One week after they had returned from the holidays, Harry had decided to join Slytherin's house for dinner on Friday night, much to the surprise of his year mates.

Draco shot him a glare but didn't say anything, obviously, he was waiting for a more private moment. Delphi didn't seem to care much and the rest just ignored him fully. There was a minimum of ten inches of space between Harry and everyone else, which he honestly didn't mind.

As the feast continued though, Harry looked over at McDonough and the other boys who tormented him. Identifying them Harry got up and walked away.

"Where are you going Potter?" Draco asked. Harry ignored him and his multiple calls, walking out and to the kitchens. There, he met Mixy and took out the potion Andromeda had given him.

"You sure you won't mind doing this Mixy? I don't want you getting in trouble," Harry whispered.

Mixy's eyes shined brightly, "it's no trouble, sir! Mixy is happy to do it! All us house-elves is! The great Harry Potter is a nice boy! Those mean Silly's are very rude."

Harry smiled, "thanks for this Mixy. I promise I'll find some way t pay you back. Remember, four drops, for McGonahugh and the three boys around him. No one else."

"Me understand sir!" the elf saluted, took the potion and ran back inside. Harry watched him douse the dessert that was going to be served, particularly a few custard pies that Harry found out that McGonahugh liked by asking around.

Harry then returned to the Great Hall, much to the surprise of the others. He sat down just as dessert arrived. Careful not to get a spoilt pie, Harry took a treacle tart instead, munching on it happily.

"Where did you go, Potter?" Draco asked again.

Harry looked up, "keep up this unhealthy obsession of my whereabouts at all times Malfoy, and I might think that you're in love with me."

"W-what?! I ain't a poof Potter!"

"Then why do you comb your hair like one?" Harry raised an eyebrow. A few of the boys couldn't hold back their laughter, Draco, on the other hand, looked like someone had just slapped him across the face. The insult was sad really to consider that an insult. Gay guys knew how to dress. But of course the xenophobic child would also be homophobic.

Before Malfoy could say anything else though, McConaughey suddenly jumped to his feet, and following behind him were his friends. Everyone turned to them, looking worried, they began running to the doors, when suddenly they dropped to their feet, the smell of feces filling the entire hall.

"What the shit?" Harry grunted, holding his nose, doing his best to act shocked.

"Did they just shit their pants?" Tracey Davis asked, a laugh escaping her mouth. Immediately Greengrass and Delphi Malfoy turned to Harry with accusing eyes.

Harry raised an eyebrow, "you joking right? They already torment me, I don't need them trying to actually kill me."

"No one else has a reason," Daphne accused.

"And I don't have means," Harry snorted back, "it's probably something he ate."

"Unlikely," Daphne snorted, "he's barely had anything, except his favorite, custard pies."

Harry blinked, "do you think I was able to poison only his food with all of you staring at me? The only time I could have done that is when I was walking past him to the loo."

"You could have poisoned the food beforehand," Daphne replied.

"How? Do any of you know where the food is even kept before it arrives here?" Harry asked.

"The kitchen," Delphi replied.

Harry turned to her, "and do you know where it is? Because I sure as hell don't." The others looked at each other, processing what just happened.

"Only one way to find out," Delphi replied, pushing a plate of custard pies towards Harry.

"You can't be serious," Harry snorted.

"Do it, Potter," Draco snarled, drawing his wand.

Harry snorted, "fine," he took a pie, prayed Mixy didn't poison them all and bite into it. They all waited and watched, and thankfully, nothing happened. Harry raised an eyebrow at the smart blonde girls, "I don't like drama, the last thing I need is McGonahugh coming after me, so do me a favor and do some investigation before you accuse someone."

The professors quickly came to the four fallen Slytherin's and levitated them away. Snape pushed the smell away with a wave of his wand and shot a glare at the Weasley twins, who looked both amused and afraid.

The man then turned to Harry and narrowed his eyes. Harry snorted and shook his head, getting up and walking away. Doing his best to seem as innocent as possible. It didn't matter if they believe him or not, what mattered, is that step one in his plan was finished.

He wasn't an idiot, he wasn't some moron to stick his own neck out there, he could have just never arrived for dinner and reduced the blame that might have been leveled at him. But no, that was not the plan. He wanted to be seen, he wanted to be seen at the dinner, he wanted the first years to be doubtful of him.

Daphne Greengrass and Delphi Malfoy pride themselves on knowing more than others. Delphi especially hated being second, a reason why she grew to hate Hermione Granger over the weeks. They would investigate, they would make it their job.

They would find out that Harry had asked for information about McDonough's favorite dessert, they would feel smug about it. They will tell the prefect when he recovers, and in his anger, the boy's going to come after him. And that was phase one of Harry's plan.

Sunday night:

Harry spent the whole of Saturday in his room, warding it with all the charms that Andromeda taught him. He also spent it practicing the spells he learned over Christmas, the small room more than able to handle his spell work as it dissipated on the wall upon impact.

If Harry was right, and he usually was, Delphi and Daphne would have found out about his questions into McDonough's food Saturday morning. Andromeda assured him that other than being embarrassed the boys wouldn't be hurt permanently, meaning McConaughey and his cronies would be treated and released by Saturday afternoon.

Knowing how much Malfoy hates being wrong, and she really did, she would tell McConaughey the first chance she gets, meaning the prefect would spend the rest of Saturday searching for Harry.

And Harry would wait patiently for him.

Sunday morning Harry snuck out at five, McConaughey would have been up all night in rage trying to find Harry, meaning he was either asleep right now exhausted, both of which was good for Harry.

Harry snuck his way into the forbidden third-floor corridor and opened the door. Inside, the Cerberus was still asleep, Harry reached into his pocket and pulled out a small flute.

"Ludere," Harry whispered the playing charm, causing the flute to automatically set off a very slow tune. The Cerberus twitched all six of its ears but didn't wake up. Harry waited by the door for ten minutes, after which he sent a stinging hex to its paw.

He was ready to bolt the moment the dog moved, but to his surprise, and prediction, the Cerberus didn't move a muscle. It was still asleep. Harry fired three more hexes in the continuum, none of which arose the dog from its slumber.

The books he read were right, like the legend, all Cerberus's were very weak to music, and wouldn't be woken until the music stopped playing. Hary left the charmed flute in one corner of the room right next to the dog.

Harry then took out some vanishing red paint, it would appear and disappear with a simple wave of the wand. It was something Andromeda got for him after he told her his plan. And with this, he was ready.

That afternoon, Harry walked over to the fourth-floor corridor next to the fourth-floor boy's washroom, where Harry knew McConaughey and his friends always gathered. He had been spying on him for over a week now, knowing his schedule like the back of his hand.

Harry walked with a swagger in his step, smiling, looking carefree. It took a second for McGonahugh to notice him, but when he did, he bellowed, "Potter!"

Harry did his best to look shit scared. Turning and running down the steps to the third floor, McConaughey and his friends right behind him. He ran to the forbidden corridor, the boys right behind him, screaming at the top of their lungs.

"We're going to fucking kill you Potter!" McConaughey cried out.

"I'm sorry," Harry cried out, sounding like he was half dead already, though inside he was giddy in excitement. He ran to the door leading to the Cerberus and went inside, locking it behind him.

