Chapter 4
beta-read by frustr8dwriter
Harry found himself on the hard, cool marble floor after he made his wish. His round-rimmed spectacles were skewed from the impact of the fall. He winced in pain as he moved. Harry pushed his glasses up his nose and took a good look at his new surroundings.
The sight made him gasp in awe. Solid white Greek Columns that seemed to sparkle with the rays of the setting sun surrounded the wide, flat ground he was lying on. It was only when he saw the grand mansion that stood regally on a little hill in the distance that he realised that he was only in a small section of the place. The evening sun did not diminish the majesty of that magnificent marble house but bathed it in an array of warm colours. Harry knew it was cliché to use this term, but the scene was absolutely enchanting. He was bowled down by the splendour of this fantasy world.
He spotted a short path on the side of the arrival area that lead to the building. It was beautifully decorated with white Grecian arches.
There was a large green forest to the side of the marble mansion. Sounds of running water could be heard, suggesting that there was a waterfall or a gushing river nearby. It seemed like a wonderful place to relax. Harry found himself quickly falling in love with the place.
Suddenly, a glowing white rune appeared next to him and Hermione began to materialise. He was glad to see that she had more poise than he did - she landed gracefully on her two feet as the rune faded. Her chocolate orbs were filled with wonder as she took in the picturesque scene.
"Wow is the right word," joked Harry as he stood up and brushed the imaginary dust off of him. They were relieved to find their wands when they checked their pockets.
"Welcome to the House, Lord and Lady Potter," rang a feminine voice loudly. "I am Adedes, or Ade for short."
There were befuddled expressions on their faces when they heard the voice. Harry decided to gather his courage and speak up.
"Ah well, it's nice to meet you, I guess. Please call me Harry instead. I hope you don't mind my asking, but who are you?" Harry said as he turned around and tried to detect the source of the voice. He felt very uncomfortable talking to air.
"Alright, Harry. I am the House. The Sator had told me to expect you. Would you like me to give you the grand tour?
"Ade, please call me Hermione. Would you mind telling us how slow time is in here compared to the time outside?" Hermione asked in concern. She was afraid that her parents would get worried if they realised that they have disappeared. They had to be back in their own room in the morning lest they found out.
"The current House time is one month to one real hour. I can also adjust the time if need be." answered Ade simply. "I think I should show you the grounds first since I can sense that you both are curious about where you are. Please wait a moment while I physically manifest into something."
Physically manifest? They thought in surprise. Before they could ask any questions, an elegant young lady wearing a toga appeared. She looked so ethereal in her perfection that Harry felt blood rushing to his face. He could not take his eyes off the way she walked as she approached them with a grace that was unnaturally captivating.
"Are you Ade?" Hermione asked curiously. The lady in toga nodded and gave them a holster each for their wands. Harry immediately strapped his holster on his arm and placed his wand in it. Hermione, who was satisfied that there was no danger, followed suit.
"Very good. The holsters will become invisible once they are strapped on. It also has a built-in anti-summoning charm. Furthermore, it will allow you to retract or release your wand at will." Ade explained. True enough, their holsters did indeed disappear. "Let me show you to the main hall." Ade continued with a warm smile as she led them through the large antique doors into a larger and more imposing living area.
The hall was huge and airy. Hermione estimated the ceiling to be at least 3 stories high. The walls were made of dark mahogany. The two imposing floor-to-ceiling windows standing on each side of a very large portrait lighted up the place. Across the room from the windows were two imposing staircases that led up to the upper floors. A grand chandelier was hanging from the high ceiling right in the middle of the room.
The most fascinating thing of the room was the ceiling. Painted with beautiful life-like angels and clouds that moved occasionally, it was a serene and joyful scene depicting heaven. The ceiling glowed in a shade of pale gold due to the light coming off of the chandelier.
The portrait of a handsome distinguished man garbed in a mage suit beamed warmly at them as he spotted the new arrivals.
"Good day, Harry and Hermione Potter," welcomed the man in the portrait cordially as he doffed his hat in polite greeting.
"Are you The Creator?" They asked in astonishment as their eyes widened. Never in their wildest imagination did they think they would be speaking to the portrait of the Creator. His blue eyes were twinkling with joy as he looked down at them.
"Well, don't look so surprised that my house would have a portrait of me!" The man responded joyfully. "Please call me Edmund. Don't you just love the ceiling? I do. Now, in my time, the non-magical beings actively persecuted us on the basis that we were 'spawns of the devil'. They even went as far as to claim that wizards would never go to heaven. Don't you think it is ironic that I have heaven painted on my ceiling?" He grinned rakishly before turning his attention back to them. A frown immediately marred his beautiful face.
"Harry, you look awfully thin for your age. Please ask Althea for the potions to make help him grow to a normal size, Ade," instructed Edmund as he glanced at Ade. She nodded and he turned back to face them with a warm friendly smile on his lips. "I didn't expect the two of you to come and visit so soon. In fact, I wasn't expecting you until after Harry's birthday. Were you just curious?" Edmund chuckled warmly as his blue eyes twinkled like Christmas lights.
"Yes. The rings worked, so we wanted to see if we could get into the House," answered Harry as he stared at the portrait in awe.
