Marine pre-training is killing me. I can barely feel my lungs anymore and my legs and arms feel like jelly. Boot camp is going to suck but that is months off

Also, some shameless advertising. Please check out my Danny Phantom/PPG fanfic, Loving Heroes. It is lonely and needs people to read it.

Also, yes I know about my grammar problems. I'm trying to fix them but I write how I talk and my speech is very slangish and twisted. I will go back and try to further edit the older chapters. Old reviews will be looked at for guidance in where the faults lay. But I'm pretty confident my grammar is getting better. And it's not my beta's fault, he tries but he and me usually argue how to spell words, ex "honor/honour". People who want to be a beta are welcomed to raise their hand and I'll peek at them to see if they are what I want. I look for harsh reviewers and they are usually the ones I send a PM to asking them… not a lot of them. Though I do appreciate the 'good jobs' not quite as productive as those several paragraph long reviews berating you.

Chapter nine:

Severus Snape sat in his quarter's lounge and sipped on a glass of firewhiskey at four in the afternoon. Drinking so early wasn't something he would usually do but he needed it.

That Potter boy disturbed him. Reminding him of a person he loved, a person he hated and a person whom he feared all at the same time. He didn't know where to direct his emotions or react.

He felt on edge throughout the class. Like he was being judged for each step he took, each instruction he gave, for every point he took or gave. He never felt like that in his own classroom, it was supposed to be his domain. But for that one class he felt trapped, cornered.

It was like some great beast was sitting there in the middle of his class just staring at him like he was the prey.

He definitely needed a drink to calm his nerves. The fact he had another class with the boy later in the week made him feel the need for another glass.

Dumbledore could wait an hour or a day before he heard about Potter's first class.

-0-

Harry was enjoying himself.

One of his roommates had the bright idea of having some bonding time and whatever higher power there is bless Justin for recommending Poker.

"Three of a kind, kings." Harry said with a half grin, making the other boys groan as he racked in another addition to his pile of sweets. He wasn't going to eat most of, his instructors and mother had drummed a healthy diet into his head, he'd probably share with the girls.

"Why does he always win?" Wayne complained as he slammed his pair of fives onto the table and tossed the rest of his cards in Harry's direction.

"I don't know, it's like the third hand in a row that he's won." Justin said with a mock pout, which only served to make Harry's lip twitch a bit more.

Ernie grumbled something about him cheating at the 'stupid Muggle game'. Harry just rolled his eyes under his glasses. He wasn't cheating, he just read their body languages and faces so well that their pathetic attempts at a poker face failed. That, and he was also unnaturally lucky.

"Just deal the next hand" Harry said a bit lazily, anticipating another winning hand.

"But I don't have anything left" Ernie complained.

"Then you should have folded like those two. Instead you called and raised me. Bad call"

Ernie sent him a controlled glare. He was still wary around Harry. It was a combination of their first morning living together and his eyes. Those eyes were just creepy, he was actually grateful he wore those dark glasses all the time.

Justin did the honors of dealing to next hand and Harry instantly looked at his roommates faces. Justin smirked as he dropped a card; he probably had two pairs or three of a kind with a high suit. Wayne just pouted at his hand, probably a crappy hand all around, especially since he had to get rid of four cards. But even with the new cards he looked disappointed. Ernie, well Ernie was still scowling. The poor pure-blood had no idea what he was doing, he didn't know the rules and he had nothing left to bet. Harry almost felt sorry for him.

Harry had two pairs in his hand already, one high, one low. There was a possibility of him having a better hand than Justin but he better bluff his arse off just in case. Harry raised the bet to three chocolate frogs and a sugar quill.

Wayne Instantly folded, and Ernie quickly followed. Justin just smirked, though a little less than before, and saw that bet and raised it two more quills. Harry kept his face still as he saw the bet but did not raise it. Justin was a bit too excited for his taste. Maybe he should have folded but he was never one to back down if there was a chance to win.

"On the count of three?" Harry asked evenly, hoping his calm confidence would force the other boy to fold.

