Ginny was running a cool cloth over her fiancé's forehead. He was burning up from the fever. No one knew what the poison was and Malfoy could not answer any questions. His arm had burnt to a crisp in seconds and he was in a coma.
Albus, Remus and Sirius were sitting in madam Pomfrey's office. Sirius, who had demanded to know what had happened to Albus and who had been with him and how Malfoy Sr. had been caught, had dragged Albus into the office.
"When I received the letter from Harry I recognized it wasn't his handwriting.
I cast a spell so I could learn where the owl had come from. It didn't work so I had to improvise. I had a colleague turn me into a falcon with a seventy-two hour lock on the spell. This way I could follow the bird and not be noticed. When the owl reached where it had been sent from, I sat and waited in a tree for the next few days watching Death Eaters go in and out and listening to their plotting. As I sat and listened to them, I realized the spell would be ending in a few hours. I flew down to the ground and found a place to hide. When I was well hidden and I thought still had two hours I started to change back.
There were still three Death Eaters in the house and one in the clearing. I stunned the one in the clearing and crept to the window. I could hear one asleep so I placed a silencing spell around him and went around the building.
The other two were arguing in the kitchen then the one left through the floo. The one that was left stepped out the door to release another owl. Before he could open the cage, I stunned him.
I went through the house making sure there was no one else. I looked through their belongings and took some evidence. I went to the one was still asleep and found Harry. Since I knew it wasn't he, I realized it was Polyjuice potion. Then I realized Polyjuice potion would have worn off by now.
I looked around the room quietly and then I saw some parchment under his arm. I stunned him and took it out. I looked it over quickly and saw that it was a new potion that was a derivative of the Polyjuice potion. I went to the floo, called the ministry, and spoke to Arthur.
I brought the Harry Potter look alike to the floo and left with him after the minister and Aries Cole arrived. I brought him back here and went over the potion with Severus and he told me where I could find the ingredients to reverse it in his private store in his quarters. The potion to reverse it was easy and only took a few hours to make. When it was done, I enervated the impostor and forced it down his throat.
After he changed back, it was Lucius Malfoy. I gave him some of the potion he carried then took him to the ministry by floo and showed up as they were about to pronounce sentence."
"What did they sentence him to?" Sirius asked quietly.
Albus grinned at that. "He was sentenced three days in Azkaban due to underage apparition and insufficient evidence. Then he had the sentence reduced to time served due to good behavior and his known interactions already."
Sirius and Remus looked at each other then at Albus.
Then Sirius said something in front of the headmaster no one had said in a long time.
"You've got to be fucking kidding me?"
All were laughing when Ginny swept in and started yelling at them for laughing when Harry was sick. Sirius clasped his hand over her mouth and repeated Harry's sentence to her. She just stared at him then looked at the ground.
"I'm sorry sir."
"Don't, you had every right to get mad at me for being callous around Harry. And you can call me Sirius. You're almost family now."
She nodded and went back out to Harry kicking Malfoy's bed as she passed.
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Harry was talking to his parents. He sat there and spoke with them about everything. He told them everything about himself that had happened lately. He showed his dad his animagus forms. Both were quite impressed. He was ecstatic to see his dads form for real and told them both that Sirius had been pardoned and Wormtail caught. Of course, for the first few hours it was somewhat hard for Harry to speak since his head was trapped against his mums shoulder as she clenched him to her. When James had finally pulled Harry out of Lily's grasp, they spent an immeasurable time talking about Harry's life. Harry was loathe telling them about his childhood but finally did. When he finished with the disappearance of the Dursley's his father looked at him sternly.
"You're hiding something Harry. We may be dead but we can still tell when our son is hiding something."
Harry wasn't sure if he should tell them what Sirius had done. Finally, he told them how it started.
When he had gotten home, he had gone to his room to put away his school supplies.
The next morning he had come downstairs holding his wand. He sat down at the table and ate the piddling serving he was allotted. Uncle Vernon had told him to go out and mow the lawn. None had noticed his wand until Harry stood and pointed it at him.
'Don't talk to me' and walked back up to his room. He didn't go down for lunch and didn't go down for dinner. He just sat in his room huddled against his bed.
He repeated this every day for the next few weeks. His uncle was forced to get his mail since Harry wouldn't open his window for any owl. Vernon crushed and sent back all the packages and letters. He had told Hedwig to spend the summer on her own. She could come back before it was time to leave. This went on until one morning Harry didn't have his wand. His uncle Vernon noticed and slapped Harry across the face hard. Harry didn't say a word. He just walked back to his room.
Then Dudley pushed him down the stairs. Harry's arm snapped and so did his anger. Without meaning to Harry reached out with his aura and broke Dudley's wrist. When Vernon heard Dudley, he came running. He saw Dudley whining like a baby and he hit Harry. He smashed his hand into Harry's face repeatedly. Harry felt two of his teeth come out then he fell and couldn't stop falling. Every once in awhile he would float high enough and would look out and see Vernon or Dudley taking turns whipping him with a belt or punching him in the stomach. Harry's magic healed the major wounds but barely kept him alive.
Harry looked up, saw the anger in both of his parent's eyes, and continued.
After a time Harry wasn't sure of how long, he saw Dumbledore's face. He was too busy to pay attention though. He was learning something new and if he failed, he would be trapped forever. He looked again a few minutes later and saw Sirius.
Harry closed his eyes and smiled sadly before continuing.
He opened his eyes for a period of time and saw red hair. He thought it was his mum. Then he saw brown eyes and looked at them. He didn't recognize them at first. Then realized who it was later and what he had seen in her eyes.
After a while he came out of himself and spoke to her.
"But what happened to my sister and that bastard she married?" his mum cried.
Harry looked down and whispered, "Promise not to get mad?"
They looked at each other and nodded.
"Sirius killed all of them."
"How, Harry?"
"Animagus," He whispered.
He didn't look up. He didn't want to see the disappointment they would feel in their friend.
"Good."
Harry looked up at his mum and saw his father was looking at her in shock.
"Lil, they were your family."
"And they beat my son. They could have killed him before he even had to a chance to have a family of his own again."
She ran over to Harry and began crying on his shoulder. His dad came over and wrapped his arms around both of them.
"I'm glad you're not a killer, son."
"Umm, Actually…" Harry started. "I was framed for the murder of Cornelius Fudge."
"Who's he?" his dad asked.
"He was the minister of magic before Albus and I convinced some others to support us in a vote of no confidence. He was killed shortly after he was unseated. When Albus caught the actual killer and brought him in my trial was voided. There was a fast trial for Malfoy.
Fudge's wife didn't want to have anything to do with the trial since she now knew who had killed her husband. I participated in the interrogation and was given the right to pronounce sentence.
Some days before all this happened I had been in the forbidden forest with my girlfriend-"
He was interrupted here when his mum looked at him with interest. "You have a girlfriend? Do we know her family?"
Harry nodded. "Virginia Weasley. Ginny."
"The Weasley's had a girl? I thought they were destined for only boys," His dad laughed.
"She's their last child. She's in her fourth year. Actually, she's not my girlfriend. She's my fiancée."
His mum was stunned. "Fiancée? Don't you think you're too young?"
"We're going to wait until she's done with school.
"Anyway, we were in the forest lying by each other after a nightmare I had had destroyed the common room. She's an animagus also. I smelled blood and went to investigate. We found an injured unicorn and Fawkes healed it. The unicorn gave me the blood that had stuck to her body and she sketched out the dark mark when I asked her who did it. I flew to the village and found the Death Eater about to attack the home of Snape's sister where he was staying. I confronted him and broke his wand before cutting off his arm with my sword."
He looked down at the ground and then continued.
"Back to the trial, I stripped their family of their holdings and titles. Their names were expunged from wizarding records and I took all their assets and turned their manor into a free boarding house for muggle born."
His mum was pleased at this.
