Categories > Books > Harry Potter > The Power
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, yada yada yada.
Chapter 14
Harry was very excited. You probably couldn't tell by looking at him (occlumency, or natural apathy, helps to keep one's face blank), but he was really looking forward to going with Dumbledore to the Chamber of Secrets. He knew he should be frightened, Basilisks are rather dangerous creatures, but his life has been so torturously monotonous so far (baring the end of the last school year) that he felt he was justified in looking forward to a battle for survival with a one thousand year old, fifty foot serpent.
His excitement may have been part of the reason he sought out a confrontation with Lockhart. It was the holidays so Harry had a difficult time finding the preening poof, but he eventually located him in the Astronomy tower flirting with an especially uninterested Professor Sinistra.
"Professor Lockhart, may I have a word with you?" Lockhart beamed at Harry, apparently glad that Harry didn't seem to be ignoring him any longer and seemed to have forgiven Harry for setting a transfigured werewolf on him.
"Certainly, my boy! What can I do for you?" Professor Sinistra suddenly remembered an urgent...something...that she had to do while Lockhart's attention was on something else, and she hurried away.
Harry just smiled. "Can you teach me the Memory Charm? I happen to know you are particularly good at it." He, of course, already knew the Memory Charm, and Lockhart was, of course, not particularly adept at it. Rather than merely erase specific memories, he tended to blank the entire hard drive. Harry was only using this as an introduction to the argument that would end with the firing of the worst teacher to date. However, Lockhart, apparently, didn't catch on.
"Oh, I'm not sure Harry. It is a rather dangerous spell for a second year." Harry just blinked.
"God, you're dumb. I was trying to point out that I am aware that you have been stealing the credit for the deeds performed in your books, thereby starting a confrontation. Do you seriously believe that any one of your students believe that you are anything other than an incompetent pretty-boy with an ego out-weighing their brain and their magical core together? The only spell you have any proficiency with at all is the Memory Charm, and you can't even get that right." Judging from the candy-apple red of Lockhart's face, Harry had succeeded in irking him.
"Why you little brat. I take you under my wing and try to teach you to handle your fame, and this is how you repay me? I may not have mastered deleting specific memories, but the version of the spell that I have mastered is more than enough to prevent you from spreading what you seem to have figured out. Obliviate!" Harry had already drawn his wand when Lockhart shouted the spell. Harry merely had to put up a shield charm to reflect it back at the faux-hero. He then stunned him so that he wouldn't wander off the edge of the tower, and went to fetch Dumbledore. Dumbledore did not seem surprised to learn that Lockhart was a fake (only an idiot or a fangirl would be) and merely checked the last spells of both wands to verify Harry's story. That was, in fact, the very reason Harry had used his wand to cast the shield charm. Some magic, shields, wards, and self affecting spells for example, worked better wandlessly because they employed a more dispersed field of magic. Spells that affect a specific object were best cast either by wand or by touch. Offensive spells were better with a wand or other focus.
When Hermione learned what Harry had done, she was initially shocked that Lockhart had actually tried to erase Harry's whole mind, but soon realized that Harry had sought him out intending to goad him into doing exactly that. Harry was surprised that Hermione did not seem upset that he had intentionally set into motion events that would end in the permanent mental disablement of another, and when questioned about it, she replied that she was coming to expect these kind of things from Harry. He took that to mean that he was a positive influence on her, and that he had successfully pulled the stick from her ass.
The rest of the Holidays passed remarkably better than last year's, and Harry suspected he knew why. The duo spent a lot of time with Hagrid. They would talk about the creatures Hagrid had raised during his life, and they would discuss the courses that Harry and Hermione planned to take the next year. Hermione said that she was going to sign up for everything on the list of OWL exam courses. Harry decided to skip some of the less interesting ones and only take the Magical Creatures course and the Ancient Runes course. He also wanted to take a course listed for learning languages, but the sheet said that it didn't have an exam. He asked Hagrid.
"Ah, well they don' really need an exam fer tha' one. There are so many languages that they use some ritual or sommat to jest put the knowledge into yer brain. They gotta spread it out so's it don't damage yer mind. 'S why some witches and wizards are able ter know hundreds o' languages. The more you sign up ter learn, the longer yeh stay in the class. If'n yeh sign up for more'n about a hundred, yeh gotta continue take'n the course after yeh graduate. Can' stop in the middle."
