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Author: Sorting Hat Story: Through the Mists of Time Rating: Teens Setting: Pre-HBP Status: WIP Reviews: 12 Words: 25,476
Harry walked along the castle walls, whistling softly to himself. His mood had improved after seeing the stag Merlin had modeled their test subject after. Once the group had passed Merlin's little test, they had been given nearly free range of the grounds. Harry turned toward the grounds at large and followed the path of a stream flowing toward the main village. He paid little attention to where he was going, so he was startled when he slammed into someone, causing that someone to hit the ground with an abrupt “oof.” “You idiot!” the man hollered, dragging himself up to his feet. “Watch where you're going!” “Are you all right?” Harry asked, extending a hand to help the other man up. “Fine, no thanks to you!” he spat, swatting Harry's hand away. Harry shrugged, and turned away. Annoyance rose up in Harry, only to fall away as he realized there was little point in prolonging the confrontation. He shrugged and went in another direction, paying slightly more attention to where he was going. There were no further interruptions to his walk, and soon Harry found himself in a small area he hadn’t noticed before. Merlin was there, as was a man about Harry’s age, whom Harry didn’t know. He turned away and began to walk in the other direction, but stopped when he heard Merlin call out his name. “Harry,” the older man said. “Enjoying your walk?” “Yes,” Harry replied. “I didn’t mean to interrupt.” “It’s not an interruption at all. Come, I’d like you to meet a student of mine. He’s quite promising. When he’s actually applying himself, that is,” Merlin finished, throwing a slightly annoyed glare at the other student as he said the last half of his sentence. “When I apply myself? When I apply myself? You wound me, Merlin. Surely you know I am always on my best behavior.” the student quipped. “Your best behavior? When? While you sleep?” Merlin grumbled. “But of course. When else?” “Hmph, ” Merlin said. He gestured toward his student, but the man had more to say. “Being on my best behavior while I’m awake? You can’t be serious. That’d take all the fun out of life.” He turned to Harry and whispered loudly, “He’s gone a bit boring in his old age, I’m told.” “Well you’d certainly be a master wizard by now if you applied half the effort you do to mischief to your studies instead,” Merlin commented, opening his mouth again as if to introduce his wayward student. “Don’t mind the old prune. His bark’s worse than his bite. And yes you are an old prune. I said it aloud, I did.” “This is Thomas,” Merlin said, determined to get a word in edgewise. He sighed in exasperation. “You’ve seen him before. I believe he bit Ron’s shoe.” “And a nasty shoe it was. Yuck. Perhaps your young friend should wash his feet more than once a year?” Thomas asked, smiling. Harry noted that Thomas’ whole face lit up when he smiled, but otherwise, it looked quite serious. “I suppose you take the same attitude toward the boar you hunt, Thomas?” Merlin asked. Thomas took on a wounded expression. “Are you insane? Hunt? Me? Those things are dangerous!” “And they stink,” Harry said. Thomas looked at him for a moment and burst into laughter. “That they do. What did you say your name was?” Thomas asked. “Harry.” “Well met, Harry.” Thomas said, clapping Harry’s back hard enough to make him wince. “Merlin tells me you’re a wizard.” “Yes,” Harry said. “I suppose you’ll be taking lessons then?” Thomas asked. “I’m not s—” Harry began. “Of course he will. His friends too,” Merlin said. Harry’s expression brightened. Thomas leaned over to Harry and whispered very loudly, “D’you suppose we could make his hair fall out?” Merlin let loose a sort of strangled moan, and threw a frustrated look at his pupil. “You’ll be cleaning the pig sty out without magic for that.” “Can I help it if I’m a genius? With a J?” Thomas retorted. “A jenius?” Harry repeated. He looked at Merlin. He looked at Thomas. Then he looked at Merlin again. “With his hair? We probably can.” Harry whispered back to Thomas, just as loudly. “All right, all right, off with the both of you!” Merlin said, looking amused. The two boys laughed heartily and wandered together back toward the castle, leaving Merlin to his own devices. Before they could reach the castle however, a noise shattered the peaceful stillness of the air. “You great prat!” Hermione screamed. The person she was yelling at barely ducked her fist. Harry broke into a run as he realized who it was. Before Harry could do anything, Hermione kicked Lancelot in his left shin, causing the knight to yelp. Then she kicked him in his other shin, causing him to curse aloud. She centered her aim and drew back her foot again, but Lancelot seemed to have had enough. He turned and ran. “What did he do?” Harry asked. “He asked me, 'how was a fine young specimen like myself doing today!'” Hermione snapped. “And then he let his eyes roam.” “His shins. Ouch. Good show,” Thomas muttered. Hermione nodded. “You better believe it, and if he'd stayed still a moment longer, I'd have got him where it counts!” she ranted. Thomas shuddered. “Shame he moved, then. This is Thomas Black. He's a fellow student here at Camelot,” Harry said. Hermione had the grace to blush. “I'm sorry. I didn't see you. I'm Hermione Granger.” “Thomas Black, milady. A pleasure to meet you,” Thomas said, giving Hermione a gallant bow. Harry thought for a moment that Hermione might go off on Thomas, considering what Lancelot had just done, but the tone of Thomas' voice conveyed nothing but sincerity. Hermione smiled. For some reason, Harry was glad Ron was nowhere to be seen. “Where's Ron?” he asked. “Off