As they entered November, the weather turned very cold. The mountains around the school became icy gray and the lake like chilled steel. Every morning the ground was covered in frost. Hagrid could be seen defrosting broomsticks on the Quidditch field, bundled up in a long moleskin overcoat, rabbit fur gloves, and enormous beaverskin boots. The Quidditch season had begun. On next Saturday, the first match of the season is going to be played: Gryffindor versus Slytherin. If Gryffindor wins, they would move up into second place in the House Championship.

Harry can be seen walking to the library on that Sunday morning. He wants to take a break today from serious reading. So he is not going to read any law books, theory or potions books today. He is going to read some stories and fairy tales books today. Having grown in the muggle world, he is not familiar with any of the wizarding fairy tales. He came across a decent fairy tale section when he was exploring the library. Corner recommended me to try "The Tales of Beedle the Bard" first as it is very popular among the wizarding children.

On his way to the library, Harry was ambushed and surrounded by ten students. They all wore masks and the house crests on their robes are removed. So, he is not sure of the identity of the students and the houses to which they belong to. But based on their sizes, Harry guessed that 9 of them are upper year students (year 5 - year 7) and 1 of them is either a first year or second year (Draco Malfoy).

The one who is either a first or second year spoke saying : "You are getting too big for your boots mudblood. How dare you to try usurp the place of proper purebloods. It is time to put you in your place."

Without giving Harry any chance to respond, they all started throwing spells at him. This is the standard operating procedure of the slytherins. They attack in a group, tell the person the reason for being attacked, throw as many painful spells as possible for the next 45-60 seconds and then scatter away as fast as possible before any staff comes to catch them. Every corridor in Hogwarts has a portrait or two. For a portrait to inform a nearby faculty and for the faculty to respond takes at least 90-120 seconds. That's why the slytherins adopted this type of attack. They were never caught using this type of attack. Their strength lies in numbers and suprise.

But Harry has other ideas. He willed his magic to create a shield around him. He doesn't know any shield spells. He just let the magic pour out of all of his pathways and made a shield around him. Because of the amount of magic that Harry poured into this, it is very powerful. Because of the strength of the shield, it blocks all the spells cast by the slytherins (which includes some powerful curses cast by the older years students). Harry summons various suits of armour in that corridor towards him. He puts lot of magic into this spell as well. Because of putting a lot of power, the suits of armour travels at high velocity towards him and collide with the attackers surrounding him. 9 of the 10 attackers crumples to the floor unconscious. Only the lower year attacker is left standing. He is fortunate enough to not be in the path of the suits. Seeing all the attackers unconscious around him, he tries to flee. But Harry casts Full Body-Bind Curse on him and stops him.

Elsewhere in the castle around the same time:

Professors McGonagall and Flitwick are enjoying a cup of tea and discussing various Hogwarts related matters. It is routine for them to meet every Sunday for a cup of tea. Just then a portrait of a witch comes to the empty portrait in McGonagall's quarters and shouts "A group of students are attacking a first year Ravenclaw in the corridor leading to the library". Professors McGonagall and Flitwick quickly runs out of the room. Before leaving she tells the portrait to inform Madam Pomfrey to be ready in case she is required. They quickly run towards the corridor and gets shocked by what they find there. They suspected the first year would be unconscious or moaning in pain and the attackers would have fled the scene of crime long before by now. This has happened many times till now and the attackers always fled by the time anyone from the staff reached there. The attackers are also careful to only attack when Dumbledore is not in the castle. Dumbledore could use his phoenix and reach the scene of crime in a moment. That's why the attacks only happen when headmaster is not in castle. What none of the staff knows is that, it is Snape who provides his house students with schedules of when headmaster is not in the castle.

It is Flitwick who first recovers from his surprise and asks "Mr. Potter, What happened here?"

Harry says: "I am going to the library, professor. They ambushed me on the way and attacked me. I defended myself. I summoned the suits of armour towards me and they collided with 9 of the 10 attackers and left them unconscious. The last member tried to flee and I cast the full body-bind curse on him. I don't know their identities or what house they are from. They wore masks and they removed the crests on their robes. I think it would be best to take these 9 to hospital wing as soon as possible. The suits of armour are travelling at a high velocity when they collided with them. I am not sure what is the extent of their injuries. The 10th attacker only have a full body-bind curse cast on him so he will not have any injuries."

