Further warnings: I will eventually get to the importance of the finger talk. Until then... Relax. Go with the flow. Pull up a broomstick. Whatever.
Sympathetic Magic: Part Two - First Term, Sixth Year
The portkey released them and Harry took a deep breath, letting go of the hanky that Ron had given Dumbledore to transform. Ron shoved the piece of material back into his pocket and both teens jumped when the train Guard spoke from behind them.
"Well don't just stand there, lads," the Guard was a rather wizened, painfully thin man with crooked teeth and a set of brilliant green robes, "There's no one on the platform yet, hop down and find a carriage before you're caught."
"Yes, sir," Harry moved quickly for the door, Ron close on his heels. They jumped down onto the platform, and Harry grinned at the familiar sight. Though it was deserted, this was usually his second real sight of the Wizarding world, and a friendly one at that. Ron strolled along the carriages and chose the second one from the engine, strolling into the first compartment and settling on one of the seats.
"Mum said that she'd be here early with Ginny, so we might as well reserve a decent carriage now," he called and Harry strolled along the platform to join him. They'd both tucked a Muggle book into their robes to while the time away, not wanting to get caught doing anything else. Ron had told Harry that he wasn't ready to tell anyone about their new relationship, and Harry had been relieved. He knew that the moment Mrs Weasley discovered what they were doing she'd turn her back on Harry forever. He knew that Muggles often disowned their children when they revealed their sexuality, and didn't want to take the risk that Ron would lose his family over their relationship. One of them should have a family who loved him, and in Harry's mind, Ron was elected.
"Hey, Harry, what is this guy on about?" Ron interrupted Harry's thoughts, and he turned to look at the book Ron was reading. 'The Postman' was not their usual theme of book, but Harry had found it in Flourish and Blotts amongst a bundle of second hand books and found it fairly interesting.
"What?" Harry prompted, shaking free from his thoughts, and Ron pointed out the first chapter. Harry spent a few minutes explaining about nuclear weapons and America, and then settled back to his own book. They were sitting opposite each other, and Harry had a good view of the barrier. The sound of a trolley had him looking up and he shut the book, grinning.
"Your mum's here, Ron," he warned and Ron shut his book, shoving it into a pocket as he stood up and stuck his head out the window.
"Mum! Ginny!" he waved, then opened the door and went out to meet them. Harry marked his place and followed slowly, giving Ron time to speak to his mother in private. Ginny appeared in the corridor and Harry pointed out their compartment.
"Hello, Harry," Ginny smiled warmly, "Mum wants to see you, you'd better get out there."
"Sure," Harry nodded, speeding up a little. He got to the door just as Ron leapt inside, shouting for him. Harry jumped back, banging into the wall, his eyes wide. For a moment the worst case scenario was playing through his head - danger, death and pain danced at the edges of his vision for a sickening moment before his partner dispelled them with an easy gesture. Ron reached out for him, squeezing his arm in apology.
"Sorry, mate," he shook his head, "Mum wants you."
The slight roll of his eyes and crooked grin reassured Harry when nothing else would have, and he shook his head, heading for the door again.
"Well if you hadn't knocked me down," he mock grumbled over his shoulder and grinned at Ron's rude, low voiced response. He was still smiling when he reached the platform, and Molly Weasley enveloped him in a hug.
"Oh Harry, dear, you look much better," she let him go and looked him over carefully, "And you've grown! You're almost taller than me, now!"
Harry had discovered that too, and was a little embarrassed about it. Mrs Weasley was always a little larger than life to him. He felt himself blush, and wanted to die of embarrassment that he was blushing, which just made things worse.
"Yes Mrs Weasley," he said sheepishly in the end and she clucked her tongue, shaking her head. The green beret perched on her hair slipped a little and she reached up with a frown to put it right. Harry felt a rush of affection for the busy, kind-hearted woman.
"I think that by now you can call me Aunt Molly at least," she scolded. Harry blushed again and nodded.
"Thank you Aunt Molly," he mumbled and she patted his shoulder in approval. Ron was grinning fit to burst next to them and Harry made a mental note to tell him off at a later date. Molly seemed to spot this too, and she turned her attention to her youngest son.
"What are you grinning for, Ronald Weasley? Here, help Harry take this hamper to your compartment," she gestured to the hamper that still sat on the trolley they'd used for Ginny's trunks, and Ron pulled his wand out.
"I'll do it," Harry interrupted, "You need to get your books and things organised."
