FicWad

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters attached.

Chapter 7: Training.

After Harry and Blaise had returned to his bedroom, having decided that they will begin training on the 10th of July - in two days time at the Phillipsons house, Harry had also explained about her Gringotts vault and given her the key, which placated Rose's anger, Blaise wasn't so easy to distract, once in their room she released her anger on him, yelling about being reckless, his stupidity in not waiting for back-up, leaving her behind, scaring her to death, and so on.

But once she calmed down a bit she proceeded to sob uncontrollably onto his shoulder, muttering about how she can't help but love her insane boyfriend and how he keeps trying to scare her to death and get himself killed by diving headfirst into fights against ridiculous odds.

They had sat there all night, Harry holding Blaise.

The next morning found the said boy sleeping fully clothed in his bed with the said sobbing girl's head resting on his chest where she had fallen asleep fully dressed.

When Harry woke up on the 9th of July he had slight difficulty breathing due to the weight of Blaise's head on his chest, but couldn't bring it upon himself to move her, she looked so peaceful. So instead he lay there watching her sleep, enjoying her comforting presence.

Blaise woke up to find her green-eyed Gryffindor boyfriend watching her lovingly.

"Morning." Harry said softly, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Morning, what you looking at?"

"I don't know, it's lost its name tag." he answered, a smile on his lips. "but whatever it is, it's absolutely beautiful." he finished, grinning at her blush, before she shot out of the room to get ready in the bathroom, Harry going once she came back.

"So what we doing today?" Blaise asked when Harry got back.

"I'm starting animagus training, if you want to do that too, your welcome to join in."

"Fine by me, what's first?"

"Not sure, give me a minute." Harry said walking over to the bag containing the books he got at Gringotts, picking up the book on animagi in his left hand, he was about to open it when he remembered his ring, anxious to use it. He rotated 'the ravens ring' so that the body was on the underside of his right index finger, before placing the palm of that hand gently on the front cover; the book was engulfed in a royal blue glow, which was sucked into the ring like smoke being sucked into a fan.

"Er Blaise, how are you at making potions?" Harry asked after he got over the shock and slight dizziness of instantly absorbing so much information and actually understanding it.

"Not bad, why?"

"Well, there are two potions, one for identifying your forms, another to force your body to take those forms. It appears that its quite simple to become an animagi, once your body has been forced into the animal form, your body just needs teaching how to take that form at will and controlling the animal instincts. Oh, one more thing, its going to hurt like hell when your forced to transform." Harry explained in as simple terms as possible.

"Okay, how much will it hurt, and what ingredients do I need for the potions?" she asked pulling her cauldron out of her trunk.

"No where near as much as the Cruciatus, but still a lot, the book says that it'll feel as though your bones are being broken and re-grown at the same time, and that your skin is being torn apart." he stopped, feeling ill at the description of the pain.

"How is that less than the Cruciatus?" she asked equally sick.

"You don't want to know." he said before trying to get back to the subject at hand, the potions. "Look at the ingredients your self, even with this whole instant understanding thing thanks to the ring, I haven't got a clue when it comes to potions, if Snape explained things instead of insulting me all of the time, then maybe I'd actually be able to make a potion correctly." he said passing her the book.

"This should only take an hour, I've got all of the ingredients, but this one takes about three hours, I've got most of the ingredients, but I need this one." She said pointing at one of the ingredients. Harry smirked at it.

"1 gram of rose thorns?" he asked, at her nod he said just one word. "Easy." Before speeding off downstairs and out of the front door.

When Harry returned several minutes later he handed over a handful of rose thorns to Blaise.

"Where did you get those?" she asked.

"My aunt has a rosebush under the living room window." He answered. Pulling out his cauldron so that Blaise could make both potions at once.

"Oh, what did you mean, 'if Snape explained things'?"

"Well, why do you have to stir one way, add an ingredient, then stir the other way for some potions, but not others?"

