Chapter 14 - A Critter and a Breaker

Harry was still being congratulated ten minutes later when Mr. and Mrs. Weasley broke through the few remaining students to talk to him. Harry had thought that his own house was happy with the win but was surprised when a few students from Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw also came by to congratulate him.

Mr. Weasley gave Harry a good pat on the back and told him that he had never, ever seen a Snitch caught in such a fashion. Mrs. Weasley bent down to give Harry one of her massive hugs. She also whispered in his ear that Harry 'was really brave for protecting his girls from the troll'. Harry blushed at the compliment and wondered if Mrs. Weasley was kidding him about 'his girls'.

Fred and George were standing behind their parents and told the group that there would be a small party that evening in celebration of the first Gryffindor win over Slytherin in three seasons. Professor McGonagall would be providing the Butterbeer and other snacks and refreshments. Ginny hung her head in disappointment because she knew she was just going to go home with her parents. Her parents noticed her sad face and gave her permission to stay with Hermione overnight! She jumped up and yelled and even gave Ron a hug in her excitement.

Harry left with the rest of his team to change in the locker room. He was really glad that there was a partition in there as the girl chasers made a lot of noise talking to Fred, George, and Oliver Wood. A few of the comments made between the boys and girls made Harry blush. Harry finished up last in changing as the other six all came over and told him what a good job he had done! He even got a hug from the normally shy Alicia Spinnett.

Hermione and Ginny were still waiting for him when he came out. They looked around to see if anyone else was around and then grabbed Harry up in a joint hug! Harry was almost knocked over in their enthusiasm. Harry said he wasn't quite ready to go back to the school yet and face everyone again. He was a little overwhelmed by the attention. Hermione said they needed to have a talk anyway so all three decided to go for a walk and finally visit Hagrid.

Harry was at first astonished upon learning what happened to his broom during the match but quickly got mad. "I almost got killed up there!", he said angrily. "I didn't think even Snape would be so bold as to do something in view of everyone at that match."

When Harry asked how the girls had managed to get Snape to stop the cursing, Hermione just pointed to Ginny. "I couldn't blast him like I wanted because my parents were right there. Hermione and I called up the bond magic and I sort of weakened part of the boards he was standing on. I hope he wretched his bad leg falling down. I wish I could apologize to Quirrell and Flitwick; they got wiped out by Snape in the fall."

"I'm glad you two are on my side", Harry said with a smile. "You are going to tell me if I get out of line before I get jinxed, right?"

"We'll let you know, Harry. We'll let you know."

The three had just about reached the bottom of the trail to Hagrid's hut. He was out back watching something in the pens. Harry and the two girls walked down to where he was and looked into the pens.

What they saw were a variety of blue and black lizards crawling around a lot of rocks and a small pond in the middle of the pen. Ginny was about to reach in and touch one of them but Hagrid warned her back. "Them's mokes, they won't hurt you when they're small but…"

Harry and Hermione jumped back in alarm when the 6 inch lizard down by their feet suddenly grew in size to about 3 feet long! It had a extremely long tongue that was split on the end in threes. It only kept its size for a few seconds before it shrunk down again and scuttled away!

Ginny had run and hid behind Hagrid when she saw what the mokes did. "Is that something students will study in the Care of Magical Creatures class next year, Hagrid?"

"No, I'm just raising these for a couple more weeks until they get big enough to release into the lake. The merpeople and the giant squid both like them for food."

'Never, ever, ever going swimming in that lake now!'

Harry didn't know if it was Ginny or Hermione who thought that. Hagrid finished feeding the mokes and invited everyone inside for some tea. When they all had settled down to their huge mugs, Hagrid complimented Harry on the way he had played his first game.

"Those Slytherins like to play rough and not always legal, if you get my drift."

"Is that why Snape was cursing Harry's broom then?", Hermione asked. "Just because he couldn't stand the idea of Harry beating him in anything?"

When Hagrid said he couldn't believe that Snape was like that, Harry couldn't hold his anger in check any longer. "He's cheated, Ginny was a witness to his tampering also. He's even gone after what you brought back from Gringotts Hagrid!"

"And what do you know about anything I might have got from Gringotts?", Hagrid asked back.

"Only that Snape went after it the other night when the troll was loose in the school. I saw him heading upstairs Tuesday night and we saw where he had got bit by that three-headed dog in the forbidden corridor!"

"You.. You know about Fluffy?" Hagrid looked pretty shaken that the secret was out about the beast.

"Fluffy?", exclaimed Hermione and Ginny together.

"Filch and Mrs. Norris accidentally chased us into that room a couple of weeks ago. Hermione and I barely got out alive!" Ginny reached out to grab Harry's hand and calm him down.

"We both saw the trap door he was guarding. And now Snape is trying to get whatever's down there." Hermione's statement caused the giant to sit down in a chair wearily.

