Chapter 4: Plans and Press Conferences
The second day of the tutorial. So much to accomplish. So many chances to change things. This ever growing to-do list currently had our Harry… well currently he was eating ice cream but he was thinking really hard too damn it. At least that's how he imagined his conversations with Tyran looked to an outsider. He had just finished a shopping trip in the Alley, picking up a few more odds and ends that he intended to Dismantle and a few sets of Potion ingredients.
"So I don't need sleep, other than to mentally take a break from the game since Resting puts me in a sort of Limbo state where I can just relax for a while. I don't need food other than for status effects and general pleasure. Anything else I should know about this Gamer lifestyle?" Harry bit through a half-frozen chunk of strawberry and sighed in pleasure as the coolness battled against the growing heat of the outdoors.
"The Crucio spell should be pretty low on your list of worries as pain is very muted for the Gamer to allow for key gameplay functions to still occur. Instead of mind-numbing agony it will be more like logically knowing that you're currently on fire and kind of being okay with it. Legilimency is also no concern for you as too many aspects of your life will be affected by the Game and therefore Fate has decreed that your mind is simply unreadable. To a casual observer… well as casual as someone attempting to mind-fuck a 13-year-old boy when they're going through key changes and are really only thinking about one thing… sorry. To the casual observer it will simply seem as though you have considerable Occlumency skills. To the determined observer they will simply be ejected, forcefully. Yes this will apply to Voldemort as well because in Fate's own words 'Fuck that guy'" They had been in conversations like this for much of the morning as Harry opted to test a few things. Nothing substantial was learned through testing but the conversations have been enlightening.
The ice cream now firmly resting in Harry's stomach he went to explore Flourish and Blott's again. The skill of being able to flip through a book and learn its contents did not just apply to skill books so he intended to get a lot of knowledge this time through life and blow everyone away this year. After an hour or so as he flipped through a book on Muggle Studies for the heck of it suddenly an amazing idea occurred to him. A plan. A plan so diabolic, so useful, that he wondered if it would even work.
"Tyran. Tyran. Tyran. Tyran. Tyran. TYRAN." His brain was rapid firing as he considered the implications of this plan.
The sigh might as well have been audible as the Construct replied, "Yes Chosen?"
Harry excitedly jumped into his question, "How does Time apply to me? I mean obviously it applies to me but since my game age has been separated from my real age, and I don't need sleep, then if I were to get say… a Time Turner, then could I essentially abuse the shit out of it and not run myself into the floor? And not age myself prematurely?"
"Hmm. Well your physical age is meant to be permanent and not influenced by your gameplay as Fate wanted you to be able to live a happy fruitful life without feeling like you're much older than your friends or feel like a creep if you kissed someone or more. Running simulation now… Yes Chosen you could essentially abuse the shit out of it. There is a function within the game currently that would also apply to Time Turners to prevent your aging being affected" was the incredibly well-received response.
Now it was simply a matter of explaining to McGonagall that he could in fact handle the course load. Maybe an explanation and arranged meet-up would be worth the risk of attracting Dumbledore? Harry shot to his feet and jogged down to the Leaky Cauldron. Hedwig would be happy, since he might as well write to his friends while he was at it.
***Break***
Minerva McGonagall strode down the streets of Diagon Alley toward one of the many restaurants down the side streets of the Alley. She was off to meet with a young Mr. Potter who had very surprisingly sent her a letter this summer about changing his electives. There was a brief window during the summer where children were allowed to change courses since they would have a chance to talk with parents, siblings, and friends about it a little more freely and they usually changed their mind. But to go from 2 courses to all 5? Well he wouldn't be the only one this year.
Soon enough she found herself in front of a nicely decorated slightly upscale restaurant named The Glowing Goblet. It was well known for its cheese and wine selection and a popular spot for simple meetups of colleagues. Mr. Potter apparently had a reservation in one of the side rooms as well.
"Hello Professor" Said a dashing young man standing next to a chair in the side room. The seat meant for her was pulled out and well matched wine to the current tray of cheese on the table was poured and McGonagall settled in and sampled both before replying.
"Hello youn… Mr. Potter?" She did a double take as those eyes were simply unmistakably Lily's eyes. The haircut accentuated his sharper jawline and made his emerald green eyes almost pop with color.
A healthy and endearing chuckle broke the brief silence "Yes Professor it's probably a shock to see the new style. It's been a really good summer even in the short 3 days since term ended"
Seating himself and sipping some flavored butterbeer and popping a bit of cheese in his own mouth he formulated how he would even begin to explain the sudden changes in him. Well, sudden to those not in the know. He was glad that he slid the slider for strength back down and had bought a smaller shirt for this meeting as he didn't want his Professor to think he was taking performance enhancing potions of some other rot.
"So it seems. Your hair may be more like your mother's now, but your bearing has improved. Your father would be proud to see you're coming into the Potter swagger as he was so wan to call it" she said with a chuckle. It was fantastic to see the timid young boy begin to show some confidence. She did not feel sorry for the young girls who would be trying to catch his fancy this upcoming year.
"That definitely sounds like my Dad" Harry said with another chuckle that seemed to broaden the slight grin on his Professor's face "I suppose I should start at the beginning though. I appreciate you coming to meet me about the classes, the news of me changing my choices to all 5 electives probably came as a shock"
At her nod and a bit of companionable silence broken by the sound of more cheese samples being chosen Harry began to explain about the Dursleys "When I got home this summer I had received some correspondence from Gringotts about an outstanding debt of my Father's and to come by the Bank as soon as I could. I managed to convince my Uncle to take me and met with a teller. Through them I was able to learn of my inheritance. My Uncle, kind old soul that he is, saw this as an opportunity to… allow me to be closer to my heritage and we struck a deal. He emancipated me" he started to go on but the choking cough that escaped McGonagall's mouth as she was eating a piece of cheese stopped him.
"Emancipated?! You're only twelve!" the stern tone of the Transfiguration Professor rang through the small room.
Harry was smart enough not to bring up his impending Birthday "Yes, emancipated. I paid him to do so, and it was agreeable to both sides" he held up a hand to stop her reply and surprisingly she refrained from interrupting "It cannot be undone regardless as the paperwork has been filled out, filed, stamped, and I wouldn't go back to those terrible people even if I had to drop out of Hogwarts. I was never happy there, Professor"
She nodded as she remembered a cold November morning just over a decade ago when she warned Albus not to place this young boy there. It was hardly ideal but it seems he got away from them sooner traditional social customs allowed.
"And this led to the new hair and request for more classwork? Is that wise, Mr. Potter?" She regarded him with the same 'don't fuck with me or I'll Transfigure your underpants into ants' look that cowed many students into behaving.
To her immense surprise he met it with a stern look of his own and the simple answer, "Yes."
Harry continued after a moment and stared at the drink in his hands as he spoke "The Dursleys were terrible people Professor. Extremely terrible. While there I was forced to do all the cleaning and cooking, the maintenance of the home, and my first Hogwarts letter was addressed to the Cupboard Under the Stairs. Quite frankly they tried to browbeat me into complacency and I'm simply done with that. I've escaped. That is simply the best word for it. And to answer your question about the additional schooling I read in my Mother's journal that she took all the offered electives as well. I want to make them proud. Both of them. The Dursley's might not have cared for magic but they still cared for my grades and without them bearing down on me I finally feel free to show what I can do Professor. Show everyone. Last year I was regarded as the Heir of Slytherin. What not many people know is that the Sorting Hat offered Slytherin to me. It saw deep inside me the ambitions and dreams born in the darkness of a cupboard. Dreams of dragons and knights, dreams of being whisked away into a new world by my parents. It happened, in a sense. I'm in this magical world full of possibilities because I was lucky enough to have a Wizard and Witch for parents. I owe it to them to be the best damn Wizard I can be and stop holding back for fear of my relative's ire at doing well. And I won't hold back anymore. I won't. Please Professor, let me prove it to you somehow"
Harry let out a breath as he looked up from his butterbeer. That had taken a lot out of him, but he was certainly not expecting the showings of tears in the eyes of his now standing Head of House. She quickly went around the table and swept him up into a hug. He had received many hugs since coming to Hogwarts the first go around. Manly hugs from Neville and Ron, friendly ones from Hermione, Luna, and Ginny. Even motherly ones from Mrs. Weasley. This hug easily matched any hug he had received before and slowly he returned it. After a few moments they separated and the tears in McGonagall's eyes were gone.
Her tone did not betray their presence either, "Well I can hardly say no after all that, Mr. Potter. As far as proving yourself I think that can be arranged. Your letter mentioned you were going to be staying around Hogsmeade for the summer. I thought that meant that the Dursley's were finally opening up and wanted to see a bit of the Magical world, but I guess that's not to be. I'll work on the paperwork to switch your electives and consult with the other professors about having you retake your end of year exams. If you can prove to me that last year's lessons stuck, I will sign the paperwork immediately. Are we in agreement?"
"Yes. Yes, thank you Professor" Harry smiled, and her heart melted even more at the sight of the boy before her. She knew that he would rise to the challenge, and if his track record was any indication, he would surpass her wildest expectations.
They stayed and discussed the various electives a bit further while they enjoyed the cheese and drinks before finally ending the meeting. Harry walked her out and with a jaunty wave from Harry to send McGonagall off he readied himself for phase 2 of his plan.
***Break***
Gringotts looked much the same as it always did. This was where Harry found himself after his promising meeting with McGonagall. If there was one perk with being legally an adult it was that at least the Goblins stopped asking so many questions about his motives. The not so great perk was having to deal with the cost. 5,000 Galleons per Portkey was definitely not a cheap ride though and he was currently buying 20 of them. 100,000 Galleons.
