A Nundu for A Pet

Harry spent the rest of the day working on his talisman. Tonks told him to be prepared tonight; they would check just what was inside the forbidden third floor. Harry spent time with Hermione and Susan before leaving to do some work. He still felt he had only scratched the surface of what he could do with a talisman, so he made sure to start working and not waste more time.

It didn't take long for Harry to find an empty classroom. Once he did, he pulled a bag from his pocket and searched deep with his hand. He heaved out a large bag and placed it on a desk, opened it, and looked at the tool kit for Talisman making, which had the same tools he used when he made the coin that kind of worked as he wanted.

But Harry knew there was much more he could do with them. Harry placed down the coin talisman he had created and started working on it. The first thing he did was create a defensive rune against physical attacks. Harry focused his magic on his voice and let out a sound. The rune glittered gold on the coin. He watched as branches that seemed like veins spread from the rune around the coin, connecting with the other runes. If the rune wasn't made properly, it could backfire easily.

Harry sighed in relief when the runes didn't explode in his face; so much magic focused on one place; if the rune broke down, all the magic would be released immediately like a bomb.

As Harry worked on the talisman, he started carving the rune to make sure the intended effect would happen. When Tonks used the spell on the talisman, the spell was fired back in a random direction instead of hitting Tonks; that wasn't what he had wanted to happen, but he would make sure this time he got it right. Harry knew this talisman wasn't much, but if he could reach its full potential, he knew he could start mass producing it to be sold to Aurors in the United Kindom or even beyond. As much as Harry didn't like the fame he had, he would learn to ignore it easily; if this talisman worked as intended, he could earn money himself by selling its blueprint, so to speak, and he would get a bigger name, and more influence to use for his own protection in the future.

Suddenly, the door opened, and he quickly turned around, but much to his surprise, it was someone he wasn't expecting to see right now.

"Daphne, what are you doing here?" Harry asked with a friendly smile as he put down the tools he was using to greet her. She looked at him curiously.

"What are you doing here, Potter?" Her voice was a little icy, but Harry was sure there was a sense of warmth in her voice.

"Making a talisman," Harry said casually. Everyone in the school already knew that he could make talismans, so why bother trying to hide it from her?

"Oh, can I take a look at it?" Daphne asked, with a ghost of a smile on her face.

Harry arched an eyebrow but still nodded as he showed her what he had made.

She started inspecting it before pointing at one of the runes. "I see you are using defensive runes and one for physical protection," she said, looking at it from a different direction, much to Harry's surprise as he turned his head.

"Daphne, we don't start learning about Runes until the third year, where did you learn about them?"

"From my family. My family has the best books in this magical world when it comes to Runes, Talismans, Artifacts, and most importantly Rune Arcs." Daphne said with a puff of her chest, sounding proud of this fact.

This quickly earned Harry's interest; he quite liked the idea of getting his hands on those books. "Really! How much do you know about Runes?"

"Not as much as I would like. My sister Astoria, she has talent, but she wants to become a healer." Daphne explained as she studied Harry's work.

"I didn't know you had a sister."

"She's not in Hogwarts yet, she will come next year, and she likes healing cats, and dogs. Says she will become the best healer in the world." Daphne said, not sounding as icy as before and actually smiling slightly.

Harry quite liked her smile. He didn't know why she wanted to appear as 'The Ice Queen,' but he was sure she was better-looking when she was smiling.

"I don't know much about healing, but I'm sure Madam Pomfrey will be happy to have her around," Harry commented, and Daphne slightly smiled as she touched the talisman.

"I told her the same." She added before looking at Harry. "You made a good job with this talisman, Potter. But I think it would be better if you change this rune, and add a rune for magic detection." Daphne explained, and Harry quickly paid attention to what she said. He had to agree that adding that rune could make the talisman alarm the wizard and that he or she might be in danger.

"Hmm, that's excellent, Daphne. You know you can stay here and help me. We both can create a Talisman together." Harry offered, extending a hand towards her.

The moment he did that, Daphen's smile faded a little, and she seemed cautious again. "Aren't you worried I might try to copy your creation, Mister Potter?"

"I would appreciate it if you called me Harry. I don't want to feel old, at least not yet." Harry said, sounding a little bothered.

Daphne giggled slightly, showing her beautiful smile once again. "Harry then," she said, and for some reason, she found herself liking it more to call him by his name rather than just 'Mister Potter' or 'Potter' like everyone in Slytherin did, except for Sebastian and Anne.

"And no. I'm not concerned. This is my first project, and I know you won't try to copy it." Harry said cryptically, and Daphne looked at him, intrigued.

"But why?"

"I made sure to put a little something in this in case someone evil like you decided to copy it," Harry said teasingly, pointing at the coin.

Daphne rolled her eyes at his words but still smiled in amusement, even if it was just a small smile. "Fine. I will work with you on this talisman, but in return, you will do something for me," she said, her famous icy voice returning.

"Ohh, what could this be, my dear Lady." Harry teased back and bowed his head for dramatic effect.

"Shut up," Daphne said quickly, but her little smile showed that a part of her was enjoying this silly thing Harry was doing. "Well, I will tell you later, but I need your help with something once you are done with this talisman," she added in her icy voice.

"As my lady commands," Harry teased her, and Daphne swatted at his shoulder. Harry laughed at her, and she cracked a smile.