He stroked his smooth chin, "Oh yes, the rings. I had a bit of fun creating those. It conceals itself naturally unless you choose to show it. Your rings will be able to warn you if the person you are talking have any intentions of hurting you. The real fun begins when you learn to apparate. There are no barriers that will be able to restrain you because the rings are designed to break them. I believe that I may have added a few more charms. You just have to try it find those surprises on your own." He smiled excitedly. "By the way, you can never remove the rings once you've put them on. I designed it this way so that no one else will be able to use these rings. I wanted to avoid them to falling into the wrong hands."
"Thank you." Harry answered, his voice choked with emotions. It was beyond his comprehension why a person he had never met before would give him such a priceless gift.
With a sincere tone, Edmund answered. "You are very special, Harry. Fate has chosen you to carry out a difficult task. I felt it was unfair for someone as young as you to be saddled with such a heavy burden. It is my greatest wish that whatever help I can give you will help you in freeing the oppressed from their oppressors."
Ade arrived with the potions that Edmund had requested. She handed a vial over to Harry who took it and drank it. It felt a bit weird but he felt better after a while.
"I won't keep you from your tour of the house. You are welcome to come and talk to me anytime you wish. I love company." He concluded warmly as Ade took them up the steps to the dining area.
The dining area was much too vast and formal for their liking. Ade also showed them the kitchen. They were surprised to find a modern non-magical kitchen with modern appliances. It was decorated practically – with clean white walls and black tiles.
"Food magically appears in here during meal times when there are people living here. We do not actually require a kitchen. We have set this one up in case either one of you wants to cook a meal yourself or to practice your household charms in.," explained Ade.
Next, she took them to a large open bathing area. A swimming pool-like marble bath with many gold taps on the side sat in the middle of the place. It was facing the forest and they could see a river and a large waterfall. The place was very comfortable but too unrestricted for their liking. "This is the bathing area. I know that you are used to something more secure, but you two are the only people in the house who will require a bath. You don't have to be worried about being disturbed. You will have complete privacy while you are in here." She added as waited for the awe-stricken teenagers to walk to her side.
"It is like an open-air version of a Roman public bath." Hermione declared as she looked at the room.
"That is where Sator got his inspiration but he liked it to be more spacious and airy. Although it feels like you're outdoors, the temperature will always remain comfortable in here." Ade answered as she smiled. "Both of you could come and bathe in here later." To her surprise, the young couple blushed. "Aren't you married?" She blinked in confusion and frowned.
"We are, as of yesterday." Hermione answered.
"Then, there shouldn't be any problems." Ade summarised as she walked on, obviously still perplexed by their reactions. She proceeded to show them to the training room, the potion room, the sparring room, the flying area, the various workshops, their bedroom, and the library. It was the last room that excited them the most.
The library was huge, almost three stories high with a round glass dome as it's ceiling. Rows after rows of bookcases filled with books filled the room. They were all catalogued precisely, first by their genre, next by their titles. Hermione felt as if she was in a fantasy world as she spun around the library, taking in the sight of the marvellous room.
I'm in heaven. She thought it was the perfect place to read. She could imagine herself curling up in one of the armchairs placed near the large fireplace, reading.
"The Creator loves books. He made it a point to collect every book ever written. The library is updated regularly," said Ade proudly.
"He can't read these books anymore, can he?" Hermione asked curiously as she glanced at the selection briefly. Some tomes were so old that she had never heard of them yet they were all in mint condition. Harry chuckled as he saw that familiar twinkle in her eyes. It was similar to the gleam in a child's eyes when a child is in a sweet shop.
"I always read to him." Ade explained. "He can get awfully bored since no one has occupied this place for a very long time." Ade went on she smiled warmly. "This is why everyone is looking forward to seeing both of you. Your teachers are ready to get your training started, but Sator has instructed Tollak, your instructor for weapon mastery and physical training, to allow you some rest before he meets with you. Apparently, Tollak wants you to beef both of you up for his practices. I think Elissa will want to know how sharp your writing skills are. By the way, she will also be teaching you History of magic." Ade said.
"Are the teachers who will be training us physical manifestations of the branches of magic?" Hermione asked as her chocolate eyes widened.
Ade looked as if it was the most natural thing in this world. "Yes, of course. How do you think they last in here? Who else would have the knowledge to teach all you want to learn but the branches of magic themselves?"
"I didn't think that weapon mastery was a magical art," admitted Harry. He had that perception since it was not taught in Hogwarts.
"I think that the reason that people forget that it is a magical art is probably because it is now rare for wizards and witches to use weapons these days. You fight using only magic right? In the past, mages used both magic and weapons. Often, their only weapons are their wands." Ade added.
"Well, that's something different to consider." Hermione said as she frowned in thought and bit her bottom lips thoughtfully. Harry thought she looked completely adorable. "Ade, we usually sleep for about six hours. Does this mean we will be staying here for 6 months?" Hermione asked thoughtfully.
"Yes, that is correct. You need to be here not only for training, but to stabilise your bond as well. You will not need your wands during this stay. It will take about a year for your magical cores to merge completely and become stable." Ade concluded.
Ade looked meaningfully at the sky. It was getting dark. The whole glass dome roof lit up, illuminating the library, as the sky grew dark. The logs in the fireplace came alive suddenly. "I think it is time for both of you to go to sleep. You can continue your exploration tomorrow." She beamed as gave each of them a magically enchanted map. The map would inform them where they needed to go and help them find their way through the House. "You should ask your instructors to teach you how to apparate soon. It is easier to travel that way. Goodnight, young ones." Ade said. With that she disappeared.
