Standard Disclaimer: I own nothing, all of these characters are the property of JK Rowlings and I bow to her magnificence!
#12 Grimmauld Place, night of the attack and the morning after…
Remus lay in his bed still weak from blood loss. The wound had sealed up soundly, but his fever kept spiking, as though his body was trying to burn out an infection. At times, he seemed on the verge of transforming. Tonks, watching over him, become concerned enough to Floo Madam Pomfrey just after midnight, asking her to check on Remus come morning.
By morning Tonks was exhausted, but the fever had broken and Remus was sleeping peacefully again.
The door to their room opened and Poppy walked in carrying her bag of potions and other supplies. Tonks jerked out of her nap and stood from the chair. Poppy walked over to the bed and pulled back the coverlet so she could see Remus better.
"Hmmm, you say he was hit on the right side, Tonks?"
"Yes Poppy, but we got that healed pretty quick. I'm more concerned about the fever he had last night. At some points he started to cycle through pieces of his transformation."
Poppy looked at where Remus had been injured and frowned. Clearly there was new skin covering the wound, but the size of it! He shouldn't have survived that injury! Poppy looked at Tonks, then down at the newly grown skin, lighter in color than the surrounding area. Tonks looked nervous.
Poppy took out her wand and ran a few scanning spells on Remus. She'd try and figure out that fatal but not fatal wound later. Poppy frowned; with a full moon only a week away, Remus's aura should contain a heavy tinge of black in it, but it was clear. Let's try the specific Lycanthropy detection spell, she thought. As she cast the spell, a pale blue light surrounded Remus.
That's not right, she thought. It should be a dark blue.
She tried several more tests to detect Lycanthropy. Finally, she walked over to the door and closed it. Turning back to Tonks, she said, "Nymphadora Tonks, I want to know what you're hiding from me!" Crossing her arms, she glared grumpily at the young woman before her.
Tonks jerked up like she had been kicked, off balance she fell backward into the chair with a heavy thud.
"But… but… Poppy… I don't know what you're talking about."
"Tonks, first you show me a wound that I could not possibly heal, yet you managed to do just that. That wound should have killed him."
Tonks looked up fearfully and whispered, "We had help from a phoenix Poppy. There wasn't time to get him to St. Mungos, or to you." Tonks looked stricken, "You can't tell anyone about the phoenix Poppy. I've given my oath to protect him."
Poppy thought for a moment and then nodded. "Now Tonks, explain the Lycanthropy please."
Tonks gave puzzled look, "The Lycanthropy? What about it?"
Poppy looked ready to strangle the younger woman if she didn't start coming up with answers. She ground her teeth for a moment then said, "It isn't there anymore! I've used two of the most common tests for Lycanthropy and several others which can detect and suggest Lycanthropy and they all come up negative!"
Tonks gave Poppy a fairly perfect imitation of a goldfish that has escaped the bowl before recovering. "It's… it's… gone? Are you sure? I don't know how that could be; we just used the phoenix tears. It's really gone Poppy? You aren't lying to me?" Poppy looked at Tonks and could see the desperate plea in her eyes. This was obviously something that Tonks didn't expect to hear.
Poppy walked over and knelt down next to the chair; she was now eye to eye with Tonks. "Yes child, its gone. I want him to see Healer Sorenson at St. Mungos to be absolutely certain, but I doubt he'll tell you different."
Tears slid down the cheeks of the normally outgoing and tough Auror. A night of pain and worry washed away by tears of joy.
Hogwarts, 2 days after the attack…
Harry slowly opened his eyes. It was still dark out, the room was candlelit, and dawn was only a short while away. He didn't need to have his glasses on to know where he was, his bed. Well, his bed in the Hogwarts Infirmary, anyway. He sighed softly and stretched. His hand reached up and he fumbled sightlessly around the table. Suddenly, there were two red haired blurs by his side. Both reached out to touch him, to caress his cheek and hair. One blur moved his glasses into his hand and he put them on.
The glasses, as they always did, took a few seconds to adjust to his needs, before the two blurs focused into a sharp relief. Ginny, dressed in her running clothes, was on one side of the bed, Molly on the other, smiling down at him. She spoke before Ginny could.
"How are you feeling, Harry? You gave Professor McGonagall quite a fright when you appeared and collapsed like that."
Harry thought about it. He didn't hurt; that was a good sign. He felt tired, and kind of weak, but that's about it.
"I supposed I could feel worse, just tired and weak but nothing hurts."
Ginny said softly, "You've been asleep since Saturday Harry, that was nearly two days ago."
Harry was puzzled for a moment before it all came crashing back to him. He bolted upright, the movement making him dizzy. "Hogsmeade! Dementors! Remus! What happened?" He swayed in the bed and both Molly and Ginny pushed him back down.
Molly said she'd go get Madam Pomfrey and let her know he's awake. Ginny spoke softly, "How much do you remember, Harry?"
"I remember seeing that little girl about to get kissed and thinking I couldn't allow it to happen. Then you and Ron were holding me and Fred was shouting that Remus needed my help. I remember being so tired, and helping Remus, then coming back. After that, nothing."
"Four people were kissed in Hogsmeade, but there would have been a lot more had it not been for you Harry. The DA members in the crowd rallied behind you, then other students came to help. They estimate over 50 Dementors were in that attack. When you pushed forward, we all followed. You saved that little girl Harry. She lost her parents, but you saved her. Everyone is buzzing because you destroyed that Dementor, and at least three others. They found four empty Dementor cloaks."
Harry's eyes began to blur with tears. "Four people kissed… she… an orph… orph… orphan?" Harry trembled violently, squeezing his eyes shut.
Molly and Madam Pomfrey returned to find Ginny with her arms wrapped around Harry, holding him tight. He was weeping in her arms. Molly sat on the side of the bed and wrapped her arms around the two of them. Ginny explained that the news of the little girl he'd saved had upset him greatly. Madam Pomfrey handed Molly a calming draught to give him. With a little coaxing he downed the potion. It wasn't long before it took effect.
Harry lean forward while Ginny propped up some pillows behind him. As he leaned back, Madam Pomfrey ran some tests. She made some notes and then said, "Well Mr. Potter, you not only continue to beat the odds, but astound me as well. I had expected you to be bed ridden for at least a week. You came here with almost no magical reserves left and normally that would have taken at least a week to recharge. But you're recharged already. I guess nothing you do should surprise me anymore." She looked down at him with disapproval. When he sent her a small, grateful smile, her expression softened.
"Very well, I want to keep you here 'til tomorrow. I'll release you in time for breakfast." She twitched his blankets straight, touched his cheek, and then headed back to her office, muttering about the possibility of moving Harry's dorm bed into the infirmary.
Harry leaned back and looked at Molly Weasley. "Mum… er… Mrs Weasley…"
Molly interrupted him "Harry, Arthur and I talked about this. We know we can't replace your real parents and we understand why you couldn't call us by aunt and uncle. Why don't you just call me Molly?"
Harry closed his eyes to hide his relief. This was a problem that had been plaguing him for a while and he hadn't been sure how to address it. With his eyes still closed he nodded and spoke. "Ok Mrs… umm… Molly, I need to ask you a favor. That little girl… can you find out what is going to happen to her? I want to make sure she goes to a home where people will appreciate her. If necessary, I'll hire a solicitor to see she's given to a good home, not left with people who won't love her."
Molly's eyes filled with tears. He's always concerned about others before himself, she thought. She engulfed Harry in a fierce hug and whispered in his ear, "Harry you have a huge heart. I'll speak to Arthur, he'll know who to talk to."
Harry smiled and reached out for Ginny's hand. She had sat silently watching their exchange. Harry pulled Ginny's hand close to his cheek like he was drawing her strength to him; his eyes closed and his breathing deepened. He had fallen asleep again.
Ginny returned to the common room to get ready for her day of classes. Molly, satisfied that Harry was going to be fine, returned to the Burrow via the infirmary floo.
Harry spent the rest of his day dozing and talking with friends who came to visit. During those times when no one was there, he worked more on his notebook and wrote a long letter to Remus, telling him about the little girl and the attack. Madam Pomfrey had suggested he talk to someone about how he was feeling and writing that letter to Remus seemed to help him a lot.
