Ch 35 The First Weeks of School
More great additions by Deb, and corrections by Diane.
Monday night September second, Harry and three memory experts met Scorpius and Albus after dinner. They gathered in a room that Professor McGonagall let them use. The Magi had Scorpius lay comfortably on a transfigured couch. One touched Scorpuis' temples, another tried Legilimency and the third tried Hypnosis. After two hours, the assembled group told Harry, Scorpius and Albus that there was no way to unblock Scorpius's memories that was not way too dangerous to try.
"I do not think you are responsible for anything your father is forcing you to do," Harry told Scorpius after the experts left. "You coming to us and worrying about it is a good defense. Please keep talking to Albus and us."
"Yes, sir, Mr. Potter," Scorpius responded unhappily, "I just feel so… dirty when I get back, you know?". He felt very uneasy about what he and his father were doing when he could not remember. He just felt like his father was having him do something wrong, and he felt dirty or violated. Both of the Potters looked at each other, and Harry left Albus to encourage his best friend.
Thursday September fifth, Hermione met Ron at the Hogsmeade store. Ron was going over a long printout, making notes, and then doing something on a computer in his office.
"Ready for dinner at the Hog's Head?" Hermione wondered when she came into his office.
"Should I change?" Ron asked after he looked up and smiled, noticing her in the door. "You are wearing a dress I have not seen you in lately, a pretty dress on a pretty girl I might add."
Hermione sighed, fighting a blush. "With the children both gone it is going to be too easy for us to get lost in our own worlds and not pay enough attention to each other. I just wanted to feel feminine for you."
"Thank you, Hermione," Ron replied. He stood up waving at the paper and parchment on his desk. "This stuff will wait. Take my hand and we will walk over to the Hog's Head hand in hand."
"Like we never did as students," Hermione declared, staring at his outstretched hand.
"We can pretend to be lovesick teenagers?" Ron kidded, wiggling his fingers at her.
"With all the drama around being a lovesick teenager!" Hermione scoffed with a shudder. "No way! I'd much rather be a happily married couple." Hermione sighed. "It is just for us being a happily married couple takes work. Rose reminded me of that."
"You are worth it, though," Ron insisted as he took Hermione's hand.
A very pregnant new waitress met them as they entered the Hog's Head. "I'm Fabianne Finnigan Coote. A table for two?" she asked, introducing herself.
"Any relation to Richard Coote?" Hermione wondered as the woman expertly weaved through the tables.
"He is my father-in-law. I married his son Robert right after Hogwarts. Robert is working for Mr. VanDer Raaltee, and we are living in Hogsmeade."
"Does Tracy still work here?" Hermione asked.
"Only when we are very busy," Fabianne responded as she stopped at a table and motioned for them to sit. "Mr. VanDer Raaltee is busy building out Magical/Muggle Mobile networks around the world, and both Robert and occasionally Tracy help him. Tracy did let me know that she would take over for me when I have my baby."
Ron and Hermione had a delightful dinner. As they were leaving for home, Ron noted, "Fabianne is way too pregnant to have become pregnant after they were married."
"More than one girl is wearing maternity clothes by the end of their seventh year at Hogwarts. It is even more common in students in eight year and beyond, but that is not so much of a problem," Hermione informed Ron. "It has always been an issue, but we seem to be having more of a problem the last couple of years."
"You know what we should do?" Ron said with a smirk and a glint in his eye.
"What?" Hermione asked suspiciously. backing away from him.
"Snog like teens after a date," he replied, grabbing her hand. Ron pulled Hermione into a kiss, right there in the street, and after a brief stiffening she melted into his arms. They took the Floo from the Hogsmeade store to their home at thirteen Grimmauld place, and went up the stairs, holding hands and grinning.
As they came through the living room they encountered Hermione's mother, sitting and reading. "How was your date?" Jean smirked. "I don't guess you are here to see me."
"The only woman prettier than my lovely mother-in-law is my beautiful bride," Ron expansively announced.
Hermione rolled her eyes, but ruined any pretense of objecting by giggling.
"Enjoy," Jean laughed.
Ron swept a giggling Hermione in his arms. and after carrying her to their bedroom, the couple proceeded to do just that.
Saturday after dinner Lily trotted over to the Gryffindor table, pulling Bill Lionheart along with her. Erica Lionheart followed along behind.
"I'm a chaser on the Hufflepuff Quidditch team!" Lily exclaimed. She then stuck her tongue out at her brother.
Rose, Cleo, and several other people at the Gryffindor table laughed.
"I'm not worried," James scoffed. "You won't keep up with your homework, and you will not be able to play."
