Chapter 27: Writings, Races, and BludgersChapter TextHarry and the others were in a classroom with the professors on the opposite side along with Filch, who was giving Harry the stink eye. While they acted innocent, Filch was sure they did it. He was pretty sure all of the students in Hogwarts were involved. Those nasty little monsters were always jealous of his precious Mrs. Norris and they were always fouling up his halls with their muddy shoes and such. That, or they hated him because they knew he was a squib. The looks he sometimes got led him to believe a good number of the students knew the truth.
"Who wishes to start?" Professor Dumbledore asked calmly.
The group looked between each other, but mostly to Harry. Harry gave a sigh. "We were coming back from the Deathday Party, when I heard something. The others didn't hear it as they were busy discussing the party," he said.
"What was it you heard?" Professor Dumbledore asked as he gazed at Harry. It was bit infuriating at times he could only use passive Legilimency, even if he understood why that was the case. Not being able to still made situations like this troubling.
"It was something terrible. It was hard to really describe. I couldn't hear it fully anyways. It was coming from up above us," Harry said.
"That was when I told them to wait. Harry seemed deeply worried and I figured it would be best if I went first. I am a ghost and I was their escort for the night. I floated upstairs to check it out and then shouted in my surprise. The others came up after that and we all saw that horrible scene," Friar Puck said.
"I should have been there. I had thought many a times to patrol more on Halloween," Lockhart said as he nodded to himself seemingly in determination. He then looked sorrowfully as he added for effect, "I saw something similar during my many travels, of course. I could have saved poor Mrs. Norros from her grisly fate."
"Mrs. Norris… She hated it when people teased her about her name," Filch said with a sniffle.
If it was anyone else, Harry might have felt some sympathy, but it was hard to feel that for Filch.
"Did any of you notice anything in particular about the scene?" Dumbledore asked.
Luna almost explained what she had seen with the Wrackspurts, but didn't say anything. No one would listen to that anyways.
"Miss Lovegood?" Dumbledore asked looking right to her.
Luna's eyes seemed to widen as she searched for something people wouldn't mock her for, as an answer. "Just that it seemed to be outside of Myrtle's bathroom. I'm guessing she flooded the toilets again by all of that water on the floor. Peeves chased her away from the party calling her names," Luna added.
"I will attempt to ask her questions later. Thank you for that," Professor Dumbledore said with an encouraging smile to her.
"Perhaps if I mix that spell and that potion… I could bring her back. Mrs. Nurrus hasn't been departed for too long," Professor Lockhart said with a nod.
"Mrs. Norris is just petrified," Professor Snape growled. He really hated the new DADA professor and that wasn't even taking into account the man had the position he wanted.
"Ahhh yeah… That's what I meant. Mrs. Norrimus could have been saved sooner… There is a little risk to my plan though. Perhaps it is best we hear again what Professor Dumbledore's plan is," Lockhart said trying to cover for himself.
"In a moment, Professor Lockhart," Dumbledore said as he looked the group over.
"It's like they said. I didn't notice that about the floor though," Hermione said as she looked to Luna a little impressed. The girl was odd, but she was nice enough and she was a Ravenclaw. It shouldn't be so surprising she picked up on something like that and knew what it most likely met.
"What could do that?" Hannah asked in a small voice.
"Ahhh Perhaps…" Lockhart started but held his tongue when he saw Professor Snape's glare. Harry couldn't really blame him here. Anyone would falter with Professor Snape's glare. "The headmaster has some ideas?" Lockhart finished.
"There are far too many things that would cause petrification," Dumbledore started.
Friar Puck gave the headmaster a look. He was debating on if he should mention what Harry actually heard or not. "Are you sure about that… After all… The writing," Friar Puck said neutrally.
"I am not fully sure about that. It could easily be a Halloween prank and most likely is at this time. The two might not even be connected. Let us not rush to conclusions," Professor Dumbledore said.
The ghost friar didn't show it, but he was very disappointed in that answer from the headmaster. The ghost was now wondering how seriously he would handle this situation. It seemed to Friar Puck the Headmaster's priorities were information control instead of actual solutions.
"You are the Headmaster," Friar Puck said seeming to nod in acceptance.
"What about my cat?!" Filch asked after a big blow of his nose into a dirty handkerchief.
"It will take some time, but as I said. We will be able to save her once the mandrakes are ready. There is a potion that will reverse the effects. And it is without any risks, undue or otherwise," Professor Dumbledore said.
"I will be more than happy to brew it myself, Headmaster! I feel so terribly sorrowful Mrs. Morris has been a victim of something so heinous!" Lockhart said.
Harry figured it was about time the useless DADA Professor said something. They had gone a full five minutes without him trying for everyone's attention. It seemed even the infamous Snape Glare couldn't hold down the Five Time Winner of Witch Weekly's Most Charming Smile Award for long.
"Last I checked… Professor Lockhart. You were the Defense Professor. Not the Potions' Professor. If you are willing to exchange positions… Perhaps something can be arranged. But books alone can't teach Potions," Professor Snape said. It seemed he didn't appreciate his credentials as Potions' Professor being insulted by insinuating, he couldn't do it. He was also the main potion brewer for Hogwarts, as described in his job.
"Ha hah… I am sorry for my excitement, Professor Snape. I believe you are more than capable. I merely wished to provide my expansive assistance, if needed," Professor Lockhart said trying his luck with his smile on Professor Snape.
The Slytherin Head of House was not impressed. In fact, it seemed to have the opposite effect on him.
"I believe we are done here," Professor Dumbledore started. "Friar Puck, if you would be so kind as to continue escorting your young charges," he said.
"I would be more than glad, Professor Dumbledore. I hope this will all soon be past us," the friar said with a ghostly bow.
"As do we all," the headmaster said. "Pomona. We have a few more details to discuss," he added to the Head of Hufflepuff as the others were dismissed.
[-] [-] [-]
The group all stayed together and were mostly quiet as they walked the halls. They made sure to escort Luna to her dorm. "Here will be fine," she said in front of a mostly blank wall. "It isn't much further and you know how they are about these things… I wish… I wish it wasn't such a frightful end tonight… I'm sorry for telling you about the Deathday Party," she said with sadness in her voice.
Harry placed an arm on her in comfort and smiled as he said, "Apart from that business. It was actually a rather enjoyable night. Thanks for telling us about the party."
Luna felt really happy at that and her large eyes widened in surprise.
"I'm with Harry on this. You didn't have any control over what happened to Mrs. Norris, Luna. Don't worry about it," Hermione said as she repeated Harry's gesture.
"I've never been to a ghost party before. If there was food we could eat there, I doubt any other Halloween could top spending one with hundreds of ghosts. And the Headless Hunt!" Hannah said with a smile.
"I really enjoyed it as well. If the night was ruined. It would have been ruined regardless of if we went to the Deathday party or not. So like Hermione said, don't worry about it. And thank you, Luna," Susan said.
"It was enjoyable spending time with not only my own house students, but a pleasant Ravenclaw as well," Friar Puck said with a friendly smile and nod.
"Thanks…" Luna said more choked up on emotion than she wanted them to realize. She managed to keep her wits about her though and bade them good night. Not even her terrible roommates could ruin the night she felt.
[-] [-] [-]
Friar Puck continued to escort Harry and the girls all the way back to their room. He even entered after them as well. "What is it, Friar Puck?" Harry asked.
"I felt I should tell you this… It is part of the reason why I didn't tell Professor Dumbledore everything," Friar Puck said.
Harry and the others looked serious as they listened.
"This business with the chamber… It happened before… about Fifty years ago. Someone was caught back then, but most know now they weren't responsible. It all did stop so no one looked any deeper or much cared to do so. They wanted to just be done with it. If it gets that way again… Be careful. I didn't mention the voices you heard at first, because you didn't. I thought about adding that later, but Dumbledore's response left me wanting," the friar said.
"Why is that?" Harry asked.