Before he fell asleep that night he decided to have a little fun.
Breakfast…
Madam Pomfrey walked out of her quarters and into her office. The house elves had already delivered her customary breakfast of tea and toast. She sat for a few moments before going out to release her charge.
Poppy smiled. Harry had it pretty rough, but he always seemed to bounce back. She just prayed that he wouldn't run into something he couldn't bounce back from. She walked out of her office and came to a shocked halt. Harry was already up, getting dressed in the clothes his friend had brought to him the night before. He looked up at her shyly as she started to smile, then she chuckled.
Above the doors to the infirmary was a sign; it looked to be bronze with the lettering cut into the metal. It read,
"Within these Hallowed Doors works the Finest Healer in the World."
Above the bed he had been using was a far smaller bronze plaque reading, "Harry Potter's Bed."
She tried to assume a stern tone with him, but couldn't maintain it.
"Well Mr. Potter, if you're that well, I'll assume you can get along to breakfast now. Shoo with you!" She said, smiling. Harry smiled back and with a wave he headed out of the infirmary.
Entering the Great Hall, he spotted Ginny, Ron, Hermione, Neville and Luna huddled together and wondered what they were up to. Surely they weren't about to prank him? With a grin he joined them. He sat down and started to fill his plate when he noticed they were all staring at him with silly grins on their faces. He paused, his hand holding a ladle full of eggs half way to his plate.
Warily he asked, "What's going on?"
Hermione looked at the others and spoke up. "Harry, we decided… that is Ginny had the idea and we all… Oh bloody hell!" Harry blinked. Hermione never cursed… well rarely he corrected himself. She started again.
"Harry, we all know how important your mum's letter is to you, so we've decided to take steps to keep it safe." Hermione pulled the letter from her pocket. Harry frowned. Either she or Ron would have had to root through his trunk to find that. He was about to say something when Ginny handed him a small box, tied with a ribbon.
Inside the box was a small square locket with a glass face, hanging from a fine silver chain. Ginny took the locket from Harry's hands and placed it on the table. Hermione placed the letter atop the locket. The letter trembled for a second and vanished. Hermione picked up the locket and chain, passing it back to Harry. He could just see the letter, shrunk to a tiny size behind the glass face. He looked up at Hermione.
"It will always be safe there Harry. Tap it once with your wand and the contents of the locket will be displayed almost like a pensieve. Tap it twice and the letter will be extracted. We know how important that letter is to you Harry. Now, you can keep it with you always and nothing can harm it."
Harry looked at the five of them, grateful once again for them all. He smiled broadly and a single tear ran down his cheek. His hands trembled, so Ginny helped him put it on. She kissed him on his neck, causing him to shiver. He looked at the five of them and murmured a thank you.
Malfoy…
Potions class went well that day. They had just finished talking about blood replenishing potions and were starting preparations for the next potion they'd be making, a very difficult antidote to dragon venom. Harry packed his books into his bag and turned to follow Ron and Hermione out the door.
Suddenly, there was a loud noise and Harry felt himself flung violently into the wall. His bag went spinning in another direction, spilling books as it went. As Harry rose to his feet, groggy and confused, he heard an ugly laugh behind him.
"You always were a clumsy oaf, Potty."
At the door, Ron and Hermione spun around, whipping their wands to the ready. Malfoy stood there with his arms crossed, Crabbe and Goyle to either side. Harry turned to face him. As the students watched, he seemed to shake off the effects of Malfoy's curse. Straightening, he seemed to grow before their eyes, seemingly taller than he was. Eyes glowing with an intense inner fire, magic radiating off his body in waves, he opened his mouth and…
A low, steely voice spoke from the corner. "You have three seconds. If I see a wand after that, the student who holds it will be scrubbing the dungeon floor with his or her toothbrush every night until the end of the year."
Professor Serena Snape had seen the whole thing from the corner of the classroom and she knew she had to put a stop to this now, before it got out of hand.
As Ron and Hermione quickly hid their wands, Harry spun on his heels towards Serena. She could feel him wrestle with his emotions, and watched as he closed his eyes, employing several meditative techniques to center himself.
Merlin the power of that boy! He's learning to control it; he fought it as soon as I spoke. But Merlin! I've never seen anything like it. She thought. Ok, first to clear up this little mess.
"Mr. Malfoy," she continued quietly, "you have 30 seconds to explain your actions. Why did you cast the Explico curse at Mr. Potter?"
Draco sputtered a moment, and then said, "I was defending myself Professor. He was going to cast a curse at me."
Gliding towards Malfoy, she raised an eyebrow at his excuse. "Interesting, Mr. Malfoy. So you would have me believe that, not only was Mr. Potter going to curse you, but he was going to do so wandlessly, and with his back to you?"
Crabbe and Goyle nodded vigorously like this was a most logical explanation. Malfoy looked confused. He was a Slytherin after all. Professor Snape's husband was his Head of House. Surely she wouldn't side with Potter!
Crabbe and Goyle are fools. Draco's the dangerous one, she thought. He's so like his father. I wonder if he's taken the mark yet? If he hasn't, he probably will soon.
"Fifty points from Slytherin, Mr. Malfoy, for casting the curse."
"But…" Draco began.
"And another fifty points," Professor Snape said, her voice overriding him, "for such an obvious lie. You're a Slytherin, Mr. Malfoy. Lying is something you should have learned to do well in your first year."
"But Professor…" Draco tried again.
"I'm not finished, Mr. Malfoy," Serena stopped him once again. "Along with the house points, you will have two weeks detention. One week with Mr. Filch who, I'm sure, will welcome your help in cleaning out the boys toilets. When you're done with that, you will spend another week of detention with Professor Hagrid who, I understand, is one of your favorite teachers."
At Malfoy's stunned expression, Serena's lips quirked into a half smile. "Was there anything else, Mr. Malfoy?"
"No, Professor," Draco said sulkily.
"Excellent. With time, you will discover that I do not allow any foolishness in this class. My husband may have shown a preference for Slytherin House, but I do not. All of my students receive the same treatment here, Mr. Malfoy. Now, get out of my sight."
Ron and Hermione gaped at Professor Snape; it was unheard of! And she was married to the head of Slytherin House! Harry seemed oblivious to it all, as he stood with his eyes closed and his hands fisted at his sides.
Malfoy shot Serena a murderous look and stormed from the room, followed by a gawking Crabbe and Goyle. Ron picked up Harry's bag and started to collect the scattered books and parchments. Hermione and Serena both approached Harry. His eyes snapped open; the fire in them flickered once and went out. He wearily walked to a nearby chair and sat down. Ron walked over and handed him his bag.
"Thanks, mate."
"No problem, Harry."
Serena took in Harry's pale appearance and drained look. "How are you feeling Harry?"
Harry looked up at her with a wry grin and said, "Like I've been thrown into a wall… achy…"
She walked over to a cabinet and pulled out a small potion. Walking back, she handed it to him and said, "Fortunately for you, this is a potions lab. This will help with those aches. I don't suppose I need warn you to watch yourself around Malfoy, Harry?"
Harry downed the potion, and then said, "No professor. I've been dealing with him for six years now, and I just made a mistake of turning my back on him today. I guess I'm still tired from Hogsmeade. Normally I don't make mistakes like that."
"Alright Harry, why don't you and your friends head off to your next class? If your teacher gives you any problems about being late, tell them to speak to me about it."
The three of them nodded and left the room. Serena returned to her desk. Pulling her chair out, she noticed a notebook under it. Bending down, she picked up the notebook and sat down. Opening it, she found 'HJ Potter' inscribed on the inside.
It must have skidded under the desk when his bag went flying. I'll get it back to him at lunch, she thought, flipping through it. The notebook seemed to be a combination of homework, personal thoughts and doodles.
She stopped suddenly and grinned. On the page before her, Harry had written the same name in various ways, all over the page.
Ginny. Ginny Weasley. Ginny Potter. Ginevra Potter. Ginevra Weasley-Potter.
Shaking her head at the text before her, she turned a few more pages before stopping again with a frown. The new page was a little disturbing. It was filled with a few doodles, but the writing is what drew her notice:
Scar hurts. Bleeding. 'He will mark him as his equal'. Pain. Must be a way. 'Neither can live while the other survives'. Yes, but how?
