HP: Harry From The Ancient House Of Black

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Aries exited the castle and breathed in the fresh air.

The Spanish galleon that he'd call home for the next year looked remarkable in the cloudless sky, a half moon shining its light onto the great lake.

Professor von Reich greeted him on the deck, a glass of firewhiskey in his hand.

He was tempted to join him, knowing his mentor would allow him a glass or two, but his friends were most likely waiting up for him, putting up with Muller's gambling, and so he headed to his cabin.

The moment he was through the door a small body attacked him with a vicious hug. Arianna pulled back with a large smile, and Haydn and Ivan looked equally pleased as they sat around a card filled table.

"Congratulations!" she shouted in German. "Too bad that Potter boy went and ruined it for everyone. Doesn't he have enough fame already?"

"How did that work out, Aries?" Ivan asked as Haydn took the opportunity to deal him in to the game. Aries gave a shake of his head at his friend's addiction, taking a seat next to Arianna on his bunk.

"Potter did not enter willingly, that was obvious."

"Legilimency?" Haydn offered. Aries glanced at his hand before answering, he'd lose this round. Did Haydn cheat or was he just bad at cards?

"Yes and no, it was clear on his face that he was terrified. One of the Aurors, Alastor Moody, seems to think someone's out to get Potter. But he'll compete. Four champions. Makes for a rather interesting tournament."

Haydn would have had them play until sunrise, but the moment Arianna started dosing on his shoulder Aries sent them back to their own cabins.

They had filled him in on the student exchange and the fifth year Durmstrang students would shadow the Slytherin's in Potions, Transfiguration, and Charms.

Professor von Reich would teach them Battle Magic and Runes. Krum had already put together a team for the Quidditch tournament and no one argued against the Bulgarian star.

Aries would have to make it a point to talk to the older boy, he had been looking forward to competing in the Tri-Wizard Tournament and he wanted to make sure there were no hard feelings.

Viktor's friendship, and future connections, was an asset he did not want to lose.

….

Aries had enjoyed the potions class, though he was disappointed he did not get to see the potions master brew himself.

Professor Snape had simply left instructions on the board and left them to brew, spending the lesson antagonizing the Gryffindors to the endless amusements of the Slytherins.

Transfiguration reminded him much of his own professor back at Durmstrang and he welcomed the strictness that the old woman brought.

His only disappointment was that his class was further ahead than Hogwarts, making it much more of a review than an actual learning experience.

Charms had been his favorite so far, the miniature wizard being much more interesting than theirs at Durmstrang, whose dull, monotone voice only sounded alive next to Professor Binns.

It was that Thursday following Charms, that Aries decided to go for a stroll outside Hogwarts. The fresh air was much welcome compared to the frigidness one breathed in at Durmstrang.

He had a feeling one could really enjoy learning at Hogwarts, but the survival lessons taught at Durmstrang put all of its students leagues ahead of its counterpart in his opinion.

Aries stroll had brought him down to the lake, where he found Thomas Potter skipping rocks into the lake with as much enthusiasm as Draco put into being nice to muggleborns.

He was not oblivious and had seen many of the Hogwarts students wearing badges claiming Diggory as the 'Real Hogwarts Champion,' though occasionally it would change to say 'Potter Stinks.'

It had been a rather ingenious idea of Draco's, one that even he found amusing, but many had taken it to the extreme.

Aries had also noticed that the two fifth years that had sat next to Potter at the welcome feast ignored him and much of his house avoided him besides a red-headed third year and a chubby fourth year.

He was not sure why he walked towards the boy, but he was also a champion after all, and as much as Aries loathed to admit it, the boy was being forced to compete, and did not deserve the way the rest of the school treated him.

"Potter." The Black boy greeted. Thomas looked up surprised and almost dropped his handful of rocks at seeing the Durmstrang student.

"Oh, hello." Thomas returned the greeting awkwardly. "You're Aries Black right?"

"Indeed I am." The Potter boy had a rather confused look on his face before turning back to the lake.

"Are you related to Sirius?" Aries bit back the sarcastic remark.

It would not do to anger a potential connection, one that may have serious political influence in the future.

"Yes, I'm his nephew. His brother, Regulus, was my father."

"The Death Eater?!" Potter had fixed a rather scared look on his face.

This was the wizarding world's savior? He was afraid of a dead man! Could he even say the Dark Lord's name or did he say You-Know-Who like the rest of them?

"Yes, though if I remember correctly, the Dark Lord killed him, so I'm not sure why that would matter."

That had come out far more sarcastic than Aries meant, but it seemed to relax the boy, who continued skipping rocks into the lake.

"Sirius wants to talk to you, but I think he's scared you'll reject him or something." Ah, so that explained his uncle's distance.

"You can tell him that I'll talk to him, though it would be best if kept his expectations of me locked up."

"Yeah Sirius tends to be a little irrational sometimes," Thomas said with a grin. "I'll let him know." Silence spread out between them, Potter continued to skip rocks and Aries looked to the forest, longing to change and run through the trees.

He shook his head, that was a secret too great to risk being caught, especially in the daylight.

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