-II-

"Ah, so it will be earth magic."

"Earth magic?"

"Yes, I will teach you earth magic, wandless earth magic. You will learn to get in contact with your magic, to feel it, and then you can use it for wand magic. Training for earth magic will help stimulate your magic to build new channels and restore old ones. I'm positive that it will help you. Tomorrow, we decide your feeders and then we can start your training. I will ask Hamid to help you. He hasn't mastered earth magic yet, but he can use fire and water."

"He doesn't speak much. Maybe he doesn't want to help me."

"He is a calm boy. Give him time. I'm sure he will like to have a partner in training."

-II-

"Those are Severus' friends," Harry said to Hamid on their way to Hagrid's hut for their Care of Magical Creatures class. "Hey Alicia, Oliver!"

The two Ravenclaws stopped and waited for Harry and Hamid to close the gap between them.

"Do you know where Severus is?"

"No, we hoped you could tell us. We tried to get him into the Great Hall for lunch, but he refused. We haven't seen him since then," Alicia explained.

"He left Transfigurations before I could even react. I thought he would have gone to the Great Hall," Harry said worriedly.

"He was in the lavatory and he...wasn't in a good mood," Oliver said nervously.

"The understatement of the year," Alicia said and pulled a face. "He was fuming and swearing. He said he hates school and won't attend classes any longer."

"He was in that kind of mood the whole weekend," Harry told them. "I need to go and look for him."

"We are already late for class, Harry," Alicia said and reminded Harry a lot of Hermione at the moment.

"Who knows what he'll do. He was really on edge lately," Harry said seriously.

"You don't mean he would hurt himself?" Oliver asked, shocked.

Harry just shrugged.

Now even Hamid joined the conversation. "I watched him during Transfigurations, and he seemed very frustrated. People who have that kind of stress will do anything."

All three teens gaped at him. When they fell out of their stupor, they all said at once, "We need to look for him." Before they could run to the castle, a loud whistle reached their ears and Hagrid bellowed for them to come over to the hut.

Harry groaned and ran to Hagrid, the others close behind him. "We need to look for Severus. He-"

"-is at home. Severus is home sleeping, Harry," Hagrid replied. "Alastor informed me."

"Oh," Harry said and relaxed a bit. At least the worst was not the case. He suddenly realized that he was breathing heavily from running. His air flow seemed to be completely cut off. He grabbed his throat even though he knew he should be fumbling for his applicator. Panic overcame him. Suddenly, he felt a hand on his chest and air pressed through his lungs. He heard shouting-Hagrid's shouting-and the hand was pulled away from him. The moment Harry lost contact with that hand, he was choking again. Hagrid had pulled Hamid so abruptly away from Harry that the boy had fallen down a few feet away from Harry. When Harry fell to his knees, he could see Hamid's shocked face. He was also clutching his chest. Everything felt like it was in slow motion. The voices around Harry were muffled, but he could hear Hagrid telling someone to get Poppy.

Alicia knelt down to take care of Hamid, who was shaking now. Hagrid had disappeared, and Oliver was trying to hold Harry up even though Harry just wanted to lie down and die. Harry could feel the ground vibrate when Hagrid came back, and he felt fresh air against his stomach when his robes were parted and his shirt drawn up. Then Harry felt the needle breach his skin, and slowly the world became normal again and his lungs filled with air.

"Damn that was close," Oliver said when Harry sat up.

"I'm fine," Harry said, embarrassed, and looked at Hamid. The boy was also sitting, and Hagrid was busying over him. What was wrong with him? Before Harry could ask any questions, Cindy the Mediwitch came rushing over to them.

"What happened?" she asked.

Hagrid explained the situation and then the Mediwitch rushed over to Hamid after she had shortly looked at Harry.

"I'm all right. My magic has to recover, that's all. I'm not very good with air magic now, so I used up my magic. When the Professor pulled me away so abruptly, I lost a great amount of magic at once." Hamid looked pale and sick. Cindy waved her wand over him and then conjured a vial. "That's a Pepper-Up Potion. It will help your body recover from the magic loss. No magic for you for at least this afternoon, young man. What classes do you have?"

"Just this one. Magical Creatures." Hamid looked to Hagrid for help.

"He won't need magic. I will keep an eye on him and bring him up to his quarters after class.

