Chapter 98: Chapter 98: "End of First Year"
Months flew by, and before Harry knew it, his first year at Hogwarts was almost over. He had managed to achieve the goals he had set for himself at the start of the year.
Harry had advanced his studies to the point where he felt confident enough to tackle the final NEWT exams while securing high grades, a feat not typical for a first-year.
One clear indication of Harry's advanced magical abilities was his mastery of the highly complex Fiendfyre Curse. Though this spell wasn't part of the Hogwarts curriculum, Harry had taken a particular liking to it. He enjoyed shaping the magical fire into various forms, playfully manipulating the dangerous flames. If any of the adults or even Sirius knew how casually he was handling Fiendfyre, they would be deeply concerned, if not outright frightened. For Harry, however, it had become a fascinating toy.
In terms of Knight training, Harry had been diligently practicing the Knight Breathing Technique, a regimen that had begun to show tangible benefits. Over the past three months, he had observed an 8% increase in his strength and other physical capabilities.
While this might not seem like a significant improvement, it was a positive change that Harry welcomed. However, before he decided to continue this rigorous training, he planned to have a thorough physical check-up with Cordelia and Emma. He wanted to ensure that his intense physical exercises hadn't caused any unseen damage to his body.
As the school year at Hogwarts drew to a close, several memorable events marked the occasion. One of the most exciting was the final Quidditch match of the season, where Gryffindor faced off against Hufflepuff. Gryffindor emerged victorious with a resounding score of 400-60, securing the Quidditch Cup. This triumph brought immense pride and joy to both the Gryffindor team and their enthusiastic supporters, filling the Gryffindor common room with celebrations.
The end-of-term exams soon followed, with Harry excelling in both the theoretical and practical components. While Harry sailed through the exams with ease, his classmates found them challenging but manageable, maintaining hopes of passing successfully.
The professors, particularly those who had closely monitored Harry's progress, were astonished by his flawless theoretical papers and his adeptness in the practical tests. Even Professor Snape, who was often reluctant to award high marks to Harry, found himself unable to justify any deductions when faced with Harry's near-perfect potion concoctions.
With exams out of the way, a sense of relief and celebration permeated the castle. The fear and tension that had gripped Hogwarts due to the mysterious attacks earlier in the year had dissipated, and students began to reclaim the joy and fun of their Hogwarts experience.
The castle, once shadowed by anxiety, slowly buzzed back to life with laughter and lighthearted activities, allowing everyone to enjoy their newfound freedom and the pleasant weather that graced the end of the school year.
When the exam results were announced, it came as no surprise that Harry topped his year. Cedric finished in second place, and Elvinia took third. The rest of Harry's study group also performed exceptionally well, appearing at the top of the list before any other students were mentioned. Thanks to Harry's last-minute tutoring, especially in practical spells, his group's performance in the practical exams outshone their peers, leading them to dominate the rankings.
The group took some time to celebrate their impressive academic achievements, but not everyone in the school was happy.
For instance, Warrington, the group's old friend, watched them from a distance filled with jealousy and frustration. It had been a particularly tough year for him. He was frequently the target of pranks, which caused him to miss classes and lose points, making him somewhat of an outcast within Slytherin House. He was dreading the thought of going home and narrating everything to his father. His father, Lord Warrington had expected him to excel and increase the family's influence at Hogwarts. Instead, he had done the opposite and was now worried about his father's reaction, given that he was the family's sole heir.
Warrington's attempts to disrupt the lives of the two Slytherin girls in Harry's group had consistently backfired. Whenever he confronted them, or even when he enlisted the help of a few older students who still associated with him, their schemes always mysteriously ended embarrassingly, turning them into the laughing stock of the school.
Eventually, Warrington had no choice but to give up. He resolved to learn some protective spells over the holidays to guard against pranks before making another attempt to assert himself. He was determined to become the leader of Slytherin House in his year by the next term.
Meanwhile, Harry and his group were oblivious to Warrington's troubles and thoughts. They were focused on enjoying the end-of-term feast in the Great Hall. Everyone was excited about the prospect of going home after a particularly eventful and sometimes frightening second half of the school year. Despite the challenges, they were relieved that their caution and limited outings had kept them safe from any attacks.
At the Great Hall, Harry's group reluctantly dispersed to join their respective house tables. Today, the hall was adorned in the vibrant yellow and black colors of Hufflepuff to celebrate their first house cup victory in many years. A large banner featuring the Hufflepuff badger was prominently displayed behind the High Table, adding to the festive atmosphere.
