Chapter 79: Summer Begins V

( Harry POV )

Over the next couple days, he went about getting his business done, as well as any other additional shopping he needed, to get the cottage comfortable. The thing he realized was without his being able to use his wand, for his normal shopping needs it was very difficult to carry everything, and needed multiply trips.

So after drafting a quick letter to Bloodmoon, about finding way to disable to tracking charm outside the wards, before asking Serenity to deliver the letter for him to the goblin. It took some bribing, in which he promised to cook up couple pieces of bacon before Serenity finally took the letter.

During this period he had started reading 3rd year defence books, what started on more dangerous elements in magical world such as werewolves, vampires, and different types of ghosts and ghouls one may encounter.

The main reason for this was before the 3rd year most magicials didn't have the magicial strength to cast spell powerful enough to injury or kill such foes, so teachers focus on how to deal with minor pests, and annoyances, which had very little chance of killing you unless you were unlucky, such as fresh eating moths, red crabs, pixies, gnomes, whilst teaching basic defensives spells, and basic duelling skills, to lay ground work for later development.

The logical part of his mind recognised that werewolves were still human beings to point, and had all human desires and fears, it was just they had caught an incurable disease. What unfortunately caused them to shift from human to animal once a month, most of them just wanted to get along with their lives. But few rogue ones went out of their way to spread the disease and were very much feral, even then being in human form.

Whereas Vampires were bit more complicated, they had all the emotions of humans, but at end of day needed blood, preferably magical blood to empower they own magics. That ultimately meant they class you as food, to be slaughtered, just like any predator does, making any equal relation impossible. Of course there could be expectation, there could be vampires that you could have a civil chat with, but would you let one get that close? Knowing that you could easy be its next meal?

However the one thing which both species had in common, was their high resistance to magic, meaning most spells were ineffective, and had to rely more on brute force trauma, or specialize spells, just like the troll he had encounter the pervious Halloween.

But unlike trolls, werewolves and vampires were fast, graceful, and had advance senses, and most importantly they were smarter, therefore deadlier. Plus they could also rip you to pieces, so since spells were ineffective, he was starting to think about learning how to use weapon, for if he ever had an encounter with one.

But after thinking about the idea, he dismissed that since the truth was that if they ever got that close to you, you were good as dead unless you happen to be fortunately skilled, or lucky.

After all sword would be fine against a werewolf, since you could hack its limbs off, but a vampire on other hand not so much, due to their own preference in using melee weapons. Even then werewolves almost always travelled and attacked in packs, so hacking one set of limbs off, left you exposed to the others.

Thinking over the problem, he reflected on how they had been handled in history, since last thing you wanted to do was let them get up close and personal, where their attributes favoured them, giving them a clear advantage in close combat.

So what you had to do was keep them at distance, and since most spells lost effectiveness after 30 feet, it meant a range weapon, so a bow of some sort with specialize arrows, such as silver for werewolves.

And simple fact was an arrow can travel a lot faster than most spells, so be harder to dodge, but be useless against a wizard or witch, since there were charms made to counter arrows, dating back to the dark ages. So would only be useful if caught the magical off guard, or didn't know the simple counter spells to render arrows useless.

It was also reason why guns and bullets were useless since the same spells could be use, but were less effective. But more effected one had been developed during the world wars, you just had to cast it before shots were fired, or have mobile ward around you. Most of these had been forgotten about, due to no wars directly effecting wizards. The spells were there, they just weren't taught anymore.

But then if you fighting a wizard you have no need for bow anyway, since you already had a wand, which could be far more deadly. Thinking it, weighing up the pros and cons, he could see no sort comings to learning a secondary weapon, after all a bow could also be use against any magically resistance foe such as trolls and dragons.

So now he had another task to learn, and to help pass the time. He would just have to get a bow first, and hopefully in one of his vaults there was one he could use.

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( The Quidditch Shop )

He had just brought his first broom, and it was the fastest one on the market. The new Nimbus 2001 which had just arrived on the market, it was expensive, but he wanted that one.

Main reason for this was simple, why buy an inferior older model when he could have brand new one? And to be best you had to have best equipment. Plus he was sure Longbottom, and Malfoy would have the new model, and if he was a seeker this would even the planning field. Plus he wanted to win, to prove himself at this new challenge.

However just at that moment he saw Draco and what he took to be his father, ordering a set of 7. Making Tracy's prediction correct that he was indeed buying his way into the Slytherin team, otherwise why would you needed 7?

"Potter" Draco spat upon seeing him.

"What you want Draco, can't you see I'm busy, I hardly have time for small talk," being polite but clearly dismissing the lad, after all his father was in ear shot, and was clearly discreetly listening to the exchange like most parents would.

"Well Potter, you're looking at Slytherin's team new seeker," he boasted, smirking confidently, however he could see Draco's father roll his eyes at his son's comments.

"You know bragging is unbecoming Draco, I assumed since you brought 7 of them that's how you got onto the team, by bribing Flint." he shot back, whilst examining the equipment on the shelves, looking for protective pads, not paying the boy any special attention, more concerned with getting suitable pads.

"So what, bribing is just another tool to be use to get to top, like any other, My father has always said bribing is one most effectively tools, one can use," he answered back with no hesitation, not even denying it the fact. Causing's several other shoppers to look at lad, in mixture of shock and anger, triggering his father hurry up his transaction obviously trying to get his son out of the shop, before he said anything else without thinking.

Internally shaking his head at Dacro's statement, how did the boy ever end up in Slytherin, he had no subtly. No one in their right mind would admit that they were bribing their way into a position, at least not publicly in middle of a store!.

"Yes, bribing can be effective tool," Harry admitted, "It however as limitations, first you need person you can bribe, but it also makes clear that you have to rely on bribing to get what you want, rather than skill and talent.

I personally would much rather climb to the top by personal skill and knowledge, rather than bribing my way, so I can gain respected of my peers," he answered sagely; he could see several nods from the onlookers, agreeing with his argument.

Before Draco could shoot back a reply, his father intervene ,"Mr Potter", he said in smooth manner, what he would have to guess was how he dealt with other politicians.

"Lord Malfoy, It's a pressure to finally meet you in person," he lied smoothly, offering his hand, whilst slipping on a mask, trying to stay respectful, not wanting to anger the man, since he was one most powerful men in Britain, also was fact he was a ex-death eater, meaning the man had no issues with killing.

"Is it?" he challenged, shaking Harry's offered hand, while holding his crane under his arm.

"Of course, I been studying politics, and the main players, so when I finally turn 17, I have an understanding of key individuals, and their values, and political viewpoints so I can take effective part in affairs of state like my ancestors," he answered factually.

In truth he had looked up most Death eaters, and the 'pardon' ones, so he would know their names and faces. They were enemies as far as he was concerned, but he wasn't going to say that out loud.

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