"Ahh!"
After a few quick peeks, Harry tried again. With his eyes more adjusted to the brightness of the room, he was free to look and see what the heck was next to him. As he turned his head, he idly wondered why the devil hospital rooms always seemed to be white. Not a good color to wake up to.
All other thoughts ceased, however, when he realized what that 'something' pressed against him was - Tonks.
Curled up next to him, she had an arm draped up and against his chest slightly. Her head was resting halfway on the pillow and halfway on his left shoulder. The corners of her eyes seemed red and puffy, as if she had been crying for an extended period of time. Harry blushed.
"Tonks?" He whispered, bringing up his right hand to shake her, as his left was trapped against his side. "Tonks... oi, wake up..."
Tonks let out a sudden sniff and stirred slightly. Harry smiled, thinking she was waking up. He should have known better. With a murmur of "Jus' five more minutes, mummy..." She snuggled up better and promptly resumed sleeping.
Harry rolled his eyes and, as he tried forcing his blush away, began shaking her again. "Oi! I'm not your mum. Come on, Tonks, wake up!"
After a good minute of this, Harry scowled and whispered, "Nyyyymmyyy, it's time for breeeeeakfaaaast..."
"Don't call me 'Nymmy'..." Tonks grumbled, bringing a hand up to rub at her eyes. "Wh'time izzit?"
"Time to get off my arm so the blood can resume flowing to it?" Harry offered, smiling crookedly.
Tonks froze. Slowly, she tilted her head to look up at him. Her eyes were wide, as if she were just seeing him for the first time. She then blinked and looked down. Letting out an embarrassed squeak, Tonks quickly scooted back and sat up, staring down at the floor as Harry chuckled.
"Not funny." Tonks said. "Was worried 'bout you..."
Harry frowned. "I'm sorry... It's just... well..."
"You went off through the trapdoor after seeing Flitwick?" Tonks suggested.
"...Yeah. I suppose everyone knows what's happened?" Harry asked, sighing.
"You know how rumors spread in this place." Tonks said, putting a hand over one of Harry's and giving it a bit of a squeeze.
"So... what happened, anyway? Last thing I remember was trying to burn Quirrell's face off with my hands, somehow...and him trying to choke me out before I beat him..." Harry said, a shiver running down his spine at the memory.
"Well, it's like this, I think. I got up in the middle of the night, 'cause somethin' felt weird. Ever get that feeling? Anyway, I wanted to go for a walk, so I had Walt lemme out... only he said you left a bit earlier and hadn't come back. I got to worrying an' eventually went to Flitwick. After that, I went to write to Dumbledore an' he went to get McGonagall..." Tonks said, leaning back on her arms as she spoke.
"I ran down from the Owlery to the third floor corridor after that, an' both Flitwick and McGonagall were already there. He wouldn't lemme go very far, but what I did see scared me pretty bad... Who did that to the dog?" Tonks continued, looking to Harry as she asked her question.
"Fluffy? I guess it was Quirrell..." Harry said, sighing. "I almost felt sorry for it..."
"FLUFFY?" Tonks asked, goggling at her friend.
"Hagrid named it, not me." Harry said with a shrug.
"McGonagall was just coming back to say something when Dumbledore showed up. He looked really furious, too. Remember how he looked when he shot down that troll? Multiply that by about a hundred an' that's how he looked. He didn't say anything, he just flew down the hallway faster than a guy his age has any business moving... and hopped down the trapdoor." Tonks explained.
"I thought I heard a voice right before I blacked out..." Harry said. "...Wonder if Snape's alright."
"Snape?"
"Yeah... didn't Dumbledore bring him and Quirrell up, too?" Harry asked, somewhat confused.
"Dunno. When I caught sight of you, looking so limp, I... Um... I kinda lost it." Tonks said, looking off and blushing slightly. "You looked so limp in his arms. I grabbed at your hand when he carried you by and followed you all the way up. Wouldn't let go of it for anything, not even Madam Pomfrey..."
Harry noticed for the first time that he was still in his robes instead of in some of the hospital's pajamas. "Ahh..." He said.
"Yeah... well, I wouldn't leave, either. Pomfrey tried glaring me out, but I wasn't gonna leave. I...um... guess I kinda fell asleep. Sorry 'bout that."
Harry shook his head. "S'okay, Tonks... really. I'm actually touched that you cared enough to stay with me the whole time..."
