Chapter 71: Harry’s Summer of Change
"I'm not usually one either," Harry told her introspectively. "But I got into a routine over the summer, and running in the morning really helps to wake you up. It probably doesn't hurt that I don't have nightmares any more keeping me awake half the night and that my visions of Voldemort are few and far between."
"You had nightmares? I mean besides the visions?" she asked, honest curiosity emblazoned across her face.
"Practically every night for a long time," Harry deadpanned. "This summer started out especially terrible. But after a little while I managed to come to terms with things. I made peace with Sirius, and I adopted a new outlook on life. I started studying Occlumency on my own this summer too, and let me tell you, Snape didn't teach me a thing. Imagine my surprise when I opened a book on the subject and found that there was so much more to it than "Clear your mind." Anyway, I think that helped as well. It forced me to go through and sort all of my memories. I'm still not completely okay with everything, but it's been enough to keep me going."
"Wow," she replied. "You really were busy this summer, weren't you?"
"You have no idea," he answered.
"Care to enlighten me?" she asked, perking up.
Harry smiled at her enthusiasm. "I can't tell you everything, at least not yet. But it would be nice to have someone I can talk to, and you're already onto some of my secrets," he added with a wink. He glanced over at the staircases and found Ron coming down. "We'll talk about that later though. There's your brother, but where is Hermione?"
"Oh she's probably already down in the Great Hall for breakfast making sure all the young'uns are eating a balanced meal to help them start the day."
Harry chuckled "You know, I wouldn't be at all surprised. Come on, let's grab Ron and head down," he said as he stood up and held out hand to help her up. She took it with a grateful smile, and they intercepted Ron who was halfway across the common room. "Come on Ron, let's get some breakfast."
Ron nodded and grumbled a bit but followed as Harry and Ginny walked out of the common room. When they arrived in the Great Hall, they found it half filled with students. Hermione, as expected, was already at the Gryffindor table, but she was not, at least at the moment, lecturing the First Years who were sitting at the end of the table closest to the exit.
"Morning 'Mione" Harry called as the trio approached the table.
Hermione looked up and smiled at her three friends. "Good morning Harry, Ron, Ginny. Grab some breakfast; you'll want to get a good meal in before classes start." Harry and Ginny shared a smile. "I wish Professor McGonagall would hand out the schedules already. I want to know what classes we're starting with today."
"Bloody hell, woman," Ron groused. "You're not supposed to be so cheerful about going to classes. It's unnatural."
"Watch your language, Ron," Hermione admonished. "You're a prefect; you should be setting a good example for all the younger students."
Ron rolled his eyes, "Well at least there's one thing I can be cheerful about: no more potions with Snape… ever again." Ron smiled as he loaded up his plate.
"Professor Snape, Ron," Hermione corrected automatically.
"Cheers to you, mate," Harry replied glumly as he dumped some eggs onto his plate. "I wish I was that lucky."
"You had your chance," Ron reminded him in between bites, "but no, you just had to go and get an Outstanding on the OWL. I still don't know how you managed it. You're as bad at potions as I am."
"Well the subject is a whole lot easier without Snape breathing down your neck and Slytherins sabotaging half your potions," Harry retorted.
"Well Professor Snape can't berate your potions abilities this year," Hermione chimed in optimistically. "You got an O on your OWL fair and square. He'll have to admit that you know what you're doing."
Harry put his fork down and looked incredulously at his friend. "Hermione," Harry began as though he were talking to a small child, "what planet have you been on for the past five years? Do you think he cares how well I did or didn't do on my exam? The man hates me. He's hated me since before he even met me. Nothing will make him act civil with me. I guarantee you; this year will be no different than any others."
Hermione made to interrupt when Ron piped up, mouth full of food "Don' no' wh' 'oo e'en trie'n ma'e. 'S'no' wor't 'n my book."
Hermione's attention shifted to Ron as she set down her fork and pushed her plate away in disgust. "That's disgusting. I do wish you'd learn some manners, Ronald Weasley."
Ron took a drink from his goblet and retorted, "And I wish you'd stop bossing me around so much. You act like you're my mother or something."
"Well someone's got to keep you in line when she's not around," Hermione huffed haughtily. Their argument was interrupted by Professor McGonagall as she handed out class schedules to all the students. Hermione's attention was diverted to the slip of paper in her hands. She could be seen muttering to herself, trying to memorize her new schedule as quickly as possible.
