Time to Judge

Harry sat on the top of the Astronomy Tower, homework assignment next to him on the parapet underneath a gravity charm. Harry grinned to himself, if only Ron and Hermione could see him now. Particularly, Hermione. Everyone had gone home for the Christmas Holidays aside for fifteen or so students.

Harry had started his homework the previous night; through carefully directed questions to Madame Pince, The Guardian of the Library, Harry had been shown several books that in basic helped him make an essay.

After the Library had closed, Harry had snuck back in under his invisibility cloak. Madame Pince, knew he was there. Her quarters were just off the Restricted Section and as far as she was concerned as long as the students didn't disturb her sleep she didn't mind them studying. They couldn't take books out but that was fine.

Harry had gotten back to the Common room after planning his homework for the Holidays. He had planned to spend the first four days working on his assignments and then spend the rest of the time working out how he was going to be able to do his shopping. He was slightly pissed off that his guardians were muggles and would stop him from having any sort of happiness.

"You do know that's not the best place to be Harry." Harry stiffened and he turned around to find Fay Dunbar and Katie Bell behind him.

"Do we need McGonagall?" Asked Katie curiously.

"Nope. Up here working on my assignments for the Holidays. I thought I was the only Gryffindor still here."

Katie grinned "My brother broke his legs against the Manchester Manticores, in such away, that we're not going to be meeting up this Christmas."

Harry stared at her "Your brother plays professional Quidditch?"

Katie grinned "Why did you think I'd learnt how to Chase so well?"

Harry shrugged "Gifted? Maybe I should be spending more time with other people without Hermione and Ron hanging around me."

Fay giggled "Why do you stick with those two?"

Harry shrugged "I never really had…" He stopped himself. He was about to spill things that he hadn't even told Hermione and Ron. 'Do it…You'll feel better' his internal voice said.

Katie and Fay waited "had friends. Until I came here. I wasn't allowed to do a lot or have anything before coming here. I guess I took comfort in having two friends. To be fair it feels worse than before coming to Hogwarts."

Katie and Fay stared the two half-blood girls suspected but couldn't confirm that the Harry Potter they saw in the common room was a façade. "Is this Harry Potter being Harry Potter or is this Harry Potter the idea and icon that everyone expects him to be."

Harry smiled thinly "This is me being me…I don't know why but I think I can trust you." Fay's eyes widened "With what?"

"Everything…What makes Harry Potter tick and tock. His likes, dislikes the whole caboodle. All I ask is that you don't spread it around."

Katie and Fay nodded "We solemnly swear not to reveal the information Harry tells us unless we deem it to significant to not be hidden from McGonagall."

Harry stiffened but relented and he began to speak. Like good people the fourteen year olds began to listen. It took the better part of four hours; it had been nine in the morning when Katie and Fay had found Harry on the parapet. Harry had been up since six and had gotten Divination and History of Magic completed and nearly through Astronomy when he had been interrupted.

"Harry, we've missed Lunch!" Said Katie looking at her watch. Harry smirked.

"Come on, you'll love this." Harry looked at his Astronomy and realised that he had just completed it, it was only a star chart to complete. Harry reached into his bag and pulled out a ragged piece of parchment and a silver cloth.

"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good." Katie and Fay stared as the parchment revealed a map. On it were moving blobs, what helped even more was that each area was labelled.

"This is how Fred and George avoided trouble since second year." Said Katie with a grin and looked at the silver material in Harry's hands.

"What's that?"

"Trust me." Soon enough all three of them were under the invisibility cloak. "It's an invisibility cloak."

Katie and Fay whistled "This is amazing. Why are you getting your homework done early?"

Harry grinned "So I can figure out a way to get more my shopping done. Plus, something is telling me that I need to change my learning attitudes."

Eventually they arrived in the Great hall, Harry put the map and cloak into his bag and they entered the room. "Ah, Mr. Potter, Miss Bell, Miss Dunbar…I was about to send a search party for you as I was most concerned that you didn't see people off at the Train Station."

Harry shrugged "I had a bad nights sleep so I was in the Common Room until the Library opened at Seven and then ended up on the Astronomy Tower at nine and completely forgot about it. I'll send messages later on."

"Just what were you doing up so early?" Asked Professor Sinistra, curiously Harry reached into his bag and pulled out his done assignments.

"Astronomy, History of Magic and Divination. Intend to get Transfiguration finished and at least start Charms. Hopefully get the work done by day four or five of the Holiday."

McGonagall nodded "What has changed Mister Potter? Forgive me but you have not appeared to be the most…learned of students."

Harry smirked at that "The Dursley's Professor and Katie and Fay, have explained somethings to me…So I decided to change."

"What about Mister Weasley?"

"He can either accept or flounder. I can't please everyone but I won't dumb myself down for his benefit…Question, I know I can't officially go into Hogsmeade on trips but please can I go down to get my Christmas Shopping." Asked Harry.

"No form…"

"I know. The Dursley's would never allow me to enjoy myself. My first bedroom was the 'Cupboard Under The Stairs…I still have a copy of that letter; then it was the Floor, Windblown Shack'…So my faith with them is at negatives."

Dumbledore's eyes hardened "Are you sure."

Harry nodded. "We are going to need proof Mister Potter."

"Can he use veritserum or memory extraction Headmaster?" Asked Katie unable to stop herself.

"Verite pardon? Memory Extraction?"

"Truth potion and memory examining Harry. You've dropped massive bombshells on them and they are by law required to investigate this fully." Said Fay placing her hand on Harry's shoulder effectively calming him.

Her eyes widened as power flowed through her, she broke contact "Katie, how quickly can you set up the Watch Path ritual?"

"Five minutes why?"

"Harry's about to awaken and it doesn't look good."

That stopped everything in the Great Hall. Dumbledore gulped "Harry, I assure you I did not mean for this to happen. Now, I need you to remain calm."

Harry started to convulse as he felt his magic begin to course through his veins "What's happening…"

Katie pulled out chalk and with ease sketched the containment field with the outer laying Watch Towers or Path ways around it in a loose pentagram and surrounding the Path Ways were the ten spheres of mage magics.

Everyone had the potential to be a mage but very few seldom did. Children of mages tended to awaken more often than not. However, mages coming from standard witches and wizards were not heard of that often. Katie was the daughter of an awakened mage squib mother and an awakened auror father.

Mages furthermore tended to be more numerous in America along with Werewolves and Vampires. Mages had seven rules of magic 1) Thou shall not kill with magic, 2) Thou shall not read the mind of another, 3) Thou shall not subjugate the will of another, 4) Thou shall not raise the dead, 5) Thou shall not swim against the current of time, 6) Thou shall not turn another into the shape of another and 7) Thou shall not ask for help from the deep Umbra.

"Quickly…get him into the circle. Lord knows what his Watch Tower could be." Katie was slightly nervous, the last time someone had this rough of an awakening he quickly became Marauder.