"Yeah, well..." Tonks said, shaking her head. "Anyway, only news I've gotten from outside this place came from Leon. He appointed himself as the doorman to the hospital wing between his classes. And when he wasn't there, Hermione was."
"Really? That's surprising..."
"She looked about as upset as I did." Tonks said, grinning a little. "I hear she actually threatened to hex one of her dorm mates that wanted a peek at you."
Harry raised an eyebrow.
"Every so often, one of the two'll tote in a large supply of cards and sweets an' stuff." Tonks said, hopping to her feet an' tugging the curtain to the next bed over back. On it was a small feast of sweets of all shapes and sizes, along with what seemed like dozens of cards. Harry gaped.
"All that's for me?" He managed, staring at the pile.
"Well, I'd hoped you'd be a gentleman and share it with your best mates, y'know." Tonks said, jutting her bottom lip out as far as it could go. Harry laughed.
"Of course I'll share, stop doing that! If I tried eating all of that, I'd wind up right back in here to get my stomach pumped or something." He said, looking back at the pile. "...I still wish I knew what happened to Snape and Quirrell, though."
"Gonna tell me what happened down there? I only know how things started and how they've ended. You've gotta fill me in on what happened between the two points..." Tonks said.
"A fine idea... but, if I may, I would like to hear, as well." Came an old, familiar voice from nearby.
Dumbledore strode over, smiling pleasantly. "I'm glad to see you up and about, Harry." He said, a twinkle in his eyes.
"Thank you, sir..." Harry said. "...Alright, if I tell you what happened before you showed up, will you tell me what happened after I blacked out?"
"Consider it a deal." Said the headmaster, walking around to the side of the bed Tonks wasn't on and sitting down.
"Well... when I got into the final chamber, I saw Snape and Quirrell with their wands aimed on each other. Both kept trying to get me to stun the other or something... Um... I kinda chose the wrong person to trust..." Harry said, wincing slightly. "Quirrell took off his turban and... and I know this is going to sound bizarre, but he had a face sticking out of the back of his head!"
"A face?" Tonks asked, cocking an eyebrow.
"Voldemort's, I think... I'm not a hundred percent sure what happened
to Snape, because my scar started hurting worse than it ever has.
Even with all that's happened to me back at Number Four, I've never
hurt as badly as I did then. I tried fighting off the pain so I could
stay conscious... I know Voldemort... or Quirrell, one of the two... was yelling something at Snape. When I came to, Snape was down and
twitching, sort of..."
Dumbledore nodded slowly at this, but said nothing. When Harry looked to him, he simply nodded, indicating for Harry to continue.
"Anyway, after that, Quirrell turned to me and ordered me to tell him how the Mirror worked. Not sure what he meant, exactly, but... I felt like I should try and convince him I didn't know. So I walked up and lied about what I saw." Harry said.
"And what did you see?" Dumbledore asked, softly.
"I saw myself...with the Philosopher's Stone, sir." Harry answered. "...I'm not really sure what happened after that. You see, I saw my reflection drop the Stone into his pocket... and then I felt a weight sink down in mine. Quirrell shoved me out of the way and I fell on that side... the Stone made a noise when I landed, which made him look over. Voldemort yelled for him to get me..."
Licking his lips and taking a deep breath, Harry continued, "He charged over and started choking me. I grabbed at his arms and tried kicking him away, but I wasn't strong enough. Odd thing, though... he backed off a few seconds later, yelling something about his hands. Not sure what that was all about, either... He couldn't seem to touch me, for some reason.
"So when Quirrell aimed his wand and started what was probably the Killing Curse, I lunged at him and grabbed his face as hard as I could. He screamed and dropped his wand, trying to pry my fingers loose. When that didn't work, he started choking me again... he kept with it that time, though... and I eventually passed out. Next time I know, I'm in the hospital wing..." Harry finished.
Dumbledore nodded again, then smiled. "Harry," he began, "I must confess that I am astounded at what you have managed to do. Not only were you able to hold off Voldemort until I returned, but you also managed to protect the Stone and keep it out of his grasp..."
"But how, sir?" Harry asked, brows creased. "How did I get the Stone?"
"Ah, yes..." Said Dumbledore, smiling pleasantly. "That was one of my more brilliant ideas, if you don't mind an old man saying so. You see, only one who wanted to find the Stone - find it, but not use it - would be able to get it... Elsewise, they would simply see themselves making Elixir of Life... or making gold. Quite possibly both, if my knowledge of less than noble people serves me."
"And why couldn't Quirrell touch me?" Harry then asked, storing the information just given to him for a later, more relaxing time.
