Chapter 3: Changing Sceneries

Sixteen year-old Harry Potter woke up to a heavy weight on his chest.

"Wha-" He said incoherently as he sat up in bed (or tried to).

"Devlin gedoff!"

What used to be a puny baby dragon grew up over the passed three years to be a large teenage dragon that took up most of Harry's king-sized bed.

The dark coloured creature huffed steam from his nostrils and changed its position until he was off of his master.

"And don't even think of setting my sheets on fire again or I'll have to Scourgify you to this time", Harry threatened as he went and looked through his dresser for some clothes that actually fit him.

Harry was no longer a "skinny runt of a boy" as his Uncle Sal had called him at many reprise.

All of his training had finally paid off (enough for him to see) as he now had a well-toned body. He wasn't huge, but was well fit in all the right places making him quite the handsome young man.

His black hair that had grown a little still had a mind of its own as it couldn't be placed, but he wore the messy look well.

As of his fifteenth birthday a couple months ago, he no longer needed his glasses. The potion Salazar had been working on had finally been done and ready for him to take. It had been quite a painful experience (not as bad as the Cruciatus Curse he had been put through by his uncle during one of their duels, but pretty close). It had been worth it though when he came to realize that he no longer had to worry about breaking his glasses or dropping them. Thanks to the Potion, his gorgeous green eyes (yet somehow intimidating) were no longer hidden.

Harry rushed down the stairs, now dressed, and met his family at the Great Hall for breakfast. Today was different than others, because today was...

"Ready for your Exams, dear", Helga asked him.

Harry shrugged.

"I guess..."

"A little nervous then", Rowena guessed.

"But you'll do fine", Godric said.

"As long as you don't mess up", his other uncle stated with a smirk.

"Salazar", both of Harry's aunts reprimanded the man while Godric glared at him.

"Don't worry Harry, dear, you'll be perfectly fine", Aunt Helga told him.

"Why do you have to test me anyways", Harry asked as he ate his food.

"To see if you learned anything at all", Salazar said ignoring Gryffindor's glare.

Harry didn't know what to say to this. He was still wondering what they were training him for as they hadn't told him on his fifteenth birthday like they said they would've. It was like they were trying to push it off until they couldn't any more. Was what they had to tell him really that bad?

He was so lost in thought that he hadn't noticed his food disappearing from his plate and he wasn't the cause.

When he finally realized that he wasn't getting anything into his mouth with the fork in his hand, he looked down to find his plate not even on the table anymore.

"Devlin!" Harry shouted automatically as he turned to find his familiar lying on the floor behind him with an empty plate under his nose.

Devlin looked up and huffed steam out of his nostrils.

"Don't look at me like that! You ate my breakfast didn't you", Harry accused.

The dragon whined as it looked up at his owner.

"That won't work on me this time..." Harry tried not to look at his dragon's eyes but had no success.

"Fine..." He sighed.

"You win..." Harry picked some things from the table and placed a plate in front of Devlin who stomped happily until the plate was on the floor. The creature tackled his meal without wasting any second.

Harry turned back to see his family looking at him in amusement.

"Not. One. Word", Harry told them as he went back to his empty plate and filled it once more.

Harry joined his Uncle Sal in the Potion's Lab after breakfast.

"You have a few hours to make a perfect Draught of Living Death", his uncle told him as soon as he entered, "Find the proper book. The ingredients you need are in the room and for you to fetch. Your time starts now."

Harry raced with time as he prepared his ingredients for his potion and wrote down the steps he had researched in one of the books in the room onto a piece of perchment. He crossed off the ones that wouldn't work and rewrote them.

He then started making his potion.

When Harry was sure it was finished he called Salazar so that the Potion Master may test it.

"Perfect", Salazar stated when the potion passed his approval, "You pass."

Harry grinned.

"Clean up, and then you can meet Rowena in her classroom for you Transfiguration and Charms exams", his uncle told him.

