Nemea Leonthrope Chapter 8 (Patreon)

Hello friends and fans, Kairomaru is here with another chapter of Harry Potter the First Nemea Leonthrope. This chapter we see Harry’s first classes and he shows his friends his therianthrope transformations.

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Chapter 8 – Arithmancy, CoMC, and Demonstrations

As Harry made his way to his first Arithmancy class with Padma walking beside him, the two exchanging casual conversation, he continued to wonder how Hermione was going to attend this class. Divination was also happening right now and Hermione had headed off to that class with Ron and Neville. He had a growing suspicion that she had something to help her attend all of her classes. Perhaps his other friends had some idea of how that would be possible. But as he himself had a lot of new courses this year, he wouldn't dig too deeply into Hermione's course schedule. If she didn't want to tell, or couldn't tell, her friends he would respect that and try to be supportive. He and Padma approached the Arithmancy classroom and as he suspected he saw Hermione with a dozen other students waiting in front of the room.

“Hey Hermione.” Harry greeted with a smile.

“Hi Hermione.” Padma said as she and Harry stopped in front of their friend.

“Hey Harry, hey Padma. Are you two also curious about what this subject will be like?” Hermione asked excitedly.

“Definitely but I have some idea as I already told you in my letters. I got a good primer book for beginners so I’m looking forward to these classes.” Harry replied as he patted his book bag which contained said book.

“Arithmancy is a big part of Enchanting so I’ve got a bit of a head start thanks to my father’s lessons. I’ll still need to do well in this class though if I want to convince my father to let me try my first enchantment this summer.” Padma said with a smile at the thought of making her first enchanted object.

Harry looked around the gathered students to see which of the other students taking the class he might know. There were four Ravenclaws, three Hufflepuffs, and two Slytherins but only one other Gryffindor, that being Dean Thomas. The Ravenclaws were Lisa Turpin, Terry Boot, Michael Corner and Padma, of course. The Hufflepuffs were Ernie Macmillan, Hannah Abbot and Stephanie Glowers. The Slytherins were Blaise Zabini and Daphne Greengrass.

Harry nodded politely to the other students if they caught each other’s eyes. Then the door opened and a brown haired witch in a navy blue robe let them into the room. Harry, Padma and Hermione took seats in the middle of the room. With only twelve students there was enough space for all of them. The walls of the classroom were covered with several charts of numbers, calculations of the properties of several potion ingredients and star charts.

“Welcome to your first Arithmancy lesson students. My name is Professor Septima Vector and I will be your professor. In this class you will learn how to analyze the structure of spells and potion ingredients, about the influence of the environment in relation to magic, the arithmetic of spell creation and the importance of your dates of birth. Every branch of magic can be somewhat analyzed. A few examples of careers that are heavily based around arithmetical calculations are Curse Breaking, Warding, Enchanting, and Spell Crafting. The job of a Curse Breaker would be far too dangerous if the wizard or witch couldn't analyze the protections or traps they are confronted with. Wards require very precise arithmetic to determine the optimal placing of the ward stones for the strongest and most long lasting effects. Enchanters must carefully apply Arithmancy to their creations lest the enchantment fail or even have unintended effects. Spell Crafters rely on Arithmancy to determine effect, duration, distance, and power of any spell they wish to create. For today’s class please open your book to page five and read about the meanings of numbers in magical dates of birth. We will then analyze the birthdays of each student in class and discuss what conclusions you could come to from the information given in the text book.” Professor Vector explained in what seemed to be a prepared beginning of the year explanation and assignment.

As all of the students opened their books and began to read, Harry noticed the other students had begun to take out quills and parchment. Obviously they were going to jot down their dates of birth and start trying to determine meaning from the numbers. Seeing the benefit of doing the same Harry took out his own quill and parchment and wrote down his own birth date. While the students were working at their birth dates Professor Vector spoke again.

