Chapter 21: The Six
Remus Lupin stood from the head table when he saw Harry and Hermione enter the Great Hall for lunch. Harry was taking his seat when he noticed the Professor approaching.
"You didn't do something yesterday, did you, Harry?" Remus asked.
Flushing, Harry thought of all he had done yesterday, and wondered which thing it was that Remus was referring to.
"I asked you to speak to Dumbledore," Remus reminded him softly. "Or..."
"Professor, I'm sorry!" Harry looked honestly surprised, which made Remus wonder what the boy had been up to the day previous. "I totally forgot..."
"You need to talk to him, Harry," Remus said. "He needs to know."
"I know," Harry agreed.
"Putting it off won't..."
"I didn't mean to!" Harry said, looking into the werewolf's eyes.
"Professor?" Ginny's voice came from the bench beside Harry. "It was my fault, professor, I..."
Remus looked down at her, the signature Weasley blush on her cheeks and then up again at Harry, a sparkle in his eyes.
"Ah..." he nodded, smiling. "I see."
"Professor..."
"So, make sure you speak to him today, please?" Remus grinned. "Otherwise, I'll make good on my threat to come and find you and drag you by the ear. Got it?"
"Yes, sir," Harry nodded.
"By tonight, Harry," Remus said again, then turned and made his way back up to the head table. Harry sat down.
"Sorry," Ginny murmured.
"Not your fault," Harry's cheeks were pink.
"Well, it was, rather, wasn't it...?"
Harry looked up to see her sparkling eyes, and the smile on her face, and he couldn't resist. He leaned forward and kissed her quickly.
"Oi!" Ron said through a mouthful of chicken pie. "'nuff o' 'at!"
The next night was the DA meeting. Harry was surprised when he and Ginny arrived in the hallway outside the classroom to find Tonks and Remus already there.
"Been waiting long?"
"Not as long as it took you and Miss Weasley to get here, apparently," Remus smiled, stepping forward. "You... umm..."
He lifted his hand and pointed to the corner of his own mouth. "Just.. right there, Harry... a bit of lipstick..."
Ginny laughed and turned him to look at her while she wiped away the evidence of their rather long trip around to the Room of Requirement. Harry flushed scarlet.
"Professor," Harry turned to Remus to cover his discomfort. "I spoke to Dumbledore..."
"Good," Remus nodded, his eyes still twinkling with merriment.
"He said I'm not to concern myself about it," Harry said softly. "It's just another sign of growing power..."
"As I thought, Harry," Remus nodded. "But the headmaster still needed to know."
"I know..." Harry agreed. "Sorry, yesterday I just got..."
"Distracted?" Remus's eyes danced. Harry made a rather strangled noise and then turned to enter the classroom.
The class was eager to learn more about the Death Hold, which Remus explained was why he was there. Dumbledore wanted the students to understand the seriousness of using such a spell, that there were consequences, and that the spell was considered borderline at best, and should only be used in the most dire of circumstances.
Lavender Brown was congratulated by Harry for her quick thinking in Hogsmeade on the weekend, and happily volunteered to go head to head with him in the demonstration duel. Harry wanted to show them the Shield Charm he'd used in the fight, and he needed someone to throw the appropriate spells.
By the time Harry was ready to assign homework and wrap up the class, he was exhausted. Lavender's spells had had more power than he'd expected.
"Before we dismiss the class, Harry," Remus stood. "I'd like to make an announcement. I spoke to the Headmaster after dinner this evening, and he has authorized a duelling competition for this class. I'm hoping to hold a small, impromptu practice session at the next class, and one evening next week, you can go head to head in front of the entire school."
There was excited chattering throughout the room.
"Why?" Harry asked, suspicious.
"I think it's important that the other students, those who choose to not come to this class, be allowed to see how the extra work affects your skill," Remus said. "Not to mention, I'd kind of like to go head to head with you, myself, at some point. It's been a while since I had a decent duel..."
Harry, with raised eyebrows, turned to the class. "Okay... looks like we've got a duelling competition. Anyone who wants to join in, be ready by next class. That's Thursday night. We'll be practicing duelling technique, and maybe we'll even have time for a short demonstration."
