floors made him think of Hogwarts. It struck him how little he had thought about his old school. Hermione and Ron hadn't written to him yet, but he didn't hold it against them. He hadn't written them either, which was something of a punch in the chest. Hopefully, they were settling in without any issues.
They finally came to a stop in a ritual chamber. Runes of various sorts were carved into the walls and floors. Each layer was a different sort, but they never intersected. Three other witches waited for them. One had rich, green hair while the other two were both blonde. All three were older women, probably around Sirius' age.
"Aunt Zelda, Aunt Hilda?" Sabrina raised her eyebrows in confusion. "What are you doing here?"
"Helping your new friend." The thinner of the two blondes said.
"Harry." Sabrina turned to him. "These are my aunts. Zelda."
She motioned to the thinner of the two. The older witch had a regal air about her that reminded him of so many Purebloods he had met.
"And Hilda."
Hilda had a bright smile on her face. Judging by the subtle wrinkles on her face, she smiled quite a lot.
"Pleasure to meet you." Harry inclined his head.
"An Englishman?" Hilda cooed. "It's been years since we've been home. How are things? Do you go to Hogwarts? Does Minerva finally teach Transfiguration?"
"Breath, Hilda." Zelda huffed. "Let the boy speak."
"I was in Hogwarts until this year." Harry replied with a smile of his own. "Professor McGonagall is still teaching Transfiguration. She's Deputy Headmistress now."
"That's wonderful." Hilda clapped her hands. "She was always such a driven girl. Did she ever embrace the Dark Lord?"
Harry tensed.
"Calm, child." Zelda rolled her eyes. "Not the sorry excuse for a pretender. The true Dark Lord, Satan. His blessings and magic extend our lives. Little Minerva was a Third Year when we left."
"Satan." Harry looked to Sabrina. "I forgot about that part."
Sabrina shrugged.
"Is that a problem, Mister Potter?" Zelda arced a manicured eyebrow at him.
"Not at all." Harry shook his head.
Zelda's eyes squinted and focused on his scar. The corner of her lips curled into a sneer that would have made Snape jealous.
"Definitely vile magic." The witch muttered. "Vile, childish, and cowardly."
"That fits." Harry gave her a roguish smile.
A small twitch of a smile was all he got in reply. He counted that as a win.
"Mister Potter." Headmistress North spoke up. "May I introduce my sister, Elphaba West."
The green haired witch didn't seem to be impressed with the introduction.
"Sister?" Harry asked slowly.
"Of a sort." The green-haired witch sighed. "Shall we begin?"
"Of course." Headmistress North smiled brightly. "Miss Spellman, please step out of the room. This ritual requires no more than four to complete."
"Sure." Sabrina nodded. She squeezed his hand. "I'll be waiting for you."
Harry blushed at her touch. He nodded. When he turned around he came face to face with four very different reactions. Hilda looked like she was nearly vibrating with happiness. Zelda appeared annoyed, still. Headmistress North had her constant gentle smile on her face. Miss West didn't seem to care one way or another.
"The ritual will take some time." Headmistress North explained. "Once you are inside the circle we will begin to activate each layer. There will be some discomfort."
"I wouldn't expect it either way." Harry groaned.
"Remove your clothes and lay in the center of the circle." Miss West instructed.
"Pardon?" Harry choked out.
"Remove your clothes." She repeated. "Lay down in the center of the circle."
"Come along." Zelda took a position at the edge of the circle. "It's nothing we haven't seen before."
"Your glasses too." Hilda chimed in helpfully.
Harry tried not to look at any of them as he began to strip out of his clothes. A blush covered his face and stretched down into his chest. There was a small gasp that came from the direction of Hilda and Zelda when he dropped his pants. He didn't know which one had made the noise. Honestly, he wasn't in a hurry to find out. His experience with girls his own age was lacking, older witches was even less.
He stepped into the circle. Slowly, he lowered himself down onto the floor. He was pleasantly surprised that the stone was only slightly cold. It gave him a little chill along his spine, but he had experienced much worse. Being strapped to a tombstone last year held the top spot so far.
The four witches took up positions at the cardinal points of direction. Headmistress North started the chant. Zelda took up the same words a step behind, then Hilda did the same. Finally, Miss West began the chant in her own cadence. The words weren't ones that he recognized. When he tried to listen closely, it felt like his brain was flooded with static. A different ring of runes lit with gold energy as each witch began to speak. He had expected the stone to heat up as the ritual continued, but nothing changed.
Harry's skin began to prickle with goosebumps. He could feel the energy connect with the tips of his fingers and toes. It started as a tingle that strengthened into cramps. The sensation crawled up his limbs. While it wasn't as bad as the Cruciatus Curse, it still hurt like a bastard.
By the time the clench of his muscles reached his neck, he started to have second thoughts. Harry had never had cramps in his facial muscles. It was an experience that he didn't ever want to feel ever again. His eyes clenched tight as the sensation reached his forehead.
His body flopped boneless as the magic shifted to focus on his scar. He could feel the magic pull on something in his skull. Whatever it was, fought back. A flash of memories jumped to the front of his mind. He knew them, they were ones that Dementors summoned with their aura.
Harry was about to pass out from the exertion when the memory expanded. It was the moment after the Killing Curse had hit. The vision split into two. One followed a wispy specter latched onto his bleeding forehead. The other drifted after the bodiless, fractured soul of Tom Riddle. It fled through the streets, out into the forest lost in a tangle of confusion and fear.