Harry then quickly cast a soundproofing charm between himself and the dog, turning to the door he began to shout, "argh! Help! Someone help! There's a three-headed dog in here!"

McConaughey and his buddies knew what was inside here, they wouldn't dare try and come in. Harry started to bang on the door, trying to open it repeatedly. He could hear McConaughey on the other side of the door, talking with his friends. "Help me! Please! Someone help!"

But they didn't. Just like Harry thought. Instead, they walked away, running for their lives, thinking they had just left an eleven-year-old locked in a room with a three-headed dog. Cowards, truly they were.

It was time for the next phase of his plan. Harry changed himself, turning his skin and hair and everything part of his body stark white. He also hollowed out his cheeks and made himself look gaunt.

He then used the red truck paint he got and painted on his clothes, making it seem as if he was covered with red claw marks, his stomach ripped apart by giant claws and teeth.

With his plan set, he took his flute, canceled the charm, the giant dog slowly woke up and he walked out of the forbidden corridor, locking the door behind him.

He quickly ran to the fourth floor where he spotted McConaughey and his friends panting, whispering to each other. Harry smirked, he quickly walked across the third floor corridor and was spotted by the fifth year Slytherin perfect immediately.

"P-Potter?!" McConaughey cried out. Harry stopped and turned, locking eyes with the boy. And without a word, walked away, entering the closest corridor. Harry could hear them hot on his heels, rushing towards him.

As soon he was away from sight, Harry vanished away from the red paint and transformed himself, taking on the features of Crabbe. Just as McGonahugh rounded the corner.

"You! Crabbe!" he pointed his wand at Harry, grabbing him by the collar, "d-did you see Potter go by?" Playing the part perfectly, Harry kept his mouth shut and shook his head, "really? W-what about a ghost? Did the Bloody Baron pass you by?" Again Harry shook his head.

One of the boys looked panicked, "McDonaugh, what do we do? If that was Potter's ghost-"

"-Shut up!" McConaughey threw Harry back, pointing his wand at him in warning, "go, and if you tell anyone what you saw here I'll fuckign kill you!" Harry nodded, doing his best to look afraid, turning around he ran, well, as much as Crabbe's enormous body allowed him anyway.

The moment Harry was away from them, he smiled. And now, he waits. He went back to his room and transformed. He spent the night with Godric, the cat smelt the paint on him and didn't like it much, but after explaining the plan, he seemed to grow more appreciating it.

The next day Harry woke up early, turned his cheeks red, made himself look near death, drank a simple potion to make him have a high temperature and went to the hospital wing.

Pomfrey was awake, as she usually was, and looked like she might faint at the sight of him.

"I think I might be sick," Harry whispered, coughing.

"Oh Merlin," Pomfrey whispered as she ran a diagnostic spell, gasping, "you are running a fever...I suggest some bed rest Mr. Potter. Come, sit."

"No, I...I can't. If I show any weakness then...'

"...then?" The woman looked at him with pity.

"I'm a Slytherin Madam Pomfrey...I can't be weak. If they know I'm here….I can sneak back into my room and lock myself away, I promise, but I can't...I can't let them see me weak."

Pomfrey sighed, but nodded, giving Harry some medicine and sending him on his way, promising to inform his teachers that he was sick. Which gave him a reason for not attending classes today.

Which gave him the whole day to 'haunt' McConaughey. For the rest of the day, McConaughey swore he saw the 'ghost' of Harry Potter haunting him. When he woke up, he saw the specter looking at him through a crack in the door. During breakfast, he swore he saw someone by the steps. And during classes, he would see someone pass by the window.

Whenever he tried to catch the ghost, he would always find himself alone. If he got lucky and happened upon a student in the very same hallway, he asked, beg to see if they saw him too. They would deny it, they would always deny it.

At lunch, McConaughey and his friends went to the first years and asked if Potter had attended any of his classes when they said that they had not, the very slim possibility that this had all been a hallucination went out the window. They had killed Harry Potter, they had killed the idol of the wizarding world.

That night:

"What are we going to do?!" one of the boys asked, turning to McDonough, "this is all your fault! We wanted to get him out, you didn't let us! Now he's dead and we're going to be sent to Azkaban!"

"Shut up! L-let me think!" McConaughey cried out, "so what if we're being haunted, we can deal with ghosts….I can deal with them, I know a spell...something my uncle taught me. But we have to get rid of the body first….we have to go back to the third floor."

"Would that thing even have left anything of Potter? It looked hungry."

"We can't take that chance….we have to get rid of it," McConaughey replied, the others quickly agreeing. Harry smirked from outside the dorm room door, disguised as a third-year who was currently asleep in his bed. Everything was coming along perfectly.

That night, at around midnight, the fifth year boys came to the third floor corridor, stopping before the door on the other side of which was the Cerberus that killed Harry Potter.

"Well...what are you waiting for? Go inside and check!" one of the boys's hissed.

"Fine,' McConaughey replied, he was about to open the door, when a very loud bang rang out. All of the boys turned, and as one, their faces went white as their blood ran cold.

"W-why? Why did you kill me?" Harry did his best to sound like a small child would, using every iota of self-control to stop himself from laughing.

"G-ah!" one of the boys cried out as he fainted.

Harry looked down in pity, "he's dead too...don't worry, I'll keep him company."

"ARGH!" they cried out in fear.

"Amtus, sprites!" McConaughey cried out, waving his wand with great furry. Harry felt a wave of magic hit him but felt nothing.

Harry titled his head, "was that a spell? Can you teach me spells...that's why I came here… to learn. Why did you stop me from learning?"

"McGonahugh it isn't working!" one of them cried out.

"Amtus spiritos! Amtus spiritos! Amtus spiritos!"

"That feels….warm," Harry smiled, allowing his teeth to grow into fangs and his eyes to turn blood red. He made his claws grow and changed the tone of his voice into something more high pitched, "let me feel you! Let me eat you! I want to be warm again!"

"ARGH!" they screamed in terror, turning tail and ran. Right into the approaching form of the caretaker Flinch, who came to find out who was out of bed so late in the night.

Harry watched them get taken away to Snape's office, they screamed in terror and tried to explain how they killed Harry Potter. Obviously, they all sounded crazy. After all, Harry Potter was just a little sick, nothing to worry about.

The next day:

Harry walked into the Great Hall for breakfast, smiling and very much alive. His friends looked at him in surprise as he sat down with them, eating breakfast like a starving man.

"We know it was you who poisoned McGonahugh," Delphi suddenly spoke as she buttered her toast, "I advise you run before they find you and hurt you."

"Smart girl, did Daphne help you or did you figure it out all on your own?" Harry asked, doing his best impression of a proud mother hen.

Delphi turned and leveled a glare at Harry that scared most, well, expect the boy who literally grew up with murders. "I am not someone you lie to Mr. Potter, nor am I someone you cross. My brother and I might not seem like a threat, but trust me, we are….I am. Watch yourself Potter, or else."

"Or else what Malfoy?"

"Or else you might not like what happened next."

