Yo,

I'm back with the Next Chapter of Broken Shackles. You can still read 4 chapters ahead of Public Release now on Patron page.

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"Talking"

'Thinking'

"Familiar/ Ghosts /Goblins" talking.

'Familiar/ Ghosts/ Goblins' thinking.

'Parseltongue, will/memories'

"Spell" is being used.

Enjoy.

Broken Shackles

Chapter  1 2

Discussion and Discovery

Harry, Padma and Terry entered the dingy and smoky Potions class to see Snape leering at them as soon as they entered. Harry didn't mind the grease ball, so he went to his seat without much trouble as other Ravenclaw's and Slytherin's settled in as the class was about to get started and first came the roll call.

Harry knew the grease ball won't let this slide and will attempt to take as many points as he can from Ravenclaw and he was prepared.

"Harry Potter. Ah, the new Heir." Started Snape, as Harry expected. "Tell me, Potter, do you know anything about the House you were the Heir off or its nobility?" He asked with a sneer, Harry didn't respond, not that he was given such luxury.

"What can a good for nothing, useless, stupid, big-headed dunderhead like you know about Houses and their Noble history," he asked, daring Harry to talk.

"Ancient and Noble houses are revered in our society and I feel by accepting as it's Heir, House Potter might have lost all the name it once had.

Though I doubt that it has any good name in the first place considering who your father is and what he had done in the past," Snape scoffed.

"First you change your House by blackmailing the Headmaster and now you cheat to get money, which doesn't belong to you?" Asked Snape, practically shouting in Harry's face.

"Aren't you feeling proud with all that money you won in that trial by cheating? I know you were. Why shy away, show us," he asked(more like demanded).

Harry just sat in his seat, Padma beside him. He knew how to get back at Snape and with just a gesture of his hand, the scene reversed.

"Let's start," said Snape and the chalk started to write the instructions for a Potion on board. Snape was looking around like a hawk as if daring anyone to make a move.

But in a most unexpected turn of events, the Potter boy turned to his side to talk to another one of his illiterate he called his housemate and he snatched the opportunity.

"Po-Malfoy!" Shouted Snape. Draco, who was sleeping because of all the detentions and strain he was going through, woke up with a jolt, hitting Crab and Goyle, who were covering him.

"Tell me what is the word for Dunderhead in French!" He shouted. Malfoy was looking at him, genuinely lost.

"What are you starting at, answer my question!" pressed Snape while Malfoy was still lost.

"10 fr-to Ravenclaw for neatly dressing." He said, pointing to Anthony Goldstein, who was surprised by Snape's sudden attention.

"20 points to-from Slytherin for laughing in the class," started Snape pointing to Nott who was laughing at Malfoy's lost expression.

"What are you gawking at? Answer my question," yelled Snape. Malfoy opened his mouth.

"Quite. What is the Latin word Wolfsbane?" He fired again.

"What are the dark creatures which can change on full moon's conditions called?"

"Why are you all looking as if it is a circus? Write it down!" Barked Snape and everyone started writing what the greasy professor said till now.

What followed was Slytherin tasting their own medicine. Snape started to take points for normal things they do in class.

For diverting the attention of other students, jinxing their potions, general distraction by doing other things. And Ravenclaw was awarded for the same.

Nicely dressing up. Not disturbing the class and some were even awarded for their fresh breaths. All the claws were jumping in joy while the snakes were glaring daggers at Malfoy.

Draco became the new celebrity of the class by losing the most points in one Potions class in Slytherin's history.

Add to the fact that Crabb and Goyle messing up their Potions didn't help things. The Slytherin House lost nearly 500 points, while Ravenclaw got 300 points in one class.

After a complaint by Slytherin students to the Headmaster, all those were reversed, but Malfoy's lost expression was still priceless.

Draco was genuinely confused why Snape targeted him all of sudden as he got the short end of the stick from the beginning of the year. He walked into the Great Hall for a meal, thinking the same.

The rumour of this spread like a wildfire and now all the Slytherin's were glaring at Malfoy and their Head of House with murder in their eyes, but couldn't do anything.

