Despite Victoria's unspoken offer. Harry left the area of the incident by car on the practical problem that they had no clue how to navigate their way back to Hermione's home. With the time it would take just to get back, Harry and Mia were certain that Cressida had brought Hermione back to her parents house.
"So do you think it was him?" Mia asked after a while as the vehicle roared down the road with speeds that would have police agents ask pointed questions. As there was no heretic god to be sensed and none replied to Harry's display of power it only left one other obvious option.
"It is the logical choice. The idea that there is a second dark wizard or witch with such power and time on their hands is running around is quite unpleasant." Harry replied. He then touched the snowflake charm on top of his still wet bandages.
"You should be careful you don't accidently freeze off your arm." Mia said disapprovingly. "It bloody hurts." Harry replied as he did his best not to growl defensively. "I really hope this falls under the 'recovered with a night's rest' part of the Campione package." "Then you should have not used that authority." Mia answered without a shred of sympathy.
"Well excuse me for lacking the magic to deal with a zombie hoard or have a spare field to ruin with an authority I still don't fully understand." Harry replied with a frown. "What has your knickers in a twist anyway?"
"You sidelined me." Mia answered bluntly. Giving the young man she swore her loyalty to a hard look.
"What?" Harry blurted out before thinking. "I… well…" he stammered for a moment as he truly thought it over. "Bollocks." The curse was aimed at himself. At both the realisation that he had thought that he needed more tools to do things alone and the more practical part of having someone point out that the kind of burn he inflicted upon himself should be treated immediately.
"I suppose saying 'I am sorry' won't cut it out." He stated more than asking it. To his surprise Mia seemed to relax. "That depends, did you learn your lesson?" she asked. "That having an extra set of hands nearby to tell me I am burning my flesh off and stabbing any twitching zombies as necessary is quite handy?" Harry replied dryly.
"Not so precise. But I can work with that." Mia agreed with the same dryness. "Then yes. I did learn my lesson. I am sorry for sidelining you." Harry admitted while doing his best not to grovel to the fairer gender for screwing up. "Then please remember this for the next time. I might not be as handy with a book as Hermione or Cressida, but I am not useless."
Harry momentarily considered saying he never thought Mia was useless. But since he had already royally put his foot into his mouth with his actions he decided not to double down on that. It appeared that the line of conversation had died as Mia glanced at the chauffeur who seemed to have not heard it due to the glass screen separating them.
"It would make sense I suppose. But why now?" Harry continued the earlier conversation and he shot upright. "It must have been a distraction. But what for?" Mia looked thoughtful as she followed his line of thought. "I doubt it was to kidnap Hermione or Cressida. They can take care of themselves and you disturbed any further plans by making her look into whatever that note had."
"And we didn't hear anything from… other channels. So I am afraid whatever he has done will be read in the news. Magical or mundane. " Mia finished with a frown. "Damn." Harry muttered as they were stuck responding to Voldemort's actions once again. With those heavy thoughts on their mind their long trek home started.
It was far past midnight by the time they finally arrived at Hermione's home. Harry was not really surprised to find Remus keeping a wary eye out. He waved to the man hidden in the shadows as his magical sight spotted him. "Harry, Mia, you look horrible." "I know I am burned…" Harry started to say. He then took a proper look at his own and Mia's attire.
"Huh. I suppose we do look a bit ruffled from riding Victoria and the ash afterwards." he glanced to where the car that brought them here had departed to. "I think someone will be unhappy with that." "The upholstery will be in a poor state." Mia agreed. "I should have expected that pair of barbarians you are would not notice you smelled of fire and ash." Cressida cut in sharply from the door.
She was standing at the front door opening holding back Hermione. "I hope the two of you at least remembered to wipe off any contagious zombie guts on you?" Cressida inquired with a critical look.
Harry considered making a crack of having some in his hair, but the way Cressida was holding back Hermione he thought better of it. "Don't worry. I burned them." he raised his hand. "And I burned myself."
