Author's Note:
First, thanks to everyone who has reviewed. I do appreciate it.
To answer MizuSage : No, this isn't a rewrite or repost. It is an original, or at least as original as fanfiction can be. I've been reading a lot of HP fanfiction lately, and I was listening to the God Emperor of Dune audiobook. And this idea came to me. I knew sort of how I wanted the story to start, and I know how it ends. I just didn't know how it would go from the starting point to the end, so I decided to write it. That it would be similar to other works is not surprising. I try to keep everything as original as I can, but I'm sure my ideas are at least subconsciously affected by my reading of other's works.
Anyway, thanks to everyone who reads and follows and favorites my story. And I hope I won't disappoint anyone too badly.
Chapter 11
Harry roused from his meditations early in the morning and worked on his prana-bindu training, He held his arms forward and extended from his body. He stared at his hands, turning them slowly over and back and over and back. He let his mind relax even as he focused on his goal. It was a strange contradiction. He knew from the lessons and memories Leto shared with him that he needed to master this step before he could progress further. He grew frustrated at his failure, but he knew that many failed at this stage of training. He forced his frustration aside and let his mind relax again. He entered the beginning trance state and felt the familiar headache begin again. This was where he kept failing. His headache would worsen the more he tried to relax his mind. It would eventually hurt enough to break his relaxation and force him to abandon the attempt.
Harry sank deeper in his mind and felt the now familiar pain grow. He had always tried to ignore the pain and push on with his exercises. Today, he decided to try something different. He focused on the pain. Harry felt the pain and examined it. He let the pain flow and surrendered to it. His head began to ache. The pain grew. Harry let his body feel the pain but allowed his mind to separate from the pain. His body fell on the ground, rolling and screaming. But Harry no longer felt the pain. He studied his body dispassionately. He saw a flicker in his peripheral vision. He was no longer connected to his body in a way to allow him to actually see, but that his how his disconnected mind perceived the information it was receiving.
He looked around and saw himself standing on a featureless plain, flat and empty from horizon to horizon. The sky was flat and grey. He didn't see any source of light. Suddenly, he saw something flash. It seemed far away, but it didn't feel as if distance had any meaning here. It flashed again, and as he focused on the flash, it began to pulse. He moved toward the flash. Actually, he thought, it was more like he held still while the world moved around him. The flash drew close enough for Harry to see more detail. It was shaped like a lightning bolt. It flashed a pure silver light at its center, but it seemed to bleed a vicious black substance with every flash. Harry noticed his body flinch with every pulse. He felt a wave of pressure from the flash as it drew near. This must be the source of his pain. He acted without further thought.
He surrounded the flash with a cement wall. It was a prison wall like he had seen on television on one of the few times he had been allowed to watch with his cousin. It was tall and thick and sturdy. It was topped with rolls of barbed wire. His body relaxed as the flash was contained. Harry began to reconnect with his body, and the prison wall exploded. He felt the pain slam through his tortured nerves and almost lost consciousness.
Harry returned to the flash in his mind and dropped a mountain on it. The mountain erupted as a volcano. He dropped it in a sea, but the sea began to boil. He banished the sea and covered the flash with darkness. He made the darkness as thick and dense as he could. He allowed no trace of light to escape its depths. He felt victorious. The darkness was vanquished as a nova of light and pain flashed through his mind.
Harry tried time and again to contain the flash. He grew weary as time and again he failed. He was about to surrender when he had an idea. He grew a crystal in and on the ground around the flash. He grew the crystal with channels for the energy the flash released. The crystal spread and its complexity increased. He noticed his body arch in pain. His body clenched its fists and arched its back off the ground. The energy from the flash spread further into his mind through the crystal. Harry saw blackness in the horizon of his mind and knew his body would not last much longer. He began to fold the crystal. The energy from the flash dispersed from the crystal to the sky of his mind as he bent the crystal back on itself. The black horizon was closing fast, but Harry continued his work. He folded and twisted and grew the crystal until it reached the shape he planned. He sealed the crystal and watched in satisfaction as the energy of the flash flowed through the channels and returned to its source.
The flash pulsed angrily. Harry worried for a moment that he had miscalculated. The flash flared and pulsed brighter as the energy returned. More tainted energy slammed through the crystal, causing it to vibrate. Harry began to fear, but he remembered the mantra against fear Leto had taught him. He allowed his fear to pass through him, and he worked on strengthening the matrix he had built. He saw the silver white at the center of the flash turn red as the energy cycled back to its source. He wondered if that was good or bad. He sighed in relief as he noticed the flash react to its changing color by receding and diminishing. He smiled as he felt a sense of sullen anger pulse from the flash. It no longer felt dangerous. It felt like a childish tantrum. Harry laughed and returned to his body.
