Chapter Text
Last Time:
With a cheerful smile the ghost tapped her box releasing the books and the class continued …
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Percy’s eyes widened when he saw the headline of the slightly sow coated newspaper that nearly landed in his breakfast …
‘Sirius Black has escaped Azkaban!’
A flurry of frantic whispers rushed through the Great Hall. The students were quite worried. Everyone was already on edge because of the escaped troll incident not long ago. However, when Percy looked around he noticed that Harry seemed to be deep in thought, but not nervous.
After Dumbledore ensured everyone that everything was fine, everyone calmed down. Percy soon finished his breakfast and followed Harry, Ron and a girl named Hermione. The redhead was beyond curious about how Harry would react if Percy tried to talk to him.
“Harry!” Percy called and he smiled when Harry turned towards him. “Don’t worry about-“
“I’m not worried.” Harry said swiftly. “My godfather can find me if he wants, but I won’t let the betrayer get away with anything again. I won’t let him.”
“Sure.” Percy said, liking the co*cky attitude, but he didn’t show it. “I’ll help-“
Ron huffed, “Harry doesn’t need your help. He’ll get that backstabber on his own.”
Hermione nodded, “He knocked the troll out of the bathroom and saved me so he should be fine.”
Percy blinked as he watched the trio walk away, “Huh … I should be more alert. Maybe there’s something in Filch’s office that can help.” He muttered under his breath and went to his own class.
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“Let’s see … It’s been a few months. Maybe a couple more doses of potions and he should be physically fit enough to leave. In fact, I was about to go give him another round of potions. Once he started using the other things in the clover room his rehabilitation sped up. Pandora actually gave up trying to get him off the climbing wall and is just quizzing him from up there.” Alex said with a laugh.
Even RazorBlood chuckled at the report, “Very good. Do you have any issues with him visiting his family’s graves?”
Alex sighed, “No, but I don’t feel right about releasing him before the holidays, especially if he visits the graves. Even if Pandora will be with him until he’s done with his education it might be too soon to go through the holidays without his grandma. We should also try easing him into seeing newspapers again and see if he panics like before.”
The goblin glanced at his own newspaper, which had the news of Sirius Black blasted all over the headlines, “Not exactly a pleasant issue to start with, but I’ll tell the staff to put it on his tray when breakfast is served. By the time you get down there just in time to see how he reacts. Pandora will get the hint when she sees it and warn him so it doesn’t startle him.”
Alex smiled, “I’ll head down then.”
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Pandora nodded and the quill made a checkmark next to the question on the parchment floating next to her, “Correct! Now breakfast will be coming soon so come down and take a shower, Adrian.”
“Ok!” Harry called over from the spot a dozen feet up the wall where he was clinging.
Quickly, yet carefully, Harry found each of the colorful holding rocks that stuck out of the red stones making up the clover shaped room and moved downward. He has actually done this so many times that the vines didn’t need to hold him anymore. Of course, that didn’t stop the greenery from creating a safety net just above the floor. Once Harry’s feet reached the net the net broke apart into a dozen vines and went up to the ceiling.
Harry whipped the sweat off his forehead as the uneven wall straightened up and the holding rocks sank into the now flat normal red wall, “This wall is so cool! It gets more uneven the farther I go, but I never reach the ceiling.” Harry exclaimed cheerfully as he headed off to his room.
The ghost smiled as she after her student with the quill and parchment following behind her, “The never ending wall is useful. The closest to the ceiling you’ll get is if you get it to create cliff faces. No more of that for now. We’ll see if you can identify plants next. Then do another essay.”
Harry nodded as the vine door to his room opened, “Got it! Be right out!”
The teen went into his room and the vines closed behind him. When he walked towards the wall opposite of his bed. Just when it looked like he was about to walk right into the wall the stones swiveled out of the way revealing a lovely bathroom.
Those classic red stones were lining the walls and floor just like everything else on this floor. However, the floor had a different texture. You could tell that the floor will stay dry and you’d never slip. With the bronze fixtures and glowing butterflies flying around it made for a relaxing room.
“That’s right … I have to take it off too.” Harry mumbled absentmindedly.
The sweaty clothes were set inside a wicker hamper that hung on the wall. As Harry stood in front of the mirror a set of fresh clothes appeared on the sink next to him. However, Harry wasn’t concerned about it.
One of Harry’s hands reached up and covered his face. The mask became visible once again and was easily pulled off. A shudder went up his spine when he saw a flash of purple courtesy of the light bouncing off the scar, but that was all.
If anything tears of relief came to his eyes. Every time he looked in the mirror he saw less and less of that haunting face. Even the crescent moon scar gave him comfort by removing more of Oliver’s appearance. He was truly grateful for that, especially if the worst happens and he can’t have his old body back. At least, he can live with the face he sees now.
With the mask set on the fresh clothes he stepped into the shower. As the warm water ran over his skin his mind wandered. It was scary how much has changed in only a few months and it was still moving so fast. This may have been a 16 year old body, but he still felt like 11.
In reality he should’ve only had school and his relatives to worry about. However, the goblins were making arrangements so he could live on his own. They were even getting together a list of part time jobs so he can earn money as Pandora teaches him. To add to the overwhelming thoughts Pandora said he was learning so fast he may need another teacher soon.
Too much, too fast … He just wanted to take it easy like other kids at school …
As he got out of the shower, Harry hoped he could discover anything soon. Whether he got his body back or not didn’t matter. The main thing he wanted was for everyone to know the truth.