Harry's Transfiguration and Charms examination was fairly simple.

He got tested on his wandless and wordless magic, which he passed with no difficulty. Rowena also had him test his Patronus spell, which he had found the most difficult at the beginning, but he seemed to have gotten a hang of it when he found a happy memory locked up in his mind.

Then his aunt tested his animagi transformations they had been working on for a while now.

They had come to realize that Harry had not one but three forms.

He transformed into the easiest one first.

"Cobra", Rowena said as she examined his form. She wrote something on the paper she was grading him with, "Okay, next."

Harry transformed into his next form directly.

"Black Falcon", Rowena said to herself.

Harry flew up and landed onto her shoulder.

"Flying black falcon", she said, "Next."

Harry turned into his last animal.

"Black wolf", his aunt stated as she turned and looked at every side of him, "Can you run?"

Harry ran around the room, gained some speed and jumped onto one of the desks.

"Well, Harry, everything seems to be in order", she said with a smile, "The last thing we need to test is your Occlumency."

Harry turned back into a human and jumped off of the desk.

"Great..." He stated unhappily.

He had been trained in Occlumency and Legilimency for two years now. He was pretty good, but only because of his aunt's help and support. He just hated having someone testing the walls and locks he had placed in his mind. He found it to be painful at times.

"Legilimens", his aunt said giving him no warning at all.

Harry felt a sharp stab against his mind. It was how he had made his walls. That way he would always know when someone was trying to read his thoughts.

He quickly located his aunt and pushed her out with all of his might.

"Perfect", Rowena told him, "You pass Transfiguration and Charms. Your Occlumency is strong enough, to. Well done, Harry."

"Really?" He asked with a grin.

"Yes. Now, your uncle is waiting in the first training room", Rowena said, "Do you have your sword."

Harry waved his hand and summoned it, making his aunt's smile widen.

"Good. Now off you go", she told him.

He met Godric in the sparing room.

Harry took his sword out of its sheath and met his uncle in the middle of the room.

His uncle didn't even ask him if he was ready and swung his sword to hit the boy. Harry jumped back and blocked the man's sword with and easy sweep. He pushed Godric back and swung to his uncle's hip. It was blocked and Harry was pushed away.

This continued for a while. As one swung the other blocked.

That is until Harry got himself stuck in a tough position. His uncle's sword was pointed to his throat and Harry's sword had been thrown to the floor two feet away from them.

"Give up?" Godric asked him.

Harry didn't answer.

"I'm still standing, I still have a chance", He told himself.

Harry kicked the man in his stomach, who fell onto his back in surprise. Harry summoned his sword with his hand and swung it forward, effectively winning the match as his sword was at his uncle's throat and his knee was on the man's stomach.

"I yield", Godric told the boy.

Harry helped his uncle up.

"Your muggle training in that "Martial Arts" was no waste at all my boy", Godric told him, "You finally managed to beat me."

Harry grinned.

"And just in time for lunch", his uncle told him as he picked up the sword he had been using from the ground and placed it onto the shelf.

Harry sheathed his sword and followed his uncle down to the Great Hall where lunch was already being served.

"All that's left is your hand written exams in History, Runes, Arithmancy, Transfiguration, Potion and Charms", Helga told him, "I'll be in the library when you're done eating lunch."

She stood and left the room.

"And after that you need to have your defence tested. You will duel every one of us in the second training room", Godric said.

Harry chocked on his pumpkin juice.

"A-all of you", he asked.

"Yes. All four of us will test your defence skills. If you can win each match then you will pass", his uncle confirmed his worries.

Harry gulped. He suddenly wasn't hungry anymore.

He gave his plate to Devlin and stood up.

"I'm going to the library", Harry said as turned and left to find his Aunt Helga.

The written exams, although they weren't as fun as the others, were pretty easy for Harry. He had plenty of time to finish them and head down to the Quidditch Pitch for some flying on his Nimbus 2000 before the duels started.

