Chapter 26 - Learning about Harry Potter

Stats as of last chapter:

Aubrey Hawthorne

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Level 20

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Age - 12

Race - Human

Gender - Female

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SP - 6,435

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Str - 32

Agi - 55

Dex - 43

Con - 39

Int - 48

Wis - 44

Luc - 38 (66)

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Skill Points - 20

Stat Points - 70

Perk Points - 2

The weekend comes, by which time I’m very grateful for it. Professor Flitwick remembers my request from Monday, and as soon as I return from breakfast for House Homework time, he’s there to talk to me. I just have to confirm I still want to switch classes, and he promises to have it organised by Monday.

I’ve already done my homework, so I continue reading a potions book I got from the Come and Go Room until I’m free to go meet my friends in the library.

They’re all there already, Myron included.

“Hi, guys!” I grin, jumping to give Angelina a hug. “I know we’ve seen each other over the week but I still missed you loads!”

“Aw, we missed you too,” Angelina squeezes me.

“I didn’t,” Adrian drily smirks.

“Well, fuck you too,” I smile, taking a seat. “I updated my notes for Second Year and Third Year over summer, so I have all the core subjects sorted for us.”

“I had a feeling you were going to say that,” Adrian rolls his eyes.

“Same,” Cedric smiles. “You were studying it all last year.”

“Yep! Now I can focus on our Electives and even more importantly, Occlumency!”

“What’s that?” Alicia asks.

“That’s serious magic. They don’t even teach it here!” Myron exclaims in response before I can say anything, so I nod.

“That’s why I’m learning it myself,” I point out. “Give me a few weeks and I’ll help you guys learn too.”

“Well,” Alicia changes the subject, “while Aubrey’s been doing actual work, I’ve been learning about our new celebrity, Harry Potter. Snape hates him more than anyone else.”

I frown. “Why? He wasn’t a real Death Eater, so surely he’d like the boy that ended You-Know-Who, even if it probably wasn’t something baby Harry did anyway.”

“I don’t know,” she shrugs. “Just that Harry hates him just as much back. He’s made friends with Ron Weasley, they’re pretty close.”

“His owl is really pretty,” Alicia adds. “I don’t know if you guys heard, but their first Flying classes of the year were cancelled because Hooch was sick, and they were all pretty gutted.”

“I did,” I roll my eyes. All the First Years have been whining about it. “They’ll live.”

“Unfortunately,” Myron adds. “Dear god, the Malfoy boy is so incredibly annoying. All he goes on about is father, how rich he is, how Pure his blood is. It’s so annoying.”

“He tried to get my First Year notes from me,” Adrian grins meanly. “I didn’t give him them.”

“Oh wow,” I chuckle quietly. “I’ve barely seen him, he’s always surrounded.”

“Yeah, everyone’s sort of obsessed in Gryffindor,” Alicia shrugs.

“Stupid,” I mutter.

“In other news, the Weasley twins are obsessed with the third floor now Dumbledore said not to go there.”

“Oh, the room?” I ask. “I was wondering what’s there too.”

“It was weird, wasn’t it?” Myron mutters. “What could they have chosen to put into the castle? Why not put loads of protection and a repulsion or forgetful charm on it so we can’t go near it in the first place.”

They all shrug.

“It’s Dumbledore,” Alicia says as an explanation. “So, what, you want to look around it?”

“No,” I shake my head quickly. “He was serious, Alicia! Please, there are times to be a Gryffindor and there are times to not walk into Death’s arms!”

I get some laughs out of my friends, and we agree not to go looking around the third floor. We talk for an hour and go over some of the things we did over summer after my birthday before parting ways.

I have a few jobs for today, so take myself to Madam Pomphrey as it’s the first place I need to be. I never got a reply from the matron, though I’m not at all discouraged as I expect between preparing for the start of term, myself being out of the country and her enjoying her own holiday my reply fell through the cracks. As it is, when I enter the medical wing I almost bump into two red faced first years.

