I do not own any of this!
Chapter 36
By the time their last day in London had arrived, Harry was completely healed, and was able to enjoy the festivities unchecked. First came a light lunch, followed by light hearted exhibition duels by some of the younger masters, and a demonstration of a mass duel.
In the evening came a great banquet in the Ballroom, after which came the celebration. By the end of the evening Harry's new group of friends were expressing a wish, somewhat tipsily, than they wanted to dance. Not wanting to be dragged into something quite so embarrassing, Harry kept his thoughts firmly locked away.
Finally, at midnight, the Masters summoned their apprentices, slightly worse for wear, and herded them back to their rooms, allowing their rowdy behaviour to go unchecked. Harry and Terran had soon bade goodnight to their masters, and collapsed onto their beds. Without the energy to chat, they were quickly asleep.
Despite having gone to bed late the previous night, both woke early the next day, and stayed in their beds, quietly thinking about what they were going to be doing that day, the goodbye's they would have to make, and the results of their testing they would receive. Looking across o the others bed for the first time simultaneously, each realised that the other was awake. Both grinned, and sat up.
'I guess we better get up then,' Harry said
'Yeah.' Terran's reply was regretful, and he eyed his bed, contemplating whether it was worth just lying down and going to sleep. Finally he decided it wasn't, and began to get dressed.
Having already said their goodbyes to the others, Harry and Terran stood side by side during the last part of the testing, the judging. As first years, they went last. So far, all the apprentices had been deemed at worst, acceptable. After the judgement, the Master would them give a comment about the apprentices performance.
Standing in line with all the other apprentices, Harry was surprisingly calm. He listened in pleasure to Terran's result, giving him a light dig in the ribs to show his support. Finally he heard his own name.
'Apprentice Aeternus.'
Harry stood a little straighter.
'Good knowledge, fine control of your wolf animagus form, and creative duelling with the ability to 'kiss the knife'. Apprentice, we commend you.'
From his place in the line, Harry bowed deeply in response to the compliment. Behind him, Snape was satisfied, his predictions proved correct.
As the other apprentices left the Hall at the end of the ceremony, the two masters and their apprentices stayed where they were. Once the hall was nearly empty, Snape spoke.
'I have some news for you.'
Harry looked confused.
'My Lord?'
'As I'm sure you will be disappointed to hear, Master Gray had regretfully informed the Headmaster that he will be unable to return to teach next year. I have spoken with the headmaster, and I suggested that another Masters take his place. As such, Master Saldor had agreed.'
Harry had no success in keeping the wide grin off his face.
'This next big of news concerns you too, Terran. As you both should be aware, you have a month's leave starting tomorrow. Now, Aeter, you can do as you wish, however I am not remaining at the castle. You can stay there, return to your relatives, or organise something for yourself. Terran, your master had informed me that he too is leaving the manor, so you too must make a choice. You have f a few minutes before we leave, I suggest you use it wisely.'
The two masters moved off a little way, and left the boys to themselves.
'Guess I'll have to stay at school on my own then, I'm not going back to the Dursleys.' Harry's voice was slightly depressed.
Terran looked thoughtful. Suddenly his eyebrows rose.
'Listen, my parents are dead, so I can't go home, but we could both go and stay with my Grandparents. My older brother lives there too. They'd love to meet you!'
Harry looked delighted.
'You're sure they wouldn't mind?'
'Absolutely.'
'Okay. How do we get there?'
'They live just outside London, but they're not on the Floo Network. I was going to apparate, but you can't do that if you don't know where you're going.'
Both boys frowned in though for a moment before Harry had an idea.
'If you don't mind, we could both go back to Hogwarts today, and you could come on the train to King's Cross.'
Terran's eyes lit up.
'Brill. All we have to do is ask Silverwood.'