"Thank Merlin that it's a very short walk to our room." Harry muttered as he pointed to the red dot on the map that indicated their bedroom with his finger. He was suddenly feeling so worn out that he could fall asleep standing up. There were two green dots on the map in the area indicated as library. These had their names "Harry Potter" and "Hermione Potter".
Hermione checked her map. "We'll have to take a right turn. Let's go. I'm really quite tired," urged Hermione as they walked hand in hand back to their room.
The large bed in the centre of the room was big and comfortable. It was then did the reality of their marriage hit him. They were married and they needed to share a bed. Harry drew his hand through his messy hair nervously as he stared at the bed.
What was Hermione going to wear? She was wearing a casual attire of jeans and shirt. It must have been very uncomfortable to sleep in and did not have her nightgown to change to. Would she sleep with only her underwear? The idea of it sent his hormones on overdrive, as he grew flustered.
Hermione was worried about that particular issue as well. She had never shared a room with Harry and she didn't know if he had the habit of wearing clothes to bed. The thought of Harry and her sharing a bed made blood rush up to her face.
Harry, vaguely recalling seeing a wardrobe when they toured their bedroom earlier, found the large mahogany wardrobe that was built into one wall. He was just too pre-occupied with the bed to really notice it moments ago. He walked across the large and stylishly decorated room to check the contents of the closet.
Harry's jaw dropped at the sight. There were a wide variety of clothes inside. Hermione's clothes were distinctly separated from his clothes. They were categorised, first, Muggle or magical clothing, then by the occasions to wear them, and finally by colour. Harry gave a sigh of relief when he spotted various sleep clothes that Hermione could wear for the night. He was glad that they had taken their age into consideration.
"Hermione, there are several nightgowns you can choose to sleep in," said Harry. Harry usually only slept in his boxers because he hated being too warm, but he selected a sleeveless shirt and a pair of shorts. He could see the relief in his wife's face when she noted the outfit he was wearing to bed as she took a nightgown from the wardrobe. She then walked to the adjourning bathroom to change.
Harry had changed into his nightclothes and placed his dirty laundry in the basket found on one side of the bathroom. He took out his holster, his wand and his glasses and placed them on the bedside table before climbing onto the bed. Taking deep breaths in an attempt to calm down as he waited for Hermione, Harry lay flat on his back. He felt as if there were butterflies in his stomach. The need to sleep was completely eradicated by his nervousness. He did not need to be a seer to know it was going to be a long night for them.
Hermione walked over to the vacant side of the bed and climbed into it. She glanced apprehensively at Harry and noted that his scar was even more prominent than usual because he kept messing up his hair worriedly. Hermione was mildly pleased that she was not the only one who was feeling the nerves. "Harry, I'm going to turn off the lights now." Hermione announced. She was glad that her voice was not trembling when she was also having butterflies in her stomach. Harry nodded curtly and she turned the lights off magically.
"Goodnight, Harry." Hermione muttered softly as she lay on her side so that her back was facing him.
"Goodnight, Hermione." He answered as he turned to side, with his back against her and a distance between them. It was worse than the last night. The need to touch each other was overwhelming. It took all their effort and willpower not to reach out and make that physical contact with each other. It was made worse since they were only inches apart.
Harry did not know if she would be comfortable with more contact since they had transitioned from best friends to dating to husband and wife within a short span of two days. Knowing Harry's doubts, Hermione realised she needed to make the first move. So she did. She turned over to her side so that she was facing Harry and placed one of her arm on his waist and snuggled up to him. Harry stiffened for a moment but soon relaxed.
She could smell Harry's musky scent. It was fast becoming her favourite scent. Contented that she was near him, she felt herself drawn deeper into slumber. Harry followed suit soon after.
Harry was first to wake up that morning. In his morning daze, he was shock to find something brown and bushy obscuring his sight. He panicked. After a while, he calm down when he realised it was Hermione- he detected her sweet familiar vanilla scent.
Harry chuckled softly when he discovered that they had changed positions in the night .His arms were now around her waist and she was pressing hard on him. Harry groaned lightly, he could feel blood travelling lower as she turned in his arms. Sweet Merlin!
Harry tried to remove his arm from her so that he could get out of the bed. But alas, Hermione's legs and his legs were entangled intimately together. There was no way he could get off the bed without waking her up.
The sudden movement had wakened Hermione and she began to stir. Hermione opened her eyes sleepily to look at him. As she started to focus, changing from her adorable sleepy look to a slightly more alert one. Harry, fascinated by the display, watched on, forgetting about the reason he had to get away from the bed. It was a precious sight, one that he wanted to see each time he opened his eyes, every morning for the rest of his life.
"Good morning, dear. Did you sleep well?" Harry beamed brightly. He tenderly tucked some of her brown hair behind her ear. Hermione glanced back at him lovingly before she rolled away from him and onto her side. She was now looking at him directly.
