The next morning the Potters were enjoying breakfast with their friends when Professor Hobart began to pass out class schedules. Reaching the Potters he smiled at Ginny.
"Ah Miss Potter. I was informed that you had tested to see if you could enter second year with your friends. Congratulations you have achieved passing results and may do so. I look forward to you in my class this afternoon."
Hermione and Harry patted her on the back. "Good job." "We knew you could do it."
"Thanks mom, dad. I'm glad I made it."
Lavender patted the girl on the hand in congratulations too. Soon talk among the second and third years focused on what their classes were going to be like and how the new teachers would handle things.
Arriving at Professor Hobart's office they knocked and entered when they heard his voice.
"Ahh thank you. Do not worry you are not in trouble." He said with a friendly smile while motioning them towards seats in front of his desk. His office held a great many interesting items ranging from various weapons of all kinds to charts, graphs and stuffed creatures.
"Interesting collection sir." Hermione observed looking around.
"Ahh thank you. I am a bit of a collector. Now let's come to the point of the matter shall we?"
The three Potters nodded as they sat looking at him.
"Well I spoke with my friend Moody about the situation. I have to agree you are in a bit of trouble Mr Potter and your family is going to be dragged into it."
Harry glumly nodded as Hermione raised her eyebrow at the professor. Ginny looked worried. "You mean how Voldemort and Dumbledore both want Daddy."
"Well not just that young lady. But whatever Dumbledore thinks may or may not be in your head has to be considered as well. He will remain a threat. And while I may not be quite as paranoid as my friend I do have to agree with him in the fact that you have been done a great disservice. You should have been being trained to fight from the moment you could stand Mr Potter."
Harry looked surprised. "I had no idea."
"No but Dumbledore did and the fact he tossed you in with those...people, indicate to me that he purposely chose not to train you. While on the surface it could have just been negligence I believe in Occam's razor."
Seeing Harry's blank look Hermione filled in, "The simplest explanation is usually the most correct one."
"Indeed. And in this case the simplest explanation is that Dumbledore for whatever reason did not want you strong, powerful or capable Harry. You don't mind my familiarity at least in my office do you?"
"No sir. I'm just disappointed that Dumbledore did all of this. Seems like every time I get a handle on things something comes along and kicks it all out from under me again."
"Such is life sadly.
"I suppose so sir."
"Now as you have been woefully unprepared we will have to backtrack and start over with a firm grounding in basic training and then work from there. You and your family will be involved in this every evening for at least an hour after dinner until further notice."
"Sir would this be an official class or a club or how would we explain if someone asks us whats going on." Hermione posed a pointed question.
"Indeed. We will list this as a special advanced defense club. I doubt there will be many from the general student body who will sign up but I am more than willing to permit you to help me invite certain people you might trust and consider worthwhile additions."
Hermione nodded, "Neville Longbottom, Luna Lovegood, Lavender Brown and Susan Bones at the very least sir."
"Ahh yes. I know Miss Bones is receiving tutoring along with her friend Miss Abbot due to being the niece of the head of the DMLE. The others I agree could be worthwhile additions. They certainly seem to have impressed Alastair. A very difficult task to achieve."
"I can imagine." Harry smiled at the concept of the gruff auror being impressed with anyone.
"Alright I'll write the three of you passes to your classes so you don't get in trouble and look forward to meeting you in class later."
Hermione hugged Ginny when they separated for their morning classes. "I think I know how mom felt now." she said as she watched Ginny walk up stairs towards her morning charms class.
"Well come on. We have potions. I want to see how this is going to be."
Walking into the third year potions lab they were astounded by the changes. The tables had been aligned with a chalkboard. There was a slight breeze bringing fresh air into the room. The lighting was bright enough to see details of the books with. There were tall stools at each station for the students to sit at.
Professor Greenleaf was wearing a suit and long white coat. He had hung large chart and tables on the walls. Harry and Hermione took places at the middle as they almost arrived late as they were the last to arrive before the bell he called the roll and once that was completed he walked to the front of the room.
"Very well let me begin by saying that potions is a very serious business. There will be no pranking, disruption or interference in anyone else's work. To do so is an immediate safety hazard that will result in you receiving a ZERO for the class and 3 days worth of detentions. I will be much harsher should anyone be injured due to the malfeasance. MR Malfoy 10 points off for talking while I am speaking." He glared at the back of the room. Malfoy had been grumbling about something Harry hadn't quite heard but apparently Professor Greenleaf did not miss much.
"While you are handling your ingredients and working on your potions you will stand, not sit, unless there is a physical and medical reason preventing you. This is for safety. Some of the potions we will develop now and in later classes are not safe. They could eat your legs off, turn them into giant snakes that would kill you or otherwise transform your flesh into impenetrable stone. Accidents cost lives. Prevention costs very little in comparison. You will maintain full control of yourselves and your ingredients at all times."
Harry and Neville shared a look that this was much different than anything Snape had ever done. If anything his classes had been Darwinism at its finest and a miracle anyone came out alive and unharmed.
"As you will note on the walls there are reaction charts showing how certain materials do not play nice with each other. Mixing these materials may sometimes be required so you will learn how to do so safely. As you were not informed of the appropriate equipment before school began I have taken the liberty to assign each of you such." Goggles, Long thick canvas coats and gloves floated over to each student at a gesture.
"These are your property. Take care of them as you will be responsible for replacing anything. Now we will not begin new potions until I am assured that your skill-set and knowledge of how to properly prepare materials is sufficient. My predecessor may have been quite skilled at brewing but lacked the essential capabilities of an educator. Another 20 points from Slytherin for speaking Mr Malfoy. Each time it shall double. Do you wish to continue?" He stared at the pale blonde who blinked then shook his head.
"Very good then let us begin."
The class went very well. With the professor explaining the difference between mincing, mashing, macerating, and dicing, chopping and cubing with practical practice until everyone's hands were cramping. He stressed the way one maintained control of their tools was the sign of a proper potions master. He assigned homework wanting an explanation of the reasons the same material might be diced in one potion but mashed in another while cubed in yet another.