Harry only needed 5 of them but wanted a backup for each as a precautionary step. The other ten were for his plans. He just hoped that it wasn't a waste of money. At the end of the transaction he would have a Portkey capable of sending 10 people to St. Mungo's, the Ministry, Hogsmeade, Diagon Alley, and Ottery St. Catchpole. After a discussion with Tyran it was determined that he could benefit from a fast means of travel during his life as a Gamer and the only solution he had without his Apparition License was Portkeys. Now some might ask why the ruby-haired hero didn't just go get the license but unfortunately the license required complete OWLs so even though he was legally an adult Harry doubted he could take those right now. It was hard enough convincing McGonagall to allow him the extra courses. Maybe next summer but even then, these Portkeys could still come in handy.
Once the paperwork had been filled out and the Portkeys manufactured Harry activated the one for the Ministry, he had a prophecy to listen to and a Will to read at Ministry Records if he was to continue with his current plan.
***Break***
At the Atrium of the Ministry Harry hit his first snag of the day. Apparently today was a press conference for the Ministry to inform the citizens of Magical Britain of the happenings of the season and many people were arriving by Floo, Apparition, and the telephone box entrance. VIPs were arriving via Portkeys. So when the telltale whoosh of a Portkey arrival occurred, Aurors and various paparazzi and journalists were there to greet them for comments on upcoming matters. No one expected The Harry Potter. Certainly not The Harry Potter dressed up in Acromantula Silk robes of the latest fashion, hair changed to the medium auburn red of his late mother, standing tall and proud with no escort, and looking more and more like the Lord that his shining ring signified that he was.
Pandemonium reigned as the Press caught wind of his arrival and as soon as he took a few steps the flashes started.
"Mr. Potter! Please! A comment on your thoughts of the recent changes in regulation for Potion Ingredients"
"Harry! Harry! Over here! What do you think of Wizend Nott's proposal for werewolves to be regulated to Ministry enforced lands for monitoring"
"Harry! A word for your fans! Is it true that you are the Heir of Slytherin and a Parselmouth? And is that a Lord's Ring on your finger?"
Everywhere he turned there was another camera, another eager face waiting for a slip of the tongue or a controversial comment. He almost couldn't breathe they were getting so close and it was all he could do to retain his posture and confidence. So he did the only thing he could think of.
"Pause"… Peaceful silence reigned as Harry took a few deep breaths. He knew he could fidget a bit inside the Pause, so he shook his shoulders and hips to loosen up a bit. The Pause feature would reset him back to the same position anyways so the relief was just temporary. Thinking for a moment on how best to regain control of the situation he pulled up his Character Sheet and looked it over briefly. Sinking all 12 of his loose stat points into Magic, he felt the sudden spike in his energy and knew that his Aura would definitely be showing to a few people now as the +15 from his Perks put him at a firm 35. Putting 24 skill points into Intimidation and choosing his boon, 15 in Diplomacy and choosing a boon, and another 12 into Etiquette and choosing a boon before deciding he might as well boost Flirting to 25 too since social situations seemed to be greeting him at every odd turn. Reviewing the sections he read over the boons one more time.
Diplomacy – 25 (+5)
Boon: Heir to an Empire. As the youngest Lord in recent years people are eager for your attention. +5% Relationship Gains.
Intimidation – 25
Boon: Flux. You may now consciously flare your magic to those around you. Doubles effectiveness of Magic Aura Feat. Cost 2 Magicka per second. Stops Magicka Regeneration.
Etiquette – 25
Boon: Now You're Forked. Your skill in formal settings is improved! Delivers notification prompts in formal dining.
Flirting – 25
Boon: Lost in your eyes. Making direct eye contact will improve your chances of success when engaged in Flirting. -5 to DR rating of target.
Taking another deep breath it was decided that it was time to greet the sheep. Ending the Pause, Harry flared his Magic for a moment and Used Intimidation. The people all around him took a subconscious step back and he began walking and talking, answering questions as fast as they were coming "Hello everyone. I'm not here for the press conference, I only recently came into my Inheritance and I am on my way to Ministry Records. Yes, I am a Parselmouth, I believe the skill was a result of my defeat of Voldemort as a baby as that is the only route that makes sense. To the best of my knowledge I am not related to Slytherin though it is as possible as anyone else with a line as long as the Potters. I do not intend to hold my seat in the Wizengamot at the moment as I am in school but may hire a representative who will at least sit the sessions so that I may stay appraised of happenings as a Lord. I am emancipated now and have multiple plans lined up for my future. I am not currently in a relationship. Ah, and here is my lift. Thank you all and have a great day"
Harry made it to the end of the Atrium finally. The Lord Potter had started to flare his magic again about halfway through the Atrium to prevent any further blocking of his path and actually made pretty good time. Keeping his answers short and concise he hoped that nothing was misconstrued or twisted but knew that overall the questions were answered better than anything Rita Skeeter would have thrown at him.
This morning's editions of Teen Witch Weekly had painted Harry in a good light, catching him as he walked out of Gringott's with a pretty good angle. The Daily Prophet wasn't quite as good with the Chamber fiasco having just occurred but the speculation wasn't so much of him being Dark as what was he doing at the Bank unattended. Today one could expect another front page of the impromptu interview that just happened and the task of how to address this made it to the top of the mental to-do list.
Luckily with all the hubbub in the Atrium the rest of the Ministry was relatively quiet and quick progress was made to Ministry Records. There he asked the middle-aged clerk to retrieve a few folders for him. He knew what was in them from a previous trip in his last life but wanted the pretense of his just finding out to fuel the next few steps of his plan. Tucking copies of the documents into his Inventory Harry made his way back to the Atrium, at least he knew what to expect this time and could use it to his advantage. The press conference was in full swing and the Boy-Who-Lived slipped through the crowd surprisingly easy and managed to get a spot in the front of the crowd.
Above him on a conjured stage and in front of a golden podium was Cornelius Fudge, green bowler hat and all, flanked by Aurors and joined by the various Department Heads. Mr. Weasley spotted Harry and waved slightly which Harry returned with a smile and a wave. This unfortunately, or fortunately in Harry's mind, made Fudge's eyes flick towards him and light up. Stopping his explanation of various plans for this year's taxes Fudge shushed the crowd.
"Sorry, sorry everyone. I know you're all very interested in the budget for the season" Fudge stated sarcastically and prompted a few chuckles from the crowd "I simply could not ignore the dashing young man in the front of the crowd today. I saw your entrance Mr. Potter and I know the public is simply dying for a few words from our newest Lord of the Wizengamot"
Cringing slightly and thankful that he didn't blush easily with his Charisma score, Harry knew that to ignore the eager and expectant eyes that were now all turned towards him would only worsen the situation. Making his way up the stairs he stopped and greeted Mr. Fudge who had stepped away from the podium to shake his hand. He also took a few steps back and shook Mr. Weasley's hand as well with a wink that made the worried look in the man's eyes disappear.
Stepping up to the podium, he shocked the crowd by flicking his wand out of the holster he bought earlier this morning and casting Sonorous.
"Good morning everyone. I apologize that my entrance was so hectic. I expected this crowd about as much as this crowd expected me" this got a few more chuckles than Fudge's earlier budget comment and Harry grinned at the crowd "I won't keep you all long, that is our esteemed Minister's privilege" again a few chuckles made it through the crowd "But to answer a few of the questions I was asked on my way to Records I am indeed now Lord Potter. There was a bit of a mix-up at Gringotts and omitting the boring details I am now emancipated. I came to Records today to simply receive the rest of my listings of holdings and am getting my living arrangements settled as we speak. If our Minister will permit me a few more minutes of your time?"
At this Harry turned to the Minister in question who looked gleeful to be able to 'permit' the public to continue speaking to one of the nation's heroes and a nod was given "Perfect. Now I know I have been in the Wizarding World now for a couple years and have come to terms with my fame. For those who do not understand I in no way enjoy being praised for basically surviving the night that my parent's were murdered" Harry let silence ring throughout the Atrium as he sternly stared across the crowd. Let not one of them think for a moment that he was an attention-seeker.
"However I am a proud citizen of Magical Britain. I know that I hold a responsibility to you all, if not as the Boy-Who-Lived then certainly as a Lord in our governing body. It is my intent to live up to that responsibility fully and fill the shoes that my Grandfather Fleamont Potter last held as Lord of my House. Since our Minister has so graciously given up his time with you all to allow me to speak it seems only fair that I answer a few questions"
Gesturing to a now ravenous flock of journalists, he indicated a young reporter from the Prophet "Lord Potter" at that he held up his hand and after a firm request to regard him simply as Harry or Mr. Potter as he was still in school the young and now blushing female reporter began again "Harry. What circumstances led to your emancipation?"
Well, they certainly don't waste time Harry thought before he formed an answer "Up until the end of term I did not quite know what the name of Potter meant. I received notice from Gringotts about a matter regarding my holdings and through there discovered the extent of my family's previous presence in Magical Britain of which I had known very little. After a few inquiries with a representative I discovered that I was eligible for my inheritance. Being that I was only a few years from time to receive it normally I felt that stepping into the shoes and learning what I need to know before I graduate Hogwarts was the most beneficial for the future of my House. Next question"
Gesturing this time at an older gentleman with a Gilded Galleon's badge, who asked "Harry, if I may, what sort of plans do you have for your business holdings? Many of which have suffered during the extended period of no management"
"I know that many of the Potter holdings have suffered in the time that my Father was in school and then was forced into hiding by the War. Potter Manor was destroyed in my Father's 6th Year and he was unable to receive his Lordship at the time due to grief. I will be thoroughly reviewing my holdings with a well credited accounting firm and intend to restructure many of the businesses to better represent the Potter name" Luckily that was a quick and easy one for Harry and he selected an even older fellow representing The Sonorous Sorcerer which he knew was international news.
"Do you currently have any plans with your new freedom, Mr. Potter?" was the short and broad question and Harry regarded the man with a serious eye.