Hufflepuff's unexpected win was largely influenced by Harry's behind-the-scenes actions. His relentless pranking of the bullies often led them to cause disturbances, be late, or retaliate mistakenly in front of professors, resulting in significant point deductions for their houses. Since the majority of these bullies were from Slytherin and Ravenclaw, these houses saw the most point losses. Gryffindor, known for being troublemakers, regularly lost points as well. Consequently, these circumstances paved the way for Hufflepuff to clinch the house cup.
Harry was indifferent to which house won the cup. To him, the pursuit of house glory seemed trivial and detached from real-world concerns. Therefore, he continued his efforts to discipline the bullies, regardless of the potential point losses to his own house, Ravenclaw. He was actually pleased to see the often-overlooked Hufflepuff house win.
This year, the Hufflepuff table was a scene of jubilation, whereas the Slytherin table was marked by gloom. The Slytherins were dealing with the disappointment of breaking their five-year winning streak, compounded by their loss of the Quidditch Cup to their arch-rival, Gryffindor. Even Snape, the head of Slytherin House, was visibly upset with his students.
Meanwhile, the students at the Gryffindor and Ravenclaw tables seemed less concerned with the house cup standings. The Gryffindors, in particular, were eagerly anticipating the start of the feast.
Dumbledore soon made his entrance, adding to the anticipation.
"Another year gone!" exclaimed Dumbledore with his usual cheerfulness. "And now, I must burden you with an old man's ramblings before we can enjoy our wonderful feast... What a year it has been!"
He continued, "Now, it's time to award the house cup, and the points are as follows: In fourth place, Gryffindor with two hundred and ten points; in third, Slytherin with two hundred and forty-two; Ravenclaw is in second with two hundred and forty-six; and Hufflepuff leads with two hundred and seventy-two points. Congratulations to Hufflepuff for winning this year's house cup and for bringing a new look to our decorations!"
A loud cheer erupted from the Hufflepuff table, filling the Great Hall with noise and excitement as the students from three Hogwarts houses celebrated the unexpected loss of the Slytherin house.
After enjoying a delightful feast, all the students returned to their dormitories, where the air was filled with the sounds of wardrobes being emptied and trunks being packed. The first-year students received a stern reminder from their professors: no magic was to be used outside the castle's walls.
The next day, everyone boarded the Hogwarts Express for a long, enjoyable journey filled with laughter and shared memories of the year. As the train pulled into King's Cross Station, the atmosphere was bittersweet. Students said their goodbyes, making promises to keep in touch through letters sent by owl.
Harry found Sirius waiting for him among the crowd, a reassuring sight. After exchanging final farewells with his friends, Harry joined Sirius, and together they left the bustling station, heading towards the comfort and solitude of the Black castle.
Chapter 99: Chapter 99: "Summer Holidays Part -1"
As Harry and Sirius materialized on the grounds of the Black Castle, Sirius turned to Harry with a warm smile, his eyes twinkling with both joy and expectation.
"Harry, there's something important I need to share with you," Sirius began, his voice filled with deep emotion. "Amelia is pregnant. I'm going to be a father."
Harry's face immediately brightened with a sincere smile. "That's incredible, Sirius! Congratulations!" he cheered, giving Sirius a hearty pat on the back. "It's about time you had a child. I love the idea of having another brother or sister to play with."
"Thanks, Harry," Sirius responded, his signature grin spreading across his face.
They continued walking towards the castle, their conversation light and full of excitement. As they approached the grand entrance, Lord Black warmly welcomed them. A wide smile spread across Arcturus's face upon seeing Sirius and Harry.
"Welcome home, Harry! And Sirius, do hurry back to Amelia. Make sure to support her and lessen her workload. I eagerly await the new joy this baby will bring to our family," Arcturus said enthusiastically, his voice echoing in the hall as he hugged them both.
"Thank you, Grandfather. I'll head back now. Take care, Harry. I'll see you soon," Sirius said, already turning to leave, his steps quickening as he exited the castle grounds.
Sirius and Amelia had previously lived at the Black Castle, but as Amelia's job became more demanding—often requiring her to meet with many people at home—they found the castle's secluded location less than ideal. To accommodate her professional needs better, they moved to the Bones Manor, which offered easier access for visitors and was less stringently protected than the Black Castle.
Then Harry went inside the castle and freshened up. Later that evening, he and Arcturus settled into the study, where the old man expressed a keen interest in Harry's first year at Hogwarts.