Half an hour later, Snape, Harry and Terran were walking through the entrance Hall of the castle. Leaving their trunks in the Entrance Hall, the two bowed to Snape, and swiftly bolted through to the Great Hall, which Harry was satisfied to observe was decorated in red and gold, with the Gryffindor Lion Towering above them.
Harry led Terran over to the Gryffindor table unusually easily, mostly because everyone was too distracted by the feast in front of them to notice two strangely dressed teenagers joining them.
Predictably, Ron and Hermione had been looking out for him, and had saved him a place opposite them. It only took a few quick whispers from Harry to secure another for Terran. As he sat down, Ron and Hermione looked at him curiously. Harry hurriedly explained.
'This is Terran, he's coming back with us on the Express. As you've probably guessed, he's an apprentice.'
The three shook hands over the table.
'Ron.'
'Hermione.'
Terran nodded, grinning.
'I've heard lots about you two.. good, obviously.'
Here the conversation ended as they all attacked the feast with a vengeance. When the dishes had finally been magically cleared, the Hall fell silent, and Dumbledore stood to make his end of year speech. Listening contentedly, Harry's eyes scanned the staff table. Stopping on Gray, he returned the glare he received full force. A smile from Hagrid, a nod of approval from Professor McGonagall, and a grin from Fletcher.' Dumbledore gave Harry a quick wink as he finished his speech, and Harry knew that Snape had informed his professors of his performance.
As the students began to rise and head back to their houses, Harry's eyes rested finally on his Master. A slow nod told Harry all he needed to know. Standing up, he bowed deeply from his seat, his eyes never breaking contact.
For the first time, Snape lowered his head in return.
THE END
Harry Potter and the Masters is now finished, and I regret to say that at present I have no plans to write a sequel to this fic. However, I hope you have all enjoyed reading this, and hope this ending fits. Personally, nervous apprehension meant I was quite hesitant in posting this final chapter, any thoughts?
Big thanks go to all my faithful reviewers, and everyone who read this. Also, congratulations to anyone who correctly guessed Harry's animagus form.
Final reviews would be hugely appreciated - Pose
Chapter 36
By the time their last day in London had arrived, Harry was completely healed, and was able to enjoy the festivities unchecked. First came a light lunch, followed by light hearted exhibition duels by some of the younger masters, and a demonstration of a mass duel.
In the evening came a great banquet in the Ballroom, after which came the celebration. By the end of the evening Harry's new group of friends were expressing a wish, somewhat tipsily, than they wanted to dance. Not wanting to be dragged into something quite so embarrassing, Harry kept his thoughts firmly locked away.
Finally, at midnight, the Masters summoned their apprentices, slightly worse for wear, and herded them back to their rooms, allowing their rowdy behaviour to go unchecked. Harry and Terran had soon bade goodnight to their masters, and collapsed onto their beds. Without the energy to chat, they were quickly asleep.
Despite having gone to bed late the previous night, both woke early the next day, and stayed in their beds, quietly thinking about what they were going to be doing that day, the goodbye's they would have to make, and the results of their testing they would receive. Looking across o the others bed for the first time simultaneously, each realised that the other was awake. Both grinned, and sat up.
'I guess we better get up then,' Harry said
'Yeah.' Terran's reply was regretful, and he eyed his bed, contemplating whether it was worth just lying down and going to sleep. Finally he decided it wasn't, and began to get dressed.
Having already said their goodbyes to the others, Harry and Terran stood side by side during the last part of the testing, the judging. As first years, they went last. So far, all the apprentices had been deemed at worst, acceptable. After the judgement, the Master would them give a comment about the apprentices performance.
Standing in line with all the other apprentices, Harry was surprisingly calm. He listened in pleasure to Terran's result, giving him a light dig in the ribs to show his support. Finally he heard his own name.
'Apprentice Aeternus.'
Harry stood a little straighter.
'Good knowledge, fine control of your wolf animagus form, and creative duelling with the ability to 'kiss the knife'. Apprentice, we commend you.'
