Disclaimer: J. K. Rowling wrote a story. Bloomsbury Books and Scholastic Press published that story. Then I come along and write a story blatantly based on the fruits of their labour. It would be wrong but since I call it a work of fan fiction and acknowledge that all rights to the characters still are in the hands of Miss Rowling and her publishers and I don't make any attempt to profit from the posting of my story I get to stay out of jail. Since I have better things to do then to become the boy toy of cell block D, it all works out fine.

The Janus Order

Chapter 9

"Time," Professor Binns called out. "Quills down. Roll up your parchments."

A cheer erupted from the first formers of Gryffindor House. Their last examination of their first year was done. Noisily, they pushed back their chairs and rushed to the door scarcely pausing long enough to toss their parchments on the Professor's desk.

"I better had passed," Ron Weasley said to Seamus Finnegan as they went out of the room. "I would hate being in the same classes as my little sister next year."

"If I didn't pass, I won't have to worry about next year; I'd have to worry about surviving the wrath of Mum this summer," Seamus joked.

"You've got that right, mate," Ron laughed.

As usual, Hermione and Harry were the last two to leave. Harry was by habit fairly slow moving. Hermione, while inclined to move more quickly, wasn't going anywhere without him. Harry stretched like a cat and then headed for the desk where Hermione and the professor were waiting on him with differing degrees of patience.

"I enjoyed your class this year, Professor Binns," He said as he laid his test down. "If you don't mind me asking, what are your plans for the summer break?"

The ghost looked startled to have a student actually talk to him after class especially after the final class of the year.

"Well, I'm researching a paper on Elfric the Eager's uprising. I'm thinking that I may even expand it into a book," Professor Binns admitted somewhat shyly.

"I studied about the uprising but you didn't put anything on the exam about him," Hermione said.

"Well, I can't put everything on the first examination, can I now," the Professor answered. "Usually, Elfric and his exploits find their way onto the fourth year final."

"Forewarned is forearmed," Harry said. "Good bye, Professor. Good luck on your research."

"Thank you," Professor Binns replied. "Have a good summer yourselves."

Hermione began going over the examination question by question as soon as they left the room. It was a habit that Harry felt was peculiar but it seemed be Hermione's way of relaxing away the stress of the test so Harry let her ramble. Instead of returning to the dormitory, Harry led her outside into the warm June sunshine. The vast lawns of Hogwarts teemed with students celebrating the end of their studies for the year. Harry headed for a large yew tree that had yet failed to attract anybody to its shade.

Harry sat down his book bag and took out his wand.

"The headmaster showed me how to do this but I have never tried it before," Harry said.

Hermione watched closely as Harry performed an intricate maneuver with his wand. "Scamnumi!"

A series of white wicker sofas appeared encircling the massive tree.

"Bravo," Hermione applauded as she took off her robe and carefully folded it.

"Oh, rats," Harry grumbled, disappointed with the results and feeling the effects of the spell's energy drain.

"What's with you," Hermione said. "That was an impressive piece of magic for someone who only completed his first year of study ten minutes ago."

"Thank you," Harry said. "But I was only trying to make one sofa not eight of them. We'll be swarmed with company in no time now."

Hermione chuckled as she patted his arm. "It's better that way, Harry. As I told you, it makes Professor McGonagall nervous when we're alone. Let's grab the seat with the best view of the lake before anyone else does."

They sat down. The sofa proved to be fairly comfortable even without any cushions and it held the couple's weight without complaint.

"I guess it wasn't too bad of a spell," Harry admitted as he shed his robe.

"Of course not," Hermione said. "Now, what's in your bag that's edible?"

With a flourish, Harry extracted two turkey sandwiches on hard rolls wrapped in paper, two bananas, a bag of crisps, and two bottles of milk. He even remembered to bring straws and cloth napkins.

"You do think ahead, don't you?" Hermione asked with a laugh.

"I try," Harry answered stuffing his robe into the now empty book bag.

"You may want to fold it first," Hermione said as she peeled her banana. "So what was all that with Professor Binns?"

"What do you mean?" Harry asked obeying her suggestion to fold his robe. "I've had more or less the same conversation with all of the professors this week as we finished up. It's mere politeness to let them know that I appreciated their efforts to educate me this year."

'I suppose that you are right," Hermione said. "I thought at first that you were trying to flatter them but you are far too honest to say something that you didn't mean but I was just surprised when you did the same thing to Professor Binns."

"Why?" Harry asked.

Hermione leaned over to him conspiratorially. "Because he's so bloody boring," she whispered so no one would hear her say anything negative about a teacher.

Harry laughed. "I'll be the first to admit that he isn't the most stimulating lecturer but, you know, you have to admire someone so dedicated to something that he won't even let death stop him."

Hermione nodded approvingly. "That's a good way of looking at it. You know you're right about it being polite to let them know that they are appreciated. I think that I'll write thank you notes to all of our professors."

Harry proved to be correct about the appeal of wicker furniture in shade. The sofas were quickly filled; mostly by teenaged couples in various stages of romantic entanglement. Harry ignored the latecomers concentrating instead on his food but Hermione eavesdropped shamelessly. Before she munched on the last crisp three couples had made clandestine plans to meet over the summer; two couples decided to amicable go their separate ways and one pair of Ravenclaw sixth formers broke up in spectacular fashion when she strolled up as he had his tongue in the mouth of a Hufflepuff fifth former.

"You would have thought that a Ravenclaw would have had the wit to run away from a woman that angry; his new girlfriend did," Hermione said as she watched a couple of his mates help the incapacitated lothario to the hospital wing.

"You would have thought that he would have had the wit not to publicly cheat on a woman, in the first place," Harry said mentally shuttering at the memory of the swiftness and accuracy with which the bloke's now ex-girlfriend's foot connected with his family jewels.

"You don't know William," a girl said from the bench next to them. "He thought that he was God's gift to women when he showed up here and has gotten more cavalier since then. Thought he could wrap any woman around his pinkie, he did. I wonder if William will be singing a different tune next year."

"You bet he will; it'll be counter-tenor," her companion said causing everyone within hearing to laugh.

Shaking his head, Harry collected the left over debris of their lunch. As he did so an elf owl landed on the back of the sofa. Hermione quickly snatched the message off of its leg as Harry looked around to see if anyone had noticed the small bird's arrival. Since no one was looking their way, Harry turned his attention to Hermione who was reading the missive.

With a jerk of her head she stood and began to walk away from the shade of the yew tree. Grabbing both of their book bags, Harry quickly followed her. They were in the middle of the lawn before Hermione said a word.

"The message said to be in Dumbledore's office at nine o'clock tonight," Hermione said quietly.

"He wants both of us?" Harry asked surprised that the headmaster would include Hermione in what ever stratagem that he had formulated.

Hermione grinned but her eyes were without humour in them. "Let's just say that the wording was a little vague when it came to who was actually directed to appear, shall we?"

Having just watched one angry girl in action, Harry wasn't going to create another one right before him.

"Okay," he said.

Hermione's smile reached her eyes this time. She hooked her arm around his and leaned her head on his shoulder. It made walking awkward but Harry didn't say anything against that either.