The Sword of Light
by Jardyn39
Part Four of "The Apprentice Piece"
Chapter Four: Giving Slytherin House Points
"Harry, I think we should ask Professor Snape for additional Potions lessons."
Harry just looked at Hermione just as incredulously as he had the first time she'd expressed such an absurd opinion.
They hadn't actually discussed his before as Hermione had previously been distracted by seeing Professor McGonagall and realising there was something she needed to ask her straight away.
Ever since Dumbledore had asked them to become classroom assistants, Hermione had deluged Professor McGonagall with queries and proposals. Harry was sure that anyone else would have been sent packing long since, but Professor McGonagall seemed more than happy to help.
Indeed, thanks to Hermione, it now appeared that they would actually be taking some First Year classes, not just assisting as Harry had first thought.
"Well, we will be missing some Potions classes and it is such an important subject," she continued.
In the absence of anything that would distract her again, Harry felt he should at least try and muster an objection.
"Hermione, when will I have time for extra Potions lessons? Most of my spare time is spent in Snape's detentions anyway."
"Well, perhaps he'll agree to teach us Potions while you're having his detentions," she said brightly.
"That may a little too optimistic, Hermione."
"Well, let's at least ask. Come on, we still have time before the bell."
Hermione had almost dragged him all the way down to the dungeons before Harry managed to stop her.
"Hermione, listen," he said. "Snape hates me. He won't agree to anything right now."
"We have to try at least."
"Yes, we will," he agreed. "What I'm saying is he won't agree now. I need to make some sort of peace offering. Maybe if I got him to accept an apology of some sort."
Hermione looked at him with a mixture of curiously and doubt.
"Don't ask, Hermione," Harry warned. "I promise I'll try. Not right now, though. I need to do something first. I'll need to ask Professor Dumbledore to help me with it. If he agrees it might take a couple of days for me to learn how to use it."
*
Harry was sitting on the short grass in the middle of the pitch when Kales appeared. The ground was dry and warm, one of the advantages, he supposed of the dream world over the waking world.
"Not flying tonight?" Kales asked.
Harry just shrugged and smiled. He'd actually been thinking about how he was going to try and apologise to Snape. He also wondered what Dumbledore's reaction would be to him asking for help.
Harry got to his feet.
"This evening, I am going to show you some of the doorways between this dream state and the real world. Please know, however, that there is some risk for the untrained mind. For this evening, you will ride with me. I don't want you to get lost or too disoriented. Please remember that for you, at the present time, only this stadium is safe."
Harry nodded.
"Climb up, then, Boy," said Kales.
Harry climbed up onto the dragon's back. He was much bigger he usually was, although not quite as big as he was in real life.
Kales leapt into the air, causing Harry to hold on tight. The dragon's pointed scales down his backbone were not at all comfortable. They soared high over the lake and then flew towards the castle.
They landed soon afterwards in front of the main entrance doors. As big as these doors were, Kales was far too big to enter.
Harry then became aware of a strange sensation and realised that Kales and himself were shrinking slowly. Kales then walked forward, moving effortlessly through the closed doors as if they themselves were mere ghosts.
"In our dream state, we can be almost any size and physical obstacles present no problem," said Kales as he marched through the entrance.
Once inside he stopped and listened.
"What is that noise?"
Harry listened hard and said, "I think it's Peeves. He's a poltergeist so he's often up to no good during the night. It sounds like he's in the Trophy room upstairs."
Kales shrank to the size of a bird and they flew towards the noise.
They entered the Trophy room and landed on the floor a few feet directly in front of Peeves, who was cackling madly to himself as he threw silverware all over the floor. Harry noticed that His and Ron's awards from their Second Year had joined the others.
Kales grew bigger again and went right up to the poltergeist, but Peeves did not react at all.
"Wouldn't this poltergeist normally react if he saw us?"
"I expect he would," agreed Harry.