"It was one of my best nights." Hermione smiled as she affectionately stroked the sides of his face. The sight of his even messier than usual hair and slightly sleepy emerald eyes tugged at her heartstrings. "You look totally gorgeous this way. I would love to kiss you but I haven't brushed my teeth." Hermione laughed brightly as happiness bubbled in her. The sight of seeing Harry with his morning look in the bed next to her felt so surreal. She was indeed married to him.
Harry arched his eyebrows in disbelief as a tender smile tugged his lips. His eyes softened with adoration as they met her gaze.
You are so beautiful.
Her heart soared at the declaration.
His heart was fluttering as Harry leaned closer to her. He titled his head slightly as his lips parted. He gently brushed his lips along her lips. She purred softly in contentment. Smiling, he pulled back slightly and brushed his nose with his. There was a smile of amusement on her face as Hermione closed her eyes and firmly wrapped her arms around his neck. She teasingly brushed her lips across his lips lightly before their lips met with a bit more pressure.
Without a warning, Harry suddenly pulled back, wrenched the arms from his neck, jumped off the bed and dashed into the bathroom, leaving a befuddled Hermione on the bed.
What happened, love? Her thought was laced with concern.
Ah...Morning need. I needed a cold shower. Hermione could hear the sounds of the shower running.
Hermione felt his embarrassment. She knew that male hormones could get wild at his age since he was still developing. She stood up and went to take out the clothes she wanted to change into after she had showered. She laid them in a neat pile on the dresser. Hermione then took out a set of clothes for him and laid them on the bed.
Your clothes are on the bed, love.
Thank you, Hermione.
After five minutes, the door of the bathroom opened. Harry was only clad in a towel. Hermione lowered her head as she took her things and hurriedly entered the bathroom to have her shower.
Harry quickly dressed up in the attire she had selected with great admiration for Hermione. She had remembered that they were going to do something physical today and she had chosen clothes that were suitable.
Thank you, Hermione. Harry smiled. I probably will go grab a book from the library as I wait for you. Anything you want to read?
How about the guide on soul bond? I haven't finish reading it. I hope Edmund has a spare copy.
Sure, Hermione.
Harry managed to find a spare copy of the 'Guide to Soul Bonds' in the library and brought it back to their bedroom to read.
It was then that Hermione realise that they could share the knowledge they have read from the books through their mind-link. It was a useful thing to discover since they could finish more readings that way. She was reading what Harry was reading through the link. He was on the section where they could shift to each other.
That is a useful skill. You can go to where I am and I can go to you easily.
She could feel his inquisitiveness. She did not want him to appear next to her while she was bathing. Please don't try it now.
I had no intention of doing so, Hermione. Harry thought in embarrassment.
When Hermione was finally dressed, they headed to the training room since there was a red dot on it, signalling it was the place in the house they needed to be. Ade had informed them yesterday that Tollak had wanted to do start with some basic exercises with them ready for his practice sessions.
"Good morning, Harry and Hermione. I am Tollak or Toll for short. I will be your instructor for Weapon Mastery." He smiled warmly. He was tall and lean and pleasant to look at. "Both of you will need to run twice a day. Once in the morning, before you have your breakfast and another before your dinner. Warm up before every run, it will save you from a lot of pain. I'll be guiding you through your warm-ups later," said Toll as he looked at his students. He was glad to see that they were not protesting. "You start your run at six. I heard that you both have the habit of waking up early. That's good, because you will need to wake up early every day. It will make my life easier. You will be meeting Elissa later for some testing, and she will let me know if she needs to spend more time with you. If she does not, you'll have three hours of break after every meal. Three hours after breakfast, you will both have to return here for muscle training. Your next lesson, hand-to-hand combat, will take place three hours after lunch. Both sessions will last for about 2 hours each. All these times will be updated on schedule parchment in your bedroom accordingly."
"I will provide you some pepper-up potion should you really require it. My aim is to get you in a better physical shape. Harry, you look as if a slight gust of wind could blow you away. Hermione, it would be better if you have some physical endurance and agility. So let's get cracking!" Toll smiled as he rubbed his hands.
He demonstrated a set of warm ups to stretch all their muscles. After ensuring that they had drunk two glasses of water, Toll took them to the place where they were supposed to run. Toll had selected a beautiful outdoor course, with a running track that ran parallel to the river outside.
The area they were running in was breathtaking. Having each other as partners helped them to stay focused on the task. Harry had more stamina to run in comparison to Hermione but with encouragement, they had managed to cover a distance.
When they finished running, Toll guided them through some cool-downs before sending them off for their breakfast.
Harry and Hermione thoroughly enjoyed their first meal of the day. They had an Irish breakfast that morning – complete with rashers of bacon, bangers, fried tomatoes and potatoes, eggs, and black and white puddings. Harry had to drink another of that potion to ensure that he grew into his ideal size. Afterwards, they trooped upstairs for a shower and had a change of clothes before they met Elissa.
Elissa reminded them of Professor McGonagall, a strict and no-nonsense type of teacher. She had auburn hair that was tied neatly into a bun and she held herself stiffly. The only difference between Professor McGonagall and Elissa was that she greeted them with a smile when they entered the room. The classroom was a fairly large with two large desks and a blackboard.
"Good morning Harry and Hermione. I am Elissa. I will be teaching you a great variety of things. For today, I just need you to write about something that interests you so that I can assess your writing skills and your penmanship. I aim to correct illegible scrawls and coach you to attaining excellent writing skills. If we find we have more time today, we will begin covering third year History of Magic."
