152 Sorely Missed

Well I'm back :) ... Kinda

Long story short I got covid and had (still am) to quarantine. This in of itself wouldn't have been a problem but where I live doesn't have the internet, normally I go to my local library to write and upload chapters. Which I can't right now.

I'm using my brother data on his phone to upload these chapters.

I feel like I should be saying sorry now but I just don't want to. Kinda mean, I know but all of this was out of my hands, so I'm not going to, I still feel bad though.

Anyway, you're probably not going to get another chapter until next week as even when I get out of quarantine I'm going to be busy with all the schoolwork I missed so I want to know what you guys think of having a weekly update?

Anyway,

Thanks for reading!

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Hogwarts, Room of Requirement, Feb. 24th

Walking out of the Room of Requirement Harry couldn't help but yawn. It was incredibly early in the morning - it was still dark out - but Harry needed to grab a few things from the room.

Harry had been using the room to practice and slowly complete his final projects for the year. While the Forbidden Forest was great for making wards and getting experience using darker spells - on a side note the Acromantula colony stopped going near him - but in the Room it was far easier. Not only would the room match what he needed it also a large amount of books provided him with an increase of his understanding, especially on the dark arts and other subjects that Hogwarts no longer teach such as spell creation and enchanting.

With the Rooms help it was quite easy to get ingredients for a water breathing potion for Nathan, he had offered to help Viktor to brew one but he declined, it wasn't that surprising though as Viktor had been spend the past weeks to perfect self-transfiguration and was now able to completely remake his entire respiratory system. Viktor was playing to win and such skill would undoubtedly gain him quite a few points.

Despite the early hour Harry made his way to the great hall, hoping that he would be able to get something to eat before heading back to the Durmstrangs Ship and taking an Invigoration Draught before the second task began later that day.

Sitting down at the front of the Ravenclaw's table as no one was sitting anywhere near there, As he slowly ate his breakfast, still tired from staying up all night, Harry heard a loud clang as Mad Eye Moody made his way across the Great Hall towards him.

"Potter, come with me" Moody said as he continued out of the hall.

"Now, Potter!" Moody said, when Harry had yet to get up. While he didn't turn around Harry couldn't help but wonder if Moody was watching him with his eye.

The two made their way through Hogwarts Harry asked "Where are we going Professor?"

"Dumbledore's office. Apparently Krum and his girlfriend broke up and so Dumbledore asked your brother's friend Granger to be Krum's 'sorely missed', which is just stirring up trouble if you ask me. But then Karkaroff had a hissy fit and said that there had to be a Durmstrang student so it has to be you." Moody said with a sneer.

"So why are we going to the Headmaster's office?"

"So he can place the protective spells on you. The other champion's 'sorely missed' got to take potions and the like yesterday and are currently asleep waiting to be put in the lake. Karkaroff really fucked up" Moody said, a gleam of anger and something else that Harry couldn't place in his eye.

The two continued to Dumbledore's office in silence only speaking once to say the password to get in. Harry also noted to get some muggle lollies for his Grandpa, that and wooly socks.

As the pair walked in Dumbledore greeted them and said "Ah, good morning Harry. I hope Alastor didn't wake you up too harshly".

"No, I was already awake, I just finalized all my final projects for this year." Harry said, quite happy with himself.

"What are you doing? Perhaps I could help?" His Grandpa asked. At the same time Moody, realizing the two were going to talk for a while, left to a side room where Dumbledore kept his books.

"I recently started to learn Aqua Eructo so for spell creation I am trying to remake a household charm to evaporate or freeze water to a much stronger degree to help control the spell."

Think about it Dumbledore said "Have you read a book called 'Raging Waters'? It is about water spells and also separates the charm into four stages, it could give you a few tips. Also I wouldn't put too much effort into trying to use both as when you get stronger Aqua Eructo will do much more than you think, with a simple wave the torrent you conjured will freeze."

"I'll see if I can find the book but I won't change my project."

"I never said you had to. I was simply saying to not put too much stock into quick solutions. You will be a great wizard Harry, there's no reason to make short cuts." Dumbledore said unable to hide his pride in his surrogate grandson.

"And your other projects?" Dumbledore continued.

"I'm going to do an unwilling human to animal transfiguration" Harry said, glancing at the library Moody went into.

"That would be a good project but weren't you trying to complete your animagus transformation this year?"

"Who said I haven't?" Harry said, a grin appearing on his face. " Just don't tell my parents, I want to surprise them."

Chuckingly Dumbledore nodded before saying "And charms?"

"I'm going to do more enchanting this year" Harry said, trying to keep the fact he was making a cursed necklace hidden.

"Hmm, what about potions and your electives?"

"I'm going to try to brew a Draught of Living Death, if I do I'll easily get Master. For Astronomy and Care I plan on doing both together, I'm going to link a unicorn behaviour to the placement of the stars. I even got Hagrid to agree to take me next time he speaks with the centaurs in the Forbidden Forest so I can ask them if they would help me with my project." Harry said, hoping his Grandfather wouldn't notice.

"All good ideas if the last is somewhat lacking… What about the dark arts?" Dumbledore said, curious about Harry's progress in the subject.

"Nothing much just I'm just going to learn a spell called Vulcan's Hammer" Harry lied.

"I remember when I first tried that spell, terrible thing it was, I was in my seventh year during the Christmas holiday and my brother's pet goat wouldn't stop screaming, at the time I didn't know the extent of the spell so I used it and let's just say that the poor goat never went near me again. My brother was furious." Dumbledore said, an unusual combination of disgusted and nostalgia on his face.

"Really?" Harry couldn't help but ask. The idea of the Albus Dumbledore using Vulcan's Hammer was just so… strange.

"Yes… and Harry, please if you don't want to say what you're doing in the dark arts just say so. I am well aware that you're far beyond what you tell your parents."

Just as Harry was about to reply Moody walked out of the library and said disgruntledly "Sorry to end the tea party but Potter really should be put under now".

"Yes you are right Alastor. Harry, if you wouldn't mind giving over your wand, and any other magical objects, otherwise it will disrupt the spell." Dumbledore said, his wand already out.

"Of course Grandpa," Harry yawned, already feeling tired as his eyes shut.