At this, the twinkle in Dumbledore's eyes seemed to fade for the briefest of moments. "That, Harry, is because of your mother's love for you. She died to save you, understand. If there is anything that Voldemort cannot understand, it is love. Lily loved you deeply, Harry. Love such as this will leave its own mark on us. Quirrell, so far gone as he was and sharing his being with Voldemort could not touch you for this reason. To touch a person marked by something so good must have caused him great agony..."
Harry nodded, staring down at his lap. It hurt to think of his parents too much. It brought back the memories he had of sitting in front of the very Mirror he had received the Stone from. Thinking of this, however, brought one last question to Harry's lips.
"Professor? What's going to happen to the Stone? It doesn't feel like it's in my pocket anymore..."
Dumbledore smiled again. "I was wondering if you would ask. I removed the Stone shortly after bringing you here. It has been decided, I am afraid, that the Stone is too dangerous a thing to exist."
"It's been destroyed...?" Harry asked. "But... what about Flamel and his wife? I mean, won't they die...?"
"You know about Nicolas, do you?" Dumbledore said, grinning now. "Well, Harry... Nicolas and I had a little chat. He was the one to ask that I destroy the Stone. He and Perenelle have enough Elixir to get their affairs in order... but then, yes, they will die...
"But you know, Harry... Nicolas once told me something. He said that, to the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure. And, I feel, after living so very long, they are both eagerly awaiting the journey ahead of them."
"What of Quirrell and Snape?"
"Severus is recovering well in his office, despite Poppy's numerous attempts to get him to stay." Dumbledore said, a smile still in place. "If nothing else, Severus is strong in both body and mind. The curse he was hit with was a powerful one, but he has survived it in the past, more times than I'm sure we would all care to remember. Quirinus, on the other hand, did not end up quite as well. With Voldemort in his mind, slowly driving him insane, he refused to let go of you, even after I arrived. I had to literally pry his fingers from your throat and was fearful I was too late in doing so for a time. His face was badly disfigured, as well as his hands. When he fell, no signs of Voldemort could be seen on his body...and I assume that his spirit decided to vacate before it was too late, as it were...
"Currently, Quirinus is in St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries and is in critical condition... but hope is high that he will survive. Unfortunately, due to the actions he took while under Voldemort's influence, he will most likely be sent to Azkaban when he recovers." Dumbledore finished.
Harry slumped back in bed, shutting his eyes and letting out a long breath. "I'm just glad it's over with... Professor? Could I ask something a bit... odd? A sort of request..."
Dumbledore tilted his head.
"Um...could you ask that no one else brings me anything? I'm going to have a time of finishing off the sweets I already have, even with splitting it up. And I'm sure it'll take an hour or two to get through all of the cards..." Harry said, making a face.
Dumbledore rose and walked over to inspect the pile of sweets for himself, chuckling quietly. "I will try, Harry. But I'm afraid your admirers will find ways to sneak more to you. ...Ahh, what's this? Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans... You know, I used to be quite the fan of these..."
"Used to be?" Tonks asked.
"I am afraid I was unfortunate enough to run across a vomit-flavored
one." Dumbledore said, opening the package and peering into it. "But,
I think, I might try once more... perhaps I would be safe with a
toffee-flavored bean..."
Dumbledore pulled out a harmless-looking bean, inspected it briefly, then popped it into his mouth. A moment later, his face scrunched up as he swallowed hard. "Alas," he said, coughing once, "Bunion."
oOoOoOoOoOoOo
When Harry was released from Madam Pomfrey's care days later, he headed straight for the Ravenclaw common room to wait for his friends to return from classes. It felt good to be back to more comfortable surroundings, he thought as he slipped into his favorite chair. While he still had more than half of his sweets left, he had managed to get through all of the cards that had been sent to him.
Tonks and Solieyu came back within the hour, along with a half dozen other Ravenclaws. Seeing Harry lost in a book, Tonks rushed over and practically hopped on his lap to give him a fierce hug. She had visited every day, but seemed worried that she would show up one day and he would be gone again. Harry let out a squawk of surprise, his book sailing through the air. Solieyu caught it, an amused look on his face.
"Oi, gerroff, Tonks!" Harry said, blushing as he realized how much attention the two were getting.
Tonks blushed and quickly slipped onto the arm of the chair, but smiled. "Sorry... it's good to see you out of the hospital wing, that's all..."
"Warn me next time?" Harry asked, taking his book back when Solieyu held it out.