"But Snape is one of the one's that charged with making sure the.."

Hagrid stopped speaking as if he was aware that he almost told his guests what it was that Fluffy was taking care of.

"Yes, Hagrid?" Harry knew he shouldn't ask his big friend to betray a secret but he really wanted to know what was so important.

"Dumbledore will have me sacked if he finds out I told you anything. It's not something any of you should get tangled up with, believe me."

"But, Hagrid", Ginny said, "if it's something that the dark wizards or.. or Deatheaters want, they're liable to come attack Harry at the same time!"

"Not while our headmaster is around. Not even you-know-who is a match for Dumbledore, even if he was around today. Which he's not! Dumbledore's got the safest hiding place for.. Where no one will ever get to it. What Fluffy is guarding is not something you should be worrying about. What's there is the business of only two people- Albus Dumbledore and Nicolas Flamel!"

Harry stood up from his seat and gave the gamekeeper a hug. "Thank you for the tea Hagrid. We'll remember your words and try to forget about this whole matter. We've got to get back to the tower for the party. You're invited if you want to attend."

"Thank you Harry. I'll try to come up for a bit. It'll be a nice change to see Professor McGonagall with a smile on her face after a Quidditch match." Hagrid held open the door for the three and watched them as they started up the hill back toward school.

Both Ginny and Hermione were mentally questioning Harry's reasoning for leaving so abruptly. Ginny thought that could have got more information if they stayed longer. Harry didn't say anything until they got to the second level spot on the trail.

He looked back at the hut to make sure that Hagrid's front door was closed. He beckoned both girls in closer and just whispered. "We can't get Hagrid to knowingly betray a secret of Dumbledore's but we did just find out something important. A name to track down; Nicolas Flamel!"

xxx xxxx

The three friends set themselves another goal; finding all about Nicolas Flamel! Hours turned into days which turned into a few weeks - without any success. Harry, Hermione and Ginny put what little free time they had into searching through all the resources in the Hogwarts library. Asking the Headmaster or the other professors in the school about the name was something that Harry didn't want to risk. He felt that there were only two people on the staff, outside of Hagrid, that he could really trust. Dumbledore and McGonagall. He didn't want any more interest drawn to the three of them by being overly curious about a hidden 'treasure'. Whatever it really was.

Harry, Hermione and Ginny were having a quiet discussion over lunch on a Tuesday a few weeks after the Quidditch match. Harry was trying to decide about risking an after hours visit to the Restricted Section in the library by using his goblin staff. Neville, having only heard the part of sneaking into the Restricted Section, told Harry he shouldn't take the chance. "You might get caught and lose your spot on the house team, Harry. The least you'll get is some major points taken and probably a detention with Professor Snape!"

Harry thanked Neville for thinking about his welfare but said he probably wouldn't do it anyway. He was still mentally arguing with Hermione about the same subject when he was tapped on the shoulder. Professor McGonagall told Harry and Ginny to report to the Headmasters office after lunch and that Harry was excused from Quidditch practice that afternoon. Neither Harry or Ginny had an inkling of why they were being summoned. Harry had been very careful about keeping his magic in check since the incident with the troll.

Hermione was heading back to the library but told her companions that she would 'listen' in if they didn't mind. They split up heading in different directions. Harry and Ginny met the headmaster coming down his stairs but he told them just to proceed up to his office as they had visitors. A trifle nervous, Harry pushed open the headmaster's door and saw a familiar face. Mrs. Weasley was talking to a red haired man that Harry didn't know.

Ginny did know the other person however. She screamed out "Billy" and ran toward the taller redhead. Bill Weasley turned just in time to catch his sister as she jumped up into his arms. Harry knew Ginny hadn't seen her curse breaking 'eldest' brother in over two years and felt all the surprise and happiness coming through their connection!

"What are you doing home?", Ginny asked once she had been let back down to the ground. "You wrote that you might be able to get back here around Christmas but we weren't sure."

Bill ruffled her hair up lightly and just looked at his little sister. "Gringotts wanted a report on what we had been doing in Egypt so I thought I would combine the business trip with a few days vacation. I'll be here the rest of the week. I flooed home to the Burrow last night and got caught up with everything. I actually caught Mum and Dad snogging on the couch when I came in."

Ginny laughed and Mrs. Weasley blushed at the comment. "We had a nice long talk. So you got to come to Hogwarts early and are becoming a healer! That's wonderful! Mum and Dad caught me up on everything else also." Bill straightened up and looked directly at Harry! Harry blushed at the intensity of the gaze but felt a little better when Ginny left her brother to stand by Harry. "I thought it important enough to come here and talk to your 'friend' before I talked to the rest of our brothers."

Harry had jumped in without a thought to confront the troll. He wished he was back there now instead of the grilling he was now expecting to get from Bill Weasley!

