Chapter 11
Farewell
Thursday and Friday's evening, where exactly as NEWTs promised, exhausting. On the Thursday Harry had worked, firstly with Hermione for some three hours pouring over old dusty volumes, on experimental charms, associated with the manipulation of time. Then later on Hannah had arrived, Harry told his Gryffindor friend he had a potions assignment for his afternoon lesson tomorrow, and would have to continue the charms research on Saturday morning. Fortunately the charms assignment wasn't for the next mornings lesson, but the following week. Happy that she finally had a willing study partner, she agreed, saying, she 'had more than enough notes to begin writing her first draft.' Hannah and Harry had worked on in the library, firstly comparing the work they had managed so far, then and then with the aid of some particular malicious potions books from the restricted section. The two NEWT Potion students, carrying on till at around 22:30, when Madame Prince had ordered them out. Books from the restricted section, had to remain in the library, so Harry told his fellow potions student he would work some more off his notes tonight and probably skip lunch and be back in the library tomorrow lunch time.
True to his word, Harry had been in the common room till past one in the morning, before packing his things crawling up to bed. Waking early the following morning, Harry hurried to breakfast and ate all that he could, trying to see himself through to dinner. The charms lesson was easy for Harry and the rest of the DA members as Professor Flitwick was teaching them the impediment jinx, something Harry had known since the tri-wizard tournament. Harry had taught it to the DA Society last year and had a considerable amount of practice at it. In fact Harry's jinx was now so powerful, it could slow three people to a virtual standstill for well over two minutes, causing Professor Flitwick to jump about and clap his hands gleefully saying words like 'remarkable' and 'wonderful' a lot.
When the bell went, Harry headed straight for the library, meeting Hannah on the way. The pair worked for another hour, perfecting their assignments, both writing well over the roll of parchment on poison substitutions. Leaving the library the Gryffindor and Hufflepuff, had ten minutes before the lesson, so they parted ways, running to their relative dorms, to collect their cauldrons and supplies. Harry changed into his new potions robes, before meeting up at the dungeons, two minutes before the start of the lesson. Malfoy and the other Slytherins were already there and the blonde hair Slytherin mocked in his drawl. "Got yourself a badger, now all the skirt in Gryffindor has boyfriends, Potter?" Making reference to the emblem of the Hufflepuff house.
Hannah retorted instantly, "You know badgers kill and eat snakes don't you Malfoy?" Stunning the Slytherin as effectively as a Stupefy spell, the Slytherin not expecting this sort of response, from a house not know for any form of aggression.
Harry laughed at the blonde boys obvious defeat, until the door to the dungeon swung open and the Potions Professor ordered them to enter. The lesson went well, Professor Snape, concerned he might be forced to award any more points to Gryffindor, refused to allow Harry to answer any questions. Hannah surprised the Professor by answering a difficult question on an illegal substitution, which Harry and Hannah had chanced upon at lunch time. The class was instructed to make the clear scorpion sting poisons antidote, Harry noted with a smile, that the substitution Tonks had discovered, had been made to the instructions on the board. Harry completed the antidote without hitch and just for security against droppages, put another unbreakable charm on the vile. Harry handed the vile to Potions Master, having already cleaned and packed away his things. Professor Snape set them another assignment, really just pre-empting the work they would be carrying out the following week. Harry went to leave the class, telling Hannah he would see her tomorrow, but was called back by the Professor. "The Headmaster has asked me to tell you that the memorial service for Black, will be conducted tomorrow at one o'clock, he advises you to tell only students who knew him. You will be met at the main entrance hall and escorted down to the next to Professor Hagrid's hut for the ceremony, that will be all Mr Potter." And the tall man turned and entered his office closing the door behind him.
Harry went to dinner, quietly telling his friends about the ceremony and the arrangements, then tried to eat some food, but ended up just pushing it around his plate. Harry's thoughts on Sirius, feeling particularly depressed when he remembered the time in his third year. When they had Pettigrew in their custody, proving Sirius innocent and Harry had thought, for two whole minutes, he would be going to live with his Godfather.
