Chapter 135: Chapter 135: "Winter, Duels and Mirror of Desires"
During the holiday season, Harry split his time between Bones Manor and Black Castle. At Bones Manor, he cherished the playful moments spent with baby Aries, finding joy in the simplicity of family time. Meanwhile, at Black Castle, he immersed himself in rigorous magical practice, sharpening his skills with a deep and intense focus.
Each night, Harry's routine included secretive trips to Hogwarts. He used the vanishing cabinet to stealthily check on Quirrelmort, employing his invisibility cloak to approach Quirrell undetected. This allowed Harry to access Quirrell's recent memories, providing insights into Voldemort's search for the Philosopher's Stone and monitoring Quirrell's deteriorating physical state. Harry often wondered why Quirrell didn't simply eliminate Fluffy using a killing curse, considering it would be typical of Voldemort's ruthless style. However, he was relieved they hadn't, as it gave him more time to delve into Voldemort's memories.
During these visits, Harry observed that Quirrell's health was in decline, but the time had not yet come to resort to unicorn blood. Quirrell and Voldemort were desperate to secure the stone swiftly to avoid such extreme measures, which they considered a last resort. Harry had already alerted the centaurs about the potential danger, advising them to be on high alert since an attack on the unicorns might be imminent within days or weeks.
One bright morning at Black Castle, Harry was deeply engaged in one of his regular dueling sessions with Arcturus. Despite being ninety years old, Arcturus maintained sharp reflexes and a keen intellect, presenting a significant challenge to Harry. This made dueling with Arcturus more difficult for Harry than sparring with Sirius, who had become less challenging over time.
Harry had fully grasped Sirius's fighting style and weaknesses, making it relatively easy to predict and counter his moves.
After a particularly vigorous duel, Arcturus took a moment to address Harry thoughtfully, "Harry, I think it's time for you to start competing in dueling tournaments. You've learned a great deal from our sessions, and I've noticed your style is becoming very similar to mine. While this is a testament to your learning ability, it's not beneficial for your growth as a duelist. You need to develop your own unique style if you truly want to excel and become a formidable wizard. To do this, you need more varied combat experiences. Our practice duels are becoming too predictable since we know each other's techniques so well. You need to face different opponents, ones who will challenge you in new ways."
Harry pondered Arcturus's advice seriously and then responded, "Yes, I also feel like I need more real dueling experience. My growth has slowed down a little. But do you think I'm ready to show my real strength to the world? Will it bring me problems?"
Arcturus gave a firm nod. "You no longer need to conceal your talents. It's time for you to step into the spotlight and make a name for yourself. By establishing a reputation now, you could deter potential adversaries and make others think twice before opposing you. It's also an opportunity to influence those who are neutral—making them hesitant to join your enemies. You can keep some tricks like your extraordinary strength from Knight training hidden, which can come in handy as a trump card but otherwise, you should go all out in duels to truly benefit from them."
"I understand. So, which dueling tournament should I start with?" Harry asked.
Arcturus replied with a strategic plan, "You should start with the European Under-17 Dueling Tournament. Winning there will provide you with the recognition necessary to enter adult-level tournaments. Begin with the under-17 tournament this coming summer, and then next year, you can progress to the All-English Dueling Tournament. From there, the world championships should be your next target. I'll take care of all the necessary formalities for you."
"That sounds like a solid plan to me," Harry agreed.
Harry was thrilled about the prospect of finally participating in a dueling tournament where he could openly display his true abilities. He was growing weary of concealing his strength, a tactic that was beginning to hinder his progress and could potentially harm his long-term development.
Keeping his powers hidden was proving to be more detrimental than beneficial. With the wizarding community now aware that Arcturus was his mentor, Harry was expected to demonstrate significant strength and skill. Failing to meet these expectations could negatively impact his reputation.
Moreover, Harry felt that he had reached a plateau in his abilities and needed more intense challenges to advance his skills. He believed that engaging in more battles, particularly those that could be life-threatening, would be crucial for his development.