"Just put down your cards." Justin said with much bravado as he laid down his set of three queens.

"Damn." Harry mumbled as he showed his pair of fives and kings.

"YES! I finally beat you!" Justin cheered as he raked in his winnings.

Harry rolled his unseen eyes at the winner's actions "Whatever kid, just hand the cards over to Wayne and let's get another round going."

Justin complied but before they could continue the first year boy's dorm was barged into by a familiar pink haired figure, "Wotcher Tonks. What's going on?"

The seventh year stumbled over to Harry before practically kneeling to him "You got to tell me! How did you do it?"

Harry resisted the urge to strike at the sudden movement and kept his calm as he asked "What are you talking about Tonks?"

"What did you do to Snape?" She elaborated not even bothering from getting out of her kneeling position, looking up at him with hopeful eyes.

"Nothing. He didn't seem as bad as everyone was saying. A bit snippy in the beginning but went about class normal enough."

Tonks looked at him like he was crazy, her hair cycling from pink to black to blonde "But he is NEVER like that in his classes! He is always an arse!"

Harry just shrugged "Like I said, he seemed normal enough." Though he did seem freaked out most of the class, maybe it was his eyes? Harry didn't really know or care, he just wanted out of that classroom. It was a simple potion but he still felt the need to wash his hair immediately. "Help me out here guys." He said turning to the other three first years.

"He didn't seem all that bad." Justin said with a shrug, Wayne gave a similar action while shuffling the deck, Ernie just grunted.

"See?" He said gesturing to the other three "I'm actually starting to think the whole school is just putting on one big joke on all of us first years."

"It is no lie." Tonks said chastising the younger boy "I don't know how you did it but you did something to make The Bat nice-ish"

Tonks spent many more minutes trying to find out what Harry did to get Snape to act like a normal person instead of an overgrown bat with an ego to match. Eventually she gave up and forced herself into the game. Surprisingly, or unsurprisingly, the young Metamorph had one of the best poker faces ever in the history of poker, well according to Harry that is.

-0-

Albus Dumbledore sat at his desk sucking on a lemon drop, his face scrunched in calm contemplation. It seemed a lapse in judgment had derailed a very delicate process. One where, if done the correct way, would have given the world another beacon of light, another Dumbledore. Someone who could and would be the shield of the innocent, the hand to redeem the wicked and when needed the hesitant sword to deal with the evils.

A man who lived for the world and not himself that was what he was trying to nurture, to build.

That was why he placed Harry with the Dursleys. They would have taught him humility. That magic wasn't the only way and they as the magical people should not lord it over those without their gift. It would have taught him to appreciate what he had.

Or at least that was what he had hoped. He did not anticipate how affected Petunia was by her childhood with Lily. So much jealousy and fear turned to anger and hate only to then be channeled onto an innocent child. It was shameful. The memories she pulled from that family proved it enough.

He only managed to find which hospital the poor boy ended up in by chance. Though the hospital attendants were less than helpful, some nonsense about patient confidentiality. It didn't matter anyway since very few knew any facts on the boy besides that one of the nurses who was now taking care of him. And the Healers there were not much help either; one in fact was quite aggressive with her brush off. But then again that has always been Ms. Cutting's way. In retrospect he should have known it was Ms. Cutting that took young Harry in, but he was blinded by distress.

A Harry Potter raised by a Healer was not a Harry Potter he had planned or prepared for. He was exposed to magic much too early for Dumbledore to help guide his views on the subject and its society. The whole Cutting family, while being quite Muggle friendly, were very neutral when it came to any other subject in their society. Bending here and there with some issues but never having a clear side. If the boy was raised by such a family he could be easily swayed to either side of the fence, all it would take was one good push.

And he had to make sure the push landed on his side. Harry Potter was the future of the Wizarding world. The steps he took would echo in the coming decades. And Albus Dumbledore would ensure that those steps lead to the correct paths. But he could already see the divergence due to the changed environment on the boy, there was no better example than him being a Hufflepuff. It was workable but a Gryffindor would have been so much better. He just needed to plan the events correctly and he could still create the next champion.

