Chapter 5: Last of the Training
After the celebration for Harry's new appointment to Prefect, they returned to the Atrium to train once more. The room was very quiet. There were no bookcases, nor cabinets, nor grass this time. There were merely four large cushions arranged in the center of the room. After letting her hair down for lunch, Hermione now put it back up into a ponytail. She shivered and Harry now noticed the coldness of the room. The only light in the room was a single torch arranged between the four cushions. Harry shook his head, messing up his hair only a little more, as it was already pushing the limits. He sat down on a cushion, cross-legged. His other companions followed suit and did the same.
"Remember guys, enlightenment," Ginny joked. The four laughed before returning to their previous states. Their eyes were closed and their breathing became calm and controlled. Lupin and Tonks levitated themselves as not to disturb the silence that had just overcome the room. The torch went out, and the training had begun. Lupin focused his wand on Ginny in the darkness. He knew that this was a harsh training, but it was necessary if they were to survive the war. At least today, he would start off simple.
"Expelliarmus!" The silver beam struck her chest, and her breathing faltered, but only for a moment. Then it became controlled again.
Tonks took the opportunity to make her move. She focused her wand on Ron. "Impedimenta!" She made sure it was harsh, but not too powerful, since she shot it right into his throat. He doubled over, but came back from it, eyes still closed and breathing normal again. She continued her attack, "Stupefy!" She shot Hermione in her stomach, causing ripples of pain to wash over her.
Lupin was always the first to hit Harry. This time would be the first time Harry had received this curse from him, and Lupin was very upset about it. However, Dumbledore's letter was clear: 'They must be exposed to these curses. I'm sorry, Remus. Tell this to Nymphadora too.' Lupin's wand focused on Harry. "CRUCIO!" his voice rang out in the room, along with Harry's cries of anguish. Harry's godfather looked on with disgust as he saw what he had done. However, Harry's writhing stopped soon enough, since Lupin had no pure hatred to place into his curse.
The thoughts on the other charges' minds were of sympathy for Harry, but soon they would be able to feel the effects of this curse themselves. After each had experienced this curse at least twice, Lupin and Tonks moved on to the Imperius Curse. Harry felt the familiar voice in his mind fighting their commands. The others did well, too. Hermione only twitched and did not rise from her seat. Ron began to lift himself up, but instead he forced himself back down. Ginny actually stood up, but just as she was about to open her eyes, she flopped back down. It really took it out of all of them doing this. Even more so today, since their hour was extended to three for two of the Unforgivable Curses.
The four students rose, bruised and pained. They stared at their instructors, whose eyes held pain and sympathy. The six of them shared a hug in the center of the room. "Its okay, guys. Let me guess, that was what your letter was about?" Hermione observed, breaking from the hug and holding her neck tenderly. Lupin nodded.
"He felt you should feel what these curse are like, and he's right, you know," he told them, and they nodded.
"I think I need a shower," Ginny said smelling her hair. Ron lifted up his arm to smell under there before Ginny hit it. "Whoa, Ronald! There are human beings here." They all laughed and agreed to take a shower before wrapping up their day. Ron and Hermione went to their respective bathrooms and took their showers first. Ron came down about fifteen minutes later wearing pajama pants and an old T-shirt. He nodded to Harry, who went up to the guys' bathroom as well. He came down twenty minutes later, dressed like Ron, and Hermione had just turned off the water.
"You'd think she was trying to impress someone," Ron whispered to Harry, loud enough for Lupin to hear. Harry elbowed Ron in the stomach, which stopped him for the moment. Lupin sniggered. As Harry prepared to hurt Lupin, Hermione walked down the stairs. She was wearing pajama pants with otters on them, which she had cut off around the middle of her shins. Harry noticed immediately that her shirt was a little big for her, but still looked amazing on her. He also noted that is was a shirt that she had stolen from him. Her hair was still wrapped up in a towel, and she was trying to dry it when Ron pushed up Harry's mouth, which had gaped open.
"God, Hermione, I was about to go use the guy's shower!" Ginny called as she raced up the stairs. Hermione sat down at the kitchen table with Lupin, Tonks, Ron, and Harry. She smiled and shook her hair like a wet dog, splattering them.
"What did take you so long Hermione? Forty-five minutes!" Ron laughed, as Harry continued to stare at Hermione.
"I had to get clean, Ron. You know, no smelly," Hermione said, giving Harry a grin. He blushed when he realized he had been staring at her. "What's the matter, Harry?" she asked before a fight with Ron ensued.
"Er, that's, uh, my shirt," Harry replied, wanting to kick himself for being such an idiot. Well, it's not your fault she's beautiful even when she doesn't try, he reasoned with himself. Well, you didn't have to stare.
'Yeah, well I need to wash some clothes, so I stole this one from you. You never wear it anyway," she replied, trying to dry her hair again before Dobby appeared.
