36. Chapter 36

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Chapter 36.

Harry sat on the hospital bed with a satisfied smirk, watching the hustle and bustle going on around him. Several Gryffindors were sitting on various contraptions in his direct vicinity, talking excitedly about the amazing catch Harry had pulled off. Madame Pomfrey hadn't asked them to leave yet because, for once, Harry's injuries were surprisingly minor, but if they kept being so loud, Harry knew it was only a matter of time.

"I still think that constitutes as cheating," Draco complained. Some of the Gryffindors jeered at him but Draco ignored them. "You weren't even touching your broom when you caught the snitch!"

"There is no rule that states that you have to," Hermione pointed out cleverly.

"Besides, Malfoy," Ron said with his mouth full of celebratory chocolate frog. "It's not as if Slytherins play fair and square. Or did you not notice when your beater tried to hit Harry with his bat?"

Draco smirked. "That was an accident," he said slyly.

"I think you should just accept my superiority," Harry said smugly. "I'm better than you and you know it."

"I'm just not as desperate as you are," Draco said smugly. "I don't see the use of getting myself killed just to win a Quidditch match."

"A point of view I wish Mr Potter shared," drawled a deep voice. The Gryffindors all quieted down as they laid eyes on Snape.

"Hi, Professor," Harry said cheekily. "Did you see my amazing catch?"

Snape opened his mouth to say something scathing when Alex pushed past him and sat on the edge of Harry's cot.

"Harry!" he exclaimed. "That was brilliant! Even after reading all about it, I could never guess just how exciting this sport is! And you! You were so good!" Alex had to catch his breath with all the excitement going on.

"Don't encourage him, Alexander," Snape admonished. "He's not supposed to get himself injured while he plays."

"Come on, Severus," Alex said gently. "The best sports carry with them a risk of injury. Think of rugby; baseball; football…"

"There are different kinds of risks," Snape growled. "And the risk of nearly getting yourself killed is not one I want Harry to take."

"I only broke my wrist," Harry pointed out.

"A broken wrist," Alex whistled. "Such a spectacular stunt and the only injury you sustained was a broken wrist. Well done!"

"Alexander!" Snape snarled. "Don't encourage him."

Harry groaned. It was bad enough to have Alex and Snape squabble about him but to have nearly the entire Gryffindor team bear witness was straight up mortifying.

"Could you have this discussion elsewhere?" Harry asked.

"But you were going to fly with me," Alex pointed out. "When do you think your wrist will be healed?"

"I don't know if I want Harry flying in a while," Snape said coldly.

"What?!" Harry exclaimed. "But I have to test the potion!"

"There's no need for you to fly alongside Alex to see if your potion works," Snape pointed out smoothly. "You will administer it and then watch from the side-lines. I'm sure that either Mr Malfoy or Mr Weasley will be happy to teach him."

Harry glanced around to see that his teammates were sufficiently confused about what was going on and decided not to fight Snape on this. He probably wasn't really going to be able to fly today anyway.

"Fine," he grumbled.

"Drink this, Mr Potter," Pomfrey said as she suddenly pressed a potion in Harry's hand. Harry recognised it as a small dose of skele-gro. "There's no need for you to stay here waiting for that wrist to heal. I would also rather not have your Fanclub littering my medical wing so you'd best be off."

"I don't have a Fanclub," Harry grumbled but Pomfrey raised an eyebrow as she allowed her gaze to roam the multitude of people currently present.

"Oh really?" she asked. "You could have fooled me."

"Don't look a gift horse in the mouth, Harry," Alex said. "Come on, let's go."

"Why would you look a horse in the mouth?" Ron asked. "Is it to make sure that it's a regular muggle horse or something?"

Hermione sighed exasperatedly. "I'll explain later, Ron," she said.

"Let's go," Harry said as he grabbed his quidditch cloak that was draped across one of the chairs. With a sideways glance at Snape, he crept past the dour man, ignoring the sardonic eyebrow he raised and fled.

"You're too hard on him, Severus," he heard Alex say as he left.

"I'm not nearly strict enough," Snape huffed. "He still gives me cheek."

Harry chuckled and hurried off.

Harry found Alex and Snape again on the Quidditch pitch. He was carrying his Firebolt in his good hand and had the Magic Muggle potion tucked into his pocket. Draco, Ron and Hermione were also waiting but the rest of the Quidditch team was thankfully no longer present.

"Thanks for waiting," Harry said.