"You want there to be a next time?" Said the long-haired boy, eyebrows raised.
Harry glared at him. Tonks blushed and stared off towards the fireplace.
"You know, she did better than Dumbledore at keeping presents and such away." Solieyu commented, nodding toward Tonks. "You should have seen her. A pair of 6th year Gryffindor girls were planning to stop by and drop something off. Tonks overheard them and went into a fury, telling them in no uncertain terms that she'd 'hex them 'til their pink bits fell off.' I've never seen a pair of sixteen year olds run off like they did. She also gave a few Ravenclaws the Evil Eye and growled at a Hufflepuff girl to leave you alone..."
Then, almost as an afterthought, Solieyu grinned and added, "Your girlfriend sure is bossy."
"Shut up!" Harry said, staring down at his lap and trying not to blush again.
"You keep that up and I'll hex your pink bits off." Tonks snarled, glaring daggers at Solieyu, who chuckled and walked off, shaking his head.
"I'll be up in the dorm studying if you need me." He said before disappearing up the stairs.
"Girlfriend..." Harry said, groaning. "That's all we need. A rumor that you're my girlfriend. You'd have the female half of the school against you..."
Tonks, who had been staring at the spot Solieyu had been in moments before, suddenly looked back to Harry, grinning. "Oh, I dunno. Might be worth it to see the looks on their faces. Whatcha think, Harry? Care to have me falling all over you tomorrow at breakfast?"
"Urg, Tonks... don't encourage theeeemmm..." Harry whined, burying his face in his hands.
Tonks patted his back and tried very hard not to giggle out loud.
oOoOoOoOoOoOo
It wasn't until a week later that Harry found something strange. He
was changing into the robes he had been wearing the day he faced off
against Quirrell when, by chance, his hand slipped into the pocket
that the Stone had been dropped into by his reflection. For a moment,
it felt as if nothing was wrong. As he was drawing his hand back out, however, something dug into his palm, causing him to draw in a hissed
breath.
Frowning, Harry pulled the pocket out and peered into it. When he figured out what had cut him, he gasped. Reaching in, Harry pulled out a smallish, red shard - one that had previously been a part of the Philosopher's Stone.
Jagged on both ends and very smooth on the sides, the shard was barely
the length of his pinky finger and just slightly wider. Thinking back,
Harry assumed it must have happened when Quirrell shoved him to the
floor right after he had been given the Stone. Crashing to the ground
must have chipped off a small portion that Dumbledore seemed not to
have noticed when he had retrieved the rest of the Stone from Harry's
pocket.
Harry gazed at the shard for a few minutes, almost entranced by how beautiful it was. He almost wished that he had gotten a good look at the rest of the Stone, for it had felt quite heavy in his pocket. But now, Harry was faced with a decision - should he tell Dumbledore what he had found, or should he keep the shard? After staring at the shard for a few minutes longer, Harry eventually decided that he would pose the question to Tonks and Solieyu.
Unfortunately, due to the amount of homework being given these days, it took almost another week before he remembered to ask them to meet with him in an empty classroom somewhere.
"So what's this about?" Solieyu asked, leaning against the door to the room they had ducked into. "You seemed nervous."
"Well," Harry began, looking around the room to make sure that no one was lurking behind a spare desk or something, "You know how I said I got pushed by Quirrell down in the final room?"
"Yes..."
"Well, I think the Stone fractured when I landed, because I was getting on the robe I had been wearing that day when I found this." Harry said, carefully pulling the shard from his pocket. Tonks gasped and Solieyu raised his eyebrows in surprise.
"Is that really a piece of it?" Tonks asked, stepping closer to look. Harry held it out to her, warning that the ends were quite sharp.
"Guess so." Harry said. "It's the right color and I dunno where else I would pick up something like that. Anyway, I was hoping to get some input from you two on what I should do with it... On one hand, I think I should tell Dumbledore, since he said that he and Flamel decided that the Stone should be destroyed. On the other..."
"You want a memento?" Solieyu supplied. Harry nodded.
"Yeah, something like that." Harry said. "I dunno what I'd do with something like that and I certainly wouldn't go around saying I had it, but... I dunno. A part of me just really wants to keep it."
"I don't blame ya, it's beautiful!" Tonks said, holding the shard up to the light coming in through one of the room's windows, causing it to sparkle.
"I don't see what the harm in it would be." Solieyu said, looking from the Stone to Harry. "As long as you don't plan on making gold or turning yourself immortal."