Daphne could not believe she was helping Harry Potter; before coming here, she had wanted to meet to be sorted in Slytherin and meet fellow Slytherin students, but much to her surprise, almost everyone in the Slytherin house was a moron and a bully. When Harry was sorted into House Slytherin.

Like everyone else, she had been shocked, and not in a good way. At first, she tried to keep her distance, knowing what most of the Pureblood families thought of Harry Potter. But as time went by, she quickly realised that Harry wasn't a weak wizard, and quite the opposite, he was showing more and more that he was one of the best Students that Hogwarts had, give it a few more years, and she knew someone like Harry could surpass all of them. Daphne was curios to say the least, she too wanted to see how far she could go with magic, and Harry Potter could be the best one to challenge, and maybe, just maybe, become good friends in the future.

For the next five hours, Harry and Daphne worked on the talisman and occasionally talked with each other, talking about everything and anything, what they liked to do, and asking if they had accidental magic when they were younger. Daphne told him that, according to her mother, she had her first accidental magic when she was only two years old.

Harry told her about the one time he made Dudley's hair turn blue, but he mostly tried to avoid talking about the bloody Dursleys.

Eventually, they were done with the talisman, and Harry held two coins in his palm. "This one is for you," Harry said as he handed her the coin talisman.

"Thank you, Harry. This is my first talisman, but don't think for a moment this is it. Soon, I will make my own talisman from scratch, and it will be better than yours."

"Oh, I dream of the day that happens so I can make even a better one." Harry countered back as he activated his own talisman, the coin glittered gold, and the rune mark were activated, using Harry's magic he had stored inside it for it work.

"Daphne, can you use a disarming spell on me." Harry requested, and the girl shrugged her shoulders before aiming at him with her wand. The moment she did that, the talisman let out a sound, alarming him that someone was trying to attack him, and the moment she fired her spell, the spell was stopped mid-air by the talisman and fired back at Daphne. This time, it wasn't a random direction like the first time when he showed it to Tonks, instead, the spell was fired right back at the attacker.

Daphne's eyes widened when her wand flew out of her hand and towards Harry's hand. "It's working," Harry exclaimed, his eyes glittering like emeralds.

Daphne had to admit that now she was looking at his eyes directly. She had to admit they were majestic, almost like the eyes of someone much higher than all of them. She felt like she could stare at those eyes for a long time, but the part of her brain still working reminded her where she was and at whose eyes she was staring.

"This Talisman is good enough, Harry, and I need my wand back."

"But you helped me with this final part." Harry was quick to remind her. He didn't want to take her credit as he gave her the wand back to her.

"Yes, but you made a talisman from scratch, Harry; all I did was work on already-made roots and simply build a little from where you left off." She said dismissively. She didn't know why she was acting like this with him, with Harry Potter, of all people, but she kind of liked it.

"Maybe, but it would have taken me longer to do the same thing without you. Thank you, Daphne." Harry said with a sincere smile before extending his hand towards her.

The Slytherin girl smiled just a little before shaking his hand; touching it felt quite good. "You are welcome, Harry, but I will still make a better talisman than you. Come second year. You will see my creation," Daphne said, her voice returning to her usual icy one, and Harry smiled with a challenging look.

"I can't wait to see it, so that I can beat you."

"In your dreams, Harry Potter."

Later

"Harry, what do you want to show me?" Susan asked for the tenth time, but her friend refused to answer.

Harry had come to the main hall, and this time, he sat with the Hufflepuffs and talked with a few in the first years, including Susan. When they started talking about Quidditch, Cedric commented about his father being a chaser. This eventually leads to Harry telling Susan to come with him outside because he wants to show her something. The auburn-haired girl cocked an eyebrow but still followed him outside, with Tonks whistling at them all the time, and making comments like.

'Harry, I thought we had something special. You betrayed my love.' Tonks shouted dramatically until Harry and Susan left the Main Hall.

Harry stood at the edge of the courtyard, the wind tugging at his school robes. He'd been practicing a bit of unconventional magic, experimenting with the enchantments woven into the fabric of his Hogwarts uniform.

"Harry, why did you bring me here?" Susan asked now that they had stopped walking, hoping he would finally answer.

"Ever flown without a broomstick?"

Her eyebrow lifted even higher. "Without a broomstick? That's not possible. You can't just—"

"Wanna bet?" Harry interrupted, a grin creeping onto his face. He flickered his school robes, and they billowed out around him as though filled with a sudden gust of wind.

Before Susan could say another word, Harry took her hand and pulled her toward him. She let out a surprised squeak, her heart racing as she looked up at him with wide eyes. "Harry, what are you—"

"Trust me," he said, his voice filled with excitement and a bit of reassurance. "It's going to be fun. Just... hold on."

Without waiting for her to protest, Harry muttered something under his breath, and suddenly, the world seemed to shift. The ground beneath their feet began to fade away as Harry's robes shimmered, glowing faintly with magic. Susan felt a strange pull, almost like the air around them was lifting her off the ground.

"Harry!" she gasped, her eyes wide as they slowly began to rise, her feet leaving the cobblestones.

They were hovering now, a few feet off the ground, and Susan clutched Harry's arm tightly, her knuckles white. "What's happening?!"