Malfoy was so grumpy he stomped out without his usual sneer or snide comment at Harry. Neville chuckled, "I don't think Draco's as happy to see the new professor as I am."
"Yeah I didn't blow up anything at all." Seamus proudly stated.
"Neither did I but then its only the first day."
"Have faith Neville. I'm sure you'll get through this year without an explosion." Harry patted him on the shoulder as they left.
Their next class was Charms with Professor Flitwick which was no different. The little professor also speaking about safety in spell practices and how each spell could cause unknown results if one allowed their focus to slip. Then they worked on basic wand grip and movement. A revision of their last years spells and some first year as well rounded out the class.
"Hey does it seem like everyone so far is stressing safety and practical knowledge?" Harry observed.
Hermione agreed, "Yeah its very refreshing. I wonder how this new Transfiguration teacher is going to be."
"If there's an animal on the desk when we come in I'm keeping my mouth shut."
"Very good idea." Hermione chuckled remembering Ron and Harry's first year encounter with Professor McGonnegal.
Arriving in the room the professor was sitting behind her desk. She looked the way she had that morning and smiled as everyone took their seats.
Once the bell rang she jumped up and came around to sit on her desk. She was smiling as she called the roll.
"Ok now transfiguration is one of the funner classes you'll be taking. This is my first year teaching but I've had a lot of experience in the real world. So I hope you'll forgive me if I get a bit confusing or don't explain something enough. Just call out and let me know and we'll go back over it. I want all of you to be safe, and comfortable. So let's get to work."
"Open your books and we'll go over the various fundamentals of transfiguration theory and discus the application to the spells you're going to work on this year. Sorry no practicals right now until I can make sure you won't slip up and turn a prince into a toad. That's not half as much fun as the other way around."
Harry thought the class was going very well. Professor Kingsleigh was an incredibly bubbly and cheerful person. She reminded him of an older Lavender in many ways. When talking about how the theory of each years magical spells built on the previous year until you graduated and could do more and more advanced things she showed off some human transfiguration by making herself shorter and bustier, then taller and skinnier. Warning that animal transfiguration could cause you to lose your mind and become feral which is why it was better to use the animagus ritual even if you didn't always get a cool animal. She also talked about metamorphmagi. Wizards and witches who could control their very fundamental physical appearance only without spells. Her only homework was revision and reading.
Lunch they caught back up with Ginny who had found her classes to be interesting and a slight challenge. She was feeling a bit awkward she pointed out as some people seemed to expect her to still be the old Ginny. She also wasn't so sure she liked Professor Kingsleigh though as she made her uncomfortable. She couldn't explain why but she just did. Harry and Hermione told her to make sure to let McGonnegal or another professor know immediately if something came up though.
Lavender agreed with the idea of letting someone know but she disagreed as she liked Professor Kingsleigh. She was looking forward though to Defense with Professor Hobart. Parvati saying she was only hoping he'd give her a look over. Lavender replying he could look at her any way he wanted over, under or sideways. This got the girls laughing and Neville blushing.
All Harry had to say was that as long as he taught them something he could look him over too. This made them all laugh even louder. The twins glaring at not being the center of attention anymore.
Defense class was with the Slytherins and Draco was still in a lousy mood from his being talked down to by the professor. He was muttering and complaining to all who could hear him that he was going to be making sure his father got rid of the undesirable sort of teachers polluting the school. Then the school could be cleaned up and put to rights. With only the right sort being allowed.
The bell rang and there was still no sign of professor Hobart. The students began to relax and chat. With Draco smugly going on about looking like they had another Lockhart. A pretty face that did nothing useful.
"Well aside from the pretty face part that sounds a lot like yourself Malfoy." Harry smirked.
"Watch yourself Potter. Greenleaf isn't here to protect you."
Hermione turned in her seat as did Lavender and Neville. "No but he does have friends here."
He scoffed. He chuckled. "If this is the kind of help you have Potter I don't know why the dark lord had such a hard time dealing with you."
"Perhaps because he has such whiny and foolish loud mouthed followers such as yourself in his camp MR Malfoy." Professor Hobart said suddenly phasing into solidity standing right next to him. Draco leaped backwards so fast with a girlish shriek at the shock that he fell into Goyle's lap.
Professor Hobart strolled to the front of his classroom. "5 points each to Gryffindor for having each other's back. Now could anyone tell me how I managed to startle MR Malfoy so strongly?" he somehow managed to make the term mister sound like a vile insult in his accent.
"Because he's a spineless git." A voice called from the back of the room.
Raising his eyebrow, "Yes well while a fair assessment that is incorrect." he noted as Draco had shrugged off Goyle's help to get back into his own seat.
"You used a disillusionment charm sir and moved slow enough that the normal tell tale field distortion effect was not noticeable." Hermione pointed out.
"Yes 5 more points. As pointed out a disillusion charm is not perfect. Unless you remain perfectly still or the environment is just right there is a minor distortion. Like a heat shimmer if you will. Paying attention to details like that could mean the difference between life and death."
Seeing Draco's glare Professor Hobart smiled back at him, "So back to MR Malfoy. You seemed rather dismissive at being outnumbered four to one."
"Seeing as it was those four I'm not worried. Besides I had Goyle and Crabbe on my side."
Hobart snorted briefly. "I have seen the test scores for them. Together they barely add up to half a wizard in magical power although in body mass they do equal about three."
Draco's nostril started flaring and he squinted at the professor.
"MR Mallofly am I making you angry?"
Draco struggled for a moment before he choked out an obvious lie, "No sir."
"Really? I can tell from here you want to draw your wand and strike me down. You want to hurt me for making you seem like the small petty and insignificant flyspeck that you are."
Draco's hand did reach for his wand then. But noticing that Professor Hobart was calmly leaning against his desk made him pause. The man had been goading him and prodding him like a bull but hadn't moved to assume a defensive posture once.