That evening was the first, since last term, that he might have spent time with his friends, but for the forthcoming memorial service. Remembering his Godfather, meant Harry really just wanted to be alone and think. He wasn't trying to protect his friends from anyone, he just needed to grieve in his own way. Instead of heading to the common room, Harry told Ron 'not to worry he just needed time by himself,' and he went to the Room of Requirement. For a while Harry sat and read his potions text book, then feeling, he was in this room, he might as well practice, he transformed quickly as far as he could. His form only lacking, the body, legs and back paws of a lion, rather than the searing pain, initially experience in growing a tail, it was more a dull throbbing that subsided as soon as he had to concentrate on anything else. Harry repeated the change three more time, the last attempt trying to make sure he had whiskers, a transformation which only added slightly to the complexity, and practically nothing, to the pain as he was already growing fur over his whole body.
The Animagus training had not done what he intended and exhausted him, it was getting easier or maybe his mind was still too active, feeling defeated, he was going to break one of the unwritten rules of school, something that if discovered could lead to public ridicule and social anonymity. Harry was past caring, he needed something to occupy his mind and if that meant studying on a Friday evening he would do it. Harry left the room and went to the library, of course it was completely empty apart from the stern Librarian Madam Prince, he ignored the suspicious looks and went straight for the restricted section and retrieved a massive volume on the history of Animagism. He avoided sitting at one of the study tables, instead headed for one of the low backed arm chairs, at the rear of the library, furthest from the entrance and hidden behind rows of towering bookshelves and started reading.
He found out that Merlin was one of the first recorded Animagi, fabled to be an eagle. He read that over the years the numbers had dwindled, initially being a very popular art, practised by many several centuries ago, he also learned that it was usual witches who became Animagi, granting them freedom that was seldom available to women in medieval times. After an hours reading, he came to a chapter on the Hogwarts founders well three of them, Salazar Slytherin was not an Animagus, his talents as a parselmouth and for possession of snakes were the reasons for the Houses emblem. Godric Gryffindor, Harry already knew was a lion Animagus, Rowena Ravenclaw animal form was an eagle and Helga Hufflepuff was a badger. As Harry read the chapter he discovered some information he was not aware of, 'the Animagus form of the wizard and witch grants him or her certain attributes associated with the animal while in human form and a natural affinity with the chosen animal.'
Harry's vision was now blurring, as tiredness final set in, it was almost midnight and his day had been a long one with little food to give him energy. So Harry returned the book to the correct shelf and returned to the Gryffindor common room, there where still a good few people not yet in bed. His school mates still sat around plating chess or exploding snap, all of them laughing and joking. Harry saw Ron, Hermione, Neville and Ginny chatting happily in the corner nearest the fire, he smiled to himself the trio had become a foursome but he was not really included anymore. That's what keeping a secret prophecy, that you're going to have to kill the most evil wizard of a generation, does. He was deep in solitary thought, but that didn't stop them being his friends, and the closest thing to a family, he would ever have.
No one really noticed as he slipped through the common room and up the staircase to the dorms, packing his things away in his trunk. Harry got changed before crawling into the plush four poster, and slipping of to sleep. Harry spent the night dreaming of a quiet life with Sirius, in a another part of the world away from everything. Something, Harry knew which could never happen, but he wasn't going to let that spoil a perfectly good fantasy.
He was awoken the next morning by the chatter of his room mates preparing to go down to breakfast, feeling refreshed from a good nights sleep and the absence of lessons that day he extracted himself from the warm bed. Getting dressed quickly, Harry accompanied them down to the Great Hall, feeling altogether like a normal student, as they talked about classes and the forthcoming Quidditch season. Ron was worried about the complete lack of Chasers, having lost all three last year and was planning to have trials the following weekend and insisted his friend came along. Harry was having funny thoughts of his own regarding Quidditch, but he wasn't going to say anything yet, he wasn't even sure he could do it.
After breakfast Harry left his friend getting far to worked about his dilemma as Captain of the house team, to go to the library. He enjoyed studying with Hannah she was quick, funny and reminded Harry of Hermione, without the manic need for complete understanding of everything. Hannah didn't make Harry feel the same as he did with Ginny, but he was developing a comfortable friendship. After about an hour both students where frustrated at being limited to theoretical predictions and Harry was forced into action. Harry told Hannah to go to the Room of Requirements and he would see her in a few minutes, he hurried up to the dorms grabbing his cauldron, his own advanced ingredients, text books and potions robes. Meeting Hannah outside the door of the secret room, he opened it and entered finding just as he needed, a single potions workstation with a sink and rack containing ladles, knives and a pestle and mortar on its own little shelf below the rack.
His friend smiled and said "Impressive."
"It's all thanks to some very clever house-elves, they found the room, and realised what it was, it basically becomes whatever the seeker needs."