Harry looked down at his own schedule and commented, "Well it's McGonagall to start with double Transfiguration. I've got a break before lunch, then Care of Magical Creatures with Hagrid afterwards. I tried to get him to tell me what we'd be studying this morning, but he wouldn't give anything away."
"You went to see Hagrid this morning?" Hermione asked.
"Yeah, I stopped by after my jog because I saw the light on in his hut," Harry responded.
"You went for a jog this morning?" Ron asked looking at him incredulously.
"Yeah, I jog every morning, started over the summer."
"Well how are we supposed to know these things when you don't tell us anything any more?" Ron asked with a scathing undertone.
"Well I've got Transfiguration this morning," Hermione interrupted, "then History right before lunch. I've got a break after that and…"
"You're not taking Hagrid's class?" Harry cut in disbelievingly.
Hermione at least had the decency to look sheepish. "Well, I don't really need it for any of the career paths I'm considering."
"But Hagrid's your friend," Harry blurted out. "I don't need his class for anything, but I took it because he's my friend, and I want to help him."
"Well of course he's my friend too," Hermione soothed, "but my schedule was already full enough without adding a class where I won't learn anything useful."
Harry glared at his bushy haired friend when Ron spoke up, "I've got Hagrid with you, mate."
Harry smiled at Ron, but he was still upset that Hermione would just leave Hagrid behind like that just because his class didn't fit into her career path. He didn't have time to dwell on the topic, though, because they only had fifteen minutes to run upstairs to grab their books before the bell rung. As they were walking back to the 7th floor, Harry turned to Ginny. "So what do you have first, Gin?"
She made a face at him and said, "Double potions."
"Ouch," Harry replied with a grimace. "Well at least you'll be getting it out of the way first thing. You won't have to worry about a double dose of Snape for the rest of the week."
"I didn't think of it like that," Ginny smiled. "Your new glass is half full attitude is a remarkable improvement over the doom and gloom one you were sporting last year."
"Umm… thanks?" Harry replied uncertainly.
....
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Chapter 72: Professor Potter’s Secret Talent
She laughed at his answer and clipped him on the shoulder with her fist. "Seriously, Harry. It is good to see you in such good spirits. I'm glad you were able to find peace with… everything."
Harry gave her a genuine smile as they approached the portrait hole. Hermione spoke up as they came up to the fat lady. "Gryffindor Quidditch rules."
Harry laughed out loud at the choice of passwords. "Let me guess, Ron picked that one out."
"Right in one," Ginny told him. "Wait. If you didn't know the password, how did you get into the common room last night?"
"You forget, Ms. Weasley," Harry replied formally, "that you are speaking to a professor. I have access to all the common rooms, no password necessary."
"Pardon me, Professor Potter," Ginny mock apologized, giving him a slight curtsy. "How silly of me, just a mere school girl, to forget I am in the presence of a soon to be legendary Hogwarts professor."
Harry glared at her but the effect was ruined when his lips twitched upwards into a grin. "Shove off, Weasley," he told her, giving her a playful shove. He ran up the boys' dormitory to escape retaliation. He heard her call after him.
"I'll get you for that, Potter!"
Harry, Hermione, and Ron walked through the corridors together to the first class of term. Ginny had gone off with some of her dorm mates to the dungeons for her potions lesson. As they entered the classroom, Hermione immediately steered the other two towards seats in the front row. She sat in between the two boys at the first desk a little off to the side of the middle of the classroom.
The rest of the class soon arrived followed by the entrance of Professor McGonagall. "Good morning, class," she greeted sternly. "You are all here because you demonstrated yourselves to be exceedingly gifted in the art of Transfiguration. I expect all of you to work hard in this class to keep up your grades. If at any time I feel that any of you are not up to the standards of the class, you may be asked to either seek tutoring or to leave the class. These next two years will be difficult, and I will make sure that each and every one of you who remain in this class will be prepared for your NEWT exams at the end of next year. Are there any questions?"
She looked around the room for a moment to make sure she wasn't missing any raised hands. "No? Good, then we shall begin today's lesson. Please open your books to page 23 and read over the theory for conjuring inanimate objects. When you have finished going over the theory, you may begin by trying to conjure a thimble. Most of you will find this spell extremely difficult, so do not become discouraged if you do not see immediate results."
