Chapter 38.  Walking in a Winter Wonderland

"Kill that son of a bitch when you find him."

The words Tonks had spoken have marched their way in and out of my mind nearly every day since I saw her.  I had only nodded when she said them at the time.  What could I have possibly said to that?  The truth of it is, I actually bit back my first reply that, just upon instinct, had been, "I will or I'll die trying."  I didn't even think about it.  It's like just some phrase one might throw out in hyperbole.  Like Oliver telling me to get the Snitch or die trying.   But that's just it, isn't?  I will either kill that son of a bitch or die trying. 

Harry looked down at the last sentence he'd written in his journal as he laid in his bed, the hangings shut tight and the sounds of his dorm mates snoring rising and falling rhythmically.  Kill or be killed.  Either must die at the hand of the other.  Murdered or murderer.  The truth had been trying to realize itself in his mind for months now and somehow, it'd never really hit him until now.  At least not in some tangible way that brought it home like saying, I will either kill him or die trying.   And but of course this moment of clarity had come on the heels of Gryffindor's victory over Ravenclaw; completely chasing away any elation Harry had felt at the victory with the brutal chill of inevitable truth and undeniable reality. 

It had taken a lot of convincing to get Hermione to go back to the Common Room where the party had already begun.  She could tell Tonks' words had affected Harry.  Eventually, she gave in because Harry was, after all, the captain and expected to show up to celebrate the win.  When they'd entered it was immediately apparent McGonagall had lost the fight to keep Fred and George from visiting their old friends.  It was also apparent that the twins, as being of age and free adults, took it upon themselves to make sure no one was deprived of the delights of Firewhiskey. 

Ron had held the bottle up in triumph when Harry entered.  "Harry!  C'mon, mate!  Celebrate!" he'd yelled and then swigged until he swooned.  It was tempting, Harry had to admit, but he also just knew if he let his brain get woozy then he'd likely turn into a sobbing heap of self-pity.  Or, judging by Hermione's expression at seeing Ron and the twins, he'd have been transfigured into a newt.  He forewent the drink and contented himself to watch Hermione's futile attempts to restore order.  He mentally thanked himself for giving away the Prefect badge and watched Neville, who was staying away from Hermione and quietly keeping busy with a certain blonde visitor from Ravenclaw, off by the fireplace. 

Eventually, Hermione dropped into the seat beside him and huffed.  "Oh, go drink if you want.  I'm not stopping anyone else, I might as well not stop you," she had said grumpily. 

"I don't want to," he'd told her, making her look at him oddly.

"Oh, just go.  If anyone deserves a break, it's you, Harry."

How could he explain he just didn't want to lose his first real bit of clarity about his doomed life?  He couldn't.  He didn't try.  "I'd rather I deserved you," he'd said and then pulled her to him.  That was the afternoon they found it was extremely amusing to watch people get pissed and then, subsequently, found that people who were plastered were less likely to notice a girl sneaking up to the boys' dormitories. 

Harry now tightened the cap on his inkbottle and closed his journal, sealing it with a spell.  He'd surely have gone mad by now if he didn't have Hermione to preoccupy his time and mind, he thought as he tucked them into a pocket on his hangings.  She was the only thing keeping him sane.  He slipped his glasses off, folded them and tucked them in beside the quill, book and ink.  His wand he then waved in a circle, enlarging his Perimeter Charm and erecting an Imperturbable Charm before slipping it beneath his pillow.  With a sigh, he slid down under the duvet and pulled it up, almost over his head. 

All week, despite being loaded down with mid-year tests and assignments, his mind had kept being drawn back to those words.  Every time they echoed in his head it felt he'd convinced yet another part of himself just how real everything was.   Kill that son of a bitch when you find him.  If the thought occupied his mind during the day, then it could surely be said that the words were haunting him at night. Kill that son of a bitch when you find him.  It was like a plea for vengeance sometimes cried as a plaintive wail; other times it was screamed in fury. But almost always, the words were followed by a murmuring chorus of affirmatives, urging him onward like some chosen avenger. 

"Harry!  Wake up, mate!"

Harry could feel Ron running his hands over the hangings of his bed, trying to find the opening.  "Go, 'way," Harry grumbled as he smacked his lips and tried to moisten his parched mouth.  Harry knew Ron couldn't hear him from within the hangings and the charm but, so rudely awakened from sleep, Harry couldn't be arsed to care much.

"Come on," Ron implored, not giving up.  Ron was obviously wide-awake which also told Harry that it was obviously well into the morning.  "Harry, it's been posted in the Common Room that it's a Hogsmeade weekend.  Hurry up--we can leave in an hour!"

Harry only snuggled deeper under his covers and drew them up tight.  He snaked one hand under his pillow to grasp his wand and grumbled incoherently to end the Imperturbable Charm around his bed.  Ron, suddenly finding the part in the hangings, thrust them apart and made to tear off Harry's covers. "Come o--ow!"  Harry smirked as he hit Ron with a Stinging Hex as soon as he'd reached for the covers.  No one was getting him to leave his snuggly and warm bed until he was good and ready.   Ron was sulking and nursing his stung hand.  "Maybe I'll start hexing you, you prat.  Now get up!"

Harry laughed into his pillow.  "You couldn't hex me, Weasley.  You're too slow."  Of course a taunt like this could only mean one thing between teenage wizards.  Harry lunged out of the far side of his bed, dodging whatever spell Ron had tried to hit him with.  "Too slo--ooooow, Weasley!" Harry taunted as he fell to the freezing floor in a heap and scurried beneath his bed, pointed his wand at Ron's overly large feet and cast a Trip Jinx.  All morose thoughts and voices from his mind and the night before were forgotten as Harry watched Ron begin to take a step. 

"Damn—oof!!" Ron toppled to the ground in a heap as soon as he tried to move and groaned after hitting the floor.  "Aroow…"

Harry snickered as he saw Ron just a few feet away, sprawled out across the floor.  He crawled forward and peeked out from under his bed at his fallen friend.  "Hey, Ron," he said cheerfully.  "Wanna go into Hogsmeade?"

The door to the dormitory then opened and Seamus and Dean both walked in, stopping at the sight before them.  "What in the name of Morgan Le Fey is going on here?" Seamus asked slowly, looking between Ron, still groaning and sprawled out in the middle of the floor and Harry who was grinning madly as he peeked out from under his bed, shirtless.