Harry set up his cauldron and pulled out his text books and swapped his robes.
"What's with the robe change? You trying to look good for your potion." Teased the girl.
Harry smiled. "They're potions robes, a little extra protection from flying ingredients; you never had potions with the Slytherins before have you."
"So you are getting dressed up for your potion." She giggled. "Come on lets start cooking."
"You call it cooking too? Tonks calls it that too." Stated Harry.
"Tonks?" Questioned the girl, already getting started chopping stems of foxglove, dumping them into the cauldron, half full of already simmering water to stew.
"The female Auror I told you about, she gave me a couple of pointers on potions, she always said it was like cooking."
"Well it is, you prepare the ingredients, mix them up, and add them at the right time. Have we final found something the great Harry Potter isn't good at?" She teased without a hint of malice.
"The extent of my cooking skills is cooking bacon and eggs, and washing up after myself." Said Harry thinking back to his time with the Dursleys, while measuring the right about of boomslang skin and dropping it in the steaming cauldron.
"My mum is a muggle and we always used to bake cakes on a weekend when I was a little girl."
"So last weekend then." Seeing a chance to tease the girl who was only just over five feet tall. "Uff." He cried as she punched him in the arm.
"No height jokes Mr Potter or there will be trouble!" She added playfully.
The pair carried on working for another thirty minutes, finally getting to the last stage where they planned to substitute the Abyssian Shrivelfigs for the venom of a Venomous Tentacula, they finished the poison and separated it into two viles casting unbreakable charms on them and cleaned up. They had decided it was unwise to try and test them and would hand them in with their homework and the potions master could assess the successfulness of the experiment, Hannah asked what Harry was doing this afternoon and he told her about the memorial for Sirius Black.
"The mass murderer?" Asked the girl surprised.
"He was innocent; Peter Pettigrew was the one working for Voldie." Harry had started to like calling him this, belittling him in this rather childish way reminded him of something Sirius would do. "Oh and he was my Godfather."
"You really are full of surprises Harry." Said the girl a taken aback after being corrected in this manner.
"Sorry, it's just he died at the end of last term protecting me. He was the closest thing to family I had. I'm going to have to go and get changed I'll see you Monday if I don't before, enjoy the rest of your weekend." He added smiling as they parted company at the entrance to the Room of Requirement.
After going back to the Dorms and changing into smart muggle clothes and his black cloak Dobby got him for his birthday. He walked slowly through the portrait of the fat lady, turning and proceeded down the stairs and met his friends at the entrance hall, it was 12:45 and the atmosphere was sombre. Harry's mood which had been steadily going down hill after he left the Room of Requirement, was not improving as he was given more time to remember his Godfather.
When Dumbledore arrived he was accompanied by Remus and a small group of Aurors, Harry recognised all of them from the Order. The werewolf, seeing Harry walked straight up to Harry and enveloped him in a hug. Harry way past caring about appearances and hugged the last of his fathers true friends back, all the time fighting back tears, for he knew if he started he would be unable to stop. They stood there for several minutes, eventually breaking apart as the group walked down to the edge of the forest, close to Hagrid's hut, where the big man stood next to his massive dog Fang.
In the future, Harry's memories of the memorial where what could only be described as patchy, he only heard snippets of talking from the Headmaster and Remus, mentioning phrases like, 'Honourable man' 'True friend' and 'Fighter'. Harry could see Hermione was sobbing silently being supported by Ron, who had his arm round her. The rest of the adults stood silently, most staring at the ground a few feet in front of them. What happened next however was clear as crystal, Harry's mind was jolted from his private mourning as an explosion occurred almost at the centre of the congregation. Harry was thrown twenty feet sideways to the edge of the forest away from the others.
Instinctively Harry ducked behind a bush, that had over its life managed to creep away from the edge of the forest, obviously searching for a home away from the darkness caused by the thick canopy of the forests trees. From this secluded position Harry watched the approach of a small group of six people in dark robes wearing masks in ivory white. The mourners split into two groups, all trying to protect the children present, Remus could be seen dashing this way and that searching, oblivious to the hexes that where narrowly missing him, until he final joined the advanced group that. This group had no cover and where trying to lay down a barrage of spells at the Death Eaters to slow the attack. Dumbledore had immediately gathered up the students and was walking backwards with Hagrid on his right forming a sort of human shield as his friends where herded back towards the entrance to the school.