The pain and exhaustion slammed into his mind as he returned. His nerves were still firing sympathetically. His body convulsed and thrashed. The screams had torn his throat. His blood pounded through his veins as his heart thudded in his chest. He croaked out one word before he collapsed in blessed unconsciousness.
Dobby answered his master's summons. He found the Great Harry Potter Sir lying unconscious, covered in vomit flecked with blood. Dobby muttered to himself as he cleaned and healed his master to the best of his ability. He created a soft, comfortable bed in which he lovingly placed Harry's body. He prepared a hearty meal for when his master awoke.
Harry slept most of the day. He yawned and reached for his glasses upon awakening. He looked around, confused at his surroundings until his eyes fell on Dobby. "Harry Potter Sir is awake." Dobby said excitedly. "Dobby has your dinner ready."
"Thanks Dobby." Harry said and began to eat. "What time is it?" He questioned around mouthfuls.
"It be's time for dinner Harry Potter Sir."
"Is that a joke Dobby?" Harry smiled. He felt rather good for some reason. "This food is delicious, Dobby."
Dobby grinned widely. "Harry Potter Sir likes Dobby's joke?"
"Yes, Dobby. It was a great joke." Harry couldn't help enjoying that Dobby felt free enough to joke with him, even if it wasn't that good of a joke. "But I do need to know what time it is."
"It be's after five in the afternoon, Harry Potter Sir. The other students be's at dinner now. So Dobby is correct, Harry Potter Sir. It is time for dinner." Harry couldn't help but laugh at Dobby's antics, and Dobby soon joined him in laughter.
Harry finished his meal and left the bed. He asked Dobby for fresh clothing, and after donning the robes Dobby brought, he headed for the Gryffindor common room. He hoped Katie would be there. He had meant to ask her to the ball this morning. He would ask her now, he thought.
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Ron Weasley sat in the corner of the Gryffindor common room and brooded. His life had taken a dramatic turn for the worse this year. He was popular and sought after when the year started. He could always find someone who would play chess with him. When Hermione was being obstinate, he could find someone else to help with his homework. Seamus and Dean were always good for a laugh. He had even been able to get a girl or two to smile at him. And he had had a best mate to commiserate with when everything went to pot. But then Harry Bloody Potter entered the tournament and left his best friend behind. He thought Harry would come crawling back after everyone turned against him. But Hermione had sided with Harry, of course. And Neville had gone with her. He looked across the room and saw the pair quietly doing homework together. He sneered to himself. His fellow Gryffs had sided with him in believing Harry was lying about entering the tournament. But only Seamus and Dean had stayed with him as he sniped Harry about it. The rest of the school had understood that Harry's ego needed deflating. At least, Ron thought they did. But Harry had soon turned the enmity of the school into friendship. Now Harry was friends with Victor Krum and a hot veela, and Ron was barely able to get on a made up quidditch team. Ron sighed and tried to concentrate on the potions essay he was supposed to be writing.
Katie Bell sat next to Alicia and Angelina on a couch near the Gryffindor fireplace. Fred and George sat nearby. Katie sat quietly while the other four animatedly discussed the upcoming quidditch games. She wondered where Harry was. She marveled at the way Harry had changed this year. She liked the shy young man Harry had been. She really liked the composed confident young man Harry was becoming. But so did a lot of other girls. And Harry seemed to flirt with all of them. She wondered what he thought about her now. Did he regret being exclusive with her? He hadn't asked her to be on his quidditch team. He had explained that he thought she would want to be on a team with her fellow chasers. The rules they had decided on for quidditch meant that the house teams would have to split up. Even Fred and George were on a different team than the three chasers. But Harry hadn't even asked her. He just assumed. Then he went off with Hermione last night. Sure, he said they were just friends. But Harry hadn't come back last night. Katie had stayed up late, waiting for him. And he hadn't shown up for breakfast or lunch today. She glanced over at Hermione and Neville. She focused on Hermione's face. Hermione was pretty, she admitted to herself. And Hermione had seemed happy today. Probably happier than she should be with Harry not showing, Katie mused sourly.
Hermione was having a pleasant day. It had been difficult last night, but clearing the air with Harry had made her feel much better. She understood now why Harry has pushed her and Neville to study together. It had been a surprisingly good match, she thought. She was embarrassed at herself for writing Neville off as a possible friend. He was much smarter than she expected. And he was willing to work hard. She had greatly increased her understanding of several subjects by explaining them to Neville. And he had helped her a great deal with herbology and surprisingly, potions. Snape terrorizing him had really held him back in that subject. She found herself staring at Neville when his eyes met hers, and he blushed a bright red.