"Good." Cindy nodded and took the empty vial out of Hamid's hand. "Now let's check you over," she said, turning to Harry.

"I'm fine. I already got my emergency potion." Harry tried to stand up, but he was immobilized with a wave from Cindy's wand. "Hey!"

"When I say I will check you over, I don't want you to stand up and tell me you are all right." Cindy looked sternly at Harry. Poppy would have at least given him a warning. Harry did not like this Mediwitch at all.

After a diagnostic spell, she said, "He can attend the class as well. I will inform Poppy when she returns in an hour." With that, she stood up and left.

"I don't like her," Harry said grumpily as Oliver helped him up. "Ehm...thanks for helping me," Harry said to Hamid, who was being helped up by Hagrid and Alicia.

"It wasn't much help," Hamid said, disappointed in himself.

"It felt good as long as your hand was on my chest. I was getting fresh air in my lungs."

Hamid looked up hopefully. "Really? Then it worked. Master Radgarid will be glad to hear I'm getting better with air magic." Hamid beamed.

"Air magic?" Harry asked.

"You will have time later after class to talk about all that. Now we need to hurry, the Flobberworms are waiting," Hagrid said and led them over to the rest of the class.

Harry was not able to concentrate at all during class and hoped it would be over soon.

"You are still worried?" Hamid asked.

"Of course. You don't know Severus. Alastor was on edge about his behavior. Who knows what kind of trouble Severus is in now. I just want to go home and see if he is okay."

Hamid nodded. "I see, but I think Severus is safe. My master is in your quarters."

Harry did not know if that should calm him. Radgarid was mysterious and Harry could not judge him now. Unfortunately, he had no other choice than to wait for the class to be over to make sure Severus was okay.

/

"Severus? Harry?"

"In their room. Severus is hopefully still sleeping, Poppy. He is all right," Radgarid said, sitting with crossed legs in front of the fireplace, meditating.

"Alastor said he was refusing to go to school again, and he allowed him to come here."

"Yes, he arrived and we talked," Radgarid spoke calmly, his eyes still closed and his body still in his mediation position. "He will go to school again tomorrow. We agreed that I will train him, and he, in return, will accept a daily magic feed and go to school."

"Radgarid, please stop meditating and tell me what exactly you mean by 'training him.'"

"I don't need to stop meditating to talk with you, Poppy, dear. I offered to teach Severus elemental magic."

"Radgarid, I'm very glad you want to help Severus, but he will most likely not become one of your students. He is my son, and he won't leave before he is of age and fully recovered."

A small grin formed on Radgarid's face. "Will you start biting me away from your cubs now?"

Poppy was furious. She hated when Radgarid talked with her without looking at her, and she hated that Alastor's friend always knew how to make her angry. He liked making her magic flare. He said it was like a fireball around her and that it was fascinating to see when it erupted. "I'm a Ravenclaw through and through, so he would be my fledgling and not my cub. Stop this, Radgarid. None of my sons will go with you to become your student."

"I already have a student who will accompany me for many years, so I just offered Severus my knowledge without him signing up to be my student. Hamid will benefit from learning with Severus. So calm down, Poppy, I'm not trying to steal your fledglings from your nest."

Poppy groaned. "We will talk about it when Alastor comes back." With that, she turned and went to Harry and Severus' room.

/

"So he will teach you earth magic? I've never heard of it."

"I remember Alastor has experience with it. I think it's a chance. Better than vegetating like this." Severus held his hands up as if his lack of magic could be seen by just that gesture.

"Hamid did something to me. Something odd."

"What? What did he do? I will kill him," Severus said and jumped up from his bed.

"Whoa, calm down, Sev," Harry said and jumped up as well. "He tried to help me while I had an attack. I realized too late that I needed my applicator. He put his hand on my chest and-who knows how he did it-placed fresh air in my lungs."

"Not getting enough air in your lungs is not your problem during an attack. Don't you listen to the Healers?"

Harry pulled a face. "Of course I listen, but that's how it feels. Stop behaving as if you were my dad."

"Your dad, most likely not," Severus said and sat down again. "So Hamid helped you? What happened?"

"Hagrid interfered, and that made Hamid lose a lot of magic. That Mediwitch you told me about, Cindy, came and Hagrid gave me the emergency shot. I don't like that Mediwitch. She is horrible. She immobilized me without reason."