"Professor Dumbledore was here back then as well. He was the Transfiguration Professor and Head of Gryffindor, but he was still a professor here. He knows what those words mean. It is possible this is somehow a prank in poor taste, though surprisingly accurate or coincidental… But the way he answered. I'm afraid he is more concerned with covering up than actually finding a solution at the moment. He probably sees the presence of Professor Sprout's Mandrakes as reason enough to focus more on the political side of things," the friar said with a frown.
"That doesn't seem right…" Susan said.
"Should we tell your Aunt?" Hannah asked.
Susan shook her head. "Remember what Mr. Weasley said about the barrier?" she asked.
"It was Hogwarts' jurisdiction…" Hermione replied.
"That means the ministry can't come here easily. They would need more than just our word…" Hannah added with a frown as Susan nodded to them both.
"Surely Dumbledore wouldn't leave it alone though…" Hannah said in worry.
Hermione frowned. "I can see it… He thinks he's taking the right approach already. Perhaps he knows even more than everyone else about this and wants to keep it to himself for whatever reason," she said.
"That seems like Dumbledore to me," Harry muttered darkly. When they others thought over Harry's situation again, they couldn't help but agree with him. What lengths would Dumbledore go to just for covering this up?
"That is why I sadly agree you made the right decision not mentioning hearing the voices. Hogwarts' staff didn't have much of a problem using a scapegoat last time after things went too far… I only hope that won't be the case this time as well," the friar said.
After a moment of silence, the friar turned to them and gave a bow. "I am happy to have been of service tonight. I look forward to seeing you all again," he said as the others bade him farewell in return. They were going to eat and then try to go to sleep for the night.
[-] [-] [-]
It was astonishing how quickly students at Hogwarts could shift gears. The first few days after Halloween all anyone could talk about was the Chamber of Secrets. Hermione even got Professor Binns' of all professors to speak about it. He said it was a legend and eventually got fed up they were discussing something other than Goblin rebellions, which was actual history. It was probably the first time in his afterlife he actually paid attention to his class though.
People came up with all kinds of wild theories about where the chamber was and what this beast of Slytherin's was. Seamus really got into it. He had all kinds of theories with plenty of Seamus Grade evidence backing each one. This meant it was all made up. He was mostly mature about it, for Seamus anyways. He only once asked Lavender to show him her Chamber of Secrets hidden under her robes. She was deeply offended and the other girls were as well, but what surprised Seamus was how Justin looked about ready to hex him.
Despite all of the talk about the Chamber, it was only a few days before it moved on to more important things such as Gryffindor vs. Slytherin. Quidditch was always a big topic of discussion and since no one really cared for Filch's cat, it wasn't surprising people moved on quickly. The only time Filch's cat mattered now was if you happened to walk too near it with Filch watching, which was any time he wasn't having to take care of something else in the castle. He was even having his meals right next to her. He was sure someone would try and return to the scene while everyone else was eating. Filch only wished he didn't need any damnable sleep.
With the first match coming up, everyone was talking about the Slytherins' new brooms. It was even worse because Fred and George managed to sneak a peek at one of Slytherins' training sessions after a few attempts. Oliver was usually above such methods, but the Nimbus 2001s were an exception. The results of their spying equaled a much more concerned set of twins who couldn't even joke about the brooms.
"It was like they were nothing but silver and green streaks flying through the sky," Fred said in pure awe.
"I could almost swear I felt the air burst around them when they came a little close to our hiding place," George added as his twin nodded in agreement.
The people gathered were equally stunned by what they heard and how serious the twins were when speaking about it all. It really said something if the infamous pranksters weren't joking around. "Really?" Padma asked. The worries of Slytherin's brooms extended to all houses, even Ravenclaw wasn't an exception.
Harry and Hermione were sitting at a table nearby as they overheard the people speaking. They weren't as concerned due to just enjoying watching Quidditch games. Harry might enjoy playing them, but he really didn't see a reason to get too carried away about a team when he wasn't even on one. He never really got into a sports team like so many did. Maybe it was because he knew there were many more important things in life. You live on the streets for a while and you soon realize just what actually matters. Sports teams do not.
The gossipers soon left and Harry and Hermione soon found themselves joined by Pansy and Draco. "Evening Draco," Harry said in greeting.
"Harry," Draco replied. He gave a nod to Hermione in greeting as Pansy gave a small wave to her.
"We just overheard the twins talking about your brooms," Hermione said in conversation.
"It does seem such talk is making the rounds," Pansy admitted.
Harry gave a chuckle as he asked, "So… Was it your idea or Flint's to let them get away with spying on you?"
The Slytherins were stunned for a moment as both Harry and Hermione laughed. Draco then chuckled as he said, "As much as I wish I could take credit, it was Flint's idea. I guess I shouldn't be surprised you two pieced it together."
"They did talk about how it took them a few tries. We've also talked about the mental aspect of the game and all of that. I guess I should have thought Flint right away. You've talked about how he is good at getting in the opponent's head," Harry said.
"I'm a little surprised the twins didn't suspect much the same, since it took them a couple of tries first. Especially after the brooms flew really close to their hiding place," Hermione said.
"They're too used to not getting caught. They don't think it's possible they would be discovered unless they intended it," Pansy said with a scoff. It was foolish to let overconfidence get the best of you. Slytherins hated that. They would act like they were confident as bloody hell, but the true members of their house were never that confident deep down. They just knew how to hide what they really felt.
"To their credit," Draco started surprising the others. "They might not have been caught, if Flint hadn't stepped up security during our practices. When he realized they were there, he signaled to us we were being watched. We made the best of it, and tipped our hand a little, but not too much. None of us were going all out at that practice. We were working on our stamina game. We weren't slacking, but we weren't full throttle either."
"I'm honestly more surprised you complimented a couple of Weasleys," Harry said with a shake of his head.
Draco smirked. "Even I'll admit they could make great ne'er-do-wells with their sneaking around," he said.
Harry shook his head. He should have known there would be a back handed side to that compliment. Draco was very good at those when he wanted to be. Weasleys being involved definitely warranted such action in Draco's mind.
"By the way," Harry started.
"Yes?" Draco asked.
"I was thinking for our race we could do it the weekend after the first game. Even with the edge you have, I wouldn't want to split your focus," Harry said.
Draco smiled to that. "I was actually about to suggest the same thing," he said.
"Good to know we agree then," Harry said.
They talked a little bit longer before parting company. One thing Harry did notice between Draco and Pansy during their discussion was how they actually had contact with each other a few times. He was pretty sure they did such things on a regular basis, being betrothed and all. It was different actually seeing them having such contact with each other though. Harry couldn't help but feel a little jealous about it. He slept with Hermione every night, but he kept himself from having any contact with her beyond what friends would have.
" Again… They are actually betrothed and it seems Draco is actually interested in keeping with Pansy. We aren't even boyfriend or girlfriend, " Harry thought to himself as a way to fight back the jealousy with logic. He wasn't sure how much longer he would be able to do that.
[-] [-] [-]
As the Quidditch match drew closer, people were getting more excited and worried. Many were torn between wanting to see the Nimbus 2001s in action, and troubled by how one-sided it seemed the season would be this year, and maybe even the next couple after that. Most weren't sure how anyone else would be able to keep up with the new brooms.
"I mean… Gryffindor has a good team, but their seeker is very hit or miss… The twins also have those old brooms," a couple of Ravenclaws were whispering to each other the day before the match. It was going to be Sunday.
"True, but you see… They're beaters… Speed isn't as important for them," one said.
"But it certainly wouldn't hurt for them to have it," another countered.
Harry gave a yawn as he walked past them. He was thinking maybe he should have taken the potion that morning after all. Their whole house stayed up late the night before since it was the weekend. Most of them were spending time in the common room and some started making fun of Professor Lockhart's classes. That evolved into a competition of sorts. People broke into groups and were coming up with the best impersonation of Lockhart re-enacting the scenes from his books. It was great fun.