The Aurors where being less successful in there attempt to offer protection, of the small number only four seemed to be still fighting. The others where either dragging or being dragged towards the castle, the four remaining defenders had found limited cover and where keeping their heads down popping up only occasionally to fire a hex back at the attackers. Three attackers where behind a fallen log and had effectively pinned down the Aurors picking off another one, leaving only three who Harry guessed where Tonks, by the pink hair, Moody by the shouting, and the slight figure of Remus Lupin. The remaining Aurors where skirting the forest heading towards Harry staying out of range of the hopelessly outnumbered Defenders.
The series of events that followed would, forever be a mystery to Harry, as why he would even attempt what he did. When the three death eaters who had been skirting the forest, under covering fire from their colleagues, charged the defenders, something in Harry flipped, seeing Remus dive in front of Tonks taking the brunt of whatever spell a Death Eater had thrown at her, only for both he and Tonks to be hit by jinxes from the other two Death Eaters. Harry tried to cast an Illusio Charm on himself but his thoughts where still muddled with those of the memorial for his Godfather, so it wasn't till afterwards he knew if the charm had been successful.
Harry stepped from behind the bush and advanced on the Death Eaters who had flanked his friends from behind, he summoned up all his strength and threw the Impediment Curse at them all three froze and as Harry followed up with three directed full body binds. Moody he saw was dragging three unconscious bodies towards the entrance hall as the remaining three Death Eaters began to rise from their cover of the fallen tree trunk, throwing curse after curse at the retreating man. Again Harry advanced, firing a series of Reductor Curses at the tree, forcing the attackers back into cover as the chunks of wood exploded into the air, showering them with smaller splinters.
Harry heard shouted orders and seconds later the Death Eaters stood from behind their cover together hurling curses and hexes at the advancing figure who was now only thirty meters away from them. The first two spells flying harmless high and wide, he barely had time to shout 'Protego' the incantation for the shielding charm as the third hex head towards him, deflected it narrowly away. The second attack was more successful and Harry was hit by two curses causing the sleeve of his jumper to fall away and a large gash appear across his chest, closely followed by thick red lines the slashing curse, etched deep wounds. Stumbling only slightly pain forcing its way into his mind, Harry levitated large chunks of wood blasted earlier from the fallen trunk, banishing them at the three figures, who huddled behind the remnants of their cover. Finally casting the Incendio charm on them as they flew towards the attackers, three simple spells but the combined force sent a rain of flaming missiles onto his attackers.
Two of the Death Eaters stood concentrating on smashing the objects from the sky the third pointed his wand at Harry and shouted the Impervius Curse, Harry's mind hardly even clouded, he had been trained to fight this curse by Barty Couch Jr, and Harry had fought of this Unforgivable Curse cast by the most powerful evil wizard of the age. The voice that tried to command him to drop his wand, was weak and quiet compared to the voice in his own head, and he threw the curse of with such venom. He had already levitating his second volley of missiles, he was not surprise when the Death Eater screamed in pain, rolling away on the floor shouting. "He's unstoppable!" Almost immediately he had risen again, and was running back towards the forest, he was closely followed by a second Death Eater.
The third Death Eater shouted. "Cowards!" In anger and frustration at his colleagues, then turned and ran firing a few curse over his shoulder in desperation. All the Death Eater's curses flew harmlessly past Harry, as the second volley of flaming missiles rained onto the spot he had just vacated.
Fear then struck Harry, he was alone out here, and he could feel himself becoming light headed whether through loss of blood or magical exhaustion. The last Death Eater didn't sound like he was ready to end the battle, and had most likely gone to try and regain the support of the other two attackers. His vision blurred as he staggered towards Hagrid's hut, but his co-ordination was failing and he veered wildly off to the side, stumbling forward another ten or so paces he fell upon a rail. His tired mind managed to evaluate this and triggered a memory of a two hundred and fifty pound lion, he was leaning on the fence surrounding Godric's paddock. Fortunately Harry still had the presence of mind to remove the Illusio charm before trying anything. Then he toppled head long over the fence and no more than crawled to the massive log in the centre of the paddock where he knew Godric liked to bask in the middle of the day.
As he approach the lion had risen and walked towards the injured body of his friend, and when the funny lion put an arm over his back, Godric dragged him to the log letting him fall off. Seeing him curled up into a weak ball eyes unfocused, Godric knew his friend was injured, something had attacked and his friend had done instinctively what a lion would do and fought with his life, to protect his territory.
