Chapter V
Dinner was a delightful affair. Mrs. Weasley had, as usual, outdone herself with the cooking. The lamb had come out perfectly roasted, surrounded by beautifully cooked flower covered vegetables that were crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. A superb strawberry-rhubarb pie with home whipped cream and tea had followed the meal. Harry sat back with a sigh of contentment. As the conversation died away slowly he leaned forward again and crossed his arms on the table.
"I suppose it's about time I told everyone where I've been this last month."
Everyone looked at him with interest. Hermione, ever the polite one, said that he didn't have to explain if he didn't want to. Harry shook his head,
"No worries Hermione I figure your all entitled to an explanation after you were so worried." He stroked his chin thoughtfully.
"I guess it started when I received all the post from you guys" he said thoughtfully.
"I had just finished reading everyone's letters when another owl showed up. I assumed it was from Dumbledore because it looked like a school owl, but when I opened it this strange fog rose out of it. The second I inhaled I began to fall asleep. I realized it was a Portkey just before I passed out."
Hermione murmured something about sleep inducing spells but everyone else looked slightly alarmed.
"I woke up in a strange room in a house I'd never seen before," Harry continued. "It turned out I was in a completely different realm in the house of the arch-mage Merlin, who is a direct ancestor of mine."
"Wow" said Ron.
"Shh. Don't interrupt." Hissed Mrs. Weasley.
Harry smiled. "In his realm, one month is equivalent to one week here. So I spent four months there, training with Merlin. He transferred all his knowledge of magical and physical combat into my head to prepare me for the battle I'll one day have to fight." he said grimly. " As my head received all the combat knowledge, my body was forced to grow and accommodate for it all. It was painful and stressful; imagine your muscles growing rapidly without you doing anything except meditate. He also gave me a lot of his education as well, it will suffice to say school will not be difficult this year." He half smiled. They all didn't quite know what to say.
"So this man just kidnapped you to teach you some skills?" asked Ron bluntly.
Harry shook his head. "Merlin was concerned for the safety of the other realms. Voldemort" he paused when everyone flinched, he wished they'd learn to say the name. " Vol-de-mort" he said more clearly "has become more of a threat than he predicted and he wanted to make positive that I won't lose my battle. Mind you it's still not positive I'll win but lets not think about that." Harry grimaced.
The others looked at him in sympathy. Mrs. Weasley said briskly
"I think that's enough disturbing news for tonight, why don't you all go to bed. School starts tomorrow. Is everyone packed?" When she was satisfied that everyone was ready for tomorrow, she got up and began to clear the table. Harry got up to help her grinning. School tomorrow. He couldn't wait to get back to Hogwarts. He stacked everyone's dinner plates and carried them into the kitchen, wondering which students would be gone this year. Things were getting awfully dangerous out there. Most kids didn't fully understand why their fathers had started working so late the past couple years. It was because they had too much work. Death eater attacks swamped the countryside, trickling, now, into all of Europe. He'd have to make sure he kept up his kills. He put the dishes in the sink and was going back to get more but Mrs. Weasley ushered him out and told him to go relax, or go to sleep, so Harry strolled outside and surveyed the yard.
The grass was soft, the ground was flat and the Weasleys had plenty of space. Perfect he thought. He removed his socks before they got too muddy and took off his shirt, standing in the cool air in his sweatpants. Harry spread his feet apart and put his arms at his sides. He closed his eyes and inhaled, counting slowly to 5 before exhaling. As he did so he began slow, controlled, powerful, movements, flowing from one stance to the next with purpose. This exercise was a martial and meditative activity that Merlin had taught him. It taught you supreme discipline over your body and kept your muscles in shape. Harry found his center and carefully bent sideways and tucked one leg to his side, the flat of his foot facing away from him. He snapped out his leg and then tucked it back in without losing balance. He continued similar exercises like this until a sweet sounding voice snapped him out of his meditation. He flexed his shoulders and rolled his head around his neck (it was never good to make any sudden movements after meditating), then straightened and turned to whoever had come out. It was Ginny, in a midnight blue nighttime kimono, with white pajama bottoms and socks on.