"I WILL TOO!" Lily shouted. She looked at Bill and scowled. "Bill makes me do my homework every night." Lily flopped down on a chair with a pout. "It is no fun, but he will not let me practice until all my homework is done."
"Bill, what position are you going to play?" James asked.
"Trade secret," Bill grinned.
"Slytherin and Ravenclaw already scrimmage together," James replied, "and it has made both teams better. I don't have anything against Ravenclaw, but I would like to demolish Slytherin. I'd like both teams to demolish Slytherin."
"Is that all?" Bill wondered.
"I want to develop enough really good players at Hogwarts so I can talk my father and my Uncle Ron into buying the Cannons," James laughed.
"You are kidding," Bill scoffed.
James shook his head. "No, I'm not. I am totally serious. I want the Hogwarts matches to be so good that we have plenty of world class players."
"I will meet you in the portrait room in half an hour," Bill replied. "I will have as many of the Hufflepuff team members with me as possible."
"See you there," James replied.
Cleo turned to Rose. "Is James serious?"
Rose frowned. "My father is just enough of a crazy Cannons fan that he might actually listen to James. Nothing could be worse than the team they have now."
Jane, who was sitting nearby, looked to Rose and wondered out loud, "Could your father and Mr. Potter really buy a Quidditch team? Aren't they like a Muggle football team? Do they have that kind of money?"
Rose thought, "I know Uncle Harry could. I think Weasley's Wizard Wheezes could probably help pay for it."
Jane whispered to Rose, "Is your Uncle Harry really that rich?"
"He doesn't show it, but I think he is," Rose quietly confirmed. "Grandmother Granger visited a friend in Bermuda last year, and Harry had the company jet airplane fly her there and back. I know it is expensive to own your own airplane that can fly across an ocean. Uncle Bill says they need it because they sell many parts to Muggle businesses."
"Is everybody who is magical rich?" Jane wondered.
"No," Rose tried to explain. "There are plenty of Magi of modest means. Farming and cooking and other household tasks can be quicker and easier with magic, so even poor Magi do not usually have to worry about not having enough to eat. Healing is usually better than Muggle healing as well. Housing and other things, especially buying Muggle things, is another matter."
"Do Magi have to pay to go to Hogwarts?" Jane wanted to know.
"No, but buying school supplies can be a problem for poor Magi," Rose replied.
The second Friday evening in September dancing lessons started. They took place in the Great Hall, after all the tables were vanished. They were not exactly required, but it was strongly suggested that you learn how to dance, and most of the students third year and above showed up. The announcement asked all beginning students, and anyone who did not have a partner, to show up half an hour early.
Cassiopeia Starkey had glommed on to Scorpius as soon as they had gotten back to Hogwarts, and they were there together. Albus and Cleo were together as well. Rose noticed that her cousin James was there with Erica Lionheart, which was not a surprise. Rose looked for a Gryffindor boy she could dance with. Colin Creevey was already paired with Christy Shook. Percival Frobisher seemed to have talked Ivana Romanoff to accompany him, even though Ivana was only a second year. Charles Koizumi was with Patricia Lee. Eventually Rose was paired with a Ravenclaw boy, Zeus Sinistra, the grandson of Aurora Sinistra, who did not look any happier to be taking dancing lessons than she was.
Sixth and Seventh year students were in charge of making sure everyone was paired up. Rose noticed a couple of boys dancing with each other, and two or three pairs of girls dancing with each other as well. She was not sure if they were couples, but it did not really matter.
Once everyone was paired up a couple took the stage, the raised platform at the front of the Great Hall, and introduced themselves.
"I am Arthur Malfoy, and this is my wife Kathryn Malfoy. We run a world famous dance school, giving lessons in Great Britain and on the Continent."
Arthur waved his wand, and what could have been a movie screen appeared suspended in the air at the front of the Great Hall. "You will see on this screen the initial position for many of the dances you will be learning. Men, put your hand on your partners back like this. Women, put your hand on your partner's shoulder like this. Hold your other hands like this."
As he was talking Arthur and Kathryn assumed the basic dance position, and a greatly magnified view of them appeared on the screen.
Zeus put his right hand on Rose's back, and she stiffened. She put her hand on his shoulders, feeling very awkward.
Albus put his hand on Cleo's hips and waist instead of her back, which was natural since she was significantly taller than he was. Cleo had a definite waist, despite the little belly, but she got big in a hurry from there. Al had never felt, not just touched but felt, Cleo's hips before, but touching her was enjoyable, erotic even. Albus was short enough that he had to stand quite close to Cleo, and when he did her large breasts were almost in his face, and it was also erotic looking at them and feeling them against his body.