*****
Farewell
Thursday and Friday's evening, where exactly as NEWTs promised, exhausting. On the Thursday Harry had worked, firstly with Hermione for some three hours pouring over old dusty volumes, on experimental charms, associated with the manipulation of time. Then later on Hannah had arrived, Harry told his Gryffindor friend he had a potions assignment for his afternoon lesson tomorrow, and would have to continue the charms research on Saturday morning. Fortunately the charms assignment wasn't for the next mornings lesson, but the following week. Happy that she finally had a willing study partner, she agreed, saying, she 'had more than enough notes to begin writing her first draft.' Hannah and Harry had worked on in the library, firstly comparing the work they had managed so far, then and then with the aid of some particular malicious potions books from the restricted section. The two NEWT Potion students, carrying on till at around 22:30, when Madame Prince had ordered them out. Books from the restricted section, had to remain in the library, so Harry told his fellow potions student he would work some more off his notes tonight and probably skip lunch and be back in the library tomorrow lunch time.
True to his word, Harry had been in the common room till past one in the morning, before packing his things crawling up to bed. Waking early the following morning, Harry hurried to breakfast and ate all that he could, trying to see himself through to dinner. The charms lesson was easy for Harry and the rest of the DA members as Professor Flitwick was teaching them the impediment jinx, something Harry had known since the tri-wizard tournament. Harry had taught it to the DA Society last year and had a considerable amount of practice at it. In fact Harry's jinx was now so powerful, it could slow three people to a virtual standstill for well over two minutes, causing Professor Flitwick to jump about and clap his hands gleefully saying words like 'remarkable' and 'wonderful' a lot.
When the bell went, Harry headed straight for the library, meeting Hannah on the way. The pair worked for another hour, perfecting their assignments, both writing well over the roll of parchment on poison substitutions. Leaving the library the Gryffindor and Hufflepuff, had ten minutes before the lesson, so they parted ways, running to their relative dorms, to collect their cauldrons and supplies. Harry changed into his new potions robes, before meeting up at the dungeons, two minutes before the start of the lesson. Malfoy and the other Slytherins were already there and the blonde hair Slytherin mocked in his drawl. "Got yourself a badger, now all the skirt in Gryffindor has boyfriends, Potter?" Making reference to the emblem of the Hufflepuff house.
Hannah retorted instantly, "You know badgers kill and eat snakes don't you Malfoy?" Stunning the Slytherin as effectively as a Stupefy spell, the Slytherin not expecting this sort of response, from a house not know for any form of aggression.
Harry laughed at the blonde boys obvious defeat, until the door to the dungeon swung open and the Potions Professor ordered them to enter. The lesson went well, Professor Snape, concerned he might be forced to award any more points to Gryffindor, refused to allow Harry to answer any questions. Hannah surprised the Professor by answering a difficult question on an illegal substitution, which Harry and Hannah had chanced upon at lunch time. The class was instructed to make the clear scorpion sting poisons antidote, Harry noted with a smile, that the substitution Tonks had discovered, had been made to the instructions on the board. Harry completed the antidote without hitch and just for security against droppages, put another unbreakable charm on the vile. Harry handed the vile to Potions Master, having already cleaned and packed away his things. Professor Snape set them another assignment, really just pre-empting the work they would be carrying out the following week. Harry went to leave the class, telling Hannah he would see her tomorrow, but was called back by the Professor. "The Headmaster has asked me to tell you that the memorial service for Black, will be conducted tomorrow at one o'clock, he advises you to tell only students who knew him. You will be met at the main entrance hall and escorted down to the next to Professor Hagrid's hut for the ceremony, that will be all Mr Potter." And the tall man turned and entered his office closing the door behind him.
Harry went to dinner, quietly telling his friends about the ceremony and the arrangements, then tried to eat some food, but ended up just pushing it around his plate. Harry's thoughts on Sirius, feeling particularly depressed when he remembered the time in his third year. When they had Pettigrew in their custody, proving Sirius innocent and Harry had thought, for two whole minutes, he would be going to live with his Godfather.