"Morning, Seamus, Dean," Harry said brightly.  "Ron tried to hex me.  He failed.  Got put on his arse, you might say."  Harry started to slither out from under the bed and stood up, brushing off the dust from his pyjama bottoms.  Ron, sniffing and pouting, also started to stand up and just grumbled under his breath.  Seamus and Dean each gave them wide berths as they passed to their beds and Harry ducked out to shower.

The Common Room was full of bustling Gryffindors, donning heavy winter cloaks and wrapping red and gold scarves about their necks as they prepared for a day in the village of Hogsmeade.  Harry came down and spotted Ron right away playing fifth year Jack Sloper in Exploding Snap.  Harry kept looking and finally spotted Hermione, alone at a table covered in books and back in a corner. 

"Good morning," he said slipping into the chair beside her and brushing a kiss across her cheek. 

"You just woke up, I take it?" she said in a disapproving tone, not even looking up from her reading. 

"No, I just got out of the shower," Harry said, running a hand through his still-wet hair. 

Hermione looked up at him then and at his hair.  She frowned and leaned her book back on the table.  She raised one hand, about to run it through Harry's hair but stopped and asked, "Who's been cutting your hair?" 

"Huh?"

"Your hair.  You got it cut early last summer and it's still just as short now as it was then.  Who's been cutting it?"

"Er, the same person as always?" Harry said, shrugging.  "No one."

Hermione looked disbelieving.  "You cut your own hair?"

"No.  I mean no one cuts my hair.  Believe me, the last thing I need is more haircuts.  I've had enough to last a lifetime.  You are coming into to Hogsmeade today, aren't you?" 

Hermione did not appreciate him changing the subject and pouted.  "Harry, someone's cutting your hair."

"Hello!  Hogsmeade!" Harry said, waving his hands in front of Hermione's face.  "Best chance to get your Christmas shopping done, now are you coming or do I have to drag you?"

Turns out, Harry only had to drag Hermione out of Gryffindor Tower, after that she followed along on her own, albeit begrudgingly at first. 

"Come on," Ron said, exasperated at Harry and Hermione's slow pace as they crossed the Entrance Hall, past Filch and left the castle.  "Fred and George said Zonkos is carrying their line of Student Specials.  I suggested they should make a hair greaser product that makes your nose grow great and beaky and call it Greasy Git Goop.  They said they'd consider it."

Harry had to laugh and saw even Hermione crack in her disapproving frown at the humor of the idea.  "You warm enough?" he asked as they each had to tighten their cloaks and further wrap their scarves around their necks and ears to keep out the biting cold as they made their way down the front steps and to a waiting carriage. 

"Yes," Hermione said as her teeth chattered, belying her words.  "It's just I ought to have worn trousers."  She tried to wrap her calf-length cloak more tightly around her as they approached a thestral-drawn carriage.  The carriages made trips between the castle and the village and they were lucky to find one waiting, likely back from its first trip into the village.

Ron was still going on about the twins' newest products as he climbed into the carriage.  Harry leaned in and whispered, "I like you in a skirt," as he offered his hand to Hermione to aid her stepping up and into the carriage. 

"Hold up!" came Seamus' voice from the castle steps.  "We need a ride in, too!"  He and Dean were sprinting, slipping on snow and ice, down the path to the carriage and waving frantically.  Panting, they both climbed in and budged in beside Ron. 

"Phew!  Thought we might have had to leg it!" Dean said as the carriage began to roll down the lane, swaying gently back and forth.  "Hey, Hermione, I thought the Gryffindor Prefects were supposed to be decorating the castle today?"

"What?" Hermione said.  "No—the Ravenclaws had scheduled today as their day for Holiday decorations," she said knowingly.

 Dean just shrugged.  "Oh, well I saw Ginny and Colin say they had to stay because the schedule had changed or something.  They were grumbling about it because they wouldn't be able to go into Hogsmeade."

Hermione then huffed and her temper flared.  "Ooh!!!  That—Cho!  She must have changed the schedule when she heard it was a Hogsmeade day—ooh!"  She looked desperately at Harry and he knew what she was thinking.

"No, you are not going back to the castle.  You are coming into Hogsmeade," he said, wrapping his arms around her upper arms to prevent her escape.  "No, no, no.  Don't make me tell Ron to Obliviate you," he said in mock warning.  "We can make you forget you were ever named a Prefect and then what would you do?" he teased. 

"Yeah," Ron said, nodding.  "Last time I got near an Obliviate Charm it landed someone in St. Mungo's" he said referring to Gilderoy Lockhart. 

Hermione looked grumpy.  "But if—"

"If anyone asks why you weren't there, it's because you didn't know.  It's not your fault if Cho poorly communicates a change in the schedule."  Hermione gave Harry a look and he nodded knowingly.  "Yes, I know, I'm a very bad influence on you."

The rest of the ride into the village was full of Quidditch banter as the Gryffindors recalled their team's defeat of Ravenclaw and the rumoured reactions of their captain, Cho Chang, after the defeat. 

"I heard she cursed the Beaters after the game."

"No way!"

"I heard she was bawling in the changing rooms for an hour after the game."

Ron snorted at this one.  "Now that at least sounds like her.  Right Harry?"

"She's been absolutely horrid to all the Gryffindors in Prefect meetings," Hermione said, tapping each of her mittens with her wand to warm them up.  "She's never let me speak once at a meeting this year but this week she's been just awful to all of us."

"What a berk."

"Seamus!" Hermione scolded his language.

"Well?  When it's true?"  He shrugged and Dean was nodding along in agreement.

"Almost there," Ron said looking out the window of the carriage.  "Zonkos and then Three Broomsticks?" he asked looking at Harry who still had one arm around the back of Hermione.  Ron had been distinctly not looking towards them in light of this fact and quickly resumed his observation of the passing landscape. 

Harry leaned forward to look out the window and said, "I need to do my Christmas shopping too so I'll need to go around a bit.  Could use some more quills and ink. Oh, and how could you forget Honeydukes!?" he laughed at Ron.

Ron looked stricken for a moment.  "Wow.  Must be the cold."  He grinned then and said, "Definitely Honeydukes."

They exited the carriages as they came upon the High Street and made for Honeydukes as their first stop.  There, Harry loaded up on Chocolate Frogs and chocolate bars.  "For the DA when they work with the Dementor," he explained when Ron and Hermione gave him disbelieving looks at his armful of chocolate.  Hermione, herself also discreetly stocked up on a large bag of chocolates that she tried to keep hidden from the boys.

"Zonkos next?" Ron asked as they each left Honeydukes with large bags. 