Harry made his way to his room. It was the weekend so he was thinking maybe to take a bit of a nap. He was surprised to see Hermione there. He was thinking she would be in the library at this time. Worse yet, she didn't look too happy.
"What's wrong?" Harry asked.
"I noticed you left the drawer to your night stand open. I was going to close it and found this," she said as she held up the bottle of Wakey Wakey.
"Crap," Harry couldn't help but say.
"How long, Harry?" she asked.
Harry sighed. "For a while actually. I only take it twice a week, sometimes a third time if I'm really tired in the mornings. It isn't really anything bad," he said.
"You're not getting enough sleep and using a potion to make up for it. That doesn't sound good," Hermione said.
Harry didn't like this. He was worried she would end their nights because of this. "I didn't say it was good. Just it isn't bad," he said.
"What is it then?" she asked. There wasn't really any way to make out what the potion was. That was by design. Many wizards and witches would add a little of it to their morning drink of choice, but Hermione didn't know that yet.
"It's called…" Harry started and gave a sigh. "It's called Wakey Wakey… Silly name really. Most usually call it—" Harry was cut off.
"The Rise and Shine," Hermione said. She then breathed a sigh of relief. She had feared the worst! It still wasn't good though. "Why?" she asked.
Harry looked a little nervous as he gave a slight frown. He took in a deep breath and let it out. "It's difficult for me with you sleeping in bed with me. I really like it, but… I have to contain myself, don't I?" he said.
"Contain yourself?" Hermione asked. That was not the answer she really expected. She thought maybe he was having nightmares or something. He talked about how he used to get them and he did get them from time to time now. She always feared they were much worse than Harry let on and also happened more often.
"Well… yeah… I mean you're you… It isn't easy… I'm sure you've noticed certain things…" Harry said actually blushing as he looked away.
Hermione blushed as well as she looked down a little. "Oh…" she said softly.
"Like I said, I like it. It's just I don't want to accidentally do something. I don't want to upset you and you start yelling at me or shooting hexes at me," Harry said.
"I ought to hex you for keeping this to yourself," Hermione said with a pout as she blushed.
"What?" Harry asked.
"It isn't exactly easy for me," she said.
"You fall asleep so quickly though," Harry said a little confused.
"Not always…" she said while not meeting his eyes. She sometimes played asleep while accidentally on purpose maneuvered herself to a more comfortable position, usually with Harry as a body pillow. "I've also wakened up before you a few times…" she said shifting a little. She may or may not have enjoyed herself a time or two when that happened. She was always careful about it though. She did not want to be discovered in such a manner.
Harry blushed to this getting the implication. "So… What are we going to do?" he asked.
"Neither of us wants to stop… I don't like the idea of you having to… contain yourself," Hermione started. She then sighed in defeat. She was going there. "For crying out loud… I'm perfectly fine with us… well you know…" she said blushing.
"Really?" Harry asked in shock. He knew she liked like him, but he didn't know she would be ready for such things. He figured with the way she was it would be some kind of hand holding for a year then maybe some kissing. He figured she was the type who would want to take things extra slow.
Hermione sighed. "I'm pretty sure we both know we're going to be a big part of each other's life. We are trying to figure out the whole calling thing, but that much is already clear," she said.
Harry nodded. He had been thinking the same thing for a while now. There was no other reason they would have whatever this calling thing was.
"If I'm going to be a part of your life like that. And you a part of mine. I don't see why we can't… you know… do some things. I don't want to go all the way yet, but I can't stand leaving it how we currently are. I know they're betrothed… but I'm a little jealous of Pansy and Draco," she admitted.
Harry chuckled to that. She looked to him with a frown. "I feel the same way," Harry said with another chuckle.
"That's a bit of a relief," Hermione said. She then looked to him seriously as she said, "I know it is still a way off. I know people would probably carry on about how we are too young for anything and don't know what we're doing. But I don't care anymore. I doubt many have their magic literally calling to someone else like this. I know you will have to marry two, maybe three, or even more girls. I've come to accept that."
Harry frowned to that. It upset him she had to come to accept anything of the likes.
"I've decided…" Hermione started blushing and squirming a little again. "That I can at least try to have you to myself, a little earlier. I'm hoping… Maybe… I can be..." she faltered. She had already decided this long ago, but saying it was something else.
"If you want to be Lady Potter…" Harry started getting her attention.
Her heart was beating so fast.
"I wouldn't mind that… I kind of would prefer the whole boyfriend girlfriend thing first. And not to think too much about the rest yet," he said.
Hermione was beaming and hug tackled him. He was completely caught by surprise. She even went so far as to kiss him on the lips quickly. When she broke the kiss, she blushed furiously. "I want that as well," she said quietly into his ear.
Harry was grinning widely. He had a feeling things would be a lot better now. If he still needed the potion some mornings, he was sure she would as well. He was pretty sure any reason they needed it would be due to having too much fun the night before.
"Do we need to set limits?" Harry asked.
"Considering what I just said… I think anything apart from going all the way now is fine. Unless you want to set limits. I don't want you containing yourself any longer though," Hermione said.
She was happy and surprised at herself. There was no way her parents wouldn't be disappointed in her, if they didn't outright disown her now, but she didn't care. Maybe her friends and their bending or breaking of the rules for adventures was rubbing off on her.
"I really like the sound of this," he said grinning to her. He then turned a little serious as he said, "I don't want you containing yourself or anything like that either."
Hermione blushed and smiled. She could live with that. She really liked this turn in their relationship. "Okay," she said warmly.
"I think I'll be enjoying our nights together even more now," Harry said.
Hermione gave a giggle as she added, "We might both need the potion tomorrow morning. I don't know how much sleep we will get tonight."
Harry only grinned in response.
[-] [-] [-]
When the Quidditch game came, it turned out to be just as everyone feared. The Slytherins seemed just like streaks in the sky to the audience. Not even Gryffindor's famed Chaser Trio had much of a chance to score points. The twins, who put up an admirable performance, did some good but it wasn't enough for a victory. Slytherin easily won their match, and it was a sight of both fear and awe to behold as they raced through the sky.
Harry did find it a little interesting he actually spotted the Golden Snitch a couple of times, and even kept track of it during the match, before either of the seekers. Draco wasn't fooling around either. He was arrogant and wouldn't mind showing off he was better, but even he knew he needed to play his best in his first match. It didn't matter how good his broom was, this was his first test and Flint wouldn't have taken kindly to him not handling it seriously.
"That was something…" Hermione said with a hint of awe. She wasn't really a fan of many of the Slytherins, nor much of one for Quidditch, but she could still tell what she witnessed was impressive.
"That's putting it lightly… I don't think even Our house will stand much of a chance against them. The only way anyone can beat Slytherin this year is with luck and catching the snitch early in the game," Hannah said.
"What do you think Harry?" Susan asked.
"It might take more than that. Draco isn't about to slack off and he does have some good skill with flying. I did see the snitch before the players did, but even then, it would be a feat to catch it. Part of the game is keeping an eye on the opponent's Seeker in case they see it first. Draco could easily catch up to most with his broom," Harry said.
"How do you think your race with him will go?" Hermione asked.
"I think it will be close. I'm fine with that. I am only doing it for fun and I think Draco is as well," Harry said. He then chuckled and added, "That doesn't mean either of us will take it lightly. My broom and his are pretty close, but his is supposed to be better. I'll admit I have better skills, but I don't know if it will be enough to cancel out his broom's advantage with him as the flyer."
There was a light of excitement in Harry's green eyes. Hermione blushed as she looked at them and leaned in closer to him. It really wasn't fair he had such wonderful eyes. Girls really didn't stand a chance, especially her.
"You're really excited about this aren't you?" Hannah asked with a giggle.
"Yeah. I've flown some on my own, but this will be fun. I love flying and it will be cool putting my skills to the test against Draco," Harry said as he ran a hand through his messy hair while smiling. He didn't notice as the girls blushed while watching him do that.