"We couldn't very well get started without the potion," Snape drawled. "Otherwise you can be assured that you would not be present."

"Are you really still upset?" Harry asked incredulously. "Worse things have happened."

"Just get on with it," Snape growled with an irritated hand movement.

"You take my Firebolt, Ron," Harry said as he handed the redhead his broom. "It would be safer if Alex uses a school broom for now."

Ron accepted with a big grin. "As you say, mate," he said. He handed Alex the school broom and accepted the Firebolt happily.

Alex mounted the broom with excited haste and Harry chuckled. "You need the potion first, you know." He pointed out.

"I know," Alex said. "Hand it over already."

"You might at least pretend to have some manners," Snape said coldly.

Harry fished the potion out of his pocket and was about to hand it to Alex but stopped his hand midway.

"What in the –"

"What's wrong?" Draco asked. "If you suddenly realised that there's a muggle present in Hogwarts then yes, that is decidedly weird."

Hermione cuffed him to the back of the head. "Stop being such a prat," she hissed.

"Guys!" Harry interrupted. "Are you really not seeing this?"

"I see it," Snape said calmly. "Alexander. Do you realize you're floating?"

Alex blinked a couple of times and looked down at his own feet when he realized that they weren't touching the ground anymore. "Wow," he said. "Does this mean I'm a wizard now?"

Snape scoffed. "Hardly," he replied. "But it would appear that you no longer need the potion to fly a broom."

"Fascinating," Harry said. "Draco, Ron, could you teach him the ropes while I make some observations?"

"Sure thing!" Ron called out. He already took to the sky and started flying circles around Alex while Draco seemed to take the time to patiently explain some things to the man, even if he was a muggle. Harry followed Snape to a bench and sat down with him.

"What do you think is going on?" Harry asked curiously.

Snape regarded Harry. "It's your potion," he pointed out. "What is your observation?"

"It's odd," Harry replied without taking his eyes off of Alex. "I think that the potion awoke his innate magic. That much is clear. And it did wear off back then, did it not?"

"It did," Snape confirmed. "So why is he able to fly a broom now?" He asked the question as if he was asking it in his potions class. Harry had the distinct feeling that the man already knew the answer but would rather that Harry found out on his own.

"Er…" Harry doubted.

"When we went inside your mind and unearthed your innate magic, did it revert to slumbering once you were done?"

"No," Harry admitted. "It was far easier to use it from then on. It almost became second nature."

Snape said nothing. He just crossed his arms and watched as Alex actually started flying in slow circles while both Draco and Ron flew protectively close to him.

"So perhaps innate magic – once awakened – does not collapse back onto itself," Harry said smartly.

"I suspect as much," Snape replied. "It probably took a while to manifest itself properly once the potion wore off because Alex is a muggle, which is why it didn't appear to be permanent at first."

"Hold on," Harry said importantly. "You don't think he can do magic now, do you?"

Snape chuckled. "No, Harry," he said. "I'm certain that you did not invent a potion to turn muggles into wizards and witches. You simply awoke his innate magic to form the most basic of bridges. He will be able to fly brooms now; be somewhat more resistant to illnesses and perhaps even heal slightly faster but he will never be able to actually perform magic."

"That would be a bit much, I suppose," Harry said. Alex had just performed a loop and nearly fell off his broom had Ron not been there to shove him upright again. "He'll never be a Quidditch prodigy, will he?"

"Unlikely," Snape snorted.

"You're going to write to 'The Practical Potioneer' about this, aren't you?" Harry asked.

"Naturally," Snape replied easily. "I believe this is one of your most useful potions yet."

Harry laughed. "Well, this one didn't stem from the failure of another potion, I suppose."

"Speaking of the Umbral Locum, did you finish your paper to accompany it when we visit the guild?" Snape asked.

Harry sighed. "Almost," he admitted. "I just need to go over everything one last time to make sure there are no more mistakes."

"I can look it over for you as well, should you so desire," Snape proposed.

"You don't consider that cheating?" Harry asked.

"I'm still your Master," Snape pointed out. "It is only logical that I would inspect your work. Especially before I need to introduce you to my colleagues. I won't have you dishonour me."

Harry paled considerably. "Dishonour you?" he asked.

Snape sighed. "It will be fine," he said in a smoother voice. "I have every confidence that you will do spectacularly. I have seen what you can do first hand and I am already proud of you."

Harry smiled and watched as Alex was now smoothly sailing through the skies, whooping as he did. He shivered slightly when a cold wind rustled his hair. Snape drew an arm around Harry's shoulders and pulled him closer to him.