Harry nodded but Hermione said, "You two go on there and I'll meet you at the Three Broomsticks afterwards, okay?"  Before Harry could protest, she said, "I have to do some Christmas shopping, you know and I can't do it very well if you're around, now can I?" She gave Harry a mysterious smile and turned to leave, calling out, "In about an hour, all right?"

In Zonkos, Harry and Ron spotted a great big sign high above a counter that had a very large picture of Harry's grinning face and read, "WEASLEY WIZARD WHEEZES".  Then the letters on the sign erupted into sparklers and gave off a flurry of confetti before rearranging themselves into a tiny speech bubble extending from picture Harry's mouth that read, "Worth every detention!"

Ron nudged him and pointed unnecessarily up at the sign, which had several people laughing and had Harry's face fiercely flushing red with embarrassment.  "Didn't think I'd have to actually ever see any of those ridiculous adverts," he mumbled, quickly darting out of the main entrance way. 

"Look!  Canary Creams!" Ron cried, pointing to one of the glass cases along the wall and beaming.  "And there's the Skiving Snackboxes!  Whoa!"  He shook his head looking all along the case at the twins' products on display.  "They must really be raking it in," he said wistfully.  

They wandered around the store and marvelled at the same things they always did while Ron kept looking wistfully at all the Wheezes on display about the store.  "They told me I could leave school like they did and come work for them, you know," he said to Harry. 

"Really?" Harry said absentmindedly as he perused a barrel of Dungbombs ("Now in three new holiday scents!").  "Bet your mum would love that."

Ron laughed shortly.  "Yeah, she'd skin me alive.  But you know, it is tempting," Ron said casually, examining a set of Filibuster Fireworks.  "I turn of age in March and Fred and George were allowed into the Order even though they didn't finish and take their NEWTs.  I could join then…really get the inside information," he said, giving Harry a sly look.  "I'd tell you too, of course…"

Harry looked up and was surprised to see Ron's look; he hadn't been taking Ron very seriously up until now.  "You're not serious?" Harry asked, frowning.

"Course I would!  You don't think I'd tell you?" Ron said, dropping the Fireworks into the barrel and moving on.  "There's loads of jobs where I don't need any NEWTs at all, I've been thinking about it and—"

"Ron, you're mad," Harry said simply.  "What—you want to drive the Knight Bus?  Forget it--you'd regret it and your mum would skin you alive if she thought you only ditched school to be able to join the Order and get information.  What happened to becoming an Auror?"  Harry couldn't believe they were even having this conversation. 

Ron just shrugged again.  "Dunno if it's the thing for me, really."  Harry just stared, open-mouthed and incredulous at Ron.  With one last wistful look at the Wheeze display case, Ron sighed and said, "Should we head up the street to the Three Broomsticks?  I'll buy the first Butterbeer."

Harry hurried out the door after Ron, dodging a giggling group of fourth years that were pointing up at his picture on the advert banner.  Back out in the street, large snowflakes had begun to fall Ron was already walking briskly, making Harry have to trot to catch up.  "You're not leaving school, right?" Harry asked, sounding more like he just wanted to confirm it for himself than really ask the question. 

Ron slowed and looked at him with his head cocked to the side and said, "You know who you're starting to sound like?"  At Harry's confused look, Ron sighed and said, "Think about who you spend most of your time with."

Hermione.  "Oh, well.  Hey, that's not such a bad thing.  I'd never hear the end of it from her if you left.  Think what she'd say!"  Harry mimicked a high voice, nothing at all like Hermione's, and said, "All those hours revising and checking over your homework—wasted!  Honestly!"

Ron snorted and then stopped; looking down the side street they were passing.  "Hey, isn't that Snape?" he said, pointing to a rapidly retreating figure whose black robes and cloak were billowing in the wind.  "Let's check it out," Ron said and didn't even wait for Harry as he turned and marched down the street. 

"I don't know, Ron," Harry said uncertainly.

Ron spun and faced him.  "Well, now it's for certain," he said coolly.  "You definitely are sounding an awful lot like her."

"Well what are we checking out?" Harry said as he followed.  Ron didn't answer as they passed a few small homes and an old second-hand bookshop.  "Look," Harry said, pointing to the sign outside the shop from where Snape had exited.  "It's an apothecary.  Satisfied?"

Ron grumbled and still craned his neck around and then peeked into one of the dusty storefront windows of the shop.  Harry, though, kept looking over his shoulder and could not shake the feeling that they were being watched.  "Come on, let's get moving," he urged Ron. 

The Three Broomsticks was packed with people, students and villagers alike, that were coming in to warm up from the now swirling snow that was falling outside.  The hour was just about noon and everyone seemed to be coming in for a spot of lunch and something to warm their stomachs. 

"Don't see any empty tables," Ron said, standing up on tiptoe and craning over the pub's patrons.  They waded through the throng of people at the door and wove through, searching out a place to sit.

"You two need a spot to sit?" a girl's voice said from beside them.  They turned to find Katie Bell and the seventh year reserve Keeper Cassie Stimpson seated at a tall pub table just beside them. 

"Oh, hey Katie," Ron said, still looking over her head about all about the pub. 

"It's pretty full," Katie said, gesturing about.  "But we're almost ready to leave if you want the table."

Harry looked at Ron and shrugged, seeing no other real options.  "You're sure you don't mind?" Harry asked as he and Ron pulled out two tall barstools from the table.  Harry saw Stimpson blush deeply and hide her face; he recalled Katie had said she'd been harbouring some crush on him for a number of years.  He had gotten rather used to it though after the team had regularly began scrimmaging the reserves in practice. 

"Oh, not at all," Katie said graciously, smiling at Harry and then up at Ron.  "Have you two seen all the twins' stuff on sale at Zonkos?" she asked. 

"Have I ever!" Ron said with a roll of his eyes.  "They've got to be making a fortune!  It's unbelievable!" 

"I'll be right with you, boys," a harried looking Madam Rosmerta called to them as she perched a tray of foaming tankards high above her head, on the tip of her wand, and wove through the crowd with ease. 

Ron went on, still talking about the twins: "I'll be expecting something better than a Canary Cream or Dungbombs for Christmas from them this year—their sales must be through the roof!"

Harry still looked about, smirking to himself at Moody's voice within his head chanting, constant vigilance.  Harry couldn't spot Hermione anywhere and assumed she had not arrived yet.  Numerous villagers raised a tankard or waved in greeting as they caught Harry's roving eyes, making Harry feel very self-conscious and eager to have a drink in his hand so he had something to do. 