"Something wrong Mr Malofly or are you suddenly realizing that by loosing control of your temper you are handing me power. Power that I have used to already win any fight you may initiate."
"My father will hear about this."
"Good then he will see that you are unworthy to follow in his footsteps and you may have to actually grow up and find a real career."
"Now as for the rest of you. Can any of you explain why I said I had already won?"
Harry knowing how Dudley crumpled like a paper bag under a bus if someone stood up to him raised his hand.
"Mr Potter?"
"Because when Draco lost his temper he lost all subtlety and telegraphed his actions. He was going for his wand and you knew he would react that way. He's a bully and they only react in one of two ways."
"Yes exactly Mr Potter. Bullies remain a threat so long as they feel they have the power to scare you. When they no longer have that power they reveal themselves as the petty thugs they really are. Most of defense is mental. Think strong, be strong."
He waved his wand at the back wall and several tall posts made from bundles woven bamboo matting slid across the floor.
"Mr and Mrs Potter, Mr Longbottom, Miss Brown would you please make you way to the spell-casting area."
The four took their wands and did as told. Looking around and at the class watching them.
"Now Mr Malfoy let me show you why underestimating a team of four wizards could be very detrimental." Turning to the four he had called up he cast a glow charm on one of the posts.
"I would like the four of you to use a Diffindo. A simple first year cutting charm on the highlighted post. On the count of three."
They turned and looked at the post. On the count of three they each cast their spell and the mat had the top six inches cut off and several slashes in it. Going over Hobart picked up the severed piece and tossed it back and forth in his hand. "Not bad. What sort of thoughts or feelings were in your heads then?"
Harry shrugged, "You asked us to do it so I did it. I wasn't really thinking or feeling much."
Neville admitted he was nervous being in front of everyone. Lavender's emotions and thoughts were not much different than Harry's and Hermione said she wanted to do her best.
"Well then I'll assume you're the one that manged to take the top clean off. Self confidence can make an amazing difference. Now lets try again."
He stepped behind the four. "Now lets try that again only I want you to focus your anger. Focus on the desire to destroy that post. I don't exactly care what sort of focus you use. Although MR Malfoy you might want to pay attention to this."
Hermione turned with a puzzled look, "Sir why would that make a difference?"
"Ahh I'm glad you asked. Since it seems like everyone else was too complacent to do so."
The class looked at the floor and their books in shame. Although the professor was pleased to see Draco was staring intently at the demonstration.
"Magic is power. Its a power that flows through us all. It is most easily channeled when you are focused and aware of what you want it to do. However I'm sure you're all familiar with the incidents of accidental magic that many of you no doubt did as younger children?"
Several students nodded including Harry and Neville.
"Yet adults some times have performed accidental magic in anger, in fear, in incidents of strong emotional flux. Your emotions affect your magic strongly. It can enhance certain spells. We will not discus the tantric arts until you're a bit older but suffice to say positive emotions can enhance beneficial magic and negative emotions can enhance the more combative and destructive magics."
Parvati chuckled a bit at his mention of tantric arts as did Lavender but most simply stared at him.
"I still don't understand sir?" This time it was Neville who asked the question.
Sighing he stood up and walked over to his desk. "I'm sure all of you have heard of the unforgivables. The Crucio, the Imperious and the Killing Curse aka the Avada Kedavra. Do you know what makes them so unforgivable?"
Everyone shook their head. Hermione was staring in rapt attention while Neville and Harry both swallowed hard and rallied their spirits.
"They cannot be accidentally cast. They cannot be casually cast. They have to be cast with intent, with purpose, with a deep seated desire to achieve the results. The crucio only has one purpose to inflict an excruciating and unbelievable degree of pain without leaving any physical marks. Its called the torture curse for a reason. The person casting it has to want, to desire to enjoy inflicting pain. The Killing curse? You have to want the target dead. You have to have enough hate and anger built up in your soul that it spills out and snuffs the target's life from them. This is the sort of thing that the Death Eaters. The servants of Voldemort." He paused as several students gasped. "As Voldemort himself would throw around like peanuts at the zoo."
Pausing to let the class regain their composure he continued. "Now I doubt any of you are budding death eaters or dark lords in secret. Even you Mr Malfoy. But each of you have pains and anger and frustrations. Magic responds to your emotions. So when I say most defense is mental that is what I mean. If you cast in fear or in anger your magic will respond to the desire behind the emotions. The emotions will for want of a better term feed the magical energy or eat it. So knowing yourself and your minds will help you greatly."
Turning back to the four. "Now like I said each of you take a post. I want you to focus on destroying that post. Only this time hate the post, get angry with it. Imagine it is the most evil, unpleasant, malevolent thing in the world you have ever encountered. On the count of three again."
He counted down. As he did Harry pulled up the frustrations he was feeling. He focused on what Dumbledore had done to him, done to Ginny, done to Hermione. All the pain that the Dursleys had dumped on him he channeled that through himself into his spell.
What happened was a bright red beam shot out of his wand. It followed the arc Harry made slicing through the post into the wall. Harry made several passes slicing and melting pieces over and over until he fell to his knees panting heavily. Hermione leaping by his side holding him.
Neville had apparently done something similar as his bamboo was slightly smoking. The wall beyond was only slightly scorched. Harry's had a glowing zigzagging set of marks from his slices. Lavender and Hermione had merely cut their bamboo to pieces.
It took a couple of moments for even the professor to speak after that. He noticed Draco had grown if at all possible even paler. "Yes well. Good job everyone. Please take your seats. Mr Malfoy you are excused to clean up."
Hermione helped Harry to his seat. Neville looking at his wand like it was an alien appendage. Draco slowly got up and walked to the bathroom. Seamus who was across the aisle from him casting a cleaning charm on Draco's chair.
"Well that was quite a bit more effective a demonstration than I was expecting. But you can now see how emotions can affect your spell-casting."
"Yeah but isn't that tainting your magic with darkness? Using anger leads a person downward I was always told." One of the other students in the back of the class called out.