"So, you can see that we can see things and people in the real world but they cannot see or hear us. See those cups and shields strewn over the floor? I want you to remember their position and come back here early tomorrow morning, as soon as you wake. Come as early as you can and check how similar what we can see tonight is to the waking world."
Harry looked at the mess Peeves had created and hoped Filtch didn't decide to get up early tomorrow.
At once Harry admonished himself. This was stupid. How could he see what was really happening from a dream?
Kales turned and flew back down to the lobby, not bothering to make himself small again. This time they flew straight through walls and floors. They were just about to leave when Kales turned back.
"What are those, Boy?"
"They show the points earned by all the Houses. There are four because it's one hourglass for each house."
"Can you add and deduct points?"
"Yes, I'm a prefect. Well, I was, anyway."
"Have a go now."
Harry thought Kales was just being silly now, but as this was only a dream, what harm would be done?
"Five points from Slytherin," said Harry and five emeralds actually flew out of the Slytherin hour glass.
"Will you notice five points in the waking world?" asked Kales, "Go on, take a hundred at least."
*
Harry woke early the next morning. It was a few minutes before he realised he was supposed to check the Trophy room. He dressed quickly and ran all the way there.
Filtch had indeed made an early start. Harry could hear him complaining loudly to his cat, Mrs Norris.
Harry sneaked into the room. Filtch had picked up about a third of the cups and shields from the floor, but Harry was amazed to see the remaining items were in exactly the same position has he'd dreamt.
He really had been here last night.
Harry realised that Mrs Norris was becoming curious so he made a quick exit.
On his way back he wondered what limits there were to this dream travelling. Kales certainly didn't want him wandering off just yet. He wondered precisely what were the dangers of the dream world. So far he'd seen nothing of concern, although he could understand what Kales had meant about becoming lost. Some of the Castle walls were incredibly thick.
Then he suddenly remembered the points he'd deducted last night and rushed down to the entrance lobby to look in the house point totals.
Harry laughed out loud as soon as he saw the hour glasses.
Somehow, he really had deducted those points. Chuckling, he searched his pockets for his Prefect badge.
"Good morning, Harry," said Dumbledore from behind him.
"Morning, Sir," replied Harry, still chuckling to himself and realising he'd left his badge upstairs. "Could I ask a favour? I've left my Prefect's Badge upstairs and I wanted to, er, add some points to Slytherin."
Dumbledore didn't look at all surprised by this unusual request.
"Certainly, Harry," he said. "One hundred points, wasn't it?"
"One hundred and five, actually," Harry replied sheepishly.
The emeralds dropped back into the giant hour glass and the Slytherin points total was reinstated.
"Did you see us, Sir?"
"No, Harry, but I obviously knew someone had deducted some points I couldn't account for."
"Sorry, Sir."
"Harry, I don't think there are many students who would quite so readily have returned those points."
Harry smiled.
"Sir, how far can you travel? In the dream state, I mean."
"Well, I've been able to get about 400 miles from my starting point, so far. Fortunately that now includes the Hogwarts castle and a little of the forest. It takes some getting used to, but for some reason one always starts in the same place. You will feel your limitations as a kind of pain within you. Something always tries to pull you back to your starting point.
"I must say, I'm rather envious of you. It took me decades just to see the Hogwarts entrance gates. I began in the middle of Norfolk, not nearly as interesting as here."
"Hey, I could search the forest!" said Harry, suddenly realising the potential of his new ability.
"Not for a long while," warned Dumbledore seriously. "The dream world is very dangerous, especially for the unprepared mind. Please follow Kales' instructions and advice. If you became lost or hurt in your dream state you might never wake."
"Can people interact in the dream state, Sir?"
"Sometimes and then only to a very limited extent."
Harry paused, pondering a new concern.
"Sir, can my dream state be used by Voldemort? Could he control me there?"
"I suspect that Kales will be concerned about that as well. Ask him when you next see him."