The Contract

Chapter 30

"Now this defensive spell wasn't taught until I was in my second year at Hogwarts, and I now believe it's a forth year spell," Corvus explained, they were in the classroom, a room that Corvus had converted for his son's education back in the day. It would be used once again as a classroom for Harry, and had everything a tutor could possibly need. "That may have changed since Rabastan was in school however, but it is a very handy spell to have in your arsenal, especially if you're being hounded say by other students or you feel endangered." Harry was sitting listening intently to everything he was saying, eager to learn which Corvus liked very much.

Harry no longer made faces at learning more about what Dumbledore did and how far the school had declined over the years. He was disheartened by it all, and hoped with the inspectors doing inspections that things might change, that Dumbledore might be forced to make those changes by the board of Governors. He had been informed by Corvus - as he was often informed - that inspectors would be inspecting the school and they'd likely hear back in a week or two regarding their findings.

"The stunning spell is also known as a stunner or Stupefying charm, and it renders the victim unconscious and can also halt moving objects." Corvus told him, "Now it can be an extremely dangerous spell especially if you hit a fellow wizard or witch, with multiple stunning spells, if say five people blasted out stunning spells with great power it will most likely kill it's victim. The human body would cave at the feel of it, their heart would give up."

"I don't really want to know how you know that do I?" Harry asked, despite his words, his lips were twitching at the side, nothing Corvus could say to him would ever make him leave. He didn't care what Corvus did, just as long as he didn't get caught, he wouldn't give up this little - admittedly odd - family he had now for anything.

"No, not yet," Corvus conceded, eyes twinkling despite his blank face, his own lips twitching when he noticed the youngsters own amusement. "Now, the incantation for the spell is Stupefy, which is pronounced 'STEW-puh-fye'," Corvus added, drawing the words out so that Harry heard it properly, it was the most important part of learning, knowing how they were pronounced. He'd waited until an hour after Harry had taken his afternoon potions, so that he was neither groggy or in pain, so that nothing might go wrong.

Harry nodded, Defence with Quirrell had been excruciatingly painful, not just because of the headaches but because of his constant stuttering. They'd hardly done any spell work, most of it had been written or reading, he wondered how different he would be when he returned next year. Not that he had needed help, he had done his own work, and of course, Corvus had helped before he even stepped foot in Hogwarts.

"Okay, now let's see you demonstrate on the imitation," the 'Imitation' happened to be a statue, a dummy, a mock wizard, that absorbed your spells, and could tell you just how well your spell would have affected the target. They would not stop learning this particular spell until he had it perfected, it was an extremely handy spell, as he'd informed Harry, to have in your arsenal. There hadn't been anything like that available when he or his sons had been going through tutoring, and it was quite an accomplishment, expensive too.

Corvus was watching Harry work, when a bell-like sound rang around the manor, "Excuse me, Harry, I'm afraid I must answer that, it's the emergency Floo network that was set up for the Ministry." In case of an emergency, such as for a wizengamot meeting where they didn't have the time for letters to be sent out in a hurry.

Harry watched him go perturbed, he turned back and tried to focus, but he just couldn't. So, in the end he padded out of the room, and made his way to Corvus' office, it was closed, however, so he didn't open it. Instead he elected to remain outside and wait for Corvus to emerge to find out what had happened.

He almost jumped out of his skin, when Corvus came out barely a minute later, "Is everything okay?" worry putting stress lines on his young face.

"The boys are fine," Corvus was quick to reassure Harry when he realized perhaps why he was in such a state, "An emergency Wizengamot session is being called immediately. I must leave, I apologise for cancelling out session so soon."