Chapter Four
Harry sat on his trunk and waited for the Express to turn up. For the first time in living history, the Weasley's were early for the train. His last week had been a boring round of chores and more chores. Nevertheless, he had weathered the storm of Mrs. Weasley's housekeeping efforts and they were now ready to go to school. He was, for the first time, in two minds about going back to school. One, he loved the place and at times it felt more like home to him than any other place. Yet at the same time, he knew that he would be even more restricted there than he had been at the Burrow. Not Grimmauld Place, because that was a fortress now and the Fidelius pretty much ensured they had to remain inside. Going in and out would draw attention to the lack of a house that people kept appearing from.
He was fine with that; the order needed a HQ after all. Still he was champing at the bit for some fun. Though he had decided to find some time to try his transformation out, he still had no idea if he would be able to carry it out or not yet. Thisilar seemed confident that he, of anyone, could. Harry himself though still had doubts, which could be a cause for any failures he would endure.
"Alright Mate, you're looking a bit glum" Ron said plopping down beside him.
"Just thinking mate"
"Ohh nasty, did it hurt. And here's me thinking it was the Express arriving."
Harry laughed and gave him a playful shove. Almost causing the larger teen to fall off the trunk
"Bloody Hell Harry watch it, you nearly had me off then."
"Sorry Ron" Harry replied with a smirk.
"You don't look sorry. I won't share this Chocolate Frog with you unless you say it properly."
Harry smirked and reached into his pocket and pulled out a Mars Bar he had picked up in the station.
"'Ere, what's that?" Ron asked entranced by a new type of food.
"It's a Mars bar. Want to try it?"
"Yeah" Ron said immediately.
Harry handed it over and fished in his pocket for another. "Whoa Stop," he said suddenly.
"What?" Ron said.
"You have to unwrap it first you Wally." Harry said, indicating what to do with his own bar.
"Oh, bugger that was close huh?" Ron said with a little chuckle.
Harry rolled his eyes at the cluelessness of the Wizarding world to simple things such as polypropylene wrappers. One day he was going to go on a quest to bring them kicking and screaming into the current century if it killed him. Though his efforts with the twins would help with that, also his CD player spell might help a bit, now he had added some cooling charms. He had forgotten that heat had to be created as a side effect. It was simple enough to vent though, thankfully. He was half-tempted to bring it out now and liven up the virtually dead platform. They were the only ones there, who would care?
"No you don't!" Ron said suddenly.
"What?"
"You're going to put on that noise again aren't you?"
Harry looked shocked. "How'd you know that?"
"You were reaching for the pocket you keep it in. I've made note so I can run whenever you do." Ron told him.
"Look it's not my fault the only music you liked was- yuck- Country and Western," he said with a shiver. "Never took you for a Dixie Chicks Man myself." he jabbed lightly.
"They're, what's that word you use- Cool"
"They are SO not cool. Pete Tong is Cool they are... Country and Western, what else can you say. I suppose it's better than your sister's taste in music for the most part."
"Yeah, who's that bird that warbles everything out, soppy girly crap?"
"Celine Dion." Harry said with a sigh. "But at least Ginny likes Techno."
"Ginny is a girl. Perhaps it's a girl thing and you're part girl."
Harry smirked at the jibe, "I think I know a couple of people that can confirm I'm all man mate."
Ron quirked him a surprised look, "I thought you and Cho didn't really get up to much."
"We kissed, if you can call her trying to drown me kissing." Harry said a little heat in his tone.
"That really didn't end well did it mate." Ron said frankly.
"Nope"
"I'm not sure girls are worth it sometimes."
"Oh... they REALLY are." Harry said forcefully. Then he smirked, "You should extract your head from your arse and ask a certain someone out."
"Who you talking about you git" Ron said, blushing in a way that made it obvious he knew who Harry was talking about.
"'Mione can you help me with my Homework... You know the one I finished in secret yesterday!" Harry mocked.
Ron pushed Harry with depressingly little effect. "Here you're getting kind of solid did you know that?" he asked askance.
"I work out, and don't try to dodge the issue at hand here."
"Oh piss off." Ron said, blushing again.
"You're so cute when you blush," he said in a faux girly voice.
"Git"
"Double git"
A sigh was heard, "I see you two haven't improved over the summer," a familiar girl's voice said.
The two boys looked at each other blanching, "How long were you standing there 'Mione?" Ron asked carefully neutral.
"Oh I just arrived with my mom and dad. We're a bit early but traffic was so light today," she said pointing over her shoulder and her parents who were talking to Mrs. Weasley.
"Had a good summer then Hermy?" Harry asked with a teasing grin.
She shot him a glare.
"Don't start flirting with her as well!" Ron whispered fiercely in his ear.
"Jealous?" Harry whispered back.
"It's rude to whisper you know." Hermione said in an annoyed tone.
"Sorry 'Mione" they chorused.
"And I had a great summer thanks. We went to Portugal for a few weeks." she informed them, taking a seat beside Ron on Harrys' battered old trunk. It was just barely big enough for the three of them so they squashed together tightly. Which was causing Ron to blush at the tips of his ears, Harry shot him a knowing smirk.
"How was your summer?" she asked.
"Harry here has turned into a smarmy git over the summer" Ron said his annoyance at Harry's teasing showing.
"I'm sorry."
"Ron's just jealous because I got the wink."
"Wink?"
"And you had that sales girl fawning all over you, thought you'd turned into Malfoy for a minute with Pansy or something."
"Hey!" Harry said with a little anger.
"Well not really" Ron allowed.
"What ARE you two talking about?" Hermione asked.
"We took a trip to Harrods." Harry said.
"Oh I just love it there, did you visit the food court?"
"YEAH" Ron said with a gleam.
"Omnia Omnibus Ubique" Hermione quoted, "It's what makes it such an amazing place."
The two guys shot each other a look and just sort of shrugged.
"It's the Harrods Motto. 'All things for all people, Everywhere.'" she told them.
"Oh right, then now we get you." Harry said. "Ron's been all of once and twice for me. How many times have you been?"
"Oh loads of times, but it's pretty expensive."
Harry leaned behind Ron and shook his head in warning.
Hermione frowned at him, but smoothly changed tact. "I just love all the clothes they have there, and some of the ... best perfumes."