Harry opened up his book and skimmed through until he came to the section on wand movement and incantation. He read it over carefully and decided it sounded simple enough. He closed his book and slipped his wand out of his sleeve. Just as he was about to cast the spell, a voice interrupted him.
"What do you think you're doing, Mr. Potter?" his stern Head of House demanded.
"I'm practicing the creo spell," Harry explained.
"I highly doubt that you have finished reading over the theory in just five minutes," she replied tersely.
"No, but I've already read through that. I just skimmed through to remind myself of all the details and of the proper wand movements. I think I'm ready to try the spell," Harry responded confidently.
"I think it would be wise to do more than skim over the text, but if you insist that you are in fact ready, then we shall just have to find out for ourselves," she reluctantly abated, looking at him expectantly.
By now the rest of the class had stopped reading their texts and were all watching the unfolding drama closely. Everyone in their year was used to Hermione being the first to try and succeed at each spell they worked on. To hear Harry Potter claim to have already read the theory behind the spell before class even started was unheard of. And to see him stand up to a teacher and make the bold claim that he was ready to perform the spell right away was all the more unexpected.
Harry took a moment to gather himself before setting his mind to the task at hand. He built up a small reservoir of magical energy within himself to prepare for the spell. He clutched his wand firmly in his hand before waving it in a clockwise circle before jabbing it forward slightly and muttering "Creo." He felt the kickstart of magical energy in his right hand. He cultivated it and merged it with the buildup he had already created, adapting the preexisting magic to match the new magic. He released the magic and a light briefly flickered at the end of his wand. On the desktop that he was pointing at, a small thimble suddenly materialized.
He heard a gasp to his side, and he looked over to see Hermione holding a hand to her mouth in shock. Ron looked dumbfounded. The rest of the class still had their eyes glued on Harry, their gazes occasionally flickering to either the thimble on the desk or the astonished professor at his side.
"Extraordinary, Mr. Potter," Professor McGonagall exclaimed.. "I didn't expect anyone to manage a successful conjuration until next class at the earliest. Take 20 points for Gryffindor. Now can you do it again?"
"Thanks," Harry replied as he vanished the thimble. He quickly duplicated his earlier results, another thimble appearing on his desktop. By the end of the class, Professor McGonagall had him conjuring thimbles of all different colors and eventually conjuring a plain glass. The rest of the class barely started the actual spellwork, and only Hermione was able to manage to conjure up anything resembling a thimble.
"Where did you learn to do that?" Hermione asked the minute the bell rang.
"I told you that I had nothing to do but study all summer," Harry shrugged. "Listen, I have to ask Professor McGonagall about something, so I'll meet you guys later, ok?"
"Alright Harry," Hermione said looking upset that she hadn't got to ask all of the questions she had wanted to.
After all the students had left, Harry approached the Professor's desk. "Professor McGonagall?"
She looked up from her papers and regarded him closely. "Yes, Mr. Potter? How may I help you?"
"Professor Dumbledore said last night to ask you to show me where my office was. I was wondering if you would have time sometime today to point it out to me."
"Certainly. I have a short break if you would like to go right now."
"That would be great," Harry replied, then added, "if it's not too much trouble. If you're busy or anything I can come back later."
"Nonsense Harry," she said with a thin smile. "It's the first day of classes, and I've only had one class so far. It's not like I have anything to grade yet."
Harry returned her smile. "You called me Harry," he commented.
"I suppose I did," she thought out loud as she rose from her seat. "Well, you are a professor, after all. I suppose it couldn't hurt to loosen the formality of our relationship outside the classroom."
Harry was shocked at her candid behavior. "I don't know what to say." He paused a moment. "Thank you."
"For what, Harry?" she asked as she led him out into the corridor.
"For not treating me like I'm just a little kid," he replied frankly.
She glanced at him as they continued their trek up some staircases. "I don't imagine you ever had much of a childhood, Harry. You have often displayed the maturity of one well above your years, but you have also fallen into the same downfalls that many others your age have succumbed to. As long as you continue to grow and act with maturity, I will treat you that way. But should you act like a child, I will treat you as one."
"That sounds fair," he stated honestly.
....
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