Concerned now, she turned back to the beginning of the notebook, and went page by page. The first few pages seemed to be notes on different types of binding charms. Perhaps for Flitwick's class, she thought.
Skipping the doodles about Ginny, and the more disturbing text, she found more doodles. A Quidditch field, Harry's Firebolt, a few geometric shapes, she thought. What's this? Jewelry patterns? Interesting.
Turning a few more pages, she stopped again. An essay perhaps, she told herself. Her brow furrowed in concentration as she read:
"The Protean Charm:
How it can be modified through the
use of crystalline structures
as foci for alteration of the
bond."
By H. Potter
The Protean Charm as used by Voldemort actually has multiple modes, which can be accessible beyond the originator of the spell. Research into earlier versions of the Protean charm seem to indicate that the version currently in use is a corruption of a much more advanced and significantly older charm "Protea maxima dulcet lux". That original spell contained many modes of operation far beyond what is currently employed. My preliminary studies suggest that those modes of operation are still available in this corrupted version used by Voldemort. I do not believe Voldemort is capable of accessing these modes of operation or perhaps is unaware of them. Some additional modes include, but are not limited to,
Local summoning.
Awareness transference.
Attack mode, which assaults anyone carrying the
mark (V. Uses a minor variant of this to summon his minions).
Removal of the charm.
It is my belief that knowledge of these modes may be useful in the coming war…
Serena blinked in disbelief. What the hell had she just read? The Dark Mark could be removed?
Calmly, she told herself firmly. Perhaps I read it wrong. Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, she read it through again. Once finished, she raised a shaking hand to her neck, trying to easy suddenly tense muscles.
She knew about the Dark Mark of course. Severus had carried it for years. Even though he could no longer function as a spy, he could still feel the summons of Voldemort through it, and it caused him intense pain. She had spoken to Severus extensively about the mark, researched it as thoroughly as possible, and always hit the same dead end. Between the two of them, they had both concluded that there was nothing to be done. She hated watching her husband suffer on those nights when the mark burned a livid red and knew she would do anything…anything at all to rid him of it.
Turning back to the notebook, she flipped through it frantically. This was way over her head! There were detailed diagrams of crystalline structures used to modify the magical bond. More notes on the Protean charm and…
She froze. One phrase leapt off the page in front of her and she felt like she'd been kicked in the stomach.
Removal of a Protean Mark is possible by use of two crystalline amplifiers.
Removal of a Protean Mark is possible by use of two of crystalline amplifiers. Emerald and Diamond would be best, as they have the strongest matrices and can withstand the power flowing through them. Removal is not something to suggest lightly. Since it would be impossible to correctly duplicate Voldemort's power, the task will have to be accomplished by overpowering the mark. Interestingly enough, I believe that this will result in the mark transferring back to Voldemort in a most painful manner. It should be noted that there are elements of risk to both the owner of the mark and the person(s) attempting the removal.Serena jumped to her feet, grabbed the edge of the desk for support and stared down at the notebook in shock. The mark could be removed! Letting go of the desk, she swayed slightly, lightheaded.
Oh Merlin! The mark can be removed. I need to talk to Harry! No, Minerva must know! And wait until Severus hears…SEVERUS! I need to talk to Severus first.
Serena's head jerked up as the students for her next class filed in. Grabbing Harry's notebook, she shoved it into a drawer and smoothed her hands down her robes. She still had classes to get through today. Trying to calm her racing heart, she stepped out from behind her desk to start the class on their assignment.
Lunch that same day…
Harry was sitting with Ginny and the others at the Gryffindor table. He had finished eating and decided he wanted to check something from his notebook while the others were busily conversing. He started rooting around in his bag looking for it. Slowly, a sense of panic started to build in him. The book wasn't in the bag! Harry put the bag on the table and looked around on the floor. Maybe it had fallen out of the bag?
Harry felt his sense of panic rising. The potions lab! Without saying a word he bolted from the table and ran from the Great Hall, leaving his friends worried and bewildered.
At the head table, Serena noticed Harry's exit and thought. Oh dear, I suppose I should have mentioned something to him.
Harry ran down to the potions classroom in the dungeons and frantically began to search for the book. He looked under the desks; he checked cauldrons, behind one of the ingredient cabinets. He was in a full-blown panic now. Without even considering what he was doing, he ran all the way up to the Gryffindor Tower and tore his trunk apart, hurling stuff everywhere, trying to find the book. Defeated, he left the mess behind and walked back down to the Great Hall to rejoin his friends. As he entered, dozens of eyes turned his way. It didn't matter, he was used to people watching him. He walked numbly back to sit next to Ginny; his shoulders slumped. His notebook was gone, plain and simple.
The three friends watched him, worriedly. Ginny touched him on the arm and asked, "Harry, what's wrong? Why did you run out of here like that?"
"I lost my notebook Ginny. The notebook you saw in the Room of Requirement. I checked the potions class, my trunk and the dorm room." Harry winced in remembrance of the mess he made by his bedside.
Hermione frowned and said, "Harry, I can understand you being upset. But if you need to, I'll let you copy my notes."
Ginny looked at Hermione, her eyes plainly saying 'Don't push this'. Verbally, she simply said, "It's not that kind of notebook, 'Mione."
Hermione took the clue and decided to drop it for now, but she definitely planned on speaking to Ginny about this later.
Harry stared down at the table, clearly upset. There were plenty of things in that book that would be embarrassing if made public. But more importantly, there was work in there that he felt would be hard to recreate without starting from scratch.
Serena could see the impact the loss of his precious book had on Harry and she was truly sorry about that. But this was simply too important to hand it back to him and forget about it. She left the teacher's table and glided over to where Harry was sitting.
"Harry, would you stop by our private quarters this evening after dinner? I believe my husband will want to have words with you at that time."
Harry nodded mutely at the Professor. This was a DISASTER! Snape is probably going to rip him apart for Malfoy's losing 100 points. This was all he needed on top of losing his book!
Snape's Private Quarters, Dinner time…
Serena paced the living room. She's always thought herself a patient person, but waiting to share her news about Harry's discovery with Severus was unbearable. She was nervous. She could admit that to herself. After researching the Dark Mark and coming to so many dead ends, she was afraid. Afraid this wouldn't work, afraid to build up hope for her husband, only to see that hope burn to the ground in bitter ashes. But he had the right to know, didn't he?
Damn that man! Where is he? Probably gave some poor student detention. Tonight of all nights! I'll strangle him. No, first I'll tell him what I found out, and THEN I'll strangle him. Damn Slytherin! He probably…Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard the door to their quarters open, then close again. Finally, she thought, as she turned to face the doorway, nervous and a little frightened.
Severus walked towards the living room, tired and annoyed. He'd heard multiple complaints from Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle about his wife's actions in the potions classroom today. One hundred points was harsh. Granted, the curse was stupid, but not really worth a hundred points. It was Potter, after all. The boy probably did something, he thought, before stopping himself.
I must stop doing that! Potter isn't what I thought he was, and I need to remember that. Besides, who am I trying to fool? Draco's an ass and he's hated Harry from day one. How many times did the little prat sabotage Harry's potions in class? Still, one hundred points is too damn harsh.
He walked into the living room and glanced up in time to see his wife hurtling towards him. He rocked back on his heels with a grunt as she flung herself into his chest. Wrapping his arms around her, he tried to understand what she was saying. Muffled against his chest, words tumbled from her lips.
"Serena? I can't understand a word you're saying. Serena!" Pulling her back from his chest, he looked down at her face and noticed her eyes were brimming with tears. "Serena?" he asked gently. "What's wrong?"
"Wrong? Nothing! It's just…I have something to tell you! I've debated about this, because I'm not sure how you'll react but…"
"I've already been told, Serena. I think you were a little harsh," he added, misunderstanding.
"Harsh? What are you talking about?"
"One hundred points from Slytherin and two weeks detention? Do you know what I've had to listen to today? Whining from Malfoy and his goons!" He pushed her away and went to pour himself a drink.
She gaped at his back. Malfoy? He's complaining about Malfoy?
"Severus, you don't understand…"
"Of course I understand," he said, turning from the bar with a glass of brandy in his hand. "So Malfoy acted like a prat. Big deal. He is a prat, in case you didn't notice. Detention and house points won't change that!"
