Disclaimer :We don't own it!
A/N: Still tweaking :D
Chapter – 9
Training Begins
Harry groaned in his sleep before slowly opening his eyes. 'Why I am up earlier than usual?' He thought grouchily.
"Darkness is waking up and while it does, blackness rubs off. On the horizon yellow rays of the sun claw their way upwards. Its warmth covers the grass, covers the leaves of every tree. Night has fled, but no one cares, because a new day is here."
"What?" Harry wondered aloud. "Darkness waking up? Warmth covers the grass?"
"Each morning sees some task begin, each evening sees it close; something attempted, something done, has earned a night's repose."
"Ok…. I think I am going crazy! I'm hearing voices in my head! Wait…. Voices? Or maybe a voice?"
Harry stood up and went in to the common room. There, sitting by the fire, writing something was Hermione.
"Hermione! What the bloody hell are you doing, up so early?" Harry hollered from the door.
Hermione was taken aback. "Early Harry? It's five in the morning!"
"Exactly! Who wakes up's at five!"
Hermione smiled fondly at him. All this war and fighting evil dark lords often made her forget how young they were. Harry, for all intent and purpose was still just a teenage boy. Suddenly she was reminded of her other best friend. She was sad that Ron couldn't be part of their new daring adventure. Seeing the melancholy look on her face, Harry asked cautiously.
"Are you alright, Mia? You look sad"
"I was just thinking about Ron. It feels weird to do something without him with us"
"I know Mia, but think of it, if he has to train with us without any special powers of his own, how let down and maybe even a little jealous he would be? Besides he is still weak from Lestrange's curse."
On mentioning Lestrange, both of them stiffened. The over whelming grief that was usually present when talking about Sirius was curiously absent but there was still that burning hatred for his killer.
Hermione started doodling in corner. She suddenly felt shy in the face of Harry's probing eyes.
"What are you writing there, Mia?"
"Oh this…. It's just my journal. "
"That was your journal? Holy mother of Merlin! I can't believe you write your journal so….so…. ugh… I can't even find a word for it"
"Harry!" Hermione looked scandalized and hurt.
"I had nothing to do with that!" Harry immediately said.
"Nothing to do with what?"
"Ah… the reason you are angry with me?"
"Oh Harry…." She smiled at him exasperatedly. He and Ron usually had a range of excuses that they always threw at her. Though, she was happy to know that there was something of him left, even after another tragedy.
"When did you read my journal?"
Harry visibly relaxed hearing the matter.
"Oh that…. I heard you"
"Heard me? You mean in your mind?"
Yes
Harry's mouth remained close yet she heard him as clearly as day.
"Does that mean we can talk telepathically and read each other's mind accidently?"
Yup I think so
Suddenly an image of a ring flew through his mind. It was so sudden that he blinked his eyes, wondering if it was real.
"What was that?"
Hermione flushed red.
"Um…um nothing!" she said quickly, too quickly.
Harry's eyes narrowed with suspicion. Suddenly he remembered something.
"Hey what did Helga meant about you needing to tell me something?"
"I…. that is…. Harry" Suddenly tears welled up in her eyes. Harry was bewildered by this turn of events. He was NOT good with crying women.
"Mia…. Mione what's wrong?"
Hermione tried controlling her tears. It was just still painful. But she decided that if Harry was to know about this it was going to be from her mouth, not accidently from her mind.
Know what Hermione?
This,
Hermione pulled at the chain hanging around her neck. Harry's eyes widened at the sight of the ring. It shined brightly in sunlight, the emerald casting a green glow over Hermione's sad, pain filled face. No boon was enough to erase a pain so deep ingrained.
"You were engaged." Harry whispered brokenly. It was not a question. He knew in his mind it was true.
"He wanted to ask you. He considers…. Considered you and Ron my legal guardians in the wizarding world." She smiled sadly at the memory.
"Sirius….. Stop! Stop tickling me"
"Now you will think twice before blackmailing me with bat bogey!" Sirius said, smiling wolfishly down at her. Hermione mock pouted and swatted his shoulder.
"You are such a boy."
Sirius caught her hand and gazed reverently down at the ring on her finger. It was made so that only both of them could see it. Hermione smiled fondly at him and caressed his cheeks
"I have never been so happy Sirius." she whispered at him.
Suddenly Sirius's smiled vanished.
"I just wish I could have asked Harry and Ron before proposing you. They are all you have in this wizarding world. For all intents and purpose, they might be even your legal guardians in wizarding world."
"Sirius…. They are my age!"
