Chapter 08
Meeting the Previous

One training packed week later Hermione walked into the Room of Requirement with her new 'sisters' or perhaps that was co victims, and groaned aloud.

Standing beside Harry and looking her usual amazingly sexy self was Carla. Frankly, Hermione had no idea how she had gotten in but she was not that happy to see her there.

Harry had promised to spill some beans, with his help their training had gone like lightning and even Susan was fully protected now. He had a way of training them that was outside of her experience but it worked for sure.

Therefore, why Carla was there Hermione had no idea.

"Greetings," Harry said as they walked in, everyone bar Hermione shooting the attractive woman a curious look.

Carla just looked them over and apparently, she was not impressed by what she saw. This put their backs up straight off of the bat.

Once they were all in and the door was closed, warded and secure Harry leaned back on the desk he had created and smiled at them. "I would like to introduce you to one of my previous students," Harry said. Surprising Hermione who had thought Carla was his only student. "I wanted to show you exactly what's in your future and allow you a moment to talk to her, to get an idea of what's to come," Harry continued, causing Carla to smirk slightly.

"She's kindly allowed me to do this, so be polite." He said with a pointed look at Hermione. "In return she will be polite back," he said with a pointed look at Carla.

"First let's give them an idea of your capabilities," Harry said to Carla. "Because I'm sure they won't believe me when I say you're the second most dangerous person in the entire school."

A disbelieving look was shared between Harry's girls. "See," Harry said, "Wands out ladies - Not you Carla."

"You're letting them use wands still," Carla asked in surprise.

"Don't make out like you didn't either," Harry said.

He walked off to the side, "Right - The room is protected for duelling, no unforgivable curses. Other than that, it is free for all, so - Attack her."

"What all of us," Susan asked.

Harry nodded, "Together if you want any sort of chance."

They all looked at each other; meanwhile Carla had not even moved.

They drew their wands, "On three," Harry said. Then counted them down, "One!" he said and all of them cast on top of each other.

Carla moved to the side slightly the first two jinxes missing her completely. Then she dodged down under another one and moved towards her attackers.

In less than a second, it was over and there was a groaning heap of girls. Carla standing leaned back against the desk just as she had been before with not a hair out of place. Harry waited for them to rouse themselves and shook his head at them. "That was pitiful," Carla said.

"I've not started training them yet," Harry defended them slightly.

"OW," Pansy said with emphasis.

"That was amazing," Luna said with a smile, "I hardly saw you move," she added to Carla in particular.

Carla smiled at her.

"Okay, we get the point she can fight," Daphne said rubbing her backside.

"Yes she can, but more importantly she can think," Harry said. "Now, we touched on wands. We will not be using them from this point on in training. Don't even bring them"

"No magic," Susan asked.

"I didn't say that now did I," Harry said. "For the start no there won't be much magic, but we will come back to it. It is after all a most useful tool. So learning how to do it without a wand, which can be taken away, would be useful do you not think? Please also note that Carla didn't draw a wand."

"You don't have one," Ginny asked curiously. Carla was inside Hogwarts so she obviously was not a Muggle.

Carla shook her head, Harry in turn laughed. She shot him a look so he moved to her and began to run his hands over her body, which caused her to smile seductively, but otherwise she did not react. Then his hand went into her top and came out with a tiny almost match sized piece of wood. "A wand," he said twirling it in his fingers. "A very special wand, but a wand nonetheless, Getting Lazy Carla?" he asked.

"Was hoping you'd go looking for it actually," she purred.

He smirked and it suddenly exploded into azure flame. Harry smirked at her, Carla for her part looked a little disappointed at his lack of reaction. "Nice try," Harry commented.

"One day," she said.

"You may wonder why Carla would... heh... booby trap that wand," Harry said. "Carla hates my guts don't you Carla."

"Why would she hate you," Hermione asked. It did not look like she hated Harry to her.

"Because of the training, you will all hate me when I'm done with you," Harry said his expression slightly sad.