"Yeah Harry got Ginny some." Ron said, "Offered me some after shave but I think it's good to be natural you know."
"You did?" Hermione asked, shocked.
Harry shot her a warning look.
She smirked at him, totally missing the actual point he was trying to make. "Well good, she deserves someone to buy her nice things."
Harry rolled his eyes.
Ron shot him a suspicious look, filled with brotherly over protectiveness.
"Just No" Harry said firmly. "She's like a bloody sister to me alright."
"Good" Ron said, "I know Mum wants you to go out with her, but I dunno about it."
No one saw the short red head girl stopped dead behind them with a stunned look on her face. Then she sort of slumped and walked away.
Molly Weasley noticed her daughter's distress and quickly moved over to her. "What's the matter dear?"
"I don't want to talk about it mum" was the despondent reply.
"Ginny you can talk to me."
"I'm not sure that's a good idea," she admitted
"Is this about Harry?" Molly said taking an intuitive leap.
"Yeah, is it that obvious?" Ginny said with a fat tear rolling down her cheek.
"Oh baby, whatever is the matter."
"I just overheard him saying that he thinks about me as a sister nothing else."
"Oh" Molly said, feeling somewhat disappointed herself. She had hopes her only daughter would ensnare her man.
"What should I do mum?"
"I wouldn't normally dream of saying this to my fifteen year old daughter."
"What?" Ginny asked curiously.
"You have to find a way to... convince him otherwise." Molly said, tasting each word as it came out of her mouth
"How mum?" Ginny asked curiously, her eyes lighting up again.
'Oh sweet Merlin' Molly thought to herself. "By... not acting in a sisterly fashion."
"Are you saying I should jump him or something?"
"No- well maybe a little" Molly said blushing to the roots of her hair.
Ginny gave a slightly evil smile. "Interesting"
"Just be discrete dear. You don't want to go over board. He might get the wrong idea about you. Do you see what I'm trying, badly I might add, to say here?"
"I think so mum. You don't want me to make him think I'm a big ole slut or something."
Molly winced.
-oOo-
The landscape whizzed by as the Express built up a full head of steam. Harry looked out of the window without really focusing on the scenery all that much. He was listening to Hermione and Ron back and forth a rolling argument that had started just before they had boarded. It did not look to be stopping anytime soon. As far as he was concerned, they should just kiss already. The thought gave Harry a slightly jealous pang. He quite liked Hermione himself, but he knew Ron did, possibly more than he did. One did not mess about with a mates girl after all, even if, strictly speaking she was not anyone's girl yet, or was likely to be Ron's, with the way they were arguing. He was going to have to resort to extreme measures if they were not going out by Christmas he decided.
With that decided, he set his mind to planning his first school prank. He had been thinking about focusing on only the Snakes, but if he did that, it would be unfair, not to mention obvious who was doing it.
His first one though was for the snakes alone. With that decided, he pulled off his specs and wand in hand toyed with the enchantments he had in place. He put them back on, forgetting to turn them off and a silly grin appeared on his face.
Eventually Hermione realized that she was being stared at. She looked at Harry curiously. "What?" she asked.
'Lace underwear, black too, who knew?' Harry thought, and then gave himself a shake, ran a finger along the arms of his glasses, thus turning off the enchantment. "Sorry was lost in thought, what did you say."
"You had a ... weird smile on your face mate." Ron put in.
'Well at least they aren't arguing.'
"Did I?" he asked faintly.
"Hmm." Hermione agreed.
"Well it must've been strange for you two to actually agree on something," Harry said with a pointed look at them both.
They flushed and looked everywhere but at him, or each other. Mission accomplished Harry smirked to himself and looked out the window again.
"So Harry, what've you gotten up to this summer apart from going to Harrods?" Hermione eventually said.
"Not a lot really" Harry told her. Ron snorted.
"What?" she asked.
"He's, oh let's see. Floored Snape"
"I didn't actually want to hurt him that much Ron," Harry corrected.
"What?"
"He's invented a spell to play- CD's I think they are called. Gotten a taste for loud noise, invented something that has the twins stumped. Gotten the headmaster to back down a bit on his protection, Got Tonks so mad she was ready to hex the shit out of him, oh what have you been up to Harry?" Ron finished scathingly. Apparently, he was still smarting over the embarrassment factor.
"A new spell?" Hermione asked. "How?"
"Got a hair pin?" Harry asked.
She shot him a wry look, "Does it look like I can pin my hair?" she asked rhetorically.
"Ask Ginny when you see her then."
"I expect she's got Celine thingy crooning on in her compartment." Ron said with distaste.
"Still say that's better than the bloody Dixie Chicks mate."
"Bog off mate." Ron said with half a smile.
"So Harry has introduced you to Muggle music has he?" Hermione said, "I like the Dixie Chicks too."
"Oh god there's two of them," Harry bemoaned.
"So how's the spell work then?"
"I don't know, but he sure did a lot of Arithmancy before hand." Ron put in.
"Ohh, can I see it?" Hermione asked.
"Maybe later" Harry demurred.
She pouted at him.
"You're cute when you pout did you know that?" Harry said with a wink.
She floundered, opening her mouth a few times.
"Oh and there's the Flirting!" Ron said aggrievedly.
"Just because she winked at me you're sore." Harry said in a singsong voice.
"Flirting? You Harry. I always thought you were too shy." Hermione said academic interest alive in her eyes.
"Is it so wrong for me to flirt with a pretty girl?"
She blushed, "I'm not pretty," she said.
"Come off it Hermione you're gorgeous." he said smoothly.
She blushed and was once again all at sea.
Harry smirked this was brilliant. Hermione was speechless for the first time in her life. Ron, on the other hand, looked ready to pull off his arms and beat him with the sticky end.
'Oh this is brilliant, how can I make this better' Harry thought, 'Or perhaps I could use this to get them together.' He thought, "I know lots of boys fancy you 'Mione. Just look on the effect you had on Viktor," he said with as charming smile as he could dredge up. Yep, he was sure Ron was actually growling now. 'He's going to piss on her any minute, just to mark her as his, I swear he is.' Harry decided.
Hermione was blushing prettily and giving him a slight smile that was really quite attractive. If Ron did not hurry up, he may ask her out himself.