Neville met Hermione's eyes and felt himself blushing. He manages to stammer out a question though. "Hermione, will you go to the ball with me?" He spoke louder than he intended. He dropped his eyes and felt his heart stop. He couldn't believe he had asked her. Neither noticed the common room fall silent at overhearing Neville's question.
Hermione took Neville's hand and answered. "I'm sorry Neville. I already have a date."
Neville had raised his eyes hopefully when she took his hand, but he dropped his head again at her answer.
"I would have said yes Neville." Hermione continued. "But someone asked me last night."
Neville found his courage returning at Hermione's comforting words. "Who asked you Hermione?" He managed to ask with nothing but friendly curiosity in his voice.
It was Hermione's turn to flush a little in embarrassment. "I can't say. He asked me not to."
Ron snorted loudly. He could no longer contain himself. "Granger has a secret admirer? Riiight? Sorry, mate," he said turning to Neville. "She's trying to let you down easy."
Neville dropped his head and tried to pull his hand free from Hermione.
With all the drama, no one noticed Harry entering the common room. Harry looked around curiously, sensing the tension in the room.
Hermione held Neville's hand tight. "Don't listen to him Neville." She commanded. She lifted one hand to Neville's chin and raised his face up to meet hers. "I'm not lying Neville. I wouldn't do that to you. I did get asked to the ball last night, and I did accept. If I didn't already have a date, I would have been honored to go with you."
Neville brightened at Hermione's sincerity. "Thanks, Hermione. I hope you have fun at the ball. Do you know anyone else I could ask?" He finished hopefully.
Katie froze at Hermione's and Neville's conversation. She felt like her heart was breaking as she heard her worst fears confirmed. Hermione's secret beau was obviously Harry Potter, she thought. That's why he wasn't around today. He had asked Hermione last night, and he was too cowardly to talk to Katie about it. Katie grew angry as the realization sunk in. She wasn't just going to sit around and wait for the ponce to dump her. She interrupted Neville and Hermione before Hermione could answer Neville's last question. "I'll go with you Neville."
The small buzz of fellow Gryffindors trying to decide if Hermione's secret date was Harry Potter or not was shocked into silence at Katie's declaration. Even Ron was struck dumb. They all listened intently to hear Katie's answer after Neville managed a stammered "What about Harry?"
"I don't think Harry and I are together anymore, Neville." Katie's sad reply provoked the already stunned group of witnesses to a collective gasp. The unnatural stillness was broken by an inarticulate cry of loss from near the common room entrance. Everyone turned to see the door closing Harry's back as he stumbled out of the room.
Hermione was the first to recover. "What did you just do, Katie?" She asked in a horrified tone.
Katie felt a twinge of guilt at the sight of Harry fleeing, but Hermione's question restored her righteous anger. "Don't you start Granger." Katie said derisively. "You're the one who went behind my back and stole him from me to begin with."
"What?" Hermione could barely form a coherent thought with everything happening. "What are you talking about?"
"It's obvious Granger, that your 'secret' boyfriend is Harry." Katie's voiced dripped with disdain and fury. "And you two were too cowardly to tell me, forcing me to find out like this." Katie's voice choked off with a sob, the stress and sadness overwhelming her anger.
Hermione's brain was finally operating again as she understood Katie's accusation. "Oh, Katie, no." She breathed out as her hands rose to cover her mouth in shocked horror. "No, Katie, no." Hermione couldn't find the energy to speak any stronger than a loud whisper. Everyone leaned toward her as she spoke, enthralled by her words and tone. "Harry told me last night that he loved you Katie. He told me that he and I would be best friends, but he could never hurt you. I don't know what happened. He was going to ask you to the ball today. What happened?"
"He... What?..." Katie's voice choked as she realized what was happening. She leapt to her feet and ran out of the common room. She shouted for Harry as she went, but she couldn't see him anywhere. Hermione ran after Katie, and the common room exploded with the sound of speculation and wonder about what had just been witnessed.
Katie fell to her knees after running down several hallways. She couldn't hold back the tears any longer. "What did I do?" She mumbled to herself through the tears and sobs. She didn't notice as a pair of arms held her, helped her rise to her feet, and shepherded her into a nearby classroom.
Hermione pulled Katie into the classroom and transfigured a desk into a rough couch. She sat Katie down on the couch and then sat next to the crying girl and held her for awhile. She stroked Katie's back and whispered soft assurances. Eventually Katie calmed down and pulled back from her rescuer.