"I hear Lee's doing some of their creative marketing," Katie said, talking to Ron.

"All right boys, what can I get you?"  Madam Rosmerta asked, without looking as she came weaving back, pocketing a handful of coins.  "Oh, Harry Potter," she said, doing a quick double take at his face with the obligatory flick up towards his scar.  "First one's on the house for you," she added with a salacious wink and smile.  "Now what'll it be?"

"Er," Harry stammered.  "Just a couple of Butterbeers and—"

A grinning Ron broke in then and asked, "We also need a round of Firewhiskey…Harry here has had a hard week, you see."  Ron sent a wink at Harry and kept grinning at Madam Rosmerta who was giving Ron a look with one eye closed and the other peering at him consideringly.

"I'll see what I can find," she said slowly.  She turned back to Harry and asked, "Anything for the ladies?"

"Oh, we'll be leaving shortly," Katie said, waving off Harry's inquiring look. 

"Come on," Ron pleaded in a low voice with a raised eyebrow.

Katie blushed and mumbled, "Well maybe just a shot of the whiskey."  If Harry's wasn't completely mistaken, he thought Katie might just fancy Ron.

"Coming right up," Rosmerta said as she slipped off and back to the bar.

Ron couldn't stop grinning back and forth between Harry and Katie; Harry could only roll his eyes.  At least my fame is good for something, he thought.  A large table of younger Hufflepuffs seated near them then all rose to leave.  In their wake, it was apparent what had caused them to seek an alternative location; Snape had strode in and was seating himself at the bar, sending glares all about at any students who looked his way.

"Way to go, Ron," Harry said darkly as he tried to make it not look obvious he was watching Snape out of the corner of his eye.  "Guess who just walked in and would be more than happy to catch us drinking underage?"

Ron, not bothering to try and not be completely obvious, craned his neck around and gasped, "Bloody hell!"  He whipped his head back around and said, "Why's that greasy git in here?"

Katie saw who they were talking about and said, "Oh, we saw Professors Flitwick and Grubbly-Plank earlier as well.  We reckon they're here just to…you know, watch around since we're in the village today."  This assumption was indeed correct.  Dumbledore had told the students earlier in the year that any Hogsmeade visits this year would be announced at the last minute and depend upon the availability of the staff to help chaperone while the students were there.  "We saw a couple of extra Aurors in front of the Post Office, too.  Oh!  Quality Quidditch has opened a new store in town here, did you two hear?"

"What? No!" Ron said, looking at Harry like a kid who, well, who just heard about a new Quidditch store.  "We need to go there," he said, grinning and rubbing his hands together, just as Madam Rosmerta returned with a tray of two foaming tankards and four smaller empty glasses. 

"Here you are," she said, thumping the large tankards upon the worn wooden table.  She then set down the four empty glasses as Harry took a sip of the warm and frothy Butterbeer.  She Banished the tray back to the bar and pulled out an amber bottle from her apron with a wink.  She turned the glasses over and filled each to the brim with the smoking amber liquid.  "Don't say I never gave you anything now," she said in an undertone to Harry as she winked again and spun on her heels.  "Take a seat and I'll be right with you!" she called to a new group that just arrived in with a blast of swirling snow and cold air.  

Ron took his glass as soon as it had been filled and pushed one over to everyone at the table. 

"Oh, no," Stimpson said, turning a deep scarlet as Harry looked at her as she spoke for the first time.  "Upsets my stomach terribly," she mumbled and tipped back her empty glass to crunch on an ice cube.

"More for us!" Ron said gleefully and then turned to Katie.  "Cheers?"

Katie grinned and clinked her glass to Ron's and said, "Cheers!" as they each threw back the drink as Harry watched with amusement. 

"Harry!" Hermione called out from near the door, shaking the snow off her cloak and pushing back the hood of her cloak.  "Look who I found!" she said, turning and pointing to a wizard beside her who was also stamping the snow from his boots. 

Harry, upon hearing her voice, had turned and was now grinning at Hermione.  He then waved as Remus looked up.  "Remus!  Come join us!" he called.

"Harry," Ron said, tugging at his sleeve.  "Drink up before she sees."  Ron shoved one glass of the Firewhiskey into Harry's hand and took the other for himself, casting furtive glances over at the approaching Remus and Hermione.  "Hurry up, mate!  She won't be pleased to see these," he warned and then gulped.

Harry was about to drink his glass down when a familiar shudder washed over him that signalled a certain greasy haired Potions git crossing his Perimeter Charm.  A long black wand thwacking upon the rim of Harry's glass quickly followed.  "What, pray tell, Potter, do you think you are doing?" asked the deadly sinister voice of Snape. 

"Er, I think we'll be leaving then," Katie mumbled as she and Stimpson slipped off their stools quickly. 

Harry was refusing to look up at Snape and made the mistake of, instead, looking across at Ron who had already swallowed the second shot but was still holding his breath, trying to prevent the telltale smoke from wafting out of his mouth. 

"Hello, Severus," Remus said as he strolled up and put a hand on Harry's shoulder. 

"Are you all right, Ron?" Hermione asked, looking at him in concern. 

Katie looked torn between leaving Ron and staying for the chastisement that was sure to come from Snape and asked him, "Er, were you coming to the Quidditch shop with us, Ron?"

Hermione, seeing Ron turning a blue color from holding his breath and not breathing then gave him a sound thump on the back, saying, "Ron!  Can you breathe?" Of course, this only made Ron cough violently as a cloud of amber smoke wafted from his mouth and nostrils and hit Harry in the face, complete with the stench of alcohol. 

"Uncouth as always, Mister Weasley," Snape sneered as he too got a large whiff of the smoke. 

"Er, I'll just be off then," Ron said in a high voice as his face turned a very bright red. 

Snape sneered some more at him and said, "Yes, you do that, Weasley.  Stupidity from you is not surprising in the least.  But you," he rounded back towards Harry as Ron made a hasty retreat along with Katie and Stimpson who was long gone.  "You… you, Potter ought to know better," Snape spat, his glittery black eyes boring into Harry's. 

"Severus, let's please be civil," Remus said, taking Ron's vacant seat and motioning for Hermione to seat herself. 

But Snape didn't look the least bit enticed by the thought of acting civil.  He was glaring; his lips curled back, and demanded, "Have you drank any, Potter?"

Harry couldn't see what business it was of Snape's, even if he was underage and was about to tell him so when he saw Hermione take in the empty glasses on the table as well as the full glass in his hand, upon which Snape's wand was still trained.  "Oh, Harry.  Where ever did you get that from?"

