Chapter 248: Electives
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One of the Centaurs, a tall and muscular figure with a chestnut coat and a mane of wild hair, stepped forward. "You are in our territory, human," he said in a deep, resonant voice. "The Dementors do not belong here, and neither do you."
Umbridge, still clutching her badge, stammered, "I-I am here under Ministry orders! These creatures are here to search for escaped prisoners!"
The Centaur's eyes narrowed. "We care not for your Ministry or its orders. The forest and its creatures are under our protection." He turned to the Dementors, who hesitated at the sight of the Centaurs and Unicorns. "Begone, foul beings, or face our wrath."
The Dementors, sensing the combined strength of the Centaurs and Unicorns, began to retreat, their dark forms dissolving into the night. Umbridge, left standing in the circle of Centaurs, looked around in bewilderment and fear.
Harry watched the scene unfold from his hidden vantage point, a satisfied smirk on his face. He admired the way the Centaurs effortlessly handled the situation, their authority unquestioned in their territory. As the last Dementor disappeared, the Centaur leader turned his attention back to Umbridge.
"You should leave this place, human," he said once againsternly. "And take care not to return."
Umbridge, her pride and authority shattered, could only nod meekly. She stumbled back towards the path, casting fearful glances at the Centaurs. As she disappeared into the shadows, the leading Centaur looked up at the sky and spoke, "We meet again, Young Wizard, but it seems like your soul is corrupted."
Harry's eyes widened under the cloak. He thought about his actions. In the past, would he have tortured Umbridge like this? Perhaps, but would he have enjoyed it as he did now? Well, probably. Was Voldemort's soul piece affecting him? Impossible, he had moved that soul to his new wand. Was it the memories? No, not that either.
Suddenly, Harry realized many things. In his first year, the Centaur had sensed him through his Astral Soul, which he had no way of hiding. Over the summer, he had nearly mastered the Astral Soul, so the Centaur couldn't feel him at all now. But Voldemort's soul piece, mixed with his Astral Soul, was in his pocket, inside the wand's core. To the Centaur, it seemed his soul was overwhelmed by darkness because that was all the Centaur could feel.
Harry took a step closer to the Unicorns, feeling a sense of relief when they did not shy away from him. Their calm presence reassured him that his soul had not darkened; it was simply that the Centaurs could no longer sense it.
Harry pondered the implications of mastering his Astral Soul. Does this also prevent divination? he wondered, considering the possibilities. I'll need to ask Nicolas about this.
With these thoughts swirling in his mind, Harry turned and began to walk away, the soft glow of the Unicorns fading behind him. He had accomplished what he came for, and now it was time to get some rest. Tomorrow marked the beginning of a new term at Hogwarts, and he needed to be prepared.
The next morning, Harry awoke early, feeling the familiar buzz of anticipation for the new school year. He quickly got dressed and made his way to the Great Hall for breakfast. The chatter of students filled the air, a mix of excitement and nervous energy as everyone settled into their routines.
At the Slytherin table, Harry greeted his friends with a nod. Daphne and Tracey were deep in conversation about their summer adventures, while Draco and Zabini discussed the latest Quidditch strategies and next year's world cup. Astoria, sitting beside Daphne, looked around the hall with wide-eyed curiosity, still amazed by the grandeur of Hogwarts.
"Morning, Harry," Daphne said, smiling as he took his seat.
"Morning," Harry replied, helping himself to some toast. "Ready for the new term?"
"Absolutely," Tracey said, grinning. "Though I'm not looking forward to Umbridge's classes."
Harry smirked. "We'll manage," he said, glancing at Pansy, who appeared somewhat different than usual. Normally, Pansy carried herself with an air of grandeur—an arrogant yet noble presence. Now, she seemed less imposing. If he were to make a comparison, he would say she resembled a proud peacock turned into a rooster with shiny feathers. Still impressive, but comparatively subdued. She seemed quieter, almost reflective.
Pansy caught Harry's gaze and raised an eyebrow. "What are you staring at, Harry? Lost in admiration?"
Harry smiled, "I did indeed. This new quiet Pansy is not bad. A little more work, and you might even turn into wife material."
Pansy blushed slightly at Harry's directness, while Daphne and Tracey perked up, glaring at the duo. Flustered, Pansy retorted, "Who wants to be your wife? Potter wouldn't go with my name."
Harry chuckled, "You think so? I think it rhymes. Pansy Parkinson Potter. It has a certain charm to it."
Pansy rolled her eyes, trying to regain her composure. "You're delusional, Harry. Besides, you'd be a terrible husband. Always up to something, never a moment of peace."
Harry leaned back, grinning. "Well, that's the fun part, isn't it? Life would never be boring with me around."
Harry leaned in, a sly smile playing on his lips. "Though, I never said it would be me, Pansy. I only said you would make good wife material. Are you perhaps fantasizing about me?"
Pansy scoffed, tossing her hair back. "As if, Potter. You wish." Her tone was teasing, but her eyes sparkled with mischief.
Tracey nudged Daphne, whispering loudly enough for everyone to hear, "Looks like Harry's got another admirer."
Daphne smirked. "Who doesn't admire our fearless leader?"
Harry shrugged nonchalantly, the corner of his mouth twitching as he tried to hide his amusement. "It's not my fault if people find me irresistible."
Astoria, still new to the banter, watched the exchange with wide eyes. "Does this happen often?" she whispered to Tracey.
"All the time," Tracey replied, grinning. "You'll get used to it."
Harry glanced at his friends around the table. As it was the first day of the school term, his friends from other houses chose to sit with their housemates. "What's your next class?" he asked.
"We have Arithmancy with you," Daphne replied, a hint of enthusiasm in her voice.
To Harry's surprise, Malfoy chimed in, "The boys and I are taking Muggle Studies."
Harry raised an eyebrow. "Really? What's sparked this sudden interest?"
Nott shrugged casually. "Pizza."
Zabini added with a grin, "Planes are cool."
Malfoy nodded, "And the book you gave me, 'From the Earth to the Moon' by Jules Verne, got me intrigued. I thought it was just a fantasy, but I did some research. To my shock, Muggles really did fly to the moon."
There were gasps of amazement from those around them. Despite Harry's efforts to introduce his friends to the Muggle world, there were still many things they didn't know. Pansy looked at Draco and Harry with disbelief. "The moon? The one we see at night? Are you sure it wasn't some elaborate hoax?"
Harry chuckled. "Next, you'll tell me the Earth is flat."
Pansy rolled her eyes. "Everyone knows the Earth is cubic, duh."
Ignoring her, Harry turned back to Draco and the others. "Honestly, I don't expect the professors at Hogwarts to know much about Muggle advancements. The wizarding world has a pretty limited view of Muggle technology."
Draco shook his head. "I talked to my father about it, and after a lot of persuading, he increased his donation to the school so we could have a better Muggle Studies professor. She wasn't here last night, so Dumbledore didn't introduce her, but she should be arriving soon."
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