Arcturus leaned forward, his voice tinged with curiosity. "I heard there were quite some disturbances at Hogwarts this year. Something about the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher attacking students and then being sent to St. Mungo's?"
Harry nodded, settling into his chair. "Yes, it was quite an eventful year. I was actually involved in that situation. I was the one who ended up sending him to St. Mungo's, so I know all the details."
Arcturus raised an eyebrow. "I suspected as much. So, what exactly happened?"
Harry then delved into the more dramatic parts of his year, starting from the destruction of the library on Halloween, and then progressing to the mysterious attacks on students. "I found out that Professor Fletcher was behind it all. I followed him one night under my invisibility cloak and discovered he was attacking students to collect their blood, which he needed to unlock a special key."
"What happened next?" Arcturus asked, leaning in closer.
Harry continued, "One morning, he attacked me. Thankfully, I was wearing a dragon hide vest, which deflected his attack, and then I managed to knock him out."
Arcturus shook his head slightly, a mix of concern and relief in his voice. "What have I always taught you, Harry? Always be mindful of your surroundings. What if he had used a stronger spell?"
Harry met Arcturus's gaze, his expression serious. "I know, Grandfather. I've learned from that mistake. I'm already working on a solution that will allow me to see invisible people, so I'll be better prepared in the future."
Arcturus nodded thoughtfully. "Good. What did you discover from Fletcher?"
Harry leaned back slightly, his voice steady. "I found out that the key he was after required blood from the Gryffindor line to unlock it. Fletcher was desperately searching for this."
Arcturus's interest peaked. "The Potters are descended from Gryffindor. So, did you manage to find the treasure? What exactly was this treasure?"
Harry then explained about the Knight inheritance, the battle spells, and the sword he discovered in Gryffindor's hidden vault. He carefully left out any mention of the basilisk; he didn't want to alarm Arcturus unnecessarily. The idea of a thousand-year-old basilisk lurking in the castle might prompt Arcturus to cause a commotion or call the Aurors to kill the snake, and Harry wanted to avoid this to possibly handle the basilisk himself and claim its valuable remains.
"Fascinating," Arcturus mused thoughtfully. "I've heard whispers of such a lost art, which faded into obscurity as wizards grew stronger and more prevalent. In ancient times, many kingdoms relied on knights to win wars. But that's all I know—nothing specific about the techniques or training."
Arcturus looked thoughtfully at Harry. "What do you plan to do with the inheritance? It seems like it will require considerable effort, but the rewards might be relatively modest for the years of practice the Knight Breathing Exercise demands before showing results."
Harry nodded, his decision clear. "I plan to practice it. The boost in physical strength it provides is more beneficial than just continuing with my aimless daily exercises."
Arcturus appeared supportive of Harry's choice. "I agree. You should definitely give it a try. The potential benefits in strength and longevity sound very promising. I would have attempted it myself if it were possible, but the requirement for a specific bloodline makes it impossible for me. However, do proceed with caution."
"Yes, I've arranged a check-up with Cordelia tomorrow to ensure everything is okay," Harry confirmed.
"And what about learning to wield a sword?" Arcturus inquired, showing interest in Harry's diverse skills.
"I'm really interested in mastering swordsmanship," Harry confessed. "It might not be the most practical skill for dueling, but it looks cool. Plus, imagine being able to fight a dragon with a sword and being called a dragon warrior?"
Arcturus chuckled at the idea. "Whatever you wish, Harry. With the progress you've shown in your wizarding studies, you deserve some time to explore other interests. You'll need a proper instructor, though. I'll see who I can find."
"That would be perfect," Harry responded, his appreciation evident.
They then shifted the conversation to Harry's year at Hogwarts.
"It's good to hear that you've made friends from different houses," Arcturus said, settling more comfortably into his armchair. "It's wise to have friends of diverse characters. Sticking to one house, as most do, can lead to problems. I experienced that myself. We Slytherins are known for being cunning and ambitious, so most people around me were trying to outdo each other. I never managed to forge true friendships during my school days."
Harry nodded, understanding the value of Arcturus's advice, and then inquired about the families of his friends, particularly if any were associated with Death Eaters. He was relieved to learn that none of his friends' families were supporters of Voldemort.
Pleased with their discussions, they concluded their evening. Harry was set to visit Cordelia the next day for his check-up. He really hoped all was well because he didn't want to stop practicing the Knight Breathing Exercise. It was crucial for him to gain strength quickly if he was to match Voldemort's power in the limited time before the dark lord's potential return.
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