Harry Potter and his whole world belong to JK Rowling. I am borrowing a few characters from her.
More Power
Remus was feeling better by Boxing Day, so they agreed to meet in the Defence classroom after lunch to practice with the crystals.
When Harry entered, he stopped in the doorway and gaped. In the middle of the room stood the dais with the arch and veil on it. It wasn't quite the same as the one at the Ministry, but it was very close.
"I thought we might as well get in the proper mindset," Remus explained as Hermione, Ron and Ginny entered, also gaping around. He set the book on his desk and moved toward them. He still looked pale and there was a long scratch on his cheek that they hadn't noticed the morning before. "Right. I've marked off on the floor where I want you all to stand. See those circles? Stand on those. I don't think it matters who stands on which."
They each stood on a circle. They marked four of the five points of power. Remus walked around, handing out the stones.
"Right," he said softly, taking the final point. "The points are complete. The incantation is easy. It's Magis Reducto. Ready?"
The four of them nodded. Harry glanced around. Ginny and Hermione both had their hair in ponytails, off their faces. Both looked very serious. Ron's face was pale and his eyes were glinting slightly. He smiled to himself. They were ready.
"We'll try it holding the crystals at first." Remus steadied his wand at the veil. "Magis Reducto!"
The jet of red light shot out of his wand and hit the arch. Harry followed suit, then Ron and so forth around the group. Harry watched as the lights exploded against the veil. The room was soon filled with dust and smoke.
"Finite!" Remus shouted. It took a moment for the dust to clear. When it did, they were disappointed to find that the veil was still standing, relatively unharmed. "Damn!"
Harry sighed, running his fingers through his hair.
"Maybe the crystals have to be in the points and we stand behind them?" Hermione suggested. They tried it. Nothing.
They were there for hours. They tried every way they could think of, and nothing happened. The veil remained solid and standing.
"I'm not giving up yet," Ron declared as they left the classroom. "I know there's a way. We're just not seeing it."
They only practiced once more on their holidays. They did have homework after all. Remus insisted that they get their homework done and a few hours of studying in every day.
"After all," he reminded Harry. "If you wish to be an Auror, these next two years are crucial to that."
"Although you might find it a bit easier to join the Aurors now that several of them were killed in the attack on the Ministry," Ron pointed out helpfully.
So they studied. They went to visit Hagrid a few times, and down to visit Grawp once. Things were going better with Grawp's English lessons. Grawp could now say hello to them and hold a somewhat recognisable conversation.
Once school was back in session it was harder to find time to practice. Their second Quidditch match of the year was coming up in a few weeks time, and Ginny and Harry were working the team hard, despite the frigid temperatures.
"We need to win this game if we want to stay atop the standings!" Ginny would remind them every practice. This would spur the team on. That and the promise of a tankard of hot butterbeer.
Their lessons were becoming even more difficult, due to the fact that they would be entering their last year of school and would need the skills necessary to go off into the world. They generally had several hours of homework every night.
"This is insane," Harry yelled one night, throwing his quill down on the table. "If we don't do something against Voldemort, what will it matter if we can block a Jelly Legs Curse or use it on somebody else?"
He growled in frustration and stood, moving toward the portrait hole.
"Where are you going?" Hermione asked.
"I need to take a walk," he answered churlishly. He had pushed the portrait open and had nearly closed it when Ginny showed up at his side.
"I'll go with you," she said softly. "I need a break anyway."
He nodded irritably as he led the way out of the common room. Ginny walked beside him, not speaking. Harry went up a few staircases, not really sure where he was going.
He found himself standing outside the entrance to the Room of Requirement. He must have walked past it three times without realising it. Glancing at Ginny, he pulled the door open.
Ginny let out at gasp. Harry gaped. When they'd been in there last, it had been a room that would enable them to learn how to fight. Now it was full of squashy armchairs and chintz pillows. A calming fountain was in one corner and there were several live fish swimming around in it.
"We need calm apparently," Ginny observed dryly. Harry chuckled and moved into the room, flopping in one of the armchairs. He was surprised when a tray full of Butterbeer appeared on the table next to him.
"Interesting," he said quietly, opening one and taking a swig. Ginny sat in the chair next to him and opened a bottle for herself.
"I can't believe it's nearly February," she said quietly. "Soon we'll be having exams, we'll be going home. Next year is your last year." She looked sad about this. "It will be strange, being here without the three of you."