Harry grinned, his robes rippling in the breeze as they continued to rise. "Like I said, I've been experimenting with a few enchantments. Turns out, these robes can do more than just keep us warm."

Before Susan could respond, Harry gave a gentle flick of his wrist, and suddenly, they shot upward, soaring into the sky above the courtyard. Susan's eyes went wide with terror, and she let out a startled scream as the world below them disappeared in a blur. She clung to Harry, her heart pounding in her chest.

"We're flying!" she shouted, her voice filled with panic.

"I know!" Harry laughed, clearly enjoying the rush. His grip on her hand was firm, and despite the speed and height, he moved them with ease, guiding their flight with nothing but the movement of his robes.

They flew higher, passing the tops of the castle's tall spires, the wind whipping through their hair. Susan squeezed her eyes shut, unable to shake the fear of falling. She had never been particularly fond of heights, and flying without a broom was far worse than anything she had ever experienced.

"Harry, slow down!" she cried, her voice shaky.

Harry glanced at her, his expression softening. "Alright, alright. Let's take it easy."

He eased them into a gentle glide, the wind softening around them as they drifted over the rooftops of Hogwarts. Slowly, Susan opened her eyes. The initial terror was still there, but it was mixed now with something else — awe. The castle below them looked breathtaking from up here, its stone towers and turrets glowing in the afternoon sun, the Black Lake shimmering in the distance.

Susan's grip on Harry's arm loosened just a little, and she looked around, her fear slowly ebbing away. "This... this is unbelievable."

"Told you," Harry said with a grin, guiding them in a smooth arc above the castle grounds.

"How are you doing this?" she asked, still breathless, her voice full of wonder.

Harry shrugged, his eyes twinkling. "Runes, but I also added a few things. The problem is that it can only fly for five minutes like this, and the magic will run out."

Susan glanced down at the ground far below, then back at Harry, her fear melting into excitement. "This is... incredible! I had no idea you could do something like this!"

They circled around the Astronomy Tower, swooping low over the courtyard, where a few students pointed up at them in disbelief. Susan waved, her face lit up with a grin as she marveled at how effortlessly Harry controlled their flight.

After a few more thrilling loops around the castle, Harry gently guided them back down, their feet touching the ground in a soft landing near the fountain where they had started. Susan's heart was still racing, but this time, it was from excitement, not fear. She looked at Harry, her face glowing with awe and disbelief.

"I can't believe we just did that," she said, breathless. "That was... amazing, Harry! I didn't even know something like that was possible!"

Harry shrugged, though there was a proud smile on his face. "I'm glad you enjoyed it."

Susan laughed, shaking her head in disbelief. "Enjoyed it? That was the most amazing thing I've ever done! Thank you, Harry."

"Anytime," he said, his smile warm as he looked at her. "Maybe next time, we can take it even higher."

Susan raised her eyebrows. "Next time? I think I need to catch my breath first."

Harry laughed and nodded. "Fair enough."

The two heard footsteps, and they didn't need to turn to know that it was Professor Minerva marching towards them. "Mister Potter, explain what I just saw through my window."

"A Bird." Harry couldn't help but open his big mouth, and Minerva glared down at him.

"Very funny, Mister Potter. You and Lady Bones will come with me."

Later

After some talk with Dumbledore, and him telling Harry to not do something like that again without permission. Harry and Susan were left off without punishment this time only because Harry had done something incredible, despite the cloak only lasting five minutes and using a lot of magic to use it again.

' 'Maybe we can do it again.' Harry suggested as the two walked downstairs towards the Main Hall.

'Maybe,' Susan muttered, but before they could enter the Main Hall, she turned him around to face her and swatted at his shoulder.

'Ouch, what was that for?'

'That was for scaring me, ' she said heatedly before reaching forward and kissing his cheek. 'This was for everything else,' she said with a quiet voice before opening the hall door and almost running away. All that before he could say a thing, he touched the place she had kissed, and he quite liked the feeling.

'Hmm, maybe I should scare her more often.' Harry thought before he, too, entered the hall.'

The corridors of Hogwarts were eerily quiet, the usual hustle and bustle of students long gone as the castle settled into the stillness of night. The only sounds were the distant creaks of the old building and the occasional hoot of an owl from the Owlery. Harry carefully made his way down the third-floor corridor, his footsteps barely making a sound on the cold stone floor, with Itisa resting on his shoulder. Her eyes glowed gold in the darkness.

Beside him, Nymphadora Tonks walked with a certain confident ease, her wand out and glowing faintly, casting just enough light for them to see where they were going.

"What do you think we will find down there, Tonks?" Harry whispered, glancing at the heavy wooden door ahead of them, the one that led to the forbidden corridor. "Whatever it is, it must be quite something if Professor Quirrell wanted it," Harry said. He remembered the painting telling him that a professor wearing black robes had stopped Professor Quirrell when he tried to enter the third floor, and the only one that matched that description was Professor Snape.

To say Harry was surprised would be an understatement; of all the professors at Hogwarts, Snape seemed the most likely to steal whatever was behind that door. For Snape to be the one to stop Quirrell, Harry wondered why. Snape didn't seem like the kind of person to do something for the greater good unless that greater good gave him a personal benefit.

Tonks shot him a mischievous grin. "Who knows? I'm thinking maybe it's something hidden that has a lot of value." She winked, nudging him forward.