They were saved from any further of Harry's rather focused teasing by the arrival of Draco and his goons at the door. Harry waived his hand, sat back and smirked.
Draco pulled on the door. Frowned and tried again. Harry gave him an inquisitive look. This seemed to annoy the blonde-haired person no end, so he pulled again, harder this time. Repeating the process several times until his 'perfect' hair was all over the place. Ron and Hermione were laughing their socks off by this point and Crabbe and Goyle were looking confused. This was a common expression for them so it was actually hard to tell what they were thinking.
Draco mouthed something, but Harry had silenced the door on the way in so they could not hear a thing. He gesticulated quite a bit, apparently working himself into something of a rage. He then pointed his wand at Harry.
Harry's wand was in his hand in a blink and he was on his feet just as fast. Then he just stared steadily through the window in the door. A slightly teasing smirk on his face
Draco threw his hands up in the air and minced away with a quite unmanly gait.
Harry turned to his friends with dancing eyes. "I suppose Ferrets just can't work a door lock," he said, flipping the lock open.
Hermione lost it and leaned against Ron. He took on a startled bunny expression when she braced herself on his thigh to right herself.
Harry shot him a knowing look, causing Ron to turn even redder.
Harry sat back in his seat and crossed one leg over the other in a casual relaxed pose. "That was in all ways and meanings of the word, fun." he commented. Sending Hermione off on one again and even Ron lost his annoyance enough to join in.
"So enough of the amazing bouncing Ferret, I wonder who shall arrive next at the cabin of Harry Potter," Harry said with an over the top announcers voice.
"You're mad." Hermione decided.
"You don't know the half of it 'Mione," Ron said with a sigh.
"Oh?"
"Yeah, you should ask Tonks about his incessant flirting with her. Mum thinks it's bloody hilarious."
"I'll have to write her."
"Don't bother she'll be around Hogwarts this year. In disguise though, and no I have no idea who."
"Ohh, better be careful and watch your back then mate. She looked good and mad at you earlier."
"That's alright I was pretty pissed myself."
"I heard. Even I don't swear that much." Ron said.
"You are swearing quite a bit Harry. It's not polite you know." Hermione put in.
"Nor am I" Harry shot back with a grin.
"You used to be." she replied shortly.
Harry shrugged, "Was too down trodden to be anything but." he told her. "Well I'm out from under foot and I intend to bloody enjoy myself." He said and with that, sat back and lit a cigarette.
"HARRY!" Hermione said scandalized.
"Yes?" Harry asked.
"You're smoking."
"You should've seen it when he tried lighting up in the kitchen"
"Was a bit rude of me I suppose. But I was concentrating on an equation and forgot where I was. It helps me think," he explained without care.
"That's a disgusting habit and really bad for you."
Harry looked at her, "You mean I know something you don't!" he said with a gleam.
"Hell even I know this." Ron put in.
"What?" Hermione asked with some frustration.
"We're savouring the moment here, do you mind." Harry said with a teasing grin.
"It's an odd sort of feeling isn't it?" Ron said with a grin.
"WHAT!" Hermione said.
"Don't get the lace in a knot," Harry said with a wink.
Hermione blanched, and then turned bright red. "How..."
"Magic completely renders smoking harmless. Just the nicotine gets through. It kills all the nasty stuff. It's why you never hear of Wizards dying of cancer."
"I'll want to know how you know," she said fiercely.
"Know what?" Ron asked, clueless, thankfully. Harry did not think he would enjoy Ron pummelling him.
Harry tapped the arm of his glasses, knowing Hermione would take it to mean a never you mind type of expression. When in fact he was actually telling her everything she needed to know. Well perhaps he had not told her everything. She wasn't to know he'd enchanted his glasses to no prescription, to see various spectrum's of light and even straight through things like... clothing for instance. They were also impervious to Accio and the alike, water repelling and with a word, summoned all with no use of his own magic. It had been a little project, and a challenge to get the runes so small too.
She frowned at him, her expression severe.
He just smiled charmingly at her, "They really are quite fetching." he told her.
She was speechless again, possibly with apoplectic anger this time though. However, Harry was finding pressing people's buttons to almost breaking point was quite amusing. If slightly naughty, but where was the fun with out the naughtiness?
Talking of Naughtiness... he had just seen Lavender walk by. She backtracked, looked at him and gave him a weak smile. Harry frowned slightly as she beat a hasty retreat.
He excused himself from a bemused Ron and spluttering Hermione and went after her.
"Lav, you ok?" he asked.
She blushed slightly. Then sort of half nodded.
He looked from side to side, his wand flicking a vague circle around them. "Privacy circle, now you can tell me what's wrong."
"Oh Harry, you don't think I'm easy do you?" she gushed.
Harry blinked, "What?"
"I mean, I've never been so... wanton before. It's just when you touch me and kiss me I loose all sense of propriety." she continued to gush.
He took her chin in his hand and gently angled her head to look him in the eye, "Do you regret that night?" he asked her, worried about her answer.
"Oh god no! I just don't want you to think me a whore. If it got out I would be ruined," she said a few tears leaking from her luminescent blue eyes.
"Lavender my darling... I don't think you are a whore, easy or anything of the sort. Perhaps we got a little out of hand, but we're young free and single. As for word getting out I'll die before I tell anyone I promise. I also cannot be 'read' by certain teachers either. Therefore, I give you my word of honour. No I'll do this properly." he said and held out his wand, "On my magic I do so swear I will tell no one that doesn't know about what has happened between us." a warm rush of magic filled the air sealing his promise into a magically binding oath. If he were to tell a soul that did not already know, he would become a squib.
"Oh thank you" she said in a rush and gave him a hug. "You really don't think poorly of me?"
"Hell no Lav I had one hell of a time and enough good memories to fuel a HUGE Patronus thanks to you, I hope we could do it again, the kissing I mean. We don't have to do anything you don't want to. However, I do understand if you want nothing more to do with me."
Lavender smiled at him, turning a little sultry. "I think, Harry, you'll have to beat me off with a stick when you're bored with me."
"I can't see that happening."
"Still casual though, I couldn't handle being your girlfriend. I think I'd go grey" she said semi apologetically.