“While there will not be that much practical work until you have gotten a solid understanding of the basics, I like to keep things interesting by giving my students opportunities to discuss the things they read. Once you have gained a solid understanding of the subject, probably near the end of this year, we can start working on theoretical spell crafting and the principles of enchanting. I believe that those are two of the more interesting parts of this subject. However if you don't understand what you are doing, things can go horribly wrong. So be aware that I will not allow any goofing around in my class when we are working on practical application projects.” The Arithmancy Professor stated severely almost matching Professor McGonagall in seriousness. All of the students nodded. The opportunity to create their own spells and enchanted items was intriguing to say the least. They didn't want to ruin it by upsetting their professor. 

Harry was happy with his first elective course. His first Arithmancy class had been a really good lesson and he had gotten into some really interesting discussions with his classmates. Daphne Greengrass had asked good questions about how to break down your date of birth into numbers. The months were easy enough as each month had a number from one to twelve and each had certain strength attributed to it. With three, seven and thirteen being the strongest numbers magically, but as there were only twelve months thirteen wasn't useable for this part. Thirteen only became included with the days of birth. He learned that Ernie Macmillan was just a week younger than him, born on the seventh of August. Padma was born in April on the sixteenth, and Lisa Turpin was born January fourth. Hermione was of course born on September nineteenth. Harry had already bought her birthday present. It was a book he’d found in Flourish and Blott’s over the summer titled ‘Magics Most Obscure: For the Inquisitive Wizard and Witch’. It was currently hidden in his trunk wrapped and waiting to be given to Hermione. 

The class had calculated their various birth dates and from what they’d worked out, Blaise was academically leaning more towards theoretical subjects judging from his date of birth. People born in November were normally born with patience and that was necessary for success in academic pursuits. The twenty fourth was a combination of several numbers and the number could be split in several ways. They learned that cunning and taking advantage of opportunities was always found in those who were born on dates with high numbers. It didn't mean one was guaranteed to be doing the things their birthdays hinted upon, but it was a higher probability.

Harry had gotten along with the other Arithmancy students very well. He was enjoying making new acquaintances. Even the two Slytherin students were speaking normally with him and didn't sneer at him like they did in potions. At least he thought so. Harry had to admit that he didn't really pay that much attention to all the Slytherins since Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle were annoying him most of the time. Those who kept to the back of the Slytherin side of the room he didn't really know anything about. While Blaise was slightly arrogant, more so than Harry really liked, he was still tolerable to be around. Plus Harry didn't want to make enemies, so he made sure to keep the conversation with Blaise polite but distant.

Harry and Hermione met Ron at the classroom door for Transfiguration. Harry noticed that the others were all oddly subdued. What in the world had happened at Divination?

"Ron, why are you so glum?" Harry asked his red haired friend.

Ron tried to answer but Professor McGonagall entered the room and the students stopped whatever small talk had been going on. This left Harry confused. He was really impressed with McGonagall's Animagus transformation since it was rather different from his own therianthrope transformation. Looking around he wondered why he was seemingly one of the few that was, the others that were impressed being Dean and Hermione.

“Alright, what is wrong with you lot? This is the first time I didn't get shock or surprise for my transformation from one of my classes.” McGonagall asked. She sternly observed the faces of her students. Finally Ron raised his hand.

“We just had our first Divination lesson Professor.” He began in a subdued tone.

“No need to tell me more Mr. Weasley. So please do enlighten me, which one of you is going to die this year?” The Scottish professor questioned.

The students looked at her in shock. Harry tilted his head slightly in confusion. Based on McGonagall's reaction this was a common occurrence. The Divination professor must make this prediction regularly to get this kind of reaction from the stern witch. Neville shakily raised his hand. The boy looked absolutely terrified. Harry was incensed that his friend had been singled out. Why did it have to be Neville? Didn't he have enough to deal with already? At that moment Harry decided that he didn’t like the Divination professor.

