Harry potter : Forgotten Lord

Several weeks later

Harry had fallen into a routine of waking up early in the morning, and going to bed late in the evening; simply due to not being able to sleep more than 6 hours on average a day. Whilst most of his peers would use such extra time for fun and games, he spent his extra time exploring the castle, as well as diving further into his study of magic.

This was made possible by every Ravenclaw student having their own room to study in, so they wouldn't disrupt their year mates' own studies. No other house had this set up, the Puffs and Griffs had shared dorm rooms containing 4 to 5 students, whilst Slytherin only had two students in each room.

There were also rumours that this was going to change soon, since it was considered unfair by those in the other houses whom knew about it. Even some of the older students considered it unfair, though usually for reasons beyond the purely academic benefits having their own rooms provide, since students in the other houses generally had to find an empty classroom, or broom cupboard whenever they wanted a private get together with their Girl-/Boy- or pillow-friend.

Which was something he regularly discovered during his exploration of the castle at night; naturally most students forgot just how serious ravens got when it came to their studies, and getting the top spots, and weren't above sabotaging each other projects to do so. Especially when competing over apprenticeships and scholarships with some of the finest academics in the country.

Besides finding the odd couple or two during his night time wanderings, he had discovered several secret passages and other forgotten rooms around the school. All these night time adventures were possible due to using his father's invisibility cloak, combined with regular silencing charms on his shoes so he could move through the halls of Hogwarts, unseen, unheard, like a wraith.

Despite being invisible, he still made an effort to avoid teachers and prefect patrols, not wishing to tempt his luck after his first night of exploring the castle. On the first night he had an unfortunate encounter with the caretaker's cat, which had almost got him caught.

Before he remembered that felines had increase sense of smell, as well other senses. This meant that he was taking extra care and effort to avoid Professor McGonagall as well, just in case she had the ability due to her feline animagus form.

After his close run-in with the caretaker's cat, he quickly found a scent removal charm the next day. A couple nights he ventured into the restricted section of the Library, and had spent several hours going over some of the rarer texts. At best what you could find in there was 'gray knowledge' but the additional academic theories and arguments were useful, as well as helped pass the time.

During one such night, he had found a passage going out of the castle, by chance to the local village, when he saw a pair of sixth year Gryffindor students sneaking back to the school, loaded down with fire whiskey.

Well he thought they were sixth years, but kind of hard to tell in the darkness. Of course, he ran into several other groups and couples in his nightly adventures, which were busy with their own adventures; such as the Weasley twins setting up pranks, or couples snogging totally blind to the world around them.

After recovering from the initial surprise of it the first couple of times, because frankly rounding a corner or opening an unlocked door to find a couple going at it, would make any first year stop in their tracks and ponder.

Not that sex was anything he wasn't already aware of, far from it really; he had been one of those kids which had ventured into the library to work out where babies came from after not believing the teacher's answer of mummies and daddies loving each other very much, and a big bird delivering them a child.

He couldn't really remember much of it in detail, since he was only seven at the time. But he could remember the physical education teacher's shocked face when he asked that innocent question; how the woman's face seemed to wrestle with mixtures of emotions like surprise, concern, alarm before the elder teacher stepped in and fired off an automatic answer.

Thinking back on it, it shouldn't have been all that surprising to his teachers, and outside world that he would seek answers? Don't all orphans question their existence? Where they came from? What happen to mum and dad?

He had just been an orphan seeking answers to his life, trying to gain some understanding of the world, and questioning his own mistreatment by his relatives, and why he wasn't loved. At least he knew now, that his parents hadn't abandoned him, nor were they drunks, but had instead been betrayed and murdered by one of their closest friends, Sirius Black.

With the help of one of Lord Voldemort's top lieutenant Bellatrix Lestrange and her husband and his brother plus an unknown Death Eater who had escaped into the night.

He didn't really know how to feel about his godfather's betrayal, he couldn't define it. But at least he could take comfort in the fact that they were rotting away in jail, with their happiness being sucked out of them by Dementors.

Pushing his thoughts away from such depressing and negatives feelings, his thoughts strayed back to the encounters with the couples snogging or more which had become a source of entertainment to liven up the night.

He would deliberately make loud noises nearby to scare them, or he would float objects and drop them. It may be mean to do it, but that's what happens when you don't lock the door! Then anyone can walk right in. At least it was better that he was scaring them, rather than Snape turning up half way through their activities, scaring the couple for life.

He always left when the couples started getting more serious, since it was private and didn't feel right to stay and watch them, even though he was interested in seeing more. He left even faster when by chance he came across a pair of guys starting to make out. It just wasn't natural, it just didnt feel right to him...Not that he had any personal issue against it, expect it went against all Darwin's theories, and natural selection ect...

During one night of exploring another section of the castle, he had gone to the 3rd floor to investigate Fluffy the Cerberus. The door itself was easy to open with a standard unlocking charm. He was actually a bit disappointed that the door was that easy to bypass.

Opening the door to reveal 'Fluffy' had been an impressive sight. He could understand why the Headmaster had chosen to use the Cerberus as guard dog, for whatever it was meant to be guarding as all six eyes looked at the door where Harry was standing. He could see darkness turn and swirl around the creatures, as a feeling of dread radiated off the Cerberus.

However the 'dog' just went back to its sleep. This startled him back in to action from his moment of indecision, when he realized the 'dog' couldn't detect his presence despite is advanced senses. Examining the three head dog, taking in the sight of the deadly magical creature, only upon examining its claws, did he finally noticed that beneath its monstrous paws was a trapdoor right in the middle of the room.

Whilst interested in learning more about what Hagrid's pet was guarding, he cautioned himself about going any further, having no means to get past the creature or knowledge of what lay further ahead.

However as he was just closing the door, he saw faint markings similar to runes described in several of texts boxes he had viewed, unfortunately as soon as he started inspecting the door in more detail, he realized it was covered in charged runes for some type of ward.

Before he could think it over anymore, he could hear rapidly approaching footsteps rushing his way. Instinctively triggering him to flee the scene, having no desire to explain himself, slipping into the shadows further up the corridor in a side passageway.

Looking back down the corridor from the shadows, he saw the headmaster rushing to the room, with his wand drawn at the ready, 'Detection ward' his mind answered, as the aged wizard examined the door.

Not moving from his makeshift hiding place as he watched the headmaster examine the scene, He was thankful for Bloodmoon having ordered the inspection of his family's invisibility cloak, prior to coming to Hogwarts. The goblins had discovered and removed close to two dozen spells. Most were tracking and detection charms, those one was a light compulsion charm of unknown intent.

This resulted in the Cloak being cleansed of any foreign magic by using a Goblin ritual, and led to Bloodmoon adding 'heirloom damage charges' to the headmaster's growing list of criminal activities for the future. Some of the tracking charms had been transferred onto a spare piece of junk at his request, and that piece of 'junk' was currently sitting in his vault.

From his spot he watched silently as the headmaster carried on inspecting the door, obviously checking the runes that he himself had been examining minutes earlier. Once again confirming his belief, that there was some type of detection ward on the door.

This had immediately alerted the headmaster to someone attempting to open the door.

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