"Excuse me, everyone," Dumbledore stood up, gaining the whole school's attention. The old man looked sad as he sighed, "I regret to inform you that last night, four of your fellow classmates had to be admitted into St. Mungo's for psychiatric treatment due to extreme shock. It seems the pressure of their upcoming exams got to them, making them believe strange things. I hope you will join me and professor in washing them all for a speedy recovery."

Delphis' eyes were wide, she shot to her feet and cried out, "who is it?!"

"I'm sorry Ms. Malfoy?" Dumbledore blinked.

"Who got sent to the hospital?!"

"Oh, four fifth-year Slytherin students, McConaughey and his friends."

"Why?!"

"Oh, I explained did I not? The exam pressures got to them. They started seeing things.'

"What sort of things?!"

"Why, they started to believe they had killed your housemate, young Harry over there," Dumbledore smiled as his eyes twinkled, "who, as you can see, is very much alive and sitting right next to you. The terrible thing really, I must ask if anyone here feels the stress taking hold, don't hesitate to come to Madam Pomfrey, she's always here to help."

Delphi looked like someone had just slapped her across the face. She turned to Harry, who was busy eating a bagel before her, looking as if the whole ordeal was beneath him.

"You see Malfoy, I know you may think your hot shit, I know you may think you're smarter than everyone else here, but understand this, everyone bar me. So fuck you and your douche of a brother. Cross me again and sell me out as you did with McConaughey, and you'll find out what I did to drive them insane. Consider this your only warning, which you earned...I won't give you another," Harry got up and nodded, "good day."

Harry walked away from the Slytherin table that day realizing he had just declared war against every single one of them by doing what he did. But the truth was he had had enough to be the punching bag, of being afraid. The vipers needed to be defanged

May:

For three whole glorious months, Harry was free. No bullying, no Mcgonahugh, no one even dared look at him funny. If they did, all he had to do was stare at them, and they would be scared shitless.

Delphi seemed to be the only one immune to his 'charms' as she more often than not challenged Harry to every class they shared. And surprisingly the princess was actually a challenge.

She was brilliant at potions, not as good as her brother, but getting there. She was also well versed with all her theory, but Harry was the one who had to rewrite every single textbook he owned, save history and potions. She knew the book front to back, he knew it backward and forwards.

But, when it came to practicals, Harry found her beating him in some subjects. DADA she thrived. While others could barely grasp the things Quirrell taught Delphi seemed particularly suited to understanding the man's stutters. In charms, she more often than not outperformed Harry, though he practically destroyed her at the transfiguration.

It became more and more clear as the year went on that the first-year Slytherins were at war with each other. On one side was Delphi, who was supported fully by her brother and championed as what any true pureblood should be.

And on the other side, the only member was Harry James Potter. The rebel, the snake that would and did fight his own nest for his independence. Delphi found she couldn't overpower him or intimidate him, and Harry found her attempts to do so annoyingly. Like a child trying to get all the attention in a room.

But, life went on and with Harry, life tended to take a turn for the strange as the weeks went by. Hagrid's hut had caught on fire one evening, many people claim to have seen a dragon doing it, but there was no real proof.

The damage wasn't too bad, Hagrid lived and with a little bit of wand-waving from the professors, his hut was as good as new.

In the second week of March, flying lessons were finally beginning to get interesting as Madam Hooch deemed everyone there able fliers. She organized a small quidditch match to be held between the first years, a friendly match between the houses first to fifty points wins.

Obviously, the moment quidditch was mentioned, Harry was interested.

"Alright, since I'm the only one with any real experience, I'll be the captain," Malfoy said with his nose in the air, "got a problem with that Potter?"

"Will we win?" Harry asked.

Draco looked surprised, "of course we will."

"Then no."

Draco snorted, "fine. Crabbe, Goyle, you'll be our beaters, sis, Zabini, we are going to be chasers. And Potter," he turned and smirked, "keeper."

Harry looked annoyed but said nothing, happy just to be playing. The first match was against Ravenclaw, and as soon as the match began, the Malfoy siblings and Sabine dominated. The Ravenclaw was the studious type, not much into sports. A stereotype, true, but factual in any case.

They had won easily, Harry barely having to move from the hoops at all, the only time he even played was when he had to defend against a lucky throw Terry Boot had made.

Then it was against the Gryffindors, and Harry actually had to play this time. Against Ron Weasley, Harry blocked him from scoring more than ten times. The boy was a natural, though every time Malfoy opened his mouth, he tended to lose focus.

The match, however, was going neck and neck. Seamus and Dean Thomas had managed to score two on Harry, much to the boy's annoyance. Slytherin, however, was leading, whatever Harry might think of the Malfoy siblings, he had to admit, they worked well together.

And then, on the last point, Malfoy was about to throw the ball through the hoop when Ron came and grabbed the ball out of his hand at the last second. Draco looked annoyed as he followed Wesley back, gaining distance on him. Ron was about to try and score when Draco smashed into his side, knocking him off his broom.

"Foul!" Hooch cried out, casting a cushioning charm on Ron, saving the boy's life, "Mr. Malfoy! You cannot perform such a tackle!"

"Oh what's the big deal?! We're barely flying fifty feet off the ground, he would have lived!"

"That's it, Slytherin is disqualified, Gryffindor wins! Mr. Malfoy, detention."

"What?! That's blood unfair!" Draco started to protest, only to have Hooch dock points and demand they all get out of the air.

As they landed back to the ground, Harry couldn't help feeling disappointed at losing his first-ever game of quidditch. Did his father ever lose? By the way, people spoke about him, he doubted that very much.

"Good going Malfoy, you cost us the match."

"You shut it Potty," Malfoy spat back, "stop trying to kiss up to the lions, you're a snake, not a lion, never forget that!"

"I may be a snake, but your the one acting like a stupid Gryffindor. If you had just stopped and thought for one second we could have won, we had a two-point lead on them."

"It would have been four points if you hadn't let that idiot and mudblood score Potter! But then again what did I expect from a half-blood? Your whore of a mother must have diluted your father's talent. That or you just didn't-"

"-Depulso," Harry hissed the banishing charm, something Tonks had taught him, sending Draco flying through the air, landing at Hooch's feet. "Say that again Malfoy, open your trap one more time! I dare you!"

"Drop your wand Potter," Delphi Malfoy hissed as she drew her wand.

"Experiments!" Harry fired at her, to his surprise she managed to dodge it and fire the very same spell back.

Harry jumped to avoid reading a spell in retreat when he found his wand ripped away from his hand, Delphi smirked as he was about to hit him again when she found her own wand flying her hand and into Hooch's.

The woman narrowed her yellow eyes at them both, "Professor Snape will not be happy about this."

Snape's office:

"Potter, what was the first rule of Slytherin house?" Snape asked as he circled the three Slytherin children before him. Their wands were on his table, and though all three were to be punished, Harry just knew the Malfoy's were going to get offered scotfree.

"To project a united front to the rest of the houses," Harry replied.

"Then tell me, why exactly did you start a fight, in front of every single house?!" Snape roared, "I want you to answer me Potter, do not stand there like a mute statue! Answer me now or I swear I will do everything in my power to-"

"-He called my mother a whore," Harry replied, turning to meet Snape's eyes. A look of shock overcame Snape as for a single second Harry saw the fury in the man's eyes, which wasn't leveled at him but rather Draco Malfoy of all people.