"Oh Harry." Hermione sighed out loud. "Mom and Dad already went to bed. Sirius left a portkey for Cressida and Mia. We don't have enough room to house you all." Hermione explained as she made her way past Cressida and looked at Harry's arm. She then wrapped him up in a tight hug. "Don't scare me like that."
Harry desperately wanted to point out he had no idea how he scared her. However he was well aware that would make him look like an insensitive berk. At the same time he was also cognizant of the fact the next time he scared Hermione in this mysterious way he would look like one as well.
In the end he just decided to hug her back and assure he was completely alright while studiously ignoring the word 'fine'. For some reason Hermione never believed him when he used that word. "Right. It's getting cold here and I'd like to get out of this monkey suit I ruined."
They trooped into the house at that idea and after a quick assurance from Mia and Cressida that they would be there the first thing in the morning they left. Hermione led the way upstairs and paused at a door. It took Harry a moment to realise it was the door to her room. His mind, or libido, quickly supplied the reason why she would pause.
Thankfully in his opinion his sense overcame his libido. With a gentle tug he turned around and gave her a tone-curling snog. "I'd love to share your bed Hermione. But let's not give your parents a heart attack." He chuckled at the point but she nodded. "Good night Hermione." Harry kissed her again. With some mutual reluctance they let the other go. But before Hermione could disappear Harry did get himself a quick feel of her rear, just as a reminder for the night.
He grinned at his own boldness as he made a quick advance to the guest room. He feared if he looked back he might turn around and join her in bed. Sirius would approve, everyone else would probably not.
"You two looked like you had a short night." Dan tried to ask casually at the breakfast table. "... I actually have no clue how late it was when I came here." Harry admitted after some thought. "Well past midnight." Hermione answered for him. Harry thought that exhaustion seemed to make her unmanageable hair even worse.
"Dan, stop being suspicious." Emma scolded her husband as she entered the room with a newsletter in hand. "Do you know what kind of chemical would leave the earth like this? The front page says they burned it off of all things." "The Witenagemot is better at their excuses than the Witenagemot." Harry muttered around a yawn.
"Something magical happened here?" Emma asked surprised as she turned the newspaper around to take another look, as if she would spot the witch on a broom at close inspection. "That field looks rather familiar before I burned everything to deal with the inferi." Harry noted as he looked at the smaller 'before picture' once Emma was done searching. "Inferi?" Hermione squeaked in surprise.
The bell rang and Harry was not surprised to find Emma returning to the table with Mia and Cressida in tow. "So what is this inferi thing?" Dan asked suspiciously. "A magical zombie. Usually controlled mentally but they are capable of limited autonomous action." Hermione recited after a moment.
"Five points to Gryffindor." Mia said with a grin. She had heard the expression often enough in the lessons she attended while keeping an eye on Harry. "They are tough things according to the briefing I got. From what I saw it is not wrong, some kept moving despite being flung through the air and burned by all the lava Harry was throwing around." The knight explained to the benefit of the Grangers. "Lava? The spellbook doesn't have any spells for that…" Hermione said thoughtfully.
"It's the authority I got from the goblin king." Harry filled in for his girlfriend. "I still can't control it. It's different from my other authorities, less..." Words failed him and instead he waved his arm up to show his skin was still slightly discolored. "Even after a night's rest it is still tender."
"... you got burned by lava and you're complaining that it takes more than a night's rest to heal? You do know that most people would lose that arm, son?" Dan asked disbelievingly.
Harry gave an awkward shrug while Hermione looked unhappy. "So why did you never tell us you knew your authority?" her tone made it clear she felt insulted. "As I only got a vague clue recently? I knew it had to do something with the earth, but otherwise I had nothing else. Why did you think I started to read all those geology books when I had free time?"
"And I have plenty of work ahead of me. I don't want to end up accidentally burning any of you when I lose control of the authority." Harry sighed. "Maybe I should ask Dumbledore if he has an idea how I could improve my control."
"The Witenagemot might be able to help." Cressida suggested with a curious look. She dearly wanted to know why Harry had not shared anything with her yet.
Harry had a queer look at the idea telling that organisation he had no idea how to keep what he suspected was his most destructive authority under control. They had an idea, yes, but they had no clue how bad it was. And Harry suspected it was not the best idea to broadcast it to the collection of self-serving individuals that attended the ball.