"Age is not a factor. They care for you. You are their sister in all but blood. Especially Harry. For Ron, Weasleys comes first. But for Harry you are the only family aside from me."
"One day we will tell them Sirius. When this war is over, when we are all free, we will tell them"
Sirius smiled at down at her. His eyes looked bright and happy.
He was happy.
Hermione was shaken up from her reverie when Harry's voice intruded her memory.
"You saw?"
"Yes Mia. You two really loved each other. Didn't you? I have never seen Sirius this happy before. You too. I just wish…."
Harry took her in a gentle hug. It was for her as well as him. They stayed like that for a few moments. It was silent except for merry crackling of fire.
It was almost seven when they turned up in the great hall. The house tables were removed in favor of a large round table. Dumbledore, Snape and McGonagall were seated and were having breakfast. Snape had a Daily Prophet in his hand abut Dumbledore and McGonagall were talking quietly. Dumbledore looked up when they entered.
"Harry my boy, and Hermione! Did you both sleep well?"
"Of course Prof Dumbledore" Harry replied.
"Good morning Headmaster, Prof McGonagall, Prof Snape." Hermione said. McGonagall smiled at her and Harry while Snape looked up enough to nod at her, ignoring Harry altogether. Harry, it seemed was happy with this turn of events.
"Come on dears, have breakfast. You have a long day ahead of you." Dumbledore told them jovially.
They ate their food discussing the current political atmosphere. Everything seemed grim after Voldemort's appearance in the ministry. When they finished eating, Dumbledore asked them to join him in his office.
"Now, Hermione, Harry, tell me about the powers you were granted yesterday."
So they did. Their three professors listened with rapt attention. They didn't talk about their tests. Just what happened afterwards. Dumbledore didn't ask them to reveal what happened downstairs. Even Snape seemed impressed with the extent of their powers.
"So you are telling me that Harry has the powers of healing and teleportation and Hermione have the powers of empathy and a gift of tongues and plant manipulation?"
"In addition to our animagus forms, mind magics and telepathy, yes sir" Hermione said.
"Ok then, we don't have time to delay. Professor McGonagall will assist you in your animagus transformations, and I will personally teach you legilimency and occlumency."
"What about others?" Harry asked.
"Professor Snape will help Hermione in her powers, since he himself is an elemental and Madame Pomfrey will help in your healing powers."
"What about Harry's teleportation abilities?" Hermione asked.
"I will teach him that" Professor Dumbledore replied.
"Also you will have physical defense classes with professor Snape."
"Why him?" Asked Harry disdainfully.
"I have been spying before you said your first words Potter. I have to have some skills up my ace. And you will be pleased to know you will also have additional potions classes with me like every other classes you will have with other teachers'."
Harry looked angry and skeptical but before he could say anything, Hermione cut him off.
"Professor, not that am complaining, but why do we need to study all this, if we are to go back in time?"
"Hermione, never underestimate Tom. He is not so easy to snare. If you even have to grab his attention, you should be extraordinary. And that is why you will have these classes."
Hermione was satisfied with the answer. Harry still looked a bit grouch. But decided to say nothing. Dumbledore surveyed them over his half-moon spectacles.
"If you have nothing else to ask, you may accompany Prof Snape to the RoR. You need a good amount of exercise before you are ready to study anything. Good luck my dears."
Prof Snape stood up with a flourish, and without looking at both of them, started towards the door, his robes billowing behind him. Hermione and Harry jumped up and said good bye hastily to the other occupants of the room and scrambled to catch up with Snape.
McGonagall looked at them wearily and when the door closed turned towards Dumbledore.
"Albus, there is something you are hiding from them. I know Tom. I have studied with him. Their unexplained appearance would be big enough to capture his attention. And they are a very formidable pair even now. Why do you want them to train for war? And I know that's what Severus is going to teach them."
"Minerva, I'm afraid they are just going from a war to another. Just like Voldemort has deatheaters in Hogwarts, Grindelwald has his clan too. If he came to know some students have enrolled in the school, saying they have ran off because of him, he would want to know why they were lying. It is best to be prepared." Dumbledore's face shown how much this decision has pained and cost him. He sighed dejectedly.
"But Albus that is so wrong. You can't just send them off to fight another war when they also have to stop another dark lord from rising!"
"I have to Minerva. I have got no other choice."
"But they won't have any friends there, like they have here. No one to help them. They will be all alone."
"They will have each other and, as you said Minerva, they are a very formidable pair."
AN: Ok we are not even going to ask sorry! But reviews are appreciated :D