[-] [-] [-]
"Seems we've really drawn a crowd," Draco said with an amused drawl as he looked at the students waiting for the race to start. There were a number of people thee from all of the houses.
"I'm surprised there aren't more Quidditch players here," Harry said.
"For one, the Beaters are all busy," Draco said.
"Why is that?" Harry asked.
"There is a reason why everyone, including Slytherin under our breath, will admit the twins are the best beaters at Hogwarts. There's an annual competition called the Beater Beatdown, similar to what the pros have," Draco said.
"That sounds cool! I didn't know there were more competitions in Quidditch than just the games. Are there other competitions?" Harry asked.
"There are, but I think we should get this race started," Draco said as he floated up to their starting line.
"About that… I didn't think the path for our race would be so… involved," Harry said with an amused smile.
"A simple drag race isn't enough to suffice, or truly answer if the differences between our brooms are that significant," Draco said. He left out the rest of his reason for this change.
Draco noticed last year at the Quidditch matches, where he sat next to Harry, the Hufflepuff was able to see and follow the snitch. He also knew how skilled Harry was from their Flying Lessons. Draco was starting the last phase of his plan, that he kept to himself and didn't even tell Pansy.
He figured Harry was the only one who could provide any challenge for him. Since the Hufflepuff refused to try out for his team, Draco took it upon himself to find a way to challenge himself and push himself further in at least Quidditch like conditions.
Once this race was over and it was as close as he felt it would be, he would mention to Harry they should do it again. He would make each race more and more interesting and essentially serve as extra Seeker practice for him. Draco was very sure if he constantly challenged Harry this way, he himself would only improve, no matter the outcome of each race. That would make him an even stronger opponent and not just because of his broom.
Draco still wanted to win, but with Harry if they were close, he could accept that and was sure few would complain or doubt his skills as a result. They would probably be even more impressed, the others in their year already knew how skilled Harry was at flying. They knew keeping up to him, even with a better broom, would require talent and skill.
Flint wasn't so keen on letting Draco race like this. Begrudgingly, he let Draco have his way because of the brooms this time. After this race, Draco was sure Flint would see the benefits as well. Flint was in the crowd watching, even if he was disguised thanks to glamor charms. Pansy had signaled to Draco he was there. She was pretty skilled at sensing such things, even when compared to older students.
Padma Patil flew over to them on a borrowed school broom. Harry and Draco wanted someone to be their starter. They agreed someone from Ravenclaw was the best bet. A Hufflepuff or Slytherin might be seen as partial in this race. Gryffindor was out as well, because of how much they got into it with Slytherin on a regular basis, especially after the game. Padma would also serve as finish line judge if needed, since they were doing two laps around the course Draco set up.
"Ready…" she started.
Draco and Harry each leaned down on their brooms. They were making themselves as streamlined as possible.
"Steady…" she continued.
Both boys took in a steeling breath and focused.
"Gooooo!!!!!" Padma yelled as she sent sparks into the air from her wand.
Draco and Harry shot off with blinding speed. One was a green and sliver streak. The other a black and yellow one. Each boy was wearing robes to represent their house. They were keeping pace on the straightway with each seemingly taking turns at gaining a lead! The boys tried their best to bring out even more speed from their brooms.
Draco started to eek out just a nose length's lead right as they came to the first corner. Draco had to slow down just a hair to make it. Harry didn't even have to do that and so he took the lead on the first turn.
They then came to a section with climbs and drops marked by levitating flags Draco had an older student in runes setup for them. The climbs ranged and varied in height and steepness. Draco was surprised here that neither of them could gain a lead, even when they came to the steepest one which ended out just above the ground.
Harry was grinning widely the whole time. He was loving this! He enjoyed flying, but it had never been this thrilling before, even when he really let loose on his own. Once this was over, he would have to thank Draco for setting up such a fun course.
The two flying streaks were now on a zig zagging portion of the course. This required a lot of handling and maneuverability. The two again held pace pretty much with Draco gaining a slight lead towards the end, but he wasn't letting up at all and was pushing himself to the max.
Next, they had a series of loops they would take and ended in a corkscrew. Harry and Draco climbed at about the same speed, but it was Harry who started to take the lead this time as he was able to descend faster than Draco. The Corkscrew came up and Harry had to slow down just a hair on the climb, but Draco couldn't really catch up here. Harry made up for the slightly slower climb with a faster descent.
The last part of the course was a series of wide lazy turns mixed with straight dashes. This section would be what probably determined the winner on their next and final lap. Draco managed to close the distance barely and was slowly gaining on the dashes. That slightly better top speed was coming into play there. Their skills were matched well enough Draco could push it as an advantage, even if it was only slight.
The crowd gasped out loud as the two zoomed across the line and started their second lap. However, soon the race took an unexpected turn for both Harry and Draco.
"Watch out! Runaway Bludgers!" someone randomly shouted.
Suddenly, twelve Bludgers came shooting towards both Harry and Draco. They were even in formation. Harry and Draco soon had to abandon their race as they had to dodge the foul temperamental Bludgers.
The two started ducking and weaving. They couldn't risk slowing down either. Harry even had to roll his broom upside down for a little bit. The two of them weren't able to avoid getting hit, but they were able to minimize the damage.
The Hogwarts' Beaters came out in full force when they saw how the Bludgers were acting. They hoped their shout would be enough, but something was up with these Bludgers. Soon all eight house beaters were joining forces to keep the pissed off Bludgers at bay from Harry and Draco while someone hopefully figured out a plan. The two boys were too close to only focus on one of them.
Eventually, it was Hermione who came up with a solution. She sent a blasting hex at a Bludger that just missed Harry's head. A couple of the beaters soon pulled out their wands and dropped back just enough to blast at the others. Hogwarts would just have to pay for new Bludgers. With all of these witnesses, no one feared getting in trouble or singled out for blowing them up. The remaining Beaters tried their best to protect Harry and Draco while sending one or two away at a time to be blasted.
When the last one exploded, Harry and Draco were both barely able to stay on their brooms. They stayed up just long enough to hear Fred breathlessly say, "Don't know what happened... We were all busy getting ready for the Beater Beatdown... When suddenly they all went mental!"
"We need to get them to Madam Pomfrey," one of the Hufflepuff beaters said as the others caught their breath and nodded.
Harry and Draco toppled over just then. Luckily, they were barely above the ground and Hannah and Tracey managed to cast cushioning charms where they fell.
"We'll take them," Pansy said as she and Tracey helped Draco while Hermione and Susan did the same for Harry. Hannah was going to stay to help explain things and pass on the news to them later.
"We'll be explaining things here it seems," George said as all of the Beaters present and most of the gathered crowd saw Professor McGonagall making her way over to them with Madam Hooch behind her.
[-] [-] [-]
"Goodness! What happened?" Madam Pomfrey asked as the group entered the Hospital Wing.
"Bludgers went crazy! Started attacking them," Susan said breathlessly.
"Get them on these beds," she directed the girls.
Once Harry and Draco were laying on a bed each, she started running diagnostic spells. She tisked and shook her head. "The things that happen at this school!" she complained.
"Will they be okay?" Hermione asked in worry.
Madam Pomfrey let out a breath. "Don't worry, I'll be able to heal them up. They won't be leaving until tomorrow before lunch at the earliest though," she said.
All four girls let out a collective sigh of relief.
"You four best be going now! They will both need plenty of rest. I suspect they won't even be awake until late tonight at the earliest," Madam Pomfrey said as she shooed them out of the wing.
The girls weren't happy with this, but felt too relieved to say anything or put up a fight. Madam Pomfrey quickly got to work once the crowd left.
[-] [-] [-]
Early that night both Harry and Draco let out groans as they woke up and winced at the tenderness of their injuries.
"Guess we'll call it a draw this time," Harry said. He and Draco chuckled to that before wincing again in turn. Laughing hurt too much. They both had a feeling it would be a long night.
