Hermione pulled Keanu into the Alley, where the Death Eaters were wrecking havoc.
"You stay here," she said, shoving him into an alley between Quality Quidditch Supplies and Flourish and Blotts. "I'm going to go get Dumbledore."
And with that, she disappeared with a crack.
Keanu watched in horror as the Death Eaters cursed children and their parents. He knew Hermione had told him to stay put, but he wasn't going to let this go on. There was only one problem. He didn't know any spells past Stupefy, which he had heard being shouted frequently. Summing up his courage, he stepped out of the alleyway and pointed his new wand at a Death Eater.
"Stupefy!" he yelled, and to his immense pleasure, the Death Eater fell, immovable. Grinning, Keanu moved on.
Ten minutes later, Keanu had Stunned three Death Eaters. He was trying to get out of any duels, seeing as he knew one charm. Keanu had just stunned his fourth Death Eater, when he was hit with a curse.
Ten thousand burning knives were now poking him in every place on his body. He screamed, he had never felt anything like this. He was just about to pass out when he saw Hermione standing over him, her wand pointed at the Death Eater and her bushy hair crackling with electricity and magic.
"In anima bellam mortis!" she yelled. The Death Eater looked the same. But suddenly, he or she was on the ground, screaming. Then she-Keanu could tell by the screams-stopped. She was dead.
"What was that?" Keanu asked.
"Complex charm. It makes the person feel like they were dying like in a Muggle war at swordpoint. The shock is what kills them. It's not exactly legal, either."
Keanu grinned. He liked Hermione.
Finally, the battle was over. Keanu never thought he'd see so much anguish in one area. Parents were crying for their children, and other children were crying for their parents. Hermione told him that they could go, the Ministry would take care of the rest. Keanu hoped that would be the last battle he would have to witness, but little did he know, that was only the First Battle of Diagon Alley.
Hermione and Keanu entered the Leaky Cauldron again. The fireplace wasn't working, but Ministry wizards had set up what Hermione called a Floo Point. She and Keanu stepped onto the circle.
"Where to?" a burly young man asked Hermione.
"Dumbledore's office," Hermione said with certainty.
Keanu and Hermione stood there for three seconds before Keanu felt himself whirling through space. Five seconds later, he and Hermione sprawled out on someone's office floor.
"Why'd we do that? Why couldn't we do that thing you did? That crack and disappear thing?"
Hermione laughed. "That's called Apperating. And leagally, I can't do it until October, a month after my seventeenth birthday. But legal matters don't really matter anymore, with this day and age."
"She's right," said an old man's voice said. Keanu and Hermione turned.
Sitting at a desk that was off to the right of the fireplace was an old man. He had long white hair and a long white beard. Keanu had a feeling that he had seen this man before, which he probably had.
The man, Keanu assumed it was Dumbledore, leaned back over his desk, taking a quill and writing a short note. "Miss Granger has agreed to tutor you in magic for the remainder of the summer. She's already living here, so it would be wise...Miss Weasley, I understand, wishes to help out as well."
"Who?" Keanu asked Hermione.
"Ginny. She's my best friend, I think, because the other girls in my year are all fashion lover. Truth be told, I really don't like fashion."
"I couldn't tell," Keanu said. Hermione was looking very fashionable right now. Hermione blushed.
"Yea, but Ginny and I both like the same things, except she's Seeker on the House team, and I'm just the commentator."
"For what?" Keanu asked. "Soccer? I've never heard of s Seeker in soccer."
Hermione laughed. "No, and it's pronounced Football here. The football that American's play is just vile, but out football is much more sophisticated. Anyway, no it's not football, it's Quidditch."
"What?" Keanu asked. "I've never heard of Quidditch."
"Well of course you haven't, it's a magical game. And I don't mean that as in captivating, I mean its literally magical. We play it on broomsticks."
"You mean like in those old folklore things where the witches are flying brooms? Looks really uncomfortable."
"Well there's cushioning charms on the brooms. Quidditch is like a cross between foot..."
"Perhaps we could continue this discussion later?" Dumbledore asked. "I want Harry caught up on his studies before he becomes a Quidditch fanatic. But, Miss Granger, it is Puddlemere United's year."
Hermione smirked. "You wish. The Harpies are going all the way."
Keanu looked confused.
"So Miss Granger, you will catch young Mr. Potter..."
"Actually, Professor, my name is Keanu Montgomery, please," Keanu spoke up. Dumbledore looked affronted.
"Very well, Miss Granger, you will need to catch Mr. Montgomery up on everything from first through fifth year. I hope he will be taking his OWLs before the summer is complete. Please hurry."
"Yes Professor."
As the two walked out, Keanu heard Dumbledore hiss. "Puddlemere!"
Hermione responded quicker than a cat. "Harpies!"
Keanu rolled his eyes and pulled Hermione out of the room.