This need for greater challenges was also evident in his Knight training. The daily routines were no longer yielding any noticeable improvements, and his practice sessions were now mainly aimed at maintaining his current level and preventing any decline in his skills.
Harry recognized that minor skirmishes, like his previous encounters with acromantulas, were no longer sufficient to enhance his capabilities. He was now faced with a choice: either he must confront the entire colony of acromantulas or discover another method to significantly push his limits and grow as a knight.
That night, Harry stepped into Hogwarts through the vanishing cabinet and immediately noticed something intriguing on the Marauder's Map. Dumbledore had visited an unused part of the castle the previous night and was there again tonight. Finding this repetitive behavior unusual, Harry decided it warranted a closer look.
He patiently waited for Dumbledore to leave the area. About an hour later, once Dumbledore had moved away, Harry approached the location with caution. It was an unused classroom, seemingly forgotten by time. As he reached the door, he noticed protective wards had been placed around it. Luckily, the wards were simple enough that Harry could bypass them without setting them off or breaking them.
Upon entering the room, Harry quickly surveyed his surroundings. The room was bare except for a large, full-scale mirror which he recognized as the Mirror of Erised. Even if he hadn't been familiar with it from the books, the inscription on the frame would have given it away. The script, which appeared to be in a foreign and likely ancient language, "Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi" when read backwards and spaces rearranged, said "I show not your face but your heart's desire"
Harry was puzzled about the Mirror of Erised's location; he had expected it to be set up behind the obstacle course on the third floor by now, safeguarding the Philosopher's Stone. The decision to leave such a crucial and dangerous artifact in an almost unprotected room seemed illogical.
In the canon, the Mirror of Erised served a specific purpose: it helped Dumbledore understand Harry's psyche following his troubled childhood, ensuring that he did not become another Voldemort. But in this situation, without Charles around and no apparent need to test anyone's character, Harry found himself confused.
The only sensible explanation Harry could think of was that Dumbledore might have placed the mirror here temporarily to work on an enchantment that would secure the stone, planning to move it to the third floor once ready. It was possible that Dumbledore, wary of what the mirror revealed to him, preferred to keep it at a distance to avoid falling under its spell.
Given that it was the holiday season with fewer students around, the risk of keeping the mirror in such a remote location while working on the enchantment seemed manageable to Dumbledore.
Standing before the mirror, Harry paused, reflecting on his own desires. Desires are fundamental to everyone; they are not a cause for shame but are the driving forces behind our actions and ambitions.
As he gazed into the mirror, his reflection transformed to show an older, more mature version of himself, encircled by his loved ones like Cordelia, Emma, and Arcturus. Noticeably, the Potters, including Charles, were missing from the vision. Some of the faces were blurred, yet each was smiling, creating a warm, inviting scene around him. In the center stood Harry, exuding confidence and a formidable aura of strength that seemed to pulse outward from his reflection.
Seeing this filled Harry with a sense of fulfillment and affirmation. For a long time, he had been committed to becoming strong enough to protect his family and ensure their safety and happiness. This vision was a reminder of the promise he had made to himself long ago, reaffirming his path and the choices he was making.
Pleased with the reflection he saw in the Mirror of Erised and realizing there was nothing more to gain from staying in the room, Harry decided it was time to leave.
He continued on his usual routine to check up on Quirrelmort, sure that the Philosopher's Stone was not hidden in the mirror at this time. Harry felt certain that Dumbledore would not leave such an important artifact unguarded in this room once it contained the stone, so he saw no reason to return here again.
During the remainder of the holidays, Harry maintained his nightly visits to monitor Quirrell, but nothing out of the ordinary occurred. He noted, however, that Quirrell's physical condition was deteriorating rapidly, indicating that it wouldn't be long before Quirrell sought out the unicorns. Anticipating this move, Harry prepared some healing supplies specifically designed for treating unicorns, ensuring he was ready to intervene and help protect them when necessary.