"As there is currently a criminal on the loose looking to kill me, no comment" He knew that Sirius wasn't actually out to kill him, but the public eye didn't need to be apprised of where he was going. This time he went with a safe choice and gestured to a Teen Witch Weekly representative who looked to have rushed here once news of his arrival at the Ministry had reached the gossip magazine.
"Not much is currently known about you, Mr. Potter beyond your name and your fame. Do you have any plans for interviews in future? I know our interested readers would love to find out more about such a dashing young Lord" the young and pretty brunette had pushed her way to the front of the crowd but asked the question without a hint of her struggle
"If any interested parties will send me a letter, I'm sure an interview or two could be arranged. Last question before I take my leave" at this Harry decided to prompt a representative from The Hogwarts Herald whom he recognized vaguely as a Hufflepuff 5th year. Or 6th now, he thought.
"Is it true that you found the Chamber of Secrets?" Silence held the Atrium as the question was asked and knowing that there was no way around it Harry sighed heavily and held back from glancing at Mr. Weasley who had gasped behind him. It would take a bit of truth bending to protect the Weasleys from any fallout.
"Yes, I have found the fabled Chamber of Secrets. It is accessible only to Parselmouths which is where the tripe about only Heirs of Slytherin being able to open it came from. A Dark Artifact from Voldemort's time had made its way into the school and through it the Monster had attacked a few of the students including my best friend Hermione Granger. Unfortunately the lack of a definitive type of creature causing the petrifications did not help the Professors discover the cause. Hermione knew of my talent, and that I recently heard a very large snake once before one of the attacks. This led her to the Library on the night of her attack where she was able to find out evidence that Slytherin's Monster might actually be a Basilisk. Thanks to my ability as a Parselmouth I was able to find the entrance and engaged our Defense teacher Professor Lockhart to defeat the Basilisk whose identity had been discovered by Hermione Granger just before her petrification. Unfortunately the man was a coward. Oh don't gasp at that, let me finish. My best friend Ron Weasley and I led the extremely reluctant man to the entrance where Lockhart revealed his intention to throw us in the Chamber and flee the school. I was able to disarm him, but he stole my friend's wand and intended to Obliviate us which was apparently the only spell he can perform outside of Hair Styling and Teeth Brightening Charms. Thankfully the wand had recently suffered from a break and the instability of it caused the spell to backfire which is why Lockhart now resides in St. Mungo's. Knowing that we didn't have time to get another teacher we decided to go into the Chamber together as any Gryffindor would have done. There was a small cave-in during which time where Ron and I were separated. I was trapped inside the Chamber and had no choice but to continue. There was another student there. The most recent victim of the Dark Artifact, and after the victim spoke Parseltongue and summoned the Monster from the depths of the Chamber the Monster was truly revealed to be a Basilisk. A very old and large one. With the help of Fawkes who had arrived by tracking the location of the feather in my wand, which had come from that same Phoenix, we were able to blind the beast. The Sorting Hat that Fawkes had grabbed held the Sword of Gryffindor inside and I was able to retrieve this weapon and use it to defeat the Basilisk. Again with Fawkes' help I was able to get back through the caved in area and bring the affected student to the Headmaster's Office. That was the end of it"
The crowd was silent as Harry stepped away from the podium, so the yelled accusation was able to reach the stage.
"And how do we know you're not actually the Heir of Slytherin and that story was just to cover your ass?" A voice sounded from the rear of the Atrium.
"I can provide proof, if you'd like" Harry said this to the man, but the interest was picked up by the crowd. Harry indicated to the Aurors that he would be drawing his wand.
With his mind he 'equipped' the Sword of Gryffindor from his Hotbar into his left hand so that it looked like a Switching Spell to the crowd and it materialized in his now raised left hand. In his right, carefully held with a Dragonhide glove that had also appeared, was a large... tooth. A fang from the Basilisk that made the crowd ooo and aww. If that tooth was an indication of the creature's true size then Harry's accomplishment was all the more impressive. Waiting for a moment he willed both items back into his Hotbar and stepped towards Fudge.
"Thank you for your time Minister. I'll let you get back to it." Harry shook the shocked Minister's hand and stopped on his way off the stage to shake Mr. Weasley's hand again as well. The man pulled him into a hug.
"Thank you Harry" was all the Weasley patriarch whispered as they separated. Making his way down the steps the crowd split in front of him like a ship through sea.
Before he was able to reach the Portkey location, the Minister's voice rang out across the Atrium "Thank you for that story, Mr. Potter, it was very enlightening to a worrying situation at Hogwarts. I would like to convene the Wizengamot soon to offer you an Order of Merlin for your service"
Harry took a few more steps to the Portkey area before turning and with the Sonorous still active responded "Any Order of Merlin funds should be extended to the victims of a failed Dark Lord's pathetic Artifact. I would also not accept an Order of Merlin of any Class that Ron Weasley did not receive as well. He convinced me to continue on in that Chamber after having entered it with the full intent of facing whatever beast was in there. He is every bit the Gryffindor that I am" then he activated his Portkey.
***Break***
Harry appeared in Diagon Alley and immediately strode to the Leaky Cauldron. Unfortunately after the impromptu press release and the public retelling of the Chamber story Harry knew that he would be hounded by the press, or worse, if he stayed in the Alley. Making his way over to Tom he tipped the man 15 Galleons and thanked him for the accommodations before making his way upstairs. Slipping the trunks and various items he had acquired during his brief time in the Alley into his Inventory he made his way downstairs and back towards the Portkey location of the Alley. Right at the entrance of the Alley Harry saw them. Four men in black robes and silver masks. Death Eaters.
"Pause. Tyran, how does Combat work in the game?" Harry quickly asked his Guide.
"Combat is essentially the same as your previous life. The only difference is that your previous knowledge has no sway on what spells you can cast. That is determined by your Skill level of the school of magic of the spell. Accuracy is determined by your Dexterity and Magic stat and multiplied by the Skill level of the school of spell and multiplied by your Ambient Luck stat. Dodging is a combination of your Dexterity and Perception and Ambient Luck stats. Physical Defense is Strength and Constitution and Ambient Luck. Mental Defense is Intelligence and Wisdom and Ambient Luck." The Construct helpfully spelled out.
"Ambient Luck stat?" Harry knew that his perk Fated Luck and disadvantage Chosen One had mentioned Luck but had not seen the stat on his list now that he thought about it. He vaguely remembered his luck being 31 when he saw the stats in Options in the Center.
"Yes. Luck is a very powerful stat and as such must be unlocked in some fashion before it can be modified. Currently it is considered Ambient or Passive depending on which game terms you would like to use" Tyran explained.
"Fine. Is my stat at least decent?" Harry asked, knowing he would probably need every last drop of luck in the coming battle.
"Extremely, for your level. But do remember that Fate is a fickle bitch" Tyran chuckled in that same, now ominous, way of multiple chuckles overlapping. Harry grumbled internally for a moment before ending the Pause.
Combat Started!
They started off easily, shooting some basic stunners that Harry was able to dodge as he stepped back into the door of the semi-crowded tavern.
"Everyone, get down!" He yelled as the men quickly followed him inside. Dodging another stunner he jumped behind a table and flipped it before attempting to Banish it at the group.
Spell failed. Charms Skill too low.
Cursing his luck he instead shot the table with a Ventus spell that luckily fell within his skill range. It achieved basically the same result as the missile smashed into the legs of 2 of the men sending them toppling. He hit one with a Petrificus Totalus and threw a nearby bottle into the path of a Finite. Hitting the immobilized man with an Expelliarmus he missed the follow-up Diffindo on the airborne wand but was able to stomp on it after he rolled out of the way of a Curse.
Seeing another set of stunners on their way which he recognized as a simple Petrificus and an Incarcerous, stunners being an inclusive term of any non-lethal immobilization spell, Harry threw a Protego up and flared his magic for the extra spell protection.
Defensive Spells skill increased by 1! It is now 25! 1 Skill Boon available.
Harry jumped behind a booth and willed the game to Pause again, praying there wasn't Fiendfyre or some other bullshit on its way towards him but being unable to check. Quickly pulling up his Character Sheet he read over the available Boons and chose one most applicable to his situation. He also saw that his Transfigurations, Charms, and Potions skill were available for Boons as well and did the same with those. Switching to his Inventory, he skilled over to his Crafting Menu and saw that his ingredients he had purchased earlier highlighted a few Potions he could make. Quickly queuing 2 of them and designating them to auto-fill into his Hotbar he took a deep breath and ended the Pause.
Rolling to his right, he saw the Bombarda smash into the booth and thanked his quick reflexes as he shot a few spells towards the men and dashed up the stairs behind him. Making it to the top he spun around in time to see an Avada Kedavra leave the tip of the lead Death Eater's wand. Grabbing the handle of the door to his left Harry swung the door open and let it intercept the spell. A few shards of the now useless door scratched his face as he turned and dashed further down the hall.
-3 HP. Ouch!
Potion Complete!
Turning on the spot and dropping to a crouch Harry willed the Potion into his hand and chucked it back the way he had come. It smashed into the face of the lead Death Eater as the robed man crested the top of the stairs and the Boiling Tincture caused the man's mask to steam as the Potion took effect. This one was meant to provide heat to a Potion and was intended as an additive in the brewing process of some advanced Potions.
Potion Complete! Potions Skill increased by 1. It is now 27!
Throwing the same potion into the group Harry used an Aquamenti Spell and could have cheered as the Potion made the magical liquid boiling hot. The now boiling stream of water washed over 2 of the men and they fell to the floor screaming as the burning took place. Not waiting any longer Harry dashed further down the hall before turning into one of the rooms that overlooked a side street of the Alley. Hitting the window with an Alohomora he was able to wrench it open and straddle the sill before the door burst open again as the other 2 Death Eaters entered the room. Giving them a jaunty wave Harry rolled out of the window and willed his Nimbus into his hand. Quickly mounting the broom he was able to alight on the street below easily and he put the broom away. Glancing up he saw the Death Eaters looking out of the window at him but didn't give them a chance to react as he dashed back into the Alley's main street and over to the Portkey area.