This quickly snaps the professors out of their shock. They quickly summon the masks away from the attackers. They assumed that the attackers are likely to be from slytherin and their suspicions were confirmed. The 9 upper years who attacked Harry and are now unconscious are Marcus Flint (5th year slytherin), Adrian Pucey (6th year slytherin), Miles Bletchley (5th year slytherin), Terence Higgs (6th year slytherin), Damian Rosier (7th year slytherin), Ivan Selwyn (7th year slytherin), Irving Yaxley (7th year slytherin), Cyril Thicknesse (6th year slytherin), Nicholas Macnair (5th year slytherin) and Draco Malfoy (1st year slytherin). The professors cast "Mobilicorpus" on the slytherins and take them to the hospital wing. They didn't revive Malfoy because they want Madam Pomfrey to give the "all clear" before casting "Enervate" spell on him.

Madam Pomfrey is already ready when they come to the medical wing. She is shocked for a moment on seeing the number of patients. She thought she will have to treat only one first year student. She recovers quickly and takes command of all the slytherins and starts casting diagnostic spells on them. She gives her report after casting diagnostic spells on everyone. Flint, Pucey and Bletchley had their spines severed and also have numerous broken bones. Healing a severed spine is a painful and lengthy process. They will be spending the next two weeks in agony in the medical wing. Higgs, Rosier and Selwyn had their skulls factured and also numerous broken bones. Healing a fractured skull is also a painful and lengthy process. They will be spending 2-3 weeks in agony in the medical wing. Yaxley, Thicknesse and Macnair are fortunate and does not have any spinal cord or skull injuries. But they have numerous broken bones in their body. They will be spending for a week in medical wing. It will be painful but not as painful as the other 6. Malfoy has no major injuries. He only has a small bump on his head. It occurred when he fell on the ground after a full body-bind curse was cast on him. He lost consciousness after he fell on the ground. Madam Pomfrey quickly heals the bump with a spell and told that he will gain consciousness as soon as they cast reviving spell on him.

Just as Madam Pomfrey completes giving her report, Headmaster Dumbledore comes into the hospital wing. His eyes has none of the twinkle and there was no emotion shown on his face. Professors fill him on what happened till now.

Dumbledore says: "Let's go into my office. We will get to the bottom of this. We will revive Mr. Malfoy once we reach my office.". He calls a house-elf and asks him to tell Professor Snape to come to the headmaster's office right now. The walk to the headmaster's office is silent. Snape is waiting for them outside the headmaster's office. A shocked look appears on his face on seeing Malfoy's unconscious form but quickly schools himself into an emotionless face. He asks for an explanation but Dumbledore asks him to wait till they go inside. After entering the headmaster's office, Dumbledore revives Malfoy. Malfoy first looks confused, then that changes to shock and fear as he realizes where he is and who is surrounding him.

Dumbledore first asks professors McGonagall and Flitwick for explanations. They tell him everything that they know. Then Dumbledore asks Harry to tell him what happened in the corridor. Harry explains what happened from getting ambushed to the professors coming to the corridor.

Snape says: "You really expect us to believe that you know shield charms and summoning charms? And how can we believe what you are saying is true. Draco, please explain what happened in the corridor."

Malfoy says: "We are just going to the library when we saw Potter in the corridor. We went to congratulate him on topping the current rankings. Then someone summoned the suits of armour at us. I was fortunate enough to dodge the suits of armour but he/she got me with a full body-bind curse at me and then I know nothing till I woke up here."

Snape says: "Then it is more likely that some older year student ambushed my slytherins and Potter here is either an accomplice and covering up for him/her or he is afraid of the older student and falsely accusing my slytherins."

Fliwick says: "Why are first, fifth, sixth and seventh year students going to the library together. And also portrait in that corridor said that a group of students are attacking first year ravenclaw"

Snape says: "Some fifth, sixth and seventh years from my house formed a study group. Draco requested them to allow him to join the study group so as to clarify some doubts he have. They agreed to help him since their parents are friends with Draco's father Lucius Malfoy. As for the portrait, it must have misunderstood my slytherins surrounding Potter to congratulate him as attacking him "

Harry then turns to headmaster and says: "I am willing to submit my memory to prove my statement."