With his preparations complete and feeling rejuvenated from the holiday break, Harry returned to Hogwarts, ready to face another semester filled with new challenges and adventures.
Chapter 136: Chapter 136: "Back to School and Unicorns"
The halls of Hogwarts had returned to their usual buzz after the holidays, with students slipping back into their academic routines. Charles, in particular, seemed more content, possibly rejuvenated by his break from school pressures. The attention he once craved no longer seemed to weigh on him as heavily.
However, this newfound peace was abruptly shattered the very next morning during breakfast in the Great Hall. In the midst of their morning meal, a bizarre spectacle unfolded: several Hufflepuff first-year students, including Susan, suddenly transformed into oversized yellow canaries.
The Great Hall erupted into chaos. Students stared in disbelief and confusion as the transformed first-years fluttered awkwardly around. Amid the confusion, Harry scanned the room angrily, determined to identify who was responsible for this prank.
During this commotion, loud laughter broke out from Charles and Ron, immediately drawing Harry's attention and suspicion. Choosing to remain discreet, Harry covertly used legilimency to delve into Charles's mind, seeking confirmation of his involvement.
What Harry found was a recent dialogue between Charles and his parents. Charles had shared his frustrations about feeling neglected and less admired at Hogwarts. While Lily had offered words of comfort, suggesting there might be benefits to stepping out of the spotlight, James had taken a different approach.
James had egged Charles on, suggesting, "They're ignoring you because they don't think you're special anymore. Show them they're wrong. Let's use the holidays to devise some impressive pranks. When you pull these off back at school, everyone will look up to you again, amazed not just by your magical prowess but by your cleverness too."
Harry then saw visions of James, Charles, and Remus experimenting together on a mischievous project – canary creams. This prank, originally crafted by the Weasley twins in the books, involved biscuits that, once eaten, would temporarily transform the eater into an oversized canary. The transformation would only reverse itself after the individual molted.
This very morning, with Ron's help, Charles had cunningly distributed these enchanted biscuits among the first-year Hufflepuffs, leading to the current spectacle in the Great Hall.
If this had been just another harmless joke, Harry wouldn't have been so upset. He might have even found it funny, responding with a few quick revenge pranks before moving on from the incident with Charles.
However, what truly angered Harry was discovering the real motivation behind the prank on Susan by delving into Charles's mind. It turned out that Charles had been attempting to prank Harry since the school year began, enlisting the Weasley twins' help, yet failing each time.
After a conversation where Charles had exaggerated a past encounter—claiming Harry had hurt him when Harry had merely disarmed him—James suggested Charles target Harry's friends instead since Charles couldn't outmatch Harry directly. James told Charles that embarrassing Harry's friends would hurt Harry indirectly.
Taking a moment to calm his rage, Harry knew immediate revenge was less important than caring for the affected students right now.
Swiftly, Harry gathered Susan and the other transformed first-years, leading them to the hospital wing. As they walked, he reassured Susan and promised that those responsible would face consequences.
Cedric, who had come to help, leaned in and whispered to Harry, "Do you know who's behind this?"
Harry, keeping his voice low, responded, "I have a pretty good idea. But first, let's make sure these kids are taken care of. Revenge can wait until tonight."
Cedric nodded, a hint of anticipation in his tone, "I'll be looking forward to a good show then."
Once they arrived at the hospital wing, Madam Pomfrey took over with her usual efficiency. She treated the transformed students, and within the hour, each of them had reverted to their normal selves, no worse for wear.
The rest of the day unfolded without any further disruptions, but as the evening rolled in, the dinner at Gryffindor table turned dramatic. Suddenly, amidst bites and conversation, Charles and Ron morphed into large pythons. Their transformation sent shockwaves of panic and fear across their housemates, causing a chaotic stir at the table.
Harry watched the scene unfold with a slight smile tugging at his lips as the transformed duo hissed and slithered, causing a ruckus. Across the room, he felt Dumbledore's penetrating gaze from the staff table. Their eyes met briefly; Dumbledore's expression was unreadable, but he seemed to understand that Harry was behind the counter-prank, but he didn't act.