"Mister Jackson no. Dark magic is dark not because of the source of the magic but because of what it does. A diffindo is neither dark nor evil. No matter how much power you pump into the spell it is still just a simple cutting charm."
"Yeah but..."
"Mr Jackson. If you are trapped beneath a beam in a fallen building and I use the severing charm to cut you free is that any different than if I were to use it to remove your head? At least as far as the spell is concerned."
The tall brunette blinked several times as he thought that over. "No sir its the same spell."
"Yes for many spells that is the way it is. If I throw you off the astronomy tower with my bare hands, levitate you off with a wingardium leviosa, or hit you with a knock-back jinx you are still going to have a few seconds to do something before you make a very messy confirmation that the laws of gravity still apply to wizards. Aside from a few spells it is the result that matters whether it can be considered light or dark not so much the actual spell itself."
Draco had returned by then. "But the unforgivables ARE dark." He admitted.
"Yes they are. Because of the reasons I gave. They require you to be in a dark mental and emotional place, their results are always detrimental to their targets and they serve utterly no useful or beneficial purpose. If a spell meets those criteria then you can consider it dark. Otherwise its just a spell. A tool that can be used for dark or light."
"But what about the obliviate that was used on us. How can that be light?" Parvati was not happy at having her mind messed with and wanted an answer.
"You are correct in the way it was used against you it was not light. However if say a muggle somehow accidentally managed to walk into, say the Leaky Cauldron. Or even better a lone hiker strolled into Hogsmeade. Would not obliviating him to protect our world be a good thing? What if he saw you somehow change your hair color with a spell or take a potion and become taller or bustier. How about then?"
"Maybe I suppose unless he could be convinced to keep quiet."
"There is that. Now what if he was attacked by a redcap, or somehow managed to see a dragon. Or what if he was a religious fanatic and thought you were doing the devil's work. Would it still be possible to convince them to keep quiet?"
There was much muttering. Some people agreed and some disagreed. Professor Hobart was nodding with a smile on his face. "Now you see a problem with lumping everything into good and evil, right and wrong, light and dark. The world is gray. Good people can do bad things, bad people can do good things. It is the end result that matters the most."
"So the ends justify the means?" Lavender frowned.
The professor laughed, "This is not an ethics class but I will answer that. When it comes to defending yourself, those you care about or those under your protection then yes the ends fully justify the means. You should be ready and willing to do anything to end the threat. Mr Goyle say someone was threatening your friend Mr Malfoy. And I mean really seriously end his life kind of threat. Would you be ready and willing and able to kill them?"
Goyle looked surprised at being called on suddenly. He blinked several times as his brain processed the question then glancing at Draco he muttered, "Maybe, I think. Yeah"
"Very convincing there Mr Goyle. Mrs Potter. Someone is threatening your daughter. Will you kill?"
"Yes sir." She said without hesitation. This caused several people to look at her and mutter in confusion.
"You did not hesitate why?"
"She's my daughter I love her."
Addressing the rest of the class he nodded, "Yes a mother's love. One of the most powerful things in the known universe. There are cases where muggle mothers have managed to tap into unknown magical reserves to protect or rescue their children. There are cases where magical mothers have thrown full grown werewolves through stone walls to protect their children. This is not to discredit or discount fathers mind you. A father's love for their children can be just as strong and just as powerful. So as I said most of defense is mental. Think strong, be strong."
Harry had to be elbowed by Hermione as his thoughts had drifted to that night. His mother's sacrifice. She had sacrificed herself for him.
The rest of the class was taken up with a discussion of situational versus universal ethics. With the class roughly divided and no one finding out exactly where the professor stood on that. Amazingly enough Draco joined in the discussion with a few pertinent questions about if one was forced to do something if it was truly their choice or not.
By the end of class there was a lot of frustration and people realized they had not really realized that the time had been passing. Professor Hobart mentioned the Defense club and that it would hold its first meeting tonight but that membership will be open to a limited number of first come, first serve until the end of the week or the slots fill up. He also asked Neville and Harry to remain after class.
"Boys I am not upset or angry with either of you, nor are you in trouble. But could you tell me what emotional state you were in when you cast those cutting beams of doom." he tried to make a light joke but Neville was staring at the floor. Harry sighed, "I channeled a lot of the anger I have at Dumbledore. The pain and frustration. I guess it was more powerful than I thought."
"Perhaps you have a bit more repressed feelings than you thought."
"That's possible." Harry acknowledged.
"And as for you Mr Longbottom?"
Neville hesitated a moment then mumbled softly, "I guess kinda the same. I dunno. I can't quite put it into words."
"There is nothing to be ashamed either of you. Most especially you Mr Longbottom. I worked with Frank a few times. I only met Alice once. When I heard what happened to them. I. Well let's just say that I did some very bad things to even badder people and leave it at that."
Neville looked up and nodded to the professor. He even tried a brief smile.
"I'm not sure which of the two of you got the rawer end of the deal. Both of you have been effectively orphaned. Harry's parents killed, yours worse than killed. So no there is no shame in having strong feelings about this. Its what you do with them that matters. You can let them run you. Drag you down and wallow in them or you can rise above it. Don't allow it to build a prison in your soul for your life or for your happiness."
Neville shrugged. "I'll try."
Chuckling Hobart clasped him on the shoulder, "You'll succeed."
In the hallway Hermione and Lavender were waiting on them. "Is everything ok?" Lavender said seeing Neville's face ashen and drawn.
"Yeah just talking about emotions."
Hermione nodded. Putting her arm in Harry's. "I see." Was all she said.
Lavender walked close to Neville the rest of the day.
They finished out the day a bit quieter. Their classes not as exciting. Draco seemed a bit withdrawn and Goyle was trying to prove his loyalty after his earlier lack of commitment it seemed like.
Arriving at the room set aside for the defense club as it was called the Potters and their friends Neville, Luna, Lavender, Parvati, Susan and Hannah were the only ones in the room. There were several piles of mats and screens and other equipment. Luna went over and took some balls about the size of chicken eggs out and started juggling them.
"That's neat Luna when did you learn that?" Ginny giggled watching.
