Harry Potter and the Magic Within

Harry Potter and the Magic Within

Chapter 7: 'The Card'

Harry spent the next two days attending his classes, pretending not to notice when someone whispered about him as he walked by, doing his unwished for homework and wondering about his Defence Against the Dark Arts class when he had obviously done something powerful without meaning to. The whole school had heard about the incident, so he found it hard to go anywhere without whispers following him.

On the third morning since the Dark Arts class, Harry woke up dreading his first lesson, Divination. Professor Trelawney had spent the last two years predicting Harry's death. It hadn't happened, but she still carried on predicting it every time she saw him.

'Hello, Harry,' said Ron as Harry came in to the common room.

'Morning, Ron,' yawned Harry. 'Is it time for breakfast?'

'Yeah,' said Ron jumping up. They were just leaving the room when something tapped the window. It was a large grey owl. Ron ran over to open the window. The owl flew in and dropped a letter at Harry's feet.

Harry picked it up and read aloud:

Dear Harry,

I know it has been a while since i wrote but i have been busy helping Dumbledore with a few things. Lupin sends his greetings. I heard about what happened this summer! I want to warn you to be careful. Watch your step, Harry! I may see you sometime soon if i can arrange it. In the meantime, take care of yourself and remember to keep a look out. Keep me informed of anything strange at Hogwarts.

- Sirius

Harry finished.

'You should write to him about what happened the other day,' said Ron. Harry agreed. He decided he would write to Sirius that night. Harry and Ron went down to breakfast in high spirits and showed the letter to Hermione at the table when they met her in the Great hall.

'Oh, that's good, you might see him soon then,' she said, happily after reading the letter. 'Oh, I have Arithmancy, see you later.' Hermione left at a run. Harry and Ron followed after eating a piece of toast quickly.

'I really don't like Divination,' said Harry, gloomily as they approached the trap door on the seventh floor leading to Professor Trelawney's class. They climbed up the ladder and entered the crimson-lit home of Professor Trelawney. All the curtains were closed and there was always a fire lit. The many lamps in the room had red shawls draped over them and the armchairs and pouffes stood in the exact same places as the year before.

'Good morning,' spoke the misty voice of Professor Trelawney.

She came out of the shadows. She was wearing her thick glasses that made her look like a strange kind of insect as usual and her thin body was wrapped in her usual shawl. She told the class that that year they were studying: Future telling with cards, Symbolism of the signs and that they were all going to have to work extra hard on the positions of the planets because it was a year in which unexpected things were bound to happen.

'Sit in pairs and one of you must pick a pack of cards from the table in the corner,' explained Professor Trelawney. 'Then divide the cards equally between you and lay them all face down in front of you.' Ron picked his and Harry's pack of cards. When they and the rest of the class had divided their cards and had them all lying face down in front of them, Professor Trelawney went on:

'You must now each pick up one card from those of your partners cards and find their meanings on page 65 and 66 of Unfogging the Future.'

Harry picked up a card of Ron's and Ron picked one of Harry's.

'This one means,' began Harry as he scanned page 65, 'that you will have "good luck in your path.'

'Excellent!' said Ron, keeping himself from laughing. 'Your card means,' started Ron who was now checking his book for the card he had, 'you will have "great suffering and pain" - oh, dear,' said Ron. Neither he nor Harry thought much of Divination and thought it rather funny that Harry, as if the cards had been chosen by Trelawney herself, had more tragedy and suffering than anyone could believe. They were finding it hard not to snigger and had to clamp their mouths shut as Professor Trelawney walked by.

Ten minutes later, Ron and Harry were in the process of reading each other's last card. Professor Trelawney stopped by their table as she walked around.

'Let me take a look,' she said mistily. Harry winced as she took his last card out of Ron's hands. Harry bit his lip. He absolutely hated these moments. She always seemed to pick him, always predicted his gruesome death. 'Oh my goodness,' exclaimed Professor Trelawney, but she wasn't talking about the meaning the card had, it was blown clear out of her hand by an orangey, red mist which had simply gathered around the hand holding the card. The card was lifted out of Professor Trelawney's reach and hovered there a moment before it disappeared completely. The whole class gasped. Harry looked absolutely dumbfounded. That time he was almost certain, he had done that but without meaning to. Harry sat staring at the place the card had disappeared. Ron was staring open mouthed at Harry. Professor Trelawney sat down looking like she had seen a ghost or something worse perhaps.