As soon as he crossed the threshold Harry Portkeyed to the Ministry and cast Sonorous to yell, "DEATH EATERS IN DIAGON ALLEY!" before Portkeying back. Permanent Portkeys were simply the best.
Looking back towards the Leaky Cauldron he saw the 2 uninjured Death Eaters with their wounded allies in tow entering the Alley.
"Hello idiots. Didn't expect the Boy-Who-Lived to be so troublesome did you?" He called out, causing their heads to jerk to his direction. Harry had stepped away from the Portkey area before he did this to not alert them to what he hoped was impending Auror backup.
Thankfully they really were idiots as the 3 with wands still intact began firing spells at him. He flared his magic and threw up a Protego Maxima courtesy of his new Defensive Spells Boon. Watching as 8 spells smashed into it, he had to drop the spell as his Magicka took a severe dip.
Defensive Spells increased by 1. It is now 26!
Rolling out of the way of the next couple of spells Harry kept glancing towards the Portkey area. During one of the glances he missed a spell being cast at him but luckily was able to flare his magic just before impact.
Bonebreaker Curse received. 41 damage, mitigated by Magical Aura. -31 HP. Ouch!
Seeing that his HP was now at 73, Harry willed the Healing Potion be used from his Hotbar and sighed in relief as his HP jumped back up to 98. Looks like Healing Potions recovered 25 health. He idly wondered if his Potions Skill would increase that but was dashed out of his thoughts as he rolled out of the way of another spell and cursed as his leg gave out beneath him. Healing Potions did not fix broken bones. Noted.
Luckily before the Death Eaters could capitalize, a full squad of Aurors Apparrated in and the fight was quickly over as the small group was quickly overwhelmed.
Combat Complete! +350 Exp.
Loot: Wand Remnants, +5 Galleons, +14 Sickles.
Harry Transfigured a piece of a vendor cart's umbrella into a crutch, and limped over to a nearby bench as he watched the Aurors systematically disarm and immobilize the Death Eaters. Gingerly he lifted the leg onto the bench and got comfortable. Soon enough an Auror broke off from the proceedings. He recognized the shock of pink hair and smiled as Auror Trainee Tonks made her way over.
The cute young Auror quickly saw that he was injured and motioned for a Healer to make their way over after assessing nearby shoppers, as a few of them had been clipped in the spell crossfire.
"We are taking statements now, Mr. Potter, I appreciate you hanging around for us to collect yours" Tonks started.
"Oh you know me, just hanging around" Harry quipped as he indicated his broken leg "Wouldn't have done me much good to try and escape anyways"
"You're taking a broken leg reasonably well. Quidditch?" She asked and sat on bench beside him. He nodded and she continued "We're trying to build a picture of what happened. Do you know anything that might have prompted the attack?"
"Well it probably had something to do with me basically revealing my status as a 12-year-old Lord who was currently between residences, in front of a very large crowd, and then saying Gryffindors rule and Slytherins drool while waving around a magical sword. Then insulting Voldemort right before I left" Harry said as he shifted a little to relieve the tension on his leg.
"Blimey. Yeah that would probably do it. Luckily you were able to escape. Do you know who burned 2 of the perpetrators? They were positive for potion residue but it seemed to have been washed off" Tonks asked and a Quotes Quill was placed onto the parchment she took from her robes.
"That was me. I threw a couple Boiling Tinctures on them before hitting them with an Aquamenti. I don't know many offensive spells at the moment so I did what I could. Thankfully I had a couple on hand" the Healer joined them and had Harry's leg set and splinted in short order. He grit his teeth as the bone snapped into place.
-2 HP. Ouch!
Healing methods shouldn't wound me! Harry thought with a vengeance and could practically see Tyran shrugging in his mind.
"Quick thinking. Not many people would have used those potions like that" Tonks regarded him with an approving look to which he just shrugged, locked eyes with her, and winked with a cheeky grin. He laughed as she blushed. Thank you, Flirting Boon. She rolled her eyes "Mind telling me what you know?
"Alright. And I'll stop teasing you Auror…" Harry lead her into her name.
"Auror Trainee Tonks. I was brought over for canvassing" she said with a small smile. The boy was cute, but still a boy. And a cheeky one at that.
"Tonks then. I Portkeyed into the Alley, was planning on grabbing my stuff from my room at the Leaky because, as I said, I managed to tweak the nerves of Voldemort sympathizers at the Ministry press conference. When I came back down to Portkey away the Death Eaters were there. I went back into the Leaky and warned the patrons. Managed to duck and dodge my way upstairs. Blocked an Avada with a door. Threw the tinctures on them as they came up the stairs and blasted them. Slipped into a room overlooking a side street and used my broom to get to the street below and beat them to the Portkey area. Portkeyed to the Ministry to warn the Aurors and came back so that the bastards would keep aiming for me instead of any innocent bystanders and bought time for the Aurors to arrive. Caught a Bonebreaker to the leg shortly after cause my luck finally ran out. Better a Bonebreaker than something worse though, I guess" Harry stated all of this plainly but enjoyed watching Tonks' eyes get steadily bigger as his story was told. She let out a low whistle when he was done.
"Wow. Simply wow. A 12-year-old was able to successfully fend off four Death Eaters. Boy-Who-Lived or not that is impressive work. Try to have a bit more self interest in the future and Portkey to safety sooner but I can understand why you acted the way you did. Thank you, Mr. Potter, I'll report this to my superiors" Tonks stood up and pocketed her Quotes Quill, the much more honest version of the Quick-Quotes Quill that Harry remembered Rita Skeeter favoring.
"Anytime Nymphadora" Harry said to her shocked face as he grinned charmingly at her while he put the crutch under his arm and stood up. It didn't work though, and she smacked his other arm. Her eyes grew huge and she looked worried for a moment before Harry laughed loudly.
-1 HP. Ouch!
Shut up game Harry thought. He smiled at the taller woman to cover up his brief lapse in attention.
HP Notifications can be modified in the Settings Menu. You shut up.
Blinking away his surprise at the response Harry turned to the pink-haired woman "I recognized you just there at the end. I think you were a 7th year during my 1st. I remember many smacking sounds coming from the table behind me during breakfasts" he laughed again "I simply couldn't resist poking some more fun at a beautiful woman"
Flirting skill increased by 1. It is now 26!
Leaving the now thoroughly blushing woman behind Harry limped over to the Portkey area with no trouble and whispered "Hoggy Warty" letting his original Portkey whisk him away. The hook-behind-the-navel spinning caused his leg to scream in protest. He also briefly heard Kijani complain about the constant spinning as he left for Hogsmeade.
Chapter 5: Hogsmeade, Hogwarts, Hagrid, and Help
Hogwarts reigned high over the skyline as Harry took in the fresh Scottish air. The wind drifted through the quaint village of Hogsmeade and Harry decided to limp his way over to the Three Broomsticks. Pushing open the door he saw few patrons enjoying the tavern's fare as it was only around 4:30 in the afternoon. He knew the place would get a little more crowded as the village only had around 75 residents, many of whom enjoyed Rosmerta's cooking instead of their own. He selected a seat at the bar as the height of the stool allowed his sore leg to rest. Maybe Harry could get Pomfrey to spot him some Skele-Gro for a faster heal. Checking his Crafting Menu he saw that the potion was a good bit above his skill level at the moment.
With a mental grunt, he picked up a menu and decided on some beef stew, breadroll, and a nice cold pumpkin juice. Rosmerta smiled warmly at him at first but was shocked when she recognized who it was that was sitting at her bar.
"Well, I'll be damned. Didn't expect to see you quite so soon Mr. Potter. You're looking a little rough around the edges. Run into a bit of trouble?" the kindly tavernkeep asked, a bit of concern tinting her tone.
Harry smiled at her. In his past life Rosmerta was always incredibly nice, to him as well as everyone else, and there was a good reason that her pub maintained a better reputation and turnout that old Aberforth's did down the road. She was a handsome woman of just above middle age, still maintaining an attractive figure and smooth face with just a hint of crow's feet and laugh lines on her face. Her cooking was damn fine too as Harry could attest. The pub's stews, roasts, and home-brewed ales were all top-notch.
"Ah, I'm fine. I don't run into trouble so much as it slams into me. Interrupted a press conference at the Ministry and had a run-in with some Death Eaters at Diagon. Normal day" Harry chuckled at her horrified expression "I promise its not as bad as all that. You'll probably see it in the morning papers though. Could I grab a bit of stew, bread, and a pumpkin juice though? I'm famished"
"Of course, dearie. Let me whip that up for you and you can tell me all about what sounds like a crazy day" She said as she bustled off to the kitchen, whipping her wand to and fro to service requests for refills and fresh bottles from the patrons further down the bar "Better pay for that Stan!" she yelled at a man who resembled Mr. Filch at the other end of the bar.
A few minutes later she came back with a steaming bowl of stew and oven-fresh bread. She floated over a pitcher of pumpkin juice and poured some into a glass that she slid over to him "Okay now what's all this nonsense about Death Eaters and press conferences?"