"Detention...all three of you," Snape finally said, sitting behind his desk.

Delphi's eyes winded, "but sir-"

"No excuses Ms. Malfoy. Potter may be a fool, but Madam Hooch had the situation well in hand. By drawing your wand, you escalated the situation. You three will serve detention tonight under Filch, you will do what he says when he says. Do you understand?"

Delphi looked about ready to kill Snape, but nodded instead. Draco, however, snorted, "yes godfather, I understand." Snape raised an eyebrow as if the title would change his mind, but in the end, he said nothing.

Harry nodded, "I got it."

"Good," Snape pushed their wands to them, "and if any of you ever draw your wand again, it best be only for cases of self-defense. Dismissed."

The moment they left Snape's office, Delphi turned to Harry and glared, "if you ever threaten my brother again Potter, I will cut you apart."

"Go fuck yourself Delphi," Harry replied simply, walking past the two Malfoy siblings. At the end of the hallway, Flinch himself was waiting for them with a creepy smile. He told them to be ready to go out into the forest for their detention. Harry and Delphi accepted the punishment, while Draco looked like he was going to jump into hell itself at the mention of the forbidden forest.

That night Harry met Flinch and the Malfoy siblings at the castle entrance. The caretaker took them outside and down to Hagrid's hut where said giant of a man was waiting for them by a campfire with a crossbow in hand.

"They're all yours Hagrid," Flinch snorted, "I'll be back for them in three hours. Don't try to kill them...or do. I don't care," and with that, the bitter old man hobbled away.

"What exactly are we supposed to do?" Delphi asked, eyeing the giant weapon look more like a child's toy in Hagrid's giant meaty hands.

"There's something out there in the themeforest," Hagrid explained, "found a couple' of them unicorns bleed dry. Something attacked them and drained their blood. We're going to find out what did it."

"Are you mental?!" Draco cried out, "something in there was strong enough and fast enough to catch and kill a unicorn, and you want to go after it?! With a crossbow!"

"Well, if you're scared you can always come with me, let your sister and Harry there go by themselves," Hagrid shrugged.

"Wait, Mr. Hagrid, are you suggesting we split up?" Harry asked in the most pilot tone he could, "no offense sir, but...that's crazy."

"I agree with Potter," Delphi snorted, "can't we stick together?"

"No can do, cover more ground this way. Besides. The faster we catch watcher been doing' this, the sooner you three can go back to the castle eh?"

"This is a cruel and unusual punishment, our father will hear about this!" Draco cried out.

Harry sighed, rubbing his temple, "what a pussy. Fine, we'll split up. Forest is a big place, little chance of finding whatever killed those unicorns anyway. Can I have that map there Mr. Hagrid?"

"Course you can Harry," Hagrid passed the giant oil lamp over, "now come all you lot. You too Fang," said the dog barked loudly, but refused to move. "Oh come on you big coward!" the dog shook his head causing Hagrid to sigh, "fine, stay here and get fat, bloody dog."

The four walked into the woods that night. Harry heard the usual sound of crickets and rustling leaves, but beyond that, he also heard the sound of animals barking and a distant howl off in the back. Needless to say, the silence was making them all nervous.

"S-so Mr. Hagrid," surprisingly it was Delphi that broke the silence, "you're an...expert on magical animals right?"

"Oh I wouldn't' say I'm an expert', just know a thing or two about em, why?" Hagrid asked.

"Well... I was wondering, what can you tell me about three-headed dogs?" Delphi asked, doing her best to not sound too eager.

Harry raised an eyebrow while Draco looked surprised, motioning for his sister to keep quiet, but was ultimately ignored

"T-three headed dogs?" Hagrid gulped, "s-sorry, don't know anything about that." Harry was surprised, he didn't believe anyone could be that bad of a liar.

"Really? Nothing? You don't know anything about three-headed dogs?" Delphi pushed.

"No, sorry," Hagrid said, clearing his throat, "now, we're at a fork, Harry, lady Malfoy, take the left, the scaredy-cat and I will take the right. Any problems, send a shower of sparks up and I'll come right away, got that?"

"Can't I go in there alone?" Harry asked.

"What Alone? Why is that?"

"I don't trust her not to spell me in the back," Harry pointed to Delphi who looked torn between smiling and looking annoyed.

"Nonsense, going alone is a suicide, much safer as a pair. Now head along you two, and don't wander off too far," and with that warning Hagrid and Draco went off, leaving Harry and Delphi alone.

"Just great," Harry sighed, holding up the lamp and drawing his wand, "let's go find something that kills unicorns for sport."

"You really think I would spell you in the back Potter?" Delphi asked with a snort.

"In one word? Yes."

"Why?"

"Why not?"

"Oh, so you think just because I'm a Malfoy I would do that, do you? Listen here Potter, I do have standards, don't go comparing me to one of your common muggle criminals. If I was going to get you, I wouldn't stand you in the back, I would come straight for you. I would want you to know I was coming for you."

"And give up the element of surprise?"

"Who said I would need it against you?"

"Cocky...and it's not because you're a Malfoy...it's because you are you."

Delphi turned to him, "what's that supposed to mean?"

"You are proud, smart and you want everyone to know it. The fact of the matter is, if you wanted you could make me an enemy...you could have killed me...the first day at Hogwarts, you could have ended me. I don't know why you would have, but you could have. But you didn't...which makes me think you don't want me as your enemy, you want me as an alley."

"And why would I do that Potter?"

Harry stopped and turned to her, "because I know you Delphi Malfoy, more than you know."

Delphi looked back, her blue eyes focused, "you don't know anything about me, Potter."

Harry smirked, "oh, I think I do. You see me as a useful tool, but guess what, so did Dumbledore. He failed, you will too. No one controls me Malfoy, remember that," Harry turned, and walked away, leaving Delphi a few steps behind.

"Wait,' she called out, running to catch up to him, "what did you mean Dumbledore tried to control you?"

Harry shrugged, "he forced me to come here, to play by his rules. For the most part, I did, but I think me getting into Slytherin wasn't part of his plan...wasn't part of mine either, but that's not the point. But you don't need to worry about that Malfoy, just stay out of my way, and I'll stay out of yours. Deal?"

Delphi snorted, "whatever Potter. Besides, you're not even worth my time."

Harry snorted, "you know, if you weren't such a bitch Delphi, I might just give a damn about gaining your time."

"And if you weren't such an arrogant sack of shit Potter, I might care what you think."

Creak!

Harry extinguished the lamp and pulled Delphi behind a set of bushes. She began to whisper but he shushed her but pressed a finger against her lips. He closed his eyes and adjusted his iris, making his eyes more sensitive to light.

When he opened them, it was like the light was still there, everything was bright, he could see as clear as day. "Quite," he whispered to the girl as he poked his head out of the bushes and looked ahead.

A hooded figure was bent over the twitching body of a pure white unicorn. Harry's eyes went wide as he saw the figure pull away from the body, silver blood dripping from the shadow of its hood.

"We found it, I can't believe we found it," Delphi whispered. Suddenly the hooded figure turned, startling the girl enough to scream, "kay!"