"For a change he's wrong," Carla said surprising them all. "I may be looking to trip him up, but purely because it's a challenge to do. I do not hate James. I love James almost as much as I love my husband and I always will. You will learn what an utter bastard he truly can be. However, after you are bruised and hurt from a day's training, it will be him that makes you all better. After he has torn down your emotions and laid you bare before him, you will revile the sight of him. Then he will smile and put you back a million time stronger than you had ever dreamed of being. You cannot hate the man - it is not possible. Not with any lasting effect at least. You can only love him for being what he is."

"What is he," Pansy wanted to know.

"The best," Carla answered simply.

Hermione was looking at her in surprise that was the most she had ever heard Carla say and she was showing an emotion other than amusement for the first time in her presence. Harry was looking a little shocked himself Hermione noticed. Apparently, he had honestly thought she hated him for whatever he had done during training.

Harry shook himself off, "You'll be able to talk to Carla shortly. In a minute, I have someone else to introduce but a little history and, this is the biggie. Some information," He smiled, "This is where you make your oaths, or walk out that door."

There was a pause and then five female voices speaking an Oath. An almost blinding flash followed and it was done. Harry now had their magic in his hands. Hermione had even repeated her oath.

"You two as well," Harry said, "And you will get a few of your questions answered as well."

Carla nodded, and a white flash came from to her left, then from her after she had spoken her oath. Thanks to her Jack had been able to make a binding oath as well, though not on his magic.

The first flash was a bit mystifying to the girls, though as there did not appear to be anyone there.

"I feel it fair to say I'm the jealous type." Carla dropped the seemingly nonsensical sentence in.

Harry waved a hand at her left. Five teenage girls breathed in as Jack was revealed to their suddenly interested gazes. "Intro first then," Harry said, "This is Jack, Carla's husband of many years and another student of mine." Harry told them. "I'd give you their last names but they change them so often it's honestly not worth it."

"Hi," Jack said with a smile that made several pairs of knees spontaneously part.

"He is as you can tell from America," Harry said, "But I try not to hold that against him."

Jack glared at him.

"I met Carla first about 20 years ago. She was fresh out of school and had caught my eye."

"He actually saved my life for the first time that night," Carla inserted.

Harry shrugged. "That's hardly important," Harry said. "I've saved your life countless times," he added with a smile.

Carla rolled her eyes, "If only that weren't true," she sighed.

"I took her under my wing... what?" Harry cut himself off when he saw Luna's hand in the air.

"20 Years ago," she asked. She was not the only one that was looking curious, but being who she was it was she that had asked.

"I suppose I had better back track a bit," Harry said.

"You think," Jack drawled laconically.

"Here is where you two find out some of my secrets," he said dropping the 'James' Look.

"Holy shit," Jack sputtered.

Carla just smiled and nodded.

"Urh... why is Jack looking at you like that?"

Harry smirked, "I think it's a homoerotic thing," he said with a straight face.

"But how, you weren't even born," Jack sputtered some more.

"Jack has just been allowed to see the real me." Harry explained, "To certain people I look completely different. He thought you calling me Harry was some sort of cover. He's very pretty but not very bright." Harry told them, tongue in cheek.

"Watch it kid- that doesn't really feel right," Jack said.

Carla laughed. "I knew your bloody parents," she said, "Not very well but at no point did I think to myself. Oh I'm going to spend two weeks in Venice getting my brains fucked out by your offspring!"

Jack growled, ignored by everyone for a change rather than just Carla and Harry.

Harry shot her a smile and shrugged.

"If you were around back then did you meet your parents in the end," Ginny asked softly.

Harry paused and shook his head, "Personal destiny, it was hard, but I didn't tell them a damn thing. Since I knew I would not be able to resist I stayed away. I saw them from afar, but... I didn't meet them."

"I'm sorry," Ginny said softly.

Harry shrugged. "Now you're probably curious to know how I managed this. I have a friend. He is without doubt the smartest man I have ever met and one of the oldest too. His name is The Doctor."

Hermione knew all this, she was virtually hoping in her seat to find out something new.

"He has a... device, a bit like a time turner only infinitely more complex and powerful. I travelled with him all over the place, occasionally being dropped off and spending some time in whatever time that was. One such occasion was 20 years ago, when I met Carla. I have picked up a few things around the place and saw that she was a perfect student to learn some of these things. Later came Jack, mostly via Carla herself. She fell in love with him for some reason that's beyond me," Harry said with a smirk.