After a few hours later of playing follow the leader with Devlin (who was just learning how to perfect his flying), Harry was called down by Rowena.

"It's time for your last exam, Harry", she told him as he landed with his feet on the grass.

Harry could only nod as he followed his aunt up to the training room.

The founders were on the side of the duelling room, waiting for him (all but Helga who stood in the middle of the room). It looked as if he would be facing her first, but Rowena also walked up to the centre.

"Who am I duelling first", Harry asked.

"Both of us", Aunt Ro said, "If you can defeat us both while we're attacking you at the same time, then you pass the first test."

"First? How many are there?"

"Two", Ravenclaw told him, "You face both of us, then all of us."

"At the same", Harry gasped. Godric was already hard to beat on his own, but with the rest of them helping him... It wouldn't be easy...

"Let's just start with the two of us first, dear, then we'll see if you're ready for all of us", Helga said.

"Ready?"

Harry answered by raising his shield.

"Levicorpus!" They both shouted at him, but it had no affect.

Harry used his free hand to cast the same spell silently, but he was stopped by Helga's shield.

"Rictusempra!" "Levicorpus!"

Again, Harry blocked the first spell, and then stepped aside for the second.

He took a risk and lowered his shield to cast two disarming spells at them. He then quickly raised his shield up to block a Freezing Charm.

"Incarcerous!" Ropes went flying by him as he stepped aside quickly.

He turned around and sent a Levicorpus at Helga effectively hanging her by her ankles and lifting her up. He finished her off with a disarming spell, which sent her flying backwards onto the wall where his uncles were waiting.

He summoned seven snakes with a conjuration spell and pulled up a shield to block the Leg-Locker spell that was sent his way.

"Corner her", Harry hissed to the snakes, "Don't bite."

They slithered forward towards Rowena who had to take cautious steps back until she got a good aim at one of them.

"Vipera Evanesca", she repeated over and over, but she didn't realize that Harry had accomplished what he had wanted: A diversion.

Just as she went to make the last snake disappear Harry put in a Full Body-Bind Curse.

Rowena hit the floor with a small THUD, as Harry made the last snake disappear.

"Very good, Harry", Godric said as he used Enervate to wake his aunts up.

"That Expelliarmus of yours is quite powerful, dear", Helga told the teenager.

Harry grinned, but his expression quickly changed as he saw all four of them walk up to the centre of the room. It looked as if he would be facing all of them at one after all.

He would have raised a shield, but he came up with a better idea. He used the Disillusionment Charm to blend in with his surroundings, effectively making him invisible to his family.

He decided to get rid of the easier ones first and crept up behind his Aunt Helga. He used the Full Body-Bind Curse on her and she fell to the floor.

Everybody turned to their direction and Harry had to raise a shield as three spells were sent his way.

He ran as quietly as possible to the other side of the room and hid behind Rowena.

He cast the same curse on her than he did on Helga, bringing her down.

Now all that was left were his uncles and he knew they wouldn't fall for the same thing.

"Homenum Revelio", he heard Godric shout at the room. He then knew he had been found, as he recognized the human revealing spell.

"Rictusempra!" "Expelliarmus!"

Harry blocked the Tickling Charm and rolled out of the way of the second one, as soon as he did he sent a Disarming Charm towards Salazar, who blocked it easily.

A non-verbal spell caught him by surprise and he was lucky to still have a shield up as it absorbed it.

A chair was sent hurling his way. He flicked his hand and made it change its trajectory as it collapsed into the wall and broke into pieces.

Harry quickly ran to another place in the room and lowered his shield only long enough to send several curses towards Salazar.

As he went to block the last one, Harry caught him by surprise by knocking his legs from under him and knocked him out with another Full Body-Bind Curse.

A spell just missed his head as he stood up and turned.

All that was left now was his Uncle Godric.

