Stormseeker: Borrowed Destiny

Chapter 37: Another First Year Done

---

"Welcome, class," Lucius says. "I am Lucius Malfoy, your temporary Defense teacher. You will call me Mr. Malfoy. I am not a professor, and am not teaching this position in any official capacity. I am merely substituting until the end of the term for Quirrell, who is now in Azkaban."

"What did Professor Quirrell do, Mr. Malfoy?" Parvati asks.

"He was caught in possession of an illegally obtained dragon egg inside the school," Lucius replies.

"Rotten luck," Ron mutters. "He was a brilliant teacher."

"Fortunate for me," Lucius says with a smirk. "I'm not having to make up for an entire year worth of wasted time. It's not like I actually wanted to be teaching children, anyway. Now, for our subsequent lessons, we will be covering the finer points of the uses of hexes and curses."

"Mr. Malfoy, isn't that Dark Arts rather than Defense Against the Dark Arts?" Lavender wonders.

"They say the best defense is a good offense," Lucius says. "And if Dumbledore disagrees with my curriculum, he can always dismiss me."

I have to snicker aloud at the chances of that happening. This is going to be an interesting next few months, in a good way.

---

"Well, if you had to take away our Defense professor, at least you got him replaced by someone who is also competent," Dumbledore says to me in his office.

"Yeah," I say. "And this one, while also evil, at least isn't possessed by the Dark Lord."

"Ah, yes, there's that, I suppose," Dumbledore says, sighing. "I do wish you had gone along with my plan, however."

"One more thing needs to be addressed, I think," I say. "If you would please remove the Philosopher's Stone from Hogwarts at your soonest possible convenience? I'm sure Mr. Flamel might like it back."

"Oh, he has several," Dumbledore says lightly. "But he's already opted to stop using them and die peacefully."

I stare at him as though he's just said something positively insane. "Why would anyone ever choose to do something like that?"

"After a long life, it's like slipping away into a quiet sleep at the end of a long, long day," Dumbledore says. "Sooner or later, we must all move on to the next great adventure."

I put my face in my palms. "No thanks," I say. "I rather like being immortal, personally."

"Perhaps you will change your mind one day, after spending many years, decades, and centuries living," Dumbledore says. "Perhaps then you will seek a way to end the cycle and finally let yourself rest."

"I think not," I say. "And I cannot possibly imagine why anyone would want to die, given the choice in the matter."

"And yet you have killed," Dumbledore says, fixing me with an intent gaze.

"So I have," I say. "Perhaps someday, when I have attained godhood, I will be able to return to every timeline that I have left behind, and fix everything. Perhaps I'll be able to give new life to all those who have perished. But that's a dream for another age."

---

The next Saturday, I visit Lucius in his new office. "Hello, Harry," Lucius says, sighing. "How did I let you rope me into doing this again?"

"Heh," I say, giving a faint grin. "I'm very persuasive?"

Lucius snorts softly. "To be fair, it was more a matter of not wishing to disappoint Draco. But teaching children is not really my cup of tea."

"The students love you, however," I say. "Although that's primarily because you refused to give homework."

"I'm thankful that at least the previous part of the year was taught by a competent teacher," Lucius says. "However... How in the world did the Dark Lord wind up teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts?"

"That's not the worst of it," I say. "The worst of it is that Dumbledore knew and hired him anyway, and refused to do anything about it no matter what he did. I was fine with that, up until the part where he killed me twice. And Dumbledore still wouldn't do anything about it. That's why I called you in. Thanks for that, by the way."

"Why didn't you tell me the Dark Lord was in Hogwarts?" Lucius asks.

"I have many secrets," I say. "That was one of them. What would you have done if you had known, out of curiosity?"

Lucius sighs and leans back in his chair. "It's been ten years. After he disappeared trying to kill a certain infant, we all thought he was dead and gone."

