Harry Potter and the Enchanting Boy
A/N: I don't own Harry Potter and wish I did.
A Harry/Hermione/Gabrielle story.
Rating is M
Thanks to my beta grenouille7777.
A/N2: Since some readers asked, I will state that this will not be a threesome. Harry, Hermione and Gabrielle will be like a Harry, Hermione and Ron trio. Not saying who will wind up with Harry at the end.
Chapter 11: Flight
The girls looked in horror as Harry lay on the ground. Gabrielle was the first to react, "Quickly, Hermione, we have to get him to the Infirmary. Madame Suzette will want to see him immediately."
Fortunately, they had just learned the levitation spell and they both cast "Wingardium Leviosa" on Harry. He floated up and they guided him back to the Palace. Soon they were in the Infirmary, trying to explain to Madame Suzette what had happened.
"H-he cast this really difficult spell, Madame Suzette," Hermione tearfully related. "And-and then when the spell broke, he collapsed."
"What was the spell, child?" Madame Suzette requested.
"We think it was an enchantment to turn a stone into a dagger," Gabrielle suggested. "The dagger formed and hit the ground, but then it reverted back to a stone."
"And then Harry collapsed," Hermione added unnecessarily.
Madame Suzette hissed a breath in and shook her head, "Foolish boy. He's playing with advanced magic that he doesn't understand. Gabrielle, could you get Madame Maxime and Professor McGonagall. We may have a problem."
After Gabrielle had left in search of the two people that might know something about this, Madame Suzette thought of one other that probably could help. "Hermione," the Healer turned to the other girl, "we need your Enchanting class teacher, Monsieur Brabant. He's probably in his quarters on the second floor. Quickly, Hermione."
Hermione raced to the staff quarters, not knowing which room the professor was assigned. Fortunately, she practically ran into him as he was going to dinner.
"Professor," she gasped. "Harry has collapsed. Madam Suzette asked me to get you. He tried a really hard enchantment and…"
"Foolish boy! The magic has backfired on him! He didn't envision it properly. What enchantment did he try, Miss Granger? I warned him."
"He tried, um… changing a stone into a dagger," she replied weakly.
"He WHAT? He tried to make an enchanted athamé? Where did he get a spell to do that? We don't teach that advanced magic here. That's magic beyond seventh year."
"Well, he has this really old book…"
"Miss Granger! I'm surprised at you. You're supposed to let me see and review any tomes not on the approved study list. Where's the book?"
"Um, Gabrielle Delacour had it. She left it in the Infirmary with Harry."
When they reached the infirmary, they looked around for the book. Monsieur Brabant, not seeing it, asked, "So, where is Harry's book and where did he get it?" The professor was getting interested now. "Do you know who wrote it? Just how old is it?" They then heard a soft groan and saw that Harry was just waking up.
"Harry, you're awake! You scared us half to death!" Hermione admonished, but rushed to hug him anyway.
Gabrielle had just arrived with Madame Maxime and Professor McGonagall in tow.
"Where's the book, Harry?" Professor Brabant enquired.
Harry reluctantly showed him the book. "I thought I had a good visualization of the object like you explained, Professor. Apparently, I forgot the handle."
Professor Brabant was quickly scanning Harry's book. He gasped when he saw the age of the book and started noting the enchantments and spells on the thick book. Apparently, the more pages you turned, the more appeared. What at first looked like a personal diary, turned out to be an enchanted book that seemed to go on for hundreds, if not thousands of pages.
"This is fascinating, Harry. The date leads me to believe it was a lost diary of Merlin Ambrosius (or the Welsh Myrddin Emrys). We know him as Merlin from King Arthur's time."
Minerva nodded. "I suspected as much. The date 542 matches as well."
"Where did you get this, Harry?" Brabant asked.
"There was this Muggle bookstore in Ipswich that we were browsing, to kill a bit of time. I spotted the book and bought it for ten pence."
Professor Brabant practically fainted. "Ten Pence? This book is priceless! Most of these enchantments and spells have been lost for centuries. Oh, there are probably some that we know about, but just a quick glance tells me that you have a real find here. I suggest you keep it hidden! If a dark wizard ever got hold of it, well, I shudder to think of the havoc he could wreak."
"I have a safe place for it Professor. Only I can retrieve it. One of the simple spells I learned from the first page was a hiding charm. Hermione is the only other person that can find it." And with that, Harry muttered something and the book disappeared.
"My word! Well, I can see that it's safe. I wouldn't mind a closer look at the book if you'd let me, Harry. It really should be in the Restricted Section of our library, but I'm afraid it wouldn't be safe there."
