HP/LOTM: Hogwart's Mind Dragon

While Aiden was at home, busy with his promotion, the danger within the school did not stop.

One day, Harry, unable to bear the constant, suspicious gazes of his classmates, walked out of the Hogwarts Library and encountered Hagrid, who was holding a bundle of dead roosters.

"Hagrid, what are you doing?" Harry asked.

Hagrid held up a rooster by its feet. "Dealing with these," he said grimly. "This is the fifth one killed this term."

"Someone is killing them off," Harry said, the pieces clicking into place. "We've seen the monster in the Chamber of Secrets, Hagrid. It's a Basilisk. The crowing of a rooster is fatal to it. If we could set a trap..."

"A brilliant idea, Harry," Hagrid sighed, "but it's too late. The school's entire flock has already been killed off."

"Alright," Harry said, dejected. "I won't bother you anymore. Goodbye, Hagrid." He bid farewell to his friend and began the lonely walk back to the common room.

Unfortunately, as he rounded a corner, he found Justin Finch-Fletchley and Nearly Headless Nick, both frozen in place, their bodies stiff and grey. Petrified.

Harry rushed forward to check on them, but just then, Filch appeared from behind a suit of armor. "Caught you!" he rasped, his eyes gleaming with triumph. "This time I'm going to make sure you can't stay in this school, Potter. Mark my words." He immediately turned and scurried away.

A few moments later, he returned with Professor McGonagall.

"Professor, I swear I didn't do this," Harry pleaded, his eyes full of desperation.

"This is no longer something I can handle alone, Potter," Professor McGonagall said, her lips a thin, grim line. She pulled out her wand and conjured a stretcher. "Ernie," she said to a nearby Hufflepuff, "help me levitate Sir Nicholas to the hospital wing. Mr. Filch, you take Justin."

After they had been taken away, Professor McGonagall turned to Harry. "Come with me."

She led him to the Headmaster's office. Inside, the portraits of the former headmasters were dozing in their frames. While waiting, Harry saw the Sorting Hat on a nearby shelf. On impulse, he picked it up and placed it on his head.

"Ah, Harry Potter," the hat's raspy voice sounded in his mind.

"Hat," Harry thought, "perhaps you didn't sort me into the right house?"

"Yes," the hat replied. "You were a particularly difficult case. But I still firmly believe that you would have achieved great things in Slytherin." After speaking, the hat fell silent.

Next, Harry saw the perch where Fawkes usually sat. It was empty, save for a pile of smoldering ash. As he watched, a tiny, wrinkled head poked out, and the phoenix was reborn.

"Harry?" Dumbledore's voice called from the top of the spiral staircase.

"Professor, your bird," Harry said anxiously. "He was on fire! I couldn't help him."

"Oh, don't you worry about that, Harry," Dumbledore chuckled. "That's Fawkes. He's a phoenix. He's looked dreadful for days, but it's nothing to worry about." Before Dumbledore's words had even landed, the newly reborn Fawkes let out an indignant chirp.

Just then, the office door burst open, and an anxious Hagrid rushed in. "Professor Dumbledore, I can testify for Harry! He didn't hurt anyone!"

"Oh, don't worry, Hagrid," Dumbledore said, his eyes twinkling. "No one has accused Harry of hurting anyone."

"Oh, right, well, I..." Hagrid stammered, flustered. "I'll just... I'll go outside and wait for you."

After Hagrid left, Dumbledore looked at Harry, his brilliant blue eyes peering through his half-moon spectacles, seeming to look straight into his very heart. Harry had always found the headmaster's gaze intense, but now he felt as though he had seen such sharp, piercing eyes somewhere before. Suddenly, an image of two different-colored eyes flashed in his mind. As the memory surfaced, he felt a strange, invisible barrier form in his mind, and Dumbledore's gaze no longer felt so piercing.

For a fraction of a second, it seemed to Harry that Dumbledore's blue eyes were no longer looking at him but at the heterochromatic eyes from his memory. There was a silent, unseen confrontation, and then the invisible presence awkwardly looked away.