Though he would admit his first foray into finding out how the boy was raised failed miserably. Hagrid may be a good man but he was not that bright and unknowingly twisted the old man's words. Dumbledore just wanted to find out about the boy's home situation was. He wasn't trying to say the boy was in an unfit environment. That single act may have alienated Harry from the Headmaster. He couldn't have that. He had to find a way to have the boy trust him.

Now, if only Severus would come and report to him how the boy's first class went.

-0-

Harry was absentmindedly swishing his wand over his match, changing it back and forth from a needle. He did it without any other wand movement or incantation, for a first year it was very impressive but to Harry it was such an infantile task. Something that barely brushed on magic, but it was his assignment and he would do it.

"How are you doing that so easily?" Hannah loudly complained as she swished and flicked her wand while mumbling her incantation, the only result was making the match slightly pointier.

"It's all about visualization of what you want and how to bend it into what you want." He said casually. Transfiguration classes were mostly about practice and the theories about the use. It didn't get too difficult until you reached the more complex creations. That was when it stopped being magic and slowly turned to science. The more you know about the object you are changing or the object you want it to be it was such an easier task. Magic users of old were known for quick transfigurations of swords and his House portrait told them stories how he could make five arrows in less than a second.

Now Organic Transfiguration, in any shape or form, was an interesting subject. Many couldn't actually complete the process without great effort, along with trial and error, ending up with a living cup or a lion made of wood that could only move through animation charms. Muggleborns and farm living wizards usually had a slight advantage with this subject due to knowing and studying animals unlike many of their classmates. Maybe he could ask his mother to send him some biology and zoology books in his next letter.

"Can you PLEASE be more enlightening than that?" Hannah begged, while Susan nodded her head and added in her own plea.

Harry was tempted to repeat one of his Grandfather's lesson to them 'don't beg, do it yourself or you won't achieve anything' but Susan had pulled off a pitiful face that made the mother in him cave. "It doesn't work for everyone but I usually focus on the transition." Seeing their confused look he explained "Just look at what needs to be changed. The point, the material, the thickness, the length, hit each one by one and you should get it." He said easily enough.

"Excellent suggestion Mr…. Cutting." McGonagall said as she walked over to their group and heard Harry's advice "Five point to Hufflepuff. I am impressed you know such a method. Most find it easier just to visualize one to the other instead of using steps." She honestly was, she found that using the steps lead to a higher quality transfiguration but many people found it easier to just to force the change. To just push an object from its natural state and settle with what the achieved. It was refreshing to see someone take the initiative to learn the more uncommon path.

"Thank you ma'am," Harry said with a nod of his head to show he appreciated the compliment and points.

McGonagall gave her own nod before leaving the Hufflepuff students back to their work. But as she walked away she couldn't help the stray thought that he inherited his father's talent in her subject.

Many of Harry's classes went by similarly , painfully easy. While some of the knowledge he remembered as Tom and Geneva was outdated they were still more than enough to breeze through the classes. And he still didn't care for Herbology or Potions.

At the rate he was progressing they may have to give him advanced classes or let him skip a year. That he would have to think about, he was starting to make friends with kids in his year and nothing was more important than loyalty, be it to family, friends or allies.

The week seemed to just flow into the weekend and Harry seemed to be starting a routine at the campus. Wake up, work out, hygiene, breakfast, class, lunch, class, workout, dinner, night hygiene, bed with several intervals where he just spent time with his friends. But the routine he was trying to build for himself was interrupted on Saturday during breakfast when he received a note from Professor Sprout that the Headmaster would like to speak to him.

Harry had a few memories of the Albus Dumbledore from his past life as Tom. Some of them were fond memories of the man who introduced him to magic and was one of the, if not the closest thing he had to a father figure. While others memories viewed the man as a road block to his path to true power. Adding those memories to the fact that the man deemed himself fit to have someone drop in on his family to check his home situation. There was no 'situation', there was just a family going on happily with their daily routine until a half giant kicked in their front door.