Harry frowned when he realised that he was going to end up having more lessons than Hermione.
"May I ask what you are a physical manifestation of?" Hermione questioned as she frowned in thought.
"Simply, non-magical associated knowledge. To give you an example, I know who created a spell, when the spell was created, how the spell works in theory, but I cannot actually cast the spell. I can coach you on how to present yourself in a society and how you can communicate more effectively with people. I am able to teach you about everything that has taken place in History, both in the Magical and Non-magical worlds." Elissa answered. "Let's get to work or Toll will be missing both of you for your second session."
Hermione did not have to attend any of her lessons to improve her handwriting since hers was already beautiful and neat - but Harry had to. Both of their essay skills needed a little fine-tuning and after that was achieved, Hermione was allowed to leave while Harry had to continue to practice writing.
Harry did not see a point in learning to write properly but Elissa insisted it was of great importance and he obliged. Harry would be having an hour of writing lessons every day until his penmanship improved. In the meantime, Hermione would need to attend two hours of History lessons with Harry while Harry had to do an additional hour beyond that with Elissa.
They used up their entire three-hour break with Elissa. The next lesson was muscle training with Toll. He made them do routines to tone and strengthen their muscles. He also gave them exercises to increase agility and flexibility since they were young and could still be easily trained. Toll had given them simple exercises to them first. Later, he gave Harry more focused muscle training he had already developed some agility from his Quidditch practices back at school.
After their muscle training was completed, they had lunch. It was equally scrumptious. Harry knew that he was going to put on a bit of weight while staying in the House. "I wish Ron were here to try this. I can definitely imagine him gobbling down the food." Harry smiled as he took another bite, and then he frowned as the guilt from of not thinking about his friend swept through him. "I wonder how he's doing in Egypt."
"I'm sure he's enjoying himself since he's in Egypt. It's a great place to have a holiday." Hermione answered as she held his hand comfortingly. "Do you think we should tell him about our marriage or just let him think that we are dating?" Hermione asked. She knew that they were going to have to conceal their marriage from the rest of the Wizard World for the time being.
"I guess we'll have to wait until we see him to gauge how much we should tell him." Harry answered sheepishly as a small voice in his head reminded him of Edmund's advice.
They had Occlumency lessons after lunch. Edmund felt that it was an important skill to learn so that they could ensure that no one could fish out important information from their heads. Having the skills will also help them recall things perfectly. In Harry and Hermione's case, they would also be able to block out each other if necessary.
"I'm sure that Harry would want to prevent you from experiencing his pain if he is physically hurt. It serves no purpose if both of you are incapacitated by his pain when in reality, only one needs healing. However, you must both master this art in order to achieve that since your minds are intimately linked." Their Mind Arts instructor told them. He told them to meditate everyday to create their mind shields.
Toll was glad that they were starting meditation in their Occlumency lessons since self-defence also required them to do so. He proceeded to teach them how to roll and break falls. He had even given them a theory lesson on pressure points of the body so that they would know which areas they could attack to cause a great deal of distress. Toll taught them how to defend themselves effectively during a fight. This was important since they were supposed to learn a set of martial arts by the end of the eight months.
They took a break and went for their evening run. By dinnertime, their muscles were aching so badly that they needed potions to relieve the pain. Their teachers gave them the rest of the night off out of pity. So after dinner, Harry and Hermione merrily used each other as support to get to their bedroom. They had wrapped their arms around each other and leaned into each other as they staggered upstairs to their bedroom like a pair of drunks. When they finally reached their bed, Harry and Hermione collapsed on their bed happily and refused to move an inch after their long day.
"Harry, you know we haven't showered and changed from our run." Hermione added as she rolled painfully out of their bed. She did not want to leave the bed, but they had to shower. "We positively stink." She took out her nightgown and prepared to take a bath.
"I know you are also too tired to shower, so why bother? If both of us smell, then neither of us can complain about the other, right? Just let me sleep." He grinned cheekily as he covered his eyes with an arm.
"Harry James Potter, that's not hygienic! Shower first before you sleep!" Hermione hissed as she poked him and folded her arms. Harry's emerald eyes were twinkling as he sat up. He winced a little in pain because of his muscles.
"Okay, Hermione." Harry smiled humorously as he stood up and took a set of nightclothes. "I should have asked Ade to conjure up two bathrooms." He grumbled. Suddenly, an idea came to him. "Why don't you join me in the bathing area? It is large and comfortable. We could put a lot of bubbles in and not see each other." Harry said eagerly as he recalled the breathtaking bathing area. He had wanted to use the area but it was too vast for him to use alone. "I remember that there's a small changing room so I can use it while you change in the bathing area."
Hermione, thrilled with the prospect of getting to try the spectacular bathing area, agreed after stating several conditions: there must be enough bubbles to hide them both and they were to sit at the opposite ends of the pool. Harry heartily agreed to all of them.
Harry and Hermione trooped into the bathing area. The small changing room at one end of room was assigned as Harry's side. They waited for the bubbles to form before Harry went to the changing room to undress. He stripped himself naked in the changing room and covered his waist with a towel as he waited for Hermione to shout that she was ready.