Malfoy pales and says quickly: "Memories can be modified. The one who ambushed us could have modified your memory. Also memories are not admissible in court of law."

Harry says: "This is not a court. And you are not completely right. Memories can be considered as evidence if Wizengamot approves it by simple majority. According to the Hogwarts charter, the power to consider or not consider memories as evidence solely rests on the headmaster. Also a person proficient in mind magicks can differentiate fake or modified memory from the real memory. As far as I know, headmaster is quite proficient in mind magicks."

Twinkle returns back to Dumbledore's eyes. "You are absoulutely right Mr. Potter. If you submit your memory then I am willing to consider it as an evidence. Do you know how to retrieve a memory Mr. Potter?"

On seeing Mr. Potter nod his head in the affirmative, he asks "May I know how you know about memories and pensieves Mr. Potter? Pensieves are very rare and even some magical-born children are not aware of it." Dumbledore summoned the pensieve to his desk while saying this.

Snape scowls in anger and Malfoy pales further on seeing that the headmaster agreed to consider the memory as an evidence.

Harry says: "I am reading on laws in the magical world. I came across laws on pensieves and memories as evidence two weeks back. I went to the library to find about pensieves. I found information about it in one of the magical artifacts book. There it also mentioned the process of retrieving a memory. It is not a difficult process. I just have to concentrate on the memory I want to retrieve." while saying this Harry retrieved the memory.

After retrieving the memory, Harry deposits it in the pensieve. Harry marvels at seeing a pensieve. The bowl is surrounded by what is undoubtedly some complex runes. To make a pensieve, one needs to be a master at transfiguration, charms, alchemy, potions and runes. Costly materials are used in making of pensieve. Also it is a lengthy process. It takes almost a year to make one pensieve. This is why pensieves are tremendously costly.

Dumbledore asks everyone but Harry to join him in the viewing of memory. Snape and Malfoy reluctantly joins them in seeing the memory. Harry goes through the artifacts, trinkets and books in the headmasters office while they are viewing the memory.

In the memory:

Dumbledore and others joined Harry on the stairs that leads to corridor where the incident took place. After 30 seconds, they see Harry being surrounded by the slytherins. Dumbledore's face become stony and professors McGonagall and Flitwick glares at Malfoy on hearing what he says to Harry and using the word "mudblood". Then they see Harry creating a shield and they all are amazed since it is not any shield they know and he conjured the shield non-verbally.

" I dont know what that shield is. It looks like a mage shield. But mage shield can only protect you from one side. It cannot protect a person on all sides like Mr. Potter's shield does." says McGonagall

"It is not any known spell Minerva. I think Mr. Potter is forcing and guiding his raw magic to protect him from the incoming spells. So the magic shields him on all sides in response to his command. It is a crude way of using magic and it will be a massive power drain on Mr. Potter unlike any known shield spells. I don't think Mr. Potter can keep this shield running for more than a few seconds but it can be very efficient when one is attacked from all sides. This means that Mr. Potter knows how to consciously use his magic way before learning about Hogwarts. I would say he is consciously using his magic at least from 8 years old or even younger." says Dumbledore

"But when I first met him, he said that he is not able to consciously use his magic. He said that he can feel it is there but couldn't access it." says McGonagall.

"You are a stranger to him Minerva. You can't expect him to trust you with something that he never shared with anyone else except maybe his parents. I am sure even if we ask him after viewing the memory, he will never admit to consciously using his magic before coming to Hogwarts. He might even blame all this on accidental magic, saying that his magic is responding to his emotions. But accidental magic is never this precise." says Dumbledore

Note: Dumbledore is actually playing the memory on slow motion. That's why they have time to discuss this. In reality everything is done in 1 minute.

Flitwick squeaks excitedly on seeing the summoning charm. He says: "No wonder all those students have their spines severed, skulls fractured and bones broken. He overpowered the spell. Look at the velocity with which those suits of armour are travelling towards him. I don't think he actually used "Accio" charm for this. Just like the shield he willed his magic to summon those suits. I agree with you Albus. Mr. Potter is definitely is using his magic consciously for years."