"Very well." Cressida acceded by his expression alone. "Well enough of the magical shop talk. Focus on your breakfast children." Emma cut in. As curious as she was in all the happenings of the magical world she was only so distantly connected to. It was no reason to ignore a perfectly fine meal she had gone through the trouble to make.
"So is Luna really a seer?" Hermione asked once they were in the privacy of her room. She was already shushed once by Cressida from opening up the topic in front of her parents so she was bursting for answers now. "She is a fayseer according to Cressida. So far she has been spot on even if we couldn't do anything with it."
Harry explained the incidents she had foretold to Hermione so he could lead up to the problem . "And now Alice has told us that people have gotten curious." he sighed. "It feels like I broke my promise without really doing anything." "We were, in hindsight, clumsily trying to deceive an information gathering organisation." Cressida pointed out neutrally.
"I see, so that is why you wanted to find out how seers were treated and what protections they have." Hermione said understandingly. "That poor girl. They are treated like glass statues that must be hoarded at all costs. Alice's father must be important to give her the freedom she has." She turned to Harry and with a sense of dread he had a S.P.E.W. flashback.
"I am not sure if hitting them with the Campione card is a good idea." Harry said hastily. "And they do it not without reason. Luna is rather blessed that she is merely 'odd'. Most seers have weak constitutions. And forcing a vision usually knocks them low for a day." Cressida explained as she realised Hermione was about to go on a moral crusade.
"I would advise sending a letter to Luna and explaining if things come to bear, that she defends herself by telling anyone knocking on her door that she is a part of your entourage." she continued and Harry nodded. To Cressida's surprise he had his own pen and paper already at the ready. "I am surprised Sirius and Remus aren't here already…" Harry started leadingly.
"Actually they entrusted you to us to keep you out of trouble. Dumbledore called them in to fill up the ranks as 'experts' to ensure the Witenagemot is not misinformed. As it was a wand-based magic that caused the incident." She answered without pause. "Huh. Good to know Sirius has something to keep himself busy with." Harry said with a nod.
"When he not the source of stupid rumors." Hermione grumbled. Harry barked out a laugh but he quickly subsided under the not so playful glare Hermione shot at him. There was a moment of silence "Well, your parents will be off to their jobs soon. Shall we just walk out and see where we end up?"
"I thought we were meant to keep you out of trouble Harry?" Mia asked far too innocently. "If I run into a heretic god. I will only apologize for wrecking Hermione's childhood neighbourhood." Harry replied drolly. "I will forgive you if you do not destroy the library." Hermione joined in with a small grin.
"I'll keep it in mind." Harry said. They left the house at the same time with the elder Grangers and wandered into the neighbourhood. Hermione showed them a few places before the group took the bus to the nearest shopping street to kill time in. As the weather was fair for a winter day they were not the only group of mildly bored teenagers wandering around.
Cressida had no shame in using the opportunity to get Harry a new suit since he burned the last one. His protests that he wouldn't need it for at least a year if his schedule held, and thus would outgrow it had no effect. Pointing out that it was a waste of money was another argument that was rejected. The Witenagemot had a decent sized budget set out for him, and he barely touched it apparently.
And thus Harry was dragged headfirst into the dangers of having the fairer gender with you while shopping. They had opinions, and woe upon you if you ignored them out of hand. He felt like he was spending years climbing in and out of suits while Hermione and Cressida discussed its merits. He swore whenever they seemed to agree Mia would throw in a dissenting opinion and the torture would start anew.
In the back of his mind he was making up plans on how he would dish out his pain when they sparred. He conveyed his plans for everlasting vengeance through an evil eye when both Hermione and Cressida were not looking at him. Mia looked amused in response. Harry vowed to double everything he was going to do.
To his relief all bad things came to an end. And, in what he would later insist was a dignified pace, led the charge out of the shop the moment Cressida had paid. "You are acting like we tortured you Harry." Mia noted in an innocent tone. "It's just a suit, and you looked quite handsome in it."