Harry cursed, "you idiot! Run, I'll hold it off," he passed her the torch and stood up, "incendio!" The fireball missed the hooded figure as it glided across the forest ground, practically flying.

"Potter," Delphi screamed.

"Go, you stupid girl! And get Hagrid!" Harry roared as he sent a banishing spell at the figure, sending him back a good three feet.

Delphi turned the lamp on again and ran, once she was far away Harry began laying into the thing attacking the unicorn. Sending spell after spell at it, only for nothing to have an effect.

The closer it came, the more Harry's head began to hurt. First, it was a slight throb and then, pain. Excruciating pain like he had felt only once before at the welcome feast.

It flew up to him, lording over him, tiling its head, almost as if he was a puzzle the thing couldn't figure out. And then, out of nowhere, something jumped out of the bushes, throwing the shade across the clearing.

"Begone from this place wraith!" the new person hissed as standing between Harry and the shade was a god honest centaur, top half-human, bottom horse. At his preceness, the shade seemed afraid, turning and flying away, vanishing into the darkness of the forest.

"It is gone, for now," the centaur whispered as it turned to Harry, "Harry Potter...I did not think you would be in these woods tonight." Harry's head began to hurt less, and the longer time went, the less it hurt.

"Do I know you?" Harry asked, rubbing his forehead where his scar once was.

"No...but I have seen you," he replied.

"Seen me?"

The centaur pointed at the sky, "yes...from the stars. They have shown me you're coming, but I did it think you would come so soon...you must leave soon, it is weakened, but not for long."

"What is that?" Harry asked.

The centaur looked at him, "you know what it is...it is the very same thing that took...everything from you," his words seemed like a trace, Harry's mind clouded with thoughts, "you know his name...do you not?"

Only one name came to mind, "Voldemort?" the centaur nodded. For a second, Harry felt afraid. Afraid of the dark, of the unknown. But then, anger.

"ARGH!" Harry roared as he charged in the direction the shade went, only to have the centaur get in his way, "move!"

"If you go there, I cannot save you again There are more dangerous things out there in the forest than just that weakened shade of the Dark Lord...you must return to the castle, it is for your own good."

"That thing killed my parents! And you want me to just let him go?!' Harry asked in disbelief.

"Yes...for he is still the Dark Lord, even in his now weakened form, while you are still but a child...go, and do not return seeking revenge. He has left this forest, for now."

"But he will return, right? That's why he's coming here in the first place...whatever happened, unicorn blood is the only thing keeping him alive."

"Yes...but worry not, we will not allow him to take any more lives. Go, and be at peace Harry Potter, your time for vengeance will come soon enough," the centaur turned and began to walk away.

"Wait," Harry called, "what's your name?"

The centaur smiled, "I am known as Firenze. Good night Harry Potter and goodbye."

Harry looked at the forest, the direction in which Voldemort flew, and sighed. He would not be able to catch him, not tonight. The shade was too damn fast.

He turned around and walked back in the direction of the castle, wand still out, ready to be used at a moment's notice.

He was alive, the man who killed his parents was alive. Harry Potter always wondered what his purpose in life was, first it was to learn magic, but now it seemed he had gained another one, to find Voldemort and killed what remained of him. He would need to get stronger for that though, and smarter.

"Harry!" the call pulled Harry from his thoughts. He looked up to find Hagrid and the Malfoy siblings rushing towards him. "Are you alright' Harry?" Hagrid asked, looking around, "is it here?"

"No, no I...it left," Harry replied.

"Wait...it left? Just like that?" Delphi asked in disbelief.

Harry nodded, "yeah….just like that….we should go back to the castle, I don't think the woods are safe anymore…. For any of us."

Hagrid didn't protest much, instead of taking them back to his hut where he poured warm tea for them and fed them his famous rock cakes. Harry swore it must also be what he house was made of.

When Flinch came to take them back, none of them spoke, none of them complained. Harry was led to the Slytherin common room, he did' have a chance to sneak out, so he spent the night in what should have been his room.

But he didn't sleep. No...all he did that night was think. Think about the monster that killed his parents...and how to best kill him.

June:

The final exams were almost upon them, and Harry for one was excited. He was so far topping every class, even the great know it all Hermione Granger seemed unable to catch up, though admittedly she was slowly gaining ground.

The exams were hard, the homework was longer and far more difficult to finish at the last moment and soon before anyone even realized it, an entire year had passed them by.

Harry hadn't made many friends, that was fine. He didn't come here to make friends after all. He came here to learn magic and that was what he did.

With slowly becoming more and more competent with potions, Harry managed to reach Delphi's level at the subject. And while she still lorded her skills at DADA over him, his own skills at transfiguration kept her humble.

By the time the final exams were over, Harry was looking forward to the holidays again. And most importantly, looking forward to meeting the Tonks again. So much free time...he could only imagine what he could do with it. Maybe, try and find a way to track Voldemort down, in this...new form he seemed to possess.

The final exam they had to finish was History, and while Harry found it boring beyond a point, he did study hard enough that anything less than an EE would surprise him.

Feeling good about himself and his small accomplishment, Harry found himself heading back to his private room to pack up all his lost notes and books, only for him to run into Professor Quirrell of all people, walking briskly with confidence he never once displayed all year.

"Morning sir," Harry nodded in greeting.

"Potter," Quirrel replied with a sneer, passing him by without a glance. Suddenly Harry's forehead began to pain, almost bursting with venom. He clutched it, the pain was familiar, like that time in the forest with… Voldemort.

Harry spun on his feet, drew his wand and cried out, "bombarda!"

"Bullocks!" Quirrel cried as he turned to fire back, dodging Harry's spell, only for the floor behind him to get hit, exploding loudly on impact.

"Depulso! Expelliarmus! Incendio! Bombarda!" Each spell came out perfectly but failed to deter Quirrel in any way, the DADA professor blocking each one behind a transparent shield he put up.

"Impressive Potter...how long did you know I was going to steal the stone?" Squirrel asked.

"What stone?" Harry snarled, "I'm just going to kill you because of what you did, Voldemort."

Quirrell's eyes winded before he formed, a look of anger Harry had never seen on his face once before, "clever boy…. lever boy indeed. But of course, now, I can't let you live, can I?"

And like a switch had been flipped, the tame and cowardly professor became a beast of war. Harry lasted five seconds before he was knocked unconscious, flying across the empty corridor. His eyes closed slowly, watching Quirrell stand over him with a glare.

He pointed his wand at Harry, the tip glowing green, only to stop at the last second and whisper, "I understand….my master…"

Some time later:

Harry woke up tied and on the cold floor. His head was ringing, he looked around and found himself in the middle of a room with Quirrel and a full-length mirror.

"I can see myself holding the stone….but I cannot take it," Quirrel whispered, "help me master...help me understand."

Harry looked around, he was alone, they were alone. He didn't understand who Quirrell was talking to when suddenly a voice emitted from the back of Quirrell's turban.

"The boy….use the boy," the voice commanded, "he is awake."

Quirrell turned, his eyes landing on Harry, "Potter," he walked over and grabbed Harry by the shoulder, pulling him up and dragging him to the mirror, "look, Potter, what do you see? Tell me."