"Then I pronounced his sentence. He was to be executed the next morning. He was given the choice of how he wished to die in a duel. The next morning when he made his choice I severed his head with my sword."
He looked down at the ground.
"Oh, Harry." His mum cried.
His father took him in his arms and began to cry himself. "I'm so sorry Harry. We should've been there to protect you."
"I went back to school and told all of them the verdict. His son attacked me later and here I am now. Dead, I guess."
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Ginny was sleeping on the bed next to Harry in the hospital wing. His cabin had been taken down after he had gone back to school.
Sirius came in and shook her gently.
"Ginny, Malfoy has been sentenced. Do you want to hear it?"
She nodded and rubbed the sleep out of her eyes.
"He's been outed as a Death Eater and sentenced to fifteen years in Azkaban and his rights to do magic have been taken away. As soon as he's up he'll be taken away."
Ginny nodded and glanced over at Malfoy's bunk. There were three Aurors standing around it. A girl glanced at Ginny and smiled. Another Auror came in and sat down besides Harry.
"Hello, I'm Aries Cole."
Ginny smiled sadly. "Harry mentioned you. He said some of your work stories were very funny."
Aries smiled at that and asked how he was.
"His fever has gone down but he still hasn't awoken."
Aries nodded and pulled two broken wands out of his pocket. "Both of these are his by dueling rights."
He set them down on the bedside table and walked away after ruffling Harry's hair.
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Harry was dreaming again. This time he couldn't awake and was forced to watch Voldemort rape Ginny, then kill her repeatedly. No matter how hard he fought, how strong of spells he used nothing could break through. He couldn't even look away. He was forced to see Voldemort rape her. Then it changed. Voldemort was passing her around the Death Eaters. Both Malfoy's stood over Harry and laughed.
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Madame Pomfrey was administering to Malfoy when she heard a crack she turned towards the sound and saw a wave pause in the air. She blinked and moved. When she had moved out of the direct path between Malfoy and Harry the wave began moving again. In the second it took to travel from where it had been to where Malfoy was about to not be, everything in a 3 foot radius turned to sludge. When the wave hit Malfoy, he was pressed against the wall. The three Aurors were standing off to the side and couldn't try anything. They had experienced a dream or two of Harry's each.
Harry was tossing and turning in bed. The dream had reached a fevered pitch and Harry's aura began to seek out threats. It only found one and it was so close. The magic pushed out only to be stopped by someone in the way. The obstruction was gone. His aura pushed and slammed the threat against the wall. It didn't stop until it met the wall and the other aura was dissipating.
Malfoy was no longer in one piece. He wasn't even in pieces. His body was now a smudge against the wall and stains flung all over the ward. Madame Pomfrey's screams brought all the professors running. When they came into the wing, they stopped dead. Hagrid arrived a few moments later with Fang. Fang began whimpering and Hagrid began whispering the Lord's Prayer.
Everywhere they looked, there was blood and viscera. Harry Potter was still in his coma. Madame Pomfrey was still screaming and even the Aurors looked ill. They had seen horrible things but a person being crushed against a wall was new.
Professor Dumbledore walked over to Madame Pomfrey and pointed his wand at her. He picked her up before she could fall and carried her to one of the private rooms. Sirius and Remus were looking at the room in horror. Minerva had stepped to the door to close it when running footsteps approached.
Ginny was screaming Harry's name as she ran. Her brothers and Hermione were right behind her. They came to the door as Professor McGonagall stepped into the hall. She stopped them from entering and was almost hexed by Ginny. Ron barely got Ginny's wand out of her hand. Sirius stepped out and spoke to them.
"Ha-Harry is all right it seems but something happened to Malfoy. We'll let you into see Harry when the wing has been cl-cleaned."
"What happened, Professor?" Hermione said breathlessly.
Sirius just shook his head and escorted them away from the wing.
When he returned after making sure the prefects would not let them leave the common room he returned to the infirmary.
Harry was sitting up and was looking straight ahead. Before anyone could warn him not to, he approached his godson. He reached out and was flung across the room just as Albus had been before.
"Shit, that hurt," he muttered as he rose cradling his broken wrist.
He looked over and noticed Remus was cradling a broken arm. "Got you too huh?"
Remus grimaced then joked. "We need to quit letting your godson discipline his elders."
"Hope Bambi is okay," Sirius muttered.
Dumbledore came out of Pomfrey's alcove and spoke to Minerva who was overseeing the cleanup. They were all avoiding going near Harry or even pointing their wands in his general direction. They did not know what had happened to cause this but they knew Harry was one of the few people who could.
Dumbledore stepped out and spoke with the Aurors as Padfoot and Moony discussed how to help Harry. Sirius slowly approached him speaking softly. Harry looked his way but didn't seem to see him. He just fell back against the bed.
Ginny was sitting in the common room doing her homework. The headmaster had kicked them all out of the hospital ward for the next two days. The professors had all been lenient on them but even Hermione had failed her last test.
Hermione and Ron were arguing over something pointlessly stupid to argue about as Ginny sighed and grasped the emerald. Harry was feeling sorrow and hate. Another dream about Voldemort and his minions. None of them was close enough to feel or see his dreams. The twins were trying to cheer her up and failing miserably when a wave of revulsion and hate passed over all of them. Ginny had not been clutching the charm but she knew this was Harry. She stood and began running, the others following. They felt another wave. This time it was a blood lust. Ginny was screaming his name as she ran.
When she was stopped by Professor McGonagall she drew her wand and was about to hex her when Ron pulled it out of her hands.
The students were back in the common room. Ginny was plotting Ron and Sirius' deaths while the twins, Ron, and Hermione spoke trying to figure out what happened.
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Harry wasn't sure where he was now. He had talked to his parents. Dreamt of Voldemort as usual and now he was here. Wherever here is.
The chamber was round, the walls made of stone and the floor hard packed earth. The walls curved up into a dome. Harry looked at the stones and realized how intricate the construction was. The key was the top stone. If it were removed, the building would fall crushing him. If he was careful and studied the walls for a weakness…
He had been looking at the walls forever now. In one spot, he could remove three and in another, he could remove four. Nowhere else was it safe to remove even two. Whoever had designed this room had done well. He hadn't even been able to change or cast any runes. No matter what kind of magic he tried, nothing happened. So he sat. And waited.
Occasionally a plate of bread and some meat with a bit of salt and mustard would appear. There was a jar of water that never emptied and a hole in the ground on one side.
Harry had taken to writing in the dirt and practicing his wandsmanship. One time instead of food, he received a rough-hewn stone with "YOU MUST UNDERSTAND YOURSELF." etched up on it. He sat back and thought.
Somewhere between five minutes and five hundred years later, Harry opened his eyes. He thought he had come to a moment of clarity but wasn't sure. Instead of the stone hut, he was in privet drive. He shuddered and then realized… the furnishings were different.
He looked around and saw two little girls. One was scowling at the other while the red haired one was giggling and doing homework. Harry looked at his mum doing her summer assignments. She must have been first or second year. He blinked and they were gone. He was standing by the lake. He turned and walked up to the castle. As he passed Lily, she looked his way but didn't approach. Harry continued. He reached the doors to the castle. When he reached out to them, his hands passed through and he stumbled in. the first years he passed did not notice him. He tried to concentrate on the auras around him. They all felt faint but he was barely trying. He found Ginny's and… his own? He headed towards the pulse. He found her in the hospital wing. Sitting over someone. Had Ron been hurt? He reached to touch her shoulder and it passed through her too. She shivered. Was he a ghost? He looked at the bed and saw himself.
Well shit. Maybe I am dead? It doesn't look like he's… I'm breathing. Then he looked at Ginny again. She was speaking but her lips were moving so slowly. She reached out her hand to run it across his forehead. It took over ten minutes for it to reach him. Harry reached out to see if he could touch himself and felt something tug him. His eyes flashed open
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Ginny was sitting at Harry's bedside. She was caught up and the headmaster had allowed her back in. Madame Pomfrey was still at St. Mungo's and probably wouldn't be back for a long time. No one would tell the students what had happened. Malfoy had awoken, the rumors said. He had tried to kill himself, others said. All anyone knew was that he was gone. The Slytherins were somewhat relieved he was gone. He always lorded over everyone.