He heard the sounds of water splashing as Hermione entered into the water. He felt her relief when the heat of the water began to soothe her muscles. He knew she was soaking in the warm waters when he felt her completely relax. Harry felt the blood rushing to his face when he realised that they were going to be totally naked in a bath together.
You may come out. I promise that I'm not going to look.
Close your eyes, Hermione. I am coming out.
He briskly walked to his side of the bath, put his towel aside, and slipped into the water. There were so many bubbles and such a large distance between them that it was simply too paranoid of Harry to worry about Hermione seeing anything.
You may open your eyes, Hermione.
That was quite fast, Harry.
Didn't want you to start peeking at me. Harry thought cheekily as he relaxed into the water.
I can't steal a look at you unless I have really powerful eyes. It is just too far for me to see anything. Hermione thought she needed to remind him that it was simply impossible to do that because of the distance.
He could feel the warmth of the water reach his aching muscles. It eased his aching body tremendously. He felt he was so relaxed that he could fall asleep. He did not know that warm water could have that effect on his body.
I added something else to the bath. There was a tap that releases foam to restore tired and aching bodies.
Harry beamed as he closed his eyes. Great! Let's bathe like this every day evening. I think it would help us a lot.
Hermione heartily agreed.
Two white glowing runes began to shine in the middle of the room. Suddenly, Harry and Hermione materialised. They landed gracefully on their feet as they looked around. The bedroom was in the exact way they had left it. The letter from Edmund, the heavy old tome and the journals of his parents were still on the desk.
Hermione checked the digital clock on the side of her bed. It read 5 a.m. Only six hours had past in the real world but they had spent half a year in the House. Harry gently pulled Hermione into his arms as he kissed her forehead. "Good morning, dear." Harry grinned broadly.
Harry had grown several inches since the potion he drank daily helped him to catch up to normal size. He had become slightly bulkier with lean muscles from all the exercises he did every day. She could feel the hardness of his chest as she leaned into his embrace. Gone was the scrawny little guy that looked as if he was only eleven when he was already thirteen. A lean, fit, and tall young man replaced him. Hermione knew that she was going to have a lot of trouble with the female population once they head back to Hogwarts.
They had finished covering the entire syllabus of History of Magic for their O.W.L.s. Harry and Hermione were now masters of Occlumency and could fight hand-to-hand very well after the intense 6 months of training they had in the House. They enjoyed their stay immensely since they had had the time to relax near the forest or in the library.
"Thank goodness Edmund had the foresight to allow us to leave there in the morning so that we won't suffer from the change of time." Harry beamed happily. "Let's go for our morning run." Harry grinned happily as he swung both of their entwined hands playfully around.
"I can't believe that I'm so used to running twice a day now." Hermione laughed." I think we need to go shopping soon, love. You have grown much taller and wider because of your potion and all the physical training. And we cannot shirk or enlarge our clothes because our magic is still unstable. Edmund says we can't age in the house, but it seems that we can physically change." Hermione had lost quite a lot of weight and her body was now slim and toned.
Harry wrapped his arms around her small waist as if he were measuring. "I think your shorts will be too loose for you." Harry added. "What would Daddy and Mummy said if I needed to go shopping again?" He laughed. They had actually gone shopping for clothes only two days ago in real world. "How are we going to explain this drastic change in our bodies?"
"Puberty and magic?" Hermione offered with a hopeful tone as she grinned at him. Harry merely laughed and kissed her nose as she giggled girlishly. The six months did wonders for Harry. Harry was simply glowing with happiness, confidence, and good health.
"My beautiful clever wife, is that all you can come up with?" Harry laughed heartily as his emerald eyes shone with amusement.
"It's logical isn't it?" She shrugged as a small smile tugged her lips.
"I was quite thin not too long ago. I think you can use some of the running shorts I bought…" He trailed off as he scrunched his face and tried to recall the time. Harry was pretty mixed up with house time and real time.
"Two days ago." Hermione answered. "You've got to remember, lest you blow our cover."
"We were married yesterday." Harry grinned broadly "We can't act like we've missed Mum and Dad too much later because we just saw them last night." Harry reminded, showing how well he knew Hermione.
Hermione frowned as she bit her lips. Harry gently pecked her lips as he went took two pairs of shorts for them. "Let's see how different it is to run over here." Harry beamed as he passed her a new pair of running shorts. "I think I should wear Dudley's clothes because I think my new shirts are going to be too small." He answered as he grabbed an old and baggy shirt for himself and Hermione's shirt for her.
"Why don't you change here, Harry? We can always turn our backs to each other to change." Hermione asked as she watched him trying to leave their room to go the bathroom.
"I think I'd still prefer to change in the bathroom." He added as Harry had lowered his head and walked out.
In the six months of House time, Hermione never had a chance to see his back. Initially, Hermione thought that it was because he was shy. Now, she was convinced that he was hiding something from her. Harry would tell her when he wanted to, she thought as she tied her brown hair up in a high ponytail and got ready to go for a run with Harry.
It was it was the day after Harry & Hermione's wedding and the Grangers did not want to bother them since they were probably exhausted from all the excitement of the day before. The Grangers decided to eat their breakfast without them.
The glowing young couple entered into the kitchen from the front door. They were dressed in shorts and shirt and it was obvious that they had just come back from a morning run. The Grangers gasped in shock when they got a good look at them. Hermione had looked much more fit compared to the day before and she was wiping perspiration off of her face and neck.