"I'm not looking for that sort of relationship, certainly not until I've taken out ole snake face."
She snorted a laugh, "If anyone can Harry it'll be you." she told him softly. She looked around, seeing no one she darted forward and gave him a small kiss. She backed off and smiled. "Just wow." she said and walked off.
Harry smiled to himself, disbursed the privacy shield and walked back to his cabin with a spring to his step.
"You" Hermione said when he got back, "Come with me." she said and grabbed him by the arm. She dragged him to a private spot and turned on him. She opened her mouth and Harry put a finger on her lips. She tried to look down at it.
"Wait" he said and created the same private area as he had just used. Then he removed his finger.
"I demand to know how you know my choice in underwear!" she said, her eyes molten with anger.
"I'm not telling," he said teasingly.
She darted forward and grabbed his glasses. 'Thank god they're keyed to me alone' he thought briefly though he was impressed with the way her mind worked. She looked through them suspiciously. Then her eyes went wide, "Harry, there's no prescription on these."
"My eyes are better now, but the glasses are so Me.," he said with a grin.
She smirked, "And they make people underestimate you in a fight. They think one Accio and its over."
"Actually they're immune to that charm, but they could be knocked off I suppose." Harry admitted.
"I still want to know?" she demanded hands on hips.
"You're quite beautiful when you're angry by the way." Harry told her.
She flushed, but wasn't deterred, "Now Harry"
"A complete shot in the dark, though I am interested to see your reaction. I wonder if Ron would like to know."
"Don't you dare!" she said furiously.
Harry leaned forward, whispered, "Very sexy image", and then gave her a lingering peck on the cheek. He then promptly dropped the privacy dome and sauntered off down the train to see if Ginny was indeed playing Celine Dion. Leaving a confused Hermione holding her cheek and blushing like virgin bride
It did not take him long to find the carriage in question or the compartment. Just about everyone was crowded around it. He breezed through the crowd that parted like the red sea for him and he poked his head into the carriage.
"Oh Ginny, not Dion AGAIN!" he said with a mocking smile.
"Hello Harry, I was just showing off the charm you taught me." Ginny said with a smile she hoped was inviting. There was no time like the present to begin his re-education after all.
To her annoyance, he did not seem to notice. He came in the compartment and sat next to Luna, flashing the blond in question a smile in the process. "Hi there" he said.
"Hello Harry, I see you have harboured the Poliewryms to your labours then." she replied to some giggling.
"Abso-bloody-lutely." Harry agreed. "Never know when you might need a Poliewrym," he said very seriously, causing the sniggering to stop dead.
"I think they may be in pain though." Luna told him in an aside.
"Perhaps it's Ginny's choice in music," he rejoined.
"Hey this is good stuff." the red head shot at him.
"For the hopelessly romantic perhaps." Harry told her with a smirk. He fished in one of his many pockets and pulled out a CD in its case. "Now this on the other hand..."
Ginny rolled her eyes at him, "Go on then"
He tossed it in place and caught the other CD as it 'ejected' the music immediately changed to the thrumming beat of some clubbing music.
"Is that club music?" a voice asked from the doorway, "Here?"
"Hey Parv." Harry said with a sexy smile.
She smiled at him in much the same way, "Well Hello Harry." she said. Causing Ginny to glare at her.
"I picked up some CD's. I've recently found I quite liked this sort of music. But had nothing to play it on. So..." he waived a hand at the spinning silver disk.
"That is so cool" she enthused, "Wait until I tell Lav. She'll be on at you to teach her the charm."
"Well she can get her own Hair pin, I'm running out" Ginny said, slightly put out.
"Hair pin?" Parv asked.
"The most important part. Other than the Poliewryms of course." he said with a nod towards the blond beside him.
Parv rolled her eyes, "You and blondes." she muttered. Not quietly, enough as everyone just looked at her. She blushed faintly, "Well. Must dash," she said moving swiftly away.
Harry rolled his eyes.
"Harry... What did she mean by that?" Ginny asked curiously.
"No idea. The day I understand women is the day I die." he said promptly too much laughter from the males in the area, "Viva La Difference though" he said causing the glares he was receiving to go away. Except the one, he was getting from Ginny.
He bobbed his head to the music, and tapped his foot.
"So what's going on up here then?" a voice asked, pushing past the others Cho appeared in the doorway. "Oh... Hello Harry"
"See Brunette" Harry commented.
"Sorry?" Cho asked, and then frowned at the CD spinning, "What's that."
"CD Player" Ginny snapped, crossing her legs for maximum skin revelation.
"Well turn it off it's disturbing the other passengers." Cho snapped back, thrusting out her prefect's badge.
Harry sighed, rolled his eyes and flicked his wand at the doorway. Causing all sound to stop going further than the doorway. He then did the same for all the walls and the window. "There, now we're not disturbing anyone."
"You're not supposed to do magic on the train really you know" Cho told him primly.
He smiled at her charmingly.
"But I suppose I'll let it go this time" she added with a smile at him.
"Thank you Cho" he said.
She bustled away to do other Prefect duties.
Harry rolled his eyes at her retreating back.
"Anyone would think you didn't like our Miss Chang Harry," Luna pointed out dreamily.
"What ever gave you that idea my dear Luna?"
She focused on him, her blue eyes becoming quite intense. He met her gaze steadily, enjoying her lucidity for however long it lasted. He did note that she was actually quite a looker on the quiet. However, he was noticing a lot more about the women around him these days. Shame she was 15.
"I'll be 16 at Christmas," she said seemingly unexpectedly.
Harry shot her a piercing look and checked the status of his mental shielding. He hadn't felt as much as a tickle, there was no way she had bypassed his shielding... was there?
She just smiled and went back to reading her paper upside down as was her usual foible.
Harry gave her a double take and shook it off. The compartment was now quite crowded as everyone had piled in when he cut off the music past the doorway. "Right, just thought I'd pop in and say Hi. Hermione has had sufficient time to stew now. So I suppose I should be off.," he said moving off.
Luna looked at her red haired friend and nodded towards her virtually bare thigh. "He's gone now, so you can cover up dear," she said with a dreamy smile.