"It's only for one year," he told her, draining his Butterbeer. "Then you'll be out in the world with us." He grimaced. "That's assuming that we're not all blown to smithereens by Voldemort."
Ginny stared at him, then shook her head. "That's a morbid thought, Harry."
"Yeah, well, I'm a morbid person."
She grinned. She had a nice smile, Harry noticed suddenly. Why had he never noticed that before?
"Maybe by the time we go home, we'll have Sirius back," she said, her smile widening.
Harry grinned. "Not maybe. We will have Sirius back."
Ginny clinked her bottle against his. "I'll drink to that."
Harry glanced at her as she took a drink. She really was a very pretty girl. He wondered why he was just noticing this now.
"You're quiet," Ginny said softly, her eyebrows raised. "What are you thinking?"
"Oh," Harry stammered. "Just thinking about getting Sirius back."
If she realised it was a lie, she didn't let on. Her eyes sparkled and she smiled at him.
"I really hope it works, Harry."
"Ginny?"
"Yes?"
"D'you…I mean, would you like to go into Hogsmeade with me? Next time we have a Hogsmeade trip, that is."
Ginny stared at him, a flush slowly creeping up her cheeks. Harry knew he was blushing as well. His face was very hot.
"Harry Potter, are you asking me on a date?"
Harry felt his face flush even hotter.
"Well…I mean, if you want to consider…What I mean is…We're friends, and if you wanted to…I mean. Okay, yes I'm asking you on a date," he finally said, wanting nothing more than for the armchair he was sitting in to swallow him. "If you want. If you don't want it to be a date, we can just go as friends."
Ginny studied him thoughtfully, her eyes narrowed.
"I would love to, Harry. As a date."
*
The next Hogsmeade trip was scheduled for the weekend after Valentine's Day. Harry thought back to the previous year, when he'd made plans to go to Hogsmeade with Cho Chang. He hoped that going with Ginny would turn out to be a better experience. He knew thing for certain; he was not going anywhere near Madam Puddifoots!
Harry wondered how he was going to tell Ron that he was going on a date with his baby sister. He found himself worrying about it during lessons.
"Potter!" snapped Professor McGonagall during one Transfiguration lesson. "Would you kindly pay attention!"
"Harry," Remus said during a Defence Against the Dark Arts class a couple days later. "Did you hear my question? Pay attention, Harry."
Even Professor Flitwick had scolded him for not paying attention. Harry finally decided that he'd just tell Ron. Ron wouldn't really care.
So, after classes on the Friday before the Hogsmeade trip, Harry asked to speak to Ron alone. Ron said it was fine, because he wanted to speak to him as well.
"Okay, you go first. What's up?" Ron asked as soon as they were in the dormitory.
"Um…Well," Harry stammered, not sure how to broach the subject. "Actually, you go first."
Ron looked at him oddly, then nodded, his face pale.
"Okay. Well, the thing is…Tomorrow, Harry…would you mind if Hermione and I go into Hogsmeade on our own?"
Harry stared at his friend in surprise.
"Of course not," he answered quickly. "Why would I mind? Why are you going to…Did you ask Hermione on a date?"
Ron's ears turned red as he mouthed wordlessly.
"You did!" Harry exclaimed. He burst out laughing. "That's great, mate! Of course I don't mind."
Ron relaxed slightly.
"Thanks. Now what did you want to talk to me about?"
It was Harry's turn to flush slightly.
"Well…I was going to ask you the same thing, actually," Harry admitted. "Except with Ginny, not Hermione," he added quickly.
Ron gaped at him, his eyes popping.
"You're taking my sister on a date?"
Harry nodded. A huge smile came over Ron's face. He gave Harry a slap on the back.
"I don't mind either, mate! Maybe we can meet up at the Three Broomsticks for a Butterbeer later."
"Okay," Harry agreed.
Harry met Ginny down in the common room the next morning. She smiled at him, her hair pulled back in a ponytail again. He found that he liked it when she pulled her hair back.
"How are you?" he asked, smiling back at her.
"Good," she answered, leading the way out the portrait hole. "You?"
"Great."
They joined the queue waiting to go into Hogsmeade. Harry glanced around for Ron and Hermione, but didn't see them.
"Isn't it great about Ron and Hermione?" Ginny asked softly, also glancing around. "Hermione was so nervous last night."
Harry grinned. "Ron was a little too."
Ginny turned her hazel eyes on Harry. She grinned slightly.