So at the moment, Harry did not have a high opinion of the man. But he would grudgingly go, despite his stances on certain subjects he was no delinquent who did not listen to his instructors. His mother brought him up better than that. He would go to his after breakfast appointment with as even of a temper as his Occlumency would allow him.

When breakfast disappeared from the table Harry said his goodbyes and made his way through the castle to the Headmaster's office. He had been there enough as Tom to know where it was but there was one thing he forgot as he reached the entrance. The gargoyle. He forgot about the stupid living statue that guarded the door to the office and it wouldn't get out of the way unless he had the password.

"Bugger," Harry mumbled to himself. He didn't recall Professor Sprout giving him a password or even alluding to one. So he was stuck staring at the statues ugly face until Dumbledore decided to open the way. He was probably still making his way from the Great Hall to where he was. Unless the old man knew of some sort of a secret passage that Harry didn't know about, it was unlikely but still possible. Maybe he had his phoenix teleport him up to his office in a burst of flames. If he wanted the whole mysterious adult figure routine that was probably what he did.

He received his answer when the gargoyle started to move to the side and an aged voiced beckoned him from beyond the stairs. It would have been an offsetting event for those new to magic and maybe a bit intimidating to a few who grew up in magic. But Harry found the attempted theatrics droll.

Ascending the stairs he found the second door to the Headmaster's office open and he walked into the grand room. It was like a smaller, more decorated, version of the library with portraits of past headmasters hung at various angles and places. Walking a bit further in the room he spotted a phoenix in its prime staring at him from its perch.

Harry would be lying if he said he wasn't nervous about the creature before him. He probably wouldn't be anything more than wary if not for two things. One, was that his soul was part former Dark Lord, and two, his other form wasn't exactly friends with the bird's species. It was still an unknown if the phoenix cry, one that was meant to hurt the dark, would hurt him.

The magical bird stared at him for a few seconds before chirping a few notes and gesturing with its head to the room beyond. Harry blinked a few times on finding out that his worries unwarranted, but eventually he nodded his head. Moving on to where the phoenix pointed to him Harry found a short staircase leading to the Headmaster's desk with the man himself waiting behind it.

The old man gave him a kind smile and gestured to the chair in front of his desk "Why, hello, Mister Potter. Why don't you take a seat?"

Harry did as he was told but corrected the much older man as he took his seat "It's Cutting, sir."

Albus blinked for a moment before responding "Of course, of course. I do believe I recall a message from Filius to the staff about that." While he said that out loud he couldn't help but feel a pang of disappointment that the boy wasn't using his birth name. "How are you enjoying you're stay at Hogwarts?"

Harry unconsciously shifted in the stiff, uncomfortable, chair before answering "Well enough I suppose." He said drawing on his usual indifference and left is answer at that.

Dumbledore didn't seem to let that put him off so he just added on to his question "How about classes, are they going well?"

'Easy' "They seem to be going fine." Harry said with barely any pause before moving on to his own question "Sir, if I may ask… Why am I here?"

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled at the boy's directness. Some thought it was just a trait of the old man's that happened when he was happy. They were only partially right. Tom and even Geneva knew that it was due to his powerful magical nature. The stronger a witch or wizard the more it showed in their emotions. Some gained an aura, some made the air around them heavy or a blaze, and some like Dumbledore and Voldemort showed it predominantly in everyday life in their eyes. The Headmaster's twinkled in his constant amusement and Tom's eyes dyed themselves red and started to glow. Harry himself was proud to say he was only a few years away from reaching such a level.

"I was curious to see how you were adjusting to our campus." Dumbledore said with a smile, it was a half-truth. He did want to know how the boy was adjusting but he also wanted to get his own read on the boy. Severus seemed… disoriented by the boy but the rest of the staff seemed to have nothing but praise at the boy's ability when questioned. But his mannerisms were so different from what he expected, direct, proud, indifferent about many things. It just didn't match his estimations. He needed a better read to help to forge him onto the correct path.