Ginny frowned, not so much as a damn look. This was not to true of most of the other boys in the compartment who were sneaking quite a few looks. She did after all have quite nice legs, or so she thought anyway. Or was that hoped, damn Harry he really was fixed in his view of her. She would have to do something drastic instead. She covered up, much to the disappointment of the males in the area and switched the track with a flick of her wand, losing herself in planning and listening to the music.
-oOo-
After leaving the train, then to their transport and up to the castle Harry and the others sat down to the usual start of the term feast. As well as the usual announcements. Harry won a bet with himself; apparently, just about everything the twins made got onto the banned list. Not that he cared. His first prank was due soon and it did not use even one of their items. He was saving those for later.
Ron dove into his food like it was about to run off or something. Hermione on the other hand kept shooting him these slightly strange looks and smiling faintly to herself. It was quite unnerving on the quiet. Lavender on the other hand was shooting him heated looks when no one else was looking and at one point mouthed to him, 'Tonight at 12 Astronomy tower.'
He had nodded with a carefully neutral expression and gone back to his meal. However, on the inside he was doing a very happy little dance complete with jumping around like a loon.
He also noticed that Luna was occasionally looking over at him with an intense gaze and inquiring look on her face. The day he figured out that particular girl was the day he would become Minister for magic. She was not the only Ravenclaw looking at him either. Cho kept shooting him these lost looks that were starting to grate on his nerves more than a little. So far, he had blanked her totally. He had no idea what her game was this time, but after being used as a fill in last year, salty kisses and all. Well he had no plans on giving her another chance to screw him up that was for damn sure.
He picked at his meal in the end, too much going on in his mind to concentrate on his food.
"You eating that?" Ron asked.
Harry shook his head and pushed the plate towards him.
"Thanks mate."
"Honestly Ron, you're going to get fat!" Hermione told him.
Ron shook his head. "Nah" he replied, "I'm a growing lad."
"In diameter if you keep that off. You'll be too fat for a broom to lift you if you're not careful." Hermione replied.
'AAAnd they're off.' Thought Harry. Just then, he felt a knocking on his shields, causing him to turn towards the head table. Dumbledore beckoned to him.
He pushed back from the table and walked confidently up to the headmaster. "Yes Sir?" he asked.
"I wonder if you would mind meeting me in my Office after dinner, Harry. I have some school business to discuss with you."
"Of course sir." Harry replied and waited to be dismissed.
"Thank you Harry that is all."
Harry nodded and went back to his seat just in time for pudding to be served.
Shortly thereafter, he once again passed it off to the human dustbin and looked up to the head table. Snape, Dumbledore and McGonagall were absent. He wondered if that was a bad sign. He pushed away from the table again, "Catch you lot later." he said as he walked by he winked at Lavender on the QT and walked out of the main hall and headed towards the Headmaster's Office.
Along the way Mrs. Norris, Filch's cat, ambushed him. The damn thing nearly tripped him up by winding its way through his legs. He gave it an odd look, knelt and petted her behind the ears. A loud rumbling emitted from her and he suddenly realized she was actually purring at him.
"'Ere, what are you doing to my cat!" Filch said angrily walking forward and snatching her away from Harry.
"I was just saying hello." Harry said defensively.
"You better not have done anything." Filch said with a glare. Harry was sure Filch still believed that Harry was the one that petrified her in his second year.
Mrs. Norris meowed at him, and reached out a paw.
"What are you doing?" Filch asked his cat, walking away briskly. "I'm watching you boy." he shot over his shoulder.
Harry rolled his eyes, "You and everyone else mate." he muttered, resuming his walk.
A few minutes later, he arrived at the gargoyle that guarded the headmaster's inner sanctum. "Oh bollocks" Harry said, "I didn't get the password."
The staircase promptly appeared. "Bollocks is the password?" he said incredulously.
"No Mr. Potter It is NOT," Professor McGonagall said firmly.
"Oh sorry professor I didn't see you there."
"Apparently not. It would behove you not to swear quite so much, especially when school is in session," she told him sternly. Then that was generally how she said things. "Well, come on then!"
Harry followed her up the winding staircase, blushing faintly. He could not believe she had heard that, or that he believed Dumbledore would use that as a password. However, you lived and learned. He hoped.
The strict professor led him into the office where he saw Professor's Snape and Dumbledore already waiting for him.
"Why do I have the urge to bolt?" he muttered.
McGonagall smothered a grin.
"Ahh Harry, thank you for joining us. We have a couple of things to discuss, and Professor's McGonagall and Snape are involved with them."
"Oh?" Harry said noncommittally. "What can I do for you Professors?"
Snape's eyes just glittered at him, McGonagall was apparently to go first as she said, "I have this for you Mr Potter." handing him a badge.
Harry looked at it in shock. Reading it twice to be sure. "Captain?" he asked for clarification.
"You ban was lifted was it not."
Harry smiled at her warmly, "It was. But I'm sorry Professor I can't accept this."
She blinked at him in shock, "Why ever not?"
"I'm a flyer Ma'am. Not a thinker, you want Ron. Not me. He would make a brilliant captain. He has the strategy in his veins; you should try playing chess against him sometime. He also has buckets of love for the game. More than me even. I would say he was the perfect choice actually. So... Thank you but no thank you."
She took the badge back, slightly surprised to say the least. "I'll think about what you said. Is he really that good at chess?" she asked.
"No one can beat him in the tower." Harry told her.
"Perhaps I'll challenge him to a game myself," she said.
"I think he'd love that Professor. No one is a challenge to him anymore. If you could I'd love to see the smug git taken down a peg too," he said with twinkling eyes, gaining a chuckle from Dumbledore and one McGonagall as well.
"Very well, after that somewhat surprising result I'm wary of the next item." Dumbledore told him.
"Now I'm worried." Harry said, "Sir" he added belatedly.
"Tis nothing fearful... I hope. If you remember you ran a small... club of like minded individuals last year."
Harry's lips twitched, "If that's what you want to call it sir."
"We would like to make it a sanctioned study group with a class room and structured learning." Dumbledore told him.
"That would be excellent sir, It'd need a Professor well versed in the subject though," Much to the shock of all involved he turned to Professor Snape. He had not had time to go through everything so far, but he knew the man knew his subjects very well. His love for potions was only eclipsed by his knowledge of DADA.