"Father taught me. He thought maybe if I learned to juggle it might help me with my hand eye coordination."
"Not a bad thing." Harry agreed.
A few other students began to trickle in. Small groups of three or four or alone. Amazingly enough Draco and his wing-men showed up. Harry acknowledged him but they took opposite sides of the room. Eventually about thirty people had arrived.
"What's he doing here Harry." Neville grumped before catching a ball that Luna had thrown at him and throwing it back at her. Only for her to throw more balls at him. "Luna would you mind."
"I'm sorry Neville. I seem to have accidentally enjoined you in juggling with me. Isn't this nice?"
Neville frowned and lost his focus that he didn't realize he had been doing and dropped one ball and knocked Susan in the back of the head with another. "Hey What was that all about Luna?"
"Well I thought if you were juggling with me then you wouldn't be mad at Draco. Because you wouldn't be thinking about him but focused on moving your balls around."
Some of the older students snickered a bit. Neville just shook his head. Luna just blankly stared at him and shrugged. Fortunately he was saved by the arrival of Professor Hobart.
"Good evening everyone. This is not a bad crowd. Okay to give you an idea of what the goal of this club is. We will be putting to practical use a lot of the things we may or may not cover in class. There will be no theory. We will meet every night after dinner from Monday to Friday. Each night for an hour at least. Each night will be dedicated to a specific task. Physical exercise to make you fitter and more able to handle strenuous activity, Hand to hand combat because you may not always have the ability to cast spells, escaping confinement, spell fighting and using weapons. Yes Mr Malfoy?"
"We're wizards why would we ever need to know how to use a weapon or fight in hand to hand?"
"Earlier today I suddenly appeared behind you would you have been able to cast a spell before I could attack you at that point?"
"Okay maybe but still a super-sensory charm should have prevented that. I don't know why we need to mess around with muggle weapons." He said pointing at the spears and swords on the one rack.
"Put your hand against that wall."
"What?"
"Put your hand on that wall." He repeated calmly yet making it an order not a request.
Draco put his hand against the wall. Before anyone could blink it was nailed to the wall with a dagger sticking out of it. Draco crying and screaming like a stuck pig.
Hobart strode over his cape flowing behind him to point at Draco's hand. "As you can see the wizard cannot cast a spell if you disable his hand." He then pulled the dagger out of the wall and Draco's hand. Who promptly had his eyes roll back in his head and he fell on the floor. "You two take him to Hospital wing."
Crabbe and Goyle grabbed their companion and dragged him off.
"I must thank Mr Malfoy for providing me an excellent teaching moment. Not only in the effectiveness of blades but in the importance of asking WHY someone wants you to do something. Remember if it feels uncomfortable or not right it probably isn't. You don't have to be a true seer to have questions about a situation. Your gut and instincts can do quite well. And with experience comes wisdom."
He took roll and had everyone sign a sheet. "Ok now tonight we are just going to get to know each other and see where you are physically. Do any of you have any physical training at all? Quidditch does count."
Harry, Ginny, Hermione, Luna, Susan, Hannah and a few others raised their hands. He asked each what experience they had and when Hermione said free diving he chuckled. "Well that explains the ability to breath through your ears when asking questions I've heard about." Hermione blushed deep red. Luna explained about the ballet dancing and trips hunting the creatures that required lots of hiking and leaping from rocks. "Impressive. I look forward to this." Most of the rest were like Harry where they had Quidditch experience but not much else.
"Ok well lets do some stretching and simple exercises then break for the night. Those of you with physical experience of some kind pair up with someone who hasn't"
Luna immediately paired with Neville to his consternation. She turned out to be incredibly flexible. Able to take either leg and while standing straight on one bring the other straight up to her shoulder. Neville was quite impressed.
"Very impressive Miss Lovegood. Although I suppose you might not want to wear a skirt next time unless you are comfortable showing everyone your knickers."
"I have no nudity taboo sir and only wear clothes to be polite to others." Neville gave a strange groan as he had been standing directly in front of her when she raised her leg. Harry had been standing behind her and didn't see anything but Neville's face. He was red enough to look like a boiled lobster.
"You are wearing knickers aren't you?" Professor Hobart asked from across the room.
"Oops sorry." She said dropping her leg to Neville's relief. He had frozen like a deer about to be hit by a semi. "I'll remember for next time sir."
Hobart blinked a couple times then sighed deeply, "Yes well that would probably be beneficial. Mr Longbottom do you need to go to the Hospital wing?"
Neville shook his head slowly from side to side while making strange high pitched noises.
"I'll help him back to his common room sir. I think he's had too much excitement for the evening." Luna said taking his arm and guiding him across the room to a great many chuckles.
"Yes. And please be gentle with him Miss Lovegood."
"Oh of course sir." She said with a predatory smile as they left.
After the meeting broke up and the participants departed Luna's lack of undergarments was quite the talk. No one else but Neville got to see anything to the consternation of some and the joy of others. The Gryffindors as they made their way to the tower laughing at the evening.
"Oh Man between Draco and Luna I am going to enjoy this club." Lavender was laughing.
"You think she somehow vanished her knickers before flashing Neville?" Parvati wondered aloud.
"I didn't hear her cast anything." Harry said. "And I was right behind her with Timothy Lovejoy and he didn't mention it either."
Ginny was giggling. "Uncle Neville looked like he got hit by a confundus. Do you think he's ok?"
Hermione smiled a bit, "Yeah he'll recover. Probably his first time seeing anything like that."
Ginny got a confused look, "So why did he act like that?"
"Some boys do." Harry explained and dropped the subject.
"I'll explain later sweetie." Hermione patted Ginny's arm.
"I think Luna has a crush on Uncle Neville." Ginny observed.
"Ya think!" Lavender feel into Parvati with another round of giggles. "She's done everything except club him over the head and drag him off to Ravenclaw tower." Parvati agreed.
They met Luna skipping down the corridor towards them.
"Hello everyone. I'm sorry about what happened with Neville."