"Hermione?" The identity of her comforter surprised her.
"Yeah Katie." Hermione said with a wry smile. "Feeling better?"
"I just... Did I Just... do that to Harry?" Katie plead with her eyes for Hermione to deny her query.
'I'm afraid you did." Hermione answered with a sad sigh.
Katie began to cry again, but softly this time. "You said he told you he loves me?" She asked confused and hopeful.
"He did." Hermione told her. "He told you some about his childhood didn't he?"
Katie's tears dried as she wondered at Hermione's seeming non-sequitur. "Yes. He told me some of how he was treated."
"Did he tell you about his Aunt Petunia? About how she made him feel worthless? About how he could never earn love, affection, or even acceptance?"
"Yes." Katie said simply, seeing Hermione struggling with tears now.
"Harry told me that he loved me, but that my nagging reminded him too much of his Aunt for he and I to be together."
The self loathing in Hermione's voice was obvious, and Katie couldn't help but feel sympathy for her rival. She pulled Hermione into a hug. It was her turn to offer comfort. "I'm so sorry, Hermione." Katie whispered to the distraught girl.
"He said he loved you as much as he loved me. He said he could never hurt you." Hermione spoke in a monotone. She felt safe in Katie's arms. "He said we would be best friends, and he held me in his arms. I was so happy he loved me. So sad that I had hurt him. So jealous that he had you." Hermione fell silent for a bit before pulling back so she could look at Katie. "After a long hug, I went to the library." Katie couldn't help but smile at the girl's choice of refuge. "I pretended to read for awhile. I was so lost in self recrimination and so busy wondering what might have been, I didn't notice when Victor sat down next to me. He told me he noticed I was distraught and asked if there was anything he could do. I found myself telling him about Harry and I. Victor was a good listener. I felt better after some unburdening. After we talked for awhile, Victor confessed that he had wanted to ask me for a date, but he didn't want to hurt Harry by doing so. I didn't believe him at first. I mean, why would someone like him want to go out with someone like me." Hermione held up her hand to forestall Katie's objection. "I know. Self esteem issues, yeah?" Hermione said smiling. Katie couldn't help a small giggle at this. "So, Victor asked me to the ball, and I said yes. He said it would be fun to surprise everyone at the ball, so we agreed not to tell anyone who we were going with."
Katie couldn't help feeling stupid after hearing Hermione's story. The two talked late into the night. Both were grateful at making a new friend. Both were fearful about hurting Harry. Hermione confessed that Harry had been spending a lot of time alone in some secret place lately. She comforted Katie with how loving and forgiving Harry was. They returned to their beds hoping they would see Harry in the morning and be able to explain.
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Harry left the common room with no clear destination in mind. He just had to get away after Katie declared their relationship was over. He moved quickly, his head down, gaze fixed firmly on the stone floor. He angrily blinked tears from his eyes and berated himself for believing he could be happy. Lost in dark and dreary thoughts he found himself exiting the castle. He paused at the top of the stairs and wondered just where he was headed.
A hand took hold of Harry's shoulder and spun him around. An angry Fleur Delacour is certainly a sight to behold he thought. Fleur's face was flushed. Her hair flowed wildly about her head. Her eyes sparked a brilliant blue. And her chest heaved as she caught her breath. She really is beautiful. I wonder why she looks so angry? "Harry James Potter! What is wrong with you?" Fleur demanded. Still dazed, Harry reached out with one hand to capture a strand of Fleur's hair. "Your hair is very beautiful." He said simply. Fleur grabbed his hand and opened her mouth to castigate him, but she was stopped when she saw his eyes. She sighed and pulled his hand to her side. "Come." She commanded. "We must talk." With that she pulled him to the Beauxbatons carriage and to her room inside.
Harry followed Fleur without a murmur. On entering the carriage they passed through a comfortable looking common room. Harry hadn't noticed much detail. He had followed Fleur, his hand still held in hers, through the entry room and into a small hallway. She led him through a door a little way down the hall. The entered a small anteroom with a couple of nice chairs next to a small fireplace. Fleur led him to one of the chairs. She took the other chair and called for an elf to bring a tea service. After the elf left, Fleur prepared a cup of tea for Harry, placed it in his hands, and prepared a cup for herself. Then she sat back and sipped her tea.
Harry sat for a moment, blinked, and sipped the tea she had prepared for him. He looked at Fleur in surprise. "How did you know how I like it?"