"Severus, I don't want to talk about Malfoy right now, I want…"
"Well I do. I'm the head of Slytherin, Serena. You should have come to me on this."
"Come to you? What, so you could let the little bastard off with a warning?" She stalked towards him. Stopping inches away from him, her head up, chin jutting out, she radiated prickly anger. A smart man would have backed off by now. But Severus was new to relationships and he didn't think.
"I would have taken care of it," he replied before taking a sip from his glass.
"Taken care of it? How dare you imply that I am incapable of taking care of this on my own?" She punctuated this statement with a finger poke to his chest. "Punishment for misbehavior in my class is my business, Severus. So, you're the head of Slytherin house," she mocked, poking him in the chest again. "Let me point out just how much I don't care. You're precious house is full of miscreants, hell raisers, unintelligent, spoiled little brats!" Another poke to the chest followed. "You've been favoring those slimy gits from day one. What on earth makes you think I would blindly follow your lead and do the same?"
As she went to poke him once more, he captured her hand and flattened on his chest. "Serena, I may have worded that wrong…" He tightened his hold on her hand as she tried tugging it away.
"Release me," she said, icily.
"Serena, we need…"
She kicked him in the shin, hard. Releasing her, he cursed. What the hell was going on here? Rubbing his shin, he watched her stalk away, limping slightly and muttering to herself. Thankfully, he could only hear part of her diatribe.
"…stupid slimy…listen to me for a change…how you could be so dense…"
She picked up a notebook from the coffee table, marched back to him, shoved it under his nose and barked, "Read!"
He took the notebook, glanced at the cover, then back at her face. "Serena, what…"
She pulled her foot back ready to kick him again. New to relationships he may be, but no one ever accused him of being stupid. Shin still throbbing from her first kick, he put his glass down on the bar, opened the notebook and read. HJ Potter.
He glanced back up, noted her dangerous expression, and kept his comment to himself. Flipping through the pages, he paused now and then to read some of the notes. Charms homework. Why am I reading Potter's notes on his charms homework? What's the point of…Oh for Merlin's sake!
He stared at the page before him for a moment and rolled his eyes. Ginny. Ginny Weasley. Ginny Potter…
He showed the page to his wife. "Is there a point to this? I don't really feel like reading through Potter's homework and hormonal ramblings, Serena."
"Just keep reading, you stubborn man!" She ground out.
Damn she's touchy today. What is her problem? Merlin, I hope she's not pregnant! He nearly dropped the notebook at the thought. No, she can't be. I always use the contraceptive charm.
Sighing inwardly, he read through several more pages of notes, doodles and some disturbing comments before he stopped again. What the hell was this?
"The Protean Charm:
How it can be modified through the
use of crystalline structures
as foci for alteration of the
bond."
By H.
Potter
After reading the page twice, he moved on. Diagrams, more notes on the Protean and…He stiffened, eyes widening in shock.
Removal of a Protean Mark is possible by use of two crystalline amplifiers.
Finishing the page, he noticed his hand was trembling. Shaking his head dumbly, he looked up. "Serena?" He whispered questioningly.
"I know," she sighed. Taking the notebook from his loose fingers, she started to pace with it in her hand. Severus moved to the nearest chair and sat down heavily as his wife continued to speak.
"When Harry was hit with that curse this morning, his book bag went flying. Books everywhere! Ronald Weasley picked them up, but the notebook slid under my desk and went unnoticed until I pulled my chair out. At first, I opened it to see whom it belonged to. Once I realized it was Harry's, I was curious. I probably shouldn't have looked, but I couldn't help myself."
"Serena, stop a minute…"
"I've been worried about him. I thought maybe his notebook would give me some clues about his thoughts. When I found what I thought to be homework, I figured I'd give it back to him at lunch."
"Serena…"
"But then I got to the pages about the Protean. Once I realized what I was reading, I was in shock. Shock, Severus! Do you know what…"
"SERENA!" Severus bellowed.
Serena jumped, mid-pace, whirled around and faced her husband. "What?"
"Would you please stand still?" He asked, quietly. "You're making me dizzy."
"Dizzy? What are you talking about? Severus, don't you understand what this means?" And she was off again, pacing and rambling, almost to herself.
For his part, Severus didn't know what to think. He leaned his elbows on his knees, put his head in his hands and tried to order his thoughts. Overpowering the mark. Reversing the flow through a matrix? Emerald and Diamond…perhaps…I need to read it again and compare it to…
Standing, he tried to gain his wife's attention. "Serena…"
She paced by him, still holding the notebook and talking.
"Serena, I need the…"
She went back the other way, passing in front of him once more.
"Serena, would you please…"
As she went to pass him a third time, he reached out and snatched the notebook from her hand. Ignoring her indignant yelp, he turned to the relevant page and walked over to a bookshelf. Scanning the contents, he finally plucked a book from among the volumes.
Taking both the notebook and the tome to a desk in the corner, he put them down. Flipping through the book, he started muttering to himself.
"I know I saw it. It's in this book, I'm sure….here! Binding charms."
Serena watched as her husband compared the text in the notebook to the pages in the book he'd taken from the shelf. As much as she wanted to ask what he was doing, she knew now wasn't the time. Twisting her hands with nerves and pacing in a small circle, she couldn't still her racing mind.
This has to work. Pray Gods please let this work. I know I'm being selfish in thinking of my husband first, but he's been through enough! When she saw Severus' head droop and his shoulders relax, she froze.
"Severus…?"
He turned to face her slowly. Looking into his eyes, she caught her breath.
"Serena…Serena, I think it just might work!"
With a cry, she flung herself into his arms again. Hugging him tight, she started to sob.
Harry Arrives…
Harry arrived at Professor Snape's private quarters. He was not a happy person, despite Ginny trying to cheer him up. Even her sitting in his lap and wiggling didn't do much to help. The loss of his book had devastated him.
Knocking, he waited for someone to respond. Professor Severus Snape opened the door and let Harry enter the apartment.
When Harry entered the living room, he noticed Professor Serena Snape standing in front of the fireplace. She motioned for him to take a seat and said, "Hello Harry, it's good to see you."
Severus glanced as his wife, amazed. A moment before, she had been sobbing in his arms. Now, she was calm and composed, all evidence of her emotional upheaval missing from her face and demeanor. Worthy of a Slytherin, that one is, he thought to himself.
Harry's immediate thought was a simple one. I'm about to get nailed by two Professors? Can this day get any worse?
Professor Severus Snape took up a position next to his wife.
Harry looked at the two carefully. Whatever was coming, he was sure it wasn't going to be enjoyable.
Serena noticed how tense Harry was and decided to see if she could calm him a bit before they even brought up the book. She moved from the fireplace to sit next to Harry on the couch. Placing a hand on his arm, she couldn't help but notice how stiff and tense he was.
"Harry, relax. We're not here to yell at you, and you're not in trouble."
Harry looked between the two, bewildered. If he wasn't in trouble, then why was he here?
Serena started again.
"Harry, after today's little problem in potions, I found a notebook. When I opened it to find out who it belonged to, I was extremely surprised at what I discovered inside."
Harry stiffened. "You found my notebook? You read my notebook?"
"Yes Harry. I'm sorry for violating your privacy like that, but certain items in the book caught my eye. That's why I asked you to visit us tonight."
Harry seemed to hunch and pull into himself. In a small voice he prompted her to continue. "Professor?"
Serena leaned in to Harry and said in a low voice. "The Protean charm Harry."
Harry seemed to flinch at that. He said, "I know it's not any good Professor… I didn't really expect anyone to find that… I was just doing some research and jotted notes down… Its not like 'Mione did it. It was just something I was doodling with…"
As Harry continued to babble excuses, Serena rolled her eyes and smiled. Reaching over, she grasped Harry's chin and turned his face towards her. Meeting his eyes, she said, "Harry, listen to me a moment please. I've read through your research. Severus has as well. Neither of us has found a single flaw in it."
Harry's eyes widened, and he whipped his head around to stare at Snape, still standing by the fire.
Seeing his look, Severus nodded. "She's right Harry. There's nothing wrong with your conclusions. In fact, the monograph you've written is one of the best I've seen. There are wizards that have years of experience in charms research who would have trouble understanding it. I'm not sure even I understand it all."