“Well, I’d like to let you all know that Sybil Trelawney has predicted the death of one student each year without fail since she became the Divination professor. As of now all of them are still alive and well. Mr. Longbottom, you don't look like you are going to die on me at any moment so I hope you will forgive me, if I don't exempt you from turning in your assignments.” McGonagall assured her students, though Neville didn't look convinced.

“Relax Neville. Divination is a very unreliable branch of magic outside of Scrying. Plus predicting the future can't be learned at all if you aren't born with the gift of a seer. True seers are really rare from what I’ve read. The only way a seer is able to predict something is if they fall into a kind of trance. I would be truly surprised if Professor Trelawney did so while teaching the class. It would be highly noticeable if she did. I think most of her predictions are unreliable to say the least.” Hermione added. Nearly everybody stared at her. They were not used to a Hermione Granger who openly spoke out against a professor.

“Very well said Miss Granger, take five points for Gryffindor for a logical analysis. Miss Granger is correct, not all predictions are true and true seers are very rare. But for now let us continue with the topic of Animagi. The transformation from a human into an animal is highly advanced magic. There are many things that could go wrong if someone undergoes the transformation without the proper care. This is why the Ministry of Magic strictly controls those who become Animagi. More so, there are many ways to abuse the ability. All Animagi are required to register with the Ministry or face severe punishment.” McGonagall explained.

Harry raised his hand curious about ways to identify a transformed wizard or witch. Was there a way to determine if someone was a therianthrope without having them transform?

“Yes Mr. Potter?” McGonagall acknowledged.

“Professor, is there some way to identify an Animagus? I mean, how can someone tell if an animal is actually a transformed wizard or witch?” Harry asked.

“A good question Mr. Potter, there is only one way and it is the Animagus Revealing spell. We will be covering that spell later in the year and all of you will learn it. For now I can tell you that the spell has two functions based on the caster’s intent. One will force the Animagus to revert to their real form and the second just shows the caster if an animal is an Animagus. The spell will cause the animal to glow. If it glows blue it is a regular animal and if it glows red it is an Animagus.” McGonagall answered as she demonstrated the wand motion to the class.

After lunch Harry, Hermione and Ron made their way down to Hagrid's hut where they would attend their first Care of Magical Creatures lesson. The trio was chattering about the animals they would be likely to see. The only thing they lamented was that they were having the class with several Slytherins; which included Draco and his cronies. The students met Hagrid and were led around an edge of the forest to a paddock. The class looked around but didn't see any magical creatures.

“Be careful Potter, the dementors are coming for you.” Malfoy jeered as he, Crabbe and Goyle pretended to wear hooded cloaks.

“Please Malfoy, what are you? Five? If a child behaved like you are, I would understand, but you are thirteen. Don't you think you should show a bit more decorum? And here I thought Slytherins would be taught proper etiquette.” Harry replied while shaking his head, getting laughs from the other students while Malfoy stalked to the back of the group furious at how he was belittled. Harry was thankful he’d read the Potter Family Grimoire. It had taught him much about the etiquette expected of the nobility of magical Britain. He’d successfully used what he’d learned twice now; once on Marietta Edgecombe and now on Draco Malfoy.

While Harry was busy dealing with Malfoy and ignoring his taunts about his incident with the dementor; Hagrid had gotten the creatures they would be learning about that day. He was leading a dozen bizarre beasts that seemed to be some kind of crossbreed between an eagle and a horse.

“These are Hippogriffs.” Hagrid declared proudly. “Aren' they beautiful?” 

Harry could see what Hagrid meant. After getting over the initial shock at their appearance, the Hippogriffs had a certain charm to them.

“Now come a bit nearer.” Hagrid said, after tying the Hippogriffs collars to the paddock fence. Almost nobody wanted to get too close to the Hippogriffs. Harry, Ron and Hermione however went a bit closer.

“Firs' thin' yer have ter know about Hippogriffs is that they're proud bein's. Never insult a Hippogriff, it could be the last thin' yer do.” Hagrid warned.