with Ginny, looking around the forested area. He said it reminds him of the area behind the Burrow,” Hermione replied. “More of your noble friends, Harry? I should like to meet them as well,” Thomas said eagerly. “Right then. Come on!” Hermione said. Harry rolled his eyes and set off to follow Hermione, with Thomas keeping pace at his side. “Merlin tells me you're good with a wand, Harry. He also says that Hermione has a similar talent,” Thomas said, with a nod in Hermione's direction. “Hermione is one of the smartest witches I know,” Harry said with a shrug. Up ahead, Hermione seemed to stand a little taller. It wasn't long before they found Ron and Ginny. In fact, Ron was dripping wet, and Ginny splashed him yet again, scooping up water from a nearby creek. She giggled as Ron sputtered incoherently. “Oy, Ron, Ginny!” Harry yelled. The pair joined the rest of the group moments later. Hermione looked at Ron for a moment. “Look at you! You're all wet!” she scolded him. She whipped out her wand and muttered a quick drying spell. Thomas looked at her in amazement. “Wow! I've never seen magic like that. Harry must be right. Smart witch indeed!” he said. Hermione blushed yet again, and smiled. Harry began to get a tense feeling in his stomach. Thomas smiled at Hermione, and then shook Ron's hand. “Pleasure to meet you, lad.” Ron for his part seemed less than thrilled. His eyes were narrow, and Harry could see that his eyes were almost totally black. His jaw clenched and unclenched, and he seemed to be fighting a battle with himself. Eventually, he just bit off, “Excuse me,” and walked away without another word. Thomas' face crumpled with embarrassment and he turned to Harry in shock. “What...what did I do?” “He's always like that,” Ginny cut in, looking highly displeased with her brother. Thomas greeted her, but Harry noticed that his introduction was much more muted than it had been for Hermione. “Pleasure,” he said, bowing slightly to the redhead. He smiled, but his face clearly held traces of confusion and embarrassment over what had happened with Ron. “When I get—” Hermione started, but Harry put a hand on her shoulder. “Later.” Hermione glared at him, but didn't pursue Ron. She calmed down a moment later as she began talking to Thomas. “What is it like here? Do you practice magic often?” she asked. Thomas shrugged. “As often as is necessary. It's a valuable tool to have.” “And fun at times too,” Harry added. “Did you turn Merlin's hair white?” Thomas laughed. “Aye. I'll take the credit for that.” “You're joking!” Ginny said, sounding scandalized. “Of course I am,” Thomas deadpanned. Ginny rolled her eyes. “Though I'm likely to end up with more than white hair if I hack him off again,” Thomas said thoughtfully. “So we won't be doing that I guess,” Harry said, feeling a little dejected. “And miss all the fun that would cause? What do you take me for?” Thomas replied. Harry's eyes lit up again. Hermione sighed. “You remind me of someone from my t-town,” she said, giving Harry a significant look. Understanding hit him like a hippogriff. This was an ancestor to Sirius Black. “Do you know wandless magic?” Ginny asked after a moment. “Certainly. Would you like to see?” Thomas asked. “Oh! Yes, yes I would!” Ginny exclaimed, clearly excited about this prospect. Thomas opened his palm and held it up so they could see that it was empty. Harry looked on, curious. Like the Muggle magicians so common in Harry's time, Thomas whipped his hand closed, and moved with a flourish. When he opened it again, he presented Ginny with a red rose. She smelled it, and smiled. “It's beautiful,” she muttered. Thomas smiled. “No more so than you, fair lady.” Thomas replied. For a moment, Harry experienced a flash of jealousy. He shook himself sternly. Where did that come from? he wondered. His thoughts were shattered by a yell in the direction of the castle. Harry and Thomas locked eyes, and then without a word, both turned and ran. The girls followed. They didn't have to go very far to realize why the screams were coming. Lancelot was harassing a common woman. Probably a servant of the castle, Harry assumed. He drew his wand, just as Thomas drew back his arm, both prepared to deliver magical strikes. Before either man could do anything, Hermione pushed past them both. She moved slowly and quietly. Not a sound came from her footsteps as she crept up to the knight. “No! Leave me alone you great brute!” the lady was screaming at Lancelot. He laughed, a rough unpleasant laugh, and paid her no heed. Hermione tapped him on the shoulder. “What do you—oof!” he said, cutting off in mid sentence as she punched him in the face. His head snapped back, but he righted himself quickly. Not for long as it turned out. Hermione had already drawn back her heel, and as his eyes widened in shock, she got him. Where it counted. Lancelot gagged, and fell to the ground. The hapless commoner turned and ran. Harry and Thomas winced, but Ginny looked distinctly approving. Lancelot got to his feet, clearly unsteady. “You'll pay for that, wench.” Hermione kicked him again. Then she drew her wand. Lancelot didn't bother to get up right away, instead crawling for several feet, before getting up and running as best he could. “You're scary sometimes, you know that, Hermione?” Harry muttered. “He's a git,” Hermione said, shrugging. “Who will probably never have any children,” Thomas put in. “Pity,” Hermione said without remorse. “It is, isn't it?” a new voice came. Harry turned and beheld the man he had tripped earlier. A moment later, Thomas did the same. The air temperature seemed to drop as the two men beheld each other. “Black,” the man said. “Malfoy,” Thomas replied. Oh crap. Harry thought.
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