That evening was the first, since last term, that he might have spent time with his friends, but for the forthcoming memorial service. Remembering his Godfather, meant Harry really just wanted to be alone and think. He wasn't trying to protect his friends from anyone, he just needed to grieve in his own way. Instead of heading to the common room, Harry told Ron 'not to worry he just needed time by himself,' and he went to the Room of Requirement. For a while Harry sat and read his potions text book, then feeling, he was in this room, he might as well practice, he transformed quickly as far as he could. His form only lacking, the body, legs and back paws of a lion, rather than the searing pain, initially experience in growing a tail, it was more a dull throbbing that subsided as soon as he had to concentrate on anything else. Harry repeated the change three more time, the last attempt trying to make sure he had whiskers, a transformation which only added slightly to the complexity, and practically nothing, to the pain as he was already growing fur over his whole body.
The Animagus training had not done what he intended and exhausted him, it was getting easier or maybe his mind was still too active, feeling defeated, he was going to break one of the unwritten rules of school, something that if discovered could lead to public ridicule and social anonymity. Harry was past caring, he needed something to occupy his mind and if that meant studying on a Friday evening he would do it. Harry left the room and went to the library, of course it was completely empty apart from the stern Librarian Madam Prince, he ignored the suspicious looks and went straight for the restricted section and retrieved a massive volume on the history of Animagism. He avoided sitting at one of the study tables, instead headed for one of the low backed arm chairs, at the rear of the library, furthest from the entrance and hidden behind rows of towering bookshelves and started reading.
He found out that Merlin was one of the first recorded Animagi, fabled to be an eagle. He read that over the years the numbers had dwindled, initially being a very popular art, practised by many several centuries ago, he also learned that it was usual witches who became Animagi, granting them freedom that was seldom available to women in medieval times. After an hours reading, he came to a chapter on the Hogwarts founders well three of them, Salazar Slytherin was not an Animagus, his talents as a parselmouth and for possession of snakes were the reasons for the Houses emblem. Godric Gryffindor, Harry already knew was a lion Animagus, Rowena Ravenclaw animal form was an eagle and Helga Hufflepuff was a badger. As Harry read the chapter he discovered some information he was not aware of, 'the Animagus form of the wizard and witch grants him or her certain attributes associated with the animal while in human form and a natural affinity with the chosen animal.'
Harry's vision was now blurring, as tiredness final set in, it was almost midnight and his day had been a long one with little food to give him energy. So Harry returned the book to the correct shelf and returned to the Gryffindor common room, there where still a good few people not yet in bed. His school mates still sat around plating chess or exploding snap, all of them laughing and joking. Harry saw Ron, Hermione, Neville and Ginny chatting happily in the corner nearest the fire, he smiled to himself the trio had become a foursome but he was not really included anymore. That's what keeping a secret prophecy, that you're going to have to kill the most evil wizard of a generation, does. He was deep in solitary thought, but that didn't stop them being his friends, and the closest thing to a family, he would ever have.
No one really noticed as he slipped through the common room and up the staircase to the dorms, packing his things away in his trunk. Harry got changed before crawling into the plush four poster, and slipping of to sleep. Harry spent the night dreaming of a quiet life with Sirius, in a another part of the world away from everything. Something, Harry knew which could never happen, but he wasn't going to let that spoil a perfectly good fantasy.
He was awoken the next morning by the chatter of his room mates preparing to go down to breakfast, feeling refreshed from a good nights sleep and the absence of lessons that day he extracted himself from the warm bed. Getting dressed quickly, Harry accompanied them down to the Great Hall, feeling altogether like a normal student, as they talked about classes and the forthcoming Quidditch season. Ron was worried about the complete lack of Chasers, having lost all three last year and was planning to have trials the following weekend and insisted his friend came along. Harry was having funny thoughts of his own regarding Quidditch, but he wasn't going to say anything yet, he wasn't even sure he could do it.
After breakfast Harry left his friend getting far to worked about his dilemma as Captain of the house team, to go to the library. He enjoyed studying with Hannah she was quick, funny and reminded Harry of Hermione, without the manic need for complete understanding of everything. Hannah didn't make Harry feel the same as he did with Ginny, but he was developing a comfortable friendship. After about an hour both students where frustrated at being limited to theoretical predictions and Harry was forced into action. Harry told Hannah to go to the Room of Requirements and he would see her in a few minutes, he hurried up to the dorms grabbing his cauldron, his own advanced ingredients, text books and potions robes. Meeting Hannah outside the door of the secret room, he opened it and entered finding just as he needed, a single potions workstation with a sink and rack containing ladles, knives and a pestle and mortar on its own little shelf below the rack.
His friend smiled and said "Impressive."
"It's all thanks to some very clever house-elves, they found the room, and realised what it was, it basically becomes whatever the seeker needs."