"You're almost there, Harry," Snape said. "If you can manage not to get yourself killed while playing Quidditch, you will become a Master yet."

Harry chuckled. "I'll try to never land on my head."

Snape sighed in exasperation and ruffled Harry's hair.

"Brat."

Dinner that evening was rather amusing. Snape had proposed that they eat in his private quarters but Alex had insisted on eating in the great hall. He was completely enamoured by the enchanted ceiling and floating candles and simply loved swapping stories with Dumbledore. So rather than eating privately in the dour Potions Master's rooms, he chose the much more exciting option.

He was seated between Snape and Dumbledore with Maya sitting on Snape's other side. Every now and then, Maya and Alex would talk to each other, both leaning in much too closely for Snape's comfort as was obvious to all who were watching.

And many were.

The fact that Alex was a muggle had not been shared with the general student body so naturally, everyone assumed that the strange man was a wizard. Not only that, but since he took Snape's scowls and glare without so much as a flinch or any other sign of discomfort, people were starting to think that he was a very powerful one.

"I bet that Snape keeps glaring at him because he's here for the defence position," Harry heard some Hufflepuff say.

"Yeah," his friend agreed. "And look. He clearly doesn't even care. He's not afraid of Snape in the least! The only other wizard that doesn't seem to mind him is Dumbledore."

"That's what I was thinking. He must be very powerful."

"Not to mention dreamy," Another girl mentioned. "Do you think he's married?"

Harry snorted in his glass of pumpkin juice and glanced over at the high table again, right at the moment that Maya planted a chaste kiss on Snape's cheek as she stole one of the potatoes from his plate. Alex watched the scene with his mouth agape and seemed to be stuttering some words. Maya laughed, the sound reaching Harry easily and Snape just rolled his eyes and stole his missing potato back.

"Looks like Alex found out," Harry told his friends, inclining his head towards the adults.

Ron snickered when he saw Alex shake Snape's hand excitedly before the Potions Master roughly snatched his hand back. Maya threw a Brussels sprout at Alex's head which caused him to sit back down. Dumbledore seemed very amused by all of this and was eating as he watched the scene unfold as if he were at some dinner with a show.

"What do you reckon that's all about?" A third-year Gryffindor asked. "They look like they're best friends or something."

"Oh my," A girl next to him said excitedly. "Do you suppose their relationship just stops at friends?"

Another girl sighed. "It would fit beautifully, wouldn't It?" she whispered. "The cold and collected professor with a man as vibrant and happy as Alex is. He could probably change Snape for the better."

Harry seriously had to do his best not to spit out his juice in laughter as he listened to the girls. He covered his mouth with his hand to aid him.

"You two are forgetting about Bell," another Gryffindor pointed out.

"She can't get in the way of true love," the first girl said haughtily.

That was too much. Harry sprayed his juice all over his plate and started laughing uncontrollably. Hermione hid her face in her hands in mortification while Ron just seemed flabbergasted having been too occupied with eating to notice anything going on around him.

Harry glanced over at Snape to see the man look at him in disgust as Harry wiped the juice from his chin. Alex casually refilled his glass for him as the man glowered and Harry laughed again.

The girls were now squealing excitedly among themselves and Harry vaguely wondered if they would form a Fanclub of sorts.

Harry found himself on the edge of the forbidden forest once more, strolling alongside its rim with Luna at his side. The forest might harbour some scary creatures and sound foreboding but if Harry was honest, it wasn't all that terrifying after all. Especially if you chose to walk there at the start of spring when the sun was high in the sky, with a pretty girl skipping next to you.

"When will you be visiting the guild?" Luna asked as she slid her hand across a tree they passed.

"Next weekend," Harry replied. "I just hope I'm ready."

"You seem nervous," Luna noted. "Why is that?"

Harry chuckled. "Because I have to show a bunch of Masters my work and hope that they deem it good enough.

"Good enough for what?" Luna asked.

"To become a Master," Harry said.

Luna chuckled. She stopped for a moment and looked at Harry with a happy twinkle in her eyes. "What you become does not depend on others, I think," she said.

"But it does," Harry replied uneasily, running a hand through his hair. "They can make or break me."

Luna gazed at the sky for a while and smiled when she saw some birds fly by. "If you told a bird that it can't fly anymore, would it stop?" she asked.

"No," Harry chuckled. "Of course not."