"And many of you claimed to have been under the Imperius Curse in order to avoid retribution for your part in it," I say. He opens his mouth to retort, but I raise my hand and shake my head. "I won't ask if it were true or not. I've been under that curse." I shudder involuntarily at the thought. "But I'm hardly going to judge either way."

Lucius gives a small nod. "Those of us who remained free... We moved on. We made lives for ourselves. We had families. Things changed."

"I understand," I say softly.

"I wouldn't have gone out of my way to aid him," Lucius says. "But should he return and call me to his side once again, I will do what I must do. As it is, in such an event, I will need to claim that you tricked me, and I may still face retribution for it."

"I see," I say. "I apologize for any trouble I may have caused you in the future."

"I would have thought that you would be more alarmed by spending so much time around the Dark Lord, however," Lucius says.

"Not really," I say. "He even gave me private lessons in the Dark Arts every Sunday."

Lucius stares at me. "Why would he want to kill you, then?"

"I think he wanted to use the Philosopher's Stone to resurrect himself," I say. "Dumbledore was keeping it in the school to try to lure him into a trap. He wanted me to retrieve it for him. I refused. Things went downhill from there."

"Philosopher's Stone?" Lucius says, raising an eyebrow. "What was Dumbledore playing at? He risked the life of my son for this?"

"Yeah, I yelled at him about it myself," I say.

"I am glad I only signed up for three months of this," Lucius says. "I don't think I could stand more."

---

With Quirrell out of the way and the immediate danger having passed, I'm happy to spend the remainder of the term relaxing a bit. I never let down my guard completely, but at least I have a bit of a breather now.

Still, there are preparations I intend to make before the next school year begins. I'll very likely be dealing with a basilisk next year, after all, and I don't want to make the same mistakes I did before.

One weekend in May, I go to see Professor McGonagall in her office. "Professor," I ask. "Would it be possible to get extra credit for an extracurricular project?"

"Mr. Potter, you are doing quite well in my class," McGonagall replies. "You hardly need extra credit."

"Nonetheless, I have a project I wish to do, but I don't want to do it without supervision," I say.

"There is wisdom to that," McGonagall says. "What did you have in mind?"

"Well, you see," I begin. "I grew up on a farm. I got used to waking up hearing the roosters crow every morning at dawn. So I got this idea. What if I could transfigure a rooster into a clock, or a watch?"

"Do you know how the inner workings of a clock function?" McGonagall asks.

"Well... no," I admit. "But maybe I could just use the shape of a watch and then put a charm or something on it to keep the time?"

"Hmm, yes," McGonagall says. "That might work best. An ordinary wristband in the shape intended, with a Tempus charm attached to it, and probably a Lumos charm to tell the rooster when to crow."

When put that way, it certainly seems no more complex than turning mice into snuffboxes or beetles into buttons. "So, will you supervise, then? Make sure I do it right?" I ask.

"Very well, Mr. Potter," McGonagall says. "Once you have the shape down, I'd suggest that you go to Professor Flitwick for help with the charms."

The next day, McGonagall has a rooster brought in from Hagrid's chicken coops for me. With her watching, I get to work. There's no need to be nervous. I have a firm image of what I want in my mind, and it's little different than anything I've done before. After several long minutes of work and concentration, I have a red and gold colored wristwatch, fairly ordinary and unadorned, aside from the moving image a rooster pecking away at nothing inside of the otherwise empty watch face. That part hadn't been planned, and it makes it feel kind of creepy at the thought of the poor bird trapped inside the glass.

"Done, Mr. Potter?" McGonagall says, coming over to look at my handiwork. "Not a bad job. Nice touch with the rooster."

I refrain from mentioning that was unintentional. She'd probably deduct points from my grade, if she were grading it. "Thank you, Professor," I say. "Will it stay this way? I don't want it to go back to being a rooster while it's on my wrist or anything..."