Jack just poked out his tongue and laughed.

"Despite my - past with Carla we became friends ... after a fashion... Now Jack was already working the trade but I decided he was woefully lacking in training so I took him on as well."

"Trade," Daphne asked.

"Spy's doll," Jack put in. "We're Spooks"

Susan opened and closed her mouth a few times, "Harry- is an urm - Spook?"

"Not exactly," Harry said.

Jack laughed, seeing some revenge opportunity he said, "He is not being truthful there. He is THE spook in certain areas of our craft. He and I come to think of it, do not really do the killing thing. Nor Carla either, We are more interested in information. Buying, selling and exchanging information is our stock in trade."

Harry nodded, "It was something to do," he said with a shrug. "Turns out I'm quite good at it."

Carla snorted but remained silent, watching with interest. She and Jack knew OF the Doctor he was well known in certain circles. There was special branch of the government devoted to him in fact. Therefore, that was not too much of a shock and she had twigged his identity a while ago, though since he had come clean it was the perfect opportunity to tell him off slightly. It was one of the few things she had not shared with her husband though, thus his surprise. After all, she had not been sure.

"But I didn't just train Carla how to deal in information or anything so mundane. I helped her to become highly dangerous and successful in whatever she chose to be. This is what I am going to train you to be able to do. Carla and Jack, they can fit into whatever they want, blend in and speak about a host of subjects. With or without magic they are highly dangerous."

"So Jack is the most dangerous person here then, thus the second for Carla," Ginny asked.

"No Jack is third."

"Oh it's Professor Dumbledore," Daphne said in a 'doh!' voice.

Carla made a PFFT sound and laughed.

"Not Dumbledore," Pansy said frowning. "Dumbledore is a most powerful wizard; some compare him to Merlin himself."

It was Harry's turn to go Pfft and laugh.

"What?"

"Having met the crotchety old bastard I can say without shadow of a doubt that Dumbledore is but a new born babe compared to Merlin."

There was silence from all. "You've met Merlin," Carla asked, since she was a witch it had been drummed into her over the years that Merlin was the farther of their kind.

"Uh huh, The Doc was curious so we did a bit of a tour of magical people of history. Merlin was the first we went to have a look at," Harry filled in.

Pansy smirked, "I suppose you've met the founders as well," she said with a half smile.

"Godric was VERY funny, completely obsessed with skirt but very funny. Salazar was actually not the snake in the grass bastard he is made out to be he was bloody intelligent though. He and Godric were friends until they had a bit of a falling out over a chambermaid... from there things got nasty and escalated. Sorry Susan but Helga was a bit of a drip, a very loyal drip, but a drip. Rowena, well... SERIOUS babe and wild with it." Harry smiled in memory, "Wow is the word actually. She was scarily smart though scarily smart."

There was a resounding silence, "ANY way," Hermione said giving herself a shake. "So obviously you don't rank Dumbledore very highly so... Who is it?"

"Bare with them," Harry said to Carla and Jack, "It'll come. I didn't pick them for their looks, despite the fact they're all gorgeous."

"You," Pansy suddenly said with a smirk, "Are more dangerous than anyone in the school?" her voice holding a hint of amusement.

"Without doubt," Jack and Carla said at the same time.

Harry smirked, "They do that a lot you get used to it."

"We do," they said together again. "And you will" they finished at the same time.

"I mean Harry I know you said you can train us and I'm sure you're good. But I've seen you fight before," Pansy said. "I figured it would be mostly some sort of mental training."

Carla laughed aloud this time, "Oh I wish it had been just that, which is only a part of it. A big part for sure but..." she waived at Harry.

"Mind and body in concert," he filled in with Carla and Jack mouthing along with him. It was obviously something he had drilled into them.

"You've seen me fight before I went away," Harry said. "I'm actually a lot older than I look." Harry said. "I haven't aged despite the fact I have actually spent...about, well a while, travelling."

"By my calculations you are about 32," Hermione said in carefully.