She was telling Harry about her day and was reaching to brush some hairs away when Harry twitched slightly. She thought he was going to have another nightmare and was about to get up. No matter how much she wanted to stay, she did not want to become one with the wall anytime soon. Then Harry's eyes opened. He looked around and closed them again.
Ginny sighed and reached for his hand. When she touched it, she was pulled down onto him.
"Hi love."
She gasped and Harry replied, "No kiss? I guess I can just go back to sleep then."
"You're awake?" she asked.
He nodded and opened his eyes. As soon as Ginny saw those familiar eyes, she was kissing his face. He started kissing back. His hands started roaming somewhat until a cough was heard. Harry and Ginny turned and saw a red faced Angie Morrow standing at the foot of his bed.
Ginny climbed off and flushed. Harry grinned at her slightly and looked at the young girl. "Yes, Miss Morrow?"
"I made this for you professor." Angie held out a card.
Harry took it and looked at Ginny for a second then opened. It read get well soon, Professor. You're the best. –Angie
Harry smiled at her and said, "Thank you."
Then he looked at Ginny and said, "At least one first year hasn't sent me a singing get well card."
Ginny flushed even more and Harry explained what had happened to Angie. She was grinning and left after Harry told her to call him Harry when they weren't in class.
Ginny swatted his arm and said, "I was a first year."
Harry smirked, "So was she."
Then Ginny said, "I was in love with you, you prat."
"You were? You mean you aren't anymore?" he teased.
She swatted him again and started kissing him.
An hour later, the new nurse arrived to find Ginny curled up in Harry's arms. She had been warned not to awaken Harry and had been told what had happened in the ward. She smiled at the tableau in front of her. She hoped Miss Weasley would be ok when the two awoke and went to get the headmaster.
Albus was sitting next to him when he awoke. He looked down and realized he had woken up the same way as when he had confronted Ron.
"Hello, Harry. How do you feel?"
"Like I slept with an angel. What happened?" he asked.
"You don't remember?"
Harry shook his head and the headmaster told him everything from the knife and Malfoy's arm burning off to Malfoy being pressed against the wall and crushed.
Harry looked down and whispered, "Bloody hell."
The headmaster asked him if he knew why it might have happened.
Harry told him of the nightmare where Ginny had been passed around the Death Eaters. When he finished he heard a gasp. He looked down and saw Ginny's pale face. She had heard everything. From the crushing of Malfoy to the dream of her being raped.
Harry's face turned as pale as hers did as she started crying. He gathered her into his arms and shushed her. The headmaster looked down at them and walked off leaving Harry to comfort her.
"Ginny, love. Shush. It's okay. Nothing will happen to us."
She sniffled. "I wasn't crying about me. I was crying about you. You won't ever be able to have a normal life."
He grimaced. "Gin, I have a normal life. I just happen to have an abnormal enemy."
She smiled slightly at the abnormal enemy bit and Harry dried her tears. The headmaster cam back a few moments later.
"The ministry has to charge you Harry. Even though it was unintentional and he had stabbed you."
Harry nodded and asked what the verdict was.
"This summer you will be placed under house arrest and not allowed to leave the castle," The headmaster replied.
Ginny was angry over that. "He can't come home?"
The headmaster shook his head. "You'll be able to talk to him but he won't be able to leave the castle or receive any visitors except ministry officials."
The headmaster grinned slightly. "I'm sure the minister of magic will be more than happy to come visit his future son in law with his family though."
Harry nodded at that and kissed Ginny's cheek. He fell back asleep. Since he was in a bed he might as well sleep, he thought.
The next morning Fawkes was sitting above him singing brightly. Harry sat up and looked at the bird. Then he looked at his wound. He had a nasty scar on his side. He wondered why Fawkes hadn't tried to heal him. Fawkes jumped to his shoulder and Harry closed his eyes. He saw Fawkes crying over his wound and the tears just rolling off his body. He had no clue about what kind of poison would resist something as powerful as phoenix tears. He reached up and smoothed down some of Fawkes' feathers.
Harry stood up and started to reach for his clothing. The nurse came up and told him he had to get back in bed. Harry just took his cane out of his pocket and grasped his wand. He returned the cane to normal size and transfigured his pajamas into some suitable clothing. It was lunchtime and he wanted to sit with his friends.
As he made his way out of the wing, his friends were turning the corner and almost knocked him over.
"Harry, you're up and around all ready?" Hermione asked.
Ron just patted him on the back.
Ginny grabbed his hand and they walked to the great hall. As Harry walked into the hall, everyone looked. No one other than his friends and the headmaster knew he had awoken. They stared at him as he walked to the Gryffindor table and sat down near the twins. His friends joined him and they began to eat. Harry refused to tell them of what had happened and Ginny refused to tell either. After the meal, Harry grabbed an éclair and took a bite out of it. Where he had been sitting, an emerald colored kitten was playing with the edge of the tablecloth. Ron was laughing along with the twins. Hermione and Ginny were glaring at all three of them when Harry reappeared.
"Like our new Kitty Klares?" the twins choked out through their laughter. "Your uncle showed us how to make 'em."
Harry looked up at the head table and saw Remus and Sirius grinning. He got up and walked out of the hall with Ginny. As he passed the head table, a puppy and wolf cub appeared on the table.
"War is hell, isn't it Padfoot, Moony?"
Albus was laughing at what had happened to two of his professors and professor McGonagall was grinning at the two Marauders.
Harry was tiring and headed back to his quarters. He was cursing how often he spent time in the hospital wing. When he got there Ginny tucked him in while Harry grimaced over the fact his girlfriend was babying him. He fell asleep.
Harry woke to a sallow faced man standing over him carrying a baby. A pretty woman with long black hair stood next to him. Harry looked back and forth between them.
"My sister wishes to speak with you," Snape replied.
"Okay, Sevvie," Harry replied cheerfully.
Snape swept out into his sitting room scowling while his sister was laughing.
"Thank you for saving us. I'm sorry for how I treated you," she said.
Harry waved it off and asked her name. "I'm Samantha Sorthin."
"You know, for a relative of Severus you're quite nice to speak to. How come you two are so different?"
"Actually except for his appearance we used to be a lot like. He treats you worse than he treats anyone he's ever met, though. Do you know why?" she asked him.
Harry nodded. "My father saved his life and he's never forgiven him for it. Then I ruined his chance to get the Order of Merlin first class. That really pissed him off. Specks of saliva were flying when he came to find me. And then recently I beat him at sword fighting."
She nodded and swept back into the sitting room and returned with her child. "This is Eric Harold Sorthin."
Harry grimaced when he heard that and she laughed. "He's not named after you. He's named after his grandfather."
"Umm, not to sound rude but I was always under the impression that the majority of Snape's family were dark?"
"Actually we are. Severus and I were the white sheep of our family."
Harry laughed aloud at that.
Snape came back in saying it was time to go.
"Would you like to come to dinner sometime?" Snape groaned when his sister asked this.
"Since it would make Sevvie most uncomfortable I accept the offer. May I bring my girlfriend?"
She nodded and the three made their way out.
Harry got out of bed and looked at his watch. It was almost dinnertime. He wondered when he had to restart classes. As he got in the shower, he noticed a note on the desk. He spent twenty minutes in the shower then went over to the desk.
He looked at the note while he dripped on the floor, then he heard giggling. He looked around and didn't see anyone. He looked over in the corner and his cloak wasn't there. With a feral grin he spoke. "Accio invisibility cloak."
His cloak flew off her and landed in his hand. He wrapped it around his waist and everything below his navel disappeared.