'Pack away your things,' she said faintly. The class did as she told them. Just as Harry and Ron were walking to the trapdoor, there was a small pop and the missing card appeared in Harry's hand. Ron gave a yell of surprise. Harry dropped the card and left the room as quickly as possible. He started down the next staircase at a half run. Ron tried to keep up.

'You did that didn't you Harry,' said Ron in his rather serious voice which didn't suit him, 'you made it disappear didn't you?'

Harry nodded without looking around or slowing down.

'Harry, you have to tell Dumbledore or someone, that wasn't simple magic, not even something we've learnt yet,' said Ron looking worried and impressed at the same time. 'Why did you do it anyway?'

'I didn't mean to, I didn't even know I was doing it,' started Harry, 'I just know I did it but that I didn't actually mean to.'

'Well, you have to tell Dumbledore,' Ron repeated.

'Why?' said Harry, stopping in front of the Transfiguration class.

'You just should,' said Ron, 'it's rather strange that you have all of a sudden started doing these weird things.' They didn't get a chance to talk any more about it, Professor McGonagall had started talking and writing notes on the blackboard for them to copy.

When the bell rang for the end of the lesson, Harry and Ron walked out and met Hermione as she got up from her seat at the front of the class.

Ron told Hermione about their Divination class. She looked rather worried when he had finished. She also agreed with Ron in that Harry should go to Dumbledore.

'How will it help if I go to Dumbledore?' said Harry frowning, as they walked out in to the grounds. They had decided to make a visit to Hagrid when Harry had stated that he wouldn't go to Dumbledore.

Harry knocked on the wooden door five minutes later. Hagrid opened it and grinned broadly.

'Harry! Ron! Hermione! How are yeh?' Then he gave them all one of his gigantic hugs and invited them in. 'How have yer firs' days been then?' He asked. Ron and Hermione looked sideways at Harry.

'They have been fine,' said Hermione slowly. Hagrid seemed to notice that something was troubling them.

'Well, there's something wrong with yer,' he said as he brought a tea tray with a teapot, cups and a small plate of biscuits over to them and sat down. Hermione and Ron looked at Harry again. He looked at the floor. Hagrid saw that whatever was bothering them was definitely something about Harry.

'Harry, what is it?' he said sounding a little anxious. Harry looked up and told Hagrid everything. He told him about the Dark Arts class and all about Divination. When he had finished Hagrid looked very thoughtful indeed.

'I don't understand why I did those things, Hagrid,' said Harry. 'I never meant to do any of them.' Hagrid looked up and turned his gaze on Harry for a moment.

'Harry, what happened a few weeks ago in the summer?' He asked.

'I would have thought that you would know, Hagrid,' put in Ron.

'Well, I know what I've heard, I want to hear it from Harry's point of view,' he answered. So, Harry told Hagrid about Diagon Alley and the dream curse, Comatras. He even told Hagrid about when Voldemort had come in to his dream. Hagrid shivered.

'Well,' said Hagrid after a short pause, 'I think that somethin' has triggered yer magic off, Harry, I think that yer experience in Diagon alley has made you a bit more powerful... but still that's on'y a guess.'

The rest of the visit was spent talking about more regular happenings. When they left about half an hour later, they walked quickly back up to the castle.

Harry, Ron and Hermione spent that evening studying in the common room. It was only the start of the year and yet they seemed to have as much work as they did when revising for tests. This they figured was because in their 5th year at Hogwarts they would take their O.W.L's (Ordinary Wizarding Levels) and were going to have to work hard to pass them with good scores.

Harry lay awake in bed long after he had finished his homework and gone to his dormitory. Questions kept flying around in his head. He wondered if Albus Dumbledore could answer them. Dumbledore seemed to know much more about him than he did. He lay awake for a few more minutes then fell in to a dreamless sleep.