Harry was in shock. This was so out of character for the stern Professor, even the new revised married version of the stern Professor!
Serena, remembering past conversations concerning Harry's self esteem, gently asked him, "Harry, you never planned on showing that to anyone, did you?"
Harry looked down at the carpet and was silent for a moment before answering "No Professor."
Severus stepped forward, pulled one of the armchairs around to face Harry and sat down. Leaning forward, Severus looked at the slight young wizard and said softly, "I'm glad we got to see that Harry."
Harry raised his head and searched Snape's face for some sense of mockery or deceit. He stared long and hard but could see nothing except a sense of sadness and, perhaps, hope.
Severus continued speaking in a soft tone. "Harry, for more than 16 years now I have searched for a potion, a charm, some way of affecting the mark; some way to remove it. This past summer, Serena went over my research, and even started several lines I hadn't considered. We found nothing. And now you come along with a way of freeing me. Freeing me from the pain it causes me. I'm no use to the Order anymore. Voldemort knows I was a spy, that's why I can no longer leave Hogwarts. I'm a prisoner in this school because he can track me if I leave. With the mark gone, I might be of use again."
Harry looked between the two again. Serena looked hopeful, Severus held his breath. Harry chuckled sadly and said, "It's ironic that all this started because, like you Professor, I wanted to be free of the pain; the pain that Voldemort can still cause me through this scar."
Harry leaned back and debated with himself. Should I trust them? Can I trust them? I'm not sure! Oh Merlin I wish I had someone to tell me what to do!
At that point Harry's locket shuddered against his chest and emitted a small, comforting warmth against his breastbone. Harry's turmoil eased and he came to a decision. He smiled and sent a mental thanks to his family.
Harry looked at the two Professors and said shyly, "There is an easy way, Professor, to see if my theory is correct. I never got the chance to test it. That was one of the parts I was still working on and I couldn't see Voldemort allowing me to accept the mark just so I could experiment on myself."
Serena gasped at that, and then started to chuckle. Severus went goggle eyed for a moment.
Then, the unthinkable happened. Professor Snape, the menacing Head of Slytherin House, the most feared teacher in Hogwarts, started to laugh. As he pictured Harry asking for the Dark Lord's help in removing the mark, he laughed even harder.
Harry stared at Severus, his mouth hanging open in shock. Serena, noting Harry's expression, slid off the couch. Landing on the floor in hysterical giggles, she raised a shaking hand and pointed at Harry's expression. Harry recovered from his shock and grinned sheepishly at her.
Once everyone had regained their composure, Severus leaned forward anxiously and said, "You can test this easily Harry?"
Serena, once again seated next to Harry on the couch, caught her breath and waiting for his reply.
"Yes Sir. There's a fairly easy way of testing it and no one will notice the link being activated. It will require me to produce the correct matrix of crystals, but that's fairly easy…" He became hesitant again. "I'm afraid I'll have to show you an ability I've been hiding from most everyone here though."
Serena was confused, thinking he meant his animagus form. For the life of her, she couldn't see how a phoenix would help in this. Her train of thought derailed as Harry continued speaking.
"I'll need to make a matrix that will be a mix of blue Tourmaline and Moonstone and then charge the matrix. Once it's charged, it should cause your mark to glow a painless blue. If that works, everything else should work, Sir."
"Can you do it here? Now? What do you need?"
"Well Sir, its unfortunate you're not my Ginny, because I'll need you to remove your shirt so we can see the mark." He said with a smirk. Serena laughed and Severus rolled his eyes.
"While you're doing that, I can make what I need," Harry finished.
As Severus unbuttoned his shirt, he glanced at Serena, who was looking at Harry in shock. Looking at Harry, he gaped.
Harry sat on the couch with his eyes closed; his hands turned, palms up. Both hands seemed to pulsate with a soft white glow. Above each palm, a series of sparks appeared for a moment, each flashing inward to a central point. As each spark reached the center it vanished, leaving a small piece behind.
Eventually, two stones floated above each palm. Both stones were about an inch in diameter. After the stones were formed, Harry turned his palms inward to face each other and the stones floated lazily together. They touched, and where they met, a bright line appeared as the two stones fused together. Slowly, the glow faded from his left hand and, as Harry opened his eyes, the fused stone fell into his right.
Serena stared at Harry. Severus croaked "How long…"
Harry looked at Severus. "Wandless magic?"
Severus nodded.
"Since early summer, Sir."
Severus collapsed back into the armchair. "Incredible!"
The wandless magic was impressive. But just as impressive was the fact that Harry wasn't just conjuring gemstones; he was building them, shaping them to his precise needs.
Serena collected her thoughts and tried to get them back on track.
"Harry, what do we do next?"
Harry looked at Serena puzzled for a moment, and then realized what she was talking about.
"Oh right, this is easy. I'll charge the Moonstone side of the matrix. Once it hits a critical point, the energy will flow to the Tourmaline and exit as a thin beam. As long as Professor Snape gets hit by the beam, it should cause his mark to glow."
Harry turned to Severus; he seemed to hesitate.
"I'm pretty sure this will be painless Sir. Are you sure you want to try this?"
Severus had a predatory gleam in his eye. "Lets do it!"
"Yes Sir. It will only take a moment to charge the matrix."
Harry levitated the stone and twisted it so that the tourmaline side was pointing at Severus. One of his hands glowed that soft white again and a broad beam of light hit the stone. The stone seemed to suck up the energy without any effect until suddenly, a pencil thin beam of blue light erupted from the Tourmaline, hitting Severus in the chest.
Severus gasped and shuddered, saying, "Bugger that's cold!" Then his jaw dropped open as he noticed his mark.
Serena's eyes widened at Severus's Dark Mark began to pulsate with a soft blue light.
Harry leapt to his feet, cutting off the beam, and shouted, "YES! It worked!"
Severus leaned back in his chair with a startled look on his face. Then he murmured. "Bugger me! It really did glow!"
Serena leapt to her feet and grabbed Harry in a hug. Harry took on an embarrassed air.
There was a moment of silence as they all settled back in their seats. Serena said softly to Harry, "You see, your research was correct."
Harry nodded and then asked the one question they all were pondering at the same time. "Where do we go from here?"
Severus looked thoughtful, then finally said, "I think the next step would be to examine your other suppositions in detail. As much as I want this mark removed, I don't think we should rush into this. I will say however, I am greatly encouraged Harry. So much so that I think I'm going to award you 100 points to Gryffindor and take another 50 from Slytherin!"
Serena gaped at Severus. "Your kidding right? Your not going to take another 50 points from Slytherin, are you?"
Severus rolled his eyes at her. "Of course I'm not going to take points from my own house. But I'll let the 100 points stand."
Harry clasped his hands to his head and murmured, "A Joke! I can't take this, he made a joke!"
Severus smirked his patented smirk, then turned serious again. "Harry, I know what this book means to you, but I'd like your permission to copy it so I can study what you've put together. I will be discrete with it, but I should warn you I may have to show this to the Headmaster and others."
Harry winced at that, then sighed and nodded an affirmative. Severus replicated the book with a quick spell, and handed Harry back his original copy.
"I'm not very comfortable with the Headmaster knowing this, Sir. To be honest, I don't think I can trust him much anymore. And it would reveal abilities I don't want revealed yet. But if you really think this is useful, then I'll trust your judgment on the matter."
Serena got a thoughtful look on her face and decided this was something she needed to ask. "Harry, considering all of the history between yourself and my husband, why did you suddenly decide to trust us with the knowledge of your abilities?"
"Professor, someday when this war is over and Voldemort is gone, we'll sit down over a nice dinner and I'll explain. But for now, let's just say I received confirmation from an unimpeachable authority and leave it that, ok?"
Serena hated secrets, but she really had no choice but to comply. This time. This young man has as many secrets as a Slytherin! She thought.
Severus watched the exchange silently, his mind whirling with possibilities. Suddenly, one clear thought popped to the forefront, and for him it was an epiphany of sorts.
Harry Potter may look like James Potter, but he's really more like Lily than his father!
Serena put an arm around Harry's shoulder and walked him to the door. "Thank you, Harry," she said quietly. "You don't know how much this means…to both of us."
