Chapter 40
The sixth-years had single Defense class before lunch on this fine Monday morning and Hermione was torturing Harry with every crossing and uncrossing of her legs. From the desk, up she was the model student: quill in hand, nose to the parchment and the occasional smile for the teacher.
But down below she had worn, what Harry knew to be an unofficial Hogwarts style skirt with a hem that came just above the knees. It was either that or she had the skirt pulled up so far that the waist line had to be riding just under her breasts.
Why did you have to think of that?
"T ... The Popping Boil Hex is one of the more annoying hexes if you are in a battle because the pain caused is more than enough to break the concentration of your spell casting, leaving you wide open for ..."
She did it again, but this time she hiked her skirt even higher.
"... wide open for ... um ..."
"Sir?" someone said.
Harry shook his head, "Wide open for a more complicated hex."
"You can recognize the hex by the erratic wand movement." He demonstrated by poking the air in several places with his wand.
"The most effective counter-curse is Antbyle, but Protego will work just as well and you have the chance to reflect it back at your enemy."
The bell rang and Hermione scooted her skirt back down to a more acceptable level.
"Twelve inches on several follow up jinxes. I want to see things we haven't covered in class."
He watched as Hermione packed up her bags and started out of class with the rest of the students.
"Miss Granger, a moment."
She stopped and turned shrugging her shoulders at Parvati like she didn't know why she was being called back.
She made it to the front of the class as the last student exited for lunch.
"Yes, Professor Potter?" Her voice was high and innocent.
Okay, Harry could play this game. "I'm afraid that skirt isn't regulation."
She looked down, "Oh, this old thing. All of my others were dirty. I think the House-Elves are on strike or something. This is from first year. I just expanded the waist with a charm ... "
"You'll have to take it off."
She stopped and looked up. "Excuse me?"
"You heard me," Harry tried to sound reproachful, but didn't think he was pulling it off very well. "We can't have you breaking the rules now can we?"
She looked over her shoulder and back. The classroom door was still wide open.
"Harry?"
He rolled his eyes and pointed his wand at the door, "Colloportus!" The door slammed shut and locked. "If you choose not to adhere to the school rules I'll have to punish you."
She stood stock still not knowing what to say. Harry shook his head in mock disappointment. "All right up to my office."
She smiled and ran from him up the stairs throwing the door open. Harry was right after her and closed the door. "Colloportus!"
He saw the question in her eyes.
"Never can be too careful. Now off with that skirt."
This time she didn't bat an eye, trying to take over the power role and have her teacher eating out of her hand, but Harry took it in stride.
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"What's wrong with you?" Ginny asked.
Harry sat down next to Hermione who couldn't seem to find a comfortable position.
"Nothing," said Hermione.
"And why are your robes all buttoned up."
"I'm cold."
Harry smiled. "Would you like to take my cloak. It's quite warm." He started to unsnap the catches. "Here, take off your cloak."
"No!" she said alarmingly. "I mean ... I'm okay. I'll stop by the room and get something more appropriate before class."
Ginny eyed the two with a certain amount of suspicion, not knowing what was going on. "So, did you get the okay on which stone you are gong to use?"
This got Hermione's attention off of her predicament.
Harry nodded, "He said we could use the Fire Diamond."
Hermione's eyes widened in joy and she hugged Harry from the side.
"I'm going straight from Transfiguration to Dumbledore's office so I'll be a little late getting in tonight."
She nodded, "That's okay I have more than enough homework to keep me busy."
After they left lunch they found a semi-secluded hall where Harry had Hermione pinned up against the wall with his hand inside her robes petting her bare bottom.
"And if you are good, I'll give these back to you." He patted the inside pocket of his robes which held her skirt.
Hermione was flushed and it wasn't because of embarrassment. "I'll be good."
He smirked, "Promise."
She rubbed her legs tightly together. "I promise."
He gave her one last squeeze and handed back her skirt. "I'll never be able to concentrate with you on my mind, Hermione. McGonagall's going to be all over me for not practicing."
She smiled and reached up to kiss him. "I'll be thinking about you, too."
Harry looked at his watch. "I'm late. I have to run. See you tonight."
Hermione looked after him. "Oh, yes you will, Professor Potter," she said to herself evilly. "Oh yes you will."
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"Really, Potter, you must concentrate." McGonagall scolded him.
"Sorry, Professor. I've got a lot on my mind."