"Give me an example, I'll explain it." She said as she started adding ingredients.

"Erm...the calming draught, you stir it three times clockwise, add the powdered lacewings, then stir anti-clockwise, why?"

"Well before that point, the potion should have some ingredients in it that react violently with the powdered lacewings, now, what happens if you start stirring the other way?"

"Erm..."

"Okay, you haven't got a clue, have you?" she asked. At his nod she explained from the beginning. "The ingredients already in there, like snake scales and spider legs, are at the outside of the cauldron as you stir, while the ones you've just added, like the powdered lacewings, start in the centre but move there quickly, changing the direction your stirring causes the ingredients to mix slowly, thus avoiding an explosion or melted cauldron."

"Oh, so that's why Neville always melted his cauldrons?"

"Yes."

"Well if Snape explained that, then Neville might just have been able to make his potions instead of a lump of molten slag." Harry said while watching Blaise work.

"As much as I dislike you having a go at the only professor on the Slytherins side, I agree that he isn't the best of teachers."

"What do you mean 'the only professor on the Slytherins side'?" he asked curiously.

"Most of the time it feels like the he is the only professor to stick up for us, like in first year, Professor Dumbledore announced us the winners of the house cup before awarding you the last minute points, as much as you deserve them, there were days before the leaving feast that he could have awarded them. As it was, it felt like he was insulting us in front of the whole school."

"I see what you mean, now I think about it, I can see where you're coming from, I don't mind the favouring his house, but why can't he see that I'm not my father, no matter how much I look like him." Harry grumbled.

"Because that's the sort of person my godfather is, if he holds a grudge on someone, then he holds it against their children, grandchildren, so on, so on."

"Its not the grudge, it's the fact that he can't keep it to himself." he said, not commenting on the fact that Snape is his girlfriends godfather since they had had that discussion days before.

"Haven't you got anything to do while you're waiting?" Blaise asked after a few moments of silence.

"Like what?"

"Read your old books, new books, just find something to do, as flattering as it is that you can't take your eyes of me, its kind of off putting." Blaise said exasperated. 'Are all boys this distracting?' she thought to herself in frustration before concentrating on the potions.

Harry reluctantly tore his eyes away from Blaise to grab his Occlumency book, 'Might as well get this done.' he thought.

Absorbing the information in an instant, Harry knew why he always felt worse after Snape's lessons, emptying your mind made it easier to access, it just stopped him from seeing memories and thoughts, the only way to truly block the mind was to build a wall around it, a job that takes time, but once complete can be instantly reinforced...should the need arise.

Once Harry knew the later stages of the process, he couldn't wait to get started.

A well placed, 'condition or thought activated' banishing charm and the 'invader' would be on the other side of the room, an occurrence Harry was looking forward to.

But first things first, meditating: quite simple once you know how, impossible until you've done it once...or twice.

Lucky for him, there was help available in the form of a little charm that calmed the mind enough for the first few attempts, unfortunately, continued use has a negative effect on anger management...probably why Snape has a problem with his temper, well one of the reasons.

Harry pointed his wand at himself, and with an "Internio concentrus." his world slowly became calmer, more focused, his concentration more focused on the task at hand. Concentrating on his breathing, he let his thoughts drift away until, as far as he knew, he was completely enclosed in darkness.

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Blaise had just finished brewing the potions, curious as to what Harry was doing, and why he was so quiet; she turned around to see an unusual sight.

Actually it was a down right weird sight.

Harry James Potter, the heir of Gryffindor and Ravenclaw, was floating two feet in the air, his legs crossed underneath him, his hands on his knees; he appeared to be meditating.

It was strange to see him so at peace, even if his annoyance at something was starting to show on his face.

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Harry was trying to build some defensive walls around his mind, the active word being 'Trying'. He was failing because for some reason his walls would collapse as soon as they were put up.

Harry, giving up for now, slowly began to emerge from his...peaceful state, only to see Blaise staring at him.