Chapter 8: 'The Unusual Day'

Harry woke up suddenly. He had remembered something he had forgotten to do. It was as if he had been reminded in his sleep. He hadn't written to Sirius. He got up and put his dressing-gown on. It was still dark but sunrise wasn't that far off. Ron stirred and pulled the curtains around his four-poster open a little.

'What are you doing?' he said groggily.

'I forgot to write to Sirius,' said Harry, starting for the door.

'You mean you're going to write to him now?' asked Ron as though Harry was slightly mad. He turned over and went to sleep again.

Harry walked over to the little table by the window at which he, Ron and Hermione had studied for so long, and wrote his letter on a new piece of parchment lying on top of Harry's Divination book. He wrote:

Dear Sirius,

I hope the secret stuff you are doing for Dumbledore is not too dangerous. I am fine here. Something strange has happened in Defence Against the Dark Arts though, and in Divination and I think I did them without meaning to. I had a talk with Dumbledore the moment I got back and he said I could go and talk to him whenever I needed to, but I don't want to bother him. Write soon, with what you think.

- Harry

Harry ran back to the dormitory when he had finished and pulled a long silvery cloak out of his trunk. It was his invisibility cloak, once owned by his father. He pulled it on and crept back into the common room, through the portrait and off towards the owlery. He rushed in to the owlery ten minutes later and looked around for Hedwig. She was asleep with her head under her wing. Harry took off the cloak and stroked Hedwig to wake her up. When she did he asked her if she felt up to a big journey. She hooted in answer and held her leg out for him to tie the letter too. Then she nipped him affectionately and flew out of the window. Harry watched her out of sight, then went back to Gryffindor tower under the cloak again. The first light was coming in through the windows and just as Harry was passing a classroom, he heard voices.

'It has surely been long enough, Dumbledore,' said the voice of Professor McGonagall.

'It is better if he doesn't know, Minerva,' replied Dumbledore, soberly. Harry looked around the door frame to see McGonagall pacing the room and Dumbledore sitting on one of the desks. Harry couldn't help it, he listened.

'It seems so unfair,' she was now saying.

'The whole thing is unfair, Minerva, we can't change that,' said Dumbledore, 'and so the fairest thing we can do is not tell him.'

'Dumbledore,' said McGonagall, standing still right in front of the desk, 'you like the boy a lot, you said so yourself, don't you find it hard to hide all this from him?' Dumbledore sighed.

'I find it phenomenally hard,' he said, nodding. 'It is only the knowledge that he is better off not knowing that stops me from telling him.'

'It is absolutely awful,' began McGonagall, resuming her pacing, 'every time I see him in my class, I wish he knew something of what lies ahead, Dumbledore, I don't mean to tell him everything because I agree that it would be terrible for him to know everything, just a little so that he could prepare for what he is up against.' She finished her pacing and looked long and hard at Dumbledore's face. He sat staring at the floor, deep in thought.

'You think you could tell him that?' he said eyeing her carefully.

McGonagall looked rather taken aback. 'Me?' she said, confused.

'You think he should know,' continued Dumbledore, 'do you think you could walk up to Harry and simply tell him about this?' Harry almost gasped aloud at his own name. He stopped himself just in time.

McGonagall sighed and sat down beside Dumbledore. 'You know I could never bring myself to tell him, the poor boy,' she said sadly.

Dumbledore patted her on the shoulder.

'It is a great shame that he should be destined for so much trouble and suffering,' he said, looking very somber indeed. 'Come now, Minerva, it is time we started getting ready for the new day. We have been wasting time on this hopeless subject when we should have been getting an early start.' Dumbledore and McGonagall got up and walked towards the door.

Harry walked silently away before they got anywhere near the door and went as quickly as he could without being too loud, towards the Gryffindor tower once more.

