Chapter 161: Chapter 161: "Preparations, Apprenticeship and Classes"
As the sun rose over Hogwarts, Harry Potter was already completing his morning routine. After a brisk jog around the Black Lake and his Knight Breathing exercises near the Forbidden Forest, he made his way to the Room of Requirement. The magical room, sensing his need, provided him with a collection of obscure tomes on dark magic detection.
Hours slipped by as Harry pored over the ancient tomes, taking meticulous notes. He paused only for his classes, returning to his research as soon as they ended. When night fell, he slipped away to the Room of Hidden Things, using the Vanishing Cabinet to transport himself to Black Castle. The vast library there held even more arcane knowledge, and Harry spent the night surrounded by ancient texts.
Despite his efforts, the results were disappointing. He learned to recognize signs of possession - physical exhaustion, absentmindedness, fear - and found spells to confirm soul possession. However, these methods required casting spells on every student in Hogwarts, an impractical and suspicious approach that would likely alert the diary's holder.
Frustrated but undeterred, Harry realized he needed a different strategy. After a moment's contemplation, he decided on a riskier but potentially more effective approach. In the early hours of the morning, he made his way to the second-floor girls' bathroom, home to Moaning Myrtle's ghost. With utmost care, he placed intricate detection wards around the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets. It wasn't ideal, but it was the surest way to catch the diary's victim.
As he worked, Harry contemplated his options. He knew he was capable of entering the Chamber himself and slaying the Basilisk, effectively ending the threat.
However, several factors held him back from this course of action. Firstly, killing the Basilisk wouldn't reveal the identity of the person possessing the diary. This could lead to a worse outcome – the death of an innocent student and the potential resurrection of Voldemort through the Horcrux. Harry couldn't risk such a catastrophic event.
Secondly, he was intensely curious about the Parseltongue abilities in his family. He wanted to confirm whether Charles and more importantly, Lily Potter, possessed this rare talent. If Lily turned out to be a Parselmouth, it could indicate a hidden connection to the Slytherin lineage or another ancient magical family with this ability. This revelation could have far-reaching implications that Harry was eager to uncover.
Lastly, and perhaps less nobly, Harry saw an opportunity to challenge Dumbledore's seemingly unassailable position in the wizarding world. He reasoned that allowing the Chamber of Secrets situation to unfold would inevitably lead to some tarnishing of Dumbledore's reputation when the events became public knowledge. Harry was under no illusion that this would significantly damage the Headmaster's standing – Dumbledore's influence in wizarding Britain was too entrenched for that. However, even a small crack in that pristine image could be valuable in the long run.
The chance to subtly undermine Dumbledore's authority while simultaneously gathering crucial information was too tempting to pass up. So, despite the risks, he resolved to let events play out, all while remaining vigilant and ready to intervene if the situation spiraled out of control.
With his preparations complete, Harry turned his attention to finalizing his apprenticeship with Professor Flitwick. By week's end, he was officially under the tutelage of the renowned half-goblin Charms master, a development that sent shockwaves through the halls of Hogwarts.
As Harry entered the Great Hall for breakfast, he could feel the weight of countless stares upon him. Whispers followed in his wake, a mix of awe and disbelief that a boy barely fifteen could achieve such a prestigious position.
"There he is, the boy wonder," Reggy announced with a theatrical flourish as Harry took his seat at the Ravenclaw table.
Elvinia rolled her eyes, though a smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. "Don't let it go to your head, Harry. Though I must admit, it is impressive. How did you manage to convince Professor Flitwick to take you on?"
Harry shrugged, aiming for modesty. "He saw my duel this summer. I guess he liked what he saw."
Cedric leaned in, his eyes bright with curiosity. "That would do it. You were taking down wizards two years older than you like it was nothing. No wonder Flitwick wants to train you personally."
Harry nodded, secretly pleased that his friends were buying into the misconception that Flitwick had taken him on primarily for dueling instruction. It was safer, he reasoned, to keep his true proficiency in Charms under wraps for now.
As he left the Great Hall, Harry spotted Lily Potter approaching, her green eyes - so like his own - filled with a mixture of pride and hesitation.
"Harry," she said softly, "I wanted to congratulate you on your apprenticeship. It's a remarkable achievement."
Harry's face remained impassive as he replied coolly, "Thank you, Professor Potter." Without another word, he turned away, effectively dismissing her. Lily lingered for a moment, hurt evident in her eyes, before retreating. Harry's friends exchanged uncomfortable glances but wisely chose not to comment.
The weeks that followed were a whirlwind of activity for Harry. His new role as a Charms apprentice significantly increased his workload. On top of regular classes and his personal DADA studies, he now assisted Flitwick with grading assignments and lesson preparation. Despite the challenge, Harry found the extra work immensely rewarding.
Flitwick proved to be an exceptional mentor, holding nothing back in his instruction. He began by refining Harry's NEWT-level knowledge, preparing him for true mastery of Charms.
"Now, Mr. Potter," Flitwick squeaked during one of their sessions, "observe the wand movement for this advanced shielding charm. It's all in the wrist!"
Harry watched intently, then replicated the movement perfectly. Flitwick beamed with pride.
In dueling, Harry learned efficient counters to spells, a stark contrast to Arcturus Black's brute force approach. Harry saw the benefits in both styles and began formulating plans to combine them into his own unique fighting technique.
As September gave way to October, life at Hogwarts settled into a rhythm. Harry's detection wards remained untriggered, and he knew he'd likely have to wait until Halloween for any developments. The only blemish on his otherwise productive year was Defense Against the Dark Arts, and the insufferable Professor Lockhart.
Harry's mind drifted to a particularly annoying encounter with Lockhart a few weeks prior. The memory played out vividly in his mind:
Harry had been leaving the library when the flamboyant professor cornered him, his toothy grin gleaming unnaturally in the torchlight.
"Harry, my boy! Just the young celebrity I wanted to see," Lockhart exclaimed, his voice dripping with false camaraderie.
Harry suppressed a groan. "Professor Lockhart, I'm rather busy-"
"Nonsense! There's always time for a bit of mentoring between stars." Lockhart's hand clasped Harry's shoulder, ignoring the boy's obvious discomfort. "I couldn't help but notice your rising fame. As someone who's navigated these waters, I thought I might offer some advice."
"That's... not necessary, Professor," Harry tried to interject, but Lockhart plowed on.
"Oh, but it is! First rule of fame: always be camera ready. You never know when a photographer from the Daily Prophet might pop up!"
"Professor," Harry interrupted firmly, his patience wearing thin, "I appreciate the offer, but I'm not interested in fame. If you'll excuse me." He brushed past Lockhart, leaving the flamboyant professor sputtering in the corridor.
Ever since that day, DADA classes had become an exercise in patience for Harry. Lockhart seemed determined to catch Harry breaking rules, forcing the young wizard to endure the professor's abysmal teaching without comment. The thought of detention with Lockhart - likely spent signing autographs - was enough to keep Harry in line, at least for now.
Though tempted to expose Lockhart's fraudulent past immediately, Harry's packed schedule forced him to bide his time. Finding concrete evidence and presenting it to the world would require careful planning. He vowed to deal with the fraud during the Christmas holidays, promising himself that Lockhart's punishment would be far more severe than the mere memory loss he had suffered in the original timeline.
As October progressed, Harry found himself constantly alert, watching for signs of the Chamber's opening. He knew the calm couldn't last forever, and when the storm hit, he would need to be ready. With Halloween approaching, Harry had his eyes glued to the Marauder's Map, looking for anything suspicious. But so far, nothing of that kind was found.
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