THE LIGHTNING LORD

Chapter 19 : End of term

Two days later, Harry, Daphne, Tracy, Neville, Susan and Hannah found themselves sitting in a compartment in the Hogwarts Express, having fun. Of course, all good things must come to an end as Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger barged into the compartment unannounced. As unlikely as it was, those two started hanging out with each other after the troll incident and had managed to annoy Harry more than usual.

Ron spoke up first, "Harry mate, what are you doing with a bunch of filthy snakes? Come join us, we can play a game of chess."

Harry groaned as he was not in the mood for this. "Weasley, those filthy snakes you refer to are my friends and I'm not interested in playing chess with you. As you can see, I'm reading. I prefer not to talk" he said, hoping Weasley would get the hint. Unfortunately, he didn't.

"You always read, mate, why don't we discuss Quidditch? I follow Chudley Cannons, you should too" he said. Harry's eye twitched in annoyance, but he didn't reply and simply returned to his book.

"What book are you reading Harry? I don't recognise it as i've finished all the first year books of course. I don't remember any teacher authorising you to read that book so you shouldn't be reading books that haven't been prescribed you know. They could be dangerous and should therefore give it to Professor McGonagall so that she can check if it's appropriate for you. Is that how you do so well in class? Getting extra help is cheating!" Hermione exclaimed so fast that her face was now pink.

Daphne was now getting annoyed as well so she replied in a cold voice, "Granger it is none of your business what book he does and doesn't read. Also, he doesn't need anyone's permission to read a book as the book belongs to him and who has the right to take it away from him unless it explicitly harms another person. For your information, he does well in class because he's intelligent so don't you dare call him a cheat. Have you so soon forgotten the incident with the troll?"

"You're quite rude you know?" Hermione then retaliated to Daphne causing Daphne's eye to twitch in further annoyance. However, before she could take out her wand, she felt Harry take her hand and give it a soft squeeze in comfort.

"Miss Granger, you were the one who barged into our compartment unannounced and started insulting us by calling us filthy snakes and cheats. Are you sure you want to talk about being rude?" asked Daphne.

That's when Ron decided put his pennies worth in. "But we didn't say anything wrong! All Slytherins are evil! Everybody knows that!" he shouted.

The air in the compartment suddenly went cold and Harry sharply turned to him with his wand raised and said, "Leave before you get cursed as I'm sure you know what I'm capable of for you were there when I took care of the troll. Do you care for an encore?"

Ron went pale and left hastily. Hermione sniffed and said "You shouldn't threaten a student and i'll be reporting this to Professor McGonagall when we get back". She then left the compartment slamming the compartment door behind her.

"Those two are the most annoying twats I have ever seen" exclaimed Tracy.

"I don't understand what their problem is. Weasley follows you around like a lost puppy and Granger can't take a hint that you're not interested in her little competition. Have you observed the fact that she spends even more time in the library now that before?" asked Susan.

Once they eventually reached Kings Cross station, they got down to meet the people waiting for them. Harry had told Sirius beforehand that he wanted to go to Potter Castle for a couple of days and then he would join him for the rest of the holidays. So after a goodbye to each other, Harry was about to use his portkey to go home when he was suddenly grabbed in a hug. Being grabbed like that did not bring back pleasant memories for him and therefore he cast a wandless banishing charm on the person and flicked his wand to his hand. What he saw was who he guessed to be Molly Weasley being helped up by her children. Her face was as red as her hair at bring pushed down in public, but she smiled and looked at Harry and said, "It's so good to finally meet you Harry dear as Ron has told me so much about you in his letters. How was the first term? Did you enjoy your experience at Hogwarts? I don't think a young boy like you should be spending Christmas alone so you can come with us to the Burrow. You and Ron can share a room and Ginny is so eager to meet you, isn't that right dear? Come along Harry" she said and grabbed his hand.