Harry held off from speaking to dunk a large chunk of bread into the broth of the stew and nearly moaned as he took a bite. Wiping his face with a napkin he replied "I went to the Ministry today to go over the rest of my Inheritance. I was recently emancipated you see" he flashed his ring which she merely glanced at, bless the woman for her ability to ignore hoity toity affairs "The Minister saw me passing through as he was addressing the press and called me up to the stage. I held a bit of an interview for a moment to say hello and as I was leaving might have insulted Voldemort"
There was a gasp down the bar that got ignored "When I got back to the Alley where I was staying at there were 4 Death Eaters fully geared ready to receive me. Managed to keep them busy long enough for the Aurors to come but caught a Bonebreaker to my shin for my troubles. No one else was seriously injured so it's a good end to an eventful day I'd say"
With the over-simplified explanation of his day complete Harry occupied himself with getting a few more bites in as the woman responded "I'd wager a fair bit of luck went into all that, but good to know tragedy was avoided. Scary to know that some people still hold to those beliefs though"
Harry nodded and chewed for a moment on a juicy bit of meat he found in the broth "Quick side-note this stew is absolutely wonderful. But yes there was more than a bit of luck involved. If there's one thing I have besides dashing good looks, a wealthy inheritance, great flying skills, amazing fighting skills, a beautiful woman giving me food… well actually I guess all of that is just sheer luck isn't it?"
Rosmerta chuckled at him, she got flirted with on a daily basis she was used to much more overt descriptions of herself "I guess it could be, at that. Now you finish that stew up and I'll see about getting you a slice of some fresh apple pie I have in the back. Stan looks like his arm is about to fly off the way he's waving at me. I'll be right back dear"
Harry appreciated the sway of her hips as she made her way down the bar to address Stan's dying need for another beer. Puberty = Truck was really living up to its description he thought. Deciding he could do nothing about it he quickly finished off the rest of the stew and savored the cool pumpkin juice as he studied the patrons at the bar. A few more had trickled in but it seemed like most of them were content to ignore him in favor of their chosen drink or food.
Suddenly the door slammed open in the way that only Hagrid could unintentionally do. The half-giant thundered into the room with the grace of a boulder rolling down a hill.
"Good Af'ernoon Rosie. Hello Stan, Gene, Frank. No' been up to any trouble I hope?" Hagrid greeted what Harry guessed were a few regulars as he strolled up to the bar. Not missing a beat, Rosmerta enlarged and reinforced the stool next to Harry but it still groaned slightly under the large man's weight.
Three of the same bowls Harry just finished slipped out of the back and through the air in front of the groundskeeper and the man dug in with a vengeance. 2 bowls and 3 slices of bread later Hagrid glanced over at Harry just in time to catch the young boy's expectant grin. This unfortunately led to a coughing fit and a firm request for the same story Harry had just told Rosmerta.
"Emancipated. Well I'll be damned. Bet yer glad to be rid of tha' Vernon fella though. Seemed like a right twit 'e did" Hagrid said as he chomped through the last of his meal. With a loud belch and a request for a large butterbeer Hagrid turned his body towards Harry and rested a large arm on the bar.
"Still, Its good ta see ya, 'Arry" Hagrid smiled at him and reached out to ruffle his hair, this jostled his leg and damn near knocked him off the seat and broke his neck but Harry couldn't help but smile back at the affable man that had introduced him to the Wizarding World. First real friend indeed.
"It's good to see you too Hagrid. I'll be staying in the area for the rest of summer most likely, unless I go to visit Hermione. Ron's already left for Egypt with his family to go see Bill. So I'll be seeing a lot of you I'm guessing?" Harry asked as the smell of freshly baked apples reached his nose just before a slice of pie appeared in front of him. He caught a glimpse of Rosmerta's smile as she glided through her patrons with practiced ease just as the cinnamon smell caught up to him and he couldn't resist a big bite of the pie. It was divine.
"Prolly. I come here pretty often 'less I'm tendin' to the Forest or catch a juicy doe on my rounds. You'll have to come visit Fang, I'm sure the mangy mutt would love a newer face comin' roun'" Hagrid ordered half of a pie to himself and they both settled in to enjoy their drinks and dessert. Sporting matching bulging bellies the two moved away from the bar and settled at a table nearby.
"You mean I can go onto the grounds even though it's summer? I didn't expect that" Harry said.
"Well o' course you can. I'm the Keeper of the Keys ya know. Mos' of the other Professors tend ta head home for the summer themselves. Even Albus is usually away mos' days. Ain' no rules about students not being on school grounds durin' the summer" the large man said and Rosmerta dropped off another mug of beer for the giant much to his appreciation. Seems Harry wasn't the only one who enjoyed the bartender's backside either and Harry hit him with a knowing look and a smirk as Hagrid's attention came back to him.
"Oh shut up, you" was all Hagrid said on the matter and they both laughed.
***Break***
Harry slid his mother's trunk into the corner of the rental home he had secured for himself in the village. Seemed a family was more than happy to rent him the home for the Summer as they were away visiting family in Ireland. He would have to thank Rosmerta for arranging it. Opting for a bedroll and pillow in front of the fireplace instead of sleeping in a stranger's bed, Harry chose to Rest until 4 AM as he had a bit of exploring to do on his final day of the Tutorial.
Waking up, Harry noticed two things. One, his puberty was raging at him as only a morning could. Two, his leg had no pain. Indeed upon standing up he noticed that he could easily bounce on his previously injured leg. It had been muted previously which is why he could function as well as he did with a freshly broken leg, but this was showing signs of complete healing. Checking his Character Sheet he saw that his previous status of (Broken Leg) was gone from the effects list too.
"Tyran?" Harry asked the Construct.
"Resting, even the minimum of 1 hour will completely heal any Health, Magicka, Stamina, or broken bones you currently suffer from. Certain Curses and spell damage cannot be overcome this way, but standard broken bones are easy for the game's functionality to overcome" was the simple explanation. Harry's grin was immense as he thought about the strength of that ability.
Soon he was freshly showered and opted for a pair of jeans and a sleeveless shirt under some open robes. Not stylish by any means but he intended to go exploring today. With his hair though Harry went with a simple slicked back look which irked him a bit, but he knew he pulled it off better anyways. Casting a few hair trimming spells he knew from his previous life the young man trimmed off the few hairs that were beginning to show on his face and elsewhere. Puberty = Truck was living up to its name if he went from no hair to needed trimming charms in just a couple days. The hope was that he would be through the awkward voice cracking stage before term began.
Finally, he shifted around his Hotbar and added a couple Potions just in case. A few Healing Potions and Salves were the welcome addition to his preparations. First Harry made his way to the village's bookstore as he wanted to browse a few compendiums on local flora and fauna in case he ran into anything useful, then he was going to raid Zonko's as he knew that some of their products were very useful if he ran into something he needed to distract.
Preparations completed the young Lord went to Honeyduke's and loaded up on sweets to keep in his Inventory as he had no worries of rotting teeth or weight gain. Tyran had helpfully explained that anything kept in his Inventory would come out the same as it was put in. He had tested this with a lit candle vs. an unlit one and was excited to see that it was true. Not sure what he would do with the information Harry still filed it away for future reference. Slipping between the houses of Hogsmeade and heading towards the path into the forest his day had fully begun.
***Break***
Birds chirped overhead, leaves rustled overhead, and Harry struggle mightily in the fight to get enough air into his abused lungs. Spiders were all around him, large and small, and Kijani hissed in his ear as Harry sprinted through the brush. In hindsight he should have realized something like this would happen. It always happened.
-Flashback-
Harry smiled as he made his way into the Forbidden Forest. An aptly named stretch of woodland that he had probably spent more time in than most students. Already his Inventory had a few extra bits of Potion Materials as the underbrush was practically glowing in his eyes. Stopping again he took the small shears he had brought along and Clipped another bush.
Clipping skill increased by 1. It is now 7!
After only 2 plants he had received the first notification, according to Tyran he had been close to the threshold of acquiring the skill. 2 years in Herbology was good for that it seemed even if they typically left the Harvesting to upper years. And he had discovered early on that as his skill grew so did his yield. Already Harry was getting more trimmings from some of these plants than he would have in his previous life and couldn't wait to get a few Boons on his Sheet.
New Plant Type discovered! Fenley Fern! +20 Exp.
Herbology Skill increased. It is now 25! 1 Skill Boon available.
That was the other reason Harry was moving through the area so quickly without succumbing to the urge to Clip everything in sight. As he discovered new plant types they would glow in his eyes thanks to his newest Boon and appear on the Mini-Map at the edge of his vision that until now he hadn't really needed. Though it did help when he was running from the Death Eaters in Diagon.
Currently he was strolling through the forest and Clipping plants that weren't glowing but after realizing that just about every plant in the magical Forest was indeed magical he opened his Settings Menu for the first time. Tweaking the way his HUD worked Harry realized he could change Notifications, Mini-Map size and orientation, and a slue of other useful features. He now permanently knew where North was which meant he never needed another Point Me spell. He could also use his knowledge of Potion Materials and sort the flora and fauna that would appear on his Mini-Map to reflect that. Snape would die of jealousy if he knew of this ability as Harry collected another rare sample of plant. 8 more and he could Craft a rather useful Magicka Potion that was like a Health Potion for Magicka, and Harry was getting about 3 usable samples per plant.
In his excitement Harry was not paying attention to where he was going and the only warning he got that he had delved too far into the forest was the click-clack of large pincers above him.
Combat Started!
Rolling by instinct and managing to Dodge out of the way, Harry looked up and saw 3 Acromantula spiders bearing down on him. Cursing his stupidity, he fired off an Incendio spell but bit back a groan as his Skill was too low in Charms. Utilizing his Hotbar he spit onto the Wet-Start Filibuster Firework and threw it under him as he rolled away from another strike.
The Firework lit up beneath the spider and the screech that the creature let out as the Fountain firework burned its thorax was well worth it. Harry took off back towards the path he could still see on his Mini-Map and drew the Sword of Griffindor with his left hand. Luckily he had turned on the display that showed active enemies, despite not really understanding what that meant. Now Harry knew that the feature allowed him to track enemies that were in combat with him. This was how he realized he was running straight into another 2 spiders.