The day went by with relative situations but the classes after Potions went well for Harry and now he was going to the Headmasters office.

Harry told Padma and Terry to not wait for him as he had already eaten an early dinner knowing the discussion he and Dumbledore were about to have is going to be long.

As Harry approached the Gargoyle, it moved aside, without asking for any password. 'Perks of being Lord Slytherin I guess.' Thought Harry and before he could knock, Dumbledore called him in.

He entered the same large and beautiful circular room, full of funny little noises. Several curious silver instruments standing on spindle-legged tables, whirring and emitting little puffs of smoke.

The walls were covered with portraits of old headmasters and headmistresses, all of whom were snoozing gently in their frames.

There was also an enormous, claw-footed desk, and, sitting on a shelf behind it, a shabby, tainted wizard's hat — the Sorting Hat, Griff.

It was the same as when he last visited here and freed Dobby from Lucius and was told about his award. Harry looked around in nostalgia.

"Ah, Harry or should I call, Heir Potter now?" Asked Dumbledore with a pleasant smile.

"Harry is fine, Professor," said Harry as he walked in.

"Sit, Harry," he said, gesturing to the chair in front of him and Harry sat without any further delay.

"How are you doing, my boy?"

"Well, Sir. Too well actually,"

"Good, good. How was your summer?" He asked in the same pleasant tone.

"Isn't this too late to ask that?" Replied Harry rhetorically.

"Anyway, better." He answered.

"It's good to hear that," said Dumbledore. He was surprised by the lack of anger or disappointment as he denied Harry to stay in Hogwarts for the summer.

He thought of checking for any ill effects or worse, Harry not considering it home any longer. So he asked the first question that came to his mind.

"How was Petunia doing?"

"She is doing well. Though she doesn't like magic, she is fine as long as I don't perform it at home," said Harry in a sweet tone.

Dumbledore didn't consider his sweet tone, but the word 'home' was enough for him to quell his fears and he smiled cheerfully.

"How are classes going? Can you understand everything that is taught or find anything difficult to catch?"

"I can understand them without any problem, sir. As I didn't take any subjects that are difficult for me," he answered politely.

If the old man is not willing to break the ice, then why should he? It is not his concern as he did his part very clearly.

Harry heard a soft trill and turned to Fawks, trilling on his perch, looking at him curiously with his dark eyes.

He stood and gently ruffled his feathers while Dumbledore looked at the scene with a serene smile.

How much Dumbledore wanted the moment to last, he had so many things to ask the boy in front of him and so he continued with their meeting.

"That's good, my boy. You didn't take Divination?" Asked the Headmaster, jumping into his first question.

"No, Professor. I'm not interested in it as I don't feel myself to be a true Seer and thought I can't learn much from it," replied Harry, still petting the Phoenix.

"I see. But it is a great subject to learn, Harry. As it gives us a good idea of our future," said Dumbledore with a jovial smile.

Harry turned to look at the smiling Dumbledore avoiding his eyes, staring at his beard. That sentence reminded him of the Prophecy Trelawney made.

Harry came here to settle with the headmaster and tell him to keep his business to himself. But now this changed his mind.

If the headmaster is this much interested in his studies, then he is definitely hiding something other than Prophecy.

'Maybe he thought of rubbing the 'Prophecies are true' on me if I take it when Voldemort comes for me in the future,' thought Harry.

'Hmm, what to do? I don't want to waste my time but on the other hand, he might slip something that I can cash on,' were his main thoughts.

'Welp, I'm gonna listen to him and use Time Turner if I think this whole thing is useless,' concluded Harry and responded.

Dumbledore saw this as Harry listened to his suggestion and deeply thinking about it and smiled widely as everything seems to not have been lost from his hands.

"What do you think, my boy?" He prodded after some time.

"That's a good idea, Professor. But I'll ask my friends about it and decide whether to take it or not," said Harry and Dumbledore nodded satisfactorily.

"That is great, Harry. Speaking of friends, I heard you were not talking to Ms Granger and Mr Weasley, is it true?" Asked Dumbledore, taking the discussion further.

"Not exactly. They confronted me a week into the school year and I told them about my change of house and I can't spend time with them.