"Welcome back." She said in a voice that showed how shocked she was at him 'emerging' so soon, her voice soon turned concerned though. "What were you so annoyed about?"

"What?"

"I could see your annoyance at something."

"Oh, well my mental walls kept collapsing as soon as I had built them."

"Oh."

"Yeah, I'll try again later."

"Okay, why don't you read up on telepathy and empathy first, they could be having an effect on it 'cause they use your mind, anyway, both potions are ready."

"You take the form revealer potion first."

"Okay, if you're sure." She said as she looked at the thick brown potion in the cauldron, taking a ladle, she scooped up some of the potion, not daring to smell it as she brought it to her mouth. "Bottoms up." she said as she downed the potion in one, trying in vain to ignore the taste, just as she was about to gag on the taste, it vanished. Utterly confused, she looked round to see what was going on.

Seconds after the taste disappeared the air in front of Blaise started to ripple, before coalescing into a misty shape that slowly took the form of a beautiful black panther with ice blue eyes.

The shadowy form slowly dissipated, leaving an excited Blaise gaping at the spot it had occupied.

"Wow, potion number 2." Harry said, snapping Blaise out of her stupor, holding his hand out, Blaise took the vials he was handing out to her.

Seeing her confusion, he decided to elaborate. "Put the potions in the vials, I know some people who would like to use them. Then we take the form forcing potion."

"Okay." She said while filling the vials with the potions, 32 of the form revealer, 33 of the forcing potion (plus two more for Harry and Blaise). "Who goes first?"

"Well the book says that once in animal form, we'll have to fight against the animal instincts, so we go together, hold on." he said as he closed the door and sealed it with a quick "Colloportus." Turning back to Blaise he answered her unspoken question. "So we can't get out and hurt anyone in our animal forms. To the freedom of animal instinct." He said, downing his potion.

"Animal instinct." Blaise said quietly before downing her potion.

For several minutes nothing happened except for the foul taste of the potions in their mouths, then suddenly, pain shot through their bodies, all they knew was pain, their bodies were slowly forced into their animal form.

After what felt like hours, but in truth was probably less than five minutes, there were two animals stood in the once-smallest-but-not-anymore bedroom of number 4 Privet Drive.

One of them was a virtually extinct magical creature, it had a lions body and back legs, with the head, legs, and wings of a giant eagle, it was about four feet high at the shoulder and nine-ten feet long from nose to tail, green eyes and a lightning bolt shaped patch of fur on his forehead.

The second animal was a beautiful black panther, three and a half feet high at the shoulders and eight feet long, nose to tail and with ice blue eyes.

They were prowling around each other for a few minutes, before the Gryffin collapsed; its back arced in pain as it slowly morphed into another animal.

The sight of such a powerful animal in pain was enough for the panther to lose control of its animal instincts, allowing Blaise to take control of the creature she had become.

Several minutes later and the Gryffin was no longer in the room, in its place was a beautiful black and silver phoenix, about six inches taller than Fawkes, with green eyes and a gold lightning bolt shaped patch on his forehead.

The phoenix, being so intelligent was quite easy for Harry to control, the Gryffin was too strong willed, too powerful, it had begun changing seconds before he had wrestled control over its mind and instincts, and taken control of the animal.

Several minutes later and both animals collapsed in pain, their bodies slowly changing into those of humans.

"Wow. Now what do we do?" Blaise managed to get out over the aching pains still shooting through her body.

"We try to change at will, just try to force your body to take the animal form, and no it won't hurt as much." Harry said as the knowledge he gathered from the book floated to the surface of his memory.

Over the next few hours, they forced their bodies to take animal form, Harry succeeding in taking his Gryffin form first, followed minutes later by Blaise shifting into panther form, Harry had only just wrestled control over the beast when she succeeded in transforming. Shifting back into his human form, he just stared blankly at the wall in shock, the knowledge he had just learnt about Gryffin swimming in his mind.