The shard anchored in his forehead struggled for freedom. It scratched and clawed until it lost energy. Slowly, it settled into the scar. Time slipped by as the years passed. It tried to attach itself onto Harry's mind, but something stopped its progress. The vile taint continuously fought to control him only for his magic to fight back even harder. Small chunks of the thing faded away, unintentionally absorbed through the years. Each little bit flashed with memories filled with Parseltongue.
Harry watched the anchor through the years. It got stronger as he did, but never was able to gain the upper hand. In his first year, it rages against the presence of Quirrell. It hated the man and the parasite attached. Each lance of pain that year was born of pure hatred from being abandoned by the source. The diary in his second year called out to it with familiarity. A healthy dose of Basilisk Venom made the two harmonize in a terror-filled scream. It tried to hide deeper inside of his head throughout the third year, clearly afraid of the Dementors. Last year, it recognized Crouch Junior beneath the potion. The shard calmed, patiently waiting, only to rage against the world when the rebirth didn't reunite it with the reformed body. Now, it was afraid once more. It had never truly gained control, but the current existence was better than the void.
All of this, Harry watched from a distance. The pain and discomfort vanished in an instant as the anchor was torn from his head. A clump of iridescent sludge hovered in the air above him. He watched as the scar on his forehead sealed shut without a hint of blood. It was now a hair thin, lighter strip of skin rather than the angry red that he had always lived with.
Harry let out a relieved sigh as the sludge floated over to a waiting glass vial that hovered in the air above him. Once it was sealed, the glow of the runes began to fade in reverse order. The vial settled down onto the stone. Even though the sludge fought against its new prison it didn't move in the least. Eventually, the chanting stopped.
"The ritual is complete." Headmistress North said between deep breaths.
He sat up. His body felt lighter than ever. Magic sang through every cell of his being. He felt the floor shift underneath him. It took him a moment to realize it wasn't the floor, but him who was moving. All the various bones that healed wrong were being fixed. His limbs painlessly stretched a couple of inches. A strange little tingle bloomed in his eyes. It wasn't pleasant, but it was far from painful. His vision cleared, better than even when he wore his glasses.
"Oh." Harry laughed. "Oh, wow."
Harry hopped up to his feet. The lingering pain from the ritual had vanished. He turned his attention to the witches. His gratitude froze in his throat. The four were haggard, barely on their feet. He had no idea how long the ritual had taken.
"We're fine." Headmistress North waved a hand before he could ask. "Just tired. Go on. Your friend is waiting for you."
Harry nodded. He rushed out of the room to find Sirius, Sabrina, and her friends waiting for him. A wide smile crossed his face as he saw them. It wasn't until he realized they stared at him in shock that he remembered he was still completely nude.
"Pup." Sirius let out a bark of laughter. "Your wand is out."
"Oops." Harry laughed.
He hurried back into the room and quickly got dressed. His second arrival was met with a wave of giggles. Harry wasn't bothered. Everything was great. Colors were more vibrant, even the air in the underground passage smelled sweet. He scooped up Sabrina in his arms and spun her around.
"Harry!" Sabrina squeaked.
"Sorry." Harry set her down laughing.
Clearly not sorry one bit. Without a thought, he placed a quick kiss on her lips. They stared at each other in silence for a moment. He waited for her reaction. Sabrina leaned closer, kissing him fully this time. Harry relaxed into her touch. A cough interrupted them before their kiss could go further.
"Right." Harry cleared his throat. "It worked."
"Are you sure?" Valeria teased. "You might need to strip to make sure."
Sabrina glared at her friend. Sirius laughed again.
"Come on." Sabrina pulled him along. "Let's get you checked out."
"Smart girl." Sirius chimed in. "You should keep her around."
"I plan on it."
~§~
"This is my best friend." Harry waved a hand to Hermione. "Hermione Granger."
Australia had done Hermione good. She had a nice tan and looked rather fit. Her arm was hooked around the waist of a guy he didn't know. The guy was taller than her, thin, and had a nicely kept beard.
"Thank you for keeping him alive." Sabrina offered her hand to Hermione.
"It wasn't easy." Hermione teased, taking it. "This is my boyfriend, Edward Kelly. No relation."
"Some relation." The man teased. "If you believe my Nan."
"Nice to meet you." Harry gave him a nod. "Thanks for coming."
"Best friend?" Ron spoke up as he approached. "What am I, then?"
"The annoying cousin, obviously." Harry braced himself a moment before the ginger wrapped him in a hug. "Thanks for coming, Ron."
"I wouldn't miss it." Ron scoffed. "Is this her?"
"Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger." Harry turned to face Sabrina. "This lovely woman is Sabrina Spellman, soon to be Sabrina Potter."
"Nice to meet you all." Sabrina blushed. "Harry has told me so much about you both."
"Only the good parts are true." Ron ignored the offered handshake and hugged Sabrina. "We're going to be family. We don't shake hands."
"Going stag?" Hermione asked as she scanned the crowd.
"Yeah." Ron nodded. "Turns out the people Mum knew were family. The entire village is Weasley or Prewett and we're not that kind of Pureblood."
"I have a few friends." Sabrina offered.
"Oh?" Ron brightened up. "Do tell."
Harry settled into a comfortable silence. The wedding was the next day, Hermione and Ron were here, and the war was over. He didn't plan on returning to the UK any time soon. It was a big mess. He knew that the moment Harry Potter returned the entire country would want something from him. Harry had plenty of experience being their 'hero' and wasn't in any hurry to do it again. Especially since Dumbledore had died during the final battle with Voldemort.
The new life with Sabrina was worth more than anything they could give him.
Comments
William G Cashman
Wish there was more.
jp9901
I like the idea. I wish it was expanded and more detailed. Regardless, this was great