"Ok," Ron put his wand away again and Mrs Weasley started telling him about what she'd bought for him and where it was. Ginny welcomed the hamper with a grin and dug out a couple of scones, handing the first two to Harry and biting into a third. He headed back out to Ron, handing his partner the second scone and joining him in telling Mrs Weasley an edited version of their holidays.
Neville Longbottom appeared through the barrier with his grandmother, and Ron went to tell him which compartment they were in. Harry was grateful that he'd spend the journey with friends, as Hermione and Ron were expected to help patrol the train during the trip. The prefects sat in their own compartment just behind the engine, and last year Harry had spent the trip in a very low mood.
"Harry, are you sure you're all right?" Mrs Weasley asked quietly, "I know that this summer has been hard for you…"
"I'm fine, Aunt Molly," Harry smiled, "Really I am. The time at Hogwarts was very peaceful, and now I'm my own man. I was going to be leaving the Dursley's at the end of next year anyway."
"Well I hope you know that your Uncle Arthur and I expect you to come to the Burrow for holidays. You'll always be welcome under our roof. And, Harry, no one knows about… what happened. We managed to keep it out of the press, though that Rita Skeeter woman has been stirring up all sorts of bad feeling with her articles," Molly frowned in distaste and Harry sighed, nodding.
"Ron and I have been following the stories," he frowned, "But there's not much we can do. All of the Muggle born Witches and Wizards I know are happy with their families. You can't judge by the Dursley's - there was something wrong with them."
At least, that was what Harry was telling himself. It hadn't been his fault they'd hated him - he hadn't chosen to be a Wizard, and all things being equal he'd rather have his parents alive, than live with that Muggle family. He couldn't change the past, but he could change how it controlled him.
"Hello Harry!" Neville came up to them, "Look at the wand Gran bought me!"
0oo0oo0
Dean and Seamus ended up in the compartment with Neville, Ginny and Harry. Ron and Hermione were in and out at odd times, Ron complaining that this year's group of first years were 'pathetically wet'.
"There's one girl, she keeps following me up and down the corridors," Ron continued, shoving Harry over a bit so he could sit down, "Budge over, Harry. Did someone hit your arse with a swelling hex?"
"I'll hex you," Harry threatened, laughing with the others. Hermione seemed a little quieter than usual, as did Dean. Ginny kept shooting them worried looks, and Neville was biting his lip, something very obviously on his mind. From the glances Ginny shot his way, Harry could guess what was on Hermione's mind.
"Did you see the articles Rita Skeeter's been publishing?" Harry asked Seamus, "She's trying to get people interested in signing a petition to take the Muggle-born away from their parents for their own protection."
Hermione shot him an anxious look and Dean shifted uncomfortably, telling Harry he was on the right track. Seamus - who had been a little uncomfortable with Harry since his outburst at the beginning of their fifth year - seemed relieved to have something easy to talk about.
"Yeah I saw it," he shook his head, "Mum thinks it's ridiculous. As soon as they tried it the Muggle world would be after us, it would be like the Middle Ages Witch Trials all over again."
"But what if their parents are hurting them for being… well… different?" Hermione asked bluntly, and Seamus and Neville gaped at her in horror. Ron shook his head, shifting next to Harry but not interfering. They both could see what Seamus and Neville were thinking, even if Hermione couldn't.
"Your parents hurt you?" Neville squeaked and Hermione flushed angrily, shaking her head. She resolutely kept her eyes on Neville, and Harry sighed. Hermione was over thinking the situation again. He'd have to talk to her, reassure her that he was fine.
"Of course not! Mum and Dad might not understand about the Wizarding world, but they'd never hurt me for being a Witch!" she snapped, "But… oh!"
Hermione got up and stormed out. Ron shifted beside Harry again, staring at the floor. He sighed and got up, heading for the door.
"I'll talk to her," he said to no one in particular, and Harry grinned. Trust Ron to jump in where angels feared to tread.
"Good luck. If you don't come back can I have your Chuddley Cannons collection?" he called after his friend and got a rude gesture in reply. Harry broke out a pack of cards for exploding snap, and dealt everyone in.
"Dean? You ok?" Ginny asked and Dean nodded, putting a card down carefully.
"I got a subscription to the Daily Prophet these hols. I haven't shown the articles to Mum, but what if this Skeeter skag gets her way? I'd give up wizardry before I gave up my parents."