Chapter 28: Unfortunate ConfirmationsNotes:Made some changes to the discussion about the Gringotts' letter. Originally, they acted as if they hadn't already known about Harry being the potential Heir to House Black, even though they discussed it a few chapters back.
Chapter TextHarry woke up late in the night after feeling a shifting weight next to him. After their shared laugh that hurt, Madam Pomfrey gave both him and Draco a sleeping potion. Sadly, what Harry felt wasn't Hermione shifting positions to use him as a pillow. It was instead a familiar small creature sitting next to him on the bed.
"Dobby?!" Harry started in a whisper as he made some distance between them. It wasn't much given the size of the beds in the Hospital Wing. "What are you doing here?" he asked with narrowed eyes.
"Why does Master Harry Potter sirs insists on ignoring Dobby's warning?" Dobby asked with a frown.
"We discussed this. I can't just abandon my friends like that," Harry said with a matching frown.
"Master Harry Potter sirs… Keeps stayings at Hogwarts despite what Dobby does," the elf said with a shake of his head.
"What all did you do?" Harry asked accusingly.
Dobby winced a little as he answered, "Dobby's barrier didn't work. Dobby getting Harry Potter sirs expelled didn't work…"
"I figured you were behind the barrier. I wasn't the only one you inconvenienced with that," Harry said.
"Dobby knows. Best if no ones returned to Hogwarts this year, especially your Grangey" Dobby replied.
"Luckily, I didn't even get a notice from the Ministry after your stunt over the summer," Harry said. Both were keeping their voices down during their heated discussion, so they wouldn't disturb anyone else.
"Odds that beings… Dobby's plan should have at least gotten yous that," Dobby said in a thoughtful manner.
"Yeah… It didn't work. That was odd, even if I'm grateful it failed," Harry said equally in thought.
For a moment, it was almost friendly between them as they thought on the topic of Dobby's failed attempt at getting Harry expelled from Hogwarts.
Harry then narrowed his eyes again. "What else did you do?" he asked.
Dobby swallowed and shifted uncomfortably. He looked around in almost a panic. "Dobby had to punishes himself after his Bludgers didn't work," he said a little fearfully.
Harry would have maybe felt a little sympathy for him with that, but he was too livid. The only reason he wasn't yelling at Dobby was because they were in the Hospital Wing and there were other patients apart from Draco. "You did that?! You not only endangered me… You also hurt Draco," Harry said dangerously.
"Dobby did no such thing… technically… It was the bludgers that did it," he said in a poor attempt to defend himself, but it still seemed to satisfy him and his house elf magic.
"What were you thinking? You could have gotten one of us killed," Harry said in an angry whisper. It was taking a lot of control on his part not go off on Dobby and rip him a new one as they say.
"Dobby only wanted to grievously harm… He didn't want to kill or anything… Just hurts you bad enough to sends you back homes. Hogwarts is much too dangerous… Surely Harry Potter sirs knows this," Dobby said.
"What do you know about the chamber? Dobby?" Harry asked. He actually sounded less angry and more extra curious.
Dobby looked around and then said, "Dobby can't stays any longers… Dobby has to gos. Harry Potter sirs should as well!" The small house elf then popped away.
Harry wondered why the quick exit, but then he heard Draco groan and sit up. "Talking to someone Potter?" he asked in a sleepy drawl. Harry found it very fitting Draco could accomplish such a voice in his sleepiness.
"Nope. Just suddenly woke up and groaned in pain as well. I only feel slightly better than earlier," Harry said.
Draco only nodded, but he wasn't about to fall back asleep.
After the silence seemed to drag too much, Harry turned to him and asked, "What other competitions are there apart from the Beater Beatdown?"
Draco gave a stretch and groaned only a little this time. This one at least felt more out of stiffness than pain. "There's the Keeper Keep Away and the Chaser Compendium," he started.
"Seekers don't have something?" Harry asked.
Draco shook his head and took a sip of water from a glass on the nearby nightstand. "Everyone agreed Seekers were too important to chance giving anything extra away about them, as could happen in a challenge. Or to risk injury, which could also happen depending on the challenges," he said.
"What's the Beater Beatdown like?" Harry asked seeing the logic to this decision. Seekers were the ones to end a game and they were usually one of the biggest targets.
"It is actually rather interesting. It has three parts. The first is a point contest. They have a number of targets and a few Bludgers they can use to hit them. The second section consists of going after a target designated the other team's Seeker and keeping them off the snitch stand in. The longer they do that the more points they get. The last one is keeping a target designated their team's Seeker safe for a period of time. They get more points for lasting longer in this last event. The scores from both teammates are added up together, since it is a solo competition but they are partners. The winners are declared the best Beaters in the league for that year. It is just bragging rights and prize money, but it is fun to watch and gives the professional Beaters a chance to work out the off-season rust before starting practice again," Draco explained.
"I'm surprised there isn't a team competition for Beaters," Harry said.
"That could be used to get a sneak peek at their tactics they use in games. They try to keep these challenges as separate from actual games as they can," Draco said.
"Keeper Keep Away is rather self-explanatory, but what are the details?" Harry asked. He was finding this all very interesting.
"It is a timed event where the Keeper defends one goal from as many Quaffles as possible. They have to worry about multiple balls to make up for just having to defend one ring. They get points for every goal that is successful. Meaning the lower their score the better," Draco said. He thought it was actually kind fun explaining the magical world to Harry.
"Most of the names make sense… But Chaser Compendium?" Harry asked with a chuckle.
"Yeah… They wanted to keep the whole alliteration thing and felt contest or competition was too simple. It kind of works because the Chasers also have a few different contests they participate in, like the Beaters do," Draco said.
"I would think it would be hard to keep that too separated from actual games without making it kind of boring," Harry said.
"According to Quidditch History, it did take them a while to make it entertaining. The first contest is pretty much a dash and score event. They start a good distance away from rotating goals and end with a quick score in one of them. They get four chances at it. More points are earned for how quick they do it. They use a regulation broom of medium tier to make it a fairer event," Draco said.
"That is a pretty good idea. What else?" Harry asked.
"They also have a penalty shoot-out against a magical stand in for a Keeper to be consistent. Obviously, the more points here they better. The last event is a team effort. The chasers from the same team work together passing back and forth before shooting a goal at one of three goalposts. The event is timed, so they can't just slowly pass to each other and take forever as a way to more points. The three goalposts are set for different difficulties and there are three lines they choose to shoot from. They get points for each pass and set values for the line they choose and the goal they pick, if they score," Draco said.
"That sounds really cool as well. It tests their teamwork, their tactics and their scoring abilities," Harry said.
"All of the events are entertaining, even if games are more exciting. And the last stage of Chaser Compendium is setup so very differently from an actual field it isn't too similar," Draco said.
"Does Hogwarts just have the Beater Beatdown?" Harry asked.
"It does. It also only uses the first phase of the contest. That by itself is deemed good enough for students," Draco said.
"They don't really advertise it," Harry said.
Draco hummed in thought for a moment. It was a little curious they didn't make a big deal out of it. "I guess they figure it isn't exciting enough for most students to bother watching. They won't tell you not to go, if you decided you want to watch it. There is also a certain matter of safety as well. I would say. Even the best beaters at Hogwarts, are still just students. They aren't really seen as good enough to make sure students watching won't get hurt. I imagine after today, that might change. They could decide it is too dangerous period and do away with it. At the same time, this was the only instance of something like that happening," Draco said.
"Meaning it could be deemed a strange and rare exception," Harry finished as Draco nodded in agreement.
[-] [-] [-]
The two boys then heard what sounded like voices as the doors to the Hospital Wing burst open. Draco and Harry both immediately pretended to be asleep, but were paying attention to the commotion.
Professor Dumbledore came into view carrying what looked like the front of a statue. It was hard to make out details in the dark. Professor McGonagall soon appeared carrying the feet. They both placed it on a bed. "Get Madam Pomfrey," Dumbledore whispered as McGonagall nodded in understanding.
