Alarums and Excursions

Disclaimer: Same as previous chapters

Original Author's Note: People have been asking why Susan seems to always be there with Harry and Ginny. Well I have never planned it but it seems the writing never flows properly otherwise. If I cut her out my inspiration dries up too. So in this chapter she's there for both the smut and the fluff but in the second half of the chapter they get split up for their advanced instruction and she won't be part of their group. Promise! I also promise I will be sincerely trying not to include her in any further romantic moments between H and G. I can't guarantee it won't happen though as the story seems to have its own agenda. I hope you all enjoy it anyway.

Second Author's Note: Edited on 7/29/2015.

Chapter 9

The next morning after exercise Moody told them, "Don't lollygag in the showers today. You'll be meeting the master healer outside along with the other teachers. The rest of the day will be for Power Calibration and fine tuning of your advanced study schedule."

After a quick shower and change of clothes they all trooped out to the line where grass turned to sand and lined up. Thuvan nodded, "Good thinking. I'll explain the theory behind the test we'll be doing then we'll be seeing how strong you all are." He shrugged, "You may think we only need to test Potter but we want to know the power levels of the rest of you too."

Sarasvati Singh said, "This calibration is best done outside where there is nothing in the way. Professor Dinh will show you a very old spell to produce magic arrows that has been thoroughly analyzed by Arithmancers so that we know exactly how much magic it takes to produce one. The number you produce will then show us how much magic each of you now has. None of have cast anything yet today?" She placed several stones etched with runes along the sand in a line, "These will count the number of arrows and from there we'll get your power level."

Ginny raised her hand, "Just a few cooking charms and that was hours ago."

Professor Singh said, "Well let us hope that doesn't throw this off much. I'd like to ask you to go last except for Harry, ok?"

Ginny nodded, "Fine by me."

Thuvan said, "The incantation for the spell you will be casting is Fiat Magicis Sagittis Lucis Fluit a Manu and here is the motion." He demonstrated, "This should work with wands, staves, or any other focus. The number of magic arrows can be specified by adding a word, otherwise it will be determined by the amount of magic you push into the spell."

"That's a rather long incantation," Hermione said.

"Yes," Professor Dinh agreed. "One of the ways magic has improved over the centuries is brevity of casting. However the Roman style has the benefit of being very flexible and could be extremely powerful. We are scheduled to discuss the pros and cons of this casting style in a later class. For now we shall use it to help determine a power level for everyone. I will go first to illustrate how it's done."

He stood and walked up to the line of runes, facing the ocean, drew his wand, and then cast. The number "47" appeared over the stones as forty-seven distinct arrows of golden light flew from his wand out over the ocean to be lost in the glare of the rising sun. He turned to them and asked, "Who's next?"

"I am here just in case you use a bit too much power and exhaust yourself," the healer stated. "If you do not match the professor's number of arrows don't be upset. He is a very powerful wizard."

Ron went first and cast twenty-three arrows of light on his first try, then frowned and cast again producing thirty. He had to sit for awhile after that and was scolded by the healer.

Hermione said, "You could probably do better Ronald but don't wear yourself out trying." She produced forty-one of the golden arrows and although she didn't look satisfied she took her own advice and did not try a second time.

Luna produced forty-three and Neville forty-nine. Susan matched Neville and produced forty-nine, although she very tired afterward.

Ginny surprised herself and the teachers by producing sixty-nine arrows of light.

"Well I guess those cooking charms didn't hamper you after all Ginny, " Luna said smiling.

Susan said, "Sixty-nine arrows Ginny? Is that you're favorite number for some reason?" and both Ginny and Harry blushed.

Harry said, "My turn then?" Mostly to stop any further speculation.

The teachers nodded, "Go ahead and let fly Harry."

Harry gave it his best effort and sent a veritable flood of magical arrows downrange. When he turned to the rune stones he was shocked to see the number "99" floating there. "Wow."