The sun was fully up when Harry got back to the portrait of the Fat lady. He collapsed in to a comfy armchair by the fire. What did he not know? He didn't like the sound of what he had heard much at all. 'Suffering', 'pain', Harry felt that he had had enough of those things already. He sat thinking in the common room for a long while, though to Harry it didn't seem long at all. In no time, Ron was coming down the spiral staircase, marveling at how late he had slept in. He saw Harry.

'Hello, Harry, did you send your letter?' he asked a little sleepily.

Harry nodded, absent-mindedly. Ron looked sideways at him. Hermione came down from her dormitory at that moment and walked over to them. She too looked sideways at Harry when she saw him. Harry didn't move.

'Harry? Do you want to go down for breakfast?' asked Hermione, almost cautiously.

'Yeah,' said Harry quietly. They left Gryffindor tower and went set off for the Great hall.

Harry barely spoke all day. He knew that Ron and Hermione were worried because they staged a secret conversation to discuss what was wrong with him in front of him while he ate lunch beside them. He didn't really take much notice; his mind was busy thinking through what he had heard. After that day passed, Harry decided to stop thinking about the conversation. He forced himself to think of anything else.

In that way, three ordinary weeks passed. He knew that Ron and Hermione still suspected something was wrong with him, but he didn't want to bother them.

Harry left the Great hall, with Ron and Hermione, to go to their Care of Magical Creatures lesson with Hagrid.

The sun was just hovering above the trees in the forbidden forest, when the Gryffindor and Slytherin students set off towards Hagrid's hut.

Harry, Ron and Hermione were walking a little way behind the other students this afternoon. Harry's mind was ill at ease once again. He had, unfortunately, had the conversation in his mind since he woke up.

As they drew nearer, they saw Hagrid coming out of his hut holding a large, round box. All the students were now feeling apprehensive. Hagrid had got some rather troublesome creatures for them to look after last year and they had come in boxes, well crates. Their previous lessons with Hagrid had only been glimpses of strange creatures, which Hagrid had borrowed from a 'friend'. This box looked like something they were going to handle and maybe even have to look after was inside.

'Mornin',' said Hagrid with a grin. Harry, Ron, Hermione and the other Gryffindors stood around the box and Hagrid. The Slytherins stood a little way off. 'Today, we will be havin' a look at these,' he said, pulling the round lid off the box. About 20 small furry round things were huddled up in the bottom of the box.

'They're called Wimmets,' said Hagrid smiling more than ever. The crowd 'oooh'ed as they saw how small and cute the Wimmets were.

Hagrid picked one up to show everyone. It didn't seem to have a head or any limbs at all. It was just a fluffy ball that made small snuffly noises. The students had to be paired up and then they got a Wimmet to look after between them. Harry and Ron paired up and Ron went off to get their Wimmet.

If there could ever have been a bad time for Malfoy to come along and tease Harry, it was then. Harry was feeling extremely peculiar. He had heard that he was definitely in for trouble and was therefore not in a tolerant mood when Malfoy wandered over to him while Ron crowded around the Wimmet box. Crabbe, Malfoy's partner, was collecting their Wimmet and so Malfoy was alone, for once.

'Oh, look it's Potter,' said Malfoy, sneering as usual.

'Go away, Malfoy,' said Harry through his teeth.

'No, I won't,' he said, simply. 'What are you going to do about it, Potter? Beat me up?' He laughed a little. He shouldn't have done. Harry, who had been feeling so out of sorts that day, didn't hesitate, he leapt on to Malfoy and started to hit every part of him he could reach. Malfoy was taken very off guard and there was no Crabbe or Goyle to save him.

Hagrid realised what was happening when he glanced over the heads of the students to see Harry sitting on top of Malfoy and Malfoy screaming in pain and anger. Hagrid called out:

'Hey, you two, stop that!' But they didn't, Harry had been getting the better of Malfoy, but when Hagrid shouted, Harry paused as he considered stopping like Hagrid had ordered. In this moment Malfoy punched Harry and so the tables turned. Harry and Malfoy were rolling around on the floor hitting and kicking the other whenever they could. Ron was cheering Harry on very loudly, accompanied by Dean and Seamus. Neville had his hands over his eyes. Hermione was yelling 'No, stop! Harry!' at the top of her voice, while the Slytherins cheered for Malfoy.