However, the tinted glasses Harryy was wearing was making it very difficult to read the boy's expressions. He would have thought that his professors would have had an issue with them in their classes, and have even complained about the lenses to him. But no report or complaint was given to him. So it could be assumed that they either allowed them or the boy removed them when he went to class. Either way he would like them off the boy.

"Now, as stylish as those lenses make you look I would appreciate if you removed them."

Harry gave him an unseen wry look but did as he was told. Even if the Headmaster did try something his mental sheilds strong enough to block most wandless mind probes. And if he broke through the barriers, Harry's knee was stronger than the old man's crooked nose.

Albus did his best to keep his face straight as he peered into the bicolored eyes. So very familiar, familiar to the point that it frightened him, yet they were still so very different from the two people they reminded him of. Out of his own curiosity he had to wonder how such lazy half lidded eyes could still look so feral and intense. "Now, that is much better." he said as if it was the easiest thing to do "But if you don't mind me asking, what happened to your eye?"

"Dudley and his friends" Harry said, it was better not to lie. Lies were for when the truth had no benefits and when the truth doesn't matter and a lie can't make it better just say what happened. Besides, as evident from the look on the headmasters face, the truth can be profitable too. Or at least it could be amusing.

"Really now?" Dumbledore choked out. He knew how the boy's relatives treated him but it was still something else entirely to see the visible evidence.

"It is not so bad." Harry continued with a shrug "I met my mum because of it."

"It is good to see that there really is always a silver lining." Dumbledore said while lost in his thoughts.

Harry more conscious of how uncomfortable the chair was and how he was shifting in it started to contemplate if there was some sort of charm on the damn thing. "Is that all sir?" he asked politely, feeling that the whole meeting, even if part of it amused him, was pointless and a waste of his time.

Dumbledore mused for a moment. The meeting was short and he had not left much of an impression on the boy but he was able to get a decent read on the boy so far. More meetings like this in the future, hopefully more in-depth ones would be needed. But they would have to be few and far apart. The boy seemed irritable about being in his office. So for now he would just nod his head and allow the boy to walk out.

"Thank you. Have a nice night, sir." And Harry Potter left his office without another word.

-0-

September flowed by quickly and with barely any notice to Harry. The classes were becoming easier and easier for him as little bits of information started to draw old information forward from the back of his mind. The only class he seemed to have even a remote amount of trouble in was Herbology, thankfully his classmates were always eager to help. Most of his teachers seemed delighted with his progress but he was positively bored.

The only event of noticeable entertainment was the Flying Lessons with the Gryffindor. He felt a little bad for a boy named Neville when he lost control of his broom and fell a good few meters.

When October came around Harry was already reading ahead in the theory and practicing in the lesser halls. While he knew how to do many of the spells he was casting, even remembering how to do them without a wand or voice and taking them to the next level, but his body just wasn't used to it. It was like having the muscle memory etched into his magic but he hadn't exercised his magic enough to use it like he remembered. He was still more advanced than any first or second year though.

Besides that, practicing spells made for great work on his rest days from working out.

Admittedly his advanced studies combined with his workout routine had slightly distance himself from his friends. Sure he made a few more friendly acquaintances in class, one Slytherin boy named Blaise was bordering to the level of friend, but he found most of his time surrounding the craft and art.

He made a small mental note to hold back just a little. Just because his family and instructor weren't there to hold him back from pushing himself too far didn't mean he needed or wanted to find the end of the cliff. He was all for pushing past his limits but it really wasn't worth damaging himself, physically or mentally, for. Besides, working out too much at his age makes you short. He wanted to be tall, if for nothing else than to get his family off the whole "he's our little boy" routine they kept using on him.

But when he sat down a few moments before dinner would begin, he noticed that one of his friends was missing, and she was never late for anything. "Susan, Hannah, do you know where Hermione is?" He asked as he peered over at the Ravenclaw table to see if she was there.

Both girls shook their head. "We haven't seen her all day. We thought she was with you or in the Library again."

Harry frowned as he stood up and walked over to the first year Ravenclaws "Have you lot seen Hermione?"