"No problem Luna. I'm sure he doesn't mind." Hermione explained while Lavender and Parvati nodded trying to contain their snickering.
"No he did seem to be feeling better by the time we got up here. I offered to help him with his erection in case it was getting painful but he said he would be fine. At least I think that's what he said." Her head tilting before she shrugged. "Good night everyone." Then she resumed her skip walk down the corridor.
Lavender just shook her head, "That girl ain't right in the head."
Harry laughed, "No but she definitely makes life entertaining."
They reached the tower and Neville was sitting inside on a couch with a pillow in his lap staring into the near distance with a goofy grin on his face. Seamus and Dean were sitting beside him waving their hands in front of him.
"What did you guys do to him?"
"Yeah Luna dropped him off and said he'll be ok by morning. You hit him with a super confundus or something Harry?"
"No It was Luna. She stunned him quite hard." Lavender said giggling.
"Yeah she really showed him." Parvati said going over to sit with Lavender.
"Harry those two are a menace." Seamus said glaring at Lavender and Parvati.
"I'm a married man so I have no comment." Harry said pulling a chair in front of Neville.
"Hello Harry. Did you know Luna has very creamy white skin. All over. And her legs are very long."
"No I didn't. I'll take your word for it. Let's get you up to your bed."
"Yeah that's a good idea." He said moving on auto pilot.
The next morning Neville kept glancing at the Ravenclaw table and blushing. Lavender and Parvati teasing him a bit. The story of Luna's lack of knickers and Draco's hand both making their way around the school faster than a port-key. Luna seemed very unbothered by her new found attention. Draco on the other hand was surly, jumpy and irritated. Watching over his shoulder constantly and making sure that professors Hobart and Greenleaf were both where he could see them at all times.
After breakfast Luna did stop Neville and his friends in the hallway. "I'm sorry Neville for causing you to freak out like that. I hope you did not experience too much discomfort."
"No I'm fine. Thanks Luna its ok."
"Oh very good. I made sure to wear my yellow daisy knickers today, you can inspect them to make sure they won't freak you out if you want to."
"No I'll be fine. I'll trust you Luna."
"Okay. Enjoy your classes." And she glided off smoothly.
Professor Hobart chuckled from behind Neville. "Either the girl is trying to seduce you or she is more innocent than a unicorn foal."
"I have a feeling she is something totally else." Neville said.
"No doubt."
Things settled into a routine over the next couple of weeks. Students picked back up where they had left off the previous year. First years stopped getting lost as much. Especially when they could go to one of the strategically placed comm-mirrors that had been installed and pull up a map of where they were and where they needed to be.
Neville had a very strange time of things as Susan, Luna, Lavender and Hannah all seemed to take turns working to see how flustered he could get. Although Luna usually won by innocently saying or doing something that from a much older girl would have been explicitly erotic but from her seemed merely precocious.
Defense club was very interesting yet hard work. Out of the initial thirty students about a third dropped out due to the physical challenges and another half dozen when they saw that he was not going to go easy on anyone. A few like Seamus and Dean did join though. As the professor pointed out in real combat you cannot ask your opponent to just take a time out if you get tired or off balance. This was combat not fancy dueling. For that people needed to go talk to Professor Flitwick. Amazingly enough to Harry, Draco stayed in Defense club. Pushing himself harder and while Crabbe had apparently been removed from his circle Goyle, Pansy Parkinson,Millicent Bulstrode and Blaise Zabini had joined.
It was a Saturday morning and the Potters were enjoying a late fall day along the lake with Dan and Emma Granger. He was teaching Ginny and Harry the fine art of fishing. Professor McGonnegal and Healer Masterson came up and were welcomed by the family.
"Hello everyone. I see you're enjoying the day."
"Yeah its not too bad out. The fish are still biting quite well."
"I sincerely hope you are not harming them Mr Granger."
"No I practice catch and release. At least here. Especially since the one talked to me..." He said glaring at the lake suspiciously.
"I keep telling grampa we need to watch out for the Gulping Plimpies like Luna warned us."
"Yes well Healer Masterson wanted to speak with all of you." Minerva said with a slight upturn of the corners of her mouth at another of Luna's creatures.
"Oh sure we can go inside." Harry said getting up.
"Why bother. Its a nice enough day. There is no one too close and its not like I want to discus anything too deep or personal."
"Ok then. I suppose its ok"
"Well I was just coming by to see how your family was settling in and if the counselor has been doing well. I was checking in with Madam Pomfrey as well on the other students. That and it gets me out of the office on a nice day."
"Oh I know that feeling." Dan chuckled. "After the fifth filling of the day on a day like today I want to run away so bad."
"No doubt. But Ginny has Counselor Henderson been ok?"
"Yeah she has. We've had one visit so far but it was okay. She's nice." Ginny said.
"And you're settling in ok?"
"Well its kinda annoying sometimes when people expect me to be the old Ginny and don't want to get to know me."
"It can be hard for some people to adjust to changes like this. There isn't much you can do. Either they will accept you for you or they won't."
"I know. Its just tiring having to explain I don't remember doing or saying things or sometimes even an entire person."
Masterson nodded gently sitting on the rock nearby. "Yes I can see that. Just do your best and hang in there."
"I am."
"So is there anything else going on?"
Harry looked at Hermione who nodded, "Well Mione and I was talking and I know you can't discus details of other patients but why is it that someone who suffered a major trauma like Ginny be able to recover and someone else might wind up in the hospital forever not knowing their own son exists."
Masterson sighed and looked out over the lake. "Yes well I think I see what you're asking. Unfortunately I don't have a good answer. The human mind reacts differently for each person. Even the same trauma causes a different reaction in two different people. But uhm. Lets hypothetically say that this person who doesn't know their son exists had been exposed to a long term and repeated cruciatus. Do you know how the spell works?"
Hermione nodded, "Yes it causes extreme pain."