Harry removed the disillusionment from him as it was of no use anymore. His uncle could see him anyways.

He stood two meters away from the man as he raised a shield automatically.

Two jets of red light were sent his way. The duel would be harder if his uncle was planning on going with non-verbal spells.

Harry rolled out of the way as another jet of red light passed him. He seemed to be doing more running than fighting as spells kept coming his way. He'd have to think of something quickly or he would get tired soon.

He used another Disillusionment Charm on himself even though he knew it wouldn't last long with his uncle, it was enough time for him to change his position and appear behind his uncle.

He reappeared and sent a Disarming Spell at Godric, who blocked it at the last second.

"Enough", Godric suddenly said.

Harry relaxed from his defensive stand in confusion.

"What?"

"You pass", his uncle told him simply.

"B-but I didn't even beat you..."

"But you came close and that's what counts. Now help me wake your aunts and uncle."

"Bu..." Harry sighed. There really was no arguing with Godric once the old man had made a decision.

He went over to his Aunt Helga and flicked his hand over her. Her eyes flickered open as he helped her up.

"You passed all of your exams, dear. We're all very proud of you", Helga told him as they sat down in the Great Hall for supper.

Harry shrugged in embarrassment.

"It's nothing..."

"Nonsense", Rowena told him, "You've been training hard since you were a child, and now it's time we tell you why..."

Harry dropped his fork in surprise.

"You will", he asked as he looked at his family.

They nodded.

"But you need to understand that we had a very good reason to keep this from you", Rowena said, "It isn't something to be taken lightly, which is why we wanted to wait until you were old enough to handle the pressure."

Harry nodded slowly, not really knowing what to say.

His aunts and uncles exchanged looks.

"Before you were born, there was a prophecy made", Godric said, "It's too long of a story about how we found out about it, but this is how it goes..."

He looked at Rowena and she sighed.

"The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches… Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies… And the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not … And either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives… The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies…"

Harry closed his mouth as he just realized it had been hanging open.

"W-what does that mean", he asked.

"Remember when we told you about the way your parents died", Rowena asked, "Voldemort tried to kill you and all that was left was..."

"My scar", Harry gasped as his hand automatically went to his forehead, "The Dark Lord will mark him as his equal... You mean me?"

They nodded.

"It's either kill or be killed", Salazar said.

"Salazar! You aren't helping the boy", Helga stated.

"B-but Voldemort is dead isn't he... So I don't have to worry..." Harry assumed.

They shook their heads sadly at the boy's fate.

"Harry, dear, I know this is a lot to take in but there are other things you need to know", Helga told him.

"Two years ago, we found out that Voldemort, who used to go by the name of Tom Riddle, had found a way to anchor himself to earth", Rowena explained, "He created what we call a Horcrux."

"Horcrux?" Harry found this word familiar. Had he read about it somewhere?

"Voldemort found a way to split his soul and place it in an object", Rowena said.

"But how?" Harry asked disturbed by the fact that anyone would ever want to that.

"What action can break one's soul, Harry?" Godric answered.

Harry shook his head, not knowing the answer.

"Killing", his uncle told him.

"So every time Voldemort killed someone he would make a Horcrux?" Harry asked.

"No. He only saved that for the important murders, like his father for example", Salazar told him, "And six others."

"Six", Harry gasped, "So... He made seven?"

"Yes", Rowena confirmed, "We've found and destroyed four: Tom Riddle's Diary, Helga's cup, the Salazar's Locket and my Diadem."

"That means there are three left, right?"

"Two", Rowena said, "Voldemort used one to resurrect last year."

"He's back", Harry's eyes widened at this.

"Yes, which is why you're leaving tomorrow for Hogwarts", Godric stated.

I might be updating slower than usual, but if you would like and explanation please go read the top of my profile. For those of you who read Phoenix Bond, it is also explained at the top of my profile.

Thanks to all my readers, you guys are the best!

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MJ005