Most of the class listened intently except for Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle who were probably planning on how to sabotage the class best. Harry was currently keeping those three in his view to prevent whatever they were plotting.

“Yer always wait for the Hippogriff ter make the firs' move. It's polite, see? Yer walk towards him and bow and yer wait. If he bows back, yer allowed to touch him. If he doesn't bow, get away from him, 'cause those talons hurt.” Hagrid explained to the class. The class looked slightly uncomfortable with this announcement.

“Right… who wants ter go firs'?” Hagrid asked only to see the whole class back away.

“No one?” Hagrid sounded disappointed.

“I'll do it.” Harry said and stepped forward determined to help Hagrid have a successful first class.

“Good man Harry; let's see how you get along with Buckbeak.” Hagrid jovially stated. Hagrid loosened one of the chains and pulled a gray Hippogriff away from the others, then undid the collar around it’s’ neck.

“Yeh have to keep eye contact with him Harry. Hippogriffs don't trust yeh, if yer blink too much. Then yer bow and wait.” Hagrid instructed.

Harry followed Hagrid’s instructions and made eye contact with Buckbeak. He suppressed the urge to blink even when his eyes began watering and bowed to the Hippogriff. It took several seconds. Hagrid was getting nervous and slowly came over to take Harry away from Buckbeak, but then the Hippogriff bent his front knees and bowed to Harry.

“Well done Harry, well done.” Hagrid beamed. “Now you can touch him.”

Harry was not sure if this was the best thing to do, but he complied and carefully closed in with his hand to Buckbeak's head. He found the feathers at the top of the hippogriffs’ head were surprisingly soft. He was happy for this accomplishment but then Hagrid made an insane suggestion, or at least Harry thought he did. He told him to ride Buckbeak. Harry quickly found himself sitting on the back of the hippogriff, looking for a way to hold onto the magical beast.  Harry suspected Buckbeak wouldn't take it too well if he pulled out any feathers. Then the hippogriff ran across the clearing and took off into the sky.

It wasn't like riding a broom at all, Harry determined as he rode on the hippogriffs’ back. Buckbeak’s wings flapped and it was more of an up and down motion rather than the smooth flight of a broom; but after some minutes Harry got comfortable and enjoyed the ride. The only problem he had was the landing. Harry heard Hagrid whistle for Buckbeak and sure enough the hippogriff glided down to land again. Harry lent back and tried to get as much of his weight as possible towards the back so that he wouldn’t fall off of Buckbeak. He succeeded and got a lot of applause from his fellow students, minus Malfoy and his ilk. Then the others, inspired by Harry's success, became braver and carefully made their way over to the other hippogriffs. Malfoy was trying his luck with Buckbeak now, while Ron and Hermione practiced by approaching a chestnut colored one.

Hagrid came over to ask Harry how he did in his first lesson. Harry assured him it was great, but he asked if all the lessons would involve large magical beasts. Hagrid’s response that he’d gotten help from McGonagall and Flitwick was reassuring. Apparently this first lesson was to get the students excited for the course by showing them an impressive magical beast. The following lessons would see the class starting off with smaller magical animals. Harry was interested to hear that Hagrid’s next class with them would focus on the magical dog known as a Crup. Throughout his conversation with Hagrid, Harry never let his eyes stray too far from Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle. Malfoy had gotten Buckbeak to bow to him and was now patting his head.

“I knew this couldn't be that hard since Potter was able to do it. You aren't really dangerous, right, you ugly feather ball?” Draco mocked Buckbeak. The Hippogriff didn't take this insult well and rose to his hind legs, ready to strike at Malfoy. But the attack never connected.

“Move!” Harry yelled, pushing Malfoy away. He instinctively shifted his arm into its’ Half-Beast state and raised it to take the blow. Buckbeak's talons connected with Harry’s transformed arm but it was only smacked down rather than lacerated by the hippogriffs’ talons. Malfoy was quivering behind Harry on the ground. Harry got Buckbeak's attention and, after bowing properly, managed to calm the hippogriff down with Hagrid's help.

