"Thank you for recording the New Years' Day Concert from Vienna for us," Hermione told her parents, having come through the portal to their house the following afternoon. "It isn't the New Year until you have clapped along to the Radetzky March!"
"Yes, in the same way that it isn't Christmas until that year's solo treble has opened "Once in Royal David's City" at the start of Carols from King's on Christmas Eve afternoon," her father noted.
"This year will be slightly different, Dad. I have a couple of partners to trip the waltzes, polkas and so on with.
"Fancy improvising a few three-way dances, Ron, Pads?!"
"I'm in, Hermione! What about you, Ron?"
"As long as we get to experiment with three-way kisses, sure!"
"Thank you, both." With that, Hermione started the Video Cassette Recorder and the strains of the Eurovision Broadcasting Union fanfare came over the television speakers. Within minutes, Hermione was leading her soulmates in an improvised waltz. I love you both so much…
We love you too, darling!
"My Lady Athena?" Harry asked. "Please can you open a portal to Hogwarts please? I need to speak to Professor Dumbledore about using the lake for swimming practice. We want to know what effect cold freshwater has on the Gillyweed dosage.
"In addition, do we need to include magical tracking methods? If one of my girls is to be at the bottom of a deep Scottish loch in February, I want to be able to find her quickly. Can anybody teach me some please?"
"Jason Blood is responsible for organising your magical training, my friend. He, Giovanni Zatara and the Ancient One should be able to advise you.
"As for Headmaster Dumbledore, the Hogwarts staff cannot assist you directly. I am sure that they would agree to the New Olympus Academy of Magic having access to their loch, however, for research purposes. If it is open to all our students and not just you, then it isn't exactly assisting a Hogwarts' champion in the Tournament…
"What idiot thinks that an event taking place at the bottom of a dark peaty loch in Scotland in February is a good idea anyway?! Whilst a good scrying-glass could allow the judges to see what is going on, I cannot imagine that they have one big enough to allow the three student bodies to see anything more than a few inches below the surface."
"Hermione often tells me that wizards have little common sense! Once they came up with something that the Champions could do, it would probably never occur to them that it would be as dull as ditch water for the spectators. If the Judges ask for feedback, I'll suggest something more easily visible for the next Tournament…"
"When you have the powers of the gods, Harry Potter, sometimes it is too easy to forget that mere mortals are not so blessed. Highly capable experienced mages rarely make allowances for those still to develop their full magical potential, as you say.
"It is good for Diana that I see a man dressed as a bat becoming a good friend of hers in a few years. He shall remind her that being non-powered doesn't make you any less formidable."
"Mr Lupin, Ms Tonks, I was wondering if you would be willing to address a meeting of our community at the Nancy Drew Leisure Centre," Rex said to Remus and Tonks the following morning. "We have one scheduled to take place a week on Saturday.
"This could allow us to identify ways of approaching the American wizard community, whatever they are called…"
"Gomez Addams knows the current President of the Magical Congress of the United States of America, Mr Milligan," Remus told him. "The locals call it MACUSA." He pronounced it "Mac-Uh-Sah".
"Thank you, Mr Lupin," Louise responded, arm-in-arm with her soulmate. "I'll speak to his children over the next couple of days."
"I agree, darling. Actually… Jason!"
The familiar form of Jason Blood had been walking past, talking to Diana and Thor about the training that was to start in a couple of days. "What is it, Rex," he asked.
"Jason, could you approach the British and American wizard governments for authority to liaise with them…"
"I could. Given that I am currently listed as 'Do not anger at all costs' by the White Council, what I say is taken seriously by them.
"I believe only myself, Madame Xanadu, Giovanni Zatara, Dr Fate, the Ancient One and a witch named Endora currently have that status. Now, she is one woman that I would never willingly cross. She is even older than me and doesn't fear my associate…"
"How old are you?" Tonks asked. "I take it that is older than the thirty or so that you look…"
"I fought at Badon as a Knight of the Round Table, Ms Tonks."
"That took place in approximately AD 500!" Remus gasped. "You must be over 1500 years old even if you were in your teens at the time of the battle.
"What elixir vitae do you use?"
"I have no need of potions or alchemy, Mr Lupin. Ever since that thrice-accursed false Myrddin bound me to his half-brother…"
"Sorry?!"
"Gone! Gone! The form of man!
Arise the Demon Etrigan!"
As Jason spoke, he was enveloped in fire, his voice deepened, and his form changed. When the fire cleared, the tall scholar had been replaced by the hulking form of the yellow demon.
"My half-brother was a mighty mage,
That worked his wonders at fair Camelot.
Sir Jason was a great knight and sage,
That was about to expose his foul plot.
That succubus then summoned me,
And knight and monster he made as one.
So now immortal are both I and he,
Unless the binding magic can be undone.