Harry pantsed, forced to look ahead, he looked into the mirror and to his surprise, found not his reflection with Squirrel, but rather himself with five people. The Tonks were there, standing in the back, smiling and waving, Nymphadora was dressed in a wedding gown with a smile on her face. And standing right behind Harry where Quirrell was supposed to be, where two people Harry knew was dead.

"W-what is this thing?" Harry demanded, turning to Quirrell, "how is this possible?"

The man turned to Harry and smiled, "tell us boy, what do you see?"

Harry turned back to the mirror, "I see….myself….my parents and I….I seem them proud of me, smiling at me...alive."

"Oh….hm, I can use this," Quirrell whispered, "tell me, Potter, do you know what the mirror of Erised is? No, of course, you don't. You see, when one looks at the mirror, it will show them what the most desire most. So a happy man will see it and find nothing but himself, but those like you and I...well, we see what we want to see."

Harry looked down and noticed Quirrell's wand tucked into his robes, just beyond the reach of his bound hands. Harry needed a distraction, just for a while. "W-what do you see then?" Harry asked, "the blood of newborns for supper? Virgins for dinner?"

Quirrell actually seemed to smile at the taut, "I see something far more important than your frivolous insults Potter, I see….myself, holding my master what he desires. I see myself useful, serving him and his greatest whims."

"Y-you're not him, are you? You're just a servant," Harry whispered, realization dawned on him. He had thought Voldemort had disguised himself as Quirrel, hiding, but all this time, the whole year, he was right under his nose and Harry didn't know.

Quirrell smiled, "you catch on quick Potter."

"And what does your master desire?" Harry asked as he reduced the size of his arm until he would slit his arms free with relative ease.

"He desires the philosopher's stone...the stone of the legendary alchemist Nicholas Flamel," Quirrell replied, turning to Harry, "and you will give him what he wants."

"How?" Harry asked.

"The stone can only be gotten by one who doesn't want its power, but to protect it," Quirrel grabbed his chin and twisted Harry's' head to face his reflection, "do you not want that Harry? Do you not want to keep the stone away from the man who murdered your family? Who took everything from you?"

Harry tried to resist, he did, but the thoughts proved too powerful to ignore. And suddenly, Harry's reflection changed. He saw it wink it at him as it held out its hand, revealing a bright red stone.

"No, no!" Harry cried out but could do nothing as the reflection deposited the stone in its pocket as Harry felt a sudden weight appear on his own.

"Good job, Harry Potter," Quirrell whispered as he let go of Harry's chin, And at that moment, Harry moved quicker than he ever had before.

His arms slipped out of his bounds, Harry extended them out and grabbed Quirrell's wand and drew it out. "No!" Quirrell tried to make a grab for it, but Harry blocked his hands with his left as he pointed the wand under Quirrell's chin and without a second's hesitation whispered the blasting curse.

BOOM!

Blood and gore splattered everywhere as Harry blew Quirrell's head apart from his body. The high powered spell could shatter rocks, he knew, he had practiced. And nose the dead and limp body of Harry's professor dropped down like a puppet without strings, crumpling into a mess on the floor.

Harry panted, wiping his face clean. It wasn't the first dead body he saw...but it was the first time he murdered someone. He reminded himself that Quireel worked for Voldemort, that most likely he would have killed Harry too...but that didn't help his conscious much.

Just then, Quirrell's body began to twitch. Harry readied another blasting curse, only for a shade to rise up out of Quirrell's body and float before Harry.

"Harry Potter...that is twice now you have hurt me," the shade whispered, through its voice carried through the entire chamber, "such spirit, such cunning. I did not expect you to have been in my house...but perhaps that speaks to a touch of destiny within you..like it was within me."

"I won't ever be like you, you monster," Harry spat.

"But you are," the shade replied as it slowly began to circle Harry, "do you not see? Your brilliance, your tenacity, your wit, and ruthlessness...you are what I have always wanted in an hier...a perfect Slytherin, not like those dotless Malfoy's, a true Slytherin, not a viper, no. More. Much more."

"Why would I ever join you Voldemort?" Harry asked, circling around to look at the shade.

"Ah yes...your parents...tell me, would they have liked you being a Slytherin? Or would they have treated you like how everyone else has? Like a mistake? An outcast?"

"You don't know shit about my parents!"

"Oh, but I do...James Potter, Lily Potter...they were Gryffindor's through and through. They would never have accepted you, never have accepted what you truly are….a powerful wizard that can never, ever be controlled….that stone you now protect, do you know what it can do?"

"No...but if you want it, that's enough for me to keep it away from you."

"Yes, I suppose…but did you know that it could be used to bring back those who are dead or dying? I could do that Potter...I could bring them back, both of them with the power of that stone…. Would you want that Harry? Would you want….to see them alive?"

The shade directed Harry's gaze to the mirror, to the faces of his mother and father. They were smiling, Lily touched his shoulder and for a second, Harry felt a warmth on his own shoulder. As if she was really there.

Tears came down Harry's eyes, "mom…." he reached into his pocket and took out the rat-sized red stone inside, "mom….dad..."

"Yes Potter, do it...bring them back. Death will have no hold over them, I swear!"

And suddenly, Harry was back at the graveyard at Godric's hollow once more. He looked at the words on his parent's gravestone

'The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death'

"I'm sorry," Harry whispered, "but fuck you," he flicked the stone into the air and with Quirrell's wand cried out, "Bombarda!"

KRAKOOM!

The bright red stone shattered into a million shards, raining down over Harry as the shade of his enemy roared, "NO!"

The shade turned to Harry and charged, passing through him, kicking the wind out of his lungs. Harry dropped to the ground, Quirrell's wand rolling away as for the second time that day, he found himself slipping unconscious.

Sometime later:

When Harry awoke, he didn't expect to find himself in the infirmary, nor did he expect to find Tonks and her mother standing over him with wands drawn and aimed at Dumbledore.

"I swear Dumbledore if that boy does not wake up in the next day I will come after you seat with a fury unseen since the days of Greece. I will tear this school down brick for brick until I see you sacked and then and only then will I find myself in the position to 'wait and see'."

"And I'll help," Pinkie nodded.

"Pinkie?" Harry whispered, pulling himself up.

"Harry!" Tonks cried out as she lowered her wand and quickly hugged him tightly, "Oh thank Merlin, I thought we lost you."

"As I said Andromeda, nothing to worry," Dumbledore smiled.

Mrs. Tonks shot the man a look, "this discussion isn't over Dumbledore, don't even think about it." She then turned to Harry and the anger seemed to wash away as she hugged him as well, "oh you stupid boy, what did you do this time?"

"I don't really know," Harry replied, "I think I destroyed some priceless stone though."

"The Philosopher's stone to be precise Mr. Potter," Dumbledore supplied, "one made by my old friend Nicholas Flamel. And it was a good thing you did, if Voldemort had gotten his hands on it, there would be no telling the dangers he would have pleased."

"I'm sorry, but what is the legendary alchemist stone doing in this school?!" Andromeda roared.

"Nicholas and I believed, rightly so, that Voldemort would come after it. I offered to keep it safe at my school...sadly it would seem the precautions we had prepared were not enough."