I don't think that is offensive, Professor. They stopped talking to me after that. I heard Hermione is in the library and Ron, I don't know where he is," said Harry, ticking his hands and shrugging his shoulders talking about Ron. Dumbledore can't say anything as Harry was clear with his arguments.

"Why did you do that, Harry?" He asked, unable to stop himself. He wanted Harry in Gryffindor and be the saviour of the Magical world.

But now he changed Houses and spoiled all his plans for him in the future. He had planned so well after all.

Harry would grow up into the perfect saviour the Magical World ever needed and become the Chosen One to defeat Tom.

He would be the one to lead the light after his victory against Tom and Dumbledore planned every step very clearly. Now this threw a big wrench in his plans.

It can't be helped. Though he is sure that the boy is not going on the dark path as Fawkes won't allow any dark person near, he needs to get a good grasp on him.

And then there is the matter of 'it' as well. His fingers trailed through his long beard as he went through the possible ways to bring it up.

"Can you be more specific, Professor?" Asked Harry, interrupting the old man's musings.

"Ah, yes. I am asking why did you change Houses? Gryffindor is where you belong, my boy," said Dumbledore with a small twinkle in his eyes. Harry smiled at him.

"It used to be, sir. When I first came, it was. When they supported me when I became the youngest Seeker, it was.

But now that House changed, Professor. You saw how they were last year, abandoning me and singling me without any support. That is not how the Noble House of Lions behave, sir.

I can understand Slytherin and Hufflepuff being angry. After all, if a Gryffindor is portrayed as their house's Heir it is not something that they are fans of and the Puffs are the first victims of petrification.

But instead of supporting me as a courageous Lion would do, they just abandoned me and subjected me to the same torment the other 2 houses put me through.

I don't think that gives anyone a good picture of them and as I personally suffered, I had enough. Even the Sorting Hat agrees with me, that's why it changed my House," explained Harry.

"What L-Heir Potter is saying is true, Headmaster. I saw a change in his core traits which made me change his House." supported Griff from his place.

"You know how the Founders enchanted me to do this," he added, emphasising on the Founders and Dumbledore nodded.

"Thank you for your assistance, Griff," he said with a smile and the Hat nodded. He did pick up on the slip of the Hat but didn't push it.

"How was Ravenclaw? The House of wise and quirkiest," he asked.

"Good, sir. I made 2 friends there. They are the ones you saw with me today,"

"Ms Patil and Mr Boot. Good students. Good. You should increase your friends, Harry. You don't know when they can be helpful," suggested Dumbledore and Harry nodded.

"If that's all, can I leave, Professor?" He asked, about to stand from his seat.

"I have a few more things to discuss, Harry," said Dumbledore. His face changed from a joyful one to a serious one.

"Yes," asked Harry, fed up with the man's diversions and mind games.

"Can you explain what happened in Gringotts?" He asked, finally coming to the point.

"Oh, that's a disturbing story, Professor." Started Harry with a pained smile.

"I went to them to withdraw some money for my school supplies. They sent me to a goblin called Bloodstain," said Harry, pausing for dramatics.

He is going to enjoy every moment of this. Dumbledore isn't the only one for dramatics after all. Harry saw a look of recognition when he mentioned Bloodstain.

"He asked me about various things and persuaded me to accept the Heir ring. I think it gives him more power on my vault," said Harry, making a sad face.

"Then he went on and read my parents' will. There were so many things I didn't understand, but the greedy goblin asked me to sign on parchment and gave me this ring," said Harry, pointing to the Potter Heir ring that appeared on his left ring finger.

Dumbledore remembered the last time he saw the same ring. It was after James's graduation from Hogwarts during the First Wizarding War.

He saw a messy raven-haired boy with glasses walk in through the same door Harry walked from and asked him to let him join in the Order.

"After that, he gave me some Galleons and sent me. I was out before I can object and bought my supplies and went home," explained Harry in the same sad tone pulling the old headmaster from his recollection.

Though Dumbledore might have found the difference between Harry during the trial and Harry in the story, his prejudice of the boy blinded him from doing that.