Snape sneered at her and demanded again, "Did you drink any?!"

"No!" Harry said, turning to him and glaring up as Snape towered, standing over him.  "I haven't had any—are you happy?"

"De--lighted," Snape said dryly, his lip curling back grotesquely.  He then leaned in, uncomfortably close to Harry, and in a dangerously low undertone said, "You would be wise, Potter, to refrain from wanton imbibition of beverages that act as sedatives of the mind unless it is your wish to relinquish what little control you have, by whatever miracle, managed to gain of the waste that is your mind."  Snape pulled back and drew himself upright again, looking down his long hooked nose at Harry with an imperiously raised eyebrow.  "Do I make myself clear, Potter?"

It was instantly clear to Harry that to allow alcohol to cloud over his mind and senses, he would be weakening the defenses he'd been building around his mind through Occlumency.  Of course it made sense now.  "Yes, sir," Harry muttered, pushing the glass towards the center of the table. 

"Excellent," Snape said curtly.  As Remus made to reach for the glass of top shelf Firewhiskey, Snape waved his wand over it; saying, "Evanesco," making the amber liquid disappear in a puff of smoke. 

Remus gave the smirking Snape a dirty look and grumbled sarcastically, "Thanks ever so much." Snape then turned, his robes rustling and, with a final look about the pub, pulled his hood up and over his head and left; leaving Remus to mutter, "Snivellus."

"Don't even start," Harry said, holding up a palm towards Hermione who looked like she wanted to say something that would surely have sounded overly righteous and far too supportive of Snape's actions for Harry's liking.  She snapped her mouth shut and, for a moment, looked hurt, making Harry feel very guilty.  "Sorry," he muttered.  "But Ron was the dolt who ordered them and I told him Snape was here and would love to catch us with it."  Harry looked down at his still full tankard of Butterbeer and asked, "You think this is all right to imbibe?"

"It's still here, isn't it?" Remus said with a wry look, still obviously miffed at Snape's wanton wasting of perfectly fine Firewhiskey.

"Well, how did you get that stuff in the first place?" Hermione asked, shedding her cloak and hanging it on the back of the barstool. 

"Another round—oh, I see you've swapped your old friends for some new ones," Rosmerta said, stopping again at the table and smiling at Harry.  "Remus," she said, with a long smoldering look at an equally, suddenly smiling Lupin.  "The usual…or something from the bar?" she asked in a low voice. 

Remus gave her a coy look and then seemed to realize Harry and Hermione were watching this interaction with surprisingly amused looks.  "Er, I'll just a…er, "

"Oh no," Harry said, grinning and trying not to laugh.  "Please, Remus—don't let us stop you from your usual."  Hermione stuffed a fist into her mouth and tried to refrain from laughing outright. 

Rosmerta, with a hand upon her hip, turned on Harry.  "You think it's funny, do you?  Oh—there's that grin now!"  Her eyes sparkled as she eyed Harry; his grin faltered.  "Give me a minute and I'll have any man in the palm of my hand, you hear?  You wouldn't last half that if I turned my bewitching ways on you, now," she said, raising her eyes suggestively.   Harry felt much more uncomfortable now than when her attention had been on Remus.  She cocked her head towards Hermione and asked, "This one's yours, isn't he now?"

Hermione, eyes still sparkling with mirth and failing miserably to contain her laughter, chirped, "You can borrow him, if you like."

"Hey!" Harry cried, looking incredulously at Hermione. 

They all laughed and Harry finally laughed too after Hermione's foot reached over beneath the table ran up along the inside of his calf.  "Oh, I'm just pulling your leg!" Rosmerta said, nodding at Harry.  She quickly added, "A bit extra if you want anything else pulled," and then asked, "So, what'll it be?"

"I'll have a Butterbeer," Hermione said, still smiling innocently at Harry.

"I could do with a spot of that stew on your specials board," Remus said.  "And a Butterbeer for me, too."

After drinking deeply from his tankard, Harry said, "I could do with some food, too.  I'll have what Remus is having."  He turned to Hermione and asked, "Are you hungry, too?"

"Oh, well, if you both are eating, I might as well."

"Three specials," Rosmerta said.

"And I'll take another Butterbeer," Harry added before taking another drink. 

"Coming right up," Rosmerta said before clearing the table, winking at Remus and leaving them.

"So, what are you doing here?" Harry asked Lupin.

"Watching over the village.  Saw the game last week from beneath one of Moody's Invisibility Cloaks; team's looking well." 

They chatted a bit and throughout their meal as they dunked crusty bread into a hearty venison stew.  The pub was clearing out as time wore into the afternoon.  After yet another round of Butterbeer, Remus sighed and said, "So, I actually did mean to meet up with you today, Harry."

"Oh?  Why's that?  I just saw you last night," Harry said.

Remus fingered a coaster on the table and said, "Well, it's the holidays in just over a week and there are a few decisions to be made…for the Celebration…if you still feel ready to have it then?"

Sirius' Celebration… "Oh, I almost forgot," Harry said.  "Right, no, I think we should have it.  You think so too, right?"

Remus shook his head and said, "As long as you're ready. Harry."

"But you're ready, too?" Harry persisted.  He wasn't thick enough to think Remus hadn't mourned the loss of Sirius just as much as he had. 

"I am," Remus said, closing his eyes for a second and then nodded resolutely.  "You?" he asked, looking closely at Harry.

"I am."  Formally bringing a close to the mourning of Sirius' death was appealing to Harry now, as it seemed to be a chance for a tangible step forward and away from the past.  Sirius' death marked a turning point in Harry's life; it was an abrupt end to what little bit of innocence and childhood Harry had had and signified the point where the veil of innocence had been torn away, leaving reality exposed in all its harsh light.   Closing the door to this past life seemed like a way for him to formally accept the steep and narrow path placed before him.  He was ready to choose to move on.

"Well, then the big thing to decide is where to hold it," Remus said, looking at Hermione and then Harry again.  "Hogwarts or Headquarters?  Albus told me they started taking names for those staying over the hols yesterday and thus far, not many are staying.  It's up to you."

Harry looked at Hermione and knew in an instant that he longed to be in his sprawling four-poster that was back at Grimmauld Place where he knew Hermione would be able to sleep beside him each night.  If anything made him feel he was thankful for everything Sirius had ever given him, it was the thought of the chance he and Hermione had the past summer to become close and to, well, to certainly become more than the best of friends.  Hermione was belying no opinion outwardly but as he looked into the warmth of her eyes, he knew she understood his desires. 