Harry was certainly not as well off as he had been at the start. Malfoy and he were now stood up and were circling each other. Malfoy had a few cuts on his head that were bleeding a little, Harry had a gash on the side of his head from where Malfoy had knocked it against a stone as they wrestled on the ground. The Gryffindors, Slytherins and even Hagrid were now absolutely quiet as Harry and Malfoy circled each other, wondering what to do next.

The bell rang up at the castle and Harry made the mistake of breaking eye contact with Malfoy as it sounded. Malfoy rushed forward and bowled Harry over. They were back to struggling on the grass again. Harry had managed to pin down Malfoy and was giving him a good punch just as Malfoy caught a stone thrown by Goyle and bashed Harry's arm hard with it. Harry toppled off Malfoy and lay face down for a moment while he tried to clear his aching head. Hermione screamed.

Next moment Malfoy had jumped on Harry from behind and was on top of him again.

Hagrid had obviously seen how serious the fight was getting because he parted the crowd of students and pulled them apart. Harry and Malfoy were both trying to get free of Hagrid in order to beat each other up some more. Hagrid told them all to get off to the castle as the lesson had finished while Harry and Malfoy were fighting.

'What on earth did yeh do that for Harry?' said Hagrid, amazed at Harry's behaviour. Harry was scowling after Malfoy's retreating back and didn't answer Hagrid. He had a few cuts on his face and a few more on his arms. The gash on the side of his head was most uncomfortable and was bleeding freely. Ron and Hermione, who had just finished putting the Wimmets away, came over to stand in front of Harry, who was still frowning. Ron was grinning widely, Hermione looked worried.

'That was fantastic, Harry!' said Ron, impressed.

'Why did you do something so silly, Harry?' asked Hermione, also puzzled at Harry's behaviour.

Harry shrugged and walked towards the castle without another word. Ron and Hermione exchanged raised eyebrows. Hagrid was staring after Harry looking absolutely dumbfounded.

'What's wrong with him?' he said quietly.

'We wish we knew,' said Ron shaking his head.

Harry wandered up to the hospital wing. He knew the way very well, after all the times he had been there. He entered the familiar herb smelling infirmary. Madam Pomfrey was sitting at her desk. She noticed him and stood up.

'Oh, what have you done this time?' she said taking him over to sit on one of the beds. 'Something dangerous I suppose,' she paused while she checked his pulse, as she always did, then continued to talk. 'I have never known a student who got in to so much trouble as you.' So she went on for a few more minutes while she repaired his cuts and the gash on his head.

Fifteen minutes later he was walking back to Gryffindor tower. He used all his brainpower to stop himself from thinking about anything unpleasant.

'Harry!' said Hermione standing up to meet him when he came in.

'Yes?' said Harry sitting down next to Ron, who seemed to be opening his wizard chess set.

'Are you going to tell us why you acted like a twit today?' asked Hermione irritably. Harry sat a moment. Should he bother them about the conversation now? He decided not to.

'I was just tired,' he said simply. If Ron and Hermione didn't believe him, they didn't show it. Harry and Ron had a great game of wizard's chess, in which Harry lost as usual. They felt like they needed to celebrate the excellent fight with Malfoy so they laughed and joked about it for ages.

At about ten o'clock, Fred and George came back from their detention, which had been handed out to them for swapping Snape's wand with one of Fred and George's joke ones. It hadn't been hard for Snape to realise, when his wand turned into a plastic fish, who was behind it. Most of the Gryffindors had to admit that it was an extremely brave thing to do. The twins walked over to Harry, grinning broadly.

'Well done,' they said in unison.

'Excellently done,' said Fred, patting Harry's shoulder.

'Most of the school is buzzing with excitement.' George put in. 'There hasn't been such a good fight in years.' They muttered something about their joke items and went up their staircase to their dormitory. Not long after Harry, Ron and Hermione went to bed as well. Harry kept his mind as clear of thoughts as he could and found that, to his surprise, he could fall asleep quite easily.