"She did what?" Severus and a voice from the door asked in unison.

"Poppy?" Harry said and turned to his adoptive mother.

"So what was that about immobilizing?" Poppy asked and went over to Harry. She was already eyeing Severus to determine his condition.

"It doesn't matter. I'm fine now."

"Still, I would like to hear it." Poppy pressed Harry onto his bed covers gently and started to wave her wand over him.

Harry groaned and rolled his eyes. "I just said I was fine and tried to stand up, and she immobilized me without a warning."

Poppy frowned but did not comment it. "How are you now?"

"I'm fine. Really. Maybe you should check on Hamid. Hagrid hurt him accidentally when he tried to protect me. I'm not sure if he really is as okay as he pretends to be. Radgarid sent him to his room to rest."

"I will check on him in a minute." She stood up and went over to Severus. "How are you?"

Severus frowned.

"Severus?"

"I'm fine."

"You left school early?"

"Yes."

"Severus, stop that and tell me what's going on."

"Nothing is going on. I spoke with Radgarid. He might have a way to help me. I agreed to go to school, and he will teach me wandless magic."

"He will do nothing before Alastor and I have discussed this with your Healers."

"What? No! You cannot do that. It's my life. I can make decisions!"

"I could hear you screaming the moment I stepped into the hall, Severus," Alastor said as he walked into the room.

"Radgarid offered to teach me elemental magic, and Poppy wants to stop him," Severus said accusingly, his voice still loud.

"Stop screaming, Severus, or you will get a time out until you remember how to behave in front of your mo...Poppy."

Severus shot an angry glare at Alastor and Poppy but lowered his voice. "Please, you can't forbid me."

"I just said we will discuss this before we agree or disagree, Severus. Until you are off age, it will be our task to decide what's best for you."

Severus fought hard to not scream again or run out and slam the door. "That's not fair."

"That's life, son. I already spoke with Radgarid, and I think it is a good idea." He lifted his hand when he saw his wife's accusing look. "Still we need to ask your Healers for their opinion. You understand that Radgarid wants to meddle with your mind and wants you to get a daily magic feed. James and Maria have to know about it. Only they can say if it will cause any harm."

"It won't!"

Alastor raised his eyebrow.

Severus groaned. "Fine."

/

"Here is the list," Radgarid told Severus. He had waited in the entrance hall for Severus to come back from Herbology for lunch. "I need you to check it now, because I want to inform the potential feeders during lunch. I hope they all have time today so we can start."

Severus looked over the list while his friends waited a few feet away from him. "They are all fine except for Harry and Hamid. I don't want to get feeds from people my age." Severus gave the list back and looked insecurely up at Radgarid.

"As you wish. Come back home after class and wait for me. I will see who can come for the test today and inform you when I return. Until then, Severus." Radgarid stepped backwards and suddenly was gone. Severus and his friend stared open-mouthed at the place where the old man just had been.

"Wow, how did he do that?" Oliver asked.

"I have no clue," Severus replied. His shocked face turned into a fascinated one. This man could teach him so much.

/

"Can I stay? Please, Severus!" Harry pleaded with puppy eyes.

"Wow, now it's 'Severus' and not 'Sev.'"

Harry rolled his eyes. "Come on, please let me stay."

"Okay, okay, but just for the tests. Not the rummaging through my brain."

"Severus, please, that sounds as if we want to brainwash you," Albus protested, but his eyes were twinkling in amusement.

"Whatever. Just for the tests, Harry."

"Okay," Harry said, a bit disappointed but lucky to be around at all. "So, who is coming?" Harry tried to glimpse at the list in Severus' hand, but his brother pulled it out of his view.

"You are too nosey, Harry. Why are you so fascinated by the idea of people feeding me magic?"

"Because it's fascinating, isn't it? I mean the transfer of magic. That's so cool."

Severus frowned at his hyper brother. "Maybe for you, but I can assure you being the subject of that transfer is not at all fascinating."

"We can still stop if you feel so uncomfortable with it," Radgarid said as he stood up and tried to take the list from Severus.

"No," Severus said, determined, and held the list out of Radgarid's reach. "That's not what I meant. It's just annoying that everything is so fascinating for my little brother here."

"Hey, I'm not that much younger. We are in the same year."

"But I'm much older."