"Miss should have told Dobby she needed clothes clean. Dobby would have gladly done them," the house-elf informed his master's best friend. "Dobby enjoys clothes now that he is allowed to wear them," he giggled.
Hermione smiled. She hadn't told them that she really just wanted to wear Harry's clothes. No, no, no. Best friends don't hook-up! she reminded herself. Why not? she bemoaned before whispering to Dobby. "Don't worry, Dobby. Harry has another two drawers and a closet for me to work through!" The small elf laughed again before disappearing to prepare the library for their final workplace of the day.
Harry rolled his eyes, he had heard what Hermione said to Dobby and felt other thoughts enter his head, but forced them out to concentrate on normal conversation with actual people. Ginny came down after half an hour, dressed like Hermione, but her clothes hung much looser. She wore her own sleep-shirt instead of Harry's, which he praised her for. They laughed for a while, the torture just endured washed off with the sweat, until Dobby appeared again, winking at Hermione before telling them the library was ready.
Hermione leaped out of her chair and rushed up the stairs. It was obvious that she loved going to the Black family's library. Since the departure of Kreacher and his mistress's portrait, the house had really come along as a suitable place for a human being to inhabit. Hermione gleefully opened the two huge oak doors to the library as her friends followed behind her. This room was huge, with bookshelves on every inch of the walls. The books ranged in topic from Dark Magic to Good Magic, Potions to Transfiguration, Charms and Defense spells and even books on magical creatures and Herbology. It also contained books with history, and a compendium of publicly known prophecies, as well as a few books dedicated to genealogy of the Black family and other wizarding families. There were a few small tables, with only three chairs to a table, and a couch and several armchairs. A skylight rose above this spacious room, and windows helped to bring in the afternoon sun. The four of them found their homework, parchment, quills, and ink on a central table and decided each of them would work on something different. Even Hermione had not yet finished all of her homework, since they were so busy with physical training.
The four of them sat on the couch, doing homework. After about an hour, Harry nudged Hermione causing her to make a stray line with her quill. She glared at him before he grinned and motioned with his head to the armchair where Lupin was sitting. He was reading a book when Tonks came behind him and covered his eyes with her hands. "Guess who?" she whispered in his ears. Harry and Hermione could barely hear them, but they could nonetheless.
Lupin closed his book, keeping his place with his index finger. "Hmm…could it be Nymphadora?" he chuckled as she lifted her hands. It looked as if she would curse him until next week.
"I thought it was understood that no one was to call me that!" Tonks wanted to yell at him, but didn't want to draw the attention of the Gryffindors. Her voice was barely above a whisper. Lupin tried to look sorry, but still had laughter in his eyes.
"I'm sorry, it was a joke. And I actually happen to like the name," he replied. Tonks grinned broadly.
"Don't lie to me, Moony." Without thinking he grabbed her waist and pulled her onto his lap, tickling her.
"I don't recall saying you could call me that," Lupin said, while she cried for freedom. He let her up and she picked up his book, reading the title.
"Psychic Magic: Wandless and Beyond," she finished, her face still a little flushed. "Hmm, sounds interesting. We should probably start the kids on this. Don't you think, Moony?" she asked, her voice normal again.
Lupin hushed her. "I think this might me a little advanced for them. I mean, not many adult wizards can even do it. Dumbledore's the only one that comes to mind," he said in a whisper.
Tonks whispered too. "I bet Voldemort can do it. They need to have all the training they can get, even if it is a little advanced for them." Lupin nodded, and it was agreed that they would replace dueling, which was becoming increasingly unneeded, with Wandless Magic. And it would start on Monday. Tonks took his book and walked around the library with it. Lupin went after her calling 'Nymphadora.'
Hermione giggled as she and Harry looked at each other. What eyes...they both thought. "I told you they were in love," Harry whispered. Hermione rolled her eyes.
"And once again, duh, Harry. They are so obvious. But they each don't seem to realize what the other feels, how stupid can you get?" Hermione wondered, thinking about her two oblivious teachers. Ron snorted at her last statement, thinking of his two oblivious best friends. She stared at Ron, wondering what he was thinking, but then said, "Wandless magic though? Sounds difficult."
"Of course it does, we've been learning with wands this whole time. Honestly, Hermione!" Harry sighed, smirking. She punched him in the arm, not as lightly as he had hoped for. As they began to get into a play-fight, Ginny slammed her book.
"Potions is a ridiculous subject and Snape is an impossible teacher!" she let out an exasperated sigh and threw her book on the ground. Hermione gave her a look of disappointment. Ron looked on with amusement.
"Couldn't agree with you more, Gin," he said, also slamming his book closed.
"It's that kind of thinking that cost you Prefect, Ron," Harry remarked with a grin, and everyone laughed. They all decided it was enough homework and left for dinner. At dinner, Lupin and Tonks explained that they would be doing Wandless Magic starting on Monday. Harry and Hermione already knew of course, but Ginny and Ron were surprised.