"She won't get anywhere. Seamus is right, the Muggle world would hunt every last Wizard and Witch down before they let them take away their children," Neville replied, and Harry nodded.
"Besides, with Tom Riddle still on the loose, the Ministry has better things to do than set up housing for Muggle-born Wizards," he agreed.
"Who?" Dean looked up, curious. Ginny had jumped a little at the name, but Harry and Ron had got into the habit of calling Voldemort by his Muggle name over the summer - Harry was tired of watching Ron flinch every time he heard the V-word.
"Tom Riddle - You Know Who. It's his Muggle name from when he went to Hogwarts," Harry explained casually, laying his card down carefully. The deck was beginning to fizz slightly, and someone was about to get a face full of cards.
"Where the bloody hell did you hear that?" Seamus asked incredulously while Neville giggled. Ginny began to smile, a slow beautiful expression that lit up the whole compartment and had Neville gazing at her admiringly. Harry winked at her discreetly, and she ducked her head, swallowing a giggle. The Weasley family - with the possible exception of Percy - loved a good joke.
"He was a Slytherin - he's still on the house register. Obviously he wasn't a Dark Lord back then, but…" Harry shrugged, "Why should we call him Lord anything? He's the one who made up the name that everyone is too scared to say, so why use it? Tom Riddle was good enough for school, and we're at school…"
"You're mad," Dean said, but there was a faintly admiring tone to his voice. He laid down the next card and the deck exploded. It broke the tension and the threat of the Dark Lord slipped away.
Ron and Hermione had rejoined them by the time the train pulled into Hogsmeade Station and the compartment was a fair mess by then. Seamus and Dean seemed to have misplaced everything they'd ever owned, and Neville was his usual forgetful self.
"Hey Harry," Seamus began for the tenth time at least, looking for yet another lost item, "Have you seen my copy of 'International Quidditch'?"
"Why do you keep asking Harry if he's seen your stuff?" Ginny asked in exasperation and Summoned the magazine from underneath the seat. Seamus took it with mumbled thanks, and then grinned over at his housemate.
"Because Mr Neat and Tidy over there has usually put whatever I've lost away," Seamus replied, and Harry frowned at him. Seamus was a very untidy dorm mate, and Harry had retrieved the other boy's possessions from under his bed, and even out of his drawers more than once. There was some truth to the remark.
"I'm not that bad," he said uneasily and helped Hermione with Crookshanks. Neville and Dean were chuckling too now. It was a bit of a joke among the dorm mates that they never needed a house elf to clean their room for them because they had Harry.
"You are mate - you can't go by a stack of books without straightening them," Dean informed him, and Ron distracted them by nudging the hamper Mrs Weasley had packed off the seat. Harry gave him a grateful look as they all bent to pick up the bits and pieces. This conversation was going in a direction that Harry would rather avoid if at all possible.
"It's true," Neville was not to be distracted, however, "You never leave anything lying around."
"It's not a bad thing, Harry," Ron hastened to assure him. Harry was feeling cold and small - as if he was going back to the Dursley's tomorrow. What was wrong with being tidy? Tidiness was safe. Tidiness let you eat regularly and kept the hard hands and fists away.
"Harry?" Seamus asked, frowning. Harry wondered what his face looked like to get that tone from the normally oblivious Irishman. He took a ragged breath and pasted a smile on his face that seemed to alarm his travelling companions instead of reassuring them.
"Not everyone is as neat as you, that's all I was saying," Seamus said awkwardly, and Harry felt something give way. Despite his hopes that he'd be able to banish the first part of the summer, a day with his friends had shown him otherwise. What worked to keep him safe with the Muggles was wrong with the Wizards, and what kept him safe with the Wizards was forbidden with the Muggles. The demands of the two worlds were starting to pull Harry apart, and the conflict just boiled over, spewing from his mouth in a heated torrent of words.
"Yes, well, not everyone was starved for a day for leaving their comb out of alignment with the corner of their dresser, either," he snarled, "Nor was everyone beaten nearly to death by their Muggle family for being a Wizard. That would explain Skeeter's little attack of concern for the Muggle-born, hey?"
The train lurched to a halt and Harry was out in the corridor in a flash, heading for the platform and the bustle of a school's worth of children trying to get to where they had to be. He heard Hagrid calling for the first years and took a deep breath. Some things never changed - Hagrid was Hagrid, and his rotten temper and poor timing had apparently survived the summer intact too. He had no one to blame for that little outburst but himself.