"Wow indeed Harry," Hermione said. "The only other person to break fifty was Ginny. I guess you are well matched that way."

"Thank you all for participating in this calibration test. You have the rest of the afternoon off while fine tune your advanced classes," Thuvan said.

"Don't cast any spells for an hour and don't swim out too far," Healer Newcombe said. "The local sea life is probably all agitated from the light shows."

"We won't," the teen chorused and split into twos and threes as they wandered off.

"So I'm guessing it won't be standard N.E.W.T. classes they'll be teaching next," Susan said as she sprawled on the blanket Harry conjured for all three of them.

"Well the last semester wasn't standard either," Harry said. "No potions or creatures but we all did get five O.W.L.s and months early so if they have another shortcut in mind that's fine by me."

"I don't think that's it though," Ginny said. "Not after sorting us based on strength and hinting at differing casting philosophies. I think we'll all be taking individual lessons except maybe Sue and Neville. They got exactly the same score after all."

"Luna came close so it might be the three of them," Harry said. He put an arm around Ginny, "And since we both beat Thuvan's score we might be in the same class too."

She leaned into him, "I'd like that." Then she grinned, "Now that we've finished the serious thinking how about some of what the Americans call skinny dipping?" She waggled her eyebrows at him.

Harry smiled, "I suppose mentioning that Sue is watching would be futile?"

Ginny giggled as she stripped, "After all she's seen? I don't think a little more will change anything."

Sue said, "I'd go off somewhere else but with my luck I'll end up watching some other couple have sex and my libido be warped for good." Then she stood and started stripping unconcernedly.

Harry sighed and followed suit, "Okay then, last one in the water is a dirty Snape lover!"

Harry was splashing with Ginny in the water and having fun when she suddenly grabbed his shoulder and pointed, "Look Harry, a shark!"

Harry saw the fin and was glad they had taken the healer's advice and stayed close to shore. Then to his horror he saw a head of red hair pop up far too close to the hunting shark. "Go back to shore Ginny, I'll rescue her."

"I can help Harry," she said then realized she'd left her wand behind.

"I need to know you're safe before I can go anywhere Ginny," Harry said. He was trying to look in two places at once and getting agitated. "I don't to take any chance of you getting hurt while I save Susan, besides you don't have your wand."

"Neither do you," she said. "Maybe if we shout..." but she trailed off realizing that shouting might attract the shark's attention too or worse make Susan panic. That would put her in even more danger. She sighed, "Fine Harry. I'll go to safety if you head off to save her right now. I'd never forgive myself if she got hurt because you were nursemaiding me."

Harry nodded, "I'll go as soon as you head toward shore."

Ginny turned and started swimming back to the beach, she was planning to grab her wand and head right back into the water but knew better than to say that.

Harry turned and started swimming to easy hearing distance of Susan. He figured that if he was close enough he could alert her without panicking her and they could both just swim away and avoid any possible problems. He made a mental note to ask Hermione if she knew any shark repelling spells. As he got closer though he noticed the shark turning towards Susan and the fin looked like it was aiming right for the back of her head.

"Sue!" he called in an urgent but low tone, "we need to head back in."

"Why Harry? What's wrong?" she asked then turned in place looking. She screamed when she saw the shark and it sped up.

Harry abandoned the hope of avoiding the deadly fish altogether and summoned his magic in preparation for wandless casting. He had done wandless banishing spells before but wasn't that good at it and had never tried anything as large as the grey reef shark so he was going to as much magic as possible into the spell and hope for the best.

Susan was sure she was about to be eaten when she heard, "Pello Truso" from behind her and saw the shark fly out of the water and land twenty feet away. She saw the shark rise back up and look in her direction and worried it would try again but then it decided she was wasn't worth the effort and went looking for easier prey. She sighed with relief, turned to her savior, and hugged the stuffing out of him. "Thanks Harry! You saved my life."

Harry blushed, "Er you're welcome Sue but, um … could you not hug me when we're naked?"