Ginny innocently asked, "Are you ready for dinner love?" as her face reddened.
"Yeah. I return to teaching tomorrow. Wanna help me get dressed?"
Her eyes widened and she shook her head. She wanted to treasure watching him pad out of the bathroom with water dripping off him. If she watched him get dressed, she'd lose the mental image.
When Harry had finished dressing, he came out to the sitting room and saw his girlfriend with a carnal grin on her face. He snuck up behind her and whispered in her ear all the things he could do with just his lips and her neck. As she shivered, he began. By the time dinner started both were quite breathless.
They made their way down to dinner and were motioned over to the head table. The headmaster and professor McGonagall were holding a pair of puppies. Professor McGonagall was somewhat stunned and the headmaster was fighting a grin.
"Minerva and I were unable to reverse your spell for anything more than a few minutes. We both tried many times. Would you be willing to change your godfather and uncle back now?" Albus' eyes glittered with mirth.
"Actually, I'd prefer to leave them as is. Their teaching skills are probably the same. Are you sure you want them back?" he teased.
Both of the animals were growling at him as Albus pondered the question and finally nodded when the puppy started tugging on his robes.
Albus and Minerva set them on the ground. Harry turned them both back with one small change. Sirius appeared in only his boxers. The room went silent. Then the laughter burst out.
"Uncle Sirius, why are you in your underwear?" Harry asked slyly.
Sirius looked down and then at Harry. He ran behind Hagrid and grabbed his jacket.
"Do you submit? Will you acknowledge I am your superior in pranks, uncle Sirius?" he called out for the whole room in a singsong tone. It became as silent as a tomb as the students listened for the answer.
Sirius bit it out. "Yes."
"We can't hear you uncle Sirius."
"YES," he bellowed.
"Yes what uncle Sirius?" he asked in an innocent tone.
"Yes you are my superior in pranks. You win." He said softly.
After he finished the students began clapping for Harry again. He took a bow and went to sit with his friends.
"Think he'll try to get revenge Harry?" Ron asked.
"Most definitely," he replied.
As he sat watching his godfather stew in Hagrid's coat Harry looked over his schedule that had been in his room when he got up. He was taking the N.E.W.T.S. in four subjects, Charms, DADA, COMC and Transfiguration. He stood and started to leave. His friends stood and followed him. Except for grabbing Ginny's hand, he didn't acknowledge them.
As they neared his room, he handed the slip to Hermione. She gasped and showed it to the others.
"Will you pass Harry?" Ron asked.
He nodded and passed through the opening into his room. They had their books and spread them out to begin doing their work they hadn't finished.
Harry remembered the dinner and told Ginny. Ron and Hermione were laughing about the reaction Snape had.
"Think we should appear as lions?" he asked.
Ginny giggled and nodded when they both heard a pop. They looked over at Ron and Hermione. Hermione was gone and Ron was stroking a falcon.
"She's got it? Awesome. How close are you Ron?" Harry asked.
"I haven't really been practicing. I've been busy."
Hermione reappeared and Ron grinned at her. Hermione's face reddened.
Harry arched an eyebrow and gagged. Ron picked up a throw pillow and hit Harry perfectly. Harry went to retaliate and accidentally hit Hermione. After that, it devolved into a pillow fight that only stopped when Albus appeared.
"Ahhh, to be young again," Albus said.
Harry stood and stretched. "How are you, Albus?"
"Just fine. Are you ready for a return to teaching tomorrow? It seems that all of our defense professors have something bad happen to them. It would seem the jinx may be real."
Harry nodded and yawned. He looked at his watched and his face paled. It was after one am.
"Yes Harry. It's after one am. You better get some sleep and your friends are out after hours. Luckily all of them had detention due to their low grades and this study session," he smirked when he said that part, "will count towards their punishment."
The others gathered up their books and bags as Albus swung out of the door.
Ginny kissed Harry and followed the other two out the door. Harry walked into his room, smiled at the picture of him and Ginny asleep and fell into bed without undressing.
When Harry awoke the next morning, he stepped to the window and saw Lily. He grabbed his Firebolt and jumped out the window. He hadn't flown in a long time and he had an hour until breakfast. He flew down to say good morning to Lily and gave her an apple. She butted her head into his shoulder before he flew off. He made three circuits of the castle casually then flew as fast as he could in and out of the towers skimming along the parapets.
After he finished he flew back through his window and got in the shower. As he soaked under the steaming water, Ron came in the room and threw a towel at him.
"Hurry up. We want our favorite professor back," he teased.
Harry said something rude his future mother-in-law would have given him grief for and got out of the shower. As he dressed, Hermione and Ron came in the room. Ginny broke past her brother and strolled into his room. She was disappointed he was already dressed. She hugged him and grabbed him whispering, "I want some of this tonight lover."
Harry blushed and grinned while following her out of the room. Ron noticed the grin but wisely refrained from commenting. Ginny obviously knew too much about his and Hermione's clandestine activities.
Hermione had something to tell Harry but she didn't want to tell it in front of Ginny. Parvati had told her that Cho was planning on asking Harry out. She didn't want to say it in front of Ginny because she had been told Harry had been flirting with Cho. She didn't believe it since Harry was busy with being almost killed or framed for murder but she had to make sure. She tried to catch him alone for the past day but it hadn't happened. In truth, she hadn't believed a word of what Parvati had said but she wanted to make sure.
When Harry got into the hall, he looked around. His first day back to teaching and he was already tired. His cane was out most of the students noticed. He saw that the twins were looking at him admiringly. He had bested one of the infamous Marauders after all and was the son of another. The Marauders had been their idols since first year. He could handle that kind of adoration. Colin and Dennis Creevey were obviously ready for their favorite person in the whole world to resume teaching. He groaned inwardly at that. He looked at the other tables and didn't notice the look in Cho's eyes. He continued his walk to the head table after kissing Gin's cheek. He looked at his uncle and godfather and saw the look in both their eyes. He smiled at them and a feral gleam reached his eye.
Cho watched Harry sit down. She couldn't believe how hot he was. She kept thinking about his lips while a small voice in the back of her mind tried to get her attention. It was trying to remind her about Evan and the fact that Harry obviously loved Ginny. The jewelry alone was evident. Unfortunately, she didn't pay attention and was fighting hard not to drool.
After Harry's first class, he spoke with Angie for a few minutes about her last essay. She wanted to redo it and Harry said that would be all right but he would have to take off three points. She nodded and went off to her next class. Three other Slytherin first years asked for extra credit and Harry told them to each do a two-foot long essay on the creatures that had shown up when they went up against the Boggart. They nodded and took off.
Harry sat down at his desk and closed his eyes for a moment. He was awoken by the sounds of the Ravenclaw sixth years filing in. the students took their seats and Harry did roll. He had them open their books to chapter thirty-four and began the lesson.
After the lesson, Cho asked Harry if she could talk to him about her homework. They were talking about it when Harry stood up. Cho walked up to him and kissed him. She wrapped her arms around him and pulled him tight. Harry was so startled he almost blew her across the room. As he began to extricate himself, hell began.
Ginny was walking to Harry's class. They were both done until lunch and she was hoping they could spend some time alone in his office. She hadn't had a chance to spend time with him lately. As she neared the class, she heard a familiar voice but couldn't place it. As she stepped into the room, her heart stopped. Harry was kissing Cho. She saw Harry start to put his arms around her. If she had been holding the emerald charm she would have felt what was really happening but her heart was breaking. She felt for the rings on her finger and pulled them both off. She threw them at Harry and stormed out of the room. As she ran away, she started pulling off the other jewelry.
Harry was trying to figure out what the hell was happening when he felt something small strike him. He finally was able to pull away and saw his fiancée running away. He tried to go after her but Cho wouldn't let go.
He stunned her and summoned the rings to him. He chased after Ginny and caught up. When he did, she spun and he saw her wand in her hand. Before he could throw up a shield, Ginny had screamed a curse. Harry was flung against the wall and slid into blackness. Ginny turned and ran. She didn't know where she was going.