As that's what Harry, his golden boy, would do if he was in a similar situation. So he accepted it without any doubt and nodded in acceptance.

"Goblins are greedy, my boy. I'm sorry for your loss," said Dumbledore in a consoling tone. Fawkes trilled again, though in amusement or to lift the mood, is not known.

Harry thought the bird was thrilled by his story while Dumbledore thought the opposite.

"It happens, sometimes, Harry. We must accept them for what they were," said Dumbledore sagely.

Instead of asking or arguing with Harry about losing millions of Galleons, Dumbledore started to console him of his loss and said encouraging words to 'cheer' him up.

If not for his Occlumency shields, Harry would be rolling on the ground, probably die of laughter as his stomach would have burst by the antics of the old man.

'Man, who told fooling this old man is tough? He just fell head over heels as soon as I played the victim card.

He totally forgot about his 2.5 Million Galleons loss and started encouraging me as if I don't know anything,' thought Harry, still laughing in his mind.

"Goblins are greedy creatures, Harry. You must be careful with them. They offer us their services as long as we are respectful and give them gold.

Once we make a mistake, they squeeze everything from us, even our soul if it is worth something. Be careful with them," continued Dumbledore and Harry nodded along.

"We can't change anything now as you were known as Heir Potter through the Wizarding world. You must be more careful now as some unsavoury might get offended by this and try to attack you," said Dumbledore.

Harry raised an eyebrow. 'Why does anyone care if I claim my House Heirship? Is someone plotting to steal it from me? Does he know anything?' Thought Harry.

His mind running through every and all possibilities to assess if there is any mention by Bloodstain or anyone about anything relating to this. Then it struck him.

'You not only saved the Childcare centre, Harry, but it's children and their future. If not for your arrival, I might have taken on the offer of that man," Vali said in worry.

"Who might it be?" He asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Let's talk about that later," Vali said, trying to divert the topic.'

Harry didn't care about it then, as it didn't seem important to him. But if it has something to do with what Dumbledore is saying, then he is going to investigate that as well.

He is not one to take chances, at least after he changed after his 2nd year and became the Slytherin Lord. 'I'll find what's going on,' determined Harry and continued listening to Dumbledore.

"You must pull yourself together, Harry. You have suffered a lot, but for everyone you love and for the Wizarding world and for the greater good, you need to be strong.

I heard you can perform a Corporeal Patronus, is that true?" Asked Dumbledore, speaking of Harry's Patronus. When he first heard it from Remus, he was surprised.

If a 13 year old performs an Incorporeal Patronus is a far stretch, the same performing a Corporeal Patronus is just insane.

But the proof the DADA Professor presented can't be ignored and so he trusted him. He thought of asking Harry to do it when he got the chance. He got the chance and asked.

"Yes, sir,"

"Can I see it?" Asked Dumbledore cautiously, his eyes gaining back their twinkle as Patronus charm is all about positive memories. Harry nodded.

"Expecto Patronum," called Harry, pulling his wand out. If it is anyone else, they would have missed Harry's wand as much importance is not given to the wand.

They are important to the user as they help the user to use their magic with control and fluidity. Others don't care about wands other than that.

But to a well experienced and war-hardened person like Dumbledore, a wand means so many things.

A wand can say a lot about its user's characteristics as the wand always chooses the wizard. What he saw surprised him. He knew Harry's Holly wand colour.

It is a grey wand with a small handle, but this wand is similar, yet different. It is a greyish brown with green and black streaks spiralling the entire length.

In all his long life, he saw so many wands, but none of this beauty. It has a certain air around it that demanded power and respect from everyone.

If Dumbledore inspected it more closely, he would have seen small figures of a Phoenix, a Basilisk, a Horned Serpent and a Chimera carved at the end of the wand, near the handle. But he didn't as Harry hid them.

As a person who can feel magic to a better degree, its soothing feeling is like a calming song to his ears. He was so immersed in the wand's beauty, he almost missed the personification of everything positive.

An ethereal white Doe came to life as soon as Harry said the incantation. It searched around, scanning for any threats, finding none, it moved closer to its creator.

Dumbledore can remember a similar Doe walk across the ruined Potter residence, guiding him towards the hiding place where James and Lily hid to survive.