"No, I'm 17m" Harry reminded her.

"In time spent alive at this point you are," Daphne said trailing off in a fill in the blanks kind of way."

Harry smiled, "Not saying," he said with a smirk. "I said I'd do a reveal and tell you nearly everything. I did not say EVERYTHING. Needless to say, I'm older than I look, but at the same time I am 17 in most things."

That confused everyone present but they also knew it was all they were going to get now.

Harry smirked at their annoyed expressions.

"So why don't you age," Luna asked.

"I interrupted a spell; it stops me from ageing mostly. I'm hoping that since that was done in the future that since Voldemort is dead the spell will not come to pass and thus a Paradox will be created and it will resolve with me being back to normal," Harry said, though even he looked doubtful. "In fact I do age, but very, very slowly."

"So all this experience is why you were able to," Ginny trailed off.

"Oh, I was wondering that myself," Luna put in.

"Yes," Harry said simply. The others were obviously curious about what they were speaking but then he added, "I've picked up a few tricks in my life time including various branches of magic. I know more about most subjects taught here than the teachers. Also a LOT more about a few esoteric subjects I have picked up."

Carla smiled seductively, "Like sex magic," she said her voice honeyed.

Jack glared at them both, which caused them both to chuckle at him.

This piece of information did pique the interest of more than one witch, though. It also explained a lot for Ginny and Luna who had both been on the receiving end of some of that voodoo that Harry apparently did so well.

"Right a quick bit of good news bad news for you," Harry said, "I can use a method I've picked up to essentially dump a LOT of information and knowledge into your heads."

"Which hurts like a bitch," Jack and Carla said, again together.

"Afterwards you'll be out for a while, so we'll do it tomorrow morning so you won't be missed too much," Harry said.

Carla looked at him in interest. "I've perfected the technique since I used it on you and Jack," Harry said off her look. "They'll be out a day at most."

"You'll have the migraine to end all migraines afterwards though," Jack told them.

"Yes, that I've not been able to get rid of," Harry admitted. "I think it's mostly feedback and the mind working over time to integrate the information."

"So that sounds bad, but as bad news goes it's not too bad," Susan said with a slight smile of relief.

Harry chuckled, "That wasn't the bad news. I cannot just give you everything. Even if I could, I would not. Some things have to be learned and others you will have to practice. That will be when you learn to hate me," he said with a wicked smile on his face. Then he looked at Pansy. "The process will totally short out your little trick by the way." he told her.

She looked panicked at that announcement.

Carla leaned into Harry and said, "What trick?"

"I'll tell you later." Harry said, "If she doesn't show you first."

Carla leaned back into her husband.

"Urh... What trick," Susan asked.

Pansy sighed, "This is very difficult for me you understand," she said.

Harry smiled. "It's time to stop hiding Pansy. If we are to be successful, you need everything you have at your disposal. I am impressed I really am, I was not lying about that. Nevertheless, at the same time, it has become a crutch, and its best you remove it yourself. Or I will kick it out from under you."

She sighed again.

"I know it's there," Daphne said, "But even I don't know what you look like for real."

Pansy glared at her.

"Oh," Hermione said, "I get it now."

"Took you long enough," Harry commented with a mocking smile.

Hermione stuck out her tongue at him.

"I'm still not sure what you all mean," Luna said.

"I'm under glamour," Pansy said. Breathing a little hard, oddly enough this helped her realise that Harry was right. This fear was because it was a safety net. She feared peoples reactions at the real her.

"So what do you look like?" Susan found herself asking.

"From Harry's various reactions to our jokes," Ginny put in, "This should be interesting."

Pansy took a deep breath, "I erh..."

Harry rolled his eyes and waved a hand at her. Her glamour dropped and she completely changed. Her hair, somewhat lank then turned silken and full. Her face filled out a bit, her nose straightened and Her eyes were changed in color to a silvery grey. Her lips filled out and her figure took on more womanly curves. She actually shrank in height slightly but her legs seemed to grow a bit. Sat in the place of the 'Pug faced girl' was a complete babe. She smiled shyly at them all; a little worried about their silence.

