Chapter 8

The Problem With Rebirth

Hullu everehbody!

This one is a tid bit late, but I wanted to rewrite some scenes.

Enough about that.

. . .

Sharp blue eyes watched the younger form carefully, finding any weak spots in the other boy's stance. Gracefully gliding behind the darker haired youth, Arthur struck out.

Quickly, he shoved his wooden pole between Harry's bent knees and made a sharp right, catching Harry unaware, and sending him tumbling face first.

"You Prat! You tripped me!" Harry cried out, as he sorted out his, now slightly longer, limbs.

Arthur grinned, unapologetic about catching Harry off guard. He placed the wooden stick on his shoulder. "And that is what you get for not paying attention. If this would have been a real fight, you'd be dead." Not like Arthur would allow Harry into a real fight, at this point.

Extending his hand to help up his fallen friend, Arthur mused for a moment. "If you lock your knees, your movement slows down. You have to realize when is a good time to be more mobile."

Harry gladly took Arthur's hand, and pushed himself up, clambering back to his feet.

"You really just like putting me on my arse." Harry groused. Arthur did not disagree. It was entertaining to see the mightiest warlock fall on his ass.

Harry glared, and Arthur beamed at him. "The universe likes to laugh at you, so its not just me."

And he could not deny that.

Training had been coming along nicely over the summer holiday. Harry had learned much from Arthur's teachings, and Arthur had learned a great deal from Harry.

Who knew that it was rude to present a living thing as a gift during Yule? That took giving kittens and puppies as gifts off of his list.

The lessons left Harry's body sore, and Arthur with a headache. Even on Harry's birthday, he received no mercy from Arthur's training, and the same went for Arthur's. The only time they gave each other a small mercy was for Sam's birthday.

The letters from Draco were lengthy, and vivid. Harry swore that Draco could paint a picture of how bored he was in France with his parents.

No one seemed to be staying still. Sirius and James kept up with their Auror training while planning lessons for the new year. Remus was often found researching many different creatures and how runes affected them.

Sam had found a new hobby in botany. He was trying to breed a new hemlock, and slowly, he was succeeding.

Summer passed quickly, and soon Harry was listening to the sorting hat divide the students.

"Luna Lovegood!" came McGonagall's firm tone, and from the body of students, rose a small blond girl.

Harry knew in an instant that she was strong with clarity. The way those wide silvery eyes drifted over everything and everyone. He knew she could see things that even he could not. She could, one day, develop the ability to see things that may be troublesome.

The hat went over her head, and covered her eyes. She was so tiny! It was a long moment before the hat's decision had been made. "RAVENCLAW!"

Harry's housemates applauded politely, as she made her way to the table, robes changing.

She then promptly shoved herself between Harry and Padma.

The disgruntled Padma Patil leveled her with a look, and simply scooted over, then dismissed the rude little girl with a roll of the eyes, and going back to her Hogwarts books.

Luna paid her no attention. "Hullo, Emyrs." She greeted. Harry could tell that she was a new soul, but a gifted one.

He grinned. "You may just call me, Harry." He pointed out, hoping she would understand. She caught on quick.

"Then Hullo, Harry." She greeted once again. Harry did not want to be rude.

"Hello, Luna." She gaped at him for a moment.

"Do you possess the sight?" She asked and he blinked, worried for a moment.

"No... They just called your name." he pointed out. She deflated, feeling silly.

"That was a rather odd question, hmm?" She wondered aloud. Harry could really only smile at her.

"You weren't paying much attention, huh? Probably caught up in the intensity of the auras here." He knew the first sight of highly concentrated magic could be offsetting, even for those who could not see it as clearly as she could.

She nodded, radish earrings bobbing along. "Everything is so jumbled and chaotic. Except for you. Why is that?" She asked, and Harry sighed. She could already see the flow of magic, huh? This should be interesting.

"I'm a little different, I guess." he started off slow, hand purposefully coming to rub at the cursed scar. Luna did not look to be buying it.

"That part is chaotic, but the rest of you is calm. Why?" Harry just knew he would come to curse the sight.

"Ravenclaws don't give information for free." he informed. She nodded, easily accepting this, and finally turning her attention to eating.