"What is it?" she asked as soon as she had returned to human form, worried about Harry.

"Gryffins, they...they are only rare bec...because no...no one can find them." he stuttered out.

"What do you mean, 'no one can find them'?" She was really confused.

"They can hide as either lion or eagle." he said blankly.

"Oh...oh...wow, so you've technically got four animagus forms."

"Yeah, why can't I be normal?"

"'Cause you can't, so get everything you can out of it."

"Blaise I'm not a Slytherin, I don't do that."

"Well it's about time you acted more like a Slytherin, you'd be happier, trust me, Now, its getting late, lets get some food, you can practice your phoenix form later."

"It's okay, I think I've got it now, I'll try tomorrow, but yeah, lets eat, I'm starving." he said while grabbing his book on empathy. Seeing her confused look, he explained. "As useful as instantly absorbing information is, I think I prefer to get it the old fashioned way...doesn't make you as dizzy."

"Oh." she said as they began descending the stairs to dinner.

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At dinner, Harry and Blaise were discussing magic, making no attempt to hide the fact that they were, while watching Vernon and Petunia getting angrier that such 'freakishness' was being discussed under their roof, although their curiosity was piqued when they heard what was being discussed.

"Look at this, that's why I can't build Occlumency shields, my conscious mind is always trying to read other peoples emotions. That's knocking the shields down from the inside out, so instead I build a filter on the outside and a shield around my memories, that way all of the knowledge in my head is shielded by the shield, and no one can read my thoughts." The boy said to that girl, what was her name? Blas? Bliss? Something like that. But what ever they are talking about sounds...interesting.

"Will you keep your voice down when you're discussing your...abnormality." Petunia said to the two teens.

"Aunt Petunia, can you hear the cars out on the street? What about those children playing in their garden? Looks like a loud game their playing."

"No, what have you done to me?" she asked in fear.

"I haven't done anything to you, but I have put a sound proofing charm on the room, no sound comes in, none goes out, so no one out there hears about what abnormal people are staying here." the boy answered with a smirk.

"Oh" the Dursleys chorused, relived that he hadn't harmed them.

"You have to understand that not all magic harms, there are healing charms that can cure broken bones in an instant, transfiguration that can turn just about anything into just about anything, sound proofing charms that can block out the neighbours music, cleaning charms, spells that can help you move heavy things with out hurting your back. Yes there are dangerous spells that can cause great pain." the girl said, ignoring the shudder that came from the boy, "but those are illegal. I heard that you had a run-in with a dementor." she said turning to Dudley. At the nod of his head, she continued. "Well they can do worse than suck out your happiness. The wizarding prison, Azkaban, was guarded by them, the prisoners had all of their happiness sucked out, or in the worst cases, their souls, not all wizards and witches are bad, and Harry is as far from bad as you can get."

"There are only two people and one monster I want to get revenge against, one killed my godfather, the other betrayed my parents, and the monster killed my parents, if I wanted revenge against you, I'd have taken it already. I was emancipated as an adult in the wizarding world on my 15th birthday, I can do magic legally now, I'm only here to make sure YOU are protected by my blood protection."

"Oh, was that what you were talking about, a shield of some kind?"

"No, the wards are what protect you, we were talking about a way to shield my mind from 'external penetration'. It shields against possession and Legilimancy. and to add to what Blaise said, many of the dangerous spells can be used for good."

"What do you mean boy?" Vernon asked, curious about magic, something he never thought he would be.

"Well, for example, if someone was dying of a very painful illness, the killing curse can be used to end the suffering quickly and painlessly, or the imperious curse can be used to help someone overcome their phobias, like height, spiders...etc." he answered, showing a maturity that few ever thought they would see in one so young.

"Think about what we said, it's the person that's bad not the magic." At that Harry stood up, his plate clean and headed upstairs to bed, Blaise following at his heels.