"Massster. Turn East" Kijani hissed from hood of his jacket. Harry had moved the snake up there earlier and had been talking to the young Boomslang just before the attack. He felt the snake slide around his neck and slither down to one of the pockets linked to his Inventory. Sure enough Kijani appeared on the slot of his Hotbar that was designated for him. When Harry had asked about what it was like in there Kijani said it was peaceful and dark and quiet, no jostling or anything really hurt the snake.
Not bothering to question his snake Harry barreled through a patch of thorns and half-noticed that though he saw his Health Bar move a sliver there was no Notification this time of the minor wound. Kijani slithered his little green head out of the pocket and guided Harry for a few more turns, not really explaining himself but that didn't bother Harry as even though he saw that there was still quite a few spiders and webs around Harry the area was beginning to thin out and he had avoided any more packs of spiders, just having the 8 or so that were now chasing him from the trees above.
"Jump!" hissed the snake and Harry obeyed, clearing the small creek just on the other side of the brush that he had been about to go through. That would have hurt had Harry fallen in it.
Acrobatics Skill increased. It is now level 19!
Ignoring the notification Harry rolled as he hit the other side and leapt to his feet again without breaking stride "Turn South, I smell it!" Kijani hissed again and Harry smoothly turned again but a rock slid on the dirt as his foot settled on it and he was sent tumbling through the brush. He lost the lead that the creek's break in the trees had given him while he struggled back up to his feet and started sprinting again. Kijani's head poked out from his pocket again and flicked out the small red tongue.
-End Flashback-
"Straight ahead, the Great One's smell is still fresh in this area!" Harry heard over the birds beginning to chirp as the area finally lost the sense of doom and gloom that came with a certain depth into the Forest. Realizing now that the Boomslang was guiding him to an old trail of the Basilisks Harry whipped his head left and right a few times before he saw it. A large grate, half covered by ivy and rust, with a larger creek coming from it.
"OPEN!" Harry yell-hissed into the air and thanked the gods that Slytherin didn't bother with more complicated passwords. The grate screeched in protest and Harry sloshed through the opening and hissed it close behind him. Just in time too Harry thought when he heard a loud clang as the nearest spider had slammed into the grate. Luckily it held under the abuse and Harry took a brief moment to breathe deep gulps of air. The young boy turned to the spider, seeing that it and the 7 behind it were still trying to get through the grate. He smiled and walked up still breathing heavily, easily stabbing the Sword of Gryffindor into the large arachnid.
Morbid fascination occurred as the Basilisk Venom infused into the Goblin Steel took effect and the Arachnid screeched as the venom burned through it with a gross sizzling sound. The other spiders ignored the death of their ally, and Harry was able to kill 4 more before they wizened up and scurried away from the grate. The brief hope Harry had was short lived though as they settled a few feet back and began building large webs around the area.
Sword Skill increased. It is now 10!
Combat Complete! +1,250 Exp.
Loot: 5 Acromantula Carapaces, 3 Acromantula Venom sacs, 100 Raw Acromantula Silk.
Sloshing to the side of the tunnel Harry leant again the cool but grimy stones as he finished catching his breath. The spiders outside were chittering between themselves and not for the first time in this chase Harry envied Hagrid's friendship with Aragog.
Harry glanced outside and watched the spiders build their webs, but ultimately decided he couldn't come back this way when 8 more spiders showed up from the depths of the Forest. He glanced apprehensively at the grate near him and saw that the spiders had succeeded in loosening a few of the grates edges.
Transfiguration Skill increased. It is now 29!
Harry had utilized a few rocks that he had found beneath the water and shored up the integrity of the grate a little in case the spiders decided to follow him. Glancing deeper into the tunnel behind him Harry sighed and began sloshing deeper into these tunnels that he knew to be last used by an 80-foot Basilisk.
*** Break***
"So why is there no Cooking skill?" Harry asked Tyran, sloshing deeper into the tunnels. He had been going for about 30 minutes now and would have gotten lost of Kijani hadn't been guiding him. The water was a little stronger here, but Harry was still able to make his way through. The water had risen above his knees now too and he could tell the area was sloping down. The tunnel itself had gotten a bit bigger luckily and he was keeping close to the sides where the slope of the circular construction meant the water was a little lower.
"There is, but you have had no need for it, so it has not appeared in your Skill list. Your time with your relatives will probably carry over into a relatively high Skill level though so when you make your first dish you will see" Tyran explained from inside his mind. Harry figured he'd probably be in these tunnels the rest of the night and wanted to pick the Guides brain one last time before the end of the tutorial.
"My Inventory has some Raw Acromantula Silk now, is there a Skill for making that usable in Crafting" Harry cursed a bit as his foot slipped beneath him and the water reached above his waist in this section. The Lumos Spell flickered a moment as his concentration wavered but retained its brilliance once he recovered. It was floating above his head as a globe of light and only cost 1 Magicka per second without stopping his Regeneration. In essence he could keep the spell up indefinitely which was good news but he had to allocate at least a bit of his focus on it or it would go out.
"There is. It is called Refining. It can be used for any Raw Material, whether it is organic or inorganic. It's really quite a useful skill once you get the basics down and is fundamental to any aspiring Crafter" that bit of information got filed away in Harry's mind as well.
Up ahead there was a bend in the tunnel and the young and shivering hero could see that the side tunnel had a platform for him to stand on. Finally he could get out of the water. He had to swim about 50 yards to get up to it.
Swimming Skill increased. It is now level 4!
Swimming Skill increased. It is now level 5!
Swimming Skill increased. It is now level 6!
Swimming Skill increased. It is now level 7!
Battling heavily against the current of the tunnel's water Harry was able to drag himself up onto the platform and flop onto his back. Swimming would probably be a necessary skill investment for the Second Task he thought.
"I'm still not sure why you didn't just hop onto your broomstick during any of that, Chosen" Tyran supplied just then and Harry took a few satisfying minutes cursing as loudly as he could.
"FUCK! I hate not thinking" Harry said as he glared at the broomstick taunting him from his Hotbar. It had been right there too.
Giving it up as a bad job Harry stripped off the wet clothes he was wearing and hit them with a few Drying Charms before tossing them into his Inventory and selecting a fresh pair of everything. Finally dry he slumped onto the floor and browsed through his Inventory for a moment. If he had flown he could be safe and sound eating stew and laughing with Hagrid right about now. The clock he now had beneath his Mini-Map indicated that it was around lunchtime so he took the mess kit he had acquired in Diagon out of his Inventory and laid it out before him. It contained a pan, pot, a deep plate that could double as a bowl and a spoon, knife, and fork. There was also some simple spices in the kit but he had acquired a better supply of all of those as well. Scrolling lower in his Inventory he pulled out a tinderbox and kindling, happy that he had bought them anyways despite thinking that Incendio would work.
Casting his eyes around Harry saw a wooden door behind him and got to his feet. The door was heavily rotted and a quick glance inside showed him a spiraling staircase leading down. Hoping that nothing down below could hear him he kicked the door from the hinges more easily than he was even expecting and made short work in breaking it apart into enough for a fire.
It took a few moments for the humidity saturated would to catch and Harry had to regularly cast Ventus at the pillar of thick smoke it produced but he was able to whip up a simple eggs and toast luncheon. It might not be necessary to eat Harry thought to himself but the routine was nice as was the notification of his Skill and the surprisingly tasty bit of food he made.
Cooking Skill Unlocked. It is now 52! 2 Skill Boons available.
Harry selected the Boons without much care and glanced back at the door. He could either go down the stairs and try to come up into the school from below or he could fly back the way he came and blast open the grate in a surprise exit and try and get away from the spiders.
His internal debate was interrupted by the sound of cloth rippling through the air and only the notification warned him of the danger.
Combat started!
A Darkcloak drifted down where Harry had been sitting a moment ago and Harry wondered how he knew what this was before he remembered a book on Magical Creatures he had studied in Flourish and Blotts. Thanking his new bibliophilic tendencies Harry shot a few Diffindos at the creature and made short work of it.
Combat Complete! +30 Exp.
Loot: 1 Darkcloak Scrap.
Harry glanced up and shot a Lumos towards the ceiling and sent another Darkcloak scurrying deeper into the darkness.
"Well that decides that" Harry said and mounted his broom. He'd take his chances with the spiders before they settled in anymore before he went traipsing through a dungeon full of monsters during the tutorial. He vowed to come back when he was a little stronger and fully explore this area though. Maybe after his summer plans were completed.
***Break***
"FUUUUUCK YOOOOOUUUU!" Harry screamed as he blasted the grate off the entrance, laughing wildly when the metal shot through one of the spiders that had stationed itself nearby. The +125 Exp. Notification was pretty nice he thought as he took a corner at breakneck speed and shot towards Hogwarts. The spiders chittered maniacally behind him but couldn't match the speed of his Nimbus and were soon forgotten as the trees cleared around Harry.
Banking left towards Hagrid's now visible hut Harry alighted onto the ground with a flourish, almost catching a crossbow bolt through his chest for his efforts as Hagrid had not been expecting anyone to be falling from the sky like that.
"Blimey 'Arry don' do tha'!" Hagrid said whilst clutching his fragile heart.
Harry chuckled as he slipped the broom into his Hotbar with a thought causing a raised eyebrow from Hagrid that he met with a shrug.
"I mastered the Switching Spell wandlessly. I'm awesome I know" Harry joked and turned to meet Fang's greeting charge as the large hound realized there was company. Giving the loving animal a few pets Harry grinned at the large man and Hagrid couldn't help but grin back.
"Well at least I went wi' a warnin' shot" Hagrid quipped as he collected his bolt from behind Harry. The 'warning' shot had given his robe a new hole, but Harry just thanked his dumb luck for that one.