"Before we go, there's something I must do." Harry stopped her, and she watched as Itisa jumped from his shoulder. "Tonks, what I'm about to do... No one knows I can do this, so keep it that way, alright?" Harry said, not looking at Tonks, who was growing a little worried.

"Wait, what am I supposed to keep secret?"

Harry didn't answer her. The light coming from her wand illuminated his face, and she watched as his eyes changed. The dark orbs contracted, reshaping into thin, reptilian slits, while his green irises gleamed with an unnatural, predatory light. For a moment, she was sure she was staring at a snake.

"Harry, what is this?" Tonks asked. She didn't know what Harry had just done, but as far as she knew, he wasn't a Metamorphmagus like her, and being an Animagus didn't allow anyone to transform only certain parts of their bodies.

Harry remained silent as he slowly stopped listening to the many voices and sounds around him. Soon, he could hear only Tonks, whose heart was beating too fast. He could hear Itisa and something beyond the wooden door. He didn't know what it was, but it sounded big.

"Tonks," he turned to face her, his voice deeper than normal. His eyes still looked like a snake's, and he could see she was tense. "It's still me, Tonks," Harry reassured her with a smile.

"Harry, what is this?" Tonks asked, feeling more relaxed now. Still, the sight of Harry's snake-like eyes was unsettling. She could already imagine what her mother's reaction would be if she were here right now.

"I'm not sure yet myself, but this allows me to hear everything around me. And behind that door, I'm sure there's something big," Harry said airily, while Tonks just stared at him, trying to process what he had just said.

"Wait, you can hear everything?" Tonks asked, with a small hint of nervousness in her voice, and Harry must have noticed because he broke into a wide, cruel smile.

"Indeed, everything, Tonks. You should learn to be quieter, my dear Tonks." Harry couldn't help but tease her, and he burst out laughing when she turned bright red, matching her hair. Nymphadora Tonks, someone who teased everyone, was actually blushing. That was something he would remember for the rest of his life.

"Shut up! Now it makes sense why you always knew I was sneaking out—because you could hear my footsteps," Tonks said accusingly. She wondered how Harry had this strange ability. She also wondered if her mother knew anything about it; after all, she was a Black, and the Black family had one of the largest libraries in the United Kingdom.

"Sorry," Harry apologized in the midst of laughing as he gathered his composure. "Don't worry, Tonks. I'm just messing with you. I'm not a pervert, and no, the reason I knew you were sneaking out is that you're terrible at sneaking out." Harry added, much to Tonks' annoyance.

She was relieved that Harry hadn't used his ability to spy on her, though, since she was growing into a woman and had her own private thoughts. The last thing she needed was the idea of Harry listening in on her when she was reliving herself.

"Whatever, Harry. We'll talk about this later. But back to the matter at hand—what exactly can you do with them?" Tonks asked, pointing at his snake-like eyes. It was still unsettling to look at them.

"I can hear almost everything around me. I can talk to certain magical animals—not all of them—but I'm hoping to be able to communicate with all magical creatures soon. And I can see in the dark," Harry explained, and Tonks nodded. She could already think of several ways to prank fellow students with this ability, imagining how the Hufflepuffs would react.

But she knew she had to keep this secret. The magical world could be narrow-minded, and if the Ministry found out about Harry's abilities, they might brand him a dark wizard simply for having glowing eyes. Better lock him in Azkaban before he does something, they would say.

"You can hear things around you—can you hear my heartbeat?"

"Yes. Why?" Harry asked, tilting his head. It wasn't the most pleasant sound, and he often muted it whenever he used this ability. He wasn't keen on hearing people's heartbeats all the time.

"Well, I'm not an expert, Harry, but I'm sure people's heartbeats change when they lie," Tonks pointed out, and Harry's eyes widened slightly.

"Holy crickets, you're right, Tonks! You're a genius!" Harry exclaimed, and Tonks puffed out her chest at the praise, smiling adorably at him.

"Well, one of us has to be," Tonks said with a wicked smile.

"Very funny," Harry replied dryly before turning his attention back to their mission. "Now, I think we should continue with the reason we're here," he reminded her, turning to face the door.

With Tonks leading the way, he followed her to the door, which creaked as they pushed it open.

The corridor beyond was dark, with a musty smell that made Harry's nose twitch. His eyes widened as they approached the source of the sound: a massive three-headed dog, its enormous form taking up nearly the entire space in front of a trapdoor.

The creature was fast asleep, all three heads resting on its massive paws. Each head had sharp teeth protruding from slightly open mouths, and every breath rattled the floor beneath them.

"Blimey," Harry breathed, barely above a whisper. "That thing's enormous."

Tonks nodded, her voice hushed but tinged with excitement. "I've heard about it, but I never thought I'd see it up close. That's Fluffy—Hagrid's pet. He's guarding something. It must be important if they've got a beast like this on duty."

"Wait, Hagrid has a pet, and that pet is a three-headed dog, and he's keeping that dog on school grounds?" Harry asked incredulously.

"Says the boy who has a Nundu for a pet," Tonks fired back, her eyes briefly flickering down to Itisa, who was now the size of a dog.

"Fair enough," Harry muttered as he looked closer at the trapdoor. "What do you think is down there?"