Hermione never had the inclination to exercise and the physical change stunned them. The sight of Harry had also surprised them. He looked as if he had grown about four inches overnight and he looked very robust instead of being unhealthily thin. It was the glow on their faces that startled the older couple in the Kitchen. They were simply radiant with vitality.
"Good morning, Mum and Dad." They chimed in unison as they settled in their seats. Jean's mocha eyes had widened when she looked at them.
"Did the two of you have a growth spurt or something?" Dan asked incredulously as he stared at Harry. He was helping Hermione spread jam on her toast as she went poured two glasses of water for them. Hermione placed the glasses of water before them before she returned to her seat.
"Harry has been taking potions that have helped him catch up to normal size." Hermione answered as she contentedly took the toast from Harry after rewarding him with a sweet smile. "Thanks, love."
"You're welcome, dear." Harry ate his toast. "I finally look like I'm turning thirteen." He grinned happily since they did not seem to be suspicious about their reason.
"Yes. It's wonderful to see you looking so good." Jean smiled. Both Grangers did not know much about magic so they had let it passed. Was it natural for both of them to become so fit overnight?
"Do we have any plans for today?" Hermione asked after she finished her toast.
"We were thinking about bringing you to the beach. Would you like that?" Dan suggested as he looked at the young couple. Harry and Hermione had exchanged a look between them and finally agreed as long as they could stop for a quick shopping trip.
"Let's get into the water." Hermione suggested as she pointed to the cool waters. It was a very hot day at the beach. Harry and Hermione had been walking along the edges of the shore, enjoying the feeling of having the cool seawater rushing over their feet. They were walking back to find their parents who were hiding from the sun and enjoying the breeze by staying under the beach umbrella. Hermione was clad in her new bikini that they had bought along with other clothes. It highlighted her toned body. Harry couldn't take his mind off her slender long legs that were shown prominently. Hermione did not comment about his fascination with them, in fact she was pleased that he was admiring her.
Hermione went into the water first and waded in until water reached her waist. "Harry, it's really nice in here." She smiled as she beckoned Harry to join. Harry looked apprehensive until he felt Hermione splashing water at him.
"Why you!" He hurriedly removed his shirt, threw it aside and waded into the cool water and started splashing back at her. Harry and Hermione were laughing brightly as they began to spray water at each other. In the end, Harry decided to tackle Hermione playfully into the water. Hermione was faster and she sidestepped his attack. He ended up crashing into the water with his face plunging into the water first.
Hermione's laughter had died down immediately.
Harry stood up and was shocked to see that his spouse had paled. She was as white as a sheet. He mentally retraced the last thing he did and he realised what she saw.
Oh bollocks! The scars. His emerald eyes had widened in realisation.
Large, white welts crisscrossed his back. They were the only physical evidence of his abuse inflicted by his relatives.
"Harry?" She whispered softly in deep grief. It was so faint that he could barely catch it.
Harry felt the increase in the speed of wind. It was not a good sign. It could be disastrous if Hermione unleashed any more accidental magic. The winds started to become stronger.
"Hermione, please calm yourself down. You might hurt someone." Harry said in a soothing manner.
The winds began to whip even more violently around them. The waves crashed even more violently into the shore in increasing frequency as the trees began to sway violently.
"Hermione, I'm sorry for hiding it from you. I couldn't let you see my scars. I just don't have it in me to look anyone in the eye once they've realised what kind of childhood I've had." Harry said hoarsely as he lowered his head.
"Harry, you have to know that that isn't why I'm upset." Hermione whispered in distress.
The winds began to die down as tears began to well in her large chocolate eyes.
She approached his back carefully as she stared at the white scars in horror. Her fingers shook as she reached out to touch them. The moment she did, he flinched. "Do they still hurt?" she whispered in anguish.
"No." Harry said as he closed his eyes in shame.
To his utter disbelief, he felt her arms encircle him from behind and the gentle touch of her lips on his back. "How brave of you to live through this..." Hermione whispered reverently as she gently kissed one of his scars.
"Hermione," Harry groaned as he wrapped his arms around his wife and drew her into his embrace. "I love you." Harry gently tipped her head up and kissed away the salty tears tenderly. Bending his head, he took her lips in a long, sweet lingering kiss. The kiss was gentle and sweet, fully expressing their love for each other. Harry could feel love bursting in his heart and pouring through his veins until he was filled by the sheer bliss of their love.
Their lips parted after a while. Harry held Hermione close to him as she laid her head on his chest and enjoyed the warmth of having her in his arms.
"I was upset because no one has the right to hurt you this way." Hermione explained herself as she circled his bare chest with her finger lovingly.
"They won't have the chance to do so anymore. I can always use magic or give them a bloody nose." Harry grinned rakishly.
Hermione snorted. "Giving them a bloody nose is not enough. I really want to hex them over and over again with the meanest spells I can find." Hermione flared a little.
"Just remember to leave something that others can identify their bodies with when you are done." Harry teased lightly as he lovingly pressed a kiss on her head.
Hermione gently swatted his chest playfully as Harry erupted into loud guffaws.
"Hermione, Harry. We should be heading home." Dan shouted to them from the shore.