Eyeing the crossbow with a look of envy Harry asked "How did you make that thing anyways? It seems really useful for your line of work"
"It is at that. I didn't make it though, Albus gave it to me. Said he had acquired it from a talented engineer in Switzerland during his campaign against Grindlewald. Got me some silver-tipped bolts fer ornery werewolves in me hut too" Hagrid answered. The man thumbed some dirt off the tip of his errant bolt before tossing it into the quiver strapped onto his thigh. More easily than just about anyone else Hagrid reset the crossbow and put a fresh bolt into the slot before pushing the safety and strapping it to his back.
"Heading out?" Harry inquired. Fang was now religiously playing fetch with the stick that Harry had thrown over the hound's head.
"Yeah, I wan' ta see if I can find the 'erd of deer I saw signs o' the other day. I actually just go' back from tendin' ta a bit o' work by the Lake so I'm runnin' behin'" Hagrid collected a few more pieces of gear from beside his hut that Harry had never paid attention to before. The 'knife' that Hagrid slipped into a holster on his belt was easily 2 thirds as long as the sword Harry had on his Hotbar.
"Neat. Can I come?" Puppy dog eyes more effective than anything Fang had used in recent years accompanied the request.
Hagrid tapped his chin for a moment before letting out a huff and indicating Harry to come along. Fang caught up to them with the stick still in the dog's mouth from the most recent toss.
***Break***
"You gotta look fer signs o' disturbed foliage. A snapped twig, a bent bit o' brush, those will usually lead you to the next print or bit o' dung that marks the passage of an animal. This don't apply ta all animals o' course, but the docile ones like a deer usually leave traces li' tha'" Hagrid explained to the fascinated boy beside him as they crept through the brush.
Harry was amazed at Hagrid's woodsman skills; the man hardly made a sound despite being so large. Indeed Harry sounded like the giant once they made their way into the underbrush of the outer edges of the Forest.
Hunting Skill Unlocked. It is now 1!
"How do you do that with your feet? I'll step in the same spot you just did and snap twigs you didn't snap" Harry complained after the loud snap of said twig caused him to jump slightly.
Hagrid chuckled as they stopped and scanned the nearby tree line "Practice. Mos' times people walk wi' a heel-to-toe stride. Tha' means their weight settles almost immediately 'fore they realize what exactly their steppin' in or on. Out here 'tis best to go with a toe-to-heel step. Minor difference in practice, big difference in results. Toe-to-heel lets ya feel with yer feet and turn yer foot if ya feel somethin' like a branch beneath ya"
Stealth skill increased. It is now 25! 1 Skill Boon available.
Harry smiled at the explanation and nodded in respect as he saw the Boon option of Toe-to-Heel in the list of options. Selecting it, Harry saw Hagrid turn to eye him as Harry took a few significantly quieter steps.
"Thas' the way, Harry. Good job. Now les' see if we can't bag us a nice bi' of dinner. I'll even teach you how to field strip an animal" Hagrid smiled at him and they continued on.
***Break***
Skinning Skill Unlocked. It is now 1!
Harry wiped his sweating forehead and cursed as he got blood on his face. Field stripping apparently consisted of slicing the animal long ways up the belly and burying the innards "Makes 'em easier ta carry tha' way" Hagrid had said. Hagrid kept the liver and heart, saying they were delicious bits of the animal, but buried the rest or chucked it into the Forest depending on his desire to be out in that area of the Forest again soon.
His bruised shoulder should be bothering him, but the game easily kept the pain at an ignorable level. Shooting the crossbow had been really fun though and the Notification of a Critical Hit had caused Hagrid to guffaw in amazement as Harry bagged their 3rd kill of the day, Hagrid having taken down 2 already which he had tied to his back with little to no effort. It was getting later though, and they were on their way back to the hut.
"Fine bi' o' work Harry. I still can't get over tha' sho', right through the neck clean as coul' be. Poor bugger was dead afore she hit the ground" Hagrid chuckled again and tied the twine through the legs of the recent kill. Harry grunted as he lifted the corpse of the admittedly smaller deer onto his shoulders.
"Stronger than ya look, aren't ya Harry?" Hagrid joked as they stepped through the Forest. They had barely made it 100 yards before Hagrid took pity on the huffing and puffing Boy-Who-Lived and easily took the deer off Harry's shoulders with one hand and tossed it over his own. The man had to be carrying at least 600 pounds of deer! Harry thought in amazement.
"Anyone who says that Rubeus Hagrid isn't amazing can eat shit" the amazed and sweaty dark-haired boy said. This prompted booming laughter from Hagrid that made the birds in the area scream out in protest and relocate.
***Break***
Skinning Skill increased. It is now 2!
Harry smiled at his finished product. It wasn't nearly as nice as Hagrid's, but it was functionally the same if you squinted. Tyran had told him that he could use the game's functionality to do the skinning work for him but Harry had wanted the experience of Skinning his first kill to be authentic. He might have felt bad but he had seen the 200 strong herd that they had been following so Harry knew that there were plenty of other deer at the edges of the Forest.
"Nicely done Harry, you'll be a fine woodsman yerself one day if ya keep that up" Hagrid said from his position by the drying racks. The man was stretching and treating the recently acquired leather and Harry had asked if he could learn the process from the obviously skilled man.
"Thanks. You do this sort of stuff all the time?" Harry asked. He sipped from the waterskin that Hagrid had tossed him in appreciation and sat back from his work.
"Not durin' the school year much, the smell o' the tannin' mix can get a little ripe fer the students. But it keeps me busy if I'm ahead on my other duties" Hagrid picked up Harry's leather and taught Harry how to string it up and treat it in short order.
Tanning Skill Unlocked. It is now 1!
Harry smiled at the Notification, which Hagrid took as Harry smiling at the completion of the task. That Learning bonus from his Apprentice specialization was paying dividends Harry thought and could hear Tyran's acknowledging response.
The two woodsman went into the hut and stoked the fire in the fireplace a little higher "Now we just gotta chop up tha' meat and we'll have us a fine stew for dinner" Hagrid said and Harry agreed. Luckily Hagrid let Harry do most of the cooking to avoid a rock cake scenario.
The smell of the stew bubbling away above the fire, the warmth of Fang's head resting on Harry's thigh in the hope of receiving idle pats and pets, Harry sighed in contentment. It had been a full day for sure. Hagrid laughed, joked, and told stories of his work in the Forest for an hour or so before they both savored the completed stew in happy companionship, a lifetime away from the blubbering and depressed half-giant who had carried Harry through the Forbidden Forest during the Battle of Hogwarts.
***Break***
Cracking his back and neck Harry stood up from the bedroll in his rented home and glanced at Tyran's Bracelet. Sometime during the wee hours of the morning when Hagrid had walked a surprisingly active Harry back to Hogsmeade Tyran had bid goodbye and good luck to Harry. Harry was sad to see his Guide go but knew that the tutorial had come to an end. It had been some of the most fulfilling 3 days anyone could have asked for and Harry smiled as the Bracelet had remained as a Magic Item for his equipment.
Congrats! Tutorial Complete! +2 temporary Learning Bonus lost. Previous Life detached. Tyran's Bracelet added to Inventory. Player's Handbook added to Inventory. Skill Points Awarded. 103 Skill Points unspent. Stat Points Awarded. 10 Stat Points unused. Feat Point Awarded. 1 Feat Point unused. +5000 Exp.
Ding! Level Up! You are now Level 7. Skill points awarded. 131 Skill Points unspent. One Home Token unused. 1 Skill Boon unused. 12 Stat Points unused. 2 Feat Points unused.
Harry had decided to deal with the levelling and Notifications in the morning and opted to Rest until 6 AM like usual. Showering and such was completed first and now he was enjoying breakfast while he browsed his Character Sheet. Kijani was on the table next to him sniffing at his sausages and complaining that he hadn't had a juicy mouse in a few days.
Promising to swing through Diagon today and get the Boomslang some mice caused Hedwig to hoot in contempt from where she was perched at the window. Harry eyed the letters before turning back to his Player's Handbook and Character Sheet. The Player's Handbook was a useful little book that explained the 'What' if not the 'How' and 'Why' the way Tyran had and Harry was grateful for it as it explained that Skills above 25 took 2 Points to increase, above 50 took 3 points, and above 75 took 4. He had not expected such a large boost from the end of the tutorial, but he supposed it made sense. His new bracelet also had the functionality of narrating any pages from a book internally much like the Construct had done previously. Harry planned on utilizing this with the Player's Handbook as the book was unfortunately immune to any of the Gamer bonuses for reading. This would allow him to do other tasks while he studied the manual for his new life.
The Previous Life Notification had confused Harry immensely as he still remembered all of the life, but upon reflection he realized that he truly felt like a 12-year-old Harry who merely had knowledge of another Harry's alternate timeline. Wow 3 days can change a lot Harry thought.
Starting with his stats Harry brought Strength, Constitution and Willpower up to 10 points each, brought Charisma and Intelligence up to 20, and sank the last 3 points into Dexterity to bring it up to 17. He was happy to see that Stats worked a little differently than Skills and would provide additional bonuses to the Skills under their jurisdiction at 20, 40, 60 etc. It wasn't much but Harry knew that it would add up as he got it going. The bonuses that Stats offered to Skills were passive, and merely affected growth rate, success chance, and capability with the skill. Someone fully versed in Swimming would not receive all of the benefits of such if their Strength and Constitution were not up to snuff. Knowledge of a subject did not necessarily confer ability to do the task as Harry had already learned in his attempts to cast certain Charms.
Going to his Feats Harry smiled. On the first day of the tutorial Harry had been determined to get to Level 7 before school. Now, at the rate that he had grown in 3 short days, Harry was determined to get to Level 9.
Eyeing the options Harry eventually decided on Crafty after all the work he had done with Hagrid, and reread the description.
Crafty: +5 Learning if it involves Crafting or Harvesting Skills.
It was short and really sweet Harry thought, as he pondered what other Crafts he could pick up. Deciding that Blacksmithing might be fun, Harry switched over to his Skills list and sighed. There was a lot of options which is why he always saved this for last when he leveled.