Seeing that same Doe brought back memories to the old headmaster he wished he never had. As they reminded him of the people he lost.

"It's as beautiful as your mother's, Harry. The same Doe. It is more proof that her love saved you from Voldemort. What do you know about the Patronus Charm?"

"How did you get your hands on this complicated Charm and master it in such a short time?" Asked Dumbledore, his mind pondering all possibilities.

"Well, the Patronus charm is the most famous and one of the most powerful defensive charms known to our kind.

It was an immensely complicated and extremely difficult spell that evokes a partially-tangible positive energy force known as a Patronus or spirit guardian.

It was the primary protection against Dementors and Lethifolds, against which there were no other defences.

And there were two types of Patronuses: Corporeal, which meant a Patronus with a particular shape and form, and Incorporeal Patronuses.

Incorporeal Patronuses had no particular shape and can not protect against Dementors the way Corporeal Patronuses did." Said Harry, reciting from the book he read on the charm.

As he doesn't want Dumbledore to get knowledge about his mother's diary, he chose to recite from the book instead of the simple explanation from her diary.

"Yes, that is correct. Do you know, there is something you should know about this guardian spirit?" Asked Dumbledore and Harry gave him a curious look.

"A Corporeal Patronus takes the form of a guardian spirit which the caster feels most safe with. In other words, the Patronus charm takes the form of the guardian spirit to which you feel dearest and most connected.

In your case, Doe. Your mother Lily's Patronus is also a Doe, Harry. It means that even in her death, she is still protecting you.

She is protecting you through the power of love, Harry. It is important that you keep this in mind!" said Dumbledore with passion. Harry nodded, but he is raging inside.

'Hn, says who? The man who didn't honour her last wish and put her only son with her magic hating, muggle sister?

And you are preaching about love and what are you planning for me, a sacrifice?' Raged Harry. What hypocrisy this old man is preaching to him?

If only he could open his mouth and say all this to his face. Alas. That can't happen as he wants to keep things peaceful for now and doesn't want to blow his cover.

'The day will come and I'll wait for it,' thought Harry, finally calming down.

"You must be prepared for everything, my boy. Remember, your mother made a noble sacrifice to save you from Voldemort.

She and your father put all their hopes in you and you need to keep that hope alive and move on, honouring their sacrifice." Said Dumbledore, standing from his seat and putting a gentle on Harry's shoulder.

Harry's immediate reaction would be to scoff at the old man and call out for his hypocrisy, but he controlled and strongly clamped on his anger and nodded with difficulty.

"Look at the time, it is beyond late. I'm sorry to keep you this long, Harry. You can go now. Concentrate on your studies as well. Enjoy the night," said Dumbledore with a wide smile.

"You too, Headmaster. Enjoy the night," said Harry, his teeth almost gritting at the end, he stormed out of the Headmasters office.

As he walked into the corridors of the empty school, he took his invisibility cloak and wore it to avoid someone finding him out of bound. Not that he can't handle it. He is not in the mood for it.

He knew a few corridors that can take him to Ravenclaw tower as quickly as possible as he doesn't need to answer a riddle to enter the common room, he can enter silently.

Though if anyone is in the common room, they will just see the common room door opening and nothing else because of his invisibility cloak.

Satisfied with his plan, Harry took his invisibility cloak and instead of walking, he flew feet above the ground through the empty corridors.

When he reached a passage that will take him to the fifth floor from the third floor, he walked towards it. He also pulled the Marauders map to observe if anyone was coming.

Though his eyes give him good night-vision because of eating Basilisk meat, he chose to trust his instincts and opened the Marauders map.

"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good." Said Harry and the map came to life, showing everything in Hogwarts.

Harry flew slowly and as he reached a corner, he saw Snape walk towards him, but decided to leave the poor greasy git as he got enough in his Potions class.

Harry also saw another name going through the empty corridors. If not for his night vision, he would have to use a Lumos to see the name.

But what he saw froze him. The name belongs to the traitor that was the whole reason for his miserable life apart from Voldemort.

