Harry Potter And The Phoenix King

First duel

It had been three years since Hadrian Potter's fateful rescue from the Dursleys. Harry had reduced the pace of his training to spend some time and enjoy with his friends. He felt his friends were rather too much talkative for his liking though he found them to be tolerable. His grandfather had teased him stating that he was going from a complete antisocial to becoming more sociable to humans. Harry had to grudgingly admit that he would have been completely reclusive had it not been for Hydrus, Draco, Neville and the others who were forcing him to interact and trying to involve him in everything they do. Harry might not admit it out loud but he was grateful for having such friends, Harry often felt jealous when he watched Dudley have his gang of cronies to call friends and he was all alone in school never mind Harry might have had friends had it not been for Dudley threatening them. Cosmos also was a stable support throughout the previous three years; he was Harry's first real friend and companion having saved him from the Dursleys. Cosmos also forced Harry to regularly meet his friends and family stating that just interacting with portraits, house elves was detrimental to Harry's sanity.

Harry had trained rigorously in the time which he spent on training even though it reduced after he made friends. He had covered Hogwarts equivalent of second year transfiguration, potions, defensive and offensive magic, history, herbology and he also started ancient runes, arithmancy and study of magical creatures and muggle creatures, his occlumency had also considerably improved he was halfway done on his mind palace's building and defences, and was physically fit though he lessened his physical training to give himself more time to spend leisurely. His training with Cosmos also was going smoothly as he could create small amounts of vacuum even though he could not project it.

He also trained his metamorphmagus abilities and his ability to speak and connect with birds also improved. He also started reading the basic tomes/grimoires the Potter and Peverell families and could perform some basic to intermediate levels of family magic. He was yet to read the other family tomes he was the heir to. Overall Harry was pleased with his progress even though at first he felt he could do better, his grandfather's , parents portraits and Cosmos shut down that notion of thought he had and chastised him to appreciate his achievement more as this was far above any other nine year olds.

His godfather also gifted him a snowy white owl for his previous birthday. After much deliberation and discussions with the said bird they agreed on the name Hedwig for it. Harry found Hedwig to be highly intelligent and connected almost instantly with him, still Harry felt worried about his new owl's insatiable appetite for bacon. Harry was shocked that Hedwig did not straight up get a heart attack due to the huge amount of bacon she consumed. Harry also felt that Hedwig was also a part of his family, and he vowed to always protect and cherish her. At first Hedwig and Cosmos were at each other's throat but now they were at a state of mutual understanding and tried to be amicable with each other.

In the previous three years Harry mostly had lunch with his friends and families. Monday afternoon was spent at Bones Manor with his Amelia and Susan. Tuesday afternoons were with his godmother Alice, Frank Neville and his grandmother Augusta at the Longbottom's castle. Wednesday afternoon was spent with Bellatrix, Phoebe and Rudolphus at the Lestrange manor. Thursday afternoons he had lunch with Draco, Valerie, Narcissa and Lucius at the Malfoy manor. Friday afternoons were spent with the Blacks at the Black castle. After lunch at Fridays Harry spent some time with his comatose grandmother talking to her about general inconsequential things and his trainings etc. Saturdays and Sundays Harry was completely shut in the Potter's Castle. According to his grandfather and Parents this form of having lunch apparently helped Harry to expand his social behaviour and hence he was not a completely introverted shut in.

He was both excited and nervous today as Bellatrix had asked him for a mock duel against her, so that she could asses him and train him accordingly. He had decided to accept Bellatrix's offer for training him as she was one of the best duellists, he also knew that both Bellatrix and his mother were trained by Professor Flitwick, a half goblin charms master and professor at Hogwarts in the art of duelling. Filius Flitwick was the former international duelling champion, the only people who could defeat him in a duel are very few in number. Bellatrix had still refused to train him when he was six and asked him to wait for at least three years before starting her training, something about him being too young, Harry never understood this line of thought of adults.