She laughed and let go, "Sure, anything for my knight in watery armor! We should really head back to shore anyway." She let go and started swimming back in, "Next time I'm not going in the water without my wand."

Harry was swimming beside her, "Me neither and I don't think you should go swimming by yourself either. Even with your wand, it's too easy for something to come up on your blind side." He flushed, "I mean I know you were trying to give us a little privacy and I'm certainly not saying it has to be with us! Just, you know, don't swim alone."

"That's good advice," Ginny said. She had grabbed her wand and was waist deep in the water watching out in case something followed them in.

Harry was about to scold her for not staying safe on the sand but stopped himself when he realized how she'd react to that. So he just sighed and waded out of the water with the ladies back up to the blanket.

Susan was shivering and hugging herself thinking about her close call.

Ginny saw that and hugged her, "It's okay Sue. You're safe now, Harry saved you." She smiled, "It's a habit of his, saving damsels in distress."

Harry chuckled, "Well and Ron."

That got Sue snickering and she stopped shivering, "Ron Weasley, damsel in distress!" She finished hugging Ginny she turned to Harry again, "Where did you learn wandless magic Harry? I'm impressed!"

"I just sort of picked it up," Harry said modestly. "I'm sure you could do it too if you practiced."

"Would you be willing to teach me? If they don't include it in our so called advanced classes and if you don't mind?"

Harry nodded, "I don't mind at all Susan. I'll teach you too Ginny, if you want?"

"Sure Harry," Ginny said. "Although I think I will stay out of the water until I learn a spell to block hostile fish from a section of water or can do that wicked wandless banisher you did Harry." She grinned, "So if you want to pick up where we left off it'll have to be on the blanket."

"Er, how about we all get dressed and head back instead?" Harry asked.

Ginny snickered, "Why? You aren't the one who will be getting sand in delicate places. If I don't mind why should you?"

Harry tried to point to Susan but she was closer than he thought so he ended up poking her right breast instead. "Sorry!" he said blushing. "I didn't mean to do that I swear!"

Susan said, "Are you apologizing to me or Ginny? She has more reason to be upset than I do because you just saved my life. I'd give you a free pass today even if you groped me on purpose, and I'm sure that was an accident."

Ginny started giggling at the look on Harry's face, "Gee Sue, does that mean I can ravish my Harry right here in front of you without you complaining? I've always wanted to do it on the beach but apparently this isn't the safest island and I'd hate to think of you wandering around alone trying to get away from us."

"You want to do it outside?" Harry asked.

"Ever since Sue described that private island thing I've been thinking on making love to you on a secluded beach," Ginny said. "If Sue objects then we can go back to my room and do it on her side of the bed."

"Why my side of the bed?" Susan asked.

"I hate sleeping in the wet spot," Ginny said smirking, "and I keep waking up to you riding your pillow and moaning so you'll be sleeping in a wet spot anyway."

Harry was shocked speechless and Susan turned red as fire, "Hey! You said you'd keep that a secret!"

Ginny answered, "I can't keep anything from beloved but I'll never tell anyone else, I promise!"

Susan huffed, "Well then I hope you do it here and end up with tons of sand in every crevice!"

Ginny smirked, "I'm sure Harry will help me get it back out." She looked over at him and giggled, "That is if we didn't break him talking about all this. Why don't you go cover those giant baps and perfectly rounded rear? Maybe then he'll come out of it."

Susan snorted, "I think he likes your crabapples more than my melons and your rear is prettier than mine anyway. Besides if you're going to have a go on the blanket and make me watch I'm going to bring myself off."

Harry made a strangled sound and stared at Susan.

Ginny laughed, "Well if he wasn't broken before that did it. Fine way to show your gratitude, breaking his brain like that. I ought to put you over my knee and spank you." She looked over at the red and sputtering Harry, "Would you like that Harry? If I put Susan over my knee and spanked her well rounded, bare, and freckled behind?"

Harry passed out and Ginny caught him. "Oh dear," she said.