Combat seeming to be a pretty large part of his new life Harry decided to bring Dueling up to 25 to prompt a Boon, of which he chose one to help his magical shields. He still had 112 Points though. With a grumble at his lack of clear decisions Harry decided to save the points for emergencies like the one at the press conference and put it out of his mind for now.
The letters went a long way to improving his mood and gave him a much clearer idea of what to do with his day. Ron's letter had arrived fairly easy, and the Player's Handbook explained that Owls were trained to go through permanent Floos at post offices throughout the world to drastically reduce trip times. This went a long way to explaining why the Wizarding World hadn't progressed towards a more modern system as when you took that into account Wizard's methods were actually as fast or faster than Muggle methods.
Hermione's letter was much longer, and she displayed worry at his new emancipated status. The worry was outweighed by her excitement at his freedom though and she had extended an open invite to come visit her house and had provided a phone number and address. The letter went on for a few paragraphs about school, homework, and excitement about the new term and trip to France that her family had planned, which was slotted to begin tomorrow.
Harry slipped the letter into his Inventory in case he needed to reference it and pulled out a parchment and quill of his own, never ceasing to be in awe of his Inventory system and the usefulness of it. Quickly he detailed a few of the happenings since his last letter, but opted to keep some of the more worrying circumstances omitted. He also still refrained from telling her about his recent desire to take all of the electives this upcoming year until he had it all worked out with McGonagall. He was surprised that Hermione hadn't sent him a letter about his recent run in with the Death Eaters but remembered that she didn't have an owl and she had only subscribed in his 5th year during the debacle about Harry and Dumbledore being complete nutters.
Deciding that that might actually work in his favor Harry gave Hedwig the letter and a few treats, including a bit of his leftover sausage, and the bird nipped his fingers lovingly with a hoot before she flew off. Letting Kijani slither up his arm Harry headed to Diagon for a bit of shopping and yet another visit to the Bank.
***Break***
Harry left the Bank quite a few thousand Galleons lighter and quite a few thousand Pounds heavier. In money, not weight he joked internally. Stopping by the Menagerie to keep his promise to Kijani, soon Harry was up Charing Cross in the Muggle world in a phone booth on the phone with his best friend.
"Hey Hermione! Yeah, I got your letter, I just passed a payphone and thought I might call for a minute to catch up. Yeah, it is a bit faster than a letter and with you leaving tomorrow I didn't want to accidentally sign Hedwig up for international journeying. I wonder if there's a magical equivalent besides Floo calls. I'm sure the Library probably has a book or two you can read in the upcoming year about it. Hedwig is on the way with a letter that should explain a bunch more stuff so I don't want to dive too deep into it at the moment, I don't have the phone for much longer. Yeah you'll have to get a few pictures for me France definitely sounds like fun. Museums aren't my definition of fun Hermione. Yeah I'll make sure that my homework is done, thank you Mum. I gotta go though this guy outside the booth looks like he's ready to have kittens. I'll be safe don't worry, you'll give yourself wrinkles. Bye!" Harry hung up the payphone with a smile and sauntered past the older gentleman that had been trying to rush him.
With a few steps back up the street and through the door of the Leaky Cauldron Harry was back in the wizarding world and ready to take it by storm.
-Fin-
A/N: So yeah, been a while since my last update. Between losing my job, trouble in the family, and Covid doing terrible things globally I have been away far too long and failed to deliver on far too many promises. I will be continuing work on the chapters, just finished rereading and getting myself back on track. Chapter 6 has been removed to make way for edits and such and to take the story back in a direction I like as Chapter 6 was what had caused a big block before. Hoping for a much better product this time around
The tutorial is complete! WOOOOOOOOO! I know that Tyran didn't make many appearances, but the Guide was basically a speaking and thinking alternative to the Player's Handbook, much better for the tone I was trying to use. Tyran's voice at least will make an appearance again but at this point I highly doubt the character will return, hope no one is too bummed about that but I was never attached to the character.
Hermione has joined the battle! Relationship scores are for me to know and you to wonder about as tracking those will get tedious as hell. Just keep in mind his various bonuses. Yes he is a 12-year-old Harry with knowledge of a 17-year-old's life but lets be real, that offers him what sort of life experience? 2 snog sessions with Ginny and a sad kiss from Cho? Other than torture sessions from Voldemort and a sad abusive childhood Harry doesn't know much about life. If one motherfucker comes into this story telling me that Harry's a pedo for dating anyone, I'll find you and laugh in your face.
I made some balancing changes to the sheet below to reflect the recent story progress that I have planned.
Harry James Potter
Age: 13
Class and Level: Apprentice Wizard 7
Health: 180
Magicka: 500
Stamina: 205
Stats
Strength- 10
Dexterity- 17
Constitution- 10
Perception- 1 (+10 with Glasses)
Intelligence- 20
Willpower- 10 (+5)
Magic- 20 (+15)
Charisma- 20
Luck- 31 (Locked)
Perks:
Fated Luck: +10 to Luck always, -40 to Luck in certain situations.
Magical Powerhouse: +10 to Magic, +5 to Willpower, +10 to Magicka Regeneration, +5 to Learning when it involves Spells. Magicka now grows at a 1.5 rate vs the standard .8 of most Wizards.
Flyer: +20 Broom Handling, +10 Creature Handling if creature has wings.
Parselmouth: +35 to Parseltongue.
Family Heritage: +5 to Broom Handling, +5 Transfiguration, +5 Charms, +5 Potions.
Puberty = Truck: Puberty is going to kick your ass and put hair in so many places. I won't go into details. Affects 3rd year Summer.
Linguist: +2 to Learning when it involves Languages.
Represent: +5% Reputation Gains, -5% Reputation Losses.
Disadvantages:
Poor Eyesight: -8 to Perception without glasses or similar device. +10 with them on.
Chosen One: -20 to Luck in certain situations. +5 to Magic. Certain events are unavoidable. +25% Reputation Gains, +25% Reputation Losses.
Feats
The Wand Chooses the Wizard but the Wizard Chooses the Spell: +3 to Learning when it involves spells.
Magical Aura: +5 Damage Reduction to Spells. +10 to Social Skills against sensitive targets.
Motion of the Potion: Potions no longer require a 3 second Drinking Action.
Crafty: +5 Learning if it involves Crafting or Harvesting Skills.
Magic Skills
Transfiguration – 29
Boon: Size conversion ratio of Transfigured materials increased by 10%
Animagus Transformation – 1
Herbology – 25
Boon: Flora and Fauna that are Magical will glow in the Player's eyes.
Charms – 27
Boon: Charms Spells cost 10% less Magicka to Cast
Potions – 27
Boon: Splash Radius of thrown Potions increased by 25%
Astrology – 16
Defensive Spells – 26
Boon: Maxima Variant now able to be applied to Defensive Spells.
Care of Magical Creatures – 14
Divination – 8
Ancient Runes – 8
Arithmancy – 10
Dark Arts – 19
Alchemy – 2
Enchanting – 1
Physical Skills
Quidditch – 7 Keeper, 7 Beater, 12 Chaser, 47 Seeker
Boon Seeker: You are able to track the Snitch more readily! Snitch will give an indicator when it is about to change direction.
Running – 16
Jumping – 1
Weightlifting – 4
Swimming – 7
Acrobatics – 19
Climbing – 15
Sword – 10
Cloth Armor – 33
Boon: Regular Clothes Shmegular Clothes. Any cloth is armor! +1 to armor per slot if equipped item is Cloth. Robes provide +2 per slot.
Social Skills
Diplomacy – 25 (+5)
Boon: Heir to an Empire. As the youngest Lord in recent years people are eager for your attention. +5% Relationship Gains.
Intimidation – 25
Boon: Flux. You may now consciously flare your magic to those around you. Doubles effectiveness of Magic Aura Feat. Cost 2 Magicka per second. Stops Magicka Regeneration.
Performance – 4
Etiquette – 25
Boon: Now you're forked. Your skill in formal settings is improved! Delivers notification prompts in formal dining.
Flirting – 26
Boon: Lost in your eyes. Making direct eye contact will improve your chances of success when engaged in Flirting. -5 to DR rating of target.
Sense Intention – 10
Chess – 13
Pranking – 20
Stealth Skills
Disguise – 3
Sleight of Hand – 5
Lying – 6
Escaping – 21
Stealth – 25
Boon. Toe-to-Heel. Your steps are now 50% quieter!
Hybrid Skills
Dueling – 25
Boon: Magical Shields are now 10% stronger
Broom Handling – 51
Boon: You have a need for speed and your broom realizes it. +10 MPH to max speed regardless of model!
Boon: While on a Broomstick, gain +10 to Dodge!
Mental Skills
Parseltongue – 100
Boon: Snakes have a predisposition of +2000 Reputation when you reveal yourself as a Speaker
Boon: Spells with a 'Sss' sound may be cast in Parseltongue for +5 Difficulty Rating to overcome
Boon: The nuances of Parseltongue make other languages seem easy. +1 to Learning if it involves Languages.
Boon Mastery: May have a magical snake as a Familiar that does not count against your familiar slot.
English – 70
French – 4
Gobbledygook – 2
German – 8
History – 15
Science – 9
Mathematics – 10
Harvesting and Crafting Skills
Clipping – 7
Skinning – 2
Tanning – 1
Cooking – 52
Boon: Live and Learn. You may recreate most meals that you have tasted or modify it as you see fit. +2 to level of meal benefits
Boon: Eye for Quality. You have a discerning eye when it comes to the freshness of ingredients. Less like to find or use expired or stale ingredients.
Unspent 112
Class Specialization Apprentice chosen: +5% Exp Gain. +2 Learning. Unlocks Specializations Sorcerer, Mage, and Archmage at further levels.