An Asian girl that Harry could barely remember her name, Su-Li, shook her head "No. I haven't seen her since charms class." Harry hummed a bit before turning to the other Ravenclaws to see if they knew.

"Um" The Hufflepuff boy turned his attention to the Indian girl who spoke up "My sister, Parvati said she saw her crying in the bathroom. Something about a boy making fun of her."

"Do you know which bathroom?"

The dark skinned girl shook her head "No, but my sister might. She's over at the Gryffindor table." Harry's eyes briefly tracked where the girl pointed to before saying his thanks and going on his way.

Harry knew some people were watching him curiously, wondering what he was doing, but right now he was a man on a mission to get the information he wanted.

Walking along the table of lions he made his way over to the first years and tapped the dark skinned girl on the shoulder. She instantly turned, seemingly about to rebuke the person who interrupted her conversation but paused when she saw who it was. "Excuse me, but I was wondering if you knew where my friend, Hermione, was. Your sister said you saw her crying in a bathroom somewhere… can you tell me which one?"

Parvati stuttered for a bit before telling she saw Hermione crying in the girls' bathroom in the dungeons. Harry nodded his thanks and went back to Susan and Hannah to tell them what is going on.

"So, I'm going to go check on her."

"We'll come with you." Hannah announced as she started to get up, Susan only a step ahead of her .

Harry waved them off "No, its fine. It won't take me too long to get her out of there."

"But,"

"Just wait for a bit okay. We'll be back up in at most ten minutes."

"Fine," Hannah said with a huff as she plopped back down in her seat with a hesitant Susan following.

"Don't worry, we'll be back soon."

-0-

Harry had quickly made his way through the castle taking many shortcuts through secret passages, the he remembered from Tom's memories, and soon found himself in front of the dungeon bathrooms. He took in a quick breath and braced himself as he grasped the handle and started to turn it. He barely made a wince as the knob quickly heated up and started to sear his hand. For a moment he wondered if it would have been better if he brought one of the girls along to at least open the door. But he pushed the thought away as he opened the door and made his way in.

The Hufflepuff looked around the room for a moment before walking over to the ivory stall that had the weak sounds of sobbing coming from behind its doors. Harry lightly knocked the stall door "Hermione, are you in there. It's Harry."

"Go away, Harry. I want to be alone." She sniffed out

"Now why would I leave a friend alone while she is crying?" He asked in a soothing voice. It was against his very nature to abandon a friend.

He heard a few more sobs from behind the door. Harry sighed and leaned against the stall over. "Do you want to talk about what happened?"

"No" she replied in weak sob.

Internally he cursed his maternal instincts that decided to stick around "It'll make you feel better." He said again in a soothing coo.

Hermione sniffed a few times but didn't open the stall doors. "I tried helping a Gryffindor boy in Charms class, he was pronouncing the spell wrong, and he got angry at me." She said with a sniff "After class he yelled at me. Saying how I was a know-it-all and that no one liked me."

"While I might agree with the 'know-it-all' comment, which is a part of your charm" he said when he heard a sob as at his answer "You know that you have friends, like me, Susan and Hannah."

"I know but it still hurt and you're not around as much anymore" Harry heard some shuffling from the other side "I-I've never had many friends. I can barely think of anyone who wanted to play with me when I was little."

"Well, that changes here, doesn't it." He said firmly "We can play any ridiculous game you want. I'll even play dolls and dress up, you know, the whole be one of the girls routine" There was a snort of laughter "Ready to come out now?"

There was a moment of silence before the stall door slowly started to open revealing Hermione with her puffy eyes and red nose. Harry gave her comforting smile and a one armed hug. "C'mon. Let's get you some food"

She gave him a weak but grateful smile as they started to walk out the door only for Harry to stop and wrinkle his nose. "Do you smell that?"

Hermione paused for a moment, not quite understanding what he smelled, and took a long sniff of the air. She did smell something unpleasant but it was faint. "Yes. What is it?"

"I don't know…" Harry said, feeling a bit unsure about the situation. He could feel it in the animal instincts that had engrained themselves in his psyche, something was coming and it wasn't good. But what it was he didn't know. "Let's just get out of here… Now!"