Albus, Remus and Sirius were sitting in madam Pomfrey's office. Sirius, who had demanded to know what had happened to Albus and who had been with him and how Malfoy Sr. had been caught, had dragged Albus into the office.
"When I received the letter from Harry I recognized it wasn't his handwriting.
I cast a spell so I could learn where the owl had come from. It didn't work so I had to improvise. I had a colleague turn me into a falcon with a seventy-two hour lock on the spell. This way I could follow the bird and not be noticed. When the owl reached where it had been sent from, I sat and waited in a tree for the next few days watching Death Eaters go in and out and listening to their plotting. As I sat and listened to them, I realized the spell would be ending in a few hours. I flew down to the ground and found a place to hide. When I was well hidden and I thought still had two hours I started to change back.
There were still three Death Eaters in the house and one in the clearing. I stunned the one in the clearing and crept to the window. I could hear one asleep so I placed a silencing spell around him and went around the building.
The other two were arguing in the kitchen then the one left through the floo. The one that was left stepped out the door to release another owl. Before he could open the cage, I stunned him.
I went through the house making sure there was no one else. I looked through their belongings and took some evidence. I went to the one was still asleep and found Harry. Since I knew it wasn't he, I realized it was Polyjuice potion. Then I realized Polyjuice potion would have worn off by now.
I looked around the room quietly and then I saw some parchment under his arm. I stunned him and took it out. I looked it over quickly and saw that it was a new potion that was a derivative of the Polyjuice potion. I went to the floo, called the ministry, and spoke to Arthur.
I brought the Harry Potter look alike to the floo and left with him after the minister and Aries Cole arrived. I brought him back here and went over the potion with Severus and he told me where I could find the ingredients to reverse it in his private store in his quarters. The potion to reverse it was easy and only took a few hours to make. When it was done, I enervated the impostor and forced it down his throat.
After he changed back, it was Lucius Malfoy. I gave him some of the potion he carried then took him to the ministry by floo and showed up as they were about to pronounce sentence."
"What did they sentence him to?" Sirius asked quietly.
Albus grinned at that. "He was sentenced three days in Azkaban due to underage apparition and insufficient evidence. Then he had the sentence reduced to time served due to good behavior and his known interactions already."
Sirius and Remus looked at each other then at Albus.
Then Sirius said something in front of the headmaster no one had said in a long time.
"You've got to be fucking kidding me?"
All were laughing when Ginny swept in and started yelling at them for laughing when Harry was sick. Sirius clasped his hand over her mouth and repeated Harry's sentence to her. She just stared at him then looked at the ground.
"I'm sorry sir."
"Don't, you had every right to get mad at me for being callous around Harry. And you can call me Sirius. You're almost family now."
She nodded and went back out to Harry kicking Malfoy's bed as she passed.
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Harry was talking to his parents. He sat there and spoke with them about everything. He told them everything about himself that had happened lately. He showed his dad his animagus forms. Both were quite impressed. He was ecstatic to see his dads form for real and told them both that Sirius had been pardoned and Wormtail caught. Of course, for the first few hours it was somewhat hard for Harry to speak since his head was trapped against his mums shoulder as she clenched him to her. When James had finally pulled Harry out of Lily's grasp, they spent an immeasurable time talking about Harry's life. Harry was loathe telling them about his childhood but finally did. When he finished with the disappearance of the Dursley's his father looked at him sternly.
"You're hiding something Harry. We may be dead but we can still tell when our son is hiding something."
Harry wasn't sure if he should tell them what Sirius had done. Finally, he told them how it started.
When he had gotten home, he had gone to his room to put away his school supplies.
The next morning he had come downstairs holding his wand. He sat down at the table and ate the piddling serving he was allotted. Uncle Vernon had told him to go out and mow the lawn. None had noticed his wand until Harry stood and pointed it at him.
'Don't talk to me' and walked back up to his room. He didn't go down for lunch and didn't go down for dinner. He just sat in his room huddled against his bed.
He repeated this every day for the next few weeks. His uncle was forced to get his mail since Harry wouldn't open his window for any owl. Vernon crushed and sent back all the packages and letters. He had told Hedwig to spend the summer on her own. She could come back before it was time to leave. This went on until one morning Harry didn't have his wand. His uncle Vernon noticed and slapped Harry across the face hard. Harry didn't say a word. He just walked back to his room.
Then Dudley pushed him down the stairs. Harry's arm snapped and so did his anger. Without meaning to Harry reached out with his aura and broke Dudley's wrist. When Vernon heard Dudley, he came running. He saw Dudley whining like a baby and he hit Harry. He smashed his hand into Harry's face repeatedly. Harry felt two of his teeth come out then he fell and couldn't stop falling. Every once in awhile he would float high enough and would look out and see Vernon or Dudley taking turns whipping him with a belt or punching him in the stomach. Harry's magic healed the major wounds but barely kept him alive.
Harry looked up, saw the anger in both of his parent's eyes, and continued.
After a time Harry wasn't sure of how long, he saw Dumbledore's face. He was too busy to pay attention though. He was learning something new and if he failed, he would be trapped forever. He looked again a few minutes later and saw Sirius.
Harry closed his eyes and smiled sadly before continuing.
He opened his eyes for a period of time and saw red hair. He thought it was his mum. Then he saw brown eyes and looked at them. He didn't recognize them at first. Then realized who it was later and what he had seen in her eyes.
After a while he came out of himself and spoke to her.
"But what happened to my sister and that bastard she married?" his mum cried.
Harry looked down and whispered, "Promise not to get mad?"
They looked at each other and nodded.
"Sirius killed all of them."
"How, Harry?"
"Animagus," He whispered.
He didn't look up. He didn't want to see the disappointment they would feel in their friend.
"Good."
Harry looked up at his mum and saw his father was looking at her in shock.
"Lil, they were your family."
"And they beat my son. They could have killed him before he even had to a chance to have a family of his own again."
She ran over to Harry and began crying on his shoulder. His dad came over and wrapped his arms around both of them.
"I'm glad you're not a killer, son."
"Umm, Actually…" Harry started. "I was framed for the murder of Cornelius Fudge."
"Who's he?" his dad asked.
"He was the minister of magic before Albus and I convinced some others to support us in a vote of no confidence. He was killed shortly after he was unseated. When Albus caught the actual killer and brought him in my trial was voided. There was a fast trial for Malfoy.
Fudge's wife didn't want to have anything to do with the trial since she now knew who had killed her husband. I participated in the interrogation and was given the right to pronounce sentence.
Some days before all this happened I had been in the forbidden forest with my girlfriend-"
He was interrupted here when his mum looked at him with interest. "You have a girlfriend? Do we know her family?"
Harry nodded. "Virginia Weasley. Ginny."
"The Weasley's had a girl? I thought they were destined for only boys," His dad laughed.
"She's their last child. She's in her fourth year. Actually, she's not my girlfriend. She's my fiancée."
His mum was stunned. "Fiancée? Don't you think you're too young?"
"We're going to wait until she's done with school.
"Anyway, we were in the forest lying by each other after a nightmare I had had destroyed the common room. She's an animagus also. I smelled blood and went to investigate. We found an injured unicorn and Fawkes healed it. The unicorn gave me the blood that had stuck to her body and she sketched out the dark mark when I asked her who did it. I flew to the village and found the Death Eater about to attack the home of Snape's sister where he was staying. I confronted him and broke his wand before cutting off his arm with my sword."
He looked down at the ground and then continued.
"Back to the trial, I stripped their family of their holdings and titles. Their names were expunged from wizarding records and I took all their assets and turned their manor into a free boarding house for muggle born."
His mum was pleased at this.
"Then I pronounced his sentence. He was to be executed the next morning. He was given the choice of how he wished to die in a duel. The next morning when he made his choice I severed his head with my sword."