"Well, Professor, I'd prefer to keep it safe with me for now, if you don't mind. It seems like a sensible precaution to let as few people as possible see the book. Of course I'd be happy to share some of the spells and enchantments with you, but only after we determine which ones shouldn't be shown to anyone… ones that are dangerous. I hope you understand, Professor."
"Of course, Harry. Your reasons are sound. I only hope I can assist you on some of these enchantments. The possibilities are exciting to contemplate. You do know you attempted to make an athame, don't you?"
"What's an athamé, Professor?"
"An athamé is a ceremonial double-edged dagger, used in rituals and spells as an extension of their body. The athamé's primary use is to direct energy. An athamé can take many forms. It frequently has a double-edged blade with a sharp point, and a handle, which is often black. The handle may be inscribed with particular symbols dictated by the tradition. An athamé may also be employed in the demarcation of the Magic circle rite and as a masculine principle, or a male symbol representing the reproductive organ of the Horned God who impregnated the Goddess Gaia to give birth to the Earth and nature. It is often used in combination with the chalice, as feminine principle, evoking the act of procreation, as a symbol of universal creativity."
Harry and Hermione blushed scarlet at this description. He wouldn't be trying that particular enchantment anytime soon.
"Uh, thank you professor, too much information," Harry blushed again.
"Harry, don't worry about it. This is France: we have a more liberal outlook on male - female relations here. We're more open about human sexuality and the athamé is more about focusing a wizard's power than sex."
Hermione quickly decided to do a bit of research on the athamé and its uses.
Gabrielle giggled and thought that it might be fun to tease Harry about what he almost created.
Minerva and Madame Maxime admonished Harry to be very careful with the book and not try anything without proper supervision.
"Harry, you could have died with the magical backlash," Professor McGonagall stated. "Your parents will be most unhappy that you tried something without proper supervision, especially something like this."
"Y-you w-wouldn't tell them, would you?" Harry pleaded.
"Harry, what would they have said if you'd died? I must tell them."
Harry hung his head, ashamed. He'd only just gotten used to his new family and now they'd be disappointed in him. "May I be excused, please?" Harry asked, tearfully.
"I'm sorry, Harry, I didn't mean to upset you. You may go," McGonagall replied.
Harry practically fled the infirmary, with Hermione and Gabrielle close behind.
"Wait up, Harry," Hermione called.
Harry broke into a run, heading outside.
Gabrielle was the faster runner, but still couldn't keep up with Harry, who quickly disappeared around the corner of the school. As she rounded the corner, she lost sight of him for a second and then spotted him running flat out, before disappearing around another corner.
Hermione struggled to keep up, but quickly ran out of breath. As she rounded the second corner, she came up short, almost running into a shocked Gabrielle. "Where is he, Gaby? He couldn't have been that far ahead of us."
"He…he just disappeared! One minute he was about fifty metres ahead of me and the next, he was gone!"
"Do you think he Apparated somewhere?"
"I-I think so, we should check the rest of the way around the Academy. Why did he run?" Gabrielle asked.
"I don't know. He seemed really upset when… Oh, no! I think he was afraid Mum and Dad would… But that's ridiculous. Mum and Dad love him, he must know that."
After circling the Academy and not seeing Harry, the girls headed inside to check their dorm. He wasn't there and they started to panic. Asking everyone they came across if they'd seen Harry, and receiving negative responses, Hermione decided they needed to notify the Headmistress.
………..
Hogwarts:
Filius Flitwick had kept an eye on the Headmaster since the disappearance of Harry. The owl that he had received from Minerva had assured him that Harry was safe at Beauxbatons. The trouble was, Albus was now so distracted that Filius suspected the aged Headmaster was up to something. He would disappear for hours at a time and sometimes forgot to attend staff meetings that he had set up. The accident with Neville Longbottom had resulted in the new Potions Professor being sacked. His replacement was only marginally better. Meanwhile, Neville, along with Draco, had recovered, and classes had settled into an uneasy routine.
The Weasley twins were even quiet; an unusual state for them. Fred had been in awe of the magic Harry had displayed, while George spread the rumour that Harry had completely destroyed the Hogwarts wards, although this was later proven false.
Only the Slytherins had missed Professor Snape. Draco had owled his father to find out what had happened. Lucius had replied that Draco's Godfather had been arrested and sent to prison in France, but things were underway to secure his release. He would say no more on the subject.
Albus, meanwhile, having exhausted all the legal channels to secure Severus' release, was busily planning a diversion. He would have his Potions Master back within the fortnight.
……………..