"Hmm," Dumbledore said, a thoughtful expression on his face. "Is there anything else you need to tell me, Harry?"

"No, Professor," Harry replied, and left the office.

Inside, Dumbledore sat down at his desk. "That child," he sighed to himself, "he is becoming more and more formidable."

"Who, Harry Potter?" Phineas Nigellus Black scoffed from his portrait. "I don't see it."

"Is it Aiden Prewett?" Headmaster Dippet asked. "I think he's a good child."

"You think everyone is good," Black retorted. "Wasn't Tom Riddle your favorite student back then?" His comment drew the ire of the other portraits, and a cacophony of arguments broke out.

"I don't know how the boy did it," Dumbledore mused, recalling what he had just witnessed. "He seems to have put a lock on Harry's mind."

"Albus," Headmaster Derwent advised kindly from his frame, "have more faith in the young people. The future is theirs, after all."

Afterward, the Headmaster's Office fell silent again.

The next day, Harry was watching the snow fall in the courtyard. The Weasley twins passed by him, shouting for all to hear.

"Look! It's the Heir of Slytherin!"

"Be careful! He's an extremely evil wizard!"

"Go away, George! Fred!" Ron snapped, chasing his two older brothers away. "Don't take it to heart, Harry," he said, returning. "We know you're not the heir."

"We'll feel better in a few days," Hermione added, looking at Harry with concern. "The Polyjuice Potion is almost finished brewing, and then we'll find out who the culprit is from Malfoy."

"Perhaps this time the culprit is our reliable Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor again," Ron winked, trying to comfort his friend.

"That's impossible," Harry said with a weak smile. "He's a Ravenclaw."

The Christmas holiday was quickly over, and Aiden returned to Hogwarts.

"Wow, Aiden," Arsesi exclaimed when she saw him. "I haven't seen you all holiday, and you seem even more... captivating."

"That's not a word that's usually used for me," Aiden replied, looking helplessly at Arsesi, whose face was full of mischief. "Lada and I have both completed our promotions," he said calmly.

"What? How so fast?" A cunning look flashed in Arsesi's eyes.

'Perhaps it's because his essence isn't human,' a small, analytical voice thought in the back of her mind. 'That's why he's so fast.'

"Because of my acting, I suppose," Aiden said, not giving her a chance to continue down that line of thought. "What about you? How much longer do you need?"

"By February, at the latest," she replied. "Slytherin is a truly wonderful place, you know. Ever since I could analyze my housemates' thoughts from their every movement and expression..." she spread her hands in an exaggerated gesture, "the entire house has gone astray. The vast majority of them are only concerned with petty scheming and calculation, completely abandoning the importance of honor, ambition, and even self-preservation."

"Aren't there any commendable talents?" Aiden asked.

"Yes," she said, crossing her arms, "but most of them are not suitable for our organization."

"Alright, you handle the personnel issues," Aiden said. "There is one thing I need to tell you. I need you to keep an eye out for any students who seem particularly... fanatical." He pushed up his monocle and, at the same time, took out an identical one from his pocket and handed it to Arsesi.

"Fanatical?" she asked, taking the monocle and putting it on. "Like us?"

"Ahem, no," he clarified. "I mean the kind of person who madly worships a certain god and often tries to recommend their god to others."

"Alright then," she said. "I'll gather information through those people later. And what's this for?" she asked, pointing to the monocle on her eye.

"From now on, this will be our organization's token," he explained. "It also has communication and recording functions. Let me show you." His finger slid lightly across the frame as he input a message, selected Arsesi as the recipient, and sent it. Small, glowing text began to appear on the inside of her lens.

"Cool," she breathed. She mimicked his actions and sent him a message in return. "This thing is amazing! If we sold them, we could earn a fortune in Galleons!" Her eyes practically turned into the shape of the gold coins.

Not wishing to indulge the money-loving young lady's fantasy any further, Aiden simply turned and left.

(End of Chapter)

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