Just ahead of him a painfully thin girl with white hair slipped when a bunch of third years rushed past her to get to the carriages. Harry hurried over and helped her up. Bright blue eyes blinked up at him, and she flushed a little.
"Thank you," she gasped and Harry forced a smile. It wasn't her fault either and he'd made a promise to Ron and Hermione in their fifth year to stop taking his temper out on other people.
"That's ok," he turned and looked at Hagrid. This girl was easily the smallest person on the platform, and Hagrid's height must have been intimidating to her, not to mention all the strangers rushing about.
"Come on, I'll introduce you to Hagrid. He's the Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts, and one of the nicest teachers there. He takes Care of Magical Creatures," Harry started forward, forging a path for the girl, who had taken his hand. From the strength of her grip she was terrified, and Harry wondered if he'd have to use the repelling spell on her to get her to let go.
"Alrigh' Harry?" Hagrid beamed as they reached his side. Harry grinned. There was just something about Hagrid that said 'home' to him. The fact that Hagrid was playing it up as if they hadn't seen each other all summer was pretty funny too. Hagrid's only expectation of Harry was that he always do his best, which helped Harry relax, the tension from the argument starting to fade a little.
"Yeah, Hagrid. I've got one of your charges here - people were knocking her about," Harry turned to include the girl in the conversation. Hagrid bent over to look at her, and she shrank back for a second before standing straight and meeting his gaze levelly. Harry made a mental bet that this young lady would be in Gryffindor by the end of the night, and knew that Hagrid was thinking along the same lines.
"Blimey! You're a tiddler an' no mistake. You jest stick wi' me, you'll do fine. Better get on Harry, or yer'll be walking to the castle," Hagrid reached over and took the girl's hand from Harry, who was relieved to get his circulation restored to his fingers.
"Right," he nodded and smiled at her one more time before turning and heading for the carriages. The thestrals that pulled them didn't even rate a glance this time. He had other things on his mind.
0oo0oo0
The evening hadn't got much better from there, though. The Sorting Hat had sung it's song and sorted the students, and the feast was as delicious as ever. Then Harry had stood behind Ron and Hermione, listening with half an ear to their 'welcome to Gryffindor' speech until Neville, Dean and Seamus had come up to apologise. Harry thought he might have sorted that particular problem out, or at least made things a little better, and best of all they'd promised not to say anything to anyone else. It was just as his two best friends were getting to the rules about the dorms, that things took a turn for the absolute worse.
Lee Jordan had stepped through the portrait hole, along with a group of seventh years. Harry had watched them come in, talking quietly about something or other, their heads together. There was a mixture of third and fourth years in the room, the Creevey brothers among them. One minute Harry was listening to Ron tell the first year boys that the bathrooms were to be kept tidy, the next everyone was ducking as a roaring ball of fire shot over their heads and ignited the Gryffindor banner above the mantle.
People started screaming and the first years stood petrified, staring at the banner in awe. Everyone leapt up, and the students at the fireplace started backing away from the banner. The Creevey's had their wands out, presumably to put the banner out, when several voices that no one knew cast the Jelly Legs jinx. First years went down in heaps, and Harry pulled his wand out, calling the counter jinx, as did several of the other seniors in the room.
There were more explosions of fire and the jinxes and hexes started flying left right and centre. People went down in awkward sprawls or shrieked in panic as their housemates did their best to counteract their attackers spells. Every time Harry thought they might be sure of getting everyone on their feet a new wave of jinxes, hexes and curses would erupt from different points in the room - and they couldn't seem to pinpoint who was causing it.
"Who's doing it?" Ron roared as he and Hermione joined Harry behind an armchair near the portrait hole. They were sending out counter jinxes as fast as they could, their voices often overlapping.
"I don't know - they're invisible!" Hermione snapped back. Ron squeezed himself tightly against Harry's side, and automatically their fingers linked together.
"Get the first years upstairs!" Harry roared over the noise to Angelina Johnson, and she nodded, grabbing a few of them and pushing them ahead of her. There was a ripple in the air, and without thinking Harry pointed his wand at the vulnerable group and shouted,
"Protegah!"
A shield with the Gryffindor lion appeared and whatever hex had been headed for the group recoiled back towards the caster. Protego was the charm for a shield to protect a Wizard from harm, but it would only protect the one who cast it. By changing the suffix from -o to -ah Harry had been able to cast his protection over the girls. Ron was quick to catch on and they started casting shields as quickly as they could, making it much more difficult for their attackers to take out the students as they ran in groups for the stairs.