"Of course, you don't know the Permanence Charm yet," McGonagall says. "Your inherent magic is strong enough to keep it this way for at least a few weeks if not months, but without a Permanence Charm, it'll need constant renewing to avoid reversion. Why don't you go ask Professor Flitwick about it?"

"I'll do that," I say, getting up and giving her a bow. "I appreciate your assistance, Professor."

"Think nothing of it, Mr. Potter," McGonagall says.

I head over to Professor Flitwick's office next. Charms aren't really my strong point, and I have a feeling that getting them right might just take the remainder of the term. Perhaps I should have gotten started earlier. Along the way, I experimentally say, "Lumos," and press the tip of my wand up against the watch face. Sure enough, the rooster lets out an audible crowing sound, giving me some odd looks from a cluster of nearby Hufflepuff girls.

"Good day, Mr. Potter," Flitwick says as I enter his office. "What can I do for you today?"

"Professor McGonagall sent me to you for some help with some charms," I say.

"You've been doing quite well in my class," Flitwick says. Yeah, that's because I have three years' worth of magical experience, rather than merely one. If I'm not careful, I'm going to fall behind when third year comes along.

I show him the watch band. "I'm trying to make a watch," I say. "Professor McGonagall suggested Tempus, Lumos, and Permanence Charms."

"Hmm, what is this?" Flitwick murmurs, examining it closely. "Is this a transfigured rooster?"

I nod, and press my still-glowing wand tip to it, causing it to crow again.

"How clever!" Flitwick says. "Yes, the charms for a clock and light should be well within your abilities. They're both first-year spells after all. Making the spells permanent, however, is NEWT-level magic. But I'll cast that one for you if you can get the others applied to the object."

"Thank you, Professor," I say, smiling broadly at him.

"First, let me get that charm put on your transfiguration," Flitwick says, tapping the watch-to-be with his wand and muttering, "Permaneo." He hands the watch back to me. "Now, put that away for now. You can practice the charms on something else until you have down exactly how to do what you want to do."

"Alright," I say, tucking it away into my bag of holding. "How do you attach the charms to an object? I've never done that with these sorts of charms before."

"I'll show you," Flitwick says. "And then the tricky part will be in making it trigger the light spell at the correct hour to make the rooster crow."

Flitwick gives me a saucer to practice enchanting, and gives a demonstration and explanation of enchanting objects with charms that weren't originally designed for use upon objects, and follows that up with a description of how contingency spells work and how to set them up. I take notes throughout his impromptu lecture and listen with rapt interest. This all sounds like very useful things to know.

"What is your wand made of, Mr. Potter?" Flitwick asks. "Is that pine?"

"Yes, sir," I say.

"You are most fortunate," Flitwick says. "Pine is particularly good and forgiving about creative uses of magic. Now, you have the principles down? Good, good. Run along now and practice it on your own for a bit, then. I have papers to grade. Feel free to come to me if you have any further questions, or you have succeeded in accomplishing what you want to do and want the Permanence Charm cast upon them."

"I will, sir," I say. "Thank you, sir."

I return to the Gryffindor common room to continue working on it. I've already completed my homework, after all, and really have no desire to play around at the moment. I'm excited by this project, and quite glad that I decided to try it. It's simple enough that I should be able to manage it, and yet learning about enchanting objects and contingency spells will doubtless prove very useful in the future.

"Why are you making a tea saucer tell the time?" Neville wonders, peering over at what I'm working on.

"More importantly," Hermione adds. "Why does it think that it's midnight?"

I snicker softly, looking down at the saucer blinking "00:00", and cancel my latest attempt at the Tempus charm. "Alright, so I haven't quite gotten the enchantment down yet." I dig the rooster watch out of my pocket and show it to them. "I'm making a watch. Isn't that neat?"

"Whoa, where did you get this?" Neville asks.

"I transfigured it from a rooster," I explain.

"Why a rooster?" Hermione wonders.

"So it'll crow in the morning," I say.

"Couldn't you just find a spell that can produce a crowing sound?" Hermione says.