She swallowed when she saw Harry's well muscled naked torso and tried not to let it effect her.
Harry noticed her glance wide-eyed at his chest however and looked around for his shirt, which he couldn't find.
"That was beautiful Harry" said Ginny quietly.
Harry blushed and glanced around for his shirt again until he realized Ginny was holding it.
"It's something Merlin taught me." He said, "Its called Tai Chi. Not very common in the wizarding world, but its designed to give a person supreme discipline over their body, mind, and magical powers. The idea is to empty your mind with meditation and at the same time let the anger flow out with sharp movements and let the peace in with smooth movements." Ginny looked impressed.
"Would you teach me sometime?" she asked eagerly.
Harry shifted,
"I'm not a great teacher anddo you know how to meditate?"
Ginny grinned,
"As a matter of fact I do." She responded, noting Harry's surprise. "After thewell," she looked at her fingers "after the Chamber of Secrets mum found an old wizard to help me out. He was the only one who really had something useful to say. Meditation helped me get rid of a lot of built up emotions." She tried to smile, but it wasn't a happy memory.
Harry looked apologetic.
"I'm so sorryI didn't mean to" He floundered.
Ginny chuckled but deep down all she was thinking was I wish he'd put on a shirt, I can't concentrate. That was when she remembered she was still holding his shirt. She held it out to him hastily and said,
"Its fine Harry, but would you teach me? I'd love to learn."
Harry thought. This would be a really fun way to spend time with Ginny: doing something they were both interested in. He smiled and reached to take his shirt.
"I'd love to, how bout sometime at school? We could set up regular times."
Ginny eyes lit up.
"Excellent," she said happily. "Oh! I really came out here to call you in, mum says we should all get to bed so we're not tired for the Hogwarts Express tomorrow. Plus you need to pack."
Harry grinned.
"Nah, all my stuff's already up in the Gryffindor tower" he told Ginny as they walked through the front hall into the living room where Ron and Hermione were finishing their chess game.
Ginny looked surprised.
"What? But how did you get it there?"
Harry shook his head.
"Nah, I apparated it all there."
Ron and Hermione looked up from by the fire. Hermione looked perplexed.
"Harry, no one can apparate into Hogwarts, you know that."
Harry shrugged into his shirt, then flopped down on the couch.
"Actually, the only reason people can't apparate into Hogwarts is because it has hugely powerful wards all over it. If you have enough power you can apparate straight through them."
Hermione gaped. Ron looked confused.
"Are you telling me you can apparate through the Hogwarts wards without getting drained?" She asked in astonishment.
Harry looked down modestly. He didn't like to sound like he was bragging.
"I probably couldn't do it a lot of times in one day." He said.
"But that's amazing" Ginny stopped her from behind Harry's back by waving one hand, pretending to cut her own throat with her finger and shaking her head. Hermione glanced at Harry and saw how uncomfortable he looked.
"So is that why you're trunk isn't here? It's already at Hogwarts?"
Harry nodded and leaned forward to look at the chess game, as a way of changing to subject.
"Oooo, you'll want to move that Hermione, Ron's been setting you up for that move." He said to her.
Hermione clapped her hands and poked her tongue out at Ron who just gaped at Harry.
"Last time I checked mate you weren't that good at chess!" said Ron indignantly.
Harry grinned.
"It something I learned with Merlin" he said by way of excuse. "I play winner!"
***
Harry was in the middle of a chess game with Ron (who had beat Hermione despite the help Harry had given her), when Mrs. Weasley came in.
"Harry" she said, "Post for you." She put a large box down on the coffee table and went back into the kitchen Harry looked at it, perplexed. He untied the string and tore off the paper. Opening the box he found a note, sitting on a wrapped package.
I forgot to give you these before you left. They came in very handy for me when I was young. They have some useful properties, which you'll have to discover for yourself.
Merlin
Harry grinned and passed the note around to everyone.
"Lets see what it all is" said Hermione with interest.