"What precautions?" Andromeda asked in a slow and dangerous voice.

"Safeguards, I assure you, the children were fine," Dumbledore said in his usual grandfatherly, I-know-better-than-you tone.

"Oh, you mean like the Cerberus you have on the third-floor corridor?" Harry spoke up, throwing the man under the bus.

"What?!" both Tonks women cried out, turning from Harry to Dumbledore, glaring holes at him.

"A pet of Hagrid's fully trained, I assure you. The entrance to which was under lock and key at all times," the man tried to explain.

"I managed to open it with a simple Alohomora charm and remember those four Slytherin fifth years that got sent to St. Mungos for having a mental breakdown? Well, they got inside too, so…."

"Albus Dumbledore!" Andromeda seemed to snap, "what sort of school are you running! Amelia Bones will be hearing of this, of this, I promise you. Harry, the moment you are feeling up to it, we are leaving and will not return until we are provided with an explanation!"

"I'm feeling fine right now, let's go-" Harry tried to move, only for a feeling of vertigo to hit him like a train. Harry gripped his head and grunted, "no, nevermind, I ah, I think Voldemort did a number on me after all..."

"Harry, are you okay?" Tonks asked, sitting down by Harry's side, "I'll get Pomfrey, just wait."

Andromeda turned to Dumbledore and glared, "this isn't over Dumbledore, not by a long shot."

Two days later:

Harry was supposed to be discharged today, Pomfrey said so, but Andromeda insisted he stay for another day just to be sure.

Andy had visited him every day, keeping me informed on what was happening with the investigation and to help him talk about what had happened.

It took a while, but after Andromeda had patiently explained for what must have been the hundredth time, HArry finally came to believe that the offer Voldemort had made to bring his parents back to life was truly in fact, a lie.

He knew it was the case, he did. Logic said it so. But still, in his heart, he prayed and wondered; 'what if?'

Andromeda told him again and again how such a thing wasn't possible, how he did the right thing by denying Voldemort. But it didn't matter how right he was...it still hurt realizing the truth.

Harry didn't expect anyone to come and visit him, he didn't pride himself on his social skills after all. But to his dismay, Hermione Granger had once again butted in where she didn't belong. Much to Harry's annoyance and Andromeda's delight.

The former Black began to falter Hermione and Harry about school life, so much so that Hermione actually left due to a feeling...well, for her the word would be overwhelmed. Andromeda didn't mind as she was over the moon finally meeting one of Harry's friends, no matter how much the boy tried to deny it.

On the third day in the infirmary though when Andromeda came to visit, she brought with her two other people who Harry did not recognize, one was dark-skinned and bald, dressed in red robes, giving the impression of a soldier, while the other wore a proper fitting women's business suit with a grey and black tone. The woman wore a monocle and had red hair tied back in a bun while the man was dark-skinned and bald, a somber look upon his face.

"Harry," Andromeda began, "I would like to introduce two people, this is Madam Bones, head of the DMLE and the young man next to her is senior Auror Kingsley Shacklebolt. They are here to talk to you about what happened with Professor Quirrell."

"Only if you're feeling up to it Mr. Potter," Madam Bones spoke, her voice stern with a hint of steel behind her eyes.

"Yeah, let's just get this over with," Harry sighed, pulling himself up, Andy adjusting his pillows, making him comfortable.

Amelia drew up a chair and a pad with a quill. She cleared her throat and began, "Mr. Potter, on the night of 12th of June, 1991, can you recall to the best of your memory the events that had occurred?"

And with that, Harry told her everything, how his head hurt as a warning when he saw the spirit in the forest, how he managed to run away, he kept his secret meeting with the centaur to himself.

Harry then told her how his head hurt once more with Quirrell, how he guessed that Voldemort was either disguised as Quirrell or possessing, how Quirrell had basically admitted to serving Voldemort and how they demanded Harry look into a mirror that showed him his deepest desires.

Harry was scared to admit the next part, how he shattered the Philosopher's stone and killed Quirrell, but apparently Andromeda had already filled Amelia on this, the woman assured Harry that he wasn't in any trouble, and then pressed him for details.

In the end Amelia Bones had to remove her monocle and sign in exhaustion, "this is one major barrel of monkeys it is. Andromeda mentioned something about a Cerberus?"

Harry shrugged and explained that story as well, at the end of which both Kingsley and Madam Bones looked like they were about to climb Everest on an empty stomach.

"We should go to the third-floor corridor," Madam Bones sighed, "thank you, Mr. Potter, you have been quite helpful..."

"I'm sure Dumbledore has removed the beast by now and we won't be able to find anything," Shakelbot argued.

"I'm aware Kingsley, but this is an official investigation, and we will proceed as such."

"I understand..." the man nodded, though he looked anything but complacent.

"So, will I have to come to court?" Harry asked, both excited and a little nervous. Nervous because he's never been on this side of the law and excited to finally have something on Dumbledore to bring him down. Maybe with a bit of luck, Harry could even have the loon arrested and sent off.

But, to his dismay, none of the adults before him looked as if they truly believed anything would come of this.

"Harry...it isn't as simple as that," Andromeda whispered, "Dumbledore is...a powerful man. The most powerful man in our community. If there was a muggle equivalent...Ted once compared to him an uncrowned pope if that makes any sense. This case, while Amelia and Kingsley here will surely pursue till the end and to the letter….I doubt much will come off it."

"B-but he's a freaking loon! What type of idiot keeps a Cerberus in a school?!" Harry cried out.

"Aye, Dumbledore will get a warning for that, true, but nothing else as he did warn the children not to approach it," Amelia sighed, "and there were professors out on patrol, he could argue it needed to protect the stone...and prevent a supporter of you-know-who from getting it."

"But it wasn't just a servant! It was Voldemort himself!" Harry cried out.

"Did you see him? Do you even know what he looks like Harry?"

"...No."

"Then other than him claiming to be he who shall not be named, do you have any other proof? Something that can hold up in court?"

Harry opened his mouth to reply, only to realize that he didn't. Other than a headache and the word of a centaur in the wood, there was no reason to believe the shade he had seen was in fact Voldemort at all.

For a second, Harry began to doubt himself. Was he wrong? Was it really someone else? He didn't know, he didn't understand. Amelia continued, "we shall bring up all the charges as we are expected to Mr. Potter...but I would advise you to not hold your breath. After all Albus Dumbledore is a man you cannot defeat with such...direct tactics. Good day Andromeda, it was nice to see you again."

"You too Amelia, thank you for coming," Andromeda bowed, helping the two out before returning back to Harry's side.

"I… I don't understand," Harry turned to Andromeda, "why is catching this bastard such a task? I mean...he is a man, after all, right?"

Andromeda sighed, looking away for a moment she spoke, a sense of warning in her voice, "Harry...you have to understand...Dumbledore is not just the headmaster of this school, he's also Supreme Mugwump of the Wizingot and...well, he's the head of the ICW."

Harry's eyes widened, having just learned about the wizarding political union in his history classes, "I….I see….what did he do? Who is Albus Dumbledore exactly for everyone to treat him so...holy?"