Turning back to Remus and Tonks, he grinned. "Something tells me this is going to be very, very interesting."
That Thursday's meeting of the Defense Association was well attended. Word had gotten around about the duelling competition, and many students who didn't attend regularly were there.
Harry and Ginny arrived early to set up, but it was a miracle that anything was ready an hour later when the first students began to arrive, considering how many breaks they had taken together. Although Ginny had avoided the boys' dorms, the hours of each day had been counted off with stolen kisses in the corridors, and each night marked by a lingering kiss in the alcove at the bottom of the girls' dormitory stairs. Whenever Harry's hands had strayed, he was reminded by a swift clearing of a brotherly throat. Ron was never far away.
As the students trickled in, Harry set them to working on their Shielding Charms. When Remus and Tonks arrived, suspiciously out of breath themselves, Harry looked at the werewolf with raised eyebrows.
"Not all of us have the… stamina... we used to," Moony grinned.
Harry turned away, turning bright red with embarrassment.
After the regular class, where Harry and his group moved around helping the others with their Shielding Charms, Harry set up mock duels between groups of two or three.
After Lavender Brown had been hit by a jelly-legs jinx for the third time, she grumbled, "But this is nothing like the real thing, Harry... you've got fifty Death Eaters surrounding you, and only thirty of you..."
"You're right, Lavender," Harry agreed. "But not everyone in here has experienced a real duel, with real Death Eaters. I hope most of you never have to."
"But that's just it, Harry," Dennis Creevey spoke up. "How are we supposed to know what it's like if all we ever experience is the two on two or three on three that you throw at us in class?"
"Dennis..." Remus began.
"No, he's got a point, Professor," Harry nodded. "Okay, fair enough.... how about a little demonstration, then?"
"What?" Ron asked, stepping forward. "We can do without any Death Eaters, Harry..."
"No... I mean... a real demonstration, with more than three people to worry about. I need more room..."
Immediately, the room began to expand.
"We need it to look like... the main street of Hogsmeade... as it did last Saturday during the attack," Harry continued. Immediately, the floor became the dusty street, the walls the storefronts. A few of the students who had never witnessed this change looked around, dumbfounded.
"Okay, here's what we're going to do. The Death Eater attack last weekend started with eight Death Eaters... that will be Ron, Hermione, Neville, Luna, Ginny and I and... the Professors. The rest of you... are the students...."
"Harry!" Lavender cried. "There's over a hundred of us in here..."
"So?" Harry grinned at her. "Scared?"
Lavender got a glint in her eye that showed just how scared she was. She was a Gryffindor, and didn't scare easily.
"Bring it on, hot stuff," she muttered.
"As you all seem to think that things such as jelly-legs jinxes and the like are useless in a real duel, we've got a rule. Nothing more serious than a Full Body Bind... for those of you having difficulty... that's...petrificus totalis!" Harry yelled, turning and throwing the spell in question at Seamus, who quickly blocked it... and the duel began.
Within minutes, it was apparent that Harry's class had learned, and learned well. Harry and his group were holding their own, but the hundred or so other students were definitely a challenge.
Perhaps this wasn't such a great idea, Harry thought, dodging a curse shot at him from the direction of the illusionary Three Broomsticks. Dennis Creevey!
Albus Dumbledore walked along the corridor from the Great Hall towards his chambers. He had a lot on his mind. In addition to the Order meeting the night before, he was concerned about the prophecies. Both had been given on the same night, by the same person. Worse yet, a muggle. Muggles were notoriously unreliable.
And now, he was almost certain that the first prophecy referred to Harry and his friends. Which meant, should that be true, that the second prophecy was indeed about Ginevra Weasley. He had long believed it, but if one put aside that annoying "seven of seven of seven of seven" reference, there were actually two other young witches it could have referred to.
But it didn't. And Dumbledore was certain now.
As he walked, he became more and more aware of a growing... energy. Like a soap bubble that continued to expand, growing and becoming more and more noticable.
Albus stopped, and looked up along the corridor. Something was happening. Within the walls of Hogwarts. Right now.