"Headquarters," he said quietly.  I want to go home, he thought as he looked at Hermione.  Home, for reasons of safety and technicalities was supposedly Privet Drive.  Home in his mind was almost always Hogwarts, but no place—not even Grimmauld Place—was home in his heart.  That distinction was not a place at all but was simply wherever Hermione was.  "You'll be coming, too?" he asked her.

She smiled sadly and looked down as she said, "I have nowhere else to go."  Hermione's house had been destroyed and her parents were off in some unknown location for their own safety and her peace of mind.  "I'll go wherever you go," she said, meeting Harry's gaze steadily and making his heart skip a beat.

"Well then," Remus said, clearing his voice.  "I'm sure Albus will want you to at least sign up to stay at the castle.  You'll probably leave—Apparate, if you still recall how—the day after the train leaves."

"Oh!" Hermione said, clapping and looked thrilled.  "I can go get my Apparition License in London!" 

"If Albus says it's all right," Remus stipulated.  Hermione gave a look like he'd better or else.  "I'm sure he'll say yes, but you might mention it to Dobby that we intend to hold it there.  Winky is still at Headquarters but he still pops in and out every now and then.  He'll follow wherever you're going, Harry.  Albus said he'd help to arrange everything.  I'll send out the announcements.  Most anyone who would come is in the Order or related.  Is there anyone else you thought to invite?"

"Er," Harry thought.  "Well, Neville did say he'd come.  Ginny told him and Luna about…about who had died."  Harry had lowered his voice as a group of warlocks entered the pub and, laughing uproariously, sauntered up to the bar. 

Remus nodded.  Hermione asked, "Luna, too?" 

"Sure."

"All right.  I'm guessing we'll set it a few days after Christmas.  That it?" Remus asked.  That was all Harry could think of.  "All right, then.  Albus said he gave you a book on these things?"  Harry nodded.  "Well, it's formal—dress robes and it is a celebration so don't think you have to wear all black."

"Oh, I'll need new ones," Hermione said, checking her watch.  "We can still go to Gladrags today."

"One more thing," Remus said, nodding to Harry.  "It's custom for members of the Order to have a traditional lighting.  Fawkes will give a feather.  You'll be the one to light it.  Have you read about it?" 

It'd been a while since Harry had read about it but he recalled that Celebrations were started with the lighting of a Life Light that would burn throughout the gathering.  The tradition originated with a freshly rendered Phoenix feather being ignited by the deceased's closest kin to fuel the light.  Harry nodded to Remus and knew he'd have to read up some more on what went on at Celebrations. 

"Well, that's my business," Remus said, sighing and draining the last of his Butterbeer.  "Anything else either of you need?"

"Oh, there was one thing I never got around to asking last night.  I haven't heard anything in a couple of weeks."  Harry looked around over his shoulder to make sure no one was near.  "Is there any word on Neville's parents?  Anything?  Any leads on why they took them?"

Lupin frowned.  "Harry…we'd tell you as soon as we found out anything.  The reason why--it could be any number of reasons."

"But they're not dead.  They'd have sent back their bodies if they were, wouldn't they?"  Harry looked like he just wanted Remus to agree with him. 

"Harry, we may never know…"

"What kind of answer is that?  Remus—they only took them because they were defenceless and to get at me."   Hermione grasped Harry's hand and gave it a squeeze.  Probably, he thought, to shush him as much as to give him moral support.

"And doesn't it irk you even more not knowing what has happened to them and where they are?" Remus asked, his eyes widened meaningfully.   "Harry, we may never know and I'm very sorry—it nags at me, too—but you may just have to accept that we may never know."

"Unacceptable," Harry grumbled.  He looked plaintively at Hermione and Remus.  "Neville's been so withdrawn since it happened.  No, I know—he's always been a bit withdrawn, but…it must be awful… not knowing…"  Harry couldn't imagine having to live with that.

They parted then as they left the Three Broomsticks and Harry and Hermione headed up the High Street to visit Gladrags Wizardwear.  The snow was still swirling and they passed a group of Gryffindor third years that were having a snowball fight in the middle of the road.  Past the Post Office where Aurors still patrolled the front entrance and Dervish & Banges which had a sign in the front window that read, "SELF-DEFENSE PRIMERS: HOLIDAY SPECIAL", they finally arrived at Gladrags.

"What are you looking for, m'dears?" a petite lady with pins stuck in her robe lapel asked as they looked about the shop. 

"Dress robes," Hermione said.  "Do you need new robes, too?" she asked Harry. 

"I suppose," Harry said uncertainly.  "Wouldn't hurt and my old ones must be far too short by now."

"Nathaniel!  Get out here!" she bellowed towards the back of the shop and then turned back to smile warmly at them.  "Step on up here, dears."  She gestured to a pair of platforms in front of several mirrors all facing the center of each platform. 

A waifish man who walked with a saunter came out and started clucking his tongue and measuring Harry as the petite woman took measurements of Hermione.   After much muttering between the two and several minutes of measurements, they left and each came back, parading a line of robes before them. 

"These are the ones in your size," Nathaniel said with a bit of a lisp.  "See anything you like?" he said, flipping his wand at each in turn, causing them to jump up in front of Harry, allowing him a look in the mirrors as the robes were each held in front of him for a brief moment.  It seemed like forever but finally he'd narrowed it down to just a few.  Harry thought Nathaniel might have been getting frustrated with him but quite contrary; he seemed to enjoy giving Harry his opinion.  "The green is a lovely color and matches your eyes, of course," he said in a way that made Harry think he might be enjoying this just a tad too much. 

Hermione snickered from over on her platform and Harry turned to see her holding a deep crimson robe to her chest, turning left then right to gauge the reflection in the mirror.  She saw Harry looking at her and caught his eye.  "What do you think?"

All Harry knew was she had a pair of knickers in that exact same color and he liked those very much.  He thought anything that matched those particular knickers was just fine with him.  He nodded. 

"Go try it on for size, m'dear," the woman directed, shooing Hermione off the platform and into a changing room.  She turned to Harry then and eyed him up and down.  "Oh not the blue, dear.  No, the green or the black—yes." She yanked a deep sapphire and silver trimmed robe from the three parading in front of him and Banished it to the back.  Harry was a little disappointed, as that particular blue had reminded him of the color of Sirius' eyes. 