"Welcome back 'Arry." Fleur said calmly. "I have seen you take tea often enough to note your tastes. Now, why did you nearly knock me over in the castle halls and continue on, taking no notice of my distress?" She arched an eyebrow at him and smiled when he blushed.
"I did that?... Oh, I did, didn't I?" Fleur remained quiet while Harry spoke half to himself. Then he looked at her. "I really sorry, Fleur."
She waved him off, and he took a mouthful of tea. "It is all right, 'Arry. You appear to have been under some distress yourself, no?"
Harry grimaced. "Yes, but I still shouldn't have bowled you over and ignored you."
"'Arry, we have become friends these last few weeks, have we not?
"Yes. That makes it worse, what I did. Not better." Harry said as he hung his head.
"It's all right 'Arry." Fleur spoke forcefully. "Now, look at me, and tell me what happened."
"I think Katie broke up with me." Harry said sheepishly, not wanting to look at her.
"You think?" Fleur questioned. Harry raised his head at the concern he heard from her. He had feared derision and scorn. Fleur looked him in the eye when he raised his head. "Tell me everything, Harry." She commanded, and Harry obeyed.
Harry told her what he had seen and heard on entering the Gryffindor common room earlier. Fleur asked him why Katie would believe he had asked Hermione to the ball. Harry answered that he didn't know, but Fleur did not let him get away with that. She asked him about his relationship with Hermione, and he told her about meeting Hermione the night before. Fleur was a surprisingly good listener, Harry thought. She asked pertinent questions and didn't judge. He found himself telling her more than he had anyone aside from Katie and Hermione. She kept making him go further back in his answers. She asked him why he had not already asked Katie to the ball. He explained how every time he had planned to ask, something went wrong. She asked why he had not asked Katie to be on his quidditch team. He explained that he thought it would place her in an awkward situation of choosing between her longtime chaser friends and her new boyfriend.
After a few hours of conversation Fleur relented. "Oh 'Arry, you poor silly thing." She said kindly. "You have done so many things wrong. And at the same time, so many of them were for good and proper reasons."
Harry looked at her tiredly. "What do I do now?"
"Do you still want to take Katie to the ball?"
"I don't know." Harry answered thoughtfully. "I still like her, and I know I made some mistakes. But it hurts that she could fail to trust me like that, and then not talk to me about it." He thought some more and continued. "I left before hearing what happened with her and Neville. If they did decide to go together, I wouldn't want to hurt Neville."
Harry fell quiet, lost in contemplation. Fleur remained silent, thinking things over herself. She could advise him to wait and talk to Katie in the morning. She felt that Katie would welcome him back immediately. But Katie had been a bit fickle, she told herself. And Harry, it seemed, was highly resistant to her allure. If only he were a year or two older, she thought. Well, why shouldn't she be a bit selfish. It was only a dance, after all.
"'Arry, why not escort me to the ball?" She said it. She still wasn't sure, but she had said it.
Harry looked at her in stunned silence for a moment. "Take you?" He stammered.
"Yes." She said firmly, liking the idea more the longer she examined it. "We can go as friends and fellow champions. This tournament is suppose to be about friendly relations after all." She gave him a snarky smile. "I have no boyfriend. And as I am only here for this year, I am not looking for one. Though if you were a bit older, I might have to rethink that." She winked saucily at him and laughed when he blushed. She could see him thinking about it seriously, so she pressed on. "You can talk to Katie and Neville tomorrow and straighten things out. If they go as friends as well, you can dance with Katie, and I will dance with Neville." She laughed again at the look on his face when she mentioned dancing. "You have never been taught how to dance have you?"
Harry's face reddened at the topic of dancing. But Fleur's laugh was kind, not mean. And it was a very pretty laugh too. Musical and lovely like her. His face reddened further at this last thought, and he had to clear his throat before he could speak. "No, I haven't been taught." He managed. Then he looked at her a bit wickedly. "You could teach me though." He said with a leer.
Fleur laughed again, and Harry couldn't help but join her. "Non. I will not be teaching you. Too much temptation." She said salaciously, and Harry blushed again. "But we can ask Madam Maxine about lessons."
"That would be great." Harry said, becoming enthused. "I wasn't too keen on the idea of a dance, but if I have to go, I would like to be able to dance well." Harry stood and offered Fleur a short bow. "Mademoiselle Delacour, would you do me the honor of accompanying me to the Yule ball as a friend?"
Fleur stood and curtseyed with a big smile. "I would be delighted to, Monsieur Potter."
They smiled and laughed and made plans. As it was becoming late, Fleur transfigured one of the chairs in the anteroom into a bed for Harry. With a final hug, she retired to her own bedroom and they both had a rather pleasant night.