Daphne took in a breath, "I'm completely straight you know that right?"

Pansy nodded in a bemused way, this was not what she had expected.

"So you will understand me when I say I would sleep with you in a heartbeat," Daphne finished.

"Now there's a pleasant thought," Harry commented causing Jack to chuckle, only to be elbowed in the ribs by Carla.

"Me too," Hermione said then blushed.

"You're very attractive," Luna told her, "Why would you hide that?"

"At first it was because I wanted to be liked for myself, not picked out as some sort of heifer for future breeding," Pansy began slowly. "Then later I was hiding from Draco, and Harry was right it became something I leaned on. So, this is going to be very hard."

"We'll be here for you," Harry told her. Despite the animosity shared, even Hermione voiced her agreement.

"I think you're very brave to do this," Ginny told her, "To be honest that surprises me."

Pansy laughed, since Ginny had said it with a bit of a comical leaning.

Carla looked at Harry, "Interestingly enough and I think I should tell you this now. Harry is a sneaky son of a bitch at times," she told them all, "There is no way his process would short out glamour."

Harry smiled devilishly, "Actually if she hadn't have basically taken it down herself, it would've I assure you."

Pansy glared at him.

"You know Pansy, can I be the first to tell you something," Harry said.

Pansy frowned in confusion and then nodded, wondering what he was going to say.

"You're really beautiful when you're angry," he said a charming smile crossing his face.

She blushed slightly as it had been a LONG time since she had gotten that sort of compliment, I.e. One about her looks.

Ginny suddenly laughed, "Fred and George will be SO jealous," she said off their looks. "You've pranked the entire school and you've been doing it for six years," she said cackling with glee.

Carla laughed gaily, and then stumbled slightly.

To the younger girls in the room it was nothing of note. To Jack and Harry it was of Armageddon proportions.

"Carla," Harry asked.

She turned to him and opened her mouth, then promptly fainted. Jack caught her before she had travelled more than an inch, pulling her up into his arms. Now there was a general sense of concern, but from Jack and Harry there was real alarm. Harry called on the room to change the desk into a bed, "Put her there mate," he said, moving towards her.

"Shall I get the school nurse," Hermione said, not entirely sure if she should being that Carla was not supposed to be there.

Harry shook his head, "I'll take a look at her, and then we'll figure out what to do." With that, he leaned over her, his hand on her forehead and closing his eyes.

Jack watched him with worry on his handsome features.

"Hmmm," Harry said after a moment, "That's very strange."

"What, what is it," Jack said.

Pansy etc turned to each other, wondering at their extreme reaction. Despite his Worry Jack noticed this and inserted, "Carla is the most composed person in the world. She never stumbles she never falters and She Does Not Faint."

Harry frowned, "Hello what's this," he asked himself. Suddenly the room actually flickered, his eyes snapped open and in a blur, he had Jack up against the wall. Lifting the larger man off his feet and into the air, "What. The. Fuck." he growled.

The girls looked at this in shock for several reasons. One Harry was radiating power like a power plant, two he was holding a six-foot plus man several inches off the ground with no sign of effort. Lastly, they had no idea why he was so angry. "Is. That. Doing. In. Her." Harry finished grinding out.

Jack looked confused for a second then he realised what Harry had seen. "Look, we didn't have a choice really."

Harry suddenly dropped him, "You have one two," he snapped angrily. "What did I teach you two, anything at all," he asked angrily, walking back to Carla.

"We're retiring," Jack said, trying to remain calm. He was not angry with Harry for his reaction, but he was worried for his wife. Worried that their decision cost them more than they had thought.

"This is our last job we're doing this weekend. It is a massive payoff, but the client is paranoid. We talked it over and decided that just this final time it was worth the risk."

"What risk," Luna asked.

Harry glanced at her, and then looked at Jack. "Tell them, they're here to learn. I need to concentrate."

"First, is that what is wrong," Jack said, his eyes holding his heart in them as he looked at his wife.

"Not a lot is wrong at the moment, in fact something is quite right" Harry said a smile coming to his face, he looked at Jack, "Daddy... again."

Jack looked pleased, then utterly horrified.