"Are you nervous?"
Harry studied Ginny thoughtfully. He pondered her question.
"No," he answered truthfully. "I'm actually not." He grinned at her. "Are you?"
"Not in the slightest," she answered without hesitation. "I know that you and I can hold a conversation, so I'm not worried."
Harry chuckled as they left the castle. He and Ginny were discussing the upcoming Quidditch match against Ravenclaw when somebody knocked into Harry from behind. He stumbled, but managed to catch himself. He turned to find Malfoy and Pansy Parkinson behind them. Pansy was giggling maliciously.
"Get out of the way, would you, scarhead?" Malfoy growled.
"Shut up, Malfoy," Harry told him, turning back to Ginny.
"Oh, clever."
"Grow up," Ginny spat at him. "Or I'll curse you again."
Harry grinned. The previous June, Ginny had cursed Malfoy with a terrific Bat-Bogey Hex. Harry hadn't actually seen it, but had heard that it was spectacular.
"Want to know what I heard? The werewolf isn't going to be here much longer."
Harry ignored him. Ginny did as well. They continued up the road. Malfoy finally got tired of being ignored and moved away.
"What a slimy git," Ginny muttered. "One of these days, I'm going to curse him so hard that his children will be born bearing the marks of it."
Harry laughed. Ginny grinned at him, flushing slightly. They'd reached Hogsmeade by then and made for Honeydukes.
"Have you had a good day?" Hermione asked, her cheeks rosy and her eyes sparkling. They had just met up with Ron and Hermione in the Three Broomsticks.
"The best," Ginny said, her eyes also sparkling. "Malfoy tried to get a rise out of Harry, Harry ignored him, and then he bought me sugar quills." She pulled a few out of her pocket. She handed one to Hermione and one to Ron. "And you?"
"We went to Dervish and Banges," Hermione answered, grinning at Ron. "And we've done a few more things. I had a good day, I can't speak for Ron."
Ron smiled at Hermione, taking her hand. Harry and Ginny both stared.
"Enjoying yer selves?" Harry looked up into Hagrid's huge, shaggy face. His black eyes were twinkling at them.
"Hagrid!" Harry moved over so Hagrid could sit down. "What are you doing in Hogsmeade?"
"Felt like comin' in for a pint o' mead," Hagrid answered, sitting with them. "So have yeh been havin' fun?"
"Oh, yes, Hagrid," Ginny answered. "Ron and Hermione were here on a date, and Harry and I were as well. We've just met up."
"Who were the two of you datin'?" Hagrid asked Harry. Harry chuckled.
"I was dating Ginny."
"No kiddin'? Well, tha's great!" Hagrid took a huge drink of mead. "I got an owl from Olympe…that's Madame Maxime…today. She's comin' back to visit this summer!"
"That's great, Hagrid!" they said in unison. Hagrid smiled behind his beard. He drained his mead and said goodbye.
Harry was happy. Truly happy for the first time in ages. He took Ginny's hand as they went up the steps to the castle. It had been a perfect day.
He found himself worrying about what would come along to spoil the day.
The four of them sat and chatted happily over dinner in the Great Hall. Harry pulled Ginny aside as she was making for the staircase up to her dormitory.
"I had fun today," he told her seriously.
"I did too, Harry," she answered. "We should do it again."
"Okay. Next Hogsmeade visit?"
Ginny grinned. "You're on." She stood there looking up at him. Harry felt the first twinge of nervousness. Ginny smiled again. "Well, good night Harry."
"Good night, Ginny," he answered. She stood there a moment longer.
"Night," she said, taking a step back.
Harry let her go. "Night."
She waved at him as she went through the door to her dormitory. Harry cursed himself.
"You shoulda kissed her, mate," Ron told him as he flung himself into a chair by the fire.
"Okay, she's your sister. That's kind of disturbing," Harry told him. Ron grinned. "You and Hermione had fun."
"She's amazing," Ron said softly. "And we didn't argue once."
"That has to be a first," Harry agreed. He yawned. "I'm going to bed."
As he stood beside his bed, getting into his pyjamas, he realised that nothing had gone wrong. Nothing had ruined the perfect day. He smiled as he slid beneath his covers.
That had to be a first as well.
*
The morning of the Quidditch match against Ravenclaw dawned grey and threatened rain. Harry sighed as he pulled his Quidditch robes on. He threw a pillow at Ron, telling him to wake up.