"Me?" Snape said in surprise. "No. No. Potter. We're talking about you..."
Harry blinked, "I'm hardly a professor sir. Nor do I claim to be an expert in the subject."
"Yet you successfully trained several other students to the level where they all passed with an O, despite somewhat lacklustre teaching in the subject." Dumbledore said.
Harry shrugged, "I didn't work alone sir."
"Ahh yes, you're usual cohorts I suspect." Snape said smoothly. "I expect you could call upon Miss Granger's expertise with a book again this year. Though I fail to understand what Mr. Weasley brings to the group."
"Respectfully sir," Harry began, Snape snorted, but Harry pressed on, "That's because you don't really know him. As I said, he has an impressive mind for strategy and tactics. Which are both important for any fight you want to walk away from."
"Which rather neatly proves our point don't you think." Dumbledore put in. "We are suggesting that we make you an Assistant Professor. Your duties will be to run the club on a weekly basis and help out Professor Snape in the Classroom."
"And you're okay with that... sir?" Harry asked Snape.
"I hate to admit, but you do have some talent in the area and an impressive memory for spells. Besides I need a willing target dummy," he said smiling thinly.
'Holy shit Snape made a joke!' Harry thought, 'Though I suspect I'm going to get the piss hexed out of me on a regular basis.', "Well at least this time I'll be helping someone that knows the subject. Lockhart had me enacting scenes from his bloody books!" Harry said in an aggrieved tone.
Snape snorted.
"That's Professor Lockhart Mr. Potter," McGonagall reminded him.
"With all due respect Professor the man is in St Mungo's drooling like an idiot wearing a bib and being spoon fed gruel. I don't think he qualifies for the title."
'Okay now I'm freaked, Snape just laughed at something I said'
"Perhaps you should remember you're in part at fault for his condition," Dumbledore advised.
Harry rolled his eyes, "I'm not the prat that tried to Obliviate two 12 year olds with a dodgy wand... Sir"
Dumbledore's moustache twitched in amusement.
"Mr. Potter!" McGonagall warned him with her tone.
"My apologies, pillock?" he hazarded, causing Snape to snort once more, softly.
McGonagall smirked slightly. "One should respect their elders."
"Respect is earned Professor." Harry said with no rancour to his tone, "Mr. Lockhart was not a widely respected figure. Unless you count the brainless ditzes that brought into his 'best smile award,'" he said the last with a fake happy voice.
Snape once again snorted. Apparently, in this one subject they were of a like mind.
McGonagall just quirked an eyebrow at him and let the matter rest.
Harry turned to Snape, "The question is sir. Are you willing to work with me, especially given recent events? For which I once again apologize for keeping you under for so long.," he said in one long breath.
Snape studied him for a long moment before giving him a curt nod. Which Harry took to mean yes.
"Then I'm game." Harry said.
"Now there is a certain amount of responsibility inherent with this job."
"Job?"
"You get paid Harry."
Harry waived that off, "I don't need the money, either re-budget it, or better yet create a trust or something."
"Trust?"
"For students that otherwise may not be able to come to Hogwarts" Harry said thinking as he spoke, "Actually I would quite like to contribute to something like that, personally. I might be able to drum up some other business too in the coming months."
"Ahh, your entrepreneurial endeavours, I take it." Dumbledore noted. "I like this idea though. There are several students a year who are unable to come to us because they can't afford either the fees or the equipment."
"I'll talk to my banker and start off the fund with... I dunno a million Galleons."
Snape goggled at him.
"That's rather a lot Harry."
"I know, but I'm afraid it's not even a scratch on my other funds. It is about two month's interest actually. There is a condition though." Harry told him.
"What is that?" Dumbledore said reeling slightly; he had controlled the trust fund part of the estate. Not the Potter Trust that of course was now combined with the Black vaults as well.
"Keep my name out of it for goodness sake, PLEASE."
"Why on earth..." Snape sputtered.
"I know you think I relish my fame sir. I do not. I'd quite like Snake Face to have been run over by the knight bus when I was one and for him to have never met me or listened to any; special notices. I could be quite happy without the 'fame' I have or the cost of said fame. It hurts me and hurts my friends. That is not to say I'm above using it when I need to, but I try to only use it for positive things. So Professor I respectfully suggest you never gain fame, you will not much like it. The Wizarding world thinks I am some sort of super star..., which I am to them, I suppose. However, I am just like any other 16-year-old guy. I just want to find a cute girl to snog and bunk off classes every so often."
Dumbledore burst into laughter. Snape on the other hand was looking thoughtful and the person he was expecting to give him a lambasting was actually looking quite proud.
"So if you keep my name out of it all, totally securely that is. I will pop a cool million into the kitty to get it started up. I'll also see if I can talk Gred and Forge into putting something in too, especially if our idea takes off." Harry suddenly looked alert. "I forgot to tell them something too. Has anyone got any parchment?" he asked.
Dumbledore waived at his desk, "I think you may just find the odd piece empty on here."
"Thanks" Harry said and jotted a note to the twins. "Now I better owl this to them before they write out the mechanics for the spell and can't add this."
"Your new ability with Arithmancy goes beyond the mere book learned knowledge Harry," Dumbledore told him.
"Fred and George are experts too, but they didn't even take the course in school. Oh and I think they might be interested in some sort of correspondence course if at all possible."
"I would take them back in a heartbeat you understand." Dumbledore informed him.
Snape groaned.
"They were truly brilliant students. Perhaps not to Miss Grangers calibre but they were brilliant. They just focused on other things." Dumbledore informed the groaning Professor.
"You don't have to worry Professor," Harry said with a smirk, "Mrs. Weasley already asked them and they said no, the business needs them. Thus; the correspondence idea."
"Such has been done in the past I believe Minerva?"
"Indeed it has. I could draw up a schedule."
"I'd make it flexible, they weren't talking about doing it straight away, but I can't help but think investors, other than me, might not take them seriously without their NEWTS at least." Harry said. "Professor, sorry." he added almost as an after thought.
"You may talk to us more informally as you have accepted the post Harry."
Harry screwed up his face, "Hmmm, not sure I could actually. You do realize that Mrs. Weasley still calls you Professor and she's been out of school for years."