He started to hurry her along but it seemed they weren't quick enough as a large green hand slammed down at the bend of the hallways. Hermione froze instantly as the rest of the creature's body came into view. It was some sort of troll, what type Harry couldn't tell, but whatever kind it was it had a few heads on the Groundskeeper. The thing was also ugly, stank like hell, and carried a large wooden club which it seemed very eager to use.

"What is that!" Hermione shrieked, making them lose what little of a chance they had left to sneak away.

Harry started to viscously push her along as he dug through his robes to get to his waist holster "It's a bloody troll. Now, run!"

As Hermione started to move Harry tore out his wand and looked over his shoulder to see that Hermione wasn't the only one to take his advice. The beast came charging at them, its club held high and mouth opened with a clumsy roar. "Merde, merde, merde!" If there was thing Harry was sure about trolls was that they were undeniably stronger and faster than any normal human, even wizards. And nearest turn was several meters away.

At the moment Harry had three options. One keep on running and have both him and Hermione be caught, killed, eaten, or knowing a trolls… habits, worse. Option two, trip Hermione and keep on running to leave her to her fate. And since neither of those options suited Harry he was left with option three.

Fight long enough for Hermione to get away.

Actually, he preferred option three. It sounded fun. It a slightly insane way.

Turning on the tips of his toes he quickly turned around his left hand pointing his wand at the troll "INCENDIO"

He roared out the spell with as much power as he could, feeding the spell with a powerful burst of his magic and sending a large explosion of flames right into the chest of the troll. When it let out an inhuman howl in pain Hermione briefly looked behind her to see what happened.

"DON"T YOU DARE STOP RUNNING!" Harry yelled without looking behind him, keeping his eyes on the stumbling and flailing creature in front of him. It would be smarter to run with her, he should have run off after her but something in him refused to back down. What it was he couldn't tell. Maybe it was some left over arrogance from Tom, maybe the saying 'Never back down' that was ingrained in into thanks to his Muay Thai classes, maybe it was the beast in him refusing to lose to something like a troll. Or maybe he was just crazy. It didn't matter either way, he was staying.

"But,"

"GO!" Hermione left without another word.

As the troll was still trying to put itself out Harry waved his wand at towards the suit of amours lined up at the side of the hallway. With a flick and a quick, and modified, incantation, three of them floated into the air with little trouble or resistance. With another flick of his wand the metal men were sent flying towards the now no longer on fire, but still smoking green beast.

In quick succession they hit the creatures head and chest, shocking and enraging it. But it was those few moments of shock that Harry wanted and used to gather enough magic to actually hurt the creature. As stupid as trolls were, they had a high amount of resistance to magic. So unless he wanted to pick up one of those swords on the ground and hope for a lucky shot, he had to pour a good bit of magic into his spells.

The troll righted itself and started forward again, telegraphing where he planned on slamming his make shift mallet. Not that it really had to worry about telegraphing with its speed. Harry barely had time to curse and put up a very feeble shield to block the incoming swing.

After his shield was destroyed and he was sent tumbling into the wall with a grunt, his sunglasses skidding along the ground as they flew from his face, he started berating himself. Not for running but for making such a horribly cast shield. Inexperience was no excuse, there were never excuses.

Suppressing any sounds or signs of pain Harry quickly stood to his feet and blasted the green beast with another burst of fire. It screamed again but managed to work through the pain and stumbled forward to attack him. But this time, instead of blocking Harry met the assault with another assault. He dug into his well of magic and grabbed a chunk of it and dragged it to the forefront. Once again he made the amateur error of shouting the spell when used. But then again, did it matter against such a dumb opponent?

The next thing Harry knew was that he was covered in slimy blood and the troll was missing its right hand. It blinked a few times, then made a few unrecognizable sounds and then it roared in fury, smacking Harry aside harshly. He skidded across the floor, not even bothering to notice all the welts and bruises it caused but the sharp pain coming from his side.

