After the incident with the trolls, Harry, Ron and Cedric's reputations shot up throughout the entire school as they were celebrated as troll-slayers. The others that participated were also acknowledged of course, but the three of them were the ones people really recognized due to them delivering the killing blows.
Afterwards Harry's lessons saw a boom in popularity as even more students started attending them, especially amongst the older classes who were otherwise busy preparing for their OWLs and NEWTs. Even some of the professors started supervising his lessons in turns, usually either Minerva, Flitwick or Sprout.
On the other hand, Harry had also found himself on the next step of his personal mission to destroy Voldemort by identifying one of his current followers, Quirrell.
Every chance Harry got he was shadowing Quirrell while using every bit of stealth he could muster, waiting for the phony professor to lead him to his master. Unfortunately quirrell never did, but Harry did start to notice the inconsistencies with Quirrell's act whenever he thought he was alone.
The man truly was a masterful actor, but he was too arrogant when he thought he was alone, never even bothering to hide the disdain in his eyes when he thought no one was around to notice. Nor the little curling of his lips as he sneered at others behind their backs.
One thing Harry learned though was that Quirrell was desperately trying to figure out how to get past the enchantments guarding the stone, which Harry thought spoke volumes about his abilities considering none of the challenges were even that hard. But it also meant that, for the moment, he also wasn't going to brute force his way through them.
Time slipped by without further incident as they passed through November, and then entered December when snow started falling for the first time. And Harry loved it.
He may not have been born in Skyrim, but Harry spent so much of his life there that he grew to completely love the frigid climate and its regular snowfalls. They also helped to ensure some 'hot' nights while he was on the road with Aela as they huddled together for 'warmth'.
So when the snow first fell on Hogwarts, Harry was practically the only one who loved it as he was reminded of home. It also helped that one of the first things the Weasley twins did was charm snowballs to pelt Quirrell in the back of the head, repeatedly.
They also ended up moving his lessons into the Great Hall after dinner due to the extreme colds outside, which only Harry grumbled about since he thought it was fine.
And that was where he was now with the rest of his students, as well as Minerva, as he gave them their final class before the holiday break for Christmas.
"Alright then! I think everyone is doing well." Harry said as he gazed down at them all, thinking of the progress they had all made since the school year started.
Hermione was now able to cast Magelight and Flames without both the staff and her wand, becoming the first in Harry's classes to do so, with only a few other students falling behind her as they also advanced in their magic. She was even starting to work on Firebolt, an Apprentice level Destruction spell, as well as Oakflesh, a Novice Alteration spell that encased the user's body in armor composed of their magic power.
On the other side, Daphne was rapidly catching up to Hermione as she excelled in Frostbite, and was soon going to begin working on Ice Spike. But she also had no interest in Alteration magic, so Harry was considering teaching her some Conjuration, or maybe Illusion.
Speaking of...
"When we come back from break, I think we can start learning spells from another school of magic, Conjuration." Harry told them, before he proceeded to use the Bound Sword spell.
"Conjuration is one of the stronger schools of magic due to how diverse it is, allowing even warriors to conjure their own weapons forged of their magic power. But, there is another branch of the school that makes it more dangerous than all the others."
As he paused, Harry waved his hand and five portals appeared beside him.
From the first was a spectral wolf, the second a woman made of flame, the third produced a colossus made of ice, the fourth a golem of stone held together by lightning, and the fifth was what looked like a demon encased in armor.
"The school of Conjuration allows the user to summon beings from other realms and bind them to their will, though only temporarily. If you use the spell incorrectly, then the being you've summoned could instead be hostile towards you, and attack you along with whatever it is you're fighting. Trust me, that is NOT a fun time. Yes, Daphne." Harry said as he noticed the Slytherin raise her hand.
"Are the beings you've summoned here the only one who can be summoned?" She asked with interest.
"No, but we will be focusing solely on these for our lessons. If I think you're a capable enough Conjurer, then we can discuss privately about the other summons. But again, none of that will be until we come back from our break. I just wanted to give everyone a chance to see what Conjuration was capable of."
As he said that, Harry waved his hand once again to dispell the Atronachs, Familiar Spirit and Dremora he summoned, sending them all back to their respective planes of Oblivion.
"So, with all of that said, enjoy your break, and I'll see you all in a few weeks."
With that, Harry's class knew they were dismissed as they all stood and began to leave while the sound of their voices echoed off the walls and ceiling of the Great Hall.
"Enlightening lesson as always, mister Potter." Minerva said as she approached him afterwards.
"Thanks, I try." Harry replied as he stepped down from his place in front of the high table.
"You talk to the students and act as if you've taught before." She said in a curious tone.
"That's probably because I have." Harry replied as he collected the staves and practice weapons he had handed out for the class.
"For the last thirty years or so I've been the Archmage of the College of Winterhold. I didn't necessarily have any classes I had to teach myself, but I still taught personally every now and then when I was able."
"The Archmage?"
"Basically I was the Albus of the College." Harry explained, earning him a look of shock from the professor.
"And now you are our student?!"
"Well yeah, different forms of magic." Harry said as if it were obvious. It was the whole reason he was playing student right now, along with him gathering intel and preparing to deal with Voldemort.