Cleo for her part looked at Al, and enjoyed the feeling of his hand on her waist, and her breasts touching Al. She probably should not have bumped against Al quite so often. They had never been quite so intimate in the way they had touched before. Their minds were joined, each enjoying not only how erotic they felt but also how erotic the other felt.
Al had to use levitation to rearrange his pants, because he was getting turned on. Cleo could feel herself getting turned on as well, and knew she would be somewhat moist down there. Both of them thought, at the same time, that they needed to keep their private parts private, and both mentally tried to draw a triangle at that place between your legs where a man was different than a woman, an area that they would not share until they were married, a private area. Unfortunately, they were not paying very much attention to the dance lesson, but mostly staring at each other.
"ALBUS, CLEOPATRA, STOP STARING AT EACH OTHER," Arthur Malfoy yelled.
Blushing furiously, Al and Cleo partially broke contact, and tried to focus on the lesson. They were, to put it bluntly, horrible. So much attention was focused on trying to keep private areas private, and so much of the rest of their attention was focused on how good it felt to be touching one another, that they had very little attention left to focus on the teacher. So when the lessons were over Al suggested, "We need to practice so we can touch each other and listen to the instructor."
"You just want to touch me," Cleo kidded.
"Well, that too," Albus grinned, "But we do need to learn how to dance."
Zeus made his way over to Albus and whispered, "Does Rose have any sense of rhythm?"
"Not much," Albus admitted. "Listening to her practice the piano was painful, and she did not last long. She is a great visual artist, but no musician."
"I'll stick with her, I guess, since I don't have another partner," Zeus sighed, going to the instructors to get some tips to help with Rose and her lack of rhythm.
That evening Albus asked Scorpius, "How are the dance instructors related to you?"
"Only one male inherits the Malfoy estates," Scorpius explained. "They are something like third or fifth cousins, or something like that. There are not welcome at Malfoy Manor. My father said something about not needing to get to know them, or not getting close to them. It does not sound very nice to me, but my father is not a very nice person."
It took about four weeks before dancing started becoming natural for Albus and Cleo, but eventually they were able to focus on the dancing lessons. They always enjoyed immensely touching each other, however. Rose and Zeus improved a little as Rose was still having to struggle with the rhythm, and with allowing a boy to lead her.
Sunday Sept twenty-second Kim Stanford visited the Potters and the Granger-Weasley's in the comfortable living room of twelve Grimmauld Place. "I am teaching the third year Defense against the Dark Arts classes," Kim started out. "Albus and Cleopatra really do not belong in the class, and I think it is best if Rose and Scorpius are with them."
The two sets of parents looked at each other and back at Kim, waiting for her to continue.
"I think Albus could pass his NEWTS right now. From what I understand, and from what I see when they are in my class, he spends most of his class time working with Cleopatra, teaching her spells. Cleopatra is the most frustrating student any of the teachers who have had her at Hogwarts have ever had. When Albus and Cleo work together she can do all the spells, few of them the way we teach them, and many of them non-verbally. Often when we are finished with the lessons Al has some subtle hint on how to perform the spell better, or some insight on how the spell works the way it does. Most of the more unusual or creative insights comes from his work with Cleo.
"Albus and Cleo could work with experienced Aurors and others, they are that good.
"Why I want Rose and Scorpius to work with them is more complicated. Part of it is that I am concerned about their safety, as are you. When the four are not together Rose and Cleo are often together, and Albus and Scorpius are. I think they need to practice fighting as pairs, Al and Scorpius, Rose and Cleo."
"How good are Rose and Scorpius," Hermione wondered.
"When it comes to class work," Kim suggested, "Rose and Scorpius are those unusual students who have read all the text books ahead of time, and usually some supplemental material as well. Hermione studiously tried to ignore Ron's poke of his elbow in her side and Harry grinning at her.
"When it comes to innate ability Scorpius is very good, not in Albus's league but one of the best students. Rose, on the other hand, is good just because she works at it. I've heard a couple of the professors who taught you, Hermione, and are teaching Rose say that Rose works just as hard, but doesn't have your innate talent. She is good, but not exceptionally good. She gets frustrated when Scorpius gets a spell before she does, something that happens often."
"What are you suggesting," Harry asked. "Private tutoring?"
"Exactly," Kim confirmed.
The group spent some time talking about private tutoring, and what that would entail. The following day Harry worked with the best duelers in the Ministry, and arranged for private tutoring.
Saturday October third, was the first Quidditch game of the season, and as was traditional it was between Gryffindor and Slytherin. Both teams played well, and were almost tied when James caught the Snitch. Adel Brandt had become an excellent Seeker, and James had to work very hard to catch the Snitch, something that impressed everyone watching.
2020