"He's...he's the only man whom the Dark Lord feared," Andromeda whispered, "the only one from which Voldemort ran from...some say he's the greatest wizard who ever lived since Merlin himself...others say he's more so."

"What do you believe?" Harry asked.

Without hesitation, she replied, "that he's one of the most dangerous men you will ever meet."

The next night:

Harry walked up to the headmaster's office, hidden behind a stone gargoyle. The statue looked at him and Harry looked back, "I need to talk to him."

The statue didn't say anything. A second later, it moved aside, just like it said in the Hogwarts: A History book Harry mined last night for information on the headmaster's office.

He walked up the spiraling staircase and came at the door, opening it without knocking, finding Dumbledore behind a desk, looking over several notes of paper, scribbling away with a quill in hand.

"Harry, it's impolite to enter a room without knocking," Dumbledore hummed as he tapped the ink from his quill and placed it aside, looking up at him and smiling. He pushed a bowl of yellow treats forward and smiled, "lemon drop?"

"Thank, but no," Harry spared the sweets a single glance before turning to the old man before him. He licked his lips and said only two words, "train me."

Dumbledore blinked back a look of surprise as he sat up straight in alert, "I'm sorry my boy? But...did you just ask me to train you?"

Harry nodded, "yes. Voldemort is still out there, he'll come for me...or I'm going for him. You are said to be the only man he fears, but you're old and one day, you might not be there to fight him when he comes back. Maybe it might be another stone, maybe it might be possession like with Quirrell, but whatever it may be, you may not live to see it, I will. So train me."

Dumbledore was silent, he crossed his fingers and met HArry's eyes, staring into them with a look of contemplation before whispering, "I'm sorry my boy, but I cannot do such a thing."

"Why not?" Harry snapped back.

"Because it is too great a burden I would place on you. You do not understand what it is I would ask from you… it is too great a curse."

"Power isn't a curse headmaster, power is freedom. And as long as Voldemort is alive, I won't be free. He'll come for me and you know he will. So train me, damn the consequences, I can handle them."

"And therein lies the problem Harry, you do not see. The consequences aren't just something you can shrug off and throw off. They matter, if I train you, I make you a target...and I do not believe you are ready for such…. A role."

"So...you would leave me to die?"

"Harry, while you are within these walls, Voldermort can never hurt you. I will not let what happened come to pass again."

"Expect it did happen. It did come to pass and he...he almost killed me. And you weren't there and I had to rely on myself and my own skin...I guess that's just how things will have to be then. This was your one chance to earn my trust headmaster, consider it done."

Harry turned and walked away, Dumbledore called for him, but the boy-who-lived was in no mood to listen. He went back into the hole in the wall he called a room and proceeded to pack all his belongings, shrink them down and get ready to depart the castle for the summer.

Godric was his only companion that night, Harry didn't feel like doing anything, choosing instead to simply drift off to sleep. Though it seemed he didn't gain rest even in the realm of Morpheus as his dreams were plagued by visions of the forest.

Harry woke up early the next day and went to the kitchen to see Mixy and the other house-elves who had helped him over the year. He gifted them all a single chocolate bean, which Harry had to practically beg each of the house elves to accept.

Breakfast with his fellow housemates was a somber affair. He didn't talk to anyone, and no one seemed to even notice he was missing for three days. Well, no one other than the very observant Daphne Greengrass and Delphi Malfoy.

"What happened Potter?" Greengrass whispered across the table, "you were in the hospital wing for three days."

"Potion experiment went wrong," Harry lied easily, it always made him question how good of a person he could be if lying was such an easy thing for him to do.

"Stop talking out of your ass Potter," the female Malfoy hissed, "we know something happened between you and Quirrell, my father said as much. What are you hiding, oh boy-who-lived?"

Harry looked at Delphi with narrowed eyes. He put his fork down and leaned closer, motioning them both to come closer. The two blondes leaned in and Harry cried out, "it was a potions accident!"

Daphne seemed more annoyed than Delphi as she simply ignored Harry and went to her meal. Delphi, on the other hand, leveled a cold look at Harry that would have frightened him, but already grown used to her glasses, Harry just ignored it entirely.

The end of term feast ended with Slytherin winning the house cup, with Dumbledore surprisingly awarding Harry 100 points at the last moment for answering the call of duty and surpassing it. He looked mighty pleased while doing it, but for Harry, it was like lighting the boy on fire as it now had every single Slytherin's attention as they all wondered just what he did to gain so many points.

Harry and Godric got onto the train at the very last moment and hid in the luggage compartment like before. The train ride back to London was much faster this time around and when Harry got out at King's Cross, the Tonks were waiting there to greet him.

"And how was your first year?" Ted asked with a smile.

Harry smiled back, "well...considering I almost died twice, not bad."

"Well thank Merlin for that," Andromeda sighed, rubbing her head, "come along now Harry, mustn't waste time."

"Say what you will, but I think I had a much more interesting first year," Pinkie smirked as she threw an arm over Harry's shoulder, "I got caught impersonating McGonagall three times and launched a dung bomb in the Slytherin locker room...or was that my fourth year?"

"Well I met a three-headed dog, killed one of my professors and got first place in my class," Harry smirked back.

"First place?!" Andromeda cheered in joy as she pulled Harry into a tight hug, "oh thank Merlin! I always knew you had your mother's brains! Your father was brilliant too, but he was far too lazy to make anything off his gifts."

"Mum, are you really just going to go past that comment on murder without comment?" Pinkie asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Oh, hush dear. You're a Black and an Auror-in-training, such talk should be commonplace for you. If it isn't, it will be soon enough," the woman smiled, "come on Harry, we need to celebrate! Ice cream for everyone!"

"And can I guess correctly that I'm going to be the one who'll have to go out and get it?" Ted smiled.

"That's why I married you Ted Tonks, your clairvoyance and how reliable you are," Andromeda smiled as she kissed her husband, the sight made Harry smile, wondering if he could one day do that to the girl walking next to him.

He looked at her and smiled, Nymphadora was too distracted gagging at the sight of her parent's love. Just then he saw a flash of silver-blonde at the edge of his vision. Harry looked around to see Delphi Malfoy staring at him, or more specifically, his family.

Harry glared back at her, daring her to try something. She locked eyes with him and stared back. A large man walked past them breaking their eyes contact, when he passed, Delphi was gone, though Harry saw a wisp of silver hair move across the platform before him.

"Harry, you alright there kiddo?" Tonks asked as she looked behind, "do you see someone you recognize?"

"No...never mind Tonks, let's hurry up and go home. I'm craving for some chocolate chip," Harry smiled, putting the thoughts of psychotic wizards and creepy silver-haired girls out of his mind. For the next three months, he only had one goal, to get Nymphadora Tonks to fall in love with him, and train his ass off learning how to fight.

For those of you complaining Harry was too much of a wimp and he should have fought back more. I reply with this, no matter how tough he tries to display himself, he's still walking into new environment. The reason why he hasn't stolen anything is that he knows muggle means are stupid when done to magical people. What if they have a tracking charm?

There are too many unknowns in Harry's life, so his world was thrown for a loop. But now, after a year, he's found a balance of sorts and is trying to get back that bite he once had.