Harry lifted out the first bundle. Ripping off the paper revealed a big bundle of matte* black material, with an almost green tint. Harry unrolled it; it proved to be a large trench coat that would fit over wizard robes. It had several cargo pockets, metal rings and leathery straps all over it for various purposes. The collar had tiny jet-black scales with a green iridescence on them that was barely noticeable unless you tilted you head.
"Hmm." Said Hermione, "It looks like dragonhide, but something's different about it." She sat down on the couch, deep in thought.
Harry pulled out three more packages. One, was a handsome belt of the same thick material and color that the coat was. It had a dagger hilt and a loop specially fit for a wand. The buckle was a strange black metal, engraved with an interesting geometric design. The next package had finger-less dueling gloves and the last package turned out to be a pair of black boots, with a steel toe and a sturdy heel that rode high on the ankles. Harry surveyed his new outfit happily.
"This is some really great stuff Harry," said Ron enthusiastically. "Charlie has some dragonhide vests like this. Its useful for loads of stuff."
Hermione got up from the couch.
"I don't think it's dragonhide" she said and disappeared upstairs. She returned holding a huge book. Sitting back down on the couch she began to page through it quickly. Harry, Ginny, and Ron gathered around the back of the sofa to see what she was looking up.
"Here," she said. Pointing to a paragraph she read it aloud to everyone.
"The Hydra is truly one of the most magnificent and terrifying of magical creatures. An animal of fire and water, it has an immensely strong magical aura and an almost impenetrable hide. The body of the hydra resembles that of a dragon without wings. It has four legs, and a tail that generally has a diamond or crescent shaped tip. They all have long necks and most hydras have four to eight heads, but some documents have revealed evidence of those with up to twelve. They can move great distances at speeds of up to 300 kilometers per hour in water as well as on land and breathe a purple-magenta fire. They are extremely difficult to kill; even if a person is able to succeed in subduing all their heads, their skin is nearly impossible to penetrate with anything except a diamond blade. Hundreds of years ago, a man named Magnus Pekka became unusually efficient at hunting and killing hydras. He was the only successful fabricator of clothing made from the skin of a hydra. This is due to the fact that the skin must be boiled in basilisk venom before it is supple enough to wear. It is also notoriously difficult to sew. An image of one of Magnus's Hyraskin coats is shown at the right." Everyone gaped in astonishment at the obvious resemblance between the image and Harry's coat.
"Toss me the right hand glove, will you Harry?" Hermione asked. When he did so, she examined every inch of it before letting out a noise of satisfaction and pushing aside a small strip of material on the inside of the cuff. On it was clearly stamped, in miniscule letters, "Magnus P. manufacturer of marvelous mufti."
"Mufti?" asked Ron.
"It's civilian dress, especially when worn by someone who normally wears a uniform." Hermione smiled, "In other words, combat clothing."
"Excellent!" exclaimed Harry. He sat down and began pulling on the boots with a little difficulty. They had lots of hooks and buckles. Next he threaded the belt through the belt loops of his jeans and stuck his wand in the holder. He slipped on the gloves, and shrugging into the trench coat. He arranged his shoulders in a classic "tough guy" pose and winked salaciously at Hermione and Ginny. They both fell over giggling. Harry grinned a twirled around, the coat spreading out behind him. He felt "all-powerful".
"Alright everyone, I think you should all go to bed," said Mrs. Weasley as she came, dishtowel in hand. "My my Harry those things fit you nicely, is that what was in the box?"
When Harry nodded she went over to him and began examining the collar of his coat.
"Oh my," she said breathlessly. "This is made by Magnus P.!" She looked around at them and saw the book lying on the coffee table. "It looks like you three have already figured out what it's made of." She said. "Who on earth sent you all this?"
"It was Merlin," said Harry. "He told me he forgot to give it to me before I left. He wore it when he was young."
Mrs. Weasley looked very impressed. She patted his shoulder.
"Take good care of it young man, that stuff is likely worth more than all of our lives. Now off to bed all of you."
Harry yawned and stretched.
"I agree. G'night everyone." He gave them all a military salute and headed upstairs. Once he was in bed he heard the three them come up as well. He inhaled deeply and drifted off to the sound of Ron's light snoring.
*Matte: as in the opposite of glossy. Smooth but dull, like well used leather.