"Only one way to find out."

Before Harry could say anything else, she had already begun quietly creeping around Fluffy, her movements careful and precise to avoid waking the beast. Harry followed her lead, tiptoeing closer to the trapdoor. Together, they carefully lifted one of Fluffy's massive paws just enough to slip the trapdoor open.

The trapdoor creaked as it opened, and Harry held his breath, glancing up at Fluffy's heads. One of them snorted in its sleep, but luckily, the creature did not wake. With the trapdoor now open, a dark, seemingly bottomless hole yawned beneath them.

"After you, Harry," Tonks whispered, though her grin suggested she was enjoying this far more than she should be.

"If we get caught, I'll tell everyone you seduced me."

Tonks just chuckled. "Ohh, are you saying I'm pretty, Harry?" she teased, acting as if she wanted to kiss his cheek.

"Shut up," Harry mumbled, much to Tonks' amusement.

Harry swung his legs over the edge of the trapdoor and let himself drop into the darkness below, quickly followed by Itisa. He landed with a thud on something soft and slightly damp. Tonks followed closely behind, landing beside him with a muffled grunt.

"Lumos," she whispered, and her wand lit up again, revealing that they had landed on some plant, its tendrils shifting slightly under their weight.

Harry recognized it immediately from his Herbology lessons. "Devil's Snare," he muttered, his voice tinged with worry. Suddenly, his eyes glowed even more, and his throat expanded slightly as he spoke in a strange language. "Επιτρέψτε μας να περάσουμε. Δεν είμαστε εχθροί."

Tonks looked at him, confused, not understanding a single word he was saying. Whatever he said caused the Devil's Snare to recoil instantly, releasing them from its grip. They scrambled to their feet and found themselves in a narrow stone passageway.

Tonks helped Harry to his feet and checked on Itisa, who seemed just fine. She dusted off her clothes before turning to face her favorite friend. "Harry, what was that?"

"I spoke to it, Tonks. I commanded it to let us go," Harry explained, and he could see the confusion growing in her eyes.

"But that thing is a plant. You can talk to plants? I thought you said this only works with magical animals," Tonks quickly pointed out, and Harry fell silent.

Harry remembered Loretta's words to him about the Magic's Language—how it could control magic itself, how everyone had magic in their voice, but those who could talk to animals were born with much more magic in theirs. Loretta had told him she was the first, and he was the second, to speak the Magic's Tongue. If that magic allowed him to communicate with magical animals, could it mean he could talk to anything alive with magic? He knew the Devil's Snare had magic—maybe not much, but it had magic.

"I'm not sure how this works yet, Tonks," Harry said, and Tonks nodded.

She had known for a long time that Harry was different from everyone else. Itisa's presence alone was proof of that.

Why is a Nundu so friendly with Harry? Tonks had asked herself that question many times. Nundus were known as extremely violent creatures, so for one to be so friendly went against everything they knew about them. But now wasn't the time to ask that question—the only one who could possibly answer it was Newt Scamander.

"Well, there's no point staying here. Let's keep going," Tonks said as she used Lumos to illuminate the area around them.

Together, they made their way down the passage and entered a room filled with what seemed like hundreds of flying keys. Tonks looked at the door at the far end of the room and saw it was locked. "One of the flying keys must be the right one."

"I can see it," Harry shouted, pointing at one of the keys. His eyes glimmered as he extended his hand towards the key with wings.

"Accio Key!" Harry shouted, his voice powerful. Tonks watched as the key flew straight towards Harry's hand, and he grabbed it easily without any trouble.

"Well, that was easy!" Tonks said as they strode forward towards the door. With a twist of the key, the door opened, and the key flew away to safety.

They went deeper underground until they reached a door that Tonks opened. This revealed a large storage room with many suits of armor leaning against the walls. However, what caught their attention was the giant chess table in the center, filled with enormous chess pieces.

"What is this? Are we supposed to play chess?" Harry wondered out loud, fascinated by the magic in the room. With his enhanced sight, he could see that each chess piece had runes inscribed on them: a storage rune to keep the magic inside, an activation rune to control the pieces, a deactivation rune, and an anti-magic rune for protection against spells.

"There's no need. Let's just go to the door," Tonks said with a smile as she strode forward through the chessboard towards the door at the back of the room. But as soon as she approached, the queen statue pulled out her sword and aimed it at Tonks, making her stop in her tracks.

"Harry, I don't think we can leave through the door."

Harry rolled his eyes before walking towards her as she stepped back from the sharp blade. He carefully inspected the King's runes and, just as he suspected, it had a rune that the others didn't—a rune of 'Control.' This rune connected the king to all the other chess pieces on its side. If the king fell, they would win the game.

Tonks watched as Harry studied something she couldn't see. "What are you doing?"

"Studying the runes," Harry answered idly, not looking away from the King's runes.

"Harry, shouldn't we just win this game?" Tonks asked, wishing she had a broomstick to fly over the chess pieces.

"Tonks, you said you can transform into something if you know the details, right?" Harry asked, looking back at her with a gleam in his eyes—not his usual green ones.

"Yes, why?" Tonks drawled, already suspecting what he had in mind.

"Can you turn into the King?" Tonks opened her mouth to complain, but Harry didn't let her. "I know what you're thinking, but trust me, it will work," he interrupted.