"You're welcome, Professor." Harry said, embarrassed. "Goodnight."
As the door closed behind him, Harry shook his head. Snape smiling? Making a joke? Once the shock wore off, he intended to make sure the world was still spinning. At this point, he wasn't even sure if the sun would rise tomorrow!
Serena walked into the living room, weary from the night's discoveries. Smiling at Severus, she walked towards him.
Moving cat quick, Severus lunged at her, wrapped his arms around her waist and swung her around in circles, laughing.
"It's going to work, Serena! I just know it's going to work!"
Gryffindor Tower, Girl's Dorm…
Later that evening in the Gryffindor's girl's dorm, Hermione joined Ginny in her bed space. Ginny looked up from painting her toenails.
"'Mione?"
"Ginny, what's the story about this book of Harry's? He returned from that meeting with Professors Snape and he was mortally embarrassed, scared, relieved and pleased with himself. What's so important about this notebook?"
Ginny looked thoughtful for a moment then started talking.
"Last Friday night, I snuck into the Room of Requirement, looking for Harry. I figured he was training again. But he wasn't. He was seated at a table surrounded by books. He was pouring over a very old book and making notes in his notebook. I didn't see much of the book 'Mione, but what I saw was so far over my head I could barely understand every third word. He's been researching the Protean charm and, apparently, has made a breakthrough on it. He's figured out how to affect that particular magical bond." As she spoke she couldn't help but allow a note of pride creep into her voice.
Hermione was stunned. Harry made a breakthrough in something? Ok, that really wasn't fair to Harry, but he never struck her as being willing to study or research anything. Hermione was so lost in thought it took her a minute to realize that Ginny was sitting there frowning at her.
Hermione put a hand on Ginny's arm.
"I'm sorry Ginny. I guess it was just a shock to me, hearing that Harry was doing some research. What do you think the odds are that he'll allow me to look at it?"
Ginny blushed and said, "I'm not sure he will 'Mione. Like I said, there was a lot of material in that book, but some of it was pretty personal. I'm afraid he'd be too embarrassed to show it to you." She giggled and continued. "I didn't say anything to Harry at the time, but he had one full page that I spotted that just kept saying 'Ginny Potter' over and over again."
Hermione gave Ginny a questioning look. Ginny blushed, then sighed and said, "No, not for the lack of opportunity or willingness on my part. He wants it to be perfect the first time." Both girls sighed at that.
Hermione considered for a moment. People tended to marry early in the wizarding world. It was actually unusual for wizards and witches to wait until their mid twenties to get married. Harry knew that, since he knew his parents had been married just out of school. She wondered if he knew about some of the other aspects of the wizarding world.
Ginny looked at Hermione, she had that 'I'm in deep thought mode' at the moment. Hermione noticed her look and said, "Oh, I'm just wondering how much Harry understands our world. I know some of the wizarding ways seem strange to me, being raised by muggle parents, but Harry didn't even have that luxury. Maybe it's time we educate him?" She said with a wicked grin.
Hogwarts Headmaster's Office, late evening…
Serena and Severus Snape and Minerva McGonagall entered the Headmaster's office and took chairs facing the desk. Albus Dumbledore peered over his glasses at the three of them. His eyes rarely twinkled these days.
"Ah, so good of you all to join me tonight. Would anyone care for a lemon drop?"
All three declined. So much for small talk, Dumbledore thought. Oh well, lets see what kind of shock they intend to drop on me.
"So, what brings you here Professors Snape and Professor McGonagall? Surely it's not about that fight over the Quidditch pitch the other day? I understand Madam Pomfrey will be able to return all of Mr. Goyle's missing limbs?"
Severus coughed politely and said. "Yes Headmaster, Goyle will be fine. That's not why we're here. This is an important matter, worthy of your attention, and it involves yourself and our Mr. Potter."
Dumbledore's only comment was a quiet "Ah."
Minerva tells me you've been made to understand what kind of a mistake you were making, but its important that you start trying to heal the breach between you both. Especially now; Pot… umm… Harry has demonstrated some remarkable abilities and produced an extremely interesting piece of research that may prove invaluable for our side. I know how strained things are between you both, but we need to move forward. What I would like to propose is that we four meet with Harry next week, after you've had a chance to review his research. I assure you Headmaster; you will find not only his research illuminating, but his doodling as well. And, as much as I'd hate admit this, it might not be a bad idea to give Miss Granger a copy of this book, or at least a scroll of the relevant section, and have her attend."
Severus paused for a moment, then finally added, "It might even be valuable to include Professor Flitwick, since this is his area of expertise. But I'll leave that up to you to decide, Headmaster."
Albus leaned back in his chair and considered the three of them carefully. He was surprised that Severus was speaking of Harry in such a familiar fashion, and more than a little wistful because it sounded like Severus was developing a relationship with Harry similar to the one he had ruined.
"I have wanted to heal the breach between us Severus. Merlin knows how stupid I acted, and it's not something I'm proud of. I am almost frightened to meet with him again. You'll note that I did not visit him during his last infirmary stay. I'm not sure how to approach him at this point."
Serena spoke up. "Headmaster, if I may offer a suggestion?"
Albus nodded for her to continue.
"I have plenty of experience of late with extremely stubborn men, and Harry is one of the most stubborn I've met. If you sit waiting for him to come to you, you will end up waiting forever. This is important to me, personally and professionally. As Harry's teacher, I know that the road to his recovery must be taken in very small steps. One of which, is healing the breach with you. Harry's research will have a deep impact on myself personally as well, but that's a side issue. My principle concern is that Harry continues to recover from years of physical and emotional abuse. I'm not going to dredge up past pains here; my point is a simple one. Harry needs to build confidence, something he sadly lacks, and he needs your help. Your job, Headmaster, your great task, is to see Harry as Harry. A young man who is just learning to love and be loved, not as the Boy-Who-Lived, but as Harry, a young man who knows little of our world beyond these walls and has little experience with it.
Harry came up with a theory, worked out all the details at a level far beyond what Hogwarts provides. But because he has so little confidence in himself, he had no plans of showing it to anyone. It was pure chance that I learned of it."
Albus nodded thoughtfully, then said, "I can only try Serena. Set up a meeting for Monday and I will review his book over the weekend. Serena, will you see that Miss Granger gets a copy as well? I would suggest we meet elsewhere, however. Meeting here would probably only make Harry uncomfortable. I daresay he has few fond memories of this office."
The Halloween Ball…
Harry tugged on his new robes for what seemed the twentieth time that evening. The robes were a deep forest green and, while they'd seemed comfortable in the store, the alterations made after he'd left seemed to leave them a little on the tight side.
Seamus and Neville had been ready for a while now and both were watching Harry with amusement. Harry tugged at his robe and pulled, but no matter what he did, his shoulders till looked overly large. The fit wasn't tight, but the top of the robe could be described as 'snug', and it seemed to accentuate the fact that Harry had been doing a lot of training in the past few months.
Walking over to his trunk, he pulled out the robe he'd worn for the TriWizard ball two years go. He was seriously considering wearing it instead when his locket thumped against his chest and flashed hot. With a sigh, he put the other robe back in his trunk and went to look in the mirror.
"You look nice dear, but can't you do something about the hair?" asked the mirror.
Harry tried smoothing it down but he knew that was hopeless. He turned from the mirror and walked back to his bed, then returned to the mirror. He shouldn't be nervous. Ginny and he had been on dates before. But this was a formal ball, and that made all the difference in the world in his eyes.
Seamus, who was currently dating Lavender, snickered as he watched Harry pace around. Ron was amused and Neville, whose relationship with Luna had only just begun, took heart from Harry's nervousness. Finally, Ron couldn't stand it anymore and had to say something.
"Look at this. He can face down a Hungarian Horntail, fight Dementors, battle the occasional Dark Lord, but make him go to a formal dance and he goes to pieces!"
Harry shot Ron a venomous look, which quickly turned into a protesting one as Ron, Seamus and Neville grabbed him by the arms and trotted him down the stairs, ignoring his weak protests that he wasn't ready.
Down in the Common Room, Colin Creevey had set up his camera to take photos. The boys were all clustered together near the fireplace, waiting for the girls to make their appearance. Some of the boys who had dates with girls from other houses left the room. Those that remained huddled together for protection.