Harry frowned, "Urh... What's the matter?"

"Jason, our youngest" Jack began, "There were complications with the pregnancy and more during birth. We have been to the best both sides of the line and… Carla can't have any more children or she has a high probability of dying," he said ashen.

"Well this keeps getting better and better" Harry commented calmly. He hand one Carla's stomach now. "Baby is... heh, Female," Harry said.

Jack's eyes widened at that.

"Oh..." Harry said smiling again, "magical too."

Jack looked stunned, their other three children, all male, were what was known in the states as Norms, or Mundane's. In the UK, they were called Muggle's, in other words they were not in the least magical, other than the way all children tend to be. It was a cruel twist of fate that he had a daughter and a witch in the same ill-fated package. He hardened his heart and said, "Can you terminate?"

Pansy gasped, "That's barbaric," she spat.

Jack glared at her, his stare pinning her.

Harry reached out, "It's different for the pure bloods here. Children are rare, very rare. She can't currently understand."

Hermione looked utterly fascinated by this little bit of information.

"Besides," Harry said, "I won't do that. It is aware, surprisingly so actually considering it is a little young. I'd say she was about 2 and a half months gone so as I said very early."

Jack looked pained, "But..." he said looking forlorn.

"Go tell them about the box," Harry ordered him. To everyone's surprise, including Harry's, Jack in a slight fugue state reacted to his old tutor.

Jack turned to the girls. "It's like this," he began as Harry turned back to Carla. "Some clients are more paranoid than others, less trusting of reputations. They demand insurance to that end there is a magical doohickey called simply The Box. It's not actually a bad thing."

Harry snorted.

Jack ignored him, "But it has its dangers."

"What's it do," Daphne asked.

"It's three fold," Jack said forcing himself not to turn around. "First level is a mild compunction spell that ensures loyalty to the client."

"Which doesn't work on some people," Harry said.

"It doesn't work on Carla or me."

"Whys that," Susan asked.

"Harry's training," Jack said simply. "The spell itself works a little like Veritiserum. In that it affects the unconscious mind."

"Veritiserum is a little more complex than that," Hermione said, "It firstly makes somewhat pliant and then renders their ability to lie ineffective to say the least."

"Which all works subconsciously," Harry said backing up Jack, "and thus, can of course be combated."

"You cannot resist Veritiserum," Hermione argued.

Jack shook his head, "To a properly trained person it's not that hard. Firstly, your mind is under your control and your subconscious mind can be trained to ignore that effect. It's that same ability that renders the Box's first level ineffective on people Harry has trained." Jack told her. "I'll come back to the serum in a minute. If that first level does not work, there is the second, which is essentially a threat - of- death. If you renege on the contract the Box will be activated."

"What happens then," Pansy asked.

"It explodes in a magical explosion that's powerful enough to take off your head." Jack said. "Thirdly, it is linked to your magic so if you try to tamper with it, it will go boom."

"Oh god," Hermione said.

"Who put this in a retarded ape," Harry said suddenly, then looked up, "Go on; tell them about Veritiserum some more."

"Harry..." Jack said warningly.

"I need to check her chakra's Jack... possibly all of them. You don't want to watch me touching your wife dangerously close to her..."

Jack held up a hand, "Fine!" he snapped and turned back to his impromptu class. "Hermione was dead on as to how Veritiserum works. It makes you plaint to suggestion and stops you from being able to lie. Firstly, strengthening you mind will allow you to stop any attack on it, chemical or otherwise and Harry can teach you that. He even taught me to resist it."

"Why is that significant," Ginny asked.

"Oh, you didn't tell them," he asked Harry turning, and then snapping back when he saw Harry's hand heading south. "I'm not a wizard. I am a Norm- erh that is what we call Muggles in America. That or Mundane's. Honestly when someone calls me a Muggle I generally either laugh in their face, or punch the same."

"Oh for fucks sake," Harry said with a growl.

Jack ignored him this time. "Before you ask, I've been taught to see through anti Muggle wards and the repelling charms are mildly annoying. All part of the mental training Harry will give you. He had to do some special stuff with me for the magical stuff." He said an expression coming to his face that was a cross between a grimace and smirk, "However, most of the mental training is not in fact magical. Asian teachings or something, I did not care to remember the exact details. I am just happy it works. Other mundane chemical methods of extracting information are also largely useless once you have control."