But before he could comment to bring them back, Hermione stepped out of the dressing room and took away his ability for coherent speech and thought.  Red… tight…. cleavage… red… squeezing…  They first thought Harry pulled together was to wonder if he was drooling.  "I take that as a yes?" Hermione asked him, her eyes sparkling as she watched him snap his jaw shut and nod dumbly. 

Settling back down to reality Harry looked down and snapped, "Why are you measuring my inseam again?  Robes don't even have inseams!"  Nathaniel desisted at once and smirked as he handed Harry the black brocade robes once more. 

Eventually, without Nathaniel's help, Hermione helped Harry choose the black robes but with the addition of red and gold detailed trim.  It was a good hour they spent in the shop before they were finally able to leave with their bags swinging.

"That bloke was bit on the…" Harry shook his head, trying to find the right word.

"Touchy?" Hermione offered.

"Feely," Harry added, nodding.  He shuddered and then shrugged off the thought.  "You get all your Christmas shopping done?" he asked as they walked back down the High Street.

Hermione's smile faltered at this and she shrugged.  "I guess."  At Harry's questioning look, she explained, "I don't have many people to buy for this year.  I don't know if I should get Ron anything—I did, but who knows if he'll still be tolerating me by then.  My parents aren't going to be around and I can't send anything to them.  Hagrid's not even around this Christmas and well, that just leaves you—oh!  Dobby and Winky, too!  And Remus!  I should get him something."  Harry smiled at Hermione; she looked like she wanted to make a list right there.  "Come on—let's go into Scrivenshafts!"

Two hours later they had both completed just about all the shopping for gifts they had to do and Harry had mentally catalogued at least a dozen gift possibilities for Hermione as she had commented on this or that.  After leaving the new shop for Quality Quidditch Supplies: Hogsmeade, where Harry had bought Ron a new Broomstick Servicing Kit, they finally decided they were tired enough to head back. 

"So, tell me again, why did you buy Professor Dumbledore a pair of woollen socks?" Hermione asked, holding her one bag that contained several other shrunken bags within in one hand as the other flipped her hood over her head. 

"Oh, back when—" Harry stopped, listening.  He could have sworn he'd just heard the crack of someone Apparating.  But, he chided himself, it was village of all Wizarding folk; of course there were people Apparating left and right.  He began to walk again, Hermione giving him a questioning look that he shrugged off.  "What was I saying?" he asked.

"Look—" said Hermione stopping this time and pointing down the same side street he'd seen Snape down earlier.  The hulking form of Crabbe could be seen down the street, shuffling his feet in the snow and looking down at the ground.  Then right before their eyes, two other wizards Apparated in with cracks! Just like Harry had thought he'd heard before. 

Harry grabbed Hermione's arm and started them walking past the side street at once, but not before they heard Draco Malfoy's drawling voice proclaim, "Well that was easier than I thought it'd be!" 

"Keep walking," Harry mumbled to Hermione, trying to steer her further from the street. 

"Even if they saw us, our hoods are up and they can't tell," she said.  "Let's look in this window."  She steered Harry now to a storefront window at the corner and feigned interest in a display of sparkling pendants and glittering rings.  Harry, meanwhile, dug into an inner pocket of his robes and felt around for a rubbery Extendable Ear. 

"How much did it cost?" they heard Crabbe grunt out as the voices neared the corner where Harry and Hermione were peering into the window. 

"More than it should have!" an enraged Malfoy said.  "If Father was around that flea-bag wouldn't have dared charge me half as much as he did!"

"Didn't you use those disappearing Sickles, though?" another voice asked.  Harry was almost positive it was Nott.  Harry fingered the Extendable Ear in his hand; there was no need to use it now while they were so close and easily overheard. 

"Of course!  Imbecile."  Malfoy chuckled smugly as the three of them came around the corner.  Hermione tugged Harry's elbow to keep him from looking at them and giving them away. 

The three Slytherins passed without any acknowledgement of the couple peering into a jeweller's shop window.  As they walked past and continued down the street, Harry tugged Hermione and motioned for them to follow along.  He showed her the Extendable Ear in his palm and let the end of the Ear slink to the ground, urging it to snake forward and through the snow.  As they walked about ten meters behind the three, Harry held the other end of the Ear up to his own ear and waited to hear something. 

"…be stewing.  And the full moon is the only thing holding us back.  They were all out of fluxweed for this cycle," Malfoy said, sounding like he was just discussing a Potions project. 

"Hey," Nott said.  "Depending on who we get first—maybe we can use that to get a whole load of the other to stock up on!  Now that would be something to write home about!" 

Malfoy laughed, clearly enjoying this thought and said, "Yes, I daresay I will love to be there when---"  The connection suddenly broke off and Harry looked up.

"Hey!  There you two are!" Ron called.  He was standing right in front of Harry and, as Harry tugged the Ear up, he saw the long end had broken off right about where Ron was standing.

"Damn—you—Ron!" Harry bit out, balling his fists and grinding his teeth.  He'd just been about to hear what Malfoy was planning and Ron, the big dolt, went and crushed the blasted Ear with his overly large feet! 

"Shhh," Hermione said, trying to calm Harry down.  "Malfoy just turned and has seen us," she warned. 

Harry was still hopping with frustration and tried to play it off, starting slowly and saying, "Damn it, Ron—you're—not—supposed—to see your gift before Christmas!"  Ron looked highly confused and still a little hurt at Harry's initial outburst.  Over his shoulder, Harry could see Malfoy glaring back at them and then whispering and laughing with his two followers.

"Hey, Potter!" Malfoy called out, elbowing his cronies to watch.  "Did you buy Weasel a floor for their hovel?  I heard they live in a dirt-floor hut, deep underground!"  Crabbe guffawed stupidly at this and Nott looked on coolly, half-hidden behind the hulking Crabbe.

Harry and Hermione each took hold of one of Ron's arms and held him in place as his face reddened and he looked about ready to explode. 

"Hey, Malfoy!" Harry called back, keeping a tight grip on Ron.  "Why don't you crawl back into your dungeon and under a rock?  If you wait long enough, maybe you'll evolve into something half-human!" 

"What?  Like your Werewolf pet or that oaf Hagrid?" Malfoy said and then cackled. 

Harry had his wand pulled in a flash.  He so wanted to hex Malfoy into the ground—hell, he wanted to break the pointy-faced ferret's stuck up nose with his bare fists!  A sudden Apparition in between he and Malfoy though, caused Harry to step in front of Ron and Hermione.  In an instant, his wand was raised and ready for anything.  The dark-cloaked figure could have been anyone but as he lowered his hood, Harry recognized the grey hair of Lupin. 

