The Raven

Perspective

"Bloody hell," Harry groaned as he flopped down onto the sofa. He was exhausted.

They had been training non stop for the last week. Every day after class Harry would make his way down to the Slytherin common room where he would train with Draco, Blaise, Theo, and Castor. Pansy and Daphne also practiced with him occasionally when they weren't too busy planning out his new wardrobe.

Pansy was excellent in transfiguration while Daphne was a skilled duelist. He looked forward to any opportunity to duel with Daphne. She was shorter than Pansy so she was small and fast, making her a difficult target to hit.

Castor was the real challenge though. Out of everyone in the group he was the most dangerous opponent to face in a duel. He was as quick and deadly as a cobra. He knew more spells than anyone else, and Harry doubted many other students in Hogwarts could beat him, even the older years.

"Are you alright there Harry?" Castor asked from where he stood smirking in the corner.

Harry just grunted, unable to form complete sentences.

"Well at least you are making good progress," Draco pointed out. "You might actually make it more than 5 minutes thanks to us."

Harry picked up a pillow off the sofa and threw it at him. Draco dodged it with a smile, "Oh you must have strength to practice the spell again if you can throw a pillow."

Harry just groaned loudly and turned over so he was face down on the sofa. "I'm never picking up my wand again."

Blaise walked over to the drink cart and filled a glass of water before bringing it to him. Harry sent him a grateful look and swallowed the whole glass in a few short seconds.

Despite his exhaustion, their training was beginning to pay off. He had mastered the heat detection spell within three days, and now they were focusing on spells that would help him restrain the hidebehind.

The heat detection spell was a strange spell. It altered the way he saw the world. Instead of seeing the black color of student's robes, he saw a bright red spot where their hearts were located. He saw their body heat at varying levels of intensity. Red for very hot, orange and yellow for hot, green and light blue for warm or cool, and purple and dark blue for cold. It not only allowed him to see through objects such as walls. It also showed him exactly which parts of their body were the most vulnerable. He was hoping it would help him spot the hidebehinds weaknesses during the task.

After a few days of practice, he not only gained the ability to use heat detection, he also gained the ability to cast it nonverbally. Dumbledore and the others would have no idea he was using a Dark spell.

Harry was starting to feel better about the first task. He was still terrified, but he knew his chances were better if he could see the hidebehind and target its weaknesses. He felt more confident in his abilities with every passing day. He was becoming stronger and faster. He was becoming a better wizard.

He couldn't remember the last time he felt so confident.

Whenever he looked at the Slytherins situated throughout the room, he found himself wondering how they, of all people, were the ones to bring out this side of him.

He never would have expected it, but he wouldn't have changed it for the world.

Ever since Harry began publicly spending time with the Slytherins, the other Hogwarts students whispered whenever they saw him. Harry often heard conversations about how he was turning Dark.

The constant staring from Dumbledore was the worst part of it all. It took everything he had to ignore the steady stream of worried expressions sent in his direction. Harry was certain Dumbledore would ask him to meet within the coming weeks if Harry continued spending time with the Slytherins.