They met Ginny down in the common room. She was white as a sheet and was pacing, her hands clasped in front of her.
"Ginny?" Harry asked. She stopped and stared at him.
"What?"
"You're wearing a hole in the floor."
Ron sniggered. Ginny glared at him and resumed pacing.
"I don't know why I agreed to be a captain, Harry. I'm not any good at it."
"No, you're not," Ron agreed. Harry nearly hit him. Ginny stopped and stared at Ron. Her eyes welled up with tears.
"What?" she asked, her chin starting to wobble threateningly.
"You're great at it," Ron told her quickly. "You and Harry are excellent Quidditch captains."
"Well, I wouldn't go that far," Harry said with a grin. "Ginny's excellent. I'm not bad."
Ron grinned at him. Ginny started pacing again.
"C'mon, Ginny," Harry said, moving over to stand in front of her. She stopped and glared at him. "We know what we're doing. We've done this before. We've got the talent. We can beat Ravenclaw."
Ginny nodded. A bit of colour came back to her cheeks.
"Let's go down for breakfast."
Harry took Ginny's hand and led her down to the Great Hall.
By the time the match got underway, it had started to rain gently. Harry shivered as the Gryffindor team came out of the changing rooms.
"I hope it doesn't rain any harder than this," Ginny commented softly. He gave her hand a squeeze as they walked on to the pitch.
Madam Hooch was refereeing. She held the quaffle under her arm and her whistle was between her lips.
Harry climbed on to his broom as Ginny shook hands with Michael Corner, the Ravenclaw captain. Michael glared down at her and she glared right back. He was glad to see that there was no love lost between them.
"I want a clean game!" Madam Hooch yelled as she mounted her own broom and threw the quaffle in the air. The game began.
Harry soared high above the team. He heard the tell tale whoosh of a broom behind him and knew that Cho Chang was marking him as she'd done the last time he'd played against Ravenclaw. She thought it was easier to follow him than look for the Snitch herself.
Harry's vantage point gave him a great view of the rest of the team. He let out a whoop when Ginny scored a spectacular goal that put the score at fifty to twenty for Gryffindor. He yelled again as Dennis Creevey ducked under Michael Corner to put the quaffle away. He turned in time to see Cho scowling at him.
Well, if that was the way she wanted to be.
He dove suddenly, a look of intense concentration on his face. He heard the whooshing of Cho's broomstick right behind him. He grinned to himself as he leant forward, the ground coming ever closer. At the last possible moment, he pulled out of the dive, soaring straight back into the air. Dives, after all, were his specialty.
They obviously weren't Cho's specialty. She managed not to slam head first into the pitch, but she lost control of her broom as she tried to pull out of the dive. As a result, she was thrown to the pitch from five feet in the air.
Harry watched with mild concern as Madam Pomfrey came haring onto the pitch. Cho was on her feet and back on her broom before the matron could reach her. Her eyes met Harry's and she gestured rudely at him. Harry shrugged and grinned at her.
"That was a dirty trick!" she snarled at him. He could see a scrape on her cheek.
"Hey, if you can't fly your broom, you shouldn't be playing."
"I can fly just fine!"
Harry shrugged and flew away from her. He could hear her on his tail again.
Twice more he dove and twice more she took the bait. She didn't end up on the pitch again, however. He didn't dive that far.
When the score was one hundred to sixty, he dove a third time. Cho didn't even make to follow him that time.
"I'm not stupid, Harry! Quit showing off!"
Harry soared back up high above the game. He turned to shoot a grin in Cho's direction. As he did, he saw a flash of gold and silver shoot out from behind the Ravenclaw keeper. Cho, looking his way, didn't see it. He didn't hesitate. He dove.
"Knock it off, Potter!" Cho screamed in frustration. She didn't even look at him. He grinned as he stretched out his hand.
As he pulled out of the dive, he turned to grin at Cho once more, the Snitch held triumphantly in the air. He saw her face crumple.
He didn't see anything else as the rest of the team soared into him. Gryffindor had won, two hundred and fifty points to sixty.
Cho burst into tears.
***
Thanks again for all the great reviews, everyone. This story is slowly coming to an end. There are a few more chapters to go yet, and I hope to have them posted within a few weeks. I know it's not nearly as long as other fan fictions, but I don't want to draw it out. Anyway, please continue to review! I love the reviews!!
Ps. I love the movie Dead Poets Society! The end scene is one of my favourite scenes in film history.