Turning his attention nonchalantly back to his dinner, Harry felt a sense of satisfaction with how the evening's events had played out.
Yet, this episode was far from over. Harry was determined to keep up the pressure on Charles and Ron. Charles had expressed a desire to regain his fame, and Harry was intent on ensuring that he would indeed become famous again, but for reasons far less flattering than he might hope.
As Harry pondered his next moves for the prank series, his thoughts drifted to an intriguing discovery he'd made while delving into Charles's memories. During the holidays, Charles had received an invisibility cloak as a Christmas gift, which he cherished deeply. James had declared it to be the ancestral Potter cloak, but Harry knew better—the real cloak was in his possession.
It appeared that Dumbledore had opted not to disclose to James the loss of the true Potter cloak, instead giving him a substitute and claiming it was the genuine article. Harry puzzled over why Dumbledore would risk such deceit, especially given the complications it might cause once the cloak began to show signs of wear and no longer functioned as a real invisibility cloak.
For now, Harry decided not to dwell on Dumbledore's motivations. What mattered was that Charles might use his new cloak to tail Harry during his adventures. Resolving to be more vigilant, Harry made a mental note to regularly check the Marauder's Map before embarking on his nightly adventures, ensuring no unseen followers could cause disruptions.
After finishing his meal, Harry, feeling content, was heading back to the dormitory when he suddenly felt a vibration from his pocket. It was his emergency coin—a signal from the centaurs that there was trouble in the Forbidden Forest. Remembering that Quirrell had not been at dinner, Harry suspected that he might have started hunting unicorns.
Quickly changing into his disguise, Harry hurried into the forest. He activated the tracking charm on the coin, which led him swiftly to where he was needed.
When he arrived, he saw Dorran and several other centaurs standing somberly around an injured unicorn. Harry had often encountered these magnificent creatures during his forays into the forest, but he had never been this close to one; usually, unicorns fled at the sight of him.
Dorran greeted him with urgent relief. "Good, you are here, Wizard Arthur. This young one needs your help."
Without hesitation, Harry began to administer first aid. The unicorn was bleeding profusely from a deep gash, with streams of shimmering silver blood spilling onto the forest floor. Fortunately, the wound wasn't fatal—unicorns were resilient creatures. Harry focused on stemming the bleeding and then carefully healed the wound, confident that once stabilized, the unicorn's natural vitality would handle the rest.
After successfully tending to the unicorn, Harry watched as some of the centaurs gently lifted the creature, taking it to a safe place to recover fully.
After the unicorn was out of sight, Harry turned to Dorran to discuss the day's events.
Harry approached Dorran, his tone filled with concern. "Did you encounter him today? Is everyone alright? Were there any injuries?"
Dorran nodded gravely, "Yes, we did see the dark wizard. One of our patrols heard the distress calls of the unicorns and we immediately came here. Fortunately, the dark wizard fled as soon as he saw us. There was no confrontation, which spared us from potential harm."
Harry furrowed his brow, "Has he already consumed some of the unicorn's blood?"
"It appears so," Dorran replied, a hint of worry in his voice. "And now that he's started, he'll likely continue until he's completed his mission."
Harry reassured him, "I've been keeping an eye on him. He's not as powerful as he used to be. He can't use many of his old spells anymore. As long as you move quickly, you should be able to fight him."
Dorran expressed his gratitude, "Thank you for the information, Wizard Arthur. We'll stay alert."
Harry, noting the lateness of the hour. "I should head back now. Take good care of the unicorn, and don't hesitate to use the coin if you need my help again."
"We will," Dorran assured him, "and thank you for all your assistance, Wizard Arthur."
With the unicorn safe and the situation under control, Harry departed the forest, heading back to the castle. He decided to spend the rest of his night in the Room of Requirements, focusing on his studies, ready for whatever challenges the new term at Hogwarts might bring.
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