Tonks couldn't believe she was about to do this, but she remembered Harry telling her that Professor Quirrell had let loose the troll in Hogwarts. He had also told her that Hermione could have been greatly injured if he hadn't been there to help her. She didn't know the bushy-haired girl well, but she was Harry's friend, and that was enough reason to help him.

"You owe me one, Harry," Tonks said, jabbing her finger at him, and the young wizard chuckled in amusement.

With that said, Tonks studied the details of the King statue.

Harry watched as her figure slowly turned gray and began to resemble the King statue, complete with a giant sword resting between her hands.

Harry quickly kneeled next to Tonks' legs and began inscribing something. Once finished, his throat expanded again as he spoke, "Αντικαταστήστε το Rune."

Harry took another look at the King's statue and, just as he suspected, the King's Control Rune was gone. Now, Tonks had it on her leg. He turned to her with a wide grin. "Tonks, drop the sword."

She did as Harry instructed, and as the sword hit the ground, the chess pieces on the opposing side dropped their weapons one by one, surrendering to them.

"We won. You can turn back to normal now," Harry exclaimed excitedly. This made him imagine what he could do with this rune. Harry knew magic was a powerful tool, but he had always been disappointed by how little wizards had achieved with it.

Achieving new things meant more power and influence, and that power would allow Harry to protect Itisa when the time came. People would trust his word more if he became someone known for more than just being the Boy Who Lived. He could already envision how to use runes in his talismans. More importantly, he needed to learn about the Rune Arcs Daphne had briefly mentioned.

"How did you do this?" Tonks asked after she had returned to her normal form. The two strode past the chessboard and towards the door.

"I overruled the King's runes and placed them in you. The deactivation rune was also transferred, and it activates when the King's sword hits the ground, signaling our victory," Harry explained as they pushed open the door. They entered a large, empty, circular room with handcuffs mounted to the walls. The cuffs were quite large and currently empty.

"I guess now we know where the troll came from," Harry remarked nonchalantly, noticing the lingering bad smell.

"Why would someone put a troll here? Why would Dumbledore want a troll? I don't understand—what is this place guarding?" Tonks asked as they moved into the next room.

Before them was a tall desk with seven potions and a letter on the table. As they approached, purple flames engulfed the door behind them, while black flames blocked the door in front, beyond the table, presumably leading to the next room.

Tonks grabbed the letter, and the two read its contents. They quickly realized it was a puzzle.

"I never thought Snape had a talent for making puzzles," Tonks said as she returned the note to where it was.

"I wouldn't be surprised if all these potions are poisonous and there's no actual way to solve it," Harry commented, and Tonks giggled, knowing that was exactly the sort of thing Snape would do. She walked towards the black flames and pointed her wand at them.

"Aguamenti," Tonks said, aiming her wand at the flames. A jet of water shot out, but the flames remained unaffected.

"Wow, Tonks. I'm impressed," Harry said jokingly as Itisa jumped onto the desk and began sniffing the potions. She stopped in front of a yellow one.

"Girl, is everything alright?" Harry asked. At that moment, Itisa grabbed the tip of one of the potion bottles with her teeth and tipped it up, letting the potion slide into her mouth.

"ITISA!" Harry shouted, worried sick. He grabbed the potion bottle from her teeth and threw it aside, but the Nundu simply jumped onto his shoulder, seemingly unharmed.

"Don't do that again," Harry scolded her as the black flames disappeared, allowing them to pass through the door without any issue.

"Calm down, Harry. I'm sure Nundus are immune to most poisons, so even if it was a poison, it wouldn't harm her," Tonks reassured him gently. Harry knew she was right, and he stroked Itisa's head, causing her to purr in contentment.

"You did well, but don't be reckless next time," Harry said softly as Tonks opened the door. They stepped into a large room with a set of stairs leading downwards to a platform where a giant mirror stood at the center. As they descended, large bowls on square pedestals flared to life with flames.

Soon, they reached the platform and stared at the mirror in confusion. "Is this what Professor Quirrell was after? A mirror?" Tonks sounded disappointed, while Harry, using his enhanced sight, was surprised to find that he couldn't detect anything unusual—not even the runes he usually saw.

"Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi. Harry, look at the inscription," Tonks said, pointing above the mirror.

"I show not your face but your heart's desire," Harry read aloud as his eyes returned to normal.

"Why would Professor Quirrell want this mirror?" Tonks mused, stepping in front of it while Harry moved aside.

"What do you see?" Harry asked curiously after a minute of silence.

"I-I see you, and me, and... I see myself. I've become the Head Auror of the Ministry. My parents are applauding me, and my friends are here," Tonks said cheerfully, though Harry sensed she wasn't telling him the whole truth. He chose not to press further.

"What about you, Harry? What do you see?" Harry rolled his eyes and stepped in front of the mirror as Tonks moved aside to give him space.

Suddenly, he heard a strange sound, like glass shattering, but the mirror remained intact. The surface rippled like water before solidifying again. The inscription above the mirror glittered gold, and what appeared before him made his heart skip a beat.