"They can just put the knowledge into your mind? Why don't they just do that for all the classes?"
It was Hermione who answered him. "There is a special part of the brain dedicated to languages. I imagine that language is the only thing they can do it for." Harry thought that made sense. He decided to take the course, though Hermione didn't. She didn't like the idea of someone messing with her mind.
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For Harry, Christmas was great. He didn't get anything from the Weasleys, though he did get a letter from the twins saying that was because Ron was spreading lies to his parents. They assured him that Ron's hair was inexplicably green and refused to change back.
Hagrid gave him a belt made from an empath chameleon. It was, essentially, a mood ring, and upon putting it on, Harry discovered that he was feeling turquoise.
Hermione got him a book on past wizards who have become animagi. Harry spent quite a while looking through the section that covered magical creature transformations. No one had ever been a dragon before (at least, as far as the author knew), though it was not because of the power necessary. The author stipulated that it was because no one's personality corresponded, that dragons and humans were just too different. Just then, Hermione burst into the room.
"Hey. I was just looking through this book you got me. Did you read it?" She shook her head in the negative. "Well, the author says that there hasn't ever been a dragon animagus before. Says that's because no one's personality is dragonish enough."
Hermione frowned. "Really? I'd have thought it was because of the power necessary."
"Nah, he says that there have been phoenix animagi before and that that takes more power."
"Hmm." She was scowling in concentration. "Well, dragons sleep a lot. You don't sleep hardly at all, but you do spend a lot of time doing nothing." Harry smiled, proud of his laziness. "Dragons are aggressive towards anything that they don't like, and you have just destroyed Lockhart's mind, not to mention your attitude towards Ron." Harry's smile grew. "Dragons are curious and will investigate any odd sound or smell, and you seem to have discovered more of the castle's secrets in the last year and a half than most of the seventh years have in their time here." Harry was now nodding and smiling. "And dragons are very protective. I think you are too, considering that you are already nearly a master occlumense and have warded your area of your dorm room." It was then that Harry realized that she was still standing outside the ward around his bed, and he appologetically keyed her into the wards.
"Well, that's a lot of similarities. I can't wait until I start to breath fire," Harry said with a smile.
Hermione just nodded. "Oh, yes, I forgot to mention that you are a pyromaniac."
Chapter 14
Harry was very excited. You probably couldn't tell by looking at him (occlumency, or natural apathy, helps to keep one's face blank), but he was really looking forward to going with Dumbledore to the Chamber of Secrets. He knew he should be frightened, Basilisks are rather dangerous creatures, but his life has been so torturously monotonous so far (baring the end of the last school year) that he felt he was justified in looking forward to a battle for survival with a one thousand year old, fifty foot serpent.
His excitement may have been part of the reason he sought out a confrontation with Lockhart. It was the holidays so Harry had a difficult time finding the preening poof, but he eventually located him in the Astronomy tower flirting with an especially uninterested Professor Sinistra.
"Professor Lockhart, may I have a word with you?" Lockhart beamed at Harry, apparently glad that Harry didn't seem to be ignoring him any longer and seemed to have forgiven Harry for setting a transfigured werewolf on him.
"Certainly, my boy! What can I do for you?" Professor Sinistra suddenly remembered an urgent...something...that she had to do while Lockhart's attention was on something else, and she hurried away.
Harry just smiled. "Can you teach me the Memory Charm? I happen to know you are particularly good at it." He, of course, already knew the Memory Charm, and Lockhart was, of course, not particularly adept at it. Rather than merely erase specific memories, he tended to blank the entire hard drive. Harry was only using this as an introduction to the argument that would end with the firing of the worst teacher to date. However, Lockhart, apparently, didn't catch on.
"Oh, I'm not sure Harry. It is a rather dangerous spell for a second year." Harry just blinked.
"God, you're dumb. I was trying to point out that I am aware that you have been stealing the credit for the deeds performed in your books, thereby starting a confrontation. Do you seriously believe that any one of your students believe that you are anything other than an incompetent pretty-boy with an ego out-weighing their brain and their magical core together? The only spell you have any proficiency with at all is the Memory Charm, and you can't even get that right." Judging from the candy-apple red of Lockhart's face, Harry had succeeded in irking him.