He looked down at the ground.
"Oh, Harry." His mum cried.
His father took him in his arms and began to cry himself. "I'm so sorry Harry. We should've been there to protect you."
"I went back to school and told all of them the verdict. His son attacked me later and here I am now. Dead, I guess."
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Ginny was sleeping on the bed next to Harry in the hospital wing. His cabin had been taken down after he had gone back to school.
Sirius came in and shook her gently.
"Ginny, Malfoy has been sentenced. Do you want to hear it?"
She nodded and rubbed the sleep out of her eyes.
"He's been outed as a Death Eater and sentenced to fifteen years in Azkaban and his rights to do magic have been taken away. As soon as he's up he'll be taken away."
Ginny nodded and glanced over at Malfoy's bunk. There were three Aurors standing around it. A girl glanced at Ginny and smiled. Another Auror came in and sat down besides Harry.
"Hello, I'm Aries Cole."
Ginny smiled sadly. "Harry mentioned you. He said some of your work stories were very funny."
Aries smiled at that and asked how he was.
"His fever has gone down but he still hasn't awoken."
Aries nodded and pulled two broken wands out of his pocket. "Both of these are his by dueling rights."
He set them down on the bedside table and walked away after ruffling Harry's hair.
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Harry was dreaming again. This time he couldn't awake and was forced to watch Voldemort rape Ginny, then kill her repeatedly. No matter how hard he fought, how strong of spells he used nothing could break through. He couldn't even look away. He was forced to see Voldemort rape her. Then it changed. Voldemort was passing her around the Death Eaters. Both Malfoy's stood over Harry and laughed.
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Madame Pomfrey was administering to Malfoy when she heard a crack she turned towards the sound and saw a wave pause in the air. She blinked and moved. When she had moved out of the direct path between Malfoy and Harry the wave began moving again. In the second it took to travel from where it had been to where Malfoy was about to not be, everything in a 3 foot radius turned to sludge. When the wave hit Malfoy, he was pressed against the wall. The three Aurors were standing off to the side and couldn't try anything. They had experienced a dream or two of Harry's each.
Harry was tossing and turning in bed. The dream had reached a fevered pitch and Harry's aura began to seek out threats. It only found one and it was so close. The magic pushed out only to be stopped by someone in the way. The obstruction was gone. His aura pushed and slammed the threat against the wall. It didn't stop until it met the wall and the other aura was dissipating.
Malfoy was no longer in one piece. He wasn't even in pieces. His body was now a smudge against the wall and stains flung all over the ward. Madame Pomfrey's screams brought all the professors running. When they came into the wing, they stopped dead. Hagrid arrived a few moments later with Fang. Fang began whimpering and Hagrid began whispering the Lord's Prayer.
Everywhere they looked, there was blood and viscera. Harry Potter was still in his coma. Madame Pomfrey was still screaming and even the Aurors looked ill. They had seen horrible things but a person being crushed against a wall was new.
Professor Dumbledore walked over to Madame Pomfrey and pointed his wand at her. He picked her up before she could fall and carried her to one of the private rooms. Sirius and Remus were looking at the room in horror. Minerva had stepped to the door to close it when running footsteps approached.
Ginny was screaming Harry's name as she ran. Her brothers and Hermione were right behind her. They came to the door as Professor McGonagall stepped into the hall. She stopped them from entering and was almost hexed by Ginny. Ron barely got Ginny's wand out of her hand. Sirius stepped out and spoke to them.
"Ha-Harry is all right it seems but something happened to Malfoy. We'll let you into see Harry when the wing has been cl-cleaned."
"What happened, Professor?" Hermione said breathlessly.
Sirius just shook his head and escorted them away from the wing.
When he returned after making sure the prefects would not let them leave the common room he returned to the infirmary.
Harry was sitting up and was looking straight ahead. Before anyone could warn him not to, he approached his godson. He reached out and was flung across the room just as Albus had been before.
"Shit, that hurt," he muttered as he rose cradling his broken wrist.
He looked over and noticed Remus was cradling a broken arm. "Got you too huh?"
Remus grimaced then joked. "We need to quit letting your godson discipline his elders."
"Hope Bambi is okay," Sirius muttered.
Dumbledore came out of Pomfrey's alcove and spoke to Minerva who was overseeing the cleanup. They were all avoiding going near Harry or even pointing their wands in his general direction. They did not know what had happened to cause this but they knew Harry was one of the few people who could.
Dumbledore stepped out and spoke with the Aurors as Padfoot and Moony discussed how to help Harry. Sirius slowly approached him speaking softly. Harry looked his way but didn't seem to see him. He just fell back against the bed.
Ginny was sitting in the common room doing her homework. The headmaster had kicked them all out of the hospital ward for the next two days. The professors had all been lenient on them but even Hermione had failed her last test.
Hermione and Ron were arguing over something pointlessly stupid to argue about as Ginny sighed and grasped the emerald. Harry was feeling sorrow and hate. Another dream about Voldemort and his minions. None of them was close enough to feel or see his dreams. The twins were trying to cheer her up and failing miserably when a wave of revulsion and hate passed over all of them. Ginny had not been clutching the charm but she knew this was Harry. She stood and began running, the others following. They felt another wave. This time it was a blood lust. Ginny was screaming his name as she ran.
When she was stopped by Professor McGonagall she drew her wand and was about to hex her when Ron pulled it out of her hands.
The students were back in the common room. Ginny was plotting Ron and Sirius' deaths while the twins, Ron, and Hermione spoke trying to figure out what happened.
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Harry wasn't sure where he was now. He had talked to his parents. Dreamt of Voldemort as usual and now he was here. Wherever here is.
The chamber was round, the walls made of stone and the floor hard packed earth. The walls curved up into a dome. Harry looked at the stones and realized how intricate the construction was. The key was the top stone. If it were removed, the building would fall crushing him. If he was careful and studied the walls for a weakness…
He had been looking at the walls forever now. In one spot, he could remove three and in another, he could remove four. Nowhere else was it safe to remove even two. Whoever had designed this room had done well. He hadn't even been able to change or cast any runes. No matter what kind of magic he tried, nothing happened. So he sat. And waited.
Occasionally a plate of bread and some meat with a bit of salt and mustard would appear. There was a jar of water that never emptied and a hole in the ground on one side.
Harry had taken to writing in the dirt and practicing his wandsmanship. One time instead of food, he received a rough-hewn stone with "YOU MUST UNDERSTAND YOURSELF." etched up on it. He sat back and thought.
Somewhere between five minutes and five hundred years later, Harry opened his eyes. He thought he had come to a moment of clarity but wasn't sure. Instead of the stone hut, he was in privet drive. He shuddered and then realized… the furnishings were different.
He looked around and saw two little girls. One was scowling at the other while the red haired one was giggling and doing homework. Harry looked at his mum doing her summer assignments. She must have been first or second year. He blinked and they were gone. He was standing by the lake. He turned and walked up to the castle. As he passed Lily, she looked his way but didn't approach. Harry continued. He reached the doors to the castle. When he reached out to them, his hands passed through and he stumbled in. the first years he passed did not notice him. He tried to concentrate on the auras around him. They all felt faint but he was barely trying. He found Ginny's and… his own? He headed towards the pulse. He found her in the hospital wing. Sitting over someone. Had Ron been hurt? He reached to touch her shoulder and it passed through her too. She shivered. Was he a ghost? He looked at the bed and saw himself.
Well shit. Maybe I am dead? It doesn't look like he's… I'm breathing. Then he looked at Ginny again. She was speaking but her lips were moving so slowly. She reached out her hand to run it across his forehead. It took over ten minutes for it to reach him. Harry reached out to see if he could touch himself and felt something tug him. His eyes flashed open
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Ginny was sitting at Harry's bedside. She was caught up and the headmaster had allowed her back in. Madame Pomfrey was still at St. Mungo's and probably wouldn't be back for a long time. No one would tell the students what had happened. Malfoy had awoken, the rumors said. He had tried to kill himself, others said. All anyone knew was that he was gone. The Slytherins were somewhat relieved he was gone. He always lorded over everyone.