Harry breathed a, temporary, sigh of relief. For now, she would be content to watch and study... He hoped.

. . .

Arthur stood under one of the many awnings as the rain poured. Having a free period was terribly boring. Most used this time to study, but Arthur knew everything already.

Of course, he'd had Remus and James to help him study. More Remus as James mainly just asked questions, but he was prepared for anything they could throw at him on a test.

His quiet was disturbed by someone coming to stand next to him. He was rather on the short side, standing only at 5'2", with wild blond hair, and grey eyes. His pale complexion never seemed to change no matter how often they were in the sun.

"Everything okay, Will?" The boy, now identified as William, nodded.

"Yes. Everything is fine. No bullies today. I think you left an impression on them." His soft, but strong voice carried through the rain just fine.

Arthur nodded. He had helped Will with his bully problem. It only took three times before the boys picking on Will had gotten the message. To his frustration, however, that really only just made someone else a target.

"They will leave Janet alone when she attacks them." William pointed out, seeing Arthur stare off into Janet's direction.

The courtyard, tho wet, was still filled with people trying to eat, huddled together under the wide awnings.

Janet's curly red hair could be spotted from anywhere, and Arthur didn't see anyone around her, besides her friends. He breathed a sigh of relief.

"You don't have to save everyone, you know." Will said, and Arthur disagreed.

"If I have the power, and the capability to save, even just one, then it is my responsibility to do so. Even without the power, there is always a way." Back in their time, Arthur would have said it was a king's job, but here, he had come to find that it was the responsibility of everyone. He knew Merlin had also felt that way.

He shook his head and watched the courtyard carefully, finally spotting the trio of bullies as they slowly made their way over to Janet.

They were late. Arthur wouldn't have much time to finish off lunch after handing them their beating. Not that lunch today was particularly good. Egg salad, and all of that.

All it took to make it over to Janet was a few quick strides, rain not even slowing him down with its cold droplets down the back of his shirt.

As soon as the lead bully put a hand on Janet's shoulder, Arthur was there, grabbing his wrist, and pulling up.

"Well, Richard... Didn't I tell you to leave people alone?" Arthur's jovial tone put Richard off for a moment.

"But out, Black! This doesn't concern you!" Richard growled, and it almost took a moment for Arthur to remember that his last name was Black now. He simply smiled.

"Now what could all three of you want with Janet, hmm?" Arthur squeezed, feeling the bones easily bend under his hand. He didn't want to break or even fracture them. Just enough pressure for Richard to understand that Arthur was not in the mood today.

Richard did not seem to get the message. "None of your fucking business! Let me go!"

"Really, big brother, you should stop messing with people." William said as he walked up behind Arthur.

Finally, Janet spoke. "How about all of you take this somewhere else, other than a crowded table! Captain Dumbass over there was probably about to ask me to the Welcome Feast." She sighed and shook her head as Richard paled. "After all the shit you put me through, you really think I'd say 'oh yeah, you big burly man! Take me to that feast'. Ha! You must have had a huge bowl of stupid this morning." Her tongue lashing made William giggle, and Arthur glad to not be in Richard's shoes.

Janet had a bit of a temper, it would seem.

Arthur let go of Richard's hand as the boy almost visibly deflated. It was never fun getting turned down to a- wait! There was a Welcome Feast?

Arthur knew better than to ask Janet about it, least she get the wrong idea, and turned to William with the question, instead.

William nodded. "That's right. You came here mid term. We have a Welcoming Feast, like Hogwarts only ours isn't divided up by house. Just year. We are considered fourth years."

Arthur nodded, accepting that. "And is a date... Necessary?" He wondered, dreading a 'yes' to that.

William laughed. "No, a date isn't mandatory. It just throws you up higher on the food chain to bring a date. Something about being seen as more mature, or something. I don't understand it." William said.

Janet eyed William, her sharp blue eyes trailing over him, almost as if she could see through him.

"Oi Will. You got a date yet?" She asked, and this caught Richard's attention.

"What the fuck?! You won't go with me, but you'll ask my scrawny, good for nothing, little brother out?!"

Janet turned to him, a fire in her eyes. "Well, yes, Richard. I do believe that was my intent. Now shut up before you get yourself hurt."

Richard bristled. "Black can't protect him forever!"