"Why you little brat. I take you under my wing and try to teach you to handle your fame, and this is how you repay me? I may not have mastered deleting specific memories, but the version of the spell that I have mastered is more than enough to prevent you from spreading what you seem to have figured out. Obliviate!" Harry had already drawn his wand when Lockhart shouted the spell. Harry merely had to put up a shield charm to reflect it back at the faux-hero. He then stunned him so that he wouldn't wander off the edge of the tower, and went to fetch Dumbledore. Dumbledore did not seem surprised to learn that Lockhart was a fake (only an idiot or a fangirl would be) and merely checked the last spells of both wands to verify Harry's story. That was, in fact, the very reason Harry had used his wand to cast the shield charm. Some magic, shields, wards, and self affecting spells for example, worked better wandlessly because they employed a more dispersed field of magic. Spells that affect a specific object were best cast either by wand or by touch. Offensive spells were better with a wand or other focus.
When Hermione learned what Harry had done, she was initially shocked that Lockhart had actually tried to erase Harry's whole mind, but soon realized that Harry had sought him out intending to goad him into doing exactly that. Harry was surprised that Hermione did not seem upset that he had intentionally set into motion events that would end in the permanent mental disablement of another, and when questioned about it, she replied that she was coming to expect these kind of things from Harry. He took that to mean that he was a positive influence on her, and that he had successfully pulled the stick from her ass.
The rest of the Holidays passed remarkably better than last year's, and Harry suspected he knew why. The duo spent a lot of time with Hagrid. They would talk about the creatures Hagrid had raised during his life, and they would discuss the courses that Harry and Hermione planned to take the next year. Hermione said that she was going to sign up for everything on the list of OWL exam courses. Harry decided to skip some of the less interesting ones and only take the Magical Creatures course and the Ancient Runes course. He also wanted to take a course listed for learning languages, but the sheet said that it didn't have an exam. He asked Hagrid.
"Ah, well they don' really need an exam fer tha' one. There are so many languages that they use some ritual or sommat to jest put the knowledge into yer brain. They gotta spread it out so's it don't damage yer mind. 'S why some witches and wizards are able ter know hundreds o' languages. The more you sign up ter learn, the longer yeh stay in the class. If'n yeh sign up for more'n about a hundred, yeh gotta continue take'n the course after yeh graduate. Can' stop in the middle."
"They can just put the knowledge into your mind? Why don't they just do that for all the classes?"
It was Hermione who answered him. "There is a special part of the brain dedicated to languages. I imagine that language is the only thing they can do it for." Harry thought that made sense. He decided to take the course, though Hermione didn't. She didn't like the idea of someone messing with her mind.
##############################
For Harry, Christmas was great. He didn't get anything from the Weasleys, though he did get a letter from the twins saying that was because Ron was spreading lies to his parents. They assured him that Ron's hair was inexplicably green and refused to change back.
Hagrid gave him a belt made from an empath chameleon. It was, essentially, a mood ring, and upon putting it on, Harry discovered that he was feeling turquoise.
Hermione got him a book on past wizards who have become animagi. Harry spent quite a while looking through the section that covered magical creature transformations. No one had ever been a dragon before (at least, as far as the author knew), though it was not because of the power necessary. The author stipulated that it was because no one's personality corresponded, that dragons and humans were just too different. Just then, Hermione burst into the room.
"Hey. I was just looking through this book you got me. Did you read it?" She shook her head in the negative. "Well, the author says that there hasn't ever been a dragon animagus before. Says that's because no one's personality is dragonish enough."
Hermione frowned. "Really? I'd have thought it was because of the power necessary."
"Nah, he says that there have been phoenix animagi before and that that takes more power."
"Hmm." She was scowling in concentration. "Well, dragons sleep a lot. You don't sleep hardly at all, but you do spend a lot of time doing nothing." Harry smiled, proud of his laziness. "Dragons are aggressive towards anything that they don't like, and you have just destroyed Lockhart's mind, not to mention your attitude towards Ron." Harry's smile grew. "Dragons are curious and will investigate any odd sound or smell, and you seem to have discovered more of the castle's secrets in the last year and a half than most of the seventh years have in their time here." Harry was now nodding and smiling. "And dragons are very protective. I think you are too, considering that you are already nearly a master occlumense and have warded your area of your dorm room." It was then that Harry realized that she was still standing outside the ward around his bed, and he appologetically keyed her into the wards.
"Well, that's a lot of similarities. I can't wait until I start to breath fire," Harry said with a smile.
Hermione just nodded. "Oh, yes, I forgot to mention that you are a pyromaniac."
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