Parts of this are word for word from the first book which I own a copy of but nothing more in case you thought I did.
Harry hovers the dog out of the way and follows the pull down through a trap door. A quick light spell helps him see into the gloom.
The drop is far enough to require a slight cushioning charm. A small stone passageway leads off and Harry casts a quick warming spell around himself to keep off the chill, wandering if Hogwarts had some kind of magical central heating for the used parts of the castle.
The walk isn't long but the next room is suffocatingly dark, even when he amps up his light spell by enough he can just see to the corners of the room and the ceiling is far from view. Several broomsticks are propped up against a wall next to a heavy locked door.
Harry looks at the lock, knowing that they would have some kind of heavy warding on something of such power.
The mesh of lines is so thick that the door is completely hidden, never mind the keyhole. The ends of the spells sink into the walls, anchoring the new lock deep into the ancient magic running throughout Hogwarts. The magic comes from a different source though, distinctly human and quite old compared to the majority of the people around him. It doesn't touch Rowena's age but it's on the higher end of the scale.
Harry memorises the mechanisms as much as he can, tries to see every layer of spell craft and seal it in his mind.
When he has remembered as much as he can he leaves, carefully shutting the trap door and replacing the basic lock on the door to the corridor before he wakes up the three-headed dog, safely on the other side.
The cat is gone and Harry settles his slightly improved anti-detection charm around his shoulders before scampering back to bed and pulling the curtains tight around the bed-posts.
Rowena smiles at the news and gladly takes the information from his head. She ruffles his hair proudly.
"I think you've done more than enough for today Harry. I'll sort through this and have an answer for you tomorrow evening- make sure to have a good rest and we'll begin practise for the real thing tomorrow!" Her eyes crinkle as she lifts his chin.
"You're a good lad- a clever lad." The woman disappears shortly and Harry slips into a real dream for the first time in months.
Hermione looks at Harry oddly the next morning.
"Are you alright Harry? You look a little… tired." She says, cutting through the first sausage on her plate. The boy frowns, silent for a few moments before he picks up a slice of toast and butters it.
"It was just so strange." Neville peers at the tired boy too.
"What was strange?" Harry gazes over the toast, staring into the distance.
"Dreaming." He takes a bite and chews mechanically. Ron laughs.
"You had a weird dream? I once had a dream my sister was dating the Giant Squid- can't get weirder than that!" Neville makes a disgusted face and Hermione determinedly ignores the boy.
"What happened in it?" Harry grimaces and swallows his toast.
"It was just really weird. I was swimming and there was someone else swimming and we were in a race but they were slowing down so we could win together then a girl fell out of a helicopter and into the water."
"Helicopter- what's th-"
"And then she turned into a shark and ate the finish line and the other person."
Neville looks slightly pale and Hermione purses her lips.
"Oh." She puts down the last piece of sausage and stares at it for several seconds, "Dreams are weird, aren't they?" Neville nods and the girl snaps out of her shock.
"A helicopter is something muggles use to fly relatively short distances- they're like a small room that can fly." Ron seems amazed and puts down his food long enough to listen to the small lecture Hermione gives on muggle transport.
Two days later Harry is resting in bed, mentally unwinding and redoing the warding on the door inside the chamber of the forbidden corridor when Ron dashes into the room.
"McGonagall wants you- she says to come quickly." Harry practises closing up the spell work again so that he won't forget to with the real thing and springs from his bed with a grin.
"My mom's visiting today." Ron seems confused.
"What? Why would your mum be-" The door slams shut as the boy races excitedly to the transfiguration professor's office. He knocks and stands outside impatiently, grinning.
It takes four seconds for the door to open. He counts them and is in before the professor is half way through 'come in'.
"Hi mom!" He smiles as both Jodi and McGonagall stand up. Both of them seem at ease and Harry hugs his mom.
"I've missed you and everybody." Jodi laughs and hugs him back, pressing a kiss against his head.