Harry set up his cauldron and pulled out his text books and swapped his robes.
"What's with the robe change? You trying to look good for your potion." Teased the girl.
Harry smiled. "They're potions robes, a little extra protection from flying ingredients; you never had potions with the Slytherins before have you."
"So you are getting dressed up for your potion." She giggled. "Come on lets start cooking."
"You call it cooking too? Tonks calls it that too." Stated Harry.
"Tonks?" Questioned the girl, already getting started chopping stems of foxglove, dumping them into the cauldron, half full of already simmering water to stew.
"The female Auror I told you about, she gave me a couple of pointers on potions, she always said it was like cooking."
"Well it is, you prepare the ingredients, mix them up, and add them at the right time. Have we final found something the great Harry Potter isn't good at?" She teased without a hint of malice.
"The extent of my cooking skills is cooking bacon and eggs, and washing up after myself." Said Harry thinking back to his time with the Dursleys, while measuring the right about of boomslang skin and dropping it in the steaming cauldron.
"My mum is a muggle and we always used to bake cakes on a weekend when I was a little girl."
"So last weekend then." Seeing a chance to tease the girl who was only just over five feet tall. "Uff." He cried as she punched him in the arm.
"No height jokes Mr Potter or there will be trouble!" She added playfully.
The pair carried on working for another thirty minutes, finally getting to the last stage where they planned to substitute the Abyssian Shrivelfigs for the venom of a Venomous Tentacula, they finished the poison and separated it into two viles casting unbreakable charms on them and cleaned up. They had decided it was unwise to try and test them and would hand them in with their homework and the potions master could assess the successfulness of the experiment, Hannah asked what Harry was doing this afternoon and he told her about the memorial for Sirius Black.
"The mass murderer?" Asked the girl surprised.
"He was innocent; Peter Pettigrew was the one working for Voldie." Harry had started to like calling him this, belittling him in this rather childish way reminded him of something Sirius would do. "Oh and he was my Godfather."
"You really are full of surprises Harry." Said the girl a taken aback after being corrected in this manner.
"Sorry, it's just he died at the end of last term protecting me. He was the closest thing to family I had. I'm going to have to go and get changed I'll see you Monday if I don't before, enjoy the rest of your weekend." He added smiling as they parted company at the entrance to the Room of Requirement.
After going back to the Dorms and changing into smart muggle clothes and his black cloak Dobby got him for his birthday. He walked slowly through the portrait of the fat lady, turning and proceeded down the stairs and met his friends at the entrance hall, it was 12:45 and the atmosphere was sombre. Harry's mood which had been steadily going down hill after he left the Room of Requirement, was not improving as he was given more time to remember his Godfather.
When Dumbledore arrived he was accompanied by Remus and a small group of Aurors, Harry recognised all of them from the Order. The werewolf, seeing Harry walked straight up to Harry and enveloped him in a hug. Harry way past caring about appearances and hugged the last of his fathers true friends back, all the time fighting back tears, for he knew if he started he would be unable to stop. They stood there for several minutes, eventually breaking apart as the group walked down to the edge of the forest, close to Hagrid's hut, where the big man stood next to his massive dog Fang.
In the future, Harry's memories of the memorial where what could only be described as patchy, he only heard snippets of talking from the Headmaster and Remus, mentioning phrases like, 'Honourable man' 'True friend' and 'Fighter'. Harry could see Hermione was sobbing silently being supported by Ron, who had his arm round her. The rest of the adults stood silently, most staring at the ground a few feet in front of them. What happened next however was clear as crystal, Harry's mind was jolted from his private mourning as an explosion occurred almost at the centre of the congregation. Harry was thrown twenty feet sideways to the edge of the forest away from the others.
Instinctively Harry ducked behind a bush, that had over its life managed to creep away from the edge of the forest, obviously searching for a home away from the darkness caused by the thick canopy of the forests trees. From this secluded position Harry watched the approach of a small group of six people in dark robes wearing masks in ivory white. The mourners split into two groups, all trying to protect the children present, Remus could be seen dashing this way and that searching, oblivious to the hexes that where narrowly missing him, until he final joined the advanced group that. This group had no cover and where trying to lay down a barrage of spells at the Death Eaters to slow the attack. Dumbledore had immediately gathered up the students and was walking backwards with Hagrid on his right forming a sort of human shield as his friends where herded back towards the entrance to the school.