“Sorry,”I apologise.

They squeal and run away from me.

I watch after them in puzzlement. “What on earth…”

“Oh never mind them,” I hear Madam Pomphrey. “Hawthorne, is it? You wrote about Healing over summer?”

I nod respectfully. “Yes, Madam.”

“Right, I got some books for you to borrow.” She bustles over to her office. “They don’t have these in the library, but I checked with the Headmaster and he’s quite fine with students borrowing them. Just make sure to return them in top condition, you hear me?”

I nod brightly. “Yes, Madam, I swear to be careful!”

“Very good, now off you go, I have beds to make.”

I don’t linger, as she’s on a roll spelling things and sorting students with skinned knees out. Between this life and my life, the attitudes of matrons are very similar - focused and outspoken. I didn’t stand up to them in my last life, and I don’t plan on starting.

Now that I’ve got my new books to focus on, seen my friends and finished every bit of homework - including the advanced I had all but demanded from my professors for the year - so I have a few hours to myself. I spend that time in the Common Room reading the Healing books in peace, slowly racking up the lower, easy to gain Skill Levels on the subject. By the time it’s dinner, I’d read one of the books almost entirely on how to diagnose common issues and how best to treat them at home, and I’ve advanced from Level five to Level eight.

After almost a whole week of Harry Potter at Hogwarts, some of the fawning has subsided. Harry takes a seat near the middle of the Gryffindor table with his back to me, directly behind Cho and Heather. I select some roast vegetables and meat for dinner before examining his friends more closely.

I begin with the Weasley boy, as they’ve been stuck at the hip all week.

Ronald (Ron) Weasley

Titles - The Last Son

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Level 2

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Age - 11

Race - Human

Sex - Male

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HP - 62

MP - 83

MP - 105

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RL - -2

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Str - 3

Agi - 2

Dex - 3

Con - 12

Int - 2

Wis - 11

Luc - 4

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Perk -

Griffins Courage

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Disadvantages -

Last Son

Poor

Prejudiced (Non-Gryffindors) (i)

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Young Mr Weasley is a preadjusted little boy who is convinced having a famous friend means he can run his mouth, and so those prejudices are getting out of control. He is fine with that as his new best friend, Harry Potter, seems quite happy to stick around. Coming from a family of nine, he’s felt unloved and unappreciated his whole life, as well as ignored by his siblings just as large personalities. He gets very jealous of those he sees as having more than him, and would happily trade a few brothers for money

Ron believes that Slytherins are all evil and You-Know-Who supporters, and anyone who befriends them are just as bad. He knows you through rumours, and considers you scum for being friends with Slytherins as well as being rich

Oh, wow. He’s… not great. Not that I think children can’t change but he’s definitely something. Not just that, but his Intelligence Level is so low! I really need to see if there’s some way to manipulate Ron’s opinion or else change Harry’s opinion of Ron.

I Observe a few other of the boys around them, as at present there is a split in the Gryffindor First Years where the girls sit in one place and the boys the other. I check all the boys as they share a room with Harry, of which there are only three others, and find a few fun traits.

For one, Neville Longbottom is incredibly anxious and quiet. In fact, on paper he seems as if he’d be a better friend for Harry than Ron. Things don’t always work out that way, but it does seem like that. Meanwhile, Dean Thomas is the only dark skinned boy of the Gryffindor boys, and has been raised as a Muggleborn. His profile shows that he’s actually a Half-Blood and has no clue.

The last boy, Seamus Finnigan, is from Ireland, with sandy hair and a surprisingly similar story to Dean. His mother is a witch and father a Muggle, but the two parents are married quite happily. He has a rather interesting Disadvantage:

Demolitionist

You’re VERY good at making things explode which should have no chance of exploding

+500% to explosive magics

+5% chance of whatever you’re doing - if done wrong - resulting in an explosion

I will certainly be keeping an eye on him. A child with a Disadvantage like that, surrounded by magic and potions, well. It was asking for trouble!