"What is this?!" Harry muttered in utter confusion as he stared at his reflection. His older self, with green eyes glowing intensely, looked back at him. Itisa was by his side, though she appeared different—she was missing one eye, and scars crisscrossed her body. His older self sat on a throne-like chair, and next to him was another chair with Loretta seated there, her own Nundu by her side. The older Harry and Loretta held hands, and behind them was a massive army marching toward a building he had never seen before. Above them, the sky was dominated by a silver moon, three times the size of the normal moon. Harry then felt a soft whisper in his mind, like wind brushing against his thoughts.

''' Harry Potter, you want to help your friends, you want to keep them safe. You fear losing them. You fear ending up in the same lonely place you were before meeting Itisa. You crave friendship; you long for what you never had as a child. You want to keep them close because, without them, you are 'The Freak' with no friends. I can help you achieve your dream of protecting Itisa and everyone from this cruel world. Meet me in the Memory World again. I will guide you on your journey, Harry. I can give you the power you need to protect Itisa and your friends. This world will never accept her. She will always be too dangerous to be kept alive. Wizards and witches despise what they cannot control, and Itisa gives you too much power for them to feel in control. I know the pain of betrayal. But I promise you, I will help you. I can help you protect Itisa. Meet me in the Memory World.'''

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.

.

"Harry!" He gasped loudly as Tonks shook his shoulders. His eyes blinked open, focusing on her worried face, and Itisa meowed softly, her expression more concerned than he remembered.

"What happened?" Harry asked, feeling dizzy as he registered the hard floor beneath him. Only now did he realize he was lying on his back.

"You just collapsed, Harry. You were staring at the mirror, and then you fell down," Tonks replied, worry etched on her face as she helped him back to his feet.

Harry took a deep breath, and Itisa quickly jumped onto his shoulder, licking his face and meowing loudly as if to check if he was alright.

"I'm fine, Itisa. Don't worry," Harry said soothingly, stroking her fur. He took another deep breath and felt much better. His mind returned to the voice he had heard, one that sounded like Loretta Emrys, the mysterious, beautiful woman from the Dream World.

"Harry, what happened?" Tonks asked in a hushed tone.

"I'm not sure... I just felt dizzy, and before I knew it, I was on the floor, and..." Harry trailed off, wondering if he should tell her the truth about Loretta. He hadn't shared anything about her with anyone yet. He wasn't entirely sure what to make of her; she seemed to want to help him, yet something held him back from telling others about her. He felt like he would betray her trust, but he did trust Tonks. They had known about Itisa for three years and had never said a word. They might have been afraid of her at first, but now they treated her like part of the family.

"And...?" Tonks prompted gently.

"A... woman spoke to me. She said something about a world called the Dream World. I couldn't really understand what she was saying," Harry replied, telling half the truth. He could see that Tonks was even more worried now.

"Did you recognize her voice?" Tonks asked. Harry shook his head, and Nymphadora sighed deeply.

"I think we should leave. I'll talk to my mother when we get home. She might know something," Tonks added, trying to take his hand and lead him away, but Harry didn't follow. Instead, he turned back towards the mirror.

"Harry?!"

Harry didn't respond as he approached the mirror again, this time using his snake-like eyes. Before him, something new appeared.

He could see the runes used to craft the mirror. Small rune letters were inscribed along the wooden frame at the top, but what caught his attention was the symbol in the center of the mirror—a symbol he had never seen before.

The symbol consisted of several interlocked concentric circles connected by a central vertical axis, extending slightly beyond the outer rings. The vertical line was thick and sharp, resembling a spear or rod, grounding the symbol.

At the top of the emblem, an upward-curved arc formed a sharp, pointed crescent, almost like a horn or crown, balanced by a similar downward crescent at the bottom. These crescent shapes framed the intricate network of circles within.

The circles themselves appeared uneven, as if hand-drawn, with golden streaks radiating outward. Crisscrossed lines filled the spaces between the circles, giving the symbol a chaotic yet controlled energy.

"Τι είσαι? (What are you?)" Harry asked in the magical tongue as he extended his hand and touched the golden symbol, but nothing happened. He examined the runes, reading them until he found the storage rune. He realized something was being stored inside the mirror. Whatever it was, it was likely what Professor Quirrell had been after.

Harry worked on the storage rune, using his voice magic to unlock it. "Καταστρέφω. (Open)"

The storage rune cracked like glass, shattering with a loud sound that echoed through the large room. A gust of wind followed, nearly knocking Harry off balance.

He stepped back as the mirror opened like a door, revealing an empty space inside, much like a wardrobe. There was nothing inside except for one thing at the bottom: a red stone glittering in the firelight around them.

"Harry, how did you do this?" Tonks asked in amazement as Harry knelt and picked up the red stone. As soon as he pulled it out, the mirror closed again with a loud thud, and the runes reformed at the top, but the storage rune was gone.

Harry examined the stone. Its surface felt soft, almost like a pillow, but as he looked at it with his enhanced sight, he realized something.

Tonks stepped up beside Harry and looked over his shoulder at the stone. She recognized it instantly. "Harry, this is the Philosopher's Stone," she said, astonished, as she took it from his hand to examine it more closely. But Harry shook his head.

"No, it's not the real stone," he said, flicking the stone with his index finger. It cracked and crumbled into dust. "It was a fake. Now we know that Professor Quirrell was after this, thinking it was the real thing."

"...But why would he want the stone?