The Aurors where being less successful in there attempt to offer protection, of the small number only four seemed to be still fighting. The others where either dragging or being dragged towards the castle, the four remaining defenders had found limited cover and where keeping their heads down popping up only occasionally to fire a hex back at the attackers. Three attackers where behind a fallen log and had effectively pinned down the Aurors picking off another one, leaving only three who Harry guessed where Tonks, by the pink hair, Moody by the shouting, and the slight figure of Remus Lupin. The remaining Aurors where skirting the forest heading towards Harry staying out of range of the hopelessly outnumbered Defenders.
The series of events that followed would, forever be a mystery to Harry, as why he would even attempt what he did. When the three death eaters who had been skirting the forest, under covering fire from their colleagues, charged the defenders, something in Harry flipped, seeing Remus dive in front of Tonks taking the brunt of whatever spell a Death Eater had thrown at her, only for both he and Tonks to be hit by jinxes from the other two Death Eaters. Harry tried to cast an Illusio Charm on himself but his thoughts where still muddled with those of the memorial for his Godfather, so it wasn't till afterwards he knew if the charm had been successful.
Harry stepped from behind the bush and advanced on the Death Eaters who had flanked his friends from behind, he summoned up all his strength and threw the Impediment Curse at them all three froze and as Harry followed up with three directed full body binds. Moody he saw was dragging three unconscious bodies towards the entrance hall as the remaining three Death Eaters began to rise from their cover of the fallen tree trunk, throwing curse after curse at the retreating man. Again Harry advanced, firing a series of Reductor Curses at the tree, forcing the attackers back into cover as the chunks of wood exploded into the air, showering them with smaller splinters.
Harry heard shouted orders and seconds later the Death Eaters stood from behind their cover together hurling curses and hexes at the advancing figure who was now only thirty meters away from them. The first two spells flying harmless high and wide, he barely had time to shout 'Protego' the incantation for the shielding charm as the third hex head towards him, deflected it narrowly away. The second attack was more successful and Harry was hit by two curses causing the sleeve of his jumper to fall away and a large gash appear across his chest, closely followed by thick red lines the slashing curse, etched deep wounds. Stumbling only slightly pain forcing its way into his mind, Harry levitated large chunks of wood blasted earlier from the fallen trunk, banishing them at the three figures, who huddled behind the remnants of their cover. Finally casting the Incendio charm on them as they flew towards the attackers, three simple spells but the combined force sent a rain of flaming missiles onto his attackers.
Two of the Death Eaters stood concentrating on smashing the objects from the sky the third pointed his wand at Harry and shouted the Impervius Curse, Harry's mind hardly even clouded, he had been trained to fight this curse by Barty Couch Jr, and Harry had fought of this Unforgivable Curse cast by the most powerful evil wizard of the age. The voice that tried to command him to drop his wand, was weak and quiet compared to the voice in his own head, and he threw the curse of with such venom. He had already levitating his second volley of missiles, he was not surprise when the Death Eater screamed in pain, rolling away on the floor shouting. "He's unstoppable!" Almost immediately he had risen again, and was running back towards the forest, he was closely followed by a second Death Eater.
The third Death Eater shouted. "Cowards!" In anger and frustration at his colleagues, then turned and ran firing a few curse over his shoulder in desperation. All the Death Eater's curses flew harmlessly past Harry, as the second volley of flaming missiles rained onto the spot he had just vacated.
Fear then struck Harry, he was alone out here, and he could feel himself becoming light headed whether through loss of blood or magical exhaustion. The last Death Eater didn't sound like he was ready to end the battle, and had most likely gone to try and regain the support of the other two attackers. His vision blurred as he staggered towards Hagrid's hut, but his co-ordination was failing and he veered wildly off to the side, stumbling forward another ten or so paces he fell upon a rail. His tired mind managed to evaluate this and triggered a memory of a two hundred and fifty pound lion, he was leaning on the fence surrounding Godric's paddock. Fortunately Harry still had the presence of mind to remove the Illusio charm before trying anything. Then he toppled head long over the fence and no more than crawled to the massive log in the centre of the paddock where he knew Godric liked to bask in the middle of the day.
As he approach the lion had risen and walked towards the injured body of his friend, and when the funny lion put an arm over his back, Godric dragged him to the log letting him fall off. Seeing him curled up into a weak ball eyes unfocused, Godric knew his friend was injured, something had attacked and his friend had done instinctively what a lion would do and fought with his life, to protect his territory.
*****