Suddenly, Harry had a sickening thought that made his stomach churn. This reminded him of a show he had watched on Jack's TV. It had been a nature show about food production and showed how animals are penned in before going to the market to be slaughtered. It was very morbid.
There was a motion from the girl's staircase and the group took a collective breath and stepped back. The girls started coming down in ones and twos and the appropriate guy moved forward bravely to meet his fate. As couples paired off, they got into a short line and Colin would snap a few photos for each couple. Earlier in the week, Harry had organized the guys and paid for Colin to get plenty of blank film. Now, Harry wasn't sure it was such a good idea.
Turning to Ron, thinking he might be able to provide some moral support, Harry noted he had turned whiter than usual and seemed to be trembling slightly. Nope, no moral support to be found there, Harry thought. The only one from his year who seemed comfortable was Seamus, and he was having too much fun teasing his mates.
Harry and Ron didn't see Ginny and Hermione come down the staircase; both were busy looking for escape routes. The girl's were off the stairway and walking towards them when Ron and Harry noticed them.
Harry's jaw dropped open and he couldn't help but shiver. She was beautiful! Her robe was silver and if his robe was snug, hers had been painted to her body until it flared out at the hips! He swallowed nervously. Ginny reached out to take his hand. She smiled at him.
Harry tried to stammer out something, anything!
"Gin… you're… I mean… pretty… no… more… beautiful… no… more…"
She carefully leaned up on her toes and kissed him on his cheek saying, "Thank you Harry. You look quiet handsome yourself."
Her words made him blush. He vaguely wondered if he glowed in the dim common room. A detached portion of his mind noticed that his hands trembled. Then Ginny smiled at him, and his mind went blank as he just stared at her.
Seeing his shell-shocked expression, Ginny had a hard time not laughing at him. Taking in his appearance, she made a mental note to thank the witch at Gladrags for the fine alterations. His robe emphasized the breadth of his shoulders and strong, leanly muscled chest. Realizing she'd been repeatedly licking her lips, she shook her head. Squeezing his hand, she turned them both towards Ron and Hermione.
Seeing his friends seemed to snap Harry out of his daze. Obviously, his experience with Ginny had gone better than Ron's with Hermione. At least Harry and Ginny had managed to talk to each other!
Ron, dressed in his deep midnight blue robe, and Hermione, in a shimmering gold, were staring at each other as if they were both afraid to move or say anything. As Ginny and Harry snickered slightly at the sight, Ron broke out of his reverie.
"Merlin 'Mione, your gorgeous! Not that you aren't the rest of the time… I mean I think your real pretty all the time… but tonight… wow…"
Ron would have probably rambled on all night, but Hermione reached up and placed a finger on his lips, halting him. The two grinned sheepishly at each other and Ron reached out to take her hand.
The two couples got in line for their photos. Colin winked at Harry before taking his. Harry began to feel a lot better about this dance.
While waiting for Ron and Hermione to get their photos taken, Harry slipped an arm around Ginny's waist and pulled her close. He whispered in her ear, "You're the prettiest girl in the school. How did I get so lucky?" Ginny smiled up at him and leaned into him.
Once the photos were taken, the couples left the common room, heading down to the Great Hall.
In honor of the occasion, the Hall had been temporarily expanded tonight. The teacher's table had been replaced with a bandstand, where musical equipment was being set up. Dumbledore had procured the services of a new band for this evening, the Wailing Wizards.
The long house tables had been replaced by smaller tables that would seat five couples. There was more than enough room to dance and move around comfortably. Near the bandstand was a door leading to an enchanted rose garden, where couples could go to spend a few private moments or cool off from dancing. The Hall was lit by hundreds of Jack-o-Lanterns that floated just above the heads of everyone.
Ginny noticed a number of envious looks from other girls in the school and she inwardly smiled smugly. She tightened her grip on Harry's arm, lifted her chin in a gesture that said, in no uncertain terms, He's mine, back off!
They met up with Neville and Luna and started looking for a table. Finding Seamus, Lavender, and another Gryffindor couple already seated, the three couples joined them. Dinner was served and they all sat around enjoying themselves.
Ginny noticed that Harry's nervousness seemed to be back in spades, so she leaned over and asked him. "What's wrong Harry?"
Harry gulped and leaned over to whisper, "I don't know how to dance, Gin. What if I do it wrong? What if you don't enjoy it?"
Ginny had learned to dance by standing on her father's feet when she was little and moving while Arthur and Molly danced. Her parents often danced together. She found it hard to believe that anyone wouldn't know how. But then, her Harry wasn't just anyone. She smoothed the hair on his brow and told him he'd be fine, not to worry.
After dinner was cleared, the band began to play and couples moved from their tables to the dance floor. Harry hesitated for a moment. This was it! The moment of truth! Ginny was looking at him expectantly. And to make matters worse, no one from their table had moved to the dance floor yet!
Gryffindors charge forward! He thought, slightly hysterical. Taking a deep breath, he turned in his chair to face Ginny.
"Would you like to dance Gin?"
She smiled up at him and nodded in affirmative. Grabbing her hand, he led her out onto the dance floor. He felt very awkward and clumsy at first, but Ginny smiled encouragingly. Fortunately for her, he had very few missteps and none where her feet were the intended target. After a while, he started to enjoy himself. He wasn't sure he liked the real fast dances, but he knew he loved the slow ones where he could hold Ginny close in his arms.
After a few songs, something began bothering him. Ron and Hermione.
He nudged Ginny and pointed in their direction. She stopped dancing and murmured, "Oh dear." Ron was staring at his water glass and Hermione was looking wistfully at the couples dancing.
"Think we can fix this, Gin?"
"I think so."
The couple made their way over to the table. Harry grabbed Hermione's hand and pulled her onto the dance floor. He could hear Ginny having some words with her brother as she pulled him onto the floor.
Hermione looked up at Harry with a sad sort of look in her eye. He pulled her close, then leaned down and whispered, "Don't worry. We'll fix it." This earned him a small smile.
At one point Ginny caught Harry's eye. Ron was dancing with Ginny, but you could see he wasn't enjoying himself. Harry steered Hermione closer to them. Ron and Hermione turned as part of the dance movement and suddenly confronted each other face to face.
Harry grabbed Ron's hand and placed it on Hermione's waist while Ginny grabbed the other and put it in Hermione's hand. The two froze for a moment, and then slowly began to shuffle their feet. The song changed to a slow song and Ron moved close enough to Hermione that she could put her head on his shoulder.
Ginny and Harry danced nearby. Both were amused by the extraordinarily pleased look on Hermione's face, and Ron's look of stunned disbelief.
After half an hour of solid dancing, Ginny and Harry returned to their table for a couple of drinks and a break. Ron and Hermione were still on the dance floor.
Ginny giggled. As Neville and Luna joined them for a break, Ginny leaned over and whispered to Harry, "I don't think 'Mione's going to let him off the floor anytime soon. They missed the first seven or eight songs and she's having too much fun."
After a few more slow songs, a stunned Ron and a very pleased looking Hermione rejoined the group. When Ron turned to ask Harry a question, he noticed his friend smirking at him.
"Well, if it isn't Potty and his Weaselette. Judging by her dress, I'd say she must have turned a few tricks to afford that!"
An icy wind howled through the Great Hall, causing the jack-o-lanterns lights to blow out. Harry stood to face Malfoy and waves of visible magic poured from his body with an eerie luminosity. He clenched his fists at his side, trying to gain control of himself.
Before he could do or say anything however, a steely voice said, "Thirty points from Slytherin, Mr. Malfoy." Serena Snape glided up to the group of students and faced Draco. "I will take another thirty points if I do not hear your apology to Miss Weasley."
As Professor Snape took Draco to task, Harry spun to face the wall. He closed his eyes tightly and desperately thought of his phoenix. He could hear Ginny sobbing at the table, and wanted nothing more than to turn Malfoy into ferret. His lips twitched as he remembered the fake Moody bouncing ferret-Malfoy across the dungeon floor during his fourth year. As the memory took him, he could hear the sweet call of phoenix song.