"Nor can you tell a fish to stop swimming," Luna added giddily.

Harry smiled and grabbed Luna's hand. "I wouldn't dare," he said indulgently.

Luna put her free hand on Harry's shoulder as she faced him, smiling pleasantly. "No one can make you step brewing, Harry," she said easily. "The only person you are destined to be is the one you decide to become."

Harry put his arm on the small of Luna's back as he started swaying lightly. Luna giggled and followed his lead.

"How did you become so wise?" Harry asked her. In a slow movement, he lifted the hand that held hers, having her spin in a slow circle before she giggled and clasped his shoulder again.

"I listen a lot," she explained.

"And what do you hear now?" Harry asked as they danced in a slow circle. Luna put her head on Harry's shoulder as he pulled her closer. Her hair smelled like plums and strawberries.

"I hear music," she whispered.

The couple started dancing a bit faster to a melody that Harry did not perceive. His rhythm was powered by the giggles that escaped Luna's lips.

"And what does it tell you?" Harry asked as he gazed at his partner while the world swirled all around them.

"It's hard to say," Luna said. "Life is a beautiful melody but the lyrics are all messed up."

Harry chuckled as he lifted Luna into the air and gazed at her wonderfully serene expression. He then let her fall gently into his embrace and hugged her close.

"You're still nervous," Luna said as he stroked her hair.

"A little bit," Harry admitted.

"Don't be," Luna told him. "Some things are meant to be. Even if they take a couple of tries to get there."

A few days later, Harry found himself in the library studying with Ron, Hermione and Draco. Well, Ron was doodling something in his notebook rather than writing his essay on the merits of elemental shields but the other three were working hard.

Harry had just finished adding another paragraph to his essay on the Umbral Locum when Hermione disrupted his thoughts.

"So, what do you make of this career day that's coming up?" she asked.

"Hm?" Harry asked absentmindedly.

"The career day, Harry," Hermione snapped. She bumped into his elbow, causing his face to almost collide with the table they were sitting at.

"Hey!" Harry said in indignation. A vicious hush from Madame Pince made him drop his voice to a whisper. "I was focusing."

"What are you concerned about?" Draco asked her. "I'm sure you can do whatever you want."

"Yeah," Harry agreed. "And I'm already quite clear on what I want so I don't see the point, really."

"I could use some advice," Ron sighed, his doodle now finished.

Draco looked at his notebook and frowned. "I advise against becoming an artist, then," he said.

"What?" Ron hissed, "And I suppose you've got it all worked out then, have you?"

"Of course," Draco said haughtily. "I want to create artefacts."

"Sure," Ron said. "But what kind of magic will you focus on? What objects? Will you create the objects yourself or buy them off of someone else? If you create them yourself they're that much more powerful but you would need to learn an additional craft. How are your smithing skills, anyway?"

Draco stared at Ron with a rather dumb look on his face before replying. "You know an awful lot about artefacts," he said.

"Sure," Ron shrugged. "Between having Charley and the twins as brothers, I pick up on a lot of stuff like that."

"Guys," Hermione whispered. "Could you discuss this later? What am I going to do about this career day?"

"You're going to be handed a bunch of pamphlets, answer a bunch of questions and get some advice from McGonagall," Harry droned. "It's not like you have to make a decision then and there."

"But I feel like I should come prepared," Hermione whined. "Most of you already know what you want to do but I'm just lost."

Ron snorted. "You're lost because you can do everything. Your options are so vast, it's ridiculous, really."

"You might end up being a stay-at-home-dad, Ron," Draco said, grinning broadly. "With a wife as ambitious as this one."

Ron broke into a coughing fit immediately and hurried out of the library as to not disturb anyone. Well, that or to avoid any further mortification.

Draco shrugged. "Just become the minister of magic or something," he told Hermione. "That should keep you plenty busy."

Harry knew that Draco had meant it as a joke but caught Hermione thinking that over with a contemplative smile on her face. He shook his head in mild amusement and went back to his essay, describing how substituting thestral hooves for thestral hair had caused the spirit's touch to no longer be cold.

Just a few more days and they would visit the guild. He hoped that he had earned the necessary votes. If not, he wouldn't know what would be expected of him next.

Many things happening. Many things done. I wonder what you feel about all of this? Starting next chapter, things will pick up speed again. As I will be doing for the remainder of the week, I'll have to check whether or not to update depending on the traffic. Don't hate me for this! I just don't want to update when nobody reads. So please do review!