"I heard you both come in... What Happened?!" Madam Pomfrey asked as quietly as she could despite her shock at what she saw.
"Another attack… Petrified. McGonagall found him," Professor Dumbledore said.
"I think he was sneaking around trying to get night shots of the castle. He's taken almost every other possible picture. There's no telling how long he had been like this before I found him on my rounds. He wasn't in a commonly traveled part of the castle," Professor McGonagall said with a sigh.
Harry and Draco quickly gave each other a glance in the darkness. Everyone knew the one student most obsessed with taking pictures. Harry didn't need to see who it was. It could only be Colin Creevey.
"This is not your fault, Minerva. You did all you could," Dumbledore said to her.
"It still wasn't enough," Professor McGonagall said in sadness.
"As I said. He is just petrified. We need to count our blessings at a time like this and try to improve going forward. Perhaps it is lucky he had his camera with him," Professor Dumbledore said.
"You don't think he managed to get a picture of his attacker? Do you?" Professor McGonagall asked in a small amount of hope.
Professor Dumbledore simply picked up the camera and opened it. Black noxious smoke hissed from it. Harry could make out the smell of burnt plastic even from his bed. Professor McGonagall and Madam Pomfrey gave choked coughs as they both fanned away the smoke.
"Melted…" Professor McGonagall said in disappointment.
"What does it mean?" Madam Pomfrey asked looking to Dumbledore.
"It means… The Chamber really is open again," Dumbledore said with a sigh.
"But surely… Who could it be?" Professor McGonagall asked as Madam Pomfrey hid a gasp.
"The question isn't who… But how…" Professor Dumbledore said.
Neither woman seemed to understand what he meant by his question. But Harry narrowed his eyes and his lips thinned as he understood the true implication of Professor Dumbledore's words.
With that, the professors and Madam Pomfrey left for the night.
"Hermione will need to watch out," Draco said in warning as he turned to Harry solemnly. He may have his own thoughts regarding muggleborns, but he knew Hermione was important to Harry. He was a little unnerved when he saw Harry's expression through the darkness though.
"It seems things are even worse than Friar Puck said," Harry whispered just loud enough for Draco to hear.
"What do you mean?" Draco asked.
"The ghost Friar told us Halloween night, Dumbledore was a professor here last time the chamber was opened," Harry replied.
"Really?!" Draco gasped. Sure, he heard about it before from his dad in a letter, but even then, his dad implied it was most likely more legend than truth. He said all pure bloods should be safe, even if the legend came true. He too believed it was most likely a prank or a warning to muggleborns. He still warned Draco to be careful regardless.
Harry nodded to him. "It's worse than that though," he said as he looked to Draco seriously with a deep frown.
"How?" Draco asked.
"Think about what he said and how he said it," Harry said in a leading manner.
Draco narrowed his eyes in thought. He then opened them wide.
"Exactly… Professor Dumbledore knows who did it last time and most likely again this time," Harry said.
"And he isn't doing anything about it?" Draco asked in disbelief. Surely, Dumbledore, the muggleborn loving Headmaster, would do something if he knew about this. There was no way he would leave it alone. He wasn't possibly that daft.
"Friar Puck told us he figured Dumbledore was more concerned with keeping it quiet than actually solving the problem," Harry said.
Draco shook his head and scoffed. "Father always said Dumbledore was the worst Headmaster ever at Hogwarts. I always thought it was because of differences in politics and beliefs. It probably is for my father. But it seems he was right, even if for the wrong reasons," Draco said.
"You're right about that," Harry answered coldly. The two then tried to go back to sleep once more after taking a sip of the potion vial Madam Pomfrey left each of them earlier, after they were first admitted to the Hospital Wing.
[-] [-] [-]
Once Harry and Draco were finally freed from the Hospital Wing, Harry told his friends what was overheard during the night. He noticed word of Colin already made the rounds, but he didn't have the details people were saying about it yet. The reaction to the attack on Colin was much different from Mrs. Norris. Now, it was obvious humans could be targeted and not just disagreeable cats owned by disgruntled school caretakers.
"I know it's really unsettling Professor Dumbledore seems to already know all about what is happening and isn't doing anything about it. But I still can't get over the fact Draco actually told you I needed to be careful. It's almost like he does consider me a friend, or at least not just another muggle-born," Hermione said from next to Harry in their bed.
Harry gave a chuckle. "Do I need to worry about my girlfriend going after the supposed Slytherin Bad Boy?" Harry asked.
Hermione rolled her eyes. "Yes. Because I find it soooo hot how he usually treats me indifferent, when he isn't usually ignoring me. I soooo totally want to be treated like that all the time," she said dryly.
"I don't think he's about to ditch Pansy," Harry replied jokingly.
"I'm totally fine with just being his Muggleborn Witch sex toy," Hermione replied jokingly in return.
The two laughed to that for a few seconds.
"You Know…" Hermione hummed in thought after a moment.
Harry felt a little worried suddenly.
"Dramoine doesn't really have as nice of a ring to it as Harmony does," Hermione said with a giggle.
Harry rolled his eyes, but secretly felt very relieved. "Hannah would have a field day with it anyways," he said getting Hermione to giggle again. As unfair as girls giggling was, Harry really liked it when Hermione did just that in response to something he said.
Hannah recently started giving out nicknames to various couples, potential or otherwise. Dansy was what she called Pansy and Draco. She jokingly called Harry and Hermione, Harmony. She also threw out Luvstin every now and then, given the way Lavender and Justin seemed to be doing a little dance around each other lately. She really found it romantic how Justin came to Lavender's defense when Seamus made that terrible joke earlier in the month.
"I didn't ask earlier, but how did everyone react to Colin?" Harry asked seriously.
"It was much the same you briefly saw after getting out of the Hospital Wing. I really wish you could have made dinner," Hermione started.
She let out a sigh. She wasn't keen on admitting it, but after Colin was attacked, she was scared. Having Harry with her made her feel a lot better about it all. She did find Draco's warning touching, but she also knew he wasn't just saying it out of concern for her. Hermione had little doubt she would eventually be a prime target. She hoped this business would be stopped before then though.
Harry seemed to sense her discomfort. He shifted position and pulled her in tighter to his chest and held her in his arms. Hermione liked using him as a body pillow, but after they decided to take things to the next level, she found herself enjoying this position better. She liked feeling Harry wrapped around her like this. She was on her side and her back was pressed right up against him.
"Most are worried," she continued. "Nott and a few others are acting like they own the place," she said.
"Nott's an idiot and few actually agree with his thoughts. Most of the Slytherins don't really have too much of a problem with muggleborns. They may not be friends with them, but they mostly adopt a live and let live mentality, if they don't just usually ignore muggleborns. From what Draco told me, the group Nott's with lately have always thought the worst of muggleborns," Harry said to her.
"I'm glad he isn't the majority, but they're probably all safe from whatever this is anyways. I doubt they care too much about it in all reality," Hermione said a little bitterly.
Harry gave her neck a kiss and shifted her so she lay flat on her back looking up at him. She blushed with Harry positioned above her like this. She really liked this position too. Harry looked to her and said, "Many of them are worried as well, even if they don't show it. They may not be targets, but they could still get caught in the crossfire of whatever this is. There's also the fact it could cause the school to close. That would affect them just as much as everyone else. Remember, Friar Puck told us the school almost was closed last time," Harry said.
"I'm really worried," Hermione admitted.
"I'd be concerned if you weren't," Harry said. He kissed her again and she returned it.
Harry caressed her cheek and ran a hand around her ear and through her messy hair. Hermione gasped a little and blushed. She still wasn't used to such intimate contact, but she loved every minute of it. She would usually return his gesture by running one of her hands through his messy hair. She would even place a hand on his chest as well sometimes.