Hermione led Keanu down a corridor than up it again.
"Hermione, we just passed that statue," Keanu said. Hermione didn't respond, she just led him back down the hallway. Just as Keanu was going to walk away, a door appeared.
"Where'd that come from?" Keanu asked. Hermione smiled
"Magic,"
They entered the room. There were shelves of books, cushions and tables of weird looking objects. Sitting on one of the cushions was a pretty red haired girl with freckles and a tan face.
"Ginny!" Hermione said. Ginny looked up from the book, One Thousand and One Ways to Make a Fool of Your Enemy.
"I was looking for a curse to use on Malfoy. The Bat-Bogey Hex is getting over used." Ginny explained when Hermione questioned her.
The two girls talked and laughed for a minute or two more, until Keanu cleared his throat expectantly.
"And this must be Harry," Ginny said, examining Harry. Keanu had to be a whole half foot taller than her, but couldn't help feeling intimidated by her. She had that confident look to her that made Keanu want to wither.
"Actually, my name is Keanu," Keanu told her. Ginny looked surprised.
"Okay then."
Ginny and Keanu stared for another moment or two, then Hermione clapped her hands.
"Okay! I want to get through first year charms and transfiguration today. Tomorrow we'll complete Herbology, Astronomy, and Defense Against the Dark Arts. Potions will be the third day.
"Why are we doing potions on one day?" Keanu asked. Ginny and Hermione exchanged looks.
"We'll get to that later," Hermione decided, and Ginny nodded.
"Hey Ginny, where's Ron?" Hermione asked, determined to move the subject from Potions.
"He's in the common room with Fred and George. He said he's going to come down here later. I think he's really with Parvati though."
"No Parvati's supposed to be in Ravenclaw today, with the Turpins."
Keanu was confused. "Why are all these families here?" he asked.
Hermione looked down. "Well, Voldemort's been reckless lately. Just last night, he struck down at the Abbots. No one was left alive. It's just lucky that Hannah was here when it happened. See, Dumbledore's offering the castle to families who don't want to be out in the world right now. Over half of the Hogwarts students have taken refuge, their families included. Angelina Johnson, who graduated last year, is still living here. A lot of graduates stayed, actually. Dumbledore had to build onto the common rooms to make room for all of them.
Ginny laughed. "Remember when Fred and George charmed the Slytherin entrance to dump a gallon of sugar water on everyone who walked into it? I wish I could have seen Pansy Parkinson after that."
Hermione glared at Ginny. "You really shouldn't talk about the Parkinsons like that. They're one of the few Slytherin families to turn on Voldemort. Pansy's even spying for us! She has the Dark Mark and all!"
Ginny shook her head. "I think she's spying on us. Poisonous toadstools don't change their spots."
Hermione threw a cushion at Ginny. "Stop quoting Ron."
Keanu cleared his throat again.
Hermione looked up at him. "Sorry, we haven't talked in days."
"I can tell. Can we just get on with the studying?"
Hermione smiled. "Okay."
The first thing Keanu had to do was turn a needle into a match. Hermione explained having to imagine the needle turning into a match, having to will it to. Keanu did it on his first try.
Ginny, apparently, was a charms genius. She explained how to will the feather to float. Hermione explained the wording.
"You have to make the gar nice and long. And its Osa not osa. Make sure the o is nice and long."
Keanu did this on his first try as well.
By the end of the day, Keanu had gotten through first year transfiguration, but had soared through charms and was up to fourth year.
"Okay one more charm until we turn in," Hermione said wearily.
She took her wand and shouted an incatation at Ginny. Keanu was standing behind her. The charm hit Ginny and she flew back. Keanu caught her.
"Banishing char..."
But before Hermione could explain the charm, the door burst open, and in it stood a boy. He had the same red hair as Ginny, and freckles. He took one look at the scene, and pulled out his wand. Keanu wasted no time.
"Expelliarmus!" he shouted. Pushing Ginny to Hermione The boy's wand flew out of his hand. "Petrificus Totalus!"
The boy went as stiff as a board.
There was an awkward silence, then Hermione started clapping. Soon Ginny joined in.
"Congratulations! Your first dueling situation, and you won!" Hermione said.
"Enerverate," Ginny muttered.
Keanu smiled at stepped up to the boy.
"Keanu Montgomery," he said, offering a hand.
The boy said nothing, but threw a punch into Keanu's cheek which sent him flying into the wall.
"Ron!" both girls shouted. Keanu slumped into unconsciousness.
The First Of The Authors Notes:
In anima bellam mortis roughly translated means "In your mind, death in a war"
I am simultaneously posting this story over on Schnoogle, although there, one chapter equals two chapters on here because they have a minimum of 3,000 words per chapter and i only have about one and a half.I'd also like to thank midnytestar for helping me sort out some rough edges with this earlier in the week.