Dessert appears and the boy's eyes light up. It’s strange as I had thought Harry would receive hundreds of owls that would bombard him every breakfast or even throughout lessons, but that hadn’t happened. After all, everyone and their mother knows where Harry is now! It makes me wonder if he has some sort of Redirecting Ward on him. Important people get them to make their mail management easier, but some owls can still get through on occasion if they’re particularly strong willed or from a government source. I’m sure it has all sorts of important loopholes so he gets what he needs, if I’m right, and it makes a lot of sense for a child celebrity to have one.

Who would set something like that up though? I know Professor Dumbledore had an active part in keeping Harry out of the public's eye so I suppose it could have been him.

If it were Professor Dumbledore, though, he would presumably have had some sort of contact with Harry in the past decade, all while that abuse was going on. It makes no sense that professor Dumbledore would allow child abuse to go on literally in front of him, so who else could it be? A godparent, or someone a part of the Ministry's Child Welfare Department. Once more, whoever allowed the abuse to go on can’t be trusted.

After dinner, I play some games with my friends before changing for a run. The cool air outside the castle is soothing. I’ve gotten used to exercising everyday, so this week has been strange.

I pass some students on my run and hear a few of the other ones make fun of me for running, not that I care much, until I feel my body’s exhaustion require I stop. I drink water directly from my wand and take a rest on a bench, feeling my heart rate drop. When I’m ready to face the stairs, I make my way back in.

It’s a good job I rested too because I almost walk directly into Peeve’s line of sight and have to run to a hiding place so he doesn’t find me. By the time he gives up, I’m fairly sure I’ve exercised more through running away than through the actual running. Panting, I turn a corner and have to stop still as I almost collide with a tall male body.

“Oi, handsome twin, the Princess is trying to wrestle you,” Fred jests.

“I see that, smart twin,” George grins widely.

I scowl up at them. “What are you two up to? Are you why Peeves is flying around shouting?”

“We’d never!” They speak at once.

“Then why are you being so quiet? You’re never quiet.”

“We’ve never even spoken!” Fred cries.

“And you already know us so well!” George continued.

“Well, if it's nothing to do with Peeves, and you’re not running away from an explosion, I assume you’re up to no good.”

“Oh, up to no good, are we?” Geroge laughs. “You can come with us if you want. We’re just going to take a peek at the boarded off area on the third floor.”

“That one that can kill us horribly,” Fred adds.

“I know which one,” I roll my eyes. Of course they’re checking it, they’re the Weasley twins. “I suppose I better come too then.”

They put hands over their hearts in unison. “To protect us?”

“Yes,” I say simply. “Unless you’d rather I get Professor McGonagall, seeing how she’s more qualified.”

They shrug.

George speaks. “You can come if you keep it quiet. But if you snitch, we’ll make you regret it.”

I wave his warnings away. “I realise. I just don’t want you to die.”

“Well, then follow along, new little rule breaker!” Fred says, beginning a march.

We walk in relative silence to keep from catching the attention of any teachers, and stop at a door in the middle of a long, dusty corridor not far from the trophy room. A quick unlocking spell by the twins grants us entry to an even more dusty, spider filled corridor.

The only other thing in there is another door, some hundred yards away.

“Creepy,” I mutter.

“Wicked,” they grin.

The twins bounce over and test it.

“Alohomora,” Fred tries again.

We’re all surprised when that’s all it takes.

“Strange,” I frown. “If this can kill us, it shouldn’t be this easy.”

They shrug, utterly unconcerned. They glance at each other and slowly push the door open.

I crowch to spy what’s in there through their legs.

I notice three things instantaneously: firstly, there’s a huge Cerberus, secondly the Cerberus is sleeping very fitfully as if about to wake, and thirdly it’s drooling all over a trap door.