Without realizing it, Albus began to hurry along the corridor. He knew where Harry was... there was a DA meeting scheduled for that night in the Room of Requirement. He could only pray that this energy was not an outside force trying to gain entry, but Harry himself.
Either way, he knew it had something to do with the young wizard, and he had to find him, fast. Because, eventually, all soap bubbles pop.
As they threw curses and jinxes, Harry began to be aware of a sense of energy in the room. His group began to fight together, as a team, and suddenly, it was over.
In less than seven minutes, they had managed to disarm or bind every student in the room.
Tonks stood, looking at her wand hand. "I think I chipped a nail."
And that was when Harry turned to the now open door to see Albus Dumbledore standing there, his face pale with shock, and worse yet, the twinkle gone from his eye.
"Professor?"
"Dear Merlin, it's true..." the elderly headmaster muttered, looking at the group at the front of the room. "In all my years..."
"Professor?" Harry looked at him, uncertain of what was happening, but knowing that something had shocked the old wizard.
"Albus?" Remus said, moving to his side. "What is it?"
"The energy, Remus... did you feel it?"
"Energy?"
"What energy?" Hermione asked quietly, her eyes concerned.
"Class dismissed, everyone... for next week I want you to..." Harry looked around, trying desperately to think of something to assign for homework so he could get the hundred or so gawking students out of the way. Many were still groaning from the duel... hopefully few had noticed Dumbledore's condition.
"Shielding charms and Patronus," Ginny whispered from his side.
"Yes... study your shielding charms and practice producing your Patronus. Next Tuesday night, everyone!"
After the students had filed out, Harry changed the classroom back to the intimate room he had first seen it as, a fire glowing in the grate, and comfortable sofas arranged around it.
"Come, Professor, sit down..."
"I'm fine, Harry. Really, I'm fine. I was just... surprised."
"At what?"
"I am assuming that there was some sort of duel demonstration here tonight?" Dumbledore asked, sitting down and gratefully taking a mug of tea from Hermione.
"Yes... some of the students were concerned that our one on one duels didn't give them a real idea of what a fight with Death Eaters was like... I suggested that the eight of us go up against the class... to give them an idea of what that size of a duel feels like," Harry confirmed.
"The eight of you? Who were in the eight?"
"Myself, Ron, Hermione, Ginny... Neville and Luna... and the Professors," Harry said.
"I see," Dumbledore nodded. "So it is true."
"True?" Harry looked confused. "What is true?"
"Was there anything... odd about the duel?"
"Only that it was over so bloody quick," Tonks said. "There were eight of us, but we went up against over a hundred students... it shouldn't have been that easy. It only lasted a couple of minutes, and I know what these kids are capable of."
"During the time that I assume this duel was taking place, there was an energy burst within the castle," Dumbledore said.
Remus stared at the headmaster. "You mean...?"
"I believe so, Remus, yes. Harry, have you shared the contents of the prophecy I gave you with the others?"
"Yes..." Harry said. "Yes, I have, but not with Tonks and Remus."
"What prophecy?" Remus looked confused. Quickly, Harry told them, and then turned back to the professor.
"Professor, you think that this... energy you felt has something to do with the prophecy?"
"Yes, Harry, I do. You were fighting as a team, the six of you. You have a combined power that is... well, it's quite remarkable, if my guess is correct."
"Combined power?" Harry asked.
"Albus, such a thing hasn't been..."
"It's been a very long time, Remus. I know. But I do believe that that is what it is. When you were fighting together as a team, something happened..."
"That is quite remarkable," Remus nodded. "I'm impressed."
"But..." Harry shook his head. Something just wasn't right.
"Harry, this is something we can use... in our fight," Remus said. "What the headmaster is saying is that the power the six of you display is beyond the sum of it's parts. This is very good news!"
"But we fought together as a team at the Department of Mysteries two years ago..." Harry said. "Nothing happened then! What's different?"
"It's love," Ginny said. "When we were in the Department of Mysteries we weren't... well, none of us were together then, were we?"
"So, because we're now dating, something's changed?" Hermione scoffed. "Ginny, our feelings were the same, then. I'm pretty sure that Fate wouldn't care if we'd realized anything yet."