"You are not!"

"Oh my, did we interrupt something?" Filius asked from the fireplace. Minerva, Remus, and Pomona stood behind him.

"Just the usual," Poppy said, shaking her head in Severus' and Harry's direction.

"So just the Healers are missing," Radgarid stated.

"I believe this answers your question, little brother," Severus said teasingly.

Harry stuck his tongue out.

Hamid watched the whole scene in fascination. Never had he seen people behave like this. Not one of the adults seemed to really be affronted by their behavior. Even Master Radgarid was amused. Hamid wished he could be so carefree. His master often encouraged him to be more open and happy, but Hamid saw no sense in it. Working hard to master all four kind of elemental magic to their full extent was his life goal, not being happy. Seeing Harry and Severus changed many things. Severus would now become his partner in learning elemental magic. His master had explained to him that Severus would only learn earth magic and was not his master's student like how Hamid was. His master just wanted to help Severus with his destroyed magical system. So there would be no concurrence battle. Hamid was asked to help Severus and not try to outdo him as he would have normally if his master took another student.

Only a minute later, James and Maria came through the Floo.

"Thank you all for coming and for your offer to help Severus," Radgarid said when they were all seated. Severus sat nervously beside him. "I will send Severus over to each of you. I want you to take him on your lap and feed him magic through your whole body if you are able to or through your hand. I will watch your aura during it to see if your magic is compatible with his."

"On their lap? You didn't mention that," Severus protested, embarrassed.

"Really? I have no idea why that slipped my mind."

Severus glared at Radgarid.

"Come on, Severus, let us start," Alastor suggested.

Severus groaned and moved toward Alastor, but Radgarid grabbed his hand. "First comes the unpleasant part that I also didn't mention."

Suddenly, Severus felt magic being drained out of his body and he panicked. He felt weak and helpless and tried to wriggle out of Radgarid's grip. "Time to take over, Alastor," Severus heard Radgarid say through the cloud that was around his head. He was pulled onto a familiar lap, and then tickling magic flooded into his body through each part that was in contact with his adoptive father. Alastor had pushed one hand under Severus' shirt on his chest, and the direct skin contact made the magic flow even better. His skin was hot, and the tickling was almost unbearable.

"That's enough, Alastor. Leave something for the others. Now, someone he trusts less," Radgarid instructed, and Severus was placed on Remus' lap.

The magic came through Remus' hand on Severus' clothing-covered chest, so it was more bearable than the overwhelming feeling of Alastor's magic. Still, the stream of magic felt thick and steady.

Severus was dazed. He had no clue on which lap he was placed next. He had recognized Remus due to the man's nervousness and fast heartbeat. Now he was placed on a very comfortable, soft lap and his head was pulled against a warm womanly bosom. A kiss was placed on his head and Severus could smell earth. He relaxed and tried to melt into the person. It was Pomona. Her magic was coming from her whole body. Strong, thick, and warm magic. Something to get lost in. Not tickling, just warm and cozy. Severus' body was soaking the magic in like a sponge, and he groaned in protest when he was pulled away.

This time, Severus was placed on an armchair and two tiny hands were placed on his chest. Flitwick. The magic tickled like Alastor's. Like small current pulses. Severus could feel his core fill with that magic, and his channels were stimulated by it. Then he knew he was on Minerva's lap because he was embraced in a tight hug and her smell was so familiar to him. Almost as familiar as his adoptive parents' and Albus'. She was feeding him magic like Pomona, but Minerva's magic did not feel as warm. It was more of a refreshing magic. Severus wondered why he was so dazed. He felt his magic core was almost fully refilled.

The last person he was passed to was Albus, and the moment Severus was on his lap, he collapsed in his embrace. Severus was tired and just wanted to sleep. He felt his whole body covered in a bubble of magic. Albus' magic was overpowering. It was nothing like the other magic types. Severus' core was filled completely, but he felt so tired that he could not move anymore. He was lifted out of Albus' lap and carried to his room. Through the cloud around his head, Severus realized it was James who was carrying him and he felt Maria's presence close by. "Did I pass?"

"That was not a test for you to pass, Severus. You need to sleep now," James explained and tucked Severus in.

"Will he teach me?" Severus mumbled.

"Sleep, sweetie," Maria said and stroked his hair. Then everything went black.