I suppose I could have, but my hopes is that since this is actually a real rooster, it'll affect a basilisk just like one.

"Well, I think it's a brilliant idea," Neville says. "You're a way better wizard than I'll ever be, Harry."

"Don't say things like that, Neville," I say. "If you've already decided beforehand that you're going to fail, you have little chance to succeed."

"I suppose you're right," Neville says. "I have gotten better. But it's all because you two have been helping me."

"That's what friends are for," I say. "Nobody ever has to stand alone in the world." I point my wand at the saucer and mutter, "Tempus."

"Well, you got it to say 99:99 now," Hermione says. "Is that really an improvement, though?"

I chuckle softly and cancel this latest attempt. "Charms aren't really my thing," I say. "But I'll get it eventually. See, Neville. I'm not really all that amazing. I just don't give up. I keep at it until I get it down, no matter how long it takes or how much work I need to put into it."

"Have you gotten the Patronus Charm down yet?" Neville wonders.

"No," I say, grinning a little. "But I haven't given up on that one, either. How's your Occlumency coming along, you two?"

"I don't know," Hermione says. "I don't think anyone's even tried to read my mind lately."

"I've been doing the meditation exercises the book you got me suggested," Neville says. "I don't know how well I could keep someone out of my head yet, but I think I feel calmer and more in control..."

"Hmm," I say thoughtfully. "I could probably convince someone to help test it out. I'll see what I can do."

---

"Let me get this straight," Snape says. "You want me to help Granger learn Occlumency? Why?"

It was pretty easy to convince Dumbledore to help Neville. Snape, on the other hand, is a different matter. "She's the smartest person in my year," I say. "And she spends a lot of time with me. She would have figured out something is odd about me sooner or later, even if I hadn't already told her."

"I see," Snape says, frowning. "At least she's a capable pupil. However, this is still taking valuable time out of my week that could be better spent on other, more productive things."

"I'll compensate you for your time and effort," I offer. "What would you like? Money? Potions ingredients? Promises of future favors?"

Snape sighs in resignation. "Very well," he says, shaking his head a bit. "I suppose that would be acceptable, given sufficient compensation for the trouble. What sort of potions ingredients can you offer?"

"Dragon's blood?" I suggest.

"Where would you get dragon's blood?" Snape wonders.

"I have my sources," I say vaguely.

Snape looks at me intently, and says, "That is acceptable, so long as this isn't likely to get me arrested and sent to Azkaban."

"Don't worry," I say. "I'm not hiding an illegal dragon out in the Forbidden Forest or anything."

"That was a suspiciously specific denial," Snape says with a smirk. "No matter. I do not care."

"Could I also get a Blood Replenishment Potion for each bottle of dragon's blood I bring you?" I ask.

"Also suspicious," Snape says, snorting softly. "But fine." He peers through a shelf and pulls out a potion vial, and passes it over to me along with an empty bottle.

"Thanks," I say. "I'll be back with the blood in a bit."

"Feel free to have Granger come along with you when you return," Snape says. "I have this evening free. Might as well get started on it. The sooner I get this started, the sooner I get it over with."

I return to my dormitory and carefully fill up the bottle with my own blood, and down the potion he gave me. I'd forgotten how woozy losing blood makes me feel when I'm not about to die shortly afterward.

I pass by Hermione on the way back out through the common room. "Hermione, are you busy?" I say. "I've convinced Professor Snape to help you with your Occlumency."

"Snape!?" Neville says, looking pale.

"Don't worry, Neville," I say. "I convinced Dumbledore to help you with it. I figured you'd be more comfortable with that. But it's a very one-on-one thing, and he only had time for one student."

"You got Dumbledore himself to teach me?" Neville says, eyes widening. "Wow."

One of these lives, I'm going to have to learn Legilimency myself. I have a lot of things I want to learn, and I'm certain that there are plenty of things I'd like to learn that I simply haven't even heard of as of yet.