She was telling Harry about her day and was reaching to brush some hairs away when Harry twitched slightly. She thought he was going to have another nightmare and was about to get up. No matter how much she wanted to stay, she did not want to become one with the wall anytime soon. Then Harry's eyes opened. He looked around and closed them again.
Ginny sighed and reached for his hand. When she touched it, she was pulled down onto him.
"Hi love."
She gasped and Harry replied, "No kiss? I guess I can just go back to sleep then."
"You're awake?" she asked.
He nodded and opened his eyes. As soon as Ginny saw those familiar eyes, she was kissing his face. He started kissing back. His hands started roaming somewhat until a cough was heard. Harry and Ginny turned and saw a red faced Angie Morrow standing at the foot of his bed.
Ginny climbed off and flushed. Harry grinned at her slightly and looked at the young girl. "Yes, Miss Morrow?"
"I made this for you professor." Angie held out a card.
Harry took it and looked at Ginny for a second then opened. It read get well soon, Professor. You're the best. –Angie
Harry smiled at her and said, "Thank you."
Then he looked at Ginny and said, "At least one first year hasn't sent me a singing get well card."
Ginny flushed even more and Harry explained what had happened to Angie. She was grinning and left after Harry told her to call him Harry when they weren't in class.
Ginny swatted his arm and said, "I was a first year."
Harry smirked, "So was she."
Then Ginny said, "I was in love with you, you prat."
"You were? You mean you aren't anymore?" he teased.
She swatted him again and started kissing him.
An hour later, the new nurse arrived to find Ginny curled up in Harry's arms. She had been warned not to awaken Harry and had been told what had happened in the ward. She smiled at the tableau in front of her. She hoped Miss Weasley would be ok when the two awoke and went to get the headmaster.
Albus was sitting next to him when he awoke. He looked down and realized he had woken up the same way as when he had confronted Ron.
"Hello, Harry. How do you feel?"
"Like I slept with an angel. What happened?" he asked.
"You don't remember?"
Harry shook his head and the headmaster told him everything from the knife and Malfoy's arm burning off to Malfoy being pressed against the wall and crushed.
Harry looked down and whispered, "Bloody hell."
The headmaster asked him if he knew why it might have happened.
Harry told him of the nightmare where Ginny had been passed around the Death Eaters. When he finished he heard a gasp. He looked down and saw Ginny's pale face. She had heard everything. From the crushing of Malfoy to the dream of her being raped.
Harry's face turned as pale as hers did as she started crying. He gathered her into his arms and shushed her. The headmaster looked down at them and walked off leaving Harry to comfort her.
"Ginny, love. Shush. It's okay. Nothing will happen to us."
She sniffled. "I wasn't crying about me. I was crying about you. You won't ever be able to have a normal life."
He grimaced. "Gin, I have a normal life. I just happen to have an abnormal enemy."
She smiled slightly at the abnormal enemy bit and Harry dried her tears. The headmaster cam back a few moments later.
"The ministry has to charge you Harry. Even though it was unintentional and he had stabbed you."
Harry nodded and asked what the verdict was.
"This summer you will be placed under house arrest and not allowed to leave the castle," The headmaster replied.
Ginny was angry over that. "He can't come home?"
The headmaster shook his head. "You'll be able to talk to him but he won't be able to leave the castle or receive any visitors except ministry officials."
The headmaster grinned slightly. "I'm sure the minister of magic will be more than happy to come visit his future son in law with his family though."
Harry nodded at that and kissed Ginny's cheek. He fell back asleep. Since he was in a bed he might as well sleep, he thought.
The next morning Fawkes was sitting above him singing brightly. Harry sat up and looked at the bird. Then he looked at his wound. He had a nasty scar on his side. He wondered why Fawkes hadn't tried to heal him. Fawkes jumped to his shoulder and Harry closed his eyes. He saw Fawkes crying over his wound and the tears just rolling off his body. He had no clue about what kind of poison would resist something as powerful as phoenix tears. He reached up and smoothed down some of Fawkes' feathers.
Harry stood up and started to reach for his clothing. The nurse came up and told him he had to get back in bed. Harry just took his cane out of his pocket and grasped his wand. He returned the cane to normal size and transfigured his pajamas into some suitable clothing. It was lunchtime and he wanted to sit with his friends.
As he made his way out of the wing, his friends were turning the corner and almost knocked him over.
"Harry, you're up and around all ready?" Hermione asked.
Ron just patted him on the back.
Ginny grabbed his hand and they walked to the great hall. As Harry walked into the hall, everyone looked. No one other than his friends and the headmaster knew he had awoken. They stared at him as he walked to the Gryffindor table and sat down near the twins. His friends joined him and they began to eat. Harry refused to tell them of what had happened and Ginny refused to tell either. After the meal, Harry grabbed an éclair and took a bite out of it. Where he had been sitting, an emerald colored kitten was playing with the edge of the tablecloth. Ron was laughing along with the twins. Hermione and Ginny were glaring at all three of them when Harry reappeared.
"Like our new Kitty Klares?" the twins choked out through their laughter. "Your uncle showed us how to make 'em."
Harry looked up at the head table and saw Remus and Sirius grinning. He got up and walked out of the hall with Ginny. As he passed the head table, a puppy and wolf cub appeared on the table.
"War is hell, isn't it Padfoot, Moony?"
Albus was laughing at what had happened to two of his professors and professor McGonagall was grinning at the two Marauders.
Harry was tiring and headed back to his quarters. He was cursing how often he spent time in the hospital wing. When he got there Ginny tucked him in while Harry grimaced over the fact his girlfriend was babying him. He fell asleep.
Harry woke to a sallow faced man standing over him carrying a baby. A pretty woman with long black hair stood next to him. Harry looked back and forth between them.
"My sister wishes to speak with you," Snape replied.
"Okay, Sevvie," Harry replied cheerfully.
Snape swept out into his sitting room scowling while his sister was laughing.
"Thank you for saving us. I'm sorry for how I treated you," she said.
Harry waved it off and asked her name. "I'm Samantha Sorthin."
"You know, for a relative of Severus you're quite nice to speak to. How come you two are so different?"
"Actually except for his appearance we used to be a lot like. He treats you worse than he treats anyone he's ever met, though. Do you know why?" she asked him.
Harry nodded. "My father saved his life and he's never forgiven him for it. Then I ruined his chance to get the Order of Merlin first class. That really pissed him off. Specks of saliva were flying when he came to find me. And then recently I beat him at sword fighting."
She nodded and swept back into the sitting room and returned with her child. "This is Eric Harold Sorthin."
Harry grimaced when he heard that and she laughed. "He's not named after you. He's named after his grandfather."
"Umm, not to sound rude but I was always under the impression that the majority of Snape's family were dark?"
"Actually we are. Severus and I were the white sheep of our family."
Harry laughed aloud at that.
Snape came back in saying it was time to go.
"Would you like to come to dinner sometime?" Snape groaned when his sister asked this.
"Since it would make Sevvie most uncomfortable I accept the offer. May I bring my girlfriend?"
She nodded and the three made their way out.
Harry got out of bed and looked at his watch. It was almost dinnertime. He wondered when he had to restart classes. As he got in the shower, he noticed a note on the desk. He spent twenty minutes in the shower then went over to the desk.
He looked at the note while he dripped on the floor, then he heard giggling. He looked around and didn't see anyone. He looked over in the corner and his cloak wasn't there. With a feral grin he spoke. "Accio invisibility cloak."
His cloak flew off her and landed in his hand. He wrapped it around his waist and everything below his navel disappeared.
Ginny innocently asked, "Are you ready for dinner love?" as her face reddened.
"Yeah. I return to teaching tomorrow. Wanna help me get dressed?"