The two eventually returned to laying on their sides. They actually found this position surprisingly comfortable. It felt pretty nice to them and Hermione didn't have to worry about hiding her delighted blushes when Harry sometimes ran a hand across her and touched her intimately. He seemed to have a habit of caressing her butt in particular. Hermione was really happy she told him to stop 'containing' himself.
Hermione rarely was successful in hiding her reactions at this kind of contact, despite her efforts. She wasn't sure why, but she especially liked him touching her butt. She felt… sexy when he did. It was a new feeling to her. If you knew any of the girls she went to school with before Hogwarts, none of them would say Hermione Jean Granger could be seen as sexy. There was also another unexpected benefit to sleeping like this she never thought she would really like, but already loved.
Harry's morning condition, as he called it, usually resulted in a little discomfort in her mornings before she adjusted. She would shift so his erection slipped right into the crevice of her ass. She found his hardness very pleasant positioned between her butt cheeks. He was definitely a very good size in length and thickness already. She also liked to think she was partly responsible for his erection, even if she knew the famed "Morning Wood" had little to do with actual physical stimulation.
This did make the original plans of not going all the way too soon a bit more difficult for her. She would have dreams of what it would be like to feel him like this inside her. Her heart would always beat faster and she would feel herself getting deeply aroused. She realized she would be more than happy if he wanted to go further with her. She also really liked that idea.
Hermione wondered if maybe she should stop controlling herself as well. She had to an extent, but she still tried to hold back a bit. She wondered what would happen if Harry woke up to the sounds of her pleasuring herself in the morning with his dick between her ass cheeks. It was something she had done before and part of the reason she occasionally took awhile for her morning shower. She also took advantage of his absence when he went off to shower or got in a morning workout.
"Maybe I should happen upon him during such a workout and let nature take its course… " Hermione thought to herself squirming a little in delight. Then the gates would truly be open and she wouldn't have to be careful anymore. Though Harry told her to not contain herself as well. She wanted it to seem natural when she completely gave on doing such a thing, or to at least have a reason beyond her own horniness to do certain things he would notice.
She knew her parents would really be aghast to learn this about their little girl. There was a rebellious part of her that wanted to make it partly clear to them she wasn't their perfect little bookworm anymore. She was coming to realize, that while she did care some about what her parents thought of her in some aspects, it wasn't to the level she used to be. She still didn't want to give away too much though.
The only way her parents would figure any of this out is if she or Harry told them. Harry wasn't about to let it slip and there was no way she would in reality. She didn't want anything getting in the way of what they were doing. Her parents might try something if they learned the truth. If she and Harry went further, it was their decision to make.
"I should probably be more wary of my own urges… " Hermione thought in a mix of feelings while she blushed at her naughty thoughts.
She wanted to go all the way with Harry. She wanted to figure out everything he enjoyed with her body and what she enjoyed with his. She even had naughty thoughts on how it tasted. How it smelled. She wanted to give in to Harry fully. She trusted him to not do anything she wouldn't enjoy. She really wanted to experience all of those wonder but naughty things.
She also felt maybe she was getting a little too carried away and was letting those trashy romance novels, she and her mother both enjoyed, bleed into her desires. Hermione felt she was wanting to run, jump, swim with their relationship when they had just pretty much started to walk. Despite Hannah calling them Harmony, she and Harry were both carefulish around the others. They would be closer to each other in public, but they kept most of their change in relationship and personal activities to their bedroom.
Hermione thought on all of this as she lay there in Harry's arms and slowly drifted off to sleep. She had momentarily forgotten her worries regarding the Chamber of Secrets and Colin's attack. She just focused on how warm and comfortable she felt in Harry's arms.
[-] [-] [-]
"So… Have you all heard what everyone's been talking about lately?" Kimberly Haywood asked Harry and the others at breakfast. She was another Hufflepuff in their year. She had black hair, brown eyes and tanned skin. She enjoyed gossip from around the school, but not the extent Lavender and Parvati seemed to enjoy it.
"About the Dueling Club?" Hannah clarified.
"Yeah! What do you all think?" Kimberly asked.
"I think it's a good idea. I'd like to learn how to actually defend myself. I know Dueling isn't the same as a real fight, but it's bound to be better than anything we usually learn in DADA," Hermione said.
Lately, she was even more about learning how to actually fight in the magical world. It was probably because she was pretty sure she would be a likely target. She was the worst sort of muggleborn. One who was actually very good at magic. Someone like this Heir to Slytherin would hate her very existence.
"Yeah. Lockhart's dreamy and all, but even I'll admit he's not exactly teacher material. I'd love to spend a night with him at an event where he acted out scenes from his books with actual actors though," Kimberly said a little dreamily. She was a fan of Lockhart, but tolerable because she didn't think he was absolutely perfect at everything. She still happily sighed longingly at him in class with the other girls.
"Then there was last year," Susan said with frown.
"Don't remind me…" Kimberly said with her own frown.
"The sad part is everyone's heard it's been like that for a while now," Harry said.
"Yeah… I really hope we have someone good running the Dueling Club," Kimberly said.
"I'd like it if it was Professor Flitwick. He's a good teacher and I've heard he's a three-time International Dueling Champion. He's very well respected among the dueling community. I really hope its him!" Hannah said excitedly.
"Sadly, he doesn't have anything to do with the Dueling Club," said a slightly dreamlike voice suddenly.
"Eeep!" Hannah said as the voice came right from next to her. "Luna…" she said breathlessly.
"Hello, Luna. You really shouldn't sneak up on people like that," Harry said.
"Ohhh…" Luna said. She then turned to Hannah and said, "Sorry… I was just answering your question."
"Just… like Harry said… Be careful next time," Hannah said.
"Does Professor Flitwick know who is running it?" Kimberly said. She wasn't sure about the girl sometimes called Loony, but if she was on good terms with Harry. She couldn't be that bad.
"If he does, he isn't saying. Naturally, everyone in Ravenclaw has been asking him about the Dueling Club, because he's so well known as a champion," Luna said.
"That's a shame. I really hope it isn't… You know what... I'm not going to say it. I'd be tempting fate like that," Hermione said shaking her head at herself.
"Hermione… It's too late now. We all know who you were hoping it wasn't," Susan said with a sigh. The others joined her.
It was going to be Lockhart. They just knew it now. They were still going to go. Maybe there was a very slight chance it wouldn't be him, or at least he wouldn't be the only one running it.
Before they said anything else, the owls flew in to deliver the morning post. Harry watched above even though he hadn't expected anything this time. It was always wonderful to watch the Owl Post arrive. Hedwig also liked to come say hello sometimes as well.
In fact, Hedwig landed right in front of him, but it wasn't just for a visit this time it seemed. She had letter tied to her leg. "Hello girl," Harry said as he stroked her head feathers briefly and offered her some bacon, which she gladly took as he untied the letter. The envelope was blank apart from his name, but the script was extra professional looking.
Luna was staring at the letter with wide silver eyes, or maybe it was something just above the letter she saw. Harry wasn't fully sure.
"You should open that in a safe place. It's very important," she said in a kind of distant voice before she blinked and nodded to him.
"Thanks…" Harry said a little distracted by what just happened.
"How do you know that?" Hermione asked.
"I have my ways…" Luna said with a carefully neutral expression. It was obvious she was hiding something, but the others decided not to press her this time.
Harry made a mental note to ask her later when he had a chance. He quickly finished his breakfast and took the letter. "See you all back in the room," Harry said to the others who nodded in return.
[-] [-] [-]
Once Harry was back in their room, he opened the letter carefully.
Dear Heir Potter,
I have an update regarding one of the requests you made of Gringotts over the summer. We are still hard at work on getting a full audit of your accounts. This is regarding a different matter.
At your request, we inquired into the situation of your Godfather. As we discussed, what Gringotts could do in this matter was limited. We have done what we can. It is potentially a big mess. From what we can find, your Godfather was never even given a trial. He was sent directly to prison.