"That is sort of like saying that falling in the lake causes a bit of dampness. Accurate but doesn't begin to describe the sheer level of pain. The spell causes every pain receptor in the body to activate to its maximum degree. Every nerve ending feels like its on fire and being burned with acid at the exact same time. And I do mean every pain receptor. Your tongue, your inner mouth, your personal zones, every inch of flesh. The longer one is held under the spell the more the mind withdraws. You can actually kill someone with that spell as the mind just completely shuts down. In many ways it is far more crueler than the killing curse or just dosing them with lamp oil and lighting them on fire. A few seconds feels like an eternity." He closed his eyes and shivered.
"Sir?" Ginny asked worried. "How do you know that?"
He took a deep breath. "I was briefly held under it a long time ago for being a healer who treated muggles, the impure, anyone just because they were hurting. It took me six months for my hands to stop shaking and to learn to speak without slurring my words. That was from a thirty second dose of it. Your hypothetical patients were held from the best estimates under the spell for up to an hour or more of accrued total."
Ginny and Hermione both recoiled in horror. Dan and Emma locked green and Harry shook his head. "Couldn't a healer go in and rebuild their mindscape like what Ginny did with hers?"
"Oh that was tried. Hypothetically of course. Their mindscape is far too fractured. They retreated too far. We almost lost a couple of healers. But the family refuses to give up and there is nothing we can do about it. Unlike Ginny who has been fabulously working on getting better and recovering." He said trying to shift the conversation back into happier areas.
She blushed slightly. "Thank you sir."
"No thank you. You are a success story. I always like those. It gives me a reason to go into the office and not just take my fishing hat and rod and go off into the mountains and be a hermit."
"You wouldn't make a good hermit Healer Masterson you'd look funny with a beard."
"Well thank you young lady. My wife agrees with you."
They sat around and laughed a bit. Talking about Ginny's classwork and how she was doing in the various classes. Harry asked about her discomfort around Professor Kingsleigh which Masterson suggested might just be a problem with her being too exuberant and different a personality. Something Ginny was uncomfortable with due to the buried memories of her previous family.
"Speaking of which I spoke with the twins. Given their hostile attitude how do you think you'll get along with them on the Quidditch team?"
"I don't know. Oliver Wood is focused only on wining the cup so he doesn't put up with any bickering or fighting on the team. We have a practice this afternoon. I guess I'll find out then."
"Well be careful. Somehow they have developed a great deal of anger and hostility. Some of it misplaced I'm sure but still be careful around them."
"Yes sir."
"Minerva your news for Mr Potter?"
"Oh yes. I have word from the Goblins. They will be here next week to harvest the basilisk. We will need your help opening the chamber Mr Potter."
Healer Masterson was watching Ginny as Minerva spoke. He saw a slight shiver go through the girl but otherwise nothing else happened and she went back to talking with Dan about the fishing.
"Oh. Okay. Just let me know when."
"Very good."
"Uh do you think I could see it?" Ginny asked quietly
Everyone turned and looked at her. "Why do you want to see the Chamber?' Masterson calmly asked.
"Curiosity I guess. That's kinda where the old me went away."
"In a manner of speaking that was the catalyst that started the process. Do you feel strong enough to do so?"
She paused and looked at Hermione and Harry. "You don't have to you know." Harry said taking her hand.
"I know but I want to be brave."
"You can be brave but you don't have to put yourself at risk to be brave." Hermione pointed out.
"Your mother is correct Ginny. I will leave it up to your parents and have Healer Henderson come by next week. But I'm not entirely sure that you're ready to face that place just yet. Maybe give it a little more time to fade into the past. It hasn't even been a year yet."
"No it hasn't but. I know its here in the castle and some of my classmates have asked me about it. If I remember anything, and I don't. Its just so frustrating to have done something but not remember any of it."
"I know. It can be. Well talk it over with your parents and like I said I'll make sure Anna is here. If she can't make it I'll personally come. We can take it a step at a time and back off at any point. Your health and safety is the top priority."
"Yes it is. Now lets just relax and watch the fish steal dad's worms." Hermione joked putting her arm around Ginny. Who simply nodded.
"Harry want to walk with us."
"Uh sure." He said and following the headmaster and the healer.
After putting some distance Healer Masterson inhaled deeply then spoke, "Harry do you think anyone is pressuring Ginny about the Chamber?"
"I don't know."
"Minerva?"
"Not that I am aware of but I can make some discreet inquiries."
"Do you think someone is pushing her?" Harry was concerned.
"Well it is not entirely outside the realm of possibility. I'm hoping that if there is its just juvenile peer pressure to see if the rumors are true and not malfeasance. Given the circumstances of the case its prudent to be careful though."
"Yes sir. Until Professor Dumbledore is caught Auror Moody wants us to remain vigilant."
"I have no doubt." Masterson replied with a chuckle. "very well. Let us know if anything develops."
The Potters had a very tense conversation that afternoon to see if anyone had been pressuring Ginny into discussing the Chamber. Something Harry was very concerned about. Ginny didn't think anyone was pushing her like that though. They were just being curious since she had been in the middle of it. Hermione had asked Lavender what the rumor mill had been saying and she promised to find out. Since they all tried to remain understanding and talk without shouting they managed to avoid any angry or hurt feelings but Ginny was still upset. Harry and Hermione were worried though that somehow Dumbledore had managed to get someone inside the castle. The Quidditch practice did not help Harry's mood as the twins treated him like a stranger and it took all of Wood's efforts to get them to work to protect Harry from the bludgers. Even smacking one towards him when Oliver wasn't looking Harry was certain.
The next several days turned up nothing major. It seemed that the rumor mill had linked the Chamber of Secrets with Ginny's new persona and family as well as the loss of the Weasleys. Fred and George especially not helping things by insisting repeatedly and violently when pushed too hard that they had never had a sister and their family had a tragic attack by death eater scum. There had never been a Chamber and that Harry had made it all up as part of his attention seeking glory hound attitude. They hated Harry for some reason and no one could figure out why.
The day that the goblins came to the school Harry was called to the headmaster's office. They met the goblins in the third floor girl's bathroom.