Ginny went back and stood defiantly in front of her brother. "Don't you dare trying to scare Harry off if that's what you're here for. He might go but I'll find a way to find him! Mum won't let you force me into a choice between you and him!"

Harry held up his hand. "Wait, Ginny. Nobody has done anything to anybody yet. And you already know how I feel about this; I won't come between you and any of your family! Well, maybe just Ron."

Bill relaxed a little at what Harry said. "Relax, Sparky. I only came here to talk to Harry."

"Sparky?", came from Harry. Ginny blushed a little and shot a glare at her brother. Bill smiled back at her and explained. "One of Ginny's first accidental magics was giving Ron the equivalent of an electric shock with her play wand. There were little purple sparks everywhere. He had taken her Harry.."

"BILLY!"

"..Potter doll and was threatening to throw it out the window! She had Ron's hair standing on end and his teeth chattering! I was the one that came in first to their room and rescued the doll and Ron!"

Ginny and Harry both heard Hermione chuckling in the background! Harry laughed out loud and received a shot on his arm for that from Ginny. "I suppose I shouldn't ask if you have other stories you could tell me about her?"

'You are in such TROUBLE Harry Potter!'

Mrs. Weasley picked that moment to ask Ginny to help her track down her other brothers so they could come visit Bill also. "Mum, I can do magic here. Can I hex them both at the same time?"

"No, you may not, and I've already warned Bill to go easy on Harry since he's been a proper gentleman about certain things. Let's get going."

Mrs. Weasley gave Harry one of her patented hugs on the way out. Ginny turned and glared at both Harry and her brother Bill before following her mum down the stairs.

'You can listen to this Ginny. I'm not going to hide anything from you!'

'Thanks Harry! I love my brothers but..'

'And I can tell they all love you back. This was going to be coming sooner or later from one or more of them. At least it's not Ron.'

Bill came over and took the chair next to Harry. "Hi, I'm Bill."

"I'm Harry. Nice to meet you. Ginny has told me a lot about you."

"She hasn't written nearly enough about you to me, but both our parents have formed a great opinion of you."

"They've been very kind to me. I've tried not to disappoint them in any way!"

"I'm glad you were able to save Ginny's life. Three times now, is it?"

"I don't count. She's saved me a couple of times herself and there's nothing I wouldn't do for her. She's that important to me."

"But it's more than that, isn't it Harry? An actual soul bond! The connection between you two is very unusual. And risky! If I knew how to break your connection without damaging my sister, I'd try it in a second. You're dangerous to be around! It's not enough that you may have Deatheaters after your life but you also seem to attract trouble. If anybody knew you two were attached…"

"We've tried real hard not to let anybody see how much we're connected. In fact, Ron and Percy don't know that we're anything more than good friends!"

"Thanks for that warning on that. I won't tell them. Just to let you know, I'm going to be teaching Ginny a few more defensive and offensive spells while I'm visiting."

'YES!' came from the 10 year old.

Harry nodded in agreement. "You're doing that to help protect her from everybody. And for you that includes and may especially mean me! That just makes sense considering the circumstances." Harry didn't have any problems with overprotective brothers as long as they had good reasons.

"Dad said you were pretty smart. Not everybody your age would have caught on to that."

"I'm not like anybody else my age for a variety of reasons. Whatever it takes to keep Ginny safe; I'm for it."

"That's all I really needed to find out from you Harry. I'm sorry you're both in this tangle together. But saying that, if I hear anything improper has happened between you and my sister…"

"There is a long line in front of you already. Starting with your parents! Ginny knows I'd rather go back and face Voldemort again than do anything to hurt her. She's had my permission from the time this started to blast me if I get out of line! Your mum helped us set up the rules we have for dealing with each other."

By the time Mrs. Weasley came back with everyone, Harry and Bill were talking about the incredible boredom that was the History of Magic class. While his brothers crowded around Bill, Ginny came over and sat in the chair with Harry.

'I think he's going to trust you Harry. Not that it would have made a difference to me if he wasn't!'

'That went a little better than I expected. Your brother can be very intimidating if he tries.'

'I overheard Bill tell Dad once that some girls really like the dangerous look! Besides he started out young as a curse-breaker and needed to look like he knew what he was doing.'

(HG): 'He certainly looks the part. Do you suppose we can Harry to try an earring Ginny?'

Watching Harry's mouth drop in shock gave Ginny the giggles and everyone watched as Harry quickly pretended to tickle the youngest Weasley.

Harry watched the conversations between the Weasleys for a while but decided to leave as he didn't want to intrude on their family time. He did break in and told Bill that he was glad to have met him before he left. Bill shook his hand and passed along a small piece of paper to Harry at the same time. When Harry looked at it later, the paper was a note from Bill offering to take him to Gringotts and help him with his Christmas shopping! Harry suddenly realized that he actually had lots of people he wanted to shop for this year!