"You wouldn't believe how many times I have tried to convince her to do otherwise." the Headmaster confided.
Harry laughed, "I might." he replied. "Was there anything else I need to owl this and get unpacked?"
Dumbledore looked thoughtful, "I would like it if you would agree to join me for...informational chats on a certain subject."
"Okay Professor anytime you want."
"We'll call them advanced Occlumancy lessons, despite I suspect that you are a master at the art now."
"Okay, sounds like a good cover, doubtless I still have much to learn on the subject anyway."
"Also I must ask... have you brought your CD player?" the headmaster asked with a twinkling expression.
Harry smirked and brought out the bobby pin that made up the main physical part of the device.
The headmaster brought out a matching pin, "Could you make me one? I've found they have re-released the white album."
"What's a CD?" Snape asked McGonagall, who just shrugged.
Harry pulled out his wand and began to cast, verbally this time so the Headmaster would know what he was doing. "I added the cooling you suggested and amplified the signal by about 200%, so watch out it can get VERY loud."
"I think I must suggest to Filius that he teach silencing spells and the creation of cones of silence. Otherwise I fear the house elves may revolt."
-oOo-
Harry appeared on the Astronomy tower with five minutes to spare, yet Lavender was already there waiting for him.
"Harry?" she called out softly.
"Hey there you." Harry said reaching for her. She backed off, causing him to frown slightly.
"What's up?" he asked.
"I don't know... I'm just not in the mood for anything... you know... tonight." she asked with a slightly curious expression on her face.
"Okay, would you like to sit and watch the stars for a while?" he asked.
She beamed at him, "Thank you Harry." she said.
"What for?"
"Proving you don't just think of me as someone to fool around with." she told him, then grabbed him and proceeded to redirect his blood flow with a hot kiss.
Soon, he had her against the wall, her hands above her head as he kissed her neck passionately. His hands roving around her body pulling up her school issue robe and skirt, flashing an expanse of leg in the process. She curled one leg around his waist and let herself be picked up, his face level with her breasts.
"Go on, I know you want to" she breathed.
Just then, the sound of footsteps sounded from the stairwell.
"Is there someone there Mrs. Norris?"
"Shit... Filch" Lavender said. "Can you... you know here?"
"Never tried, willing to give it a go though... Where to?"
"Back to the dorms, we need to find somewhere better than this to meet," she said breathlessly.
He whirled them away just as Filch reached eye height appearing invisible in Gryffindor tower. No one was around so he allowed them to be seen.
"Damn" he said, "That was close."
"We NEED somewhere private before we try that again. I don't like being interrupted" she said lustfully. "Damn I'm all wound up now," she said in a desperate tone.
"I'll find somewhere." Harry promised, then gave her a quick kiss, "Go off to bed, I'll let you know okay?"
She nodded, pausing to look at him hotly, "Soon. Please"
"Hell yeah" He told her.
With that, she crept up stairs towards her dorm.
Harry frowned, and walked to his own dorm, sliding in unnoticed in all the snoring, mostly from Ron's bed. He grabbed his coat and slid it on. He had made the charms somewhat more interesting on the coat than his cloak and it would render him undetectable. First, though he had to consult his fathers map.
He sat on his bed, pulling the drapes and silencing them and adding a perimeter alert ward. Then he flattened out the map and started to search.
It was morning by time his ward tripped and Ron poked his head through the curtains. "Whatcha doing?" he asked. Then added, "Cor what the hell is that?" he said indicating the three-dimensional map hovering over a piece of parchment.
Harry indicated he should come inside the curtains and pulled them after his friend was inside. He reset the alert ward.
"This is a bit like the Marauder's map," he said slowly, "It's taken me most of the night to get it right and I copied a shit load from the original. But the Two dimensional view just wasn't doing it for me."
"Fucking hell Harry, is there anything you can't do now?" Ron said in a slightly awed tone.
"Anyone can do this Ron; it's just the application of theory and a crap load of charms work. Just study and you will be able to do it too. Besides, I nicked all the mapping charms from the original. Which according the maintenance mode my Mum had a hand in too."
"Maintenance mode?"
"Maintain Mischief" Harry said tapping the original map. A series of diagnostic spells appeared in mid air. "I think they made it so you could add features if you wanted. However, I couldn't add a proper view without stripping it down to the base components and destroying the original map. Well you know Dad and that made this." Then he smirked, "This'll give you a laugh though."
He tapped the map, "I'm feeling horny," he said getting a look from Ron. The map changed to a pink hue and various 'secret' locations shown in bright red, with members of the opposite sex shown in pink and prefects in bold type. The cupboards that were big enough for certain activities glowed and pulsed. Harry noticed that even at this early hour some were ... otherwise occupied.
"Cool" Ron breathed, "Can I borrow this when I get a girl."
"I'm not sure Hermione is a broom cupboard kind of girl."
"Just lay off that will you?" Ron said hotly.
Harry held up his hands, "Sorry mate didn't realize you were so touchy about it. Still say you should ask her out though."
"I dunno, I was thinking someone else."
"Oh... Who?"
"I'm not telling you, you'll just take the piss."
"True enough I suppose" Harry replied glibly.
"So what are you looking for?"
"A solitary spot" Was the somewhat cryptic reply.
"Huh?"
"Hmmm." Harry said, "That's strange."
"What is?" Ron said looking at the more modern map.
Harry pointed with his wand and an area of the map 'zoomed' in. "That's the room of requirement I reckon."
"There's nothing there."
"Exactly. The map lists every other room, but five."
"Five?"
"Hmm, this is where the come and go room would be I think. These other four have me stumped. One is under the Ravenclaws, One under the green houses, number 5 to be precise. There is one in the tower, as in this one. Here look." he said zooming another area.
"There's just a blank spot."
"I know, but it's not a wall and it's too big. A place like this does not have wasted space like that, the Griff's one is pretty big too. About twice the size of the common room, I'd say. Which is almost adjacent to this room see?"
Ron nodded vaguely, "Is this going to take long I'm hungry."
Harry let out a sigh, "When aren't you?"
"When I'm asleep."
"Bet you dream of food though." Harry said with a grin.
Ron grinned back at him. "Okay so what's the last one that's got you so interested?"