"Hi Harry. It's been too long since you last visited me." Myrtle cooed gliding down beside him.
"Uh yeah. Sorry. I've been rather busy."
"I know. I've heard about you being married and all. Did she have any other side effects from being a cat girl?"
"Uh not that I've noticed."
The head goblin stood by tapping his foot and glaring at the ghost. "We do not have time for long discussions hew-mon. I am hired to harvest a 60 foot basilisk. I have yet to see it."
"Yes I understand sir. I'll get the door opened now."
The goblin grunted and stepped out of the way. Harry stood in front of the sink and whispered in parsel tongue the words for open and stairs. Thinking it couldn't hurt to try at least and make it easier to move. The sink shifted it position and opened the tunnel. No stairs appeared unfortunately.
"There are no stairs?"
"Uh no. Its a long slide unfortunately."
The goblin barked orders to his team who pulled out miniaturized items that grew into a winch and pulley system over the opened tunnel establishing an elevator rig. Harry was standing back talking to Myrtle about Ginny and Hermione. Politely fending off her ghostly flirting when he saw Hermione and Ginny come into the bathroom followed by Healer Henderson.
"She insisted on coming." Hermione grumped.
"I want to see." Ginny softly said but with a resolute tone.
Harry took her hand and nodded, "Are you okay?"
"Yeah I think so. I don't remember any of this."
"Really you don't remember me?" Myrtle floated in front of her. Causing Ginny to cringe back against Harry but looking at the ghost.
"You were killed here. You died right over there." Ginny said pointing to a spot just in front of one of the stalls.
"Yeah that's my stall. My home now." Myrtle sighed.
Ginny started shivering. Healer Henderson and Hermione both came up and took an arm, "Okay Sweetie I think it's time to go back to our room. C'mon."
Harry nodded at her when Ginny gave a pleading look to him, "Its okay. Go on. I'll tell you about it later."
She nodded and went with her mom and the healer now.
Minerva came over, "Is she alright?"
"I think so. She seemed to remember where Myrtle died. Then she started shivering."
"Well lets hope she has not injured her mind with this."
"I know. Hermione and the others will take care of her."
The head goblin came up, "We have encountered another door Hew-mon. The skin that is in the ante chamber was not part of the original contract but it will bring extra coin."
"Ok I'll be right down." Harry said going over and riding the goblin lift down the tunnel. They had installed some kind of magical flood lights illuminating the chamber. The teams were already hard at work processing the skin. Another team had cleaned up the cave-in to ease access to the door. Professor Flitwick had arrived at some point and slipped down to talk to some of the Goblins as they were distant cousins. He also was examining the door.
"Interesting piece of work Harry. Certainly a historic treasure."
"Yes sir. I guess if the school wants to study it I can help."
"That would be wonderful." The charms professor gleefully exclaimed.
Stepping up to the door Harry spoke to it and the snakes began their movement. The clanking grinding noises indicating that the locks were opening. Soon the door slid backwards and the way into the chamber was clear. A horrible cloying dead smell wafted out causing Harry to back off gagging. The goblins all pulled masks over their faces that had hoses going into a box mounted on their chest. Flitwick pulled his wand and bubble of clear air formed over his and Harry's head.
"Well that's an aroma I could have lived without." Flitwick choked out after he could speak.
Harry had nothing to say as it was still too painful to breath as the clear air filtered the thick dead smell out of his lungs. He grunted an assessment hoping that breakfast would stay where it was supposed to for at least a few minutes longer.
The Goblins entered the Chamber. Flitwick after making sure Harry was good went in behind them. Harry waited for Minerva who had her own bubble of air and they entered. The basilisk carcass was decayed a little bit. Looking slightly deflated. The tissues still so toxic that only the hardiest bacteria and fungus able to eat them.
The lead Goblin came up. "This creature is 90 feet long. That is longer than you indicated. I am obligated to offer you the opportunity to renegotiate the percentages of distribution."
"No I believe the current percentages will be sufficient. I don't need to change them." Harry said. Remembering the culture lessons that Hermione and her mother had given him after studying the various books.
"Very well if you are satisfied Hew-mon we will begin to harvest. If you are squeamish you may wish to leave."
"Thank you. I'll be fine I think."
The Goblin gave a shrug and went back to his teams which began to work. Cutting and tearing and removing organs and fangs and all sorts of things Harry was not sure he recognized. So he wandered over to the huge statue of Salazar. Stopping in front of a large black stain on the floor. He stared at it silently remembering how he felt the coldness seeping into his body. How the taunting of Riddle's ghost was annoying him more than anything else. The beautiful sound of Fawkes singing.
"MR Potter?" Minerva said quietly stepping up to him
"Yes Professor." he sighed shaking his head to banish the memories.
"How are you feeling?"
He shrugged. He wasn't sure he understood how he was feeling at the moment. A few moments went by. The only sounds the Goblin team working. The wet slurp and thwack of their processing echoing in the chamber.
"It was right here." He finally said.
Minerva looked around but said nothing letting Harry speak his mind.
"Ginny was laying over there. She was so cold I thought she was already dead. Riddle's ghost was standing there when he summoned the Basilisk and I ran all over the place. I finally stabbed it in the mouth over there by the statue then crawled over here. I felt like I was dying but Fawkes came and cried in my wound. I didn't know what else to do so I stabbed the diary with the fang and he started bleeding ink. So did the diary. I think that's its ink on the floor."
"You did a very fine task that day Harry. You achieved something even grown experienced wizards would be hard pressed to do."
He shrugged. "Yeah but Ginny still wound up dying essentially. The girl she was. And Ron and." His voice trailed off.
McGonnegal put her hand on his shoulder. "You remember what Fawkes is and how the Phoenix dies yet is reborn. Your Ginny has become reborn anew. It was painful and sad and yes mourning the loss of the girl she was makes sense. However you must not dwell on it. Or you will miss out on the person she becomes."
Harry gave a slight smile. "I know. That's what the counselor says. We are trying."
She squeezed his shoulder then let her hand fall by her side.