"I still feel like a dressed…." he trailed off as he saw a very familiar face, albeit even more fat than he remembered. "Harry?" Dudley Dursley blurted out upon seeing the nephew he hadn't seen in more than a year. "Dudley." Harry replied calmly while he wondered what in the blazes Dudley did all the way over here. He idly noted at the same that a lot of 'grown up' faces of Dudley's gang were beside him.
"Wait, that shrimp we hunted?" one of them noted. "What in the blazes is the pathetic boy doing with three beauties." "That is none of your business." Harry said calmly as he pushed down the fantasy to play a reverse game of Harry hunting. "Well, we are making it our business. Cute girls like those should go out with us." Dudley said pompously as he made a show of his mixture of fat and muscles.
"I have no interest in a troll like you." Cressida pointed as she made a show of moving close to Harry. Dudley flinched at the fantasy reference and looked suspiciously at Harry. "They are like you aren't they?" he accused. "If you mean he has a healthy weight, good friends and a purpose in his life. Then yes, we are." Hermione cut in to the surprise of Harry.
'Where did those claws come from?' He asked himself as Dudley clenched his fists. "Don't think of it, Dudders. You can't run to Vernon now." Dudley's eyes narrowed at the pet name his mother used and took a step forward to try and intimidate Harry. The black haired young man was unfazed. "And since I think you are here because you stirred up trouble without me to blame for. I am certain who the police are going to believe should it come to blows."
Dudley took another threatening step forward. His courage failed however as Harry did not turn around to run away as he used to. "You are not worth my time Potter." he growled and stomped off in an attempt to preserve his reputation. His gang sneered at Harry before following him. Harry snorted, more amused than anything that Dudley still thought he was a threat. If it wasn't for the underage magic restriction, Harry could have handled him and his gang when he finished his first year.
"Well that happened." He noted to his companions. He didn't look around to see their reactions and instead waved towards a shoe shop. He glanced down and confirmed that his shoes had not enjoyed the Potter Special Lava experience. "And I think I need new shoes."
One shoe shopping experience later, in which Harry made it abundantly clear he could pick his own shoes thank you very much. "Do you wish to do something about the Dursleys?" Cressida asked as Hermione and Mia were distracted by other wares. "What?" Harry asked, confused that she was still thinking about them. "Why?"
"Well… the Witenagemot suspected you had an.. Unpleasant childhood…" Cressida tried to make her point diplomatically. "It's not worth it." Harry answered. "That part of my life has gone into the box called 'bad history'. A box I am planning to chuck Voldemort into as well." "Just like that?" Cressida asked skeptically. "Just like that, I put that tub of lard out of my mind already, why are you dragging him around?"
"... I am not entirely sure if that is the best way to go around it." Cressida said after a moment of silence. "And what do you suggest I do? Take revenge on them for the unpleasant days I had with them?" Harry asked genuinely curious about what the intelligent woman had to say. "No. I don't think that is the way either. But to just leave it there…" Cressida said uncertainly.
"I was stuck with them, Cressida. There is nothing to say to them. They will never apologize. In their closed minds they were right and refused to see what the world could fully offer. And I am not talking about just the magical world." Harry looked away, his eyes seeing things far away. "I think the best 'revenge' will be to do what they denied themselves. I think once I am done with Hogwarts I will travel the world a bit… Hopefully with you three with me."
Cressida nodded that she understood and then gained a mischievous smile. "So you do intend to turn us into your harem girls." Harry rolled his eyes. "Yes, the first stop will be Hawaii and you girls swaying on the sand without a stitch of clothing." he replied sarcastically. To his surprise Cressida blushed slightly.
"Okaay…. I am going to remember this." he said with a grin. She gave an haughty sniff and walked away. "Who knew you'd like to dance naked in the setting sun." Harry tried to needle. Cressida kept up an admirable poker face. Harry was about to try again when he saw Hermione and Mia discussing hair care products.
He saw a tiny smirk on Cressida' face daring him to try again. 'She must have a good riposte ready to turn this into three versus one.' With a small nod he conceded the issue for now. "Do you think they got something to tame our hair here Hermione?" he asked instead.