You will have to work on this from here on your own end. It would be good if you had connections to someone in Law Enforcement who could inquire further. Gringotts' will still do business with your Godfather regardless of how, or if, he were to escape such a situation. We are not necessarily beholden to Wizarding laws in every manner.
If you, or certain acquaintances, were able determine those responsible for falsely imprisoning such a client of Gringotts. We would be more than willing to levy fees and other certain practices against them. Our investigator on this matter is willing to fully cooperate if there is enough here to make a case and sort it all out. They however wish to remain anonymous until such a case is possible through appropriate law enforcement channels. I regret to inform you that is all we can do at our level as things stand, Heir Potter.
Sincerely,
Goldbite, Potter Family Account
Harry was angry. He then gave a scoff just as Hermione and the others entered.
"What is it?" Hermione asked in concern.
"It's a rich load of BS is what it is," Harry said. He shook his head in disgust. He then looked to them and said, "Gringotts finished looking into things on their end. There isn't anything more they can do for now."
"What did they find?" Susan asked. This was probably a sign it time they start trying to bring it to her aunt's attention.
Harry sighed to this. Hermione gave him a hug. He appreciated it, especially right now. "It seems he didn't even get a trial," he said with a deep frown.
"Wow..." Hannah started. "It was one thing thinking something went funny with the trail and that got him in Azkaban. Not having a trial at all?!" she said while shaking her head in disbelief.
"It is very wrong! Is what it is," Hermione said sounding a bit livid.
"So, the Ministry is covering up the fact they have an innocent man who was never given a trail in Azkaban," Hannah said.
"They don't know he's innocent because there wasn't a trial and Dumbledore illegally sealed my Parents' Will. They don't know about the Godparent's Ritual," Harry said.
"And with Fudge in power… He's much more likely to keep with the cover up and go to extremes preserving it, instead of admitting the ministry made a mistake… Even if it was before his time," Susan said. She then sighed, "This is why Auntie really hates politics."
"It isn't the best situation, but it is time to get your aunt involved. Goldbite informed me if the DMLE got something going, their investigator would fully cooperate. Until then though, they wish to remain anonymous," Harry said.
"I don't blame them… This could get very nasty… I'll try to figure out what it would take for my Aunt to get involved. She would know how to approach this without getting in trouble before it blows up," Susan said.
"I really appreciate this," Harry said. He actually came over and clasped her hands to show his sincerity. Susan was blushing and nodded to him. "The Street Knights will always be my family and I will never replace them, but I wouldn't mind growing my family. Not only should my Godfather be free, but I would love to have family in the wizarding world too," he said.
"I'm really glad I can help then, Harry," Susan said quietly in a sweet and breathy voice.
" And he was saying she wouldn't be a potential girl… He doesn't seem to realize he could be a good chance for her as well. She has to carry her family's name, even if it has power, I doubt there are many guys who would want to take their wife's last name, " Hermione thought to herself. Susan was blushing so much and Harry was doing all he could to accidentally en-trance her like that. Hermione was pretty sure he had her heart as well now, and he didn't even know it.
"I really wish I could help," Hannah said with a frown.
Harry stood up again. Susan gave a sigh of disappointment. "Your support alone is more than enough, Hannah," Harry said to her with a friendly smile.
"Still… If there ever comes to be something I can help with. Please feel free to ask me," Hannah said.
"I will," Harry said.
Hannah then straightened up and said, "That goes for you two as well."
"Thanks, Hannah," Susan and Hermione said together.
"Still… Three wives, huh?" Hannah started in a teasing voice.
Harry blushed. He had a feeling Hannah would be having a lot fun with his situation.
"At the least…" Hermione said giggling.
Hermione really wasn't helping on this matter either. Harry decided it was plenty time to get ready for class and commenced with doing so. Hermione and Hannah found far too much joy with his insistence on getting ready. Susan was in a bit of a dreamy state thinking of only what she truly knew. Though, Hannah and Hermione could probably make good guesses.
[-] [-] [-]
Luna walked into her room and was surprised when she opened the door and her roommates seemed to be looking friendly at her. She wasn't sure what was going on here and the Wrackspurts weren't helping. It seemed they were a little miffed as well, but Luna felt they were more miffed about what they were sensing than what would happen, if that made any sense. It was almost like they were surprised what would happen was something she would ponder and even kind like, even if in a possibly shameful way.
"Luna! So glad you made it back already," Sally said. She was the leader of the group of girls.
"Really?" Luna asked in disbelief.
"I guess we shouldn't be surprised you wouldn't believe us," said Connie. She was a girl with blue eyes and dark brown hair.
"Which is exactly why we are about to propose this idea we have," Teresa said. She was a muggleborn girl who had a lot of older cousins who acted like older brothers to her.
"What are you talking about?" Luna asked with a tilt of her head.
"We were thinking it wasn't right for us to act how we did. We wanted to come up with a way to start anew, on the right foot this time," Sally said as the others nodded.
"We also realized it wouldn't be simple. Which is why we are going to do something that is kind of like an initiation," Gertrude said. She had dark blonde hair and hazel eyes and was a little taller than the other girls.
Luna looked to them with narrowed eyes. The Wrackspurts gave a feeling as if they were still miffed and were shrugging at her.
"It sounds bad. I know. But we all did something like an initiation with each other earlier in the year," Sally said.
"A few times actually…" Connie said with a half frown.
"Oh please. None of us complained and we all kind of liked it," Ellie said. She had black hair and yellow eyes. Luna always wondered if she was somehow related to Madam Hooch, even if her eyes weren't hawk like yet. She was also the one to first scoff at mention of The Quibbler.
The other girls blushed to Ellie's words.
"This is a little different though," Sally said getting them back on topic.
"Yep! It was my idea really. My cousins told me about it. It was something they did for newcomers to their sports club," Teresa said with a smile.
"What is it?" Luna asked.
"Ever hear of an Atomic Sit-up?" Teresa asked.
"No. I haven't. Atomic… Isn't that what muggles called their powerful weapons?" Luna asked.
"It is, but this different. It is very different," Teresa said as she gave a rather mischievous smile. Luna didn't think it looked wholly pleasant.
"If this is what it takes... Daddy always said you should try to make friends when you can," Luna said.
"Huh… I'm actually surprised he would say something like that," Ellie admitted.
"How about we just get started?" Teresa asked. She turned to dirty blonde haired girl and said, "Luna. You need to wear a special blindfold for this. You aren't allowed to see while you do the sit-ups. We also decided just a regular one wouldn't work. We each have something for you to smell at the end of each sit-up."
Luna took in a deep breath and let it out. "Might as well get this over with," she said.
"You'll only be doing one for each of us. It isn't that much work on your end. Nothing compared to what we had to do more than once for our own initiations," Teresa said with a roll of her eyes.
"Exactly. We felt we should go easier on you after everything that happened this year, but it shouldn't just be automatic. That would seem disingenuous," Sally said.
Luna gave one last look at the Wrackspurts. They were a deep pink almost red color. She almost blushed at that coloring. She knew what it meant and that really was surprising for her. Now she got why they seemed so miffed about it all, why would she end up finding out something delightful, but probably embarrassing about herself here?
The situation was even more curious now. Luna's Ravenclaw curiosity was coming into full effect. She only hoped it wouldn't get her in trouble. Ravenclaw curiosity could do that with ease at times. It happened to everyone in their house at one time or another.
"Now, lay down…" Teresa said to Luna. This was going to be good.
Loony really could be such a gullible fool at times. They would be nice to her after this. How could they not? They wanted to know what she did about Harry Potter. He was The-Boy-Who-Lived! Why and how was she on friendly terms with him? What did she now know about him, no one else did? Maybe they would all learn his type after they 'befriended' Luna and naturally asked about her other friends.
That was the plan anyways. They were all still going to have at least a little fun with Loony here and now. They still couldn't believe she was going along with them so easily after everything that has happened. Then again, she did usually blame it on made up creatures.