Nope, nope, nope. Not a chance.

I shoot between them and pull the door closed before the creature can wake.

“Oi!” Both protest.

“You can’t fight that!” I growl, brandishing my wand at them. “That thing’s guarding something and it’s way too strong for any or all of us. If there’s ever something that will kill you horribly, it's a Cerberus!”

“Guarding something, you say?” George mutters. “It does sound tempting.”

“Then again,” Fred continues, “so does living.”

They finish together: “We’ll sleep on it!”

I roll my eyes and begin the walk back, thankful they follow. “Yeah, well. I want no part in it, and more importantly, I want you to make sure anyone who might want a part in it has a reason to ignore that. This’s a school for children, people are going to get curious, sure but gods,” I mutter, “this is above dangerous. This’ll get people killed.”

“Hey,” George smiles more kindly. “Don’t worry yourself over it. We won’t tell anyone about this, or you coming along.”

“I don’t care if they know I came here with you, I simply desire that no one dies.” I shoot a spell all the way back down the hallway to lock the door, and then lock the entrance also. “Don’t forget your own younger brother is here. Do you think he could fight something like that?”

They grimace, getting the point.

“Exactly. Just prank people a bunch on the third floor and they’ll avoid it.”

They salute me.

Fred speaks: “Aye aye, captain! Though we literally don’t know you, we will do as you ask!”

.*****.

I stay up late on Saturday and exercise on Sunday morning to energise me early on. By the time it comes to meet Daphne outside the Come and Go Room, I’m excited to reveal this small secret to her.

I prepare the room ahead of time and ask for a one way mirror so I can keep an eye out for Daphne. She arrives five minutes ahead of time.

I open the door just enough for my entire body to stand in the gap and wave her in, grinning. She looks left and right as she joins me in the room.

“Why are you being weird?” She frowns.

I frown back. “I’m not. I’m excited.”

She says nothing, looking around the room I’ve created instead. I asked for a small sitting area which consists of an old red sofa I can only imagine came from the Gryffindor Common Room, and the other is a brown leather Daphne takes a seat on the very edge of. The tall ceiling has a chandelier hanging from it, there’s a coffee table and a few shelves of language books on each wall. It isn’t a large room, but it’s what we need right now.

“So you liked my notes?” I join her.

“They were acceptable,” she says, not meeting my eyes. She seems nervous.

“What’s wrong?” I ask kindly. “I apologise if I upset you somehow, I didn’t mean to if I did.”

“No, no,” she sighs softly. “I suppose I just… didn’t expect you to be here.”

I smile. “Well, I am so there’s nothing to be upset about. You mentioned teaching me some Greek?”

Our session is all business for the next hour as she quizes me like an expensive tutor, expecting me to pick up her teachings pretty instantly. It doesn’t make her a good teacher for normal kids, but for me it’s perfect. I feel my understanding of the language go up massively in the speaking and understanding area over just an hour.

“Okay, that’s enough,” she sighs. “I need a drink.”

I ask the room for two chalasise. They appear in front of us, surprising Daphne, and two simple spells I’ve filled them with water and chilled them.

“Thank you,” she tries to save.

I hide a smirk. “It’s fine. We’ve done a lot of work today.”

“Don’t think we’re finished,” she stops me. “I want to go over your notes. See, while an hour of Greek lessons is fine in exchange for your First Year Charms notes, I’ve already learnt a lot of First and Second Year’s content. There’s only so much I can teach you before you run out of information for me.”

“Oh, that’s fine,” I smirk. I’m not all that surprised she’s already demanding more. “For one, I’m happy to tutor you on anything you have trouble with, and I’ve already done all my notes for all out core classes for the first three years of Hogwarts. By the time you’re done with that, I’ll have more notes prepared. All you have to worry about it tutoring me in return.”

She mulls that over. When her mind is made up, she returns her cup to the coffee table and stands, getting her wand out. “I want to know the Accio spell. Teach me.”