“How stupid can you be Malfoy? You insulted a hippogriff when the professor clearly told us all not to do that under any circumstances before we were even allowed to get close to them. Be glad that I was watching and got over here in time to protect you. I’d advise you to listen next time something is explained in class or you might not get away without injury.” Harry admonished Draco as his arm reverted back to normal human appearance. Hagrid just looked relieved.

“Ten points to Gryffindor for saving a fellow student in a dire situation and ten points from Slytherin for not listening to a professor's instructions nearly resulting in an accident.” Hagrid called, remembering the power he had as a professor. Harry found it rather amusing that Hagrid was able to punish Malfoy for being the obnoxious git that he was.

“Say Harry, if yer wouldn’ mind it. Could yer show me and the class that transformin’ of yers?” Hagrid asked with a grin hidden by his large beard. Harry was about to say that he’d show Hagrid the next time he visited the Game Keeper for tea; when he noticed the looks of interest from the rest of the class. The curious and hopeful faces of his classmates practically forced Harry to say yes.

“Alright, but just the one, class is almost over anyway.” Harry sighed as he walked a fair distance away from the paddock holding the hippogriffs. Once Hagrid and the other students were standing in front of Harry he took a deep breath before exhaling and shifting into his Half-Beast state. The familiar noise of something stretching quickly accompanied by the brief blur of his transforming body alerted Harry that he’d transformed before the first shocked gasps of the students did. Standing at just over two meters tall Harry’s transformed state was almost a full forty five centimeters taller than his human state. This left Hagrid as the only person in Hogwarts that was currently taller than Harry.

“That’s amazin’ Harry!” Hagrid called out happily as he walked up to the Leonthrope. Some of the students followed behind while others kept their distance and stayed put. Harry was a bit embarrassed to be the center of attention but did get a growling chuckle out of the experience when Susan Bones asked if she could see his tail. Harry flicked his tail forward so that the bushy end of it brushed across the Hufflepuff’s face causing her to sputter before giggling.

“You prat!” Susan giggled as Harry brought his tail forward again and let Susan look at it before it fell back behind him again. Lion tails aren’t prehensile so flicking them from side to side is all lions can do. This was true even of their magical cousins like the Nemean Lion. Harry had been slightly disappointed to learn this during the summer. He’d been looking forward to trying to learn how to manipulate his tail. Learning that he couldn’t had been a letdown. After a few minutes of inspection and getting to ask a few questions, Harry reverted back to his human state just as the class ended and the students started making their way up to the castle. Harry quietly chuckling at the shocked faces of his classmates when he’d answered the first question asked of him while transformed. His deep growling voice had caused a few of the students to jump or flinch in shock. Getting back into the castle Harry was surprised when Susan Bones talked to him again.

“Thanks for showing us your transformation Harry. It was really neat.” Susan said with a smile as she walked next to Harry into the Entrance Hall.

“No problem Susan, though it was sort of embarrassing being the center of attention like that.” Harry replied with a lopsided smile.

“I thought you looked pretty cute though.” Susan grinned enjoying the shocked look on Harry’s face.

“Cute?” Harry questioned in shock. He wouldn’t exactly call his Half-Beast state cute.

“Yep! Maybe you can show me the full transformation some other time?” Susan asked coyly before winking at Harry and turning down a different corridor. “See you later Harry!”

“Uh…yeah…later Susan.” Harry managed to get out as his face started heating up in a blush. ‘Strong and interested. Mate her! Expand the Pride!’ Came the primal call of Harry’s therian instincts. ‘Shut it!’ Harry yelled into his thoughts as his cheeks burned so hot that he was sure they’d glow in the dark.

-End Chapter-

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So how was it? Good? Bad? Let me know! So now we see some of Harry’s classes starting and the strength of his transformed state even if only for a moment. Not to mention that he’s still weak to girls that show interest in him! Such an adorably awkward teenager!

Until I get your feedback and reviews, later!