Harry, with Ron and Hermione following closely behind, advanced close enough to hear Lupin say in a barely controlled voice, "You'd be wise, Mister Malfoy to respect a man who would just as well rip out your throat with his bare teeth."  Harry could see Malfoy's look of surprise and fear.  Nott was already backing up.  "And that's not even how I feel on the full moon."  As Harry came shoulder to shoulder with Lupin, he saw his teeth bared and a flame-like flickering deep in his amber eyes that made even Harry want to shudder. 

"Getting late!  Students head back to the castle!" Professor Flitwick called out, stepping out from one of the shops.  "Oh!" he stopped at the sight of Harry, Remus, Hermione and a shaking Ron facing off against Malfoy as his two Slytherins.  "Is there a problem here, boys?" he asked, melting away a path in the snow with his wand.

An Auror in gold robes strolled through then and Harry recognized her as one of Tonks' recruits who was in the Order.  She gave a discreet nod to Harry and said, "Professor Flitwick, we'll help you round up the students." 

"Oh, thank you!" Flitwick said as Malfoy sneered at the convenient assembly of adults. 

Malfoy turned and beckoned Crabbe and Nott to follow, throwing one last superior look at Harry and his friends. 

"You three should catch a carriage," Remus said, looking deeply embarrassed and, if Harry wasn't mistake, very ashamed of his own actions. 

With a hand on his shoulder, Harry said, "Thank you, Remus." 

Remus, looked up, grateful and then, looking eye-to-eye with Harry, said, "When did you get to be as tall as me?"

Hermione, still linking one arm through Ron's and now taking Harry's, grinned at Remus and whispered, "You should ask what his inseam is.  He had it measured only a dozen times this afternoon!"

"Shut it, you," Harry growled at her.  She only grinned back cheekily. 

The ride back to the castle was filled with Ron's howls as Hermione told him about Harry's enthusiastic salesman from Gladrags.  They also told him about the plan to hold the Celebration for Sirius over the Christmas hols and Ron was almost ecstatic he'd be able to wear his new dress robes that had yet to see use. 

"Hey, what were you listening to on that Extendable Ear?" Ron asked, snapping off the end of a liquorice rope.  "Was it Malfoy?"

Hermione mirrored Ron's inquiring look and Harry said, "Not much."  He was still a bit bitter about it now that he was reminded and he looked sourly at Ron.  "You snapped off the end of the Ear—must have been too brittle in the cold—right before I could hear whatever it was Malfoy is looking forward to."  Ron looked mortified that he'd inadvertently screwed up the chance to spy on Malfoy.  "They were talking about what sounded like some Potions project or something.  Something about buying fluxweed and the full moon holding them back."

"Oh, fluxweed properties vary greatly with the phase of the moon at the time of its harvesting," Hermione said.  She furrowed her brow then and worried her lower lip before saying, "But, Harry…Crabbe and Nott—neither of those two are in Potions any longer."  Hermione looked steadily out the window then and Harry knew she'd be heading to the library as soon as they returned to the castle.  He was quite sure she'd be researching all the possible uses of fluxweed. 

"Where did you guys see them?" Ron asked.  "Harry, was that the same street we saw Snape skulking about?"

"You saw Snape down there earlier?" Hermione asked, her attention focused back inside the carriage. 

"Yeah," Ron answered.  "He was skulking about some old Apothecary shop.  Harry didn't even want to bother checking out what he was doing.  But see?  I bet he was helping Malfoy do whatever he was up to.  Maybe he's the one who's selling stuff to Malfoy!" Ron said, nodding vigorously.

"I don't know Ron," Harry said.  The fact he was now defending Snape to Ron was not lost on Harry and he felt a small horror at the realization.  "Snape could have been following Malfoy to keep an eye on him.  We saw Malfoy and Nott reappear after Apparating back down the street.  And just before that, I know I heard someone else Apparate in." 

"Or Disapparate," Hermione said.

Harry frowned.  "I guess.  Well, there's only one thing I can really do now."

"Do you want to sneak into the Slytherin Common Room again?" Ron asked hopefully.  "We could take Polyjuice again and spy on them some more!"

"No," Harry was shaking his head.  "No, I'll tell Dumbledore what I heard.  He'll tell Snape and he can—"

"Harry!" Ron said, looking stricken.  "Are you mad?!  Snape is helping them!"

"Oh, Ron!" Hermione said exasperatedly.  "When have we ever been right about Snape?  He's a member of the Order and very trusted by everyone!  There is no reason!"

"Suit yourself," Ron said sullenly, crossing his arms and staring out the window as they pulled up the castle.  "But a git like him doesn't need a reason."

The last week in December before holidays passed in a blur with the mounting restlessness of the students.   Pranks and fireworks were growing more and more common in the castle hallways as holiday spirits rose.  Hermione had never even gotten in trouble for ditching her turn to decorate the castle as a Prefect because Neville said he had Luna help and cover for her. 

After conducting the mid-term exam for his third year Defense students, Harry let them have the last class before break to square off against him and cast all the spells for practical defense that he'd taught them.  It was a lot of fun for all of them and Orla Quirke had even managed to cast a Shield Charm that effectively blocked a Jelly Legs Jinx he threw at her.  The Slytherins in the class, most especially the boys who had initially been stand-offish and cool to Harry when the year had began, were now pompous at worst but still respectful of him.  Being able to dock House points from them whenever they'd insulted a classmate seemed to quickly convince them they ought to save those comments for when they were alone in some corridor. 

Just before the bell rang, Harry announced, "Excellent work everyone.  You've earned two points a piece for every properly executed spell."  Orla was exceedingly thrilled at this as she had mastered all but two of the spells.  (Despite having been introduced and instructed on the Patronus Charm in both this class and in their Charms class, none had mastered the conjuring of a corporeal one yet.)  "After you return from break, we shall begin work on some much darker creatures, including an introduction to a Dementor and its effects.  I'll have something ready to simulate one here in class and you will all get the chance to experience its effects."  The bell to signal the end of class rang then and Harry called out as they began to pack up, "No homework!  Have a good holiday!"

He was done; the last class of the day before break.  As the year had worn on it had become increasingly difficult to find time to himself, much less time when he could coax Hermione away from her work.   He was looking ever so forward to almost three whole weeks at Grimmauld Place with her. 

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REMINDER:  You can find chapter files, a discussion forum, and other dedicated and outrageously Potter-obsessed readers at my Yahoo group for this fic.  There is a link on my bio page to the group.  The Yahoo group name is: HP_AoF.  Cheers!