Harry Potter: A Different Tale

"This" Adrian gestured to himself "ever since you took those blocks off I feel like a completely different person, my mind's clearer and I'm smarter. I like it if we're being honest, before I used to like myself because I was the boy-who-lived but now I like myself for who I am. But, it also makes everything feel different, like my relationship with Ron and Hermione. I don't what I'm going to do about those two"

"There are only three things that matter in life" Harry replied "the first is what you can do, the second is what you're willing to do and the third is the consequences of your actions. Look at me, if I wanted to then I could kill you easily, I wouldn't do it though because the consequence would be Azkaban, hurting you and hurting our family. You can stay with your friends if you're willing to, or you can leave them if you're willing to do that.

If you stay then you have to be willing to either put up with them or change how the two act, I'd say you'd probably have to stick with the first seeing as those two are about as stubborn as they are unintelligent. So the consequences would be you putting up with them until you grow old and die or change your mind and leave"

"But…what if I leave them? What happens then?" Adrian asked slowly

"They'll be upset, they'll either ignore you or retaliate in some way or form. If they're smart they'll chose the first option, but they're not smart so they'll likely go for the second one. Thing is, they need you more than you need them"

"What do you mean?"

"Look at your friends, let's start with Ron Weasley, the youngest male Weasley. He doesn't really have anything to make himself stand out compared to the rest of his family. Even Ginny stands out by just being a girl, the only way he was remotely special was because he has the boy-who-lived as his friend. With you he stands out, without you not many people would be willing to tolerate him.

Then we have Hermione Granger, resident know it all. Has no social skill, lives her life by the rules. Many look down on her because she's a muggleborn and if not that then her bossy personality. With you she can get much farther ahead than she would on her own, she's the muggleborn best friend of the boy-who-lived. Remove you and she's just a muggleborn with no social skills who thinks she knows better than everyone else. Do you remember that elf campaign she started?"

"Started?" Adrian snorted "It's still going, she hasn't stopped it. You know, she told me that it was probably the sort of thing that mother would have done"

"No, mother had the sense to actually research house elves before going on a crusade. Most house elves just want fair treatment, for a lot of them getting clothes is a fate worse than death. Treat them right, they stay happy and that's the end of it, it's not that complicated."

"True…but what happens if I Ron and Hermione aren't my friends anymore? I've been a jerk ever since I came to Hogwarts, nobody is going to want to be friends with me."

"Start by showing the real you" Harry suggested "maybe they'll realise you've changed and slowly get over how you used to be. If not then you'll still have me, if the whole school turns their back on you then know that I'll still be here for you"

"Thanks Harry" Adrian wiped his eyes "that means a lot"

"Good but don't expect me to say it again, so, you going to stick with your friends or what?"

"I…I don't know" Adrian admitted

"Well, think about it" Harry replied "it's not like anyone's given you a deadline, spend some time with them and when you're ready, make a decision."

Eventually came time for the first defence class with the new defence against the dark arts teacher, Mad-eye Moody.

"Now" Moody said from the front of the class "how many unforgivable curses are there?"

"Three" Hermione Granger answered

"And they are called that because?"

"They are unforgivable" Hermione replied "the use of any one of them will…"

"Send you straight to Azkaban!" Moody finished "Now, the ministry says you are too young to learn about these, I say different! You need to know what you're up against, how else can you maintain constant vigilance?! Someone give me the name of an unforgivable curse, Weasley!"

"Uh" Ron stood up, looking nervous in the face of the scarred auror "I...I know about one sir, the uh...imperious curse"

"Ah, yes" Moody nodded appreciatively "you would know that, gave the ministry a lot of trouble that one did" Harry couldn't help but notice that Moody's fake eye glanced at Malfoy.

Moody made his way to the front, he pulled out a spider put it under the imperious curse. He made the spider perform various tricks, ranging from jumping upside down to running and flips. Most of the class looked amused.

"You think that's funny do you?!" Mad-eye barked "Would you like it if I did it to you?!" The class went silent at the threat "someone tell me another one, you boy" He pointed at Neville who nervously stood up

"There's the…cruciatus curse" Neville said quietly

"Yes" Moody nodded "come up here" He pulled Neville up to the front

"Crucio" Moody pointed the wand at the spider, it began twitching in pain as Neville began paling

"We get it" Harry said from his seat "you can stop now"

"Oh" Moody stopped and walked towards Harry, he stopped right in front of him "perhaps you could tell us about the last unforgivable?"

"Sure" Harry got his wand out and the whole class gasped when he pointed at Moody "Avada Kedavra" Harry said out loud, everyone watched as nothing happened.

"Ha!" Moody laughed, surprising everyone "Fifty points to Slytherin! Well done Potter! Glad to know somebody knows what they're talking about!"

"You're rewarding him?!" Hermione exclaimed "He tried to kill you and you're rewarding him because it didn't work?!"

"No he's not, because it wasn't supposed to work" Adrian said, surprising the class "the spells are based on emotion so nothing would happen as long as Harry didn't actually want to kill Moody. If he did want to kill Moody then Moody would be dead right now"

....

Do you want to read ahead by more than 60 exciting premium chapters?

Then join my p*atreon right now.

Link: p*atreon.com/Sonic_Spectre (Remove the *)

Free members can unlock upto 2 chapters.