Gone now, O Etrigan!
And rise once more the form of man!"
With those last two lines, Etrigan was bathed in flames, which cleared to reveal Jason Blood was in his place.
"After I was bound to Etrigan, I acquired the nickname Sir Jason o' the Blood, because I brought death and disaster wherever I went. With the passing of the centuries, I took the name I now bear.
"As a sorcerer of some power in my own right, I occasionally get involved with wizards. Usually, I end up having to summon Etrigan to deal with Dark Mages. The wizard authorities decided eventually to decree that I should be handled with kid gloves!"
"I can see why!" Tonks noted with a grin. "As a trainee Auror, I wouldn't want to face him either.
"Still, I would like to see the Dark Lord versus Etrigan someday…"
Harry was once again enjoying an underwater swim with his soulmates and their new pod. Dolphins are a highly sociable species and loved the attention the eight "honorary dolphins" were giving them.
Honoured Matriarch, how would you approach a hunt in the darks of a peaty Scottish Loch?
Since the lake in question is freshwater, I wouldn't be of much use. That said, a friendly giant squid tells me that you need to let your eyes accustom themselves to the gloom. You are a wizard. Could you use magic to light your way?
I must learn silent casting, as I may need my wand for light, direction and defence. Thank you for the advice. Hopefully, one of our tutors can help me learn.
No thanks are needed, Harry. All members of my pod are entitled to my guidance and support.
Fate seems determined to give me the largest family ever!
Don't complain about it, Harry! After the Dursleys, you deserve this.
Thanks, Gin.
No problem, darling! You can reward me with a kiss later.
Gladly, my love!
The Gillyweed must be wearing off soon. See you tomorrow, my friends!
Happy swimming, all of you.
Thanks, Daffy. Until tomorrow, ladies.
May your waters be full of fish, Harry.
"Finally!" Neville exclaimed; his greenhouses completed. Lavender, Hannah and Susan applauded his efforts.
"We should be ready now for when our lessons start in a couple of days," Susan noted. "Do you know who our Herbology teacher is to be, Nev?"
"Princess Diana mentioned some chap named Alec Holland," Neville said. "He is a champion of the Green, whatever that means. It must make him good with plants though…"
"That makes sense," Hannah agreed. "Now, that everything is finished to your satisfaction, Nev, can we please get back to topping up our tans?!"
"Of course, Han darling…"
Hermione snuggled up in her bed that night. "Our lessons are to start in a couple of days, darlings."
"I'm looking forward to it, dearest," Padma replied.
"As am I. We all know that you are, Hermione!"
"How did you guess, Ron?!"
"Well, the courses should be interesting. In addition to the usual Hogwarts' subjects, we also need to learn how to fight with swords and shields."
"Not to mention how to use our various superpowers, Pads!"
"Yes, Ron. I am sure that there are better uses for telepathy than telling you and Hermione how great I think your respective bums are!"
Hermione chuckled. "I am sure that you are right, Pads. Not that I shall get tired of hearing you tell me that!
"It is getting late, my dears. Goodnight."
Her soulmates responded in kind and soon after all three were asleep.
On the morning of the following Monday, the young mages assembled by the greenhouses. What appeared at first to be a large growth of shrubbery suddenly rose up, revealing a human form. The whatever it was strode up to the wizards. "Greetings. I am Alec Holland, also known as Swamp Thing. I am the soul of a murdered professor and ecologist implanted in plant matter as the current Protector of the Green.
"Jason asked me if I could teach you Herbology. Whilst I am not a wizard, I am a magical being in my new form. I can also communicate with and gain assistance from all plants."
"Alec is an old friend," Jason said, walking out from behind a greenhouse with Diana and Thor. "His knowledge of plants, magical or otherwise, is unparalleled, as you can imagine.
"As wizards, I take it that his unusual appearance won't be that much of an issue?!"
"No, it won't," Neville responded. "I am pleased to meet you, Professor Holland."
"Likewise, Mr Longbottom. I see that you have a Heart for the Green. Such Hearts are sadly all too rare these days.
"You have done a marvellous job with these greenhouses. I am most impressed and look forward to working with you."
"Thank you, Alec," Jason said. As he spoke, a tall brunette who seemed unused to using her eyes and a tall bald vaguely oriental-looking person whose gender was hard to tell Apparated in. "Ah, my young friends, meet Madame Xanadu and the Ancient One. Madame Xanadu will be tutoring you all in Runes and Prognostication, whilst the Ancient One shall be teaching you Meditation and Astral Projection."
"Err, not all of us are taking Runes or Divination," Hermione pointed out. "The latter is only really of any relevance for those with The Sight anyway. As for the other subjects, Hogwarts doesn't even offer them!
"I know that all knowledge and skills are worth acquiring, but we need OWLs and NEWTs. Without them, it could be difficult finding employment in later life."