Harry groaned, shaking his head. "I've got more gold in my vault at Gringott's than I know what to do with. And I can't even begin to imagine living as long as Flamel has..."
"You two would... look amusing at six hundred and sixty-five years old, I'm sure." Solieyu said, masking a grin rather poorly.
"Oh, sod off, Leon." Tonks grumbled. "Keep it, mate... just don't tell anyone else about it."
Harry looked to each of his friends, back at the Stone shard... then grinned and nodded. "Alright, I'll keep it. I'll hide it at the bottom of my trunk, under all my other stuff. That should do it."
With that particular problem out of the way, the trio headed off to find Fred and George Weasley. Ron had returned to the school recently and was, for the most part, now behaving. Every so often, Harry caught the redhead glaring his way. Hermione hadn't reported him starting in on her again, and Harry was going to make sure things stayed that way.
oOoOoOoOoOoOo
"Harry! Leon! NYMMMYYYYYY!" Cried the twins when they saw the trio approaching. They were out near Hagrid's hut, discussing something quietly when Harry and his friends approached. Tonks glared at them.
"Don't call me Nymmy!" She roared.
"Awww, alright, Nymmy." Said Fred.
"Won't ever use it again, Nymmy, you can count on us!" Said George, saluting the 11 year old girl formally.
Tonks scowled.
"Alright there, 'Arry?" Hagrid said, sounding a bit nervous.
"Uh, yeah..." Harry said, not quite meeting the half-giant's gaze.
Solieyu nudged Harry, forcing him back to the reason he was there in the first place. "Oh, right. Sorry... Fred, George, we were just wondering how your little brother's been doing since getting back."
The twins exchanged a glance, both smiling. Fred made a vague gesture with his left hand as he said, "Oh, you know... very Ron-like."
"He's not picking on Hermione, if that's whatcha meant." Said George. "Mum sent us a letter, saying exactly what happened while he was back at The Burrow."
"Where?" Harry asked.
"The Burrow. S'what we call our home." Fred explained. "Anyway, mum had him de-gnoming the garden from sun-up to sun-down one day, made him manually do all the chores in the house for the whole of the time he was there, and actually sent him off to one of her old schoolmates who became a disciplinarian!"
"Ickle Ronniekins got a lesson on manners." George said, snickering. "I don't think he wants to go through that again."
"He's trying a lot harder to keep his big yap shut." Fred said, looking thoughtful. "...Anyway, is that all you wanted to ask?"
"Actually, we were hoping you could pull Number Seven Opposite on him." Tonks chimed in, smiling.
"Seven Opposite?" Fred asked, then thought for a minute. "Ahh, wasn't that the one where...?"
"Yup! We talked it over and thought it only fitting. In addition, there's something new we'd like to add to it... specifially thought up with Ron in mind." Harry said, trying his best to smile innocently.
For his part, Hagrid just listened in, looking outright baffled at the conversation that was going on.
oOoOoOoOoOoOo
The next morning, Harry, Tonks, and Solieyu entered the Great Hall to loud laughter. The three had practiced their best poker faces the night before and also before heading down. Calmly, they went to their usual spots at the end of the Ravenclaw table. Only then did they turn to see what was so funny...
Ron Weasley, dressed in Slytherin-green robes, seemed to be yelling at his older twin brothers from his spot at the Gryffindor table. 'Seemed to' because he was looking down at the moment. In his left hand, he held open a book and he couldn't seem to take his eyes off of it. His right hand was attempting to get at some food, but as he couldn't see his plate properly, he was having a time of it.
"Ronald Weasley - Git, Slytherin, and total bookworm." Tonks murmured
under her breath as she began nibbling on a piece of toast. "Ahh.
feels good to get that outta my system."
"It's less than he deserves... but the humiliation could do him some good." Said Harry, equally as quiet.
"You two are going to be the death of me." Solieyu murmured, rolling his eyes as he stabbed at a bit of sausage on his plate and pushing it around.
"Hermione seems to be amused, in any case." Tonks said, nodding towards the bushy-haired girl, who had a hand over her mouth so as not to appear to be outright laughing. "S'a nice sight, really. She spent too much time this year in a sad mood."
"Justice has been served, I think." Harry said, smiling.
"I dare say it has." Said an old voice from directly behind Harry.
The trio jumped. None had heard or seen the headmaster sneak up behind them. He was looking across the room at Ron over his half-moon glasses, a faint smile on the corners of his mouth. "Harry, a word, if I may?"