"I was doing some reading, but it can wait if he wants to see me now," Hermione says.

Hermione and I go down to the dungeons and into Snape's office. I pull out the bottle of blood, wrapped in a cloth, and pass it over to Snape. "There's the thing you asked for," I say.

"Ah, good," Snape says, taking it and putting it away. "Come in and have a seat, Granger. Have you had much practice with Occlumency yet?"

"Well, Professor, Harry bought me a book on it, and I've read through it five times and done all the exercises in it," Hermione says. "I just don't know if it's actually working or not without someone testing it." She glances at me questioningly.

"Don't worry, he already knows everything I told you anyway," I say.

"And rest assured that I do not care what boys you have a crush on or any other silly, mundane things might pop into your head," Snape drawls.

Hermione blushes a little. "Well, alright, I suppose..."

"Now, let's test this out, shall we?" Snape says. "Prepare yourself." He pulls out his wand and points it at Hermione. "Legilimens." He frowns a little and shakes his head a bit, then stares at her intently for several long seconds. "Look me in the eye, Granger." The two of them lock eyes and continue to stare at one another for what seems like several minutes.

"Am I doing it right?" Hermione asks finally.

"How long have you been studying this?" Snape asks.

"For the past few months," Hermione says.

"Your skill is not perfect," Snape says. "I can tell that you're trying to keep me out. However... even I cannot penetrate your barriers."

"Well, it was taking some effort to keep them up," Hermione says. "You were really battering at them for a while there."

"A sufficiently skilled Occlumens is capable of not only keeping out an attacker, but showing them false thoughts to make them think that whatever the Occlumens wants them to believe is true," Snape says. "However, you are already quite capable of protecting your own mind."

"What would it take to get to that level of skill?" Hermione asks.

"Quite a bit more training and practice," Snape says. "Likely along the lines of years."

"Oh," Hermione says. "Well, I'll keep practicing my exercises, then."

"See that you do," Snape says. "Not only do you need to keep out an attack you are expecting, but it needs to become second nature for you to maintain your barriers at all times."

"Alright," Hermione says.

"Dismissed," Snape says.

The two of us head out of the office. On the way out, I murmur to Hermione, "You are way smarter than I am. It took me two years to get to that level, and I still slip sometimes."

"I'm going to have to keep working at it," Hermione says.

"Me, too," I say, chuckling softly in amusement.

---

It's not until after exams are done with that I finally get the enchantment on my watch right. Or at least, good enough. I head off to take it to show Flitwick.

"I couldn't get it to light up when the sun is actually coming up," I say. "So I just made it trigger at exactly six o'clock in the morning every time. That's probably more useful, anyway."

"Well done, Mr. Potter," Flitwick says. "I think you have a promising future ahead of you as a wizard."

"Thank you, sir," I say.

"Here, let me see that," Flitwick says, taking the watch from me and examining it closely. "Yes, this is just fine," Flitwick says. "Here, I'll make sure it will last." He taps it with his wand and says, "Permaneo."

I take it back from him. "Thank you, sir," I say. "I appreciate the help and extra lessons." I put the watch on around my wrist. The rooster clucks at me and tries to peck at the numbers. I chuckle softly and say, "Lumos" and touch my wand to the watch face. The rooster promptly crows. Perfect.

---

"Harry," Draco says. "You're going to spend the summer with us, aren't you?"

"Of course," I say. "Hopefully nobody will try to kill me this time." I smirk.

"I'll be certain to step up security this time," Lucius says. "It's simply embarrassing to have assassination attempts on my house guests."

"How did you do on your exams?" Draco asks.

"Doesn't really matter," I say offhandedly, shrugging. "How did you do?"

"Pretty good," Draco says, showing me the results. "Ravenclaw's secret heir is still beating me in everything but Defense, though. And you, of course, but you don't count."

"You still beat me in Potions," I say, chuckling.

"You are so bad at Potions," Draco says, laughing softly.