"Perhaps..." Dumbledore nodded. "But Fate would certainly have noticed the expression of your feelings..."
Hermione stilled, a faint blush coming to her cheeks as she glanced at Ron, who was already nearly purple. Neville and Luna looked uncomfortable, and Harry glanced at Ginny, who grinned back at him.
"Yes, well..." Dumbledore smiled. "I can see that things are entirely normal at Hogwarts. The expression of love, in it's many forms, holds a powerful magic of it's own, Miss Granger. Do not dismiss it as unremarkable to Fate... she would definitely have noticed that kind of change."
"Well, if..." Hermione cleared her throat. "If that is the case, then it explains the 'two and two and two', but what about the others lines...?"
"Three and three," Ron said. "Easy. Three blokes and you three girls."
"And Four and Two?" Hermione said, turning to Ron.
"Four..." Harry looked at her, his brow furrowed in thought. "Four seventh years and two sixth years?"
"Every puzzle has it's solution, Miss Granger," Dumbledore stood. "The six of you need to practice. Together. I have a feeling that all of you have a role to play, not just Harry alone. Harry, I know I told you that I had no confirmed proof that this prophecy concerned you, only my own suspicions. But I think I can now definitely say that it is, indeed, you and your friends that it speaks of. Tonight, it has been proven. You are the Six."
I am really impressed with the number of reviews I'm getting... thank you all so very much!
CQ
Dkandmax: Thank you so much!
Larna Mandrea: I think I know what you're thinking, and I wanted to tell you I considered it, but in the end it didn't work out that way. We'll see if there is a sequel somewhere here after the final chapters are posted – maybe there we'll expand on this.
Shotgunn: Nice to know I can even make the cliches unique! But you're right, I needed some way to make them act 17, but make it clear that Harry is more than just 'serious' about her... we'll see where it takes us! As for doing better this week, I did try, really...
Not Your Average: See? Told you – you lay off on the Mione thing, and magic happens! I take care of my readers... BTW, Moldie-Voldie definitely makes an appearance... he has to, but I promise, it's not going to be a "months passed" kind of thing.... well, not in the way you're talking about, anyhow...
Treck: No. I promise you, I'm not... really. Ron is still Ginny's brother, and isn't going to stop being protective of her anytime soon, but there's stuff he can take and stuff he needs to take time to get used to. There will be evidence of his having accepted it later.
Emily: No, the story is not done... I wouldn't leave you hanging like that. I'm finished writing the first draft, that's all... it has to go to my beta, and be reviewed by me once more. I promise, I wouldn't do that to you!
MrsSakuraPotter: They are, indeed, soul mates... As for the muse, everyone's works differently. Mine buggers off for days at a time and only comes back when I get in a new stock of wasabi peas.... but I can tell you, she wouldn't even speak to me if I didn't have a framework to work from! Voldie definitely has a role to play... later.
Elric Gaskins: Oh, there is definitely more Malfoy coming! LOL!
Theblondeone07: Nope – not the end of the story. But I've finished the first draft... well, the second now. All remaining chapters are now with my beta.
PlumCrazyRangerBabe: I am honored to be your first review! As for the trust issue, I approached it from the other side, really – Harry had none, and had to learn to build it up again. His "confrontation" with Mollyin the early chapters showed how far he'd fallen – as I really think that the elder Weasleys are the only people he truly DID completely trust. Even Ron has broken Harry's trust – remember his reaction to Harry's involvement in the TriWizard tournament? Not to mention the whole supposed Harry/Hermione thing. Ginny, too, has hurt him in past, pretending to be something she wasn't... everyone really, except Molly and Arthur. But the most important thing is trust in oneself, and acceptance that we all, including ourselves, make mistakes.
PCB: This fic has an R rating for a reason. I've put applicable warnings on, and trust me, compared to some of what is out there, any "extracurricular activities" they get up to in my fic are tame (and nowhere near as graphic) in comparison..
Extra thanks to those who reviewed: Merlindamage, MedievalWoman, MysticRuby, Kordolin, BJ, Mehgan, Gee-Unit, kitties-rule878, XiaoXiao, pdlegirl