Once he was fully dressed he put his mask back on and he left the bathroom, “Is something wrong, Pandora?” Harry asked the second he saw the concerned look on the ghost’s face when he left his room.
Pandora quickly smiled, “It’s not serious. I’ll show you when you sit to eat. The Herbology-sphere is up so you can eat there.” She led Harry to a circular table that had a large glass orb with some dirt inside sitting in the center of the table. “Your breakfast arrived and it came with the paper.” She said calmly.
In an instant Harry realized the reason his ghostly teacher was worried once he spotted the newspaper. It was a little embarrassing, but he couldn’t blame her for worrying. The last newspaper article he saw did make him panic. That panic has passed, but her concern made him feel warm and cared for.
Harry, at least, hoped he wouldn’t see a certain face as he opened the paper, “Sirius Black? … Godfather? He’s believed to be going after Harry Potter.”
At the moment Harry could honestly say he was happy to not be Harry Potter right now. The Death Eater godfather may have been the one who betrayed his parents, but he really didn’t want to face a crazy Death Eater. Besides, why do anything?
As much as he hated Oliver he knew the bastard wasn’t merciful. Let Oliver and Sirius clash and see what happens. There wasn’t anything he could do right now anyway.
“It is a bit of a scary situation.” Harry jumped when Alex’s voice startled him. “Sorry! I didn’t mean to scare you.” Alex quickly apologized.
“It’s ok.” Harry said sheepishly and set the newspaper next to his tray of waffles. “Before … I wasn’t scared by the newspaper itself. It was just a bad reminder of everything I lost …”
Alex nodded as they set the potions down, “RazorBlood thought so, but we wanted to make sure that you truly feel better. Now time for potions!”
Harry obediently drank the three potions he was given. Each one repaired, nourished and strengthened his body. The potions weren’t tasty at all though, but he quickly ate breakfast to get the taste out.
Unfortunately, some people weren’t having such an easy time getting rid of the bitter taste someone was giving them …
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Fred grinned, “Percy! What’s this?” The twins whispered as they went to the other side of Filch’s office where Percy was searching.
The item they gave Percy looked like an average piece of parchment. Of course, that didn’t make any sense. Something so innocent wouldn’t be stored with many confiscated items and Percy seemed to agree.
“I used to tag along with Bill when you guys were tiny. Gave mom a break. Let’s see what I remember.” Percy said with a sneaky smile.
An advanced spell came out of the tip of Percy’s wand. When it hit the parchment a few blurry words appeared briefly. Had Percy been more experienced with curse breaking it might have been more clear. However, it was enough to get an answer.
Percy nodded, “There’s definitely something hidden in this and the password is ‘I solemnly swear I’m up to no good’.” He said as he tapped the parchment.
“A brilliant password.” The twins snickered and watched in amazement as the parchment changed. “It’s a map!”
The older redhead’s eyes widened when he realized what the map revealed, “Shh!” Percy quickly hushed them before pointing to a mark labeled Sirius Black heading towards the very hallway they were in.
Not because he was afraid the convict might hear them. They actually had a privacy barrier on the door so no one would hear them explore. He needed them quiet because he thought he heard someone in the hall. The candle was quickly snuffed out and everyone listened just in case the map was right.
For a second they heard the paws of a beast that was definitely bigger than the cat, Ms. Norris. Then in the next moment the sounds of paws became more like human feet. It was those sounds Percy focused on as well as the mark on the map.
The conclusion was obvious … This map tracked people in the castle!
Using this to their advantage the redheads slipped out once it was safe. As fast as they could they went back towards the Gryffindor tower. While they waited for the living stairs to line up the three redheads checked the map. After all, if Sirius Black was here then he’s probably looking for Harry.
Percy spotted the mark they were looking for and showed the twins, “He’s in the bathroom.” He whispered, ignoring the name Peter Pettigrew in the same bed as his brother, Ron, and immediately ran up the last set of steps.
According to the placement of the mark they figured Harry was at the sinks. Without wasting a second they ran towards the bathroom. Just as they went in they spotted Harry staring in the mirror.
“I have such pretty eyes.” Harry said completely unaware of the three redheads, who were watching him and were rather creeped out by him.
Percy shook himself back to his senses and put the map in his pocket before running up to Harry, “Harry, we saw Sirius Black in the castle-“
“Where?” The 11 year old asked casually. “No matter. He’s probably headed up here for Peter anyway. You guys should rest.”
Fred and George blinked, “We should be getting the professors-“
In an instant the redheads hit the floor and Harry was staring down at them, “Don’t worry. This’ll be over soon.” He said and left them frozen on the bathroom floor.
Fred frowned when he heard a distant squeak from a rat, “Percy, he got the rat.” He hissed through a stiff jaw.
George struggled, “Dad told us to keep an eye on him. How did Harry know? We only just got the map.”
“I don’t know.” Percy hissed as he tried to break the binding spell. Unfortunately, it was stronger than a normal spell. “Dammit …I should be able to weaken it.” He hissed and flared his magic so much he was able to start dragging himself along the floor. He had to warn Ron too. They each had protective spells on them because their parents wanted them safe in case the rat tried anything, but the youngest of the redheads, Ginny and Ron, were the only ones unaware of who the rat really was or that the ministry wanted to keep tabs on him to find other Death Eaters.
If Percy got out he could get someone’s attention. Just as he got to the door it opened. The last thing Percy, Fred and George saw before everything became black was a pair of green eyes.
They each woke up in their own beds and heard Ron whining because Scabbers was gone …