He then added, "And if any of you ended up at the college, you would have been MY students instead."
"..."
Minerva just shook her head quietly as she slowly walked away, leaving Harry alone as he began to make his way back to the common room. Or not, as Hermione approached him.
"Hey Harry. What are your plans for the holiday?" She asked him with wide, curious eyes.
"Well, Potter Manor was finished back before Halloween. So for the most part I plan to actually set the property up the way I want to while also getting the help I need to maintain it when I'm not there."
"What about Sirius?"
"He's already moved in, and Remus comes around every now and then for a few days." Harry told her, leaving out the part where Remus usually planned his visits around the full moon. Not only did Harry have the property he needed to run around without endangering anyone, but Sirius would also keep him company in his dog form.
Speaking of the full moon...
Harry looked up one last time before he and Hermione exited the Great Hall, where the ceiling reflected the night sky perfectly. Including the large silver disk that hung above them, which meant that Remus was surrently transformed as they spoke.
"Hermione..." Harry said suddenly, cutting the bushy-haired girl off as she started going on about the plans her family had for the holidays.
"You go on ahead. There's something I have to check up on before returning to the common room." He told her, making her bite her lip before she replied,
"Well hurry up. You don't want to be caught out after curfew."
"I won't be." Harry told her reassuringly. After all, aside from his first night, Harry had never been 'caught' during his nighttime prowling.
"G'night then." She said quickly, before hurrying up the stairs to Gryffindor tower.
"Good night." Harry replied, before promptly turning around and exiting the castle altogether.
Ever since Sirius's trial, Harry had been debating on what it was he was going to go do, and he had finally made up his mind as he saw the full moon hanging in the sky overhead.
Harry crossed over the school grounds as little more than a shadow, passing the hut where Hagrid lived as he ventured into the Forbidden Forest.
This was Hary's first time in the forest since coming to Hogwarts, as he just hadn't really had the chance to explore it until now. The trees were massive, and the canopy overhead was so thick that it felt as if he had stepped into a completely different world the second he entered it. There wasn't even any snow on the ground around him as he traveled.
Harry traveled for nearly an hour as he went further and further into the forest, over massive gnarled roots, around thick throny brush, and past the dens of various magical creatures that called the forest home.
Eventually Harry reached a small clearing where some of the snow was able to fall to the forest floor, and he could see the moon overhead through the branches.
"Haaa.... Here I go." Harry said as he took a deep breath, and began stripping off his robes.
Harry stripped all the way down to his bare skin, even taking off his under trousers and shoes/socks before storing it all into his bag. At the same time, Harry pulled out a certain phial before stashing his bag in the hollow of one of the trees surrounding him. He would find it later with Clairvoyance.
Harry then looked down at the phial in his hand, which was dark to reflect the blood inside.
Back in Skyrim, Harry was offered the chance to become a werewolf himself shortly after he joined the Companions. He had politely declined though, due to the fact that he had wanted to focus on his innate abilities as Dragonborn, and because he had desired to journey to Sovngarde after dying, while werewolves were claimed by the Daedric Prince Hircine.
Now however, Harry had already effectively mastered his other abilities. His only real weak point was his lack of physical strength and child-like stature. So the only real reason not for him to accept the gift of Aela's blood was his concern over being able to go to Sovngarde after dying, but he should also be able to counter that by burning the heads of witches who cursed the Companions to begin with.
So Harry steeled himself for what was to come, before he uncorked the phial and downed the entire thing at once.
The familiar taste of blood filled Harry's mouth as he drank every last drop in the phial, before it suddenly felt like his insides were on fire.
"Gah!" Harry cried out as he doubled over, dropping the phial as his guts began to twist and churn.
'The first transformation is usually the most intense. I envy those who get to experience it.'
Aela's voice suddenly rang in Harry's head as he recalled her talking about the transformation, and what it was like the first time a person underwent it.
Harry dropped to all fours as his body began to transform against his will.
Jet-black fur began to sprout all over him, his muscles began to bulge and shift, his nails and teeth sharpened into lethal claws and fangs, and his brilliant green eyes changed to a sickly yellow as his entire body grew.
Once the transformation was complete, a beast that was a hybrid of man and wolf stood on it's hind legs, while breathing heavily. Before it threw back it's head.
"AWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
***
Albus Dumbledore was sitting in his office as he went over a few different forms, some regarding the running of Hogwarts, others about his position as Chief Warlock, and one about his role as the Supreme Mugwump.
"I think this shall be enough before bed. Don't you Fawkes?" Albus spoke to and asked the Phoenix that was perched near his desk, who trilled melodiously in response.
As Albus rose to his feet to procure a mug of some nice hot chocolate before going to bed...
"AWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
"!!!"
The old man jerked his head towards his window to look out beyond, at the expanse that was the Forbidden Forest.
For the briefest of seconds, he felt fear permeate his entire body, before Albus forced it down as his eyes narrowed.
"What was that?" He uttered with concern, even as the entire castle stirred around him.
Students, teachers, house elves, and even the ghosts all jolted from bed or froze in what they were doing as the power of the Howl swept over them, filling them with the strongest and most primal of emotions. Fear.