Harry grunted in pain but got to his feet, knowing that if he stayed on the ground he would most likely die. It was kind of a thrill really. But he wasn't like Tom who loved to drag out an event, he was Harry and he liked to get things done as quickly and as effectively as possible.

And this whole fight has gone on for far too long in his opinion. If only the hallway was a little bigger… then he could show the troll what a real monster was.

He could run right now and let the thing bleed to death if not for two things. One, he never leaves a job half-finished and two, the troll was already making its way towards him again. It was slower and cradling its new stump of a hand but the scowl on its face told him it wasn't giving up.

"Bloody salaud" Harry cursed in his bastardized English-French, "Doesn't know when to quit."

The Hufflepuff sent yet another burst of fire at the troll and started to limp out of his current position. He actually winced as he noticed that it was more than just his side that was hurting, he probably twisted or sprained his ankle. He was actually starting to wish the troll was something more average sized so he could just punch it down.

Harry blasted the troll again as it tried to stand up, a much weaker fire but it still probably hurt like a bitch.

Looking around quickly he noticed the severed hand still holding the troll's club. Using his modified levitation spell again he magically picked up the heavy instrument. He quickly brought the club up to the troll's head level and slammed it against the creatures face. It stumbled, dazed, but Harry didn't let up and used the club again. No the creature was on its back most likely knocked out cold, but again, Harry didn't let up. He levitated the club over the troll's head and let it drop, letting its weight and gravity do the work.

It was oddly satisfying to see its blood splatter all over the floor. He was pretty sure he wasn't a sociopath but that wasn't a very good sign.

He spat to the side, empting his mouth of the blood from where he bit his cheek earlier in the fight, and turned to leave. He figured someone would be down soon enough to clean up the mess and someone would most likely put two and two together, as Hermione undoubtedly told someone he was still down there.

He briefly looked around for his glasses but saw the tinted lenses shattered, probably from all the stupid beast's stumbling. He would have to get his mother to send him another pair. He just wasn't comfortable without them.

Harry slowly, and admittedly painfully, started his way up the stairs to begin his long journey to the Hospital Wing. Half way up the second flight of stairs he found himself facing all four Head of Houses.

Professor Sprout was the first one to break the silence as she stepped forward to check on her Puff "Dear Merlin… Mr. Cutting, are you alright?"

"A few scrapes and bruises but I'll be fine." The woman didn't seem to believe him and was still taking stock of his wounds. Harry repressed a sigh and looked at the other teachers. While the Charms and Transfiguration Professors seemed worried the Potions professor seemed wary.

It did not take half a moment more before McGonagall had started issuing orders "Pomona, take Mr. Cutting" the name still sounded forced "To Poppy while we go deal with the troll."

Harry wanted to say not to bother but someone had to clean it up and he didn't feel like being questioned at the moment.

After his Head of house nodded and started to lead, and support, him up the stairs to the Hospital Wing. It wasn't till they were half way there that Harry had noticed his hair was sticking to the side of his face.

He cautiously tapped his hand to hair and then looked at his now wet fingers. He stared at them in shock for a moment before turning to his teacher "Professor?"

"Yes Harry?"

"Is there blood in my hair?"

The Professor stopped walking, causing Harry to stop with his support "W-what?" she asked surprised by the boy's question.

"Is, there, blood, in, my hair?" He asked slowly, his shock making him seem ruder than normal.

She immediately checked his head to see if he injured his head, the young Ravenclaw said he stayed behind to stall the troll and she had no idea how much damage it could have done to him. But as she looked at his head she noticed that yes there was blood in his hair but it was near black and looked more like aslime than a liquid. It wasn't human blood, it was troll blood.

Exactly what had happened in the dungeons?

Steeling herself she answered "There seems to be a bit."

Harry quickly left his shock and swore in his trilingual tongue at a rapid and increasing loud pace.

I hope y'all liked that. See yah' soon.

Oh and one more thing. Would the son of a KKK member and a neo-Nazi, who agrees with his families ideals, go out with a mulatto? If you thought no, ask yourself then why pair the pureblood Draco with the Half-blood Harry?