McGonagall grumbled about being lied to by student and not being able to detect said lie. Malfoy who didn't know till then about the fate of his co-conspirators started thanking his lucky stars that he somehow was not in the path of those miserable suits of armours. Then he scowled jealously seeing the ease with which that mudblood is using his magic. Seeing this memory reinforces what a big mistake they made by underestimating him. They are completely outclassed by the mudblood. Snape is also amazed but he didn't let it show on his face. This boy if advances in magic at the current rate can become a serious opponent to the dark lord once he inevitably comes back. Maybe a visit to his home in summer by some death eaters should be arranged to get rid of him. But he wipes that thought out of his mind as soon as he looks at Dumbledore's face. Dumbledore already realized the potential in this boy and will no doubt assign someone from the order of phoenix near his home to keep an eye on him. None of his former colleagues wants to risk Azkaban for a dark lord who is absent to kill a boy who might or might not become a threat in the future.

The memory ends with full body-bind curse being cast on Malfoy as he is trying to flee and professors coming there in the next moment. Full body-bind curse was cast traditionally using a spell but was done non verbally. While it is exceptional for a first year student, they have already seen some other exceptional displays of magic, that this non verbal spell pales in comparison to them. After the memory is done, all of them comes back to the headmaster's office. Harry is petting the Phoenix at that time and Fawkes is crooning pleasantly at the petting.

"I have reviewed the memory and it is neither fake nor is it modified. I am considering this as evidence for what happened in the corridor leading to the library. It is very clear that this attack happened with malicious intent to cause pain and induce fear into Potter and subsequently all the muggleborns studying in this school. Similar type of attacks happened numerous types in the past few years. While all of them might not be committed by this group of individuals, it is clear that at least a few of them were committed by these individuals. But that is just conjecture and there is no evidence to prove that the past attacks are committed by these individuals. So I am going to give my sentence based only on this incident. 100 points are deducted for each person who took part in this attack from the Slytherin house. So, that means 1000 points are deducted from the Slytherin house. For the rest of the year, all these 10 individuals are going to spend 2 hours in detention every weekday and 5 hours in detention every weekend. None of these detentions will be with Professor Snape. All the privileges of these 10 individuals are cancelled for the rest of the year. That means no more Hogsmeade visits this year, prefects who participated in this attack are going to loose their status for rest of their stay in Hogswarts, quidditch players involved in this attack are not allowed to play for their house team for the rest of this year. You will not be allowed to participate in any events that are going to be scheduled in future for this academic year. Personal letter from me will be sent to each of your parents detailing what happened here."

Snape and Malfoy blanched on listening the punishments. 1000 points being deducted means that they are in the negative. More than likely, they are going to end this year in negative points. If that happens, then it will be the first time in hogwarts history for a house to end an academic year in negative points. They will be the laughing stock of not only the school but whole of magical britain. This punishment also gutted their quidditch team and any hopes of at least winning the quidditch cup also went up in flames. 4 members who participated in this attack are also part of the quidditch team. That means they have to recruit 4 new players for this year's quidditch season. They will not have enough time for practice since the match against Gryffindor is only next saturday. But there is nothing that can be done about this. They are caught red-handed and even their influential parents couldn't get them out of this

Dumbledore then turns to Potter and says: "I am deeply sorry that your safety was threatened Mr. Potter. We will take every measure to make sure that this doesn't happen again. For your impressive spell work and showing courage, calmness and composure in extreme adversity, I award you 200 points."

After that everyone is dismissed. Malfoy goes back to the common room to draft a letter to his father detailing the events that happened today. He know that his father will be furious. He will not be furious for attacking a mudblood but for getting beaten and caught by said mudblood. He is already dreading going back home for the yuletide holidays. Snape went to hospital wing to check on his charges. McGonagall goes back to her quarters mulling on what she saw and berating herself for not realizing that Potter family lied to her on their first meeting. Flitwick escorted Harry to the library. They have an animated discussion on various laws during the walk. Dumbledore stays in his office and ponders on the enigma that is Harry Potter. He knows that the dark faction will be furious by what happened here. It is very unlikely that they will plan to do anything directly especially when the dark lord is not there to protect them. But it is better to be safe now than be sorry later. He makes plans rest of the day on how to protect the Potter family and how to make Harry Potter a future member of the Order of Phoenix.