"Well so far there's been one that connects in some way with each house. We all know that Hufflepuff was into Gardening in a big way, Ravenclaw tower has a room nearby, and Gryffindor tower has a room. Are you seeing a pattern here?"
"Not a jot of it mate."
Harry rolled his eyes, "Don't you see every Founder has a room."
"What about old snake lips them?"
"That's where it gets strange. It's nowhere near the snake pit. Or the chamber, which only shows on this map by the way because I added it. It's masked somehow."
"Huh, okay enough thinking let's eat."
Harry rolled his eyes. "Okay fine." he said waiving a hand at his map.
Ron frowned "That isn't very secure," he said and waived a hand over the map. Nothing happened. "Okay what's the trick to this one then?"
"There isn't one really. It's keyed to me alone."
"What if I want to borrow it?"
"I'll make you your own if you like."
Ron beamed at him, "That'd be cool, the twins'll be jealous as hell."
"Ooookay"
"Oh I think it's about time to get to breakfast now," Harry said checking his Titanium Rolex.
"Now who's in a hurry?"
Harry just smirked. He had slipped out earlier to set in motion a little... surprise for that morning's meal.
They joined up with Hermione at the common room and walked down together. Two of the party suddenly wondered why Harry was suddenly smirking evilly. He was also looking anywhere but at Hermione.
They took a seat at the long table that was their houses own and waited for breakfast to be served.
Hermione suddenly jogged Ron's elbow, as he was closest. "Ron... Is that Justin in his underpants?"
"What? Bloody hell Hannah Abbots in her underwear!"
"No she's not she's fully dressed."
"She isn't but Justin is."
A similar rash of conversations rippled around the great hall.
"Go Luna" Harry breathed.
"Why's she got fuzzy bits over her knockers?" Ron asked. "At least Ginny is dressed."
"Not to me she isn't" Harry said with a big grin.
"Ahh!" Hermione said pointing, looking at her male friends for the first time, "You've got no clothes on!" she exclaimed.
"Nor have you!" Ron said, smiling dopily.
"Ron!"
Harry smirked, oh if only they could see what he could see!
As the hall filled up it became apparent that the boys could see every girl from the fifth year up in their undies and likewise for the girls. Luckily, the facility was likewise unaffected as well.
"HOLY SHIT" Harry suddenly exclaimed.
Ron followed his gaze and saw Daphne Greengrass, "Fucking Hell" he breathed.
"What, and don't swear so."
"Full stockings set, wow," Harry said. "I'm going to find who ever did this and thank them with great gifts," he said with a big fat grin. "Hey Greengrass!" he shouted out.
"WHAT?" she asked, and was already blushing.
"Want to go to Hogsmeade with me," he asked with a full on grin.
"Piss off Potter; in your dreams would I go with you."
"Just thought I'd beat the rush." Harry said with a charming smile.
She blushed quite prettily at him and being a true blonde-haired woman, it went down to her chest.
Lavender shot him a glare, which softened considerably when she saw what he looked like without any clothes in the way. "Oh baby," she breathed.
Several wolf whistles started flowing around the hall.
"Hey stop looking at my sister!" Ron said getting up in a rage and glaring at Dean Thomas.
"I'm sorry mate, but... wow"
"Oi!"
Harry let rip with laughter.
"What in the name of Merlin is going on?" McGonagall demanded.
"All the girls are in their undies Professor" Some little snot replied. Making him the target of some nasty glares.
"We are not, I can see their clothes. It's the boys in the no clothes department!" Cho put in haughtily.
Harry looked at her standing there indignant and was trying to convince himself to overlook her less attractive attributes for the more obvious ones on display at that moment. Of course, he was the only one that could see through the fuzz protecting her privacy. He drew the line out of totally humiliating the girls. He had done the same for the guys but thankfully, no one was going 'commando'.
"Right!" Snape said standing up, "Who is responsible for this. Potter!"
"Please sir, I can... see him too," Cho said, a dreamy look coming over her face.
"Okay who is 'dressed' to everyone?" Dumbledore demanded.
Just the Malfoy and his goons walked in. Moreover, to he was fully dressed.
"Bloody hell, Pansy put some clothes on!" Malfoy demanded.
"What?" Pansy remarked looking down.
Harry wolf whistled her, and laughed his ass off. 'Nice body on that one' he thought to himself. 'Not as nice as Lav though, damn I got to find somewhere quick. But Daphne Greengrass YOWL!' He looked around with a smirk, 'Who else is hot... Welcome to Potter's Hot or Not!' he said in his best mental quizmasters' voice. 'Bloody hell, Tracy Davis is hot. Cho's lean and athletic... Luna, oh baby shame she is not 16 yet, I refuse to go younger. Older though...' He thought eying one of the 7th year prefects.' He was derailed though when he noticed Sarah Michaels from his year. She was in a dorm with Hermione and Lavender etc. She was normally very shy, but she was seriously checking him out... 'Hang on!' he thought to himself.
'It's only bloody Tonks!' he realized, there was no mistaking her aura. She was seriously checking him out though, 'interesting' he decided. His impromptu game show ended as every one was herded out of the hall, thus ending the 'jinx' he had placed on the door.
"Huh" he said, "It's gone."
There was general agreement to his pronouncement. Professor Flitwick then inspected the door. "Amazing, no signature... Focused and selective. You notice no one below fifth year seemed to know what was going on... Amazing charms work." he commented.
"Well when you're quite finished ogling the workmanship," Snape purred dangerously.
Flitwick glared at him, "Finite Incantatem" he said with a swish of his wand. "No protection either." he said, "To sum up nicely done put with no real malice behind it. Otherwise it would've been significantly more difficult to take down."
"I agree Filius." Dumbledore said. "Well now that excitement is out of the way, perhaps we could return to our meals."
Harry ignored the general rush and was about to go into the flow when Luna interrupted him with a firm hand on his arm. "Did you enjoy the show?" she purred dangerously.
'Shit'
"If you wanted to see, you could've just asked," she said with a predatory smile.
Then she walked away leaving Harry blinking after her. He let out a long whistle and joined the flow of humanity back to breakfast. He found himself strangely hungry; however, he was not sure what for. 'Damn I wish she was in our year' he bemoaned to himself once again.