I hop up and show her the wand movement, a shallow curve from left to right. “I find it works best if the curve is about four and a half inches wide.”

Daphne copied my wand movements and it’s clear to me she’s had practice with a wand. Just as I do with my Housemates, I tutor her on the spell until she manages to get a cushion from the sofa I was on to fly into her arms.

I laugh at her shock. “Yeah, the spell can be a bit volatile until you master it. Don’t worry, it gets easier.”

“Well that's good,” she grouches. “That would have been embarrassing if it happened in class.”

“Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone,” I promise.

She sniffs. “Good. You know, if all your notes are like these, you must be ready to pass your O.W.L.s. It's abhorrent how much free time we have if you're that advanced, already."

I laugh, retaking my seat now I’ve taught her something. "I'm prodigal at learning magic and mastering it. I plan to do most of the Fourth and Fifth Year stuff this year, and Sixth and Seventh Year the following year, with advanced magic and applications from there. The Fifth Year and up spells are all much more complex than the others. So, if you’re happy with my notes and teachings, I suppose we can keep meeting each week?"

"Yes, I think it’s a good arrangement for now.”

I grin and Wordlessly summon my Astronomy notes for her - again, these notes aren’t the most important notes I could give her as there are a massive amount of quality, easy to grasp books in the library on the subject, but they’re still very good. “Here.”

She takes them gratefully. “Thank you. I admit, my Astronomy skills aren’t as good as some of my others.”

“It’s okay, we have an expert in our group. Or at least, someone good at the subject. I refine all the notes, but I like to have someone thats taken the tests and experienced the classes to go over it also, as no doubt that’s how we’ll be taught it too.”

“That’s smart,” she compliments blandly, sipping her water. “You know, Draco Malfoy’s heard of you.”

“Oh? I met him on the train.”

“I heard. He was ranting about you on his first night. I’m not aware of who informed him of your intelligence or that you make detailed notes, but he’s been bragging that he’s going to get you to go his homework and share your notes with him.”

I smirk. “He’ll make me, hm?”

“Oh, yes. I don’t know what his plan is yet, but I suppose it’s in my best interest to keep you in the loop,” she jokes without any break in her bland expression. “I won’t be letting him find out I have access to your notes. Not that he’d ever try to cross me. Or, well, my fathers anger at the least.”

“I admit it would be exciting to see him get reprimanded by your father though,” I grin viciously. “If he gives you any trouble, I’d be happy to challenge him.”

“Oh, I’m just as tempted,” she finally breaks, laughing. Tell me then, after Greek, what’s your plan for my tutoring?”

"Well, first, I'd like to be fluent in speaking, reading and writing Greek, then French and German. I have a background with French, so finishing it up is most wise, but my family recently visited Greece and I suspect we may visit again somewhat soon so I thought it would be good to get a bit more proficient now. Spanish or Latin will likely follow. I don't care to master every language in both speaking and reading as they’re not as important to me, but I feel I should be better than I am now. I may not be so brilliant with them as magic, though, so I'll beg for some level of patience as we try to figure it out," I instruct.

She nods, then writes a spell down on what looks like extremely expensive card. All her notebooks are likely exceptionally luxurious.

"This will help. It's a very mild linguistic aid. A few families share it, so it's not family magic, but it isn't something you should share around with any given person. It's how I know all I do. My father has me use this to learn languages with him while at home. I believe it would show up if you cast it for any examinations so make sure to remove it before a test.”

I nod. I scan the page and quickly learn the spell, then cast it. It spreads warmly, like a ray of sunshine through a window. A small aid to learn languages faster is an amazing boon to me, even if it isn’t very strong, especially since I don’t have the likely superior family magic version.

“We should leave this here,” Daphne stands. “Thank you for coming to me with your idea, Aubrey. I think we’ll have a mutually beneficial relationship that I also hope can one day be a friendship. I’ll see you here next week.”