"Miss Granger," the Ancient One said in slow cultured tones, "we appreciate your concerns. Our main aim is to make you into a force capable of surviving against and overcoming the self-styled Dark Lord Voldemort and his so-called Death Eaters. If you are dead, job-hunting would not be an issue!
"You should be able to pass any Wizard exams easily after your education here is complete. As for your career prospects, defeating the most notorious Dark Mage in centuries must be an impressive achievement to have on your Curriculum Vitae."
"It won't be easy persuading the Conservative Pureblood elite of wizard Britain that you are anything other than a jumped-up mudblood in any event, Hermione," Remus Lupin pointed out, walking up with Sirius and Tonks. "As a werewolf, I can tell you that overcoming prejudice is not easy. That said, you have the determination to succeed despite their sneers and you have talent enough to impress even the most bigoted of them."
At that moment, two other individuals appeared. Both were tall and dressed in the manner of a stage magician. Beneath the top hat, dinner jacket and tails of the taller, however, were trousers, whilst the smaller was in fishnet tights and high heels. She was also pale skinned with raven hair and looked to be about Harry's age. The man was swarthier, bore an Italianate moustache and seemed to be her father.
"Everyone," Jason announced, "meet Giovanni Zatara and his daughter Zatanna. Giovanni is to teach you Charms and Transfiguration, whilst I shall teach you Defence Against the Dark Arts. Diana, Thor and I shall train you in fitness and non-magical combat. The Doctor shall take your Astronomy lessons, the Addamses' grandmother shall be your instructress in Potions and Mary Poppins will teach you Arithmancy and Care of Magical Creatures. By the end of your time here, you should be formidable even outside of your superpowered alter egos.
"In the meantime," Jason finished, wordlessly transfiguring their clothing into tracksuits, "Diana is now about to take you for a gentle jog around Potter Island…"
"Mr Blood's definition of a gentle jog is clearly different from mine!" Hermione grumbled. "I feel as if I have just run a marathon!"
"May I call you Hermione?" Diana asked her. At Hermione's nod of acquiescence, she went on. "The best way to not get hit by a curse is to dodge it completely.
"You girls can deflect curses with your bracelets as Furies, as can all of you block them with your shields once transformed. The superspeed from your magic belts makes that easy enough. In a magical duel without any superpower save your natural magic, however, physical fitness can give you all an edge. If you can dodge spells and wear out your opponent by forcing them to move about whilst casting, it could save your life.
"I can sense that you are a scholar rather than a fighter, Hermione. There is no shame in that, but you need to learn how to defend yourself. You may never be a natural athlete by temperament, but you can and must work on improving your agility and stamina."
"Thank you, your Highness. I shall do my best."
"I can ask no more than that, Hermione.
"You can all address me by my given name. Remember, I am here as your teacher and mentor, not as the heiress to the throne of Themyscira."
"Then thank you, Diana. I do hope that we have time for showers before our classes start…"
"For the first week or two, we shall be working on your fitness, Miss Granger," Thor boomed. "I would recommend that you have a shower and do some swimming in the afternoon. We shall continue with your running tomorrow and hopefully have you stretching by the end of the week.
"See you tomorrow. Until then, fare thee well!"
"Back to our tents, everyone," Harry offered.
"That was intense," Hermione noted to her fellow members of the Potter Island Book Club over a pot of tea in the library tent's reading room that evening. "We shall all be fit at the end of our training though!"
As Padma gave Hermione a quick peck on the lips, Pansy chuckled. "Well, our soulmates' bums look good in those tight tracksuit bottoms. That is one thing to look forward to tomorrow.
"I also felt that I had earned my time swimming and sunbathing this afternoon, Hermione. That said, I was quite frankly too tired to do anything else…"
"Mr Blood said something about getting what he called an Ice Bath set up," Hannah offered, "whatever that might be…"
"As the name implies, it is a tub of freezing cold water. Athletes soak in one to soothe their muscles and sinews after training or competing."
"Thank you, Hermione darling. I can understand the need for one of those. Right now, muscles that I never knew that I had are aching!"
Somehow, the young mages managed to get through the week. By the Thursday, a tent with an Ice Bath and some manual weight machines, treadmills and exercise bikes had been set up on the island. Diana and Thor had the young wizards do stretching exercises to warm up for their runs and then take Ice Baths afterwards. They were hopefully going to be starting with the machines the following week.
"That was brutal, but I feel all the better for it," Harry told Millie as they relaxed exhausted together in a hammock on the Friday evening. "I already feel much stronger than I was before Monday. I must suggest fitness training before Quidditch practice!
"In the meantime, fancy another swim, Millie darling?"
"No thank you, Harry! After this week, I just want to lie back and top up my tan in this bikini…"