Janet stood and faced Richard, her slender form moving quick as she got right in his face. "I said nothing about Black doing the beating."

"Students! Lunch time is over!" Came the shrill voice of one of their professors.

Janet grumbled, and packed up her food. Everyone proceeded to the next class.

. . .

Sam sighed as Bins droned on about the goblin wars. Really, he was bored out of his mind as he had actually been there for the wars. He remembered it with vivid detail. Some of the things written in the books were fudged, but it was the victors who wrote the books, so they say.

Next to him, Draco was folding paper origami. He was actually quit good at it. His long slender fingers elegantly folding and refolding into intricate and detailed patterns. Sam could easily get hypnotized by the movements, but it was the care that Draco put into making sure every detail was done right that put Sam in awe.

No movement wasted. No fold unnecessary. Sam had seen Draco weave before. It had been much the same. Draco's tongue poking out in concentration as everything came together.

By the end of the lesson, Draco had produced no less than 20 little origami figures. Sam was in slight envy of the figurines for having that much detail poured into their folds.

Now if only fate would be so kind to him.

He looked to his other side, where Harry was reading something. Sam knew it wasn't the history book. Harry looked a bit troubled with what he was reading, and Sam had to wonder what could throw the warlock off.

Apparently, Draco felt the same. One of the origami figures floated over to Harry, and promptly smacked him in the face before tumbling down to the open pages of Harry's ire.

Picking up the small flower, Harry opened it.

'what are you reading?' it was Draco's elegant scrawl.

Picking up his quill, Harry scrawled something in his chicken scratch handwriting before following the folds, and sending it back, thwaping Draco in the side of the head with it.

'an old book about different types of parcle magic'

Draco's eyes widened. Why the hell was Harry reading a book like that, in the middle of innocent children no less? Had he lost his ever loving mind?!

The look Draco shot him, could be read easily by the young warlock. Who looked around, and was then sheepish. He had forgotten where they were, and how dangerous a book like that could be.

Some books held power. If lulled into the power, an unsuspecting victim would find themselves speaking (or hissing) spells aloud. Now Harry was strong enough to resist the call, but those around him who could see the book... Not so much.

And it was to Harry's embarrassment that he had not spelled the book to look like something else. Thankfully, the lecture had put nearly everyone around him to sleep, but it still irked him. He had put their lives in danger with his carelessness.

Draco sensed the brewing 'I am an idiot' storm and threw another origami figurine at him. This time, Sam had to duck or risk being hit with it.

As it smacked Harry's cheek, Harry blinked and looked at it for a moment before meeting Draco's eyes.

'Don't you dare' Draco mouthed. Harry understood, and nodded.

Sobbing heroes. Draco thought before pulling out his Herbology book. He knew this was not done or over, but for now, the storm of self blame was held back. May as well start on his homework now or risk finishing late because some buffoon wanted to have a pity party.

Draco loved Harry sometimes, but boy was the urge to strangle him strong these days!

Unfortunately, Draco and Sam were not the only ones who noticed the book.

. . .

"There has been an attack!" Lee Jordan yelled as he stormed into the great hall during dinner one evening. "Headmaster!"

Dumbledore stood quickly, as did the rest of the staff. "Mr. Jordan, what attack?" Minerva was quick to act as she approached Lee.

"There is blood on the wall, professor!" Lee was already tugging at McGonagall's sleeve to show her where as the rest of the staff followed.

Harry knew he had to see what they were talking about.

Casting a quick 'notice me not' charm, he slipped from the Ravenclaw table and followed the staff. He was sure Dumbledore knew he was there, but the man said nothing, focused on the task ahead.

There it was, written in blood. 'The Chamber of Secrets has been opened. Enemies of the Heir, beware.'

At the bottom of the wall was a young Ginny Weasley. She wasn't moving.

Quickly, Snape descended upon her to check on her. "Petrified, Headmaster." He declared in his somber way of things.

Harry breathed a sigh of relief, but only for a moment. There was blood on her hands. So it must have been her to write the message, but why would anyone leave a witness at the scene of the crime?

Harry worried that whatever it was to have happened, the core of it was Voldemort.

Isn't it always Harry?

And now, Ginny is no longer our suspect! Oh my! What will happen next?!