Peter Pettigrew. It read. Harry stopped abruptly, checking his surroundings if he missed something and then he heard a squeaking sound and saw a small rat a few meters ahead of him.

It was running through halls and seemed in search of food. Harry slowly flew towards it, closely observing the map and when he was on top of it, the map overlapped them.

As he knew that Pettigrew is a Rat Animagus, he was able to piece two and two together and realised that the rat in front of him is Pettigrew.

If he had not known that Pettigrew is not an Animagus, he would have shrugged it off as the map's mistake and written it off.

His first instinct upon seeing the bastard was to strangle him to death or cut him piece by piece and enjoy his misery. But Harry controlled his emotions.

Harry observed it closely as if it burn its image into his mind and what he saw shocked him. He knew this rat.

'Shit. This is Scabbers,' realised Harry. From what he knew, Scabbers was first owned by Percy and then Percy gave it to Ron when he joined Hogwarts.

A clever plan if Harry had to say. This allows him to keep up to date with the magical world and give him a good life as the Weasley's pet rat.

After all, no one will search for a dead man and if the dead man is acting as a pet rat in the poorest wizarding family's house, that's a story that needs convincing.

He observed him as he snuck into a small hole on the wall. Harry doesn't need to follow him anymore as he already knew where he will go and where to find him.

He went to Ravenclaw Tower and after a good bath, sat on his bed thinking. He opened the Marauders map to check on his 'interest'.

He can now see the name Peter Pettigrew in the Gryffindor tower beside Ron's name. His thoughts raged on how this went unnoticed till now and suspecting Dumbledore's hand in this.

Though he knew Dumbledore won't help someone like Pettigrew as they are opposites, he wanted to know more about how this went unnoticed and chose to ask the twins about this.

As they were the previous holders of the map and likely to know something about this other than anyone alive except maybe Lupin and Pettigrew himself and of course, Sirius.

If talking with Dumbledore gave him a big headache with the headmaster trying his best to make him a sacrifice, seeing Pettigrew worsened things.

As he now not only knew where the person he was searching for knew, he was foolishly beside the same person for 2 whole year's.

Of course, he doesn't know that it was Pettigrew and hadn't had this much knowledge and grasp on things. But it made him feel like the biggest idiot.

Trying his best to clamp all these emotions didn't work as his Occlumency couldn't handle the burden of so many things, Harry did the only thing he thought best.

He called Mira, pressing on the green jewel in his mindscape and in a flash, she was in front of him.

"I was about to come," said Mira as soon as she appeared in front of him.

"Is it that bad?" Asked Harry, as he knew that they share an emotional connection along with a mental one.

"Worse. You were on the verge of breaking. What made you think this hard?" She asked curiously as she moved towards him.

"What can I say? Dumbledore is trying his best to make me think I'm a martyr and the person I thought I should search hard is closer than me than I ever dreamed. You know about Sirius and how I'm trying to free him, right?" He asked and she nodded.

"The rat who is the real culprit is in this very school and the most annoying thing about it is, he was a few feet away from me for 2 years.

I never thought that the rat I played and fed was the real murderer and the reason I had a decade of hell," said Harry in a frustrated tone.

"Come on, use that Time thing," said Mira, coming up to his face. Harry looked up in surprise.

"Come on, use it," she prodded and Harry gave her a questioning look.

"Turn 1 day back." She ordered and he took the Time-Turner and turned the 6-hour knob four times and as everything went back.

Harry saw himself sleeping and Mira walked him to the window. Casting a silencing charm, he opened the window.

Mira jumped out, unfurling her wings and letting them expand and floating mid-air. She called Harry to jump and Harry jumped out after closing the window.

As they came into the cool autumn of October, Harry took in the cool air and felt warm wings around him.

"Tell me, have you ever visited America?" She asked with a wide smile.

"No." Replied a confused Harry and then it struck him.

"You won't dare," he said and it was too late as she flew at high speeds into the night sky, not listening to his pleas.

After a long time flying in the air with Harry on her back, Harry apparated them into the Chamber of Secrets with the help of his Slytherin Lord ring as they have the entire day to themselves.