Turning back to Ginny, he bent low and kissed her tear-stained cheek. Looking up, he noticed Seamus holding back a furious Ron, while Hermione tried to calm him. Catching Ron's eye, Harry winked at him. Ron stopped struggling and gaped.
"I think Ginny's waiting, Draco," Harry said quietly.
With clenched teeth, Draco spat, "I apologize for that remark!"
"Oh, very pretty Draco. I think you need to work on that. Perhaps you should try again," the Professor said, raising an eyebrow at the boy's incredulous look. It was not a request.
"But Professor…"
"Another thirty points from Slytherin, Mr. Malfoy. This is not a debate and one should never keep a young lady waiting," Serena drawled.
Staring at his Professor in disbelief, he swallowed hard. He whirled around to face Ginny, clenched his fists and said, "I apologize, Miss Weasley. My remark was rude."
If the group surrounding Ginny thought Malfoy's voice sounded strangled, no one commented. The prat had made to apologize, publicly. This was unheard of!
Turning back to face his Professor, he glared at her with a murderous expression. Clenching his teeth, he wisely kept his mouth closed and waited.
"Better, Mr. Malfoy. However, I will be speaking to the Headmaster about removing you as a prefect. You obviously do not have the temperament for the job." Seeing Draco's shocked expression, Serena smiled at him. "I would suggest Mr. Malfoy, that if you have any intention of becoming a prefect again, you learn to modify your behavior accordingly. Now, you are dismissed from the dance. You will go directly to your common room and remain there for the night." With a wave of her hand towards the doorway, she released him from the Great Hall.
When Malfoy turned to leave, Serena moved over to Harry and Ginny and spoke with them quietly. The girl had been devastated by the young man's remark.
While the Professor's back was turned, Hermione whipped out her wand, pointed it at Draco's retreating back and muttered under her breath.
When Ginny started to giggle, Serena turned around. Noticing Ron's disbelieving expression, she followed his gaze towards the Great Hall entrance. Her eyes widened at the sight before her.
Draco Malfoy, his back to the crowd, was stomping out of the Hall in obvious anger. However, the back of his robe was transparent. And not just his robe! The young man's small, pale buttocks nearly shone in the darkened hall!
Serena's lips started to twitch. Hearing the sniggers around her, she started to grin. When Harry started to chuckle, Serena lost it. Falling into a nearby chair, she gave into the hilarity, holding her sides in mirth. As more and more people noticed Draco's robes, the Hall was filled with the sounds of laughter.
Ron couldn't believe it. He gawked at Professor Snape's limp, laughing form. Turning to Hermione, he hissed, "What were you thinking? And doing it in front of a teacher? Hermione!"
Weak with laughter herself, she leaned against Ron for support. Looking up into his shocked face, she whispered, "Oh lighten up, Ronald!"
Blinking in surprise, he started to grin. "Well, that was bloody brilliant of you, 'Mione. The slimy git deserved it."
Hermione smirked and said, "What's really neat is, to Malfoy, his robes are just fine!"
Ron swept Hermione into a bone-crushing hug, laughing with her.
While the other students around the table were laughing and cracking jokes at Malfoy's expense, Serena noticed Harry take Ginny's hand. As the two stood up, Serena caught Harry's eye. Raising an eyebrow in question, Harry smiled and nodded to her, before leading Ginny out of the Great Hall for a stroll in the rose garden.
Once he'd found a secluded spot, Harry turned to face Ginny. Taking both her hands in his, he bent down to look her in the eye. "Are you all right, Gin?"
Receiving a smiling nod in answer, he pulled her close and wrapped his arms around her. "I never thought I'd see the day when Hermione would do something like that. And did you see the look on Ron's face? It was perfect!"
Ginny giggled. "I wish Colin could have gotten a picture of it."
Laughing, Harry bent down and leaned his forehead against hers. "Are you sure you're ok?" He asked, searching her eyes.
"Well, there's nothing wrong that a kiss won't fix, Mr. Potter," she said with a grin.
"Shall I go get Malfoy then?" He asked with a smirk.
Ginny pushed herself away from him with a laugh and smacked his arm. "Oh, that's so gross, Harry! I can't believe you said that!"
Chuckling, he grabbed her hand, pulling her close once again. Raising his other hand to her cheek, he leaned close and whispered, "You're mine, Ginny." Closing the distance, he kissed her until her knees went weak.
When Harry broke the kiss, he noticed how cold his chest was. Glancing down, he was surprised to find his robe open. When had she done that? Looking at Ginny, seeing the predatory look in her eye as she stared at his chest and the way she kept licking her lips, he groaned. Closing his robe quickly, he grabbed her hand and dragged her back to the dance.
When the call came for the last dance of the night, Harry led Ginny out onto the floor. The song was an old ballad, popular in the wizarding world. Harry held Ginny close to him, her body seeming to mold to his.
Half way through the dance, Harry stopped. Ginny looked up at him curiously. In a low, serious tone he said, "You're very special Ginerva Weasley. I love you so much."
As her eyes widened, he ran one finger along her cheek and kissed her. They stood in the center of the dance floor as other couples pulled back from them. Colin snapped off a photo as one of the teachers pointed.
Harry was surrounded by a soft white glow that, as the crowd watched, slowly enveloped Ginny as well.
Serena sat at her table watching the couple with a bemused look on her face. She reached over and took Severus's hand in her own. She turned and smiled at her husband before looking back to the glowing couple on the dance floor. Severus looked at the couple then at Serena and his lips twitched briefly.
Silence. The music had stopped. Harry looked up, startled. Hermione stood a short distance away, grinning madly at them. Harry wondered why they were in the center of a wide-open space, and why was everyone staring at Ginny and himself. Ginny looked around wondering the same thing. Then both of them blushed, proving to Harry once and for all that the blush bulb can't be blown out.
Authors Notes:
To those complaining that we've moved some of the relationships along too fast we offer the following explanations.
Both Harry and Severus have had life altering experiences. In Harry's case, it's his mother's letter. Now that he's carrying it everywhere, it will play an important role in this tale. Severus surviving major torture and meeting a woman he simply cannot intimidate into submission has changed him. Think of it this way. Snape is finally growing up!
This isn't to canon. Does anyone truly believe JK Rowlings would allow Dumbledore that strays from the light? If you want canon we'd suggest that you stop reading the stories on this website and wait the years necessary for JK Rowlings to complete her works. But let's face it; the fanfic authors feed our cravings for all things Potter! Whether we agree with what the fanfic authors have done with Rowling's characters or not, they certainly make the waiting easier.
Finally, it's our story (the wife and I, that is). We can make the characters walk about eating Jell-O while naked if we want to (which we won't). We want you to enjoy the read of course, but we're only playing with Ms. Rowlings' characters and attempting to make them fit different molds. It may work or it may not, but above all, we want you to enjoy what you read.
In this chapter we saw the return of Malfoy with a vengeance. He's not going to be powerful, or successful. He will be dangerous like any mean spirited bully would be. But he's not going to be Voldemort's right hand man either. In the end, we believe Malfoy's character should be pitied. In many of ways, he is a lot like a small Vernon Dursley, petty, vicious and mean.
In canon and in many of the fanfic stories we've read, Snape is not our favorite character either. We decided it would be interesting if we mellowed him out and Serena seemed a great way of doing it. My wife came up with Serena's character, and she writes those parts. His developing relationship with Harry will continue to grow. Harry needs a mentor figure in our opinion, and if he can't make peace with Dumbledore, he needs to reach out to someone that he can make peace with. Harry and Severus's experiences with Voldemort, and the less savory aspects of the wizarding world, give them more in common than either would believe. Does this make this story an Alternate Universe story? Perhaps, but then aren't all of these stories alternate universe?
The Dursley's are in Azkaban. You may see them again. But we're not telling.
On a more personal note to the reviewer that wrote complaining about our use of muggle military concepts. Regardless of which military you use, squad level tactics are pretty much the same everywhere. And if it's the idea of using some ideas from muggle military sources why are you reading fics that clearly involve a war? Jack Parsons didn't Americanize Harry Potter, he just taught him the value of cooperating.
Finally, we'd like to thank everyone who has left a review. We can't reply to everyone personally and still churn out chapters. But we can, and will, comment here whenever possible. Your comments drive us on to make sure we give you a good story. You are the real reason why this story is going as well as it has.