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Two Days Later

The door opened, revealing Professor Minerva McGonagall, her eyes widening at the sight before her. "Lady Bones... and Alastor Moody," she said tightly, making it clear she wasn't exactly pleased to see the famous Death Eater hunter at Hogwarts.

"What can I do for you, Lady Bones?" Minerva asked, focusing on the head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement.

"We need to speak with Dumbledore," Amelia said sharply, getting straight to the point.

"Better him than me," Minerva muttered, stepping aside to let them in. "Dumbledore, Amelia Bones is coming in hot." Dumbledore looked up from the parchment he was writing on as his guests entered.

"Ah, Alastor, Amelia, it's good to see both of you," Dumbledore said, flicking his wand. Tea began preparing itself for them. "It's been too long since we've had the chance to speak without the chaos of the outside world interfering."

Moody grunted, his magical eye whirling around the room while his real one fixed on the tea. He sniffed it cautiously before taking a sip. "Chaos never stops, not in our line of work. Hogwarts is no exception."

Dumbledore smiled softly. "True, true. You've been busy—how are the preparations coming along?"

"All set," Moody grunted. "Wards, protective charms, everything you asked for. I still don't understand why you need them around Hogwarts, but I take it you have your reasons. I might inspect it further next year."

Dumbledore raised an eyebrow slightly but kept his tone calm. "You've always been thorough, Alastor. I trust your judgment."

Moody leaned forward slightly, his expression darkening. "Speaking of judgment, there's something I've been meaning to discuss. Something that doesn't sit right with me." His magical eye spun to meet Dumbledore's gaze, almost as if daring him to look away. "The troll."

"I've received many letters regarding the troll incident. From what I gather, it attacked two first-year students: Hermione Granger and Harry Potter," Amelia interjected, her eyes narrowing as she focused on Dumbledore. He remained unfazed by their intense gazes.

"Dumbledore, I don't think I need to tell you how bad things could get if the public finds out that the Boy Who Lived almost had a date with death that night!" Alastor barked, slamming his hand on the table and making the teacups rattle.

"Dumbledore, this school should be protected. Yet we hear that a troll was able to roam around Hogwarts like it was a park. How can something like that happen?" Amelia demanded, her voice sharp as a blade.

"I'll explain everything, Amelia, but before I do, I must inform you of something important. Yesterday, I received information from a trusted source that we have someone dangerous in the school," Dumbledore said, his expression growing dark, the usual twinkle in his eyes gone.

"What are you talking about, Dumbledore? Who is this dangerous person? And who told you this?" Moody asked, his fingers tightening around one of his wands.

"The source is Nymphadora Tonks. Based on what she told me, and the information I've gathered, I have reason to believe that one of our professors has betrayed us. He has given his body to someone far more dangerous. I intended to confront him myself, but since you're both here, I believe we can handle this together. I need him captured. This is our chance to find out where he's hiding," Dumbledore's voice was low and grave. Moody's eyes widened for the first time, and Amelia's breath hitched.

"Who is this dark wizard controlling your professor?" Moody asked slowly, looking straight at Dumbledore.

"Tom Riddle, or as most know him—Voldemort." Before another word could be spoken, a loud boom echoed through the castle, shaking the entire thing.

"What happened?"

One Minute Earlier

Harry walked along the corridor, wondering where Tonks had gone. He also mulled over what he should do about Professor Quirrell and what Loretta had told him the previous night in his dream.

"You have to trust me, Harry. That's the only way to protect Itisa and prevent history from repeating itself."

Harry's thoughts were interrupted when Itisa suddenly tensed. Before he could ask her what was wrong, Professor Quirrell appeared around the corner, wearing a nervous smile.

Harry froze, tensing up. He almost reached for his wand, but he didn't want to give away the fact that he knew the professor's secret.

"Mister Potter, could you come with me? I need to speak with you."

He's not stuttering, Harry thought, growing more tense. He considered whether he should pull out his wand, but he knew Itisa could become defensive and attack. If they were going to fight, it would be better to do so in an empty classroom rather than in a public corridor where they might be seen.

'They hunted down my poor Azash, Harry. One year after my brother's death, Merlin. They turned on us. Look at him. They butchered him like a monster, without care for his emotions. The same will happen to Itisa. Even if one percent accept her, the rest never will. Nundus are TOO powerful. They are magic made flesh.'

Harry recalled Loretta's warning. He knew she wasn't telling him everything, but he agreed on one point—right now, he was too weak to protect Itisa if the Ministry learned the truth. With that in mind, he decided to follow the professor.

"Of course, Professor," Harry replied. Quirrell gave him a weak smile as he opened the door for him.

Harry stepped inside, his wand at the ready when the talisman around his neck let out a sound.

"AVADA KEDAVRA!"

Harry jumped away just as the Green Curse was about to hit him and aimed his wand at the Professor.

"Incendio." His Wand with a Nundu core let out a majestic burst of flame that engulfed the Professor. His screams echoed in the classroom, and Harry quickly used his voice to make his wand fly to his hand, but suddenly, the fire was extinguished.

Professor Quirrell stood there with a second wand in his hand, but then he started turning around, but that wasn't what grabbed Harry's attention; the purple turban around his head was burned away, turning to ash, revealing a face on the back of his head as he fully turned around.

Harry's eyes widened as red eyes stared at him with malicious and a wide grin.

"Harry Potter. We met once more."