"Okay, so what about the not lying thing," Luna asked.

Jack smiled, "Not found a way to directly combat that. It is more of an indirect approach. Without the pliancy making you answer the questions asked of you. Well you can have some fun actually leading the interrogator around the garden path, telling him the absolute truth about... oh... trees, or that dog you had when you were eight. The color of your first bike," Jack smiled again, "You get the idea. You answer a question of your own choosing. Pure mental discipline helps you to pick the right questions to answer, ones that seem like answers to the question you were asked, with a 45 degree tilt on them."

"She's not going to be able to do the mission," Harry said, "I can help with the pregnancy, but and you're not going to like this. She is going to have to stay close. Very close, because I'm going to have to pour power into her about twice a day."

Jack nodded, "Okay. I can do the mission alone."

"I'm taking the box out of you," Harry said with a glare. "Bloody stupid sods, their... integration with your magic totally throws the balance out of whack. It is not affecting you obviously. However, because Carla is both pregnant and a witch of some power, it has totally unbalanced her, the baby is not harmed. However, it has been... woken up. That could have some... odd ... side effects."

"Like what?"

"I have no idea right now. When magic is involved with biology, things get screwy. Throw in a pregnant woman and you're in for it," Harry said, smirking slightly. Then he got serious. "Once you have completed your contract, we will be searching for the ... QUACK that put this into her and having... a word about proper medical procedure."

Jack looked deadly as he nodded with an intense look. "It's their fault?"

"Yes" Harry said simply, "And you both hold some blame. I warned you off these things for a reason Jack. They can turn people into Zombies. The client uses them to be able to trust. However, why the fuck would you trust the client to remove it afterwards? They have, in most cases, an utterly loyal operative all of a sudden. What price is that worth do you think?"

Jack nodded in understanding. "It was a calculated risk, Carla and I thought it worth the risk. The client is reputable, just paranoid."

"There are still coming out. Unfortunately, I am not sure I can extract it from Carla without causing even MORE complications. But it's out of you before you leave here tonight."

Jack nodded. "How are we going to keep her close to you though?"

Harry reached into his pocket. Then tossed a set of keys at Jack, "My apartment, Take her there after I'm done with you and I'll meet you there in the morning. When do you have to leave?"

"Tomorrow night we have a flight out on the red eye."

Harry nodded. "Right" he said turning to the girls, "Let this be a lesson to you."

Jack rolled his eyes, "Trust in James- sorry Harry"

Harry smirked but nodded. "Basically what I was going to say."

Then he laughed, "Phew, what an eventful evening this is" he said grinning.

After a little wrapping up, he extracted Jack's Box, and sent him on his way with a cloaked and floating Carla and dismissed his new students. Stopping Pansy on the way out he said, "For tonight Pansy I'd turn the glamour back on. Which no doubt you would have done, but tomorrow I will remove the ability to turn it on. That is, if you want to do this."

Pansy smiled, with was a quite staggering thing to see when she was being herself. It was almost impish with an undertone of sexy. "You make convincing arguments but to be honest it was what Carla did to us that convinced me that I want this."

"She kicked your arse," Harry commented with a wry smile.

"Exactly, and she didn't raise a sweat taking out 5 armed and trained witches. She did not use magic and she looked amazing still afterwards. If you can teach us to do that," she smiled that smile again, "I'm in."

Harry let her arm go, chuckled and watched her leave with a glint in his eye.

Then, he was finally alone. He leaned back on the bed and let out a sigh. That had been more intense than he had thought it would be. Lot's of things had come out and he had found out someone he still loved was very sick. Not the most auspicious of starts but it had apparently made an impression on his students to be. He was proud of the way they had automatically backed up Pansy when she had done her own reveal. He was also proud of some of the questions asked. In addition, it was interesting to note that many of the more 'intelligent' questions had come not from Hermione, but from Daphne. This just meant he was as an accurate judge of character as he had hoped.