She scowled, "You'll have a lot more on your mind if you get anything less than an Exceeds Expectations on your final exams this year."
He nodded and lifted his wand to try again. "Roccateduru!"
The large rock sitting in front of him on the floor shifted fluidly into a thick mahogany door, and Harry sighed.
"Excellent! That's more like it."
She floated the door to the side. "Filch should be quite happy; that door looks like it will fit nicely for the trophy room. We're still making repairs from the Weasley twins fireworks last year. One batch took out half of the old door. He's been waiting for me to transfigure him a new one for ages."
Harry almost laughed and instead offered, "Glad I could help."
She actually looked at him to see if he was sincere. "Well time's up, better be off to the headmaster's office. I want you to familiarize yourself with Chapter 8 for Friday's lesson."
"Really?"
She looked down her nose at him. "I can assign more homework if you prefer, Mr. Potter, however, I know you will be busy for the rest of the week on a particular project."
Harry smiled back at her, "Thanks, Professor."
"Do make sure you follow, Black's instructions to the letter. I'd hate to see anything happen to either of my best students."
Harry stood stunned at her revelation. Harry Potter, one of the best transfiguration students at Hogwarts? Unheard of!
"Well, off with you. Don't let it go to your head."
He tossed his school bag over his shoulder. "Night, Professor."
"Good night, Potter."
Harry was in such a good mood on the way to the headmaster's office that he almost missed the stairway, passing it by a few steps. He backed up, but in doing so spotted something underneath the stairwell.
Once he closed, he figured out what it was. "Malfoy?"
"Oh, do go away, Potter."
He couldn't see for the shadows, but it looked like Malfoy had encountered his two old comrades again.
"Are you injured?"
He heard a snort followed by a grunt of pain. "Just leave me be. All I need is a few minutes and I'll be moving along."
Against his better judgment he pushed the issue. "Look, Malfoy, if you need help ..." he let the offer trail off.
Malfoy didn't say a word.
"I'll be up in the headmaster's off for the next couple of hours. If you want to talk about it meet me after, about sevenish. If not, well Snape's been doing a bang up job keeping them off your back. I suppose you can always go back to him."
He turned and started to head up the stairs and stopped. "At the very least I can make sure they spend a lot of time in detention. Umbridge left her blood-letting quill behind. I can get them to write 'I won't pick on people smarter than me,' a thousand times. That should cover just about everyone, right?"
Another short snort and a grunt of pain came from underneath the stairs, and he left it at that.
As Harry neared the headmaster's office he couldn't figure out whether it was genuine concern he felt for Malfoy or was it more pity than anything else. Nobody needed to be treated like that; well actually he could think of a couple of Death Eaters and revised. Nobody at this school should be at the mercy of two thugs like Crabbe and Goyle, and he was going to do something about it the next time he saw them.
"Buffy lives."
The Gargoyle hopped aside.
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"In the final product, the ring's mineral content should be 95% platinum and 5% ruthenium. Anything lower than that and we'll have to start all over."
Harry frowned, "I can read Phineas. Why else did you want me to bring the journal?"
The heat from the flame was intense and he had to set up a protection barrier so the walls didn't char and his clothes didn't combust on the spot.
"Now pour the essence into the mold slowly, you don't want to spill a drop or we'll have to start all over."
Harry's hand shook and he righted himself before he dropped the container. "Do you have to say that phrase after every piece of instruction?"
Phineas' eyes widened, "Hurry! Pour, pour, before it hardens!"
He filled the mold with liquid platinum and set the heating flask aside. A wave of his wand doused the fire and dropped the protection barrier.
"Now the first of the charms, Potter. Concentrate. You have to get this right the first time..."
"Or we'll have to re-start at the beginning, I know, I know. Now shut up."
He closed his eyes cleared his mind as quickly as he could. "Platina Knouen Hwilc Penkwe Te Fitten!"
A faint white glow emanated from the mold.
"I am very impressed, Harry," came a voice from behind him.
Dumbledore was sitting in his chair when he turned to look.
"Sir, I didn't hear you come in."
A comforting smile rose from Dumbledore's lips. "As well you shouldn't have since I have been sitting here the entire time."
He remembered the headmaster saying, once upon a time, that he needed no cloak to be invisible.
"I thought it prudent to be on hand for this step of the process in case you required assistance, but I see my concern was for naught. I am quite happy to see that you are becoming something of a prodigy in the field of enchantments."