"What happened, why are you so upset?" Asked Mira finally talking as they settled in the Chamber with Mira in the pool, Harry first saw her and Harry on a couch.

"I don't know what to do now as I know where Pettigrew is,"

"What's the problem? You know where he is hiding, that's it, right?" She asked, not seeing anything wrong with the situation.

"Ya. But I'm disappointed how easily he hid among us this long and no one found out," he explained.

"Your problem is not that he is hiding, but that no one cared." She said understanding the problem.

"I don't know. Leave it," said Harry, not wanting to talk more about it. With the amount of anger he is getting, he wanted to destroy the whole school.

But his Slytherin Lord ring is suppressing it from coming out by diverting his mind to other topics so that he will forget it. It seems the ring is working.

"Ok. Tell me how far you came in your Occlumency and Legilimency training?"

"Occlumency is done. There is just one last test to complete and I'll start with Legilimency," answered Harry.

"Your studies?"

"I'm almost done with 3rd year in practicals like Transfiguration, Charms, Arithmancy and thinking of completing remaining subjects and taking fourth-year exams as well."

"Doesn't that put you a year ahead of your peers?"

"Ya. Who knows what else I should face next year to care for that," said Harry offhandedly.

"Why? Did you get another vision?"

"Nah. I just know it. As long as Voldemort is alive, I won't have a peaceful year. I'm sure,"

"Why the sudden pessimistic approach, Harry?"

"It's nothing like that. Past experience you can say,"

"I'm not there with you then, but I promise I'll be on your side whatever happens," promised Mira as she slithered closer to him. Harry touched her soft scales and she played a soft tune to lift his spirit.

After some time, Harry got his spirits up with the help of Mira and started on the next project he is excited about. Animagus.

After seeing the 4 claws in his dream, he got very curious and searched through all Animagus forms ever recorded, but found none that were close to what he saw.

This only increased his interest more as an unrecorded Animagus means a unique animal which anyone failed to achieve and with that renewed spirit, he searched for a way to become an Animagus.

The first option he saw was the currently followed procedure to become an Animagus and found it tedious.

It is annoyingly long with so many avenues for mistakes and decided to not take it and searched for other books.

That didn't yield any result as books upon books were searched and he also came across some dark methods as well.

But they didn't yield any results till now. But with renewed high spirits, Harry started his search for a book that gives a good picture of how to become an Animagus without all the complications that the current method holds freshly.

"What are you searching for?" Asked Mira.

"A book that can help me change into an Animagus,"

"What, you didn't find it yet?" She asked with an incredulous look.

"When did I say I found it?" He fired back.

"What! You showed me this book last time I came and told me that it was a great book," said Mira, pointing to the advanced Occlumency book Harry was reading.

The book was centuries old and was very good. It helped him to organise and change his mind's defences. He found another book by the same writer on Legilimency as well. He was proud of that achievement as the book held so many uses for Occlumency other than just shielding and remembering things easier.

It is the same book that explained the Magical Core, which is a great concept if Harry has to say himself. It made things easy for him and everything in his mind is well organised including Mira's Jewel and Hogwarts connection with him.

"Yes, but I told it was a great Occlumency book, not Animagus one,"

"Harry, can't you see or are you just ignoring it?" She asked seriously. Harry was taken aback by this and observed the book he was reading carefully.

It was old with its paint faded and its pages about to separate, but he saw a small line across the bottom part of the book which is still visible and pressed it.

As soon as he pressed it, Harry heard lots of hissing sounds like the one similar to the book he first saw on the table of the Chamber when he entered.

The Legilimency book, which was on the 'to be read' shelf flew from its position and stuck to the Occlumency one.

They started to glow brightly and Harry moved a few feet and watched curiously as the sound subsided after a few minutes and the glow stopped after it.

He moved closer to see a large book back to its original form with more pages than he could remember. Its cover read:

'Schpeel's Guide to Mind Arts and Animals Dark Secrets.

By  Schpeel  Dumb.'

And Cut.

That's it for this Chapter, folks. Hope you have liked it. Tell me, what do you think of the chapter and story in general.

Any suggestions are welcomed.

See y'all in the next chapter.

Black Infinity 1289,

Ja Ne.