Molly Weasley was told by Albus Dumbledore to make sure that Harry came to the Burrow for Christmas as this would give her a chance to introduce the boy to Ginny. She thought that if her daughter could marry the boy, she could finally live in luxury and her family won't be the subject of scorn by the majority of wizarding Britain anymore. If Harry wasn't interested in Ginny, well a love potion would clear that up. It was what she had done to her husband Arthur and look how well their marriage turned out! She was then snapped out of her daydream when she felt a wand poking her. She turned to find a pissed off Harry Potter, pointing his wand at her.

"Mrs Weasley, I don't know what anyone has told you, but startling someone by hugging them before even being introduced is inappropriate and some people might even consider it as an attack and retaliate. That being said, I don't know what your son has informed you but we're not friends and I'm not about to take off to a house of strangers just because you say so. In addition to this, how I spend my Yule holidays is none of your concern and I'm not answerable to you. Now, good day" he said.

Molly Weasley's face turned purple. "Now see here young man, I'm a mother of seven and I won't be spoken to that way. You obviously need a motherly figure and-"

She was cut short when the surrounding temperature dropped. People around turned to look at the sight of the Boy Who Lived pointing his wand between the eyes of Molly Weasley and could hear the cold tone of Harry Potter when he exclaimed, "I'm not your son Mrs Weasley so don't think you can drag me to your house just because you demand it. And don't EVER think that I need a motherly figure in my life. No one can replace my mother as she was so bloody brilliant that she outsmarted Voldemort, figured out a way to stop the Avada Kedarva curse and sacrificed her life without hesitation so that she could save her son's life. You dare try to step into her shoes? I will never allow it". He touched his ring and portkeyed away in rage. People were now staring at the Weasley matriarch with narrowed eyes while many started whispering in disbelief. Molly Weasley turned red with anger as well as embarrassment and therefore headed to the floo with her children.

Harry spent the rest of the evening flying with Aquila so that he could calm down. His thunderbird familiar always seemed to know what to say to get him to quench his anger and having a long conversation with him, Harry entered headed to his study within the castle. He had overheard Granger and Weasley a few days back and had to make sure that what he heard wasn't true. He took a piece of parchment and quill and wrote.

Dear Mr and Mrs Flamel,

My name is Hadrian Potter, and I'm the great-great-grandson of William and Isabel Potter, who as you remember were your ex-students. I'm a first-year student at Hogwarts and I recently found that Albus Dumbledore might be hiding your Philosopher's stone in the school. I don't know whether  this is true, but I do know that there is a plot here because Headmaster Dumbledore announced publicly on the night of the opening feast that a certain corridor is out of bounds unless you want to die a most painful death.

There have been two attempts on my life in the few months since I have been there and I'm sure people think that such an object may be present at Hogwarts. I just thought it might be prudent to inform you as I have no idea if you have your property or if it's with Dumbledore plan. I have previously spoken to the portraits of my ancestors and they had nothing but the best things to say about you.

It is for that reason that I decided to write this letter. I'm sorry to have bothered you if the trap set by Albus Dumbledore is a ruse, but if it isn't, I just wanted to inform you so that you can make any important decision soon. Such a device could be dangerous in the wrong hands, even in the hands of those who have portrayed themselves to be trusted in the past.

Best Regards,

Lord Hadrian J Potter

Lord of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Potter

He put the letter in an envelope and went to Hedwig. "This is going to be a long flight girl and I think that they have anti-mail wards too. Be careful, and in case you can't find them, come back. I can find some other way to deliver the letter to them" he said stroking her snowy white feathers. Hedwig hooted, nibbled his finger and took off into the night sky.

After seeing her disappear, he had a light dinner and then proceeded to the dungeons. After passing through several doors where he had to say the password in parseltongue, he finally entered the place where the prisoners were kept. "Wakey wakey everyone. I'm back from school! Aren't you going to welcome me?" he asked in a fake cheerful voice.