He rose from his chair and surveyed the work space. "It is not every wizard that can cast such a spell on the purer metals and have it succeed on their first attempt. I daresay if you decide against your Auror training you will find no problem making quite a living in the field of Enchantment."
"Sir?"
Dumbledore held his hand up and shook his head. "I forget we do not offer such a class at Hogwarts because the ability is so rare. Much like Occlumency, it is a small field, but if you like I am sure we can arrange training, along with your other lessons. It can be quite a useful talent."
Harry thought of the amount of work he already had back on his desk. "Um ... I'll think about it."
"Very well." he looked back down at the table. "Run along, I will clean up here and make sure your molding is secure before I retire."
Harry grabbed his school bag and slung it over his shoulder, "Thank you sir."
Enchantment? he thought.
He made a mental note to ask Hermione about the subject once he reached their room. A loud grumbling echoed in his stomach. He'd missed dinner on purpose with hopes that he could persuade Dobby to bring him something from the kitchens later. He was too far behind in his studies to waste much of his waking hours.
The spinning staircase deposited him in the hallway and Harry watched as the gargoyle hopped back in place.
"Potter," a voice came from the shadows.
Harry had almost forgotten about Malfoy. He hadn't really expected him to show up, but was somewhat relieved to see him and find out what was going on with Crabbe and Goyle.
"In here," Malfoy said as he pushed opened the door to an empty classroom.
Harry followed him in and looked around the room to find it quite empty.
Malfoy clutched his side and sat himself down at one of the desks grimacing in pain.
"Are you alright?"
Malfoy nodded quickly. "I need to sleep it off. Snape gave me a potion."
"Uh-mmm."
Once it looked like he'd settled himself in the desk he started off. "The only reason I'm talking to you is if you start in on Crabbe and Goyle then they'll think I've gone traitor."
"So what? If it will help you."
Malfoy smiled. "You just don't get it, do you, Potter. If the Dark Lord thinks I am on your side he will kill me and my mother. As of now he thinks I am being stubborn because of what my father did.
"My mother is not safe, anywhere. He has ways of getting to her and I am more than willing to put up with a few cracked ribs every now and again if it will keep him at bay."
Harry sighed in frustration. There had to be something he could do.
"Maybe I can get them kicked out without raising suspicion. How did they get this far in school in the first place? They're awful in Defense class."
Malfoy smiled, "Money and power, Potter. Though with your escapades last year it won't help them any in the future. This is likely their last year."
The following silence stretched between them.
"Is this why Snape is helping you?"
He nodded without saying anything.
Harry's eyes started burning from fatigue. It seemed like he had overworked his brain and his body over the last few days and it was finally starting to catch up with him.
"Look, if I can come up with a way to insure your mother's safety will you listen and let me take care of Crabbe and Goyle?"
Malfoy stalled for a moment, unsure of how he was going to answer.
"My mother is priority, Potter. Once she's safe I'll deal with them myself."
Harry nodded. "Fair enough. I need to find out a few things first in order to know if what I have in mind will work."
Malfoy nodded.
"How can Voldemort find your mother?"
"She's at Malfoy Manor and is being watched. She suspects the servants, but ..."
Harry looked thoughtful. "So it's not like he can track her if she managed to get out of their sight."
The blonde's shoulders shrugged. "I suppose, but it will be next to impossible to get her alone."
"Can she disapparate, or ride a broom?"
He shook his head. "Father never let her be licensed. And I don't know about a broom; I've never seen her ride." He leaned forward with some difficulty. "What's your game, Potter?"
Harry stopped looking at the floor and set his eyes on Malfoy. "If we can get her away from your house, I know of a place that's safe. Do you think she'd mind being cooped up in a house all day?"
Malfoy almost laughed, "What do you think she's been doing for the last few years? The only time you saw her was the first time she had been out that I know of."
Harry started for the door, "I'll have to talk to Snape and Dumbledore. I'll need their cooperation to do this properly."
"Wait."
Harry turned back around. "What?"
"Why are you doing this?"
He shook his head. "I don't have a clue. Maybe just because it's the right thing to do. Maybe it's because Voldemort has ruined too many peoples lives, Malfoy. I'm sick of seeing it happen."
Malfoy nodded with some understanding. "Send me an owl after you talk to them. I don't want Crabbe and Goyle to be suspicious."
"Fine."
And he walked out of the room leaving a baffled Malfoy behind.