From his place in the line, Harry bowed deeply in response to the compliment. Behind him, Snape was satisfied, his predictions proved correct.
As the other apprentices left the Hall at the end of the ceremony, the two masters and their apprentices stayed where they were. Once the hall was nearly empty, Snape spoke.
'I have some news for you.'
Harry looked confused.
'My Lord?'
'As I'm sure you will be disappointed to hear, Master Gray had regretfully informed the Headmaster that he will be unable to return to teach next year. I have spoken with the headmaster, and I suggested that another Masters take his place. As such, Master Saldor had agreed.'
Harry had no success in keeping the wide grin off his face.
'This next big of news concerns you too, Terran. As you both should be aware, you have a month's leave starting tomorrow. Now, Aeter, you can do as you wish, however I am not remaining at the castle. You can stay there, return to your relatives, or organise something for yourself. Terran, your master had informed me that he too is leaving the manor, so you too must make a choice. You have f a few minutes before we leave, I suggest you use it wisely.'
The two masters moved off a little way, and left the boys to themselves.
'Guess I'll have to stay at school on my own then, I'm not going back to the Dursleys.' Harry's voice was slightly depressed.
Terran looked thoughtful. Suddenly his eyebrows rose.
'Listen, my parents are dead, so I can't go home, but we could both go and stay with my Grandparents. My older brother lives there too. They'd love to meet you!'
Harry looked delighted.
'You're sure they wouldn't mind?'
'Absolutely.'
'Okay. How do we get there?'
'They live just outside London, but they're not on the Floo Network. I was going to apparate, but you can't do that if you don't know where you're going.'
Both boys frowned in though for a moment before Harry had an idea.
'If you don't mind, we could both go back to Hogwarts today, and you could come on the train to King's Cross.'
Terran's eyes lit up.
'Brill. All we have to do is ask Silverwood.'
Half an hour later, Snape, Harry and Terran were walking through the entrance Hall of the castle. Leaving their trunks in the Entrance Hall, the two bowed to Snape, and swiftly bolted through to the Great Hall, which Harry was satisfied to observe was decorated in red and gold, with the Gryffindor Lion Towering above them.
Harry led Terran over to the Gryffindor table unusually easily, mostly because everyone was too distracted by the feast in front of them to notice two strangely dressed teenagers joining them.
Predictably, Ron and Hermione had been looking out for him, and had saved him a place opposite them. It only took a few quick whispers from Harry to secure another for Terran. As he sat down, Ron and Hermione looked at him curiously. Harry hurriedly explained.
'This is Terran, he's coming back with us on the Express. As you've probably guessed, he's an apprentice.'
The three shook hands over the table.
'Ron.'
'Hermione.'
Terran nodded, grinning.
'I've heard lots about you two.. good, obviously.'
Here the conversation ended as they all attacked the feast with a vengeance. When the dishes had finally been magically cleared, the Hall fell silent, and Dumbledore stood to make his end of year speech. Listening contentedly, Harry's eyes scanned the staff table. Stopping on Gray, he returned the glare he received full force. A smile from Hagrid, a nod of approval from Professor McGonagall, and a grin from Fletcher.' Dumbledore gave Harry a quick wink as he finished his speech, and Harry knew that Snape had informed his professors of his performance.
As the students began to rise and head back to their houses, Harry's eyes rested finally on his Master. A slow nod told Harry all he needed to know. Standing up, he bowed deeply from his seat, his eyes never breaking contact.
For the first time, Snape lowered his head in return.
THE END
Harry Potter and the Masters is now finished, and I regret to say that at present I have no plans to write a sequel to this fic. However, I hope you have all enjoyed reading this, and hope this ending fits. Personally, nervous apprehension meant I was quite hesitant in posting this final chapter, any thoughts?
Big thanks go to all my faithful reviewers, and everyone who read this. Also, congratulations to anyone who correctly guessed Harry's animagus form.
Final reviews would be hugely appreciated - Pose