"Um... sure. I'll be right back, guys." Harry said, getting up and following Dumbledore out into the Entrance Hall.
"Should I assume that you three have been the masterminds behind the Weasley Twins' pranks this year?" Dumbledore asked, smiling down at Harry, who looked off.
"Um... well, a few of them." Harry admitted.
"Most concerning Mr. Malfoy, correct?"
"Yeah..."
There was a silence, then, "Harry, I must ask you a few questions."
Harry grinned slightly. "I believe you already have... but feel free, sir."
Dumbledore chuckled. "Indeed I have. Ahh, while I am glad you are in such a good mood, Harry... I fear that you may not be in such a state after I finish with my questioning..."
"Sir?" Harry asked, tilting his head.
"You see, Harry... When you defeated Voldemort when you were just a baby... he vanished. Most believed him to be dead. But, as you saw with your own eyes, he is not. Not quite, in any case. He lives on in some bodiless form, most likely drifting from host body to host body in search of a way to return to his own..." Dumbledore began, walking with Harry toward the front doors of the school, which opened on their own as they approached.
"You may have wondered why you were left with your aunt, uncle, and cousin after your parents died. It was for a very simple reason... wards protect Number Four, Privet Drive, from anyone who might with to do harm to you. They were created over time, as I and others working for or with me saw fit. However, in order to keep the wards active, you must return for a time each year after finishing your schooling here at Hogwarts..."
Harry turned to stare at the old wizard as the two walked out onto school grounds. "Go back to the Dursleys?" He asked, his voice a pitch or two higher than normal. "You can't... You know what they did to me! What are they going to think if I suddenly show up after a year of being gone?"
"I have already written to them, rest assured... They will not cause you problems any longer, Harry. Not unless they want me to personally pay them a visit. I assure you, you will be perfectly safe there." Said Dumbledore, putting a hand on Harry's right shoulder and offering a squeeze.
"No, you don't know them like I do..." Harry said, darkly. "They'll go back to... well, to beating me... the moment I step through the door. Can't I stay with Tonks and her mum? Can't the wards be switched to their house?"
"I am afraid not, Harry." Said the headmaster, a hint of sadness in his voice. "They are free to visit you at any time, however... indeed, I think it would be wise for Andromeda to help keep an eye on you. Knowing that you're being watched by a fully grown witch, a fully grown wizard, and one very protective and energetic young girl might just be enough to hold their hands in preventing anything bad from further befalling you..."
Harry sighed. He had tried not to think about what would happen once the school year ended. It wasn't far away, and he didn't enjoy the thought of having to return to the place that still gave him nightmares. Slipping his hands into his pockets, he asked, "How long do I have to stay before I can go back to Tonks' place?"
"Three weeks, minimum, I'm afraid." Said Dumbledore. "I plan to write to Andromeda tonight and ask for her assistance in this matter. I'm sure she'll help keep you safe until you can leave. While I wish there were something to be done about this arrangement, I cannot change the past. I hope you'll understand why this has to be done this way, Harry..."
"Yeah... I understand." Harry said, feeling his shoulders slump. "But it doesn't mean I have to like it."
oOoOoOoOoOoOo
Author's Notes: Heyyy, guess what? ONE CHAPTER LEFT! All the main story for Retransmuted is over, folks! We've made it, and I've tipped the scales at over 100,000 words for, I think, the very first time. This fic's also been the most reviews I've ever had at one time, which I'm very appreciative of. Hearing the various comments and reading on what you guys think might happen next is always good incentive to hurry up.
To those who've asked, I suppose I SHOULD have mentioned it here
before... I mention on my author page that I AM planning to continue
this AU storyline through more than just book 1. In fact, I plan to
take this through seventh year and possibly beyond. Like Rowling, I
already have the final bit of Book 7 written out. It'll drive people
up the wall, and I eagerly await getting to it to see the reactions.
In addition, as of this moment, I'm not sure whether I'll be doing
an original 6th year or if I'll be going off of Half-Blood Prince. It
all depends on whether JKR finishes it before I get to the end of
writing Order Reassembled.
I'm glad people like Leon. I have interesting things planned for him in the future. That's one of the hard parts of writing these early books - no one knows any powerful spells yet. Tsk. Anyway, enjoy the Honks moments in this chapter. I've got a question I'm going to throw out to you guys at the end of 24, but I feel kinda awkward about it. Ah well. I'll go write that part of the author's notes for 24 now and get it outta the way. Seeya then, everyone!