Her eyes widened and she shook her head. She wanted to treasure watching him pad out of the bathroom with water dripping off him. If she watched him get dressed, she'd lose the mental image.
When Harry had finished dressing, he came out to the sitting room and saw his girlfriend with a carnal grin on her face. He snuck up behind her and whispered in her ear all the things he could do with just his lips and her neck. As she shivered, he began. By the time dinner started both were quite breathless.
They made their way down to dinner and were motioned over to the head table. The headmaster and professor McGonagall were holding a pair of puppies. Professor McGonagall was somewhat stunned and the headmaster was fighting a grin.
"Minerva and I were unable to reverse your spell for anything more than a few minutes. We both tried many times. Would you be willing to change your godfather and uncle back now?" Albus' eyes glittered with mirth.
"Actually, I'd prefer to leave them as is. Their teaching skills are probably the same. Are you sure you want them back?" he teased.
Both of the animals were growling at him as Albus pondered the question and finally nodded when the puppy started tugging on his robes.
Albus and Minerva set them on the ground. Harry turned them both back with one small change. Sirius appeared in only his boxers. The room went silent. Then the laughter burst out.
"Uncle Sirius, why are you in your underwear?" Harry asked slyly.
Sirius looked down and then at Harry. He ran behind Hagrid and grabbed his jacket.
"Do you submit? Will you acknowledge I am your superior in pranks, uncle Sirius?" he called out for the whole room in a singsong tone. It became as silent as a tomb as the students listened for the answer.
Sirius bit it out. "Yes."
"We can't hear you uncle Sirius."
"YES," he bellowed.
"Yes what uncle Sirius?" he asked in an innocent tone.
"Yes you are my superior in pranks. You win." He said softly.
After he finished the students began clapping for Harry again. He took a bow and went to sit with his friends.
"Think he'll try to get revenge Harry?" Ron asked.
"Most definitely," he replied.
As he sat watching his godfather stew in Hagrid's coat Harry looked over his schedule that had been in his room when he got up. He was taking the N.E.W.T.S. in four subjects, Charms, DADA, COMC and Transfiguration. He stood and started to leave. His friends stood and followed him. Except for grabbing Ginny's hand, he didn't acknowledge them.
As they neared his room, he handed the slip to Hermione. She gasped and showed it to the others.
"Will you pass Harry?" Ron asked.
He nodded and passed through the opening into his room. They had their books and spread them out to begin doing their work they hadn't finished.
Harry remembered the dinner and told Ginny. Ron and Hermione were laughing about the reaction Snape had.
"Think we should appear as lions?" he asked.
Ginny giggled and nodded when they both heard a pop. They looked over at Ron and Hermione. Hermione was gone and Ron was stroking a falcon.
"She's got it? Awesome. How close are you Ron?" Harry asked.
"I haven't really been practicing. I've been busy."
Hermione reappeared and Ron grinned at her. Hermione's face reddened.
Harry arched an eyebrow and gagged. Ron picked up a throw pillow and hit Harry perfectly. Harry went to retaliate and accidentally hit Hermione. After that, it devolved into a pillow fight that only stopped when Albus appeared.
"Ahhh, to be young again," Albus said.
Harry stood and stretched. "How are you, Albus?"
"Just fine. Are you ready for a return to teaching tomorrow? It seems that all of our defense professors have something bad happen to them. It would seem the jinx may be real."
Harry nodded and yawned. He looked at his watched and his face paled. It was after one am.
"Yes Harry. It's after one am. You better get some sleep and your friends are out after hours. Luckily all of them had detention due to their low grades and this study session," he smirked when he said that part, "will count towards their punishment."
The others gathered up their books and bags as Albus swung out of the door.
Ginny kissed Harry and followed the other two out the door. Harry walked into his room, smiled at the picture of him and Ginny asleep and fell into bed without undressing.
When Harry awoke the next morning, he stepped to the window and saw Lily. He grabbed his Firebolt and jumped out the window. He hadn't flown in a long time and he had an hour until breakfast. He flew down to say good morning to Lily and gave her an apple. She butted her head into his shoulder before he flew off. He made three circuits of the castle casually then flew as fast as he could in and out of the towers skimming along the parapets.
After he finished he flew back through his window and got in the shower. As he soaked under the steaming water, Ron came in the room and threw a towel at him.
"Hurry up. We want our favorite professor back," he teased.
Harry said something rude his future mother-in-law would have given him grief for and got out of the shower. As he dressed, Hermione and Ron came in the room. Ginny broke past her brother and strolled into his room. She was disappointed he was already dressed. She hugged him and grabbed him whispering, "I want some of this tonight lover."
Harry blushed and grinned while following her out of the room. Ron noticed the grin but wisely refrained from commenting. Ginny obviously knew too much about his and Hermione's clandestine activities.
Hermione had something to tell Harry but she didn't want to tell it in front of Ginny. Parvati had told her that Cho was planning on asking Harry out. She didn't want to say it in front of Ginny because she had been told Harry had been flirting with Cho. She didn't believe it since Harry was busy with being almost killed or framed for murder but she had to make sure. She tried to catch him alone for the past day but it hadn't happened. In truth, she hadn't believed a word of what Parvati had said but she wanted to make sure.
When Harry got into the hall, he looked around. His first day back to teaching and he was already tired. His cane was out most of the students noticed. He saw that the twins were looking at him admiringly. He had bested one of the infamous Marauders after all and was the son of another. The Marauders had been their idols since first year. He could handle that kind of adoration. Colin and Dennis Creevey were obviously ready for their favorite person in the whole world to resume teaching. He groaned inwardly at that. He looked at the other tables and didn't notice the look in Cho's eyes. He continued his walk to the head table after kissing Gin's cheek. He looked at his uncle and godfather and saw the look in both their eyes. He smiled at them and a feral gleam reached his eye.
Cho watched Harry sit down. She couldn't believe how hot he was. She kept thinking about his lips while a small voice in the back of her mind tried to get her attention. It was trying to remind her about Evan and the fact that Harry obviously loved Ginny. The jewelry alone was evident. Unfortunately, she didn't pay attention and was fighting hard not to drool.
After Harry's first class, he spoke with Angie for a few minutes about her last essay. She wanted to redo it and Harry said that would be all right but he would have to take off three points. She nodded and went off to her next class. Three other Slytherin first years asked for extra credit and Harry told them to each do a two-foot long essay on the creatures that had shown up when they went up against the Boggart. They nodded and took off.
Harry sat down at his desk and closed his eyes for a moment. He was awoken by the sounds of the Ravenclaw sixth years filing in. the students took their seats and Harry did roll. He had them open their books to chapter thirty-four and began the lesson.
After the lesson, Cho asked Harry if she could talk to him about her homework. They were talking about it when Harry stood up. Cho walked up to him and kissed him. She wrapped her arms around him and pulled him tight. Harry was so startled he almost blew her across the room. As he began to extricate himself, hell began.
Ginny was walking to Harry's class. They were both done until lunch and she was hoping they could spend some time alone in his office. She hadn't had a chance to spend time with him lately. As she neared the class, she heard a familiar voice but couldn't place it. As she stepped into the room, her heart stopped. Harry was kissing Cho. She saw Harry start to put his arms around her. If she had been holding the emerald charm she would have felt what was really happening but her heart was breaking. She felt for the rings on her finger and pulled them both off. She threw them at Harry and stormed out of the room. As she ran away, she started pulling off the other jewelry.
Harry was trying to figure out what the hell was happening when he felt something small strike him. He finally was able to pull away and saw his fiancée running away. He tried to go after her but Cho wouldn't let go.
He stunned her and summoned the rings to him. He chased after Ginny and caught up. When he did, she spun and he saw her wand in her hand. Before he could throw up a shield, Ginny had screamed a curse. Harry was flung against the wall and slid into blackness. Ginny turned and ran. She didn't know where she was going.