"Good to see you too kiddo- the house has been too quiet without you. Claire and Alex said thanks for the sweets." She rubs a hand over his back and Harry steps back again.
"Good morning Professor McGonagall." The professor smiles.
"I thought you would like to see your mother before she leaves again Mr. Potter." The boy nods, unable to keep himself from grinning even more.
"Thank you Professor." Then to his mom, "How long are you staying for?" Jodi looks to the witch with raised eyebrows who looks at an old fashioned wristwatch.
"I think you will be able to stay for another half an hour or so. If you like I can accompany you." The sheriff looks down at Harry and laughs.
"I don't think that'll be needed. Thank you for the coffee Minerva, I'll pop back before I leave." So the witch nods and Harry drags Jodi around the school to introduce her to his friends. Neville smiles politely and Ron looks at her confusedly.
"Are you Harry's muggle mum?" The woman looks to Harry with raised eyebrows, eyes flickering over to the boy. Harry nods and Jodi smiles, lips tight.
"I suppose I am- unless you have any other moms you want to tell me about?" She says in tone saying both 'we're going to talk about this later' and 'you're my son now'.
"Nope- none right now." Jodi smiles warmly as Harry quickly says goodbye to the two boys.
"Wait- why is your mum-" The portrait swings shut as Jodi and Harry begin the trek to the library.
"So she shares your interest in reading I assume?" Says the sheriff, eyeing bookcase upon bookcase full of tomes new and old. Harry's eyes flit from aisle to aisle, scanning for his bushy-haired friend.
"Yes- she's really clever." He says smiling, "She's good at magic too and her parents aren't wizards or witches either- they're both muggles." The woman nods.
"So muggles are just not magical people." Harry nods.
"Yeah- it's just a slightly shorter way of saying it." Jodi nods again.
After a few moments of silence she tilts her head in the air, pretending to be disinterested even though Harry isn't looking at her.
"So- this friend- do you like her?" The boy spots her and grins.
"Yep- there she is. I'll introduce you but we'll have to be quiet because the librarian has good hearing." The woman nods, still pretending she isn't taking keen notice of her adoptive son's behaviour around the girl.
He walks over and taps her on the shoulder, she frowns and looks back at him.
"What is it? I'm at a very interesting section on the usage of charms to ease potion-making." She places a hand across the pages as she rests the book spine against the table.
"I wanted you to meet my mom." Harry smiles and the girl looks up, flustered. She stands awkwardly and tries to smile, offering her hand to the older woman.
"Oh- I'm sorry, I didn't see you there. I'm Hermione Granger, my parents are muggles too." The sheriff takes the hand, shaking it twice before letting it go, slightly overwhelmed by the girl's panic.
"Um- cool- that's cool. I'm Harry's mom- you can call me Jodi." She smiles warmly. Hermione smiles back, a little less awkward, "What do your parents do?" Hermione grins proudly.
"They're dentists. Most of the people here don't even know what they are." Jodi whistles,
"Must be some money in that." The girl frowns.
"I don't know- probably not as much as they'd get in America because of the National Health Service but I guess so." She snaps her gaze back up to the older woman, "How about you? I think Harry said that you worked in law enforcement." Jodi nods.
"Yeah, I'm a sheriff- it's my job to protect the people, sometimes from the people." She finished with a wry smile and Hermione nods concernedly.
"Yes- sometimes I think that must be the hardest part. It would be much easier if people could just get along." Jodi nods.
"Yeah- you're right kid." She smiles, "I guess I have you to blame for Harry still being safe, keep up the good work." She gives a thumbs up and the girl grins.
"It's hard work but I think I can manage it." Harry frowns.
"Hey!" Jodi ruffles his hair and Hermione glances back at her book again.
"I think we'll I'll be going soon- can't leave Claire alone you know?" Says the sheriff, smiling. Harry nods.
"Yeah- that's probably not a great idea. I'll take you back to see Professor McGonagall now." Jodi nods.
"Nice meeting you Hermione." The girl nods, returning the good bye.