"We'll be right there, Dad." He called back. "Dad and Mum look worried. Let's go." He took her hand and they walked back towards the Grangers who were waiting anxiously at the beach. The Grangers were concerned about the freak weather and thus decided to go back early. Harry thought it was prudent not to mention that the freak weather was the result of Hermione's anger and Hermione was too ashamed about her lack of control to mention anything as well.
"Harry, we could try to have the scars removed the next time we enter the House. I am sure Althea will have something that can help."
Over in the Headmaster's office, the two major decision makers of the Hogwarts were discussing the Minister's proposed plan.
"Do you think it is sensible to endanger the entire student body with Dementors by making them guardians of the school just because there's a slight possibility that Sirius Black might come to Hogwarts?" Professor McGonagall asked with deep concern after the headmaster shared the Minister's plans with her.
Black had escaped from Azkaban several days earlier.
"Fudge insisted it was for the safety of the school. After all he is a mass murderer." Dumbledore answered simply. The familiar twinkle in his eyes had disappeared as he spoke.
"I've known Black since he was 11. He was one of James' closest friends. He would never have willingly betrayed him or killed anyone. He didn't have it in him like the others who turned dark." McGonagall added emotionally. She always had doubts on that. "Not to mention the fact that he did not even receive a proper trial."
"It was deemed unnecessary to try him since he was found screaming in the streets that he had killed the Potters right after he blew up an entire street of Muggles. There were eyewitnesses on the scene." Dumbledore added as he tipped his half moon spectacles up his crooked nose. "In any event, I definitely feel it is essential that Mr Potter does not learn anything about his godfather. With Harry's past record, I wouldn't put it past him to recklessly pursue the man responsible for getting his parents killed." Dumbledore added as he stood up and walked to the window. Harry Potter's reputation of jumping into places where angels fear to tread is well known. Hearing that Black is capable of mass murder is not likely to deter him from pursuing the betrayer of his parents.
"Very well, I'll relay the plan to Hagrid." She answered as she kept her doubts to herself. She knew it was a fruitless to think that way since she did not have any proof to justify her qualms. She did not like the idea of Hogwarts being guarded by the Dementors, but she had no choice but to accept the inevitable. She excused herself and left the older man to his thoughts.
I am sorry, James, Lily, and Sirius. It was all for the greater good. Dumbledore thought sadly as he slumped into his chair. It was one of those moments when Dumbledore could feel his age.
His deputy's doubts about Sirius's guilt reminded him of the mistake he made many years ago. Black was the sacrificial lamb in this whole battle. Dumbledore could not allow the masses lose their faith in the government in the defining times after the fall of the Dark Lord. It would be detrimental to the morale of the people if the government could not apprehend the man who betrayed the Potters.
Besides, the real traitor was dead.
Dumbledore was unwilling to lose the respect that he had worked so hard to attain in order to save another man by admitting that he had made a grave error. His error caused the death of the parents of the Boy-Who-Lived. He was the one who suggested that Sirius Black to convince the Potters to change their secret-keeper.
When the Prophesy was made to him in private many years ago, Dumbledore became an instrument of Fate. Sirius was the only threat in uncovering the truth behind the betrayal so he had to be eliminated. Sirius himself provided Dumbledore with the opportunity when he was raving like a lunatic on a public street that he was the cause of his best friend's death. The Wizarding court was unwilling to grant him a trial after he was brought into custody.
Dumbledore sighed. He could only hoped that he would have the chance to repent his grievous faults by ensuring that the Dark Lord would be vanquished in the hands of Harry Potter, the boy he thought was far suited to the role of a Hero than Pure-blooded Neville.
He could not dwell in regret. He had to make sure that his grand plan becomes a success.
Harry was staring at the journals on the desk in their room. He'd always been curious about his parents. This was his a great opportunity to learn more about his parents so he selected the dark blue journal, sat at the desk and began reading.
The journal began from the first day his father, James Potter, entered Hogwarts. He was quickly absorbed in the Journal as he read about the pranks his father and his good friends pulled at Hogwarts. His father had three good friends: Sirius, Remus, and Peter.
Harry smiled at the exciting time his father and his group had in school together.
Harry was proud that trouble seemed to be the middle name for all the Potter men. His father got into trouble a lot. He felt a closer attachment to his Invisibility cloak after learning about the times his father and his friends used it to pull their pranks and escape from trouble.
"I guess formulating a plan to save Norbert was not such a risky operation compared to what your father used to do, huh?" Hermione smiled warmly as she laid a hand on his shoulder.
Harry beamed brightly as he lifted his arm for his wife to snuggle up to him on their bed.
"Do you think Sirius is the same Sirius Black who escaped from Azkaban and Peter is that Peter Pettigrew who tried to stop Black and was blown into pieces? Pettigrew was awarded an Order of Merlin – Third Class for that." Hermione asked as she arose and picked up the day's Daily Prophet from her desk, scanned the newspaper, and returned to the bed to cuddle with Harry. The cover article was about a mass-murderer by the name of Black who had been on the loose for a little while.
"I don't know. He never used their last names." Harry answered as he frowned. In was far too much of a coincidence that both people mentioned in the paper shared the same first names as his father's best friends.
A/N: A new chapter. I'm really curious. Is this story so unoriginal and uninteresting that no one likes to review? Thank you for taking the time to read. Have a great day.