The common room was beginning to burn fiercely, despite the water and freezing charms being cast by the remaining students. There was a tug on Harry's robe, and he glanced down to see Dobby at his side. The elf's eyes were wide with fright, but he barely flinched when a hex whizzed over his head.
"Master Harry, sir! The house elves are here to help!"
"Dobby! Tell them to get the teachers!" Harry gasped, choking on the smoke from a nearby couch, which was smouldering fiercely. They needed adult help - their teachers experience would turn the tide in their favour. In fact Dumbledore could probably sort this little lot out single-handedly.
"They are outside! They cannot get in!" Dobby squealed and threw a counter hex at whoever was targeting their armchair. Harry nodded, his fingers flexing against Ron's rapidly. With the common room on fire and no way out they were looking at a bad situation indeed. Ron turned and squinted down at the elf, signalling his agreement with Harry's plan.
"Get the elves to take as many students through the elf passages as will fit. Pass on a message to the seniors to break the windows and start taking people out on brooms!" Harry ordered, "Tell them not to take any risks - and the same for the house elves! Evacuate the tower as soon as you've got everyone you can, and someone tell the teachers what we're planning!"
"Yes Master Harry!" Dobby turned and disappeared. Harry didn't have time to see where he was going, as Hermione screamed in horror. Ron's tight grasp told Harry all he needed to know.
One of their attackers had hit the giant bookcase that stored the abandoned texts from former students and the various games that the Gryffindor's liked to play. It was tipping slowly forward, set to crush the writing tables in its path. Underneath one of the tables was the white haired girl that Harry had taken to Hagrid. She had her wand out and was trying to put out a small fire nearby, unaware of the danger above her.
"I can't hold it!" Hermione cried desperately, as her Levitation charm slowed, but did not stop the heavy bookcase. Ron and Harry jumped to their feet, both trying hard to remember the girls' name.
"Accio Beth Dunn!" the partners shouted and she flew across the room into their arms. They threw themselves down behind the armchair again just as seven balls of fire hit it. Beth wrapped her arms around Harry's neck and sobbed in fright. They scuttled back from the armchair, throwing up a shield as several jinxes targeted them.
"Is everyone upstairs?" Harry asked, coughing hard. The smoke had blinded Ron and Hermione had some small burns on her arms.
"Yes," Hermione gasped, and Harry started pulling them towards the stairs. It wouldn't do to get trapped behind the portrait of the Fat Lady. It took them longer than he would have liked to get to the stairs - their attackers were hounding them every step of the way, and once on the stairs they had even less cover to protect them. The stones themselves seemed to be on fire, and Harry was very grateful when Dobby appeared beside them again. Harry knew that the elf wouldn't be here unless he had carried out Harry's instructions, and luckily Beth wasn't much bigger than the elf.
"Take Beth!" Harry pushed the girl into the elf's arms and then ducked as Ron threw a shield between them and a ball of fire. Dobby grabbed the girl and they disappeared, her shrieks fading slowly as they got further and further away.
"Come on!" Ron yelled, tugging on Harry's hand, and he turned, pushing Hermione up the steps ahead of him. They ducked into the first boys' dorm room they came to and the door burst into flame just after they shut it. It exploded, sending burning splinters into the room. One struck Hermione on the head and Harry grabbed for her, putting her between himself and Ron. They staggered to the window, keeping their shield between them and the door.
"Harry!" Angelina shouted and he waved her over to the broken window urgently. She swooped over and hovered on her broom. Ron started pushing Hermione onto the windowsill, leaving Harry to maintain their shield.
"Take Hermione," Harry shouted, "She's hurt!"
Angelina reached out and grabbed the dazed girl, settling her onto her broom carefully before zooming away, heading straight for the ground. Lee Jordan took her place and Harry pushed Ron towards the window. Ron shot him an anguished glance, but climbed out quickly, knowing that to argue could be fatal. Harry did his best to maintain the shield, but it buckled when what felt like fifteen hexes hit it at once. One sliced across his right arm, sending blood spattering to the ground.
The pain clawed through Harry's nerves like a slash of a whip, stealing already scant breath, and he doubled over for a moment before reinforcing the shield. The doorway was entirely engulfed in flames, and the smoke was being sucked towards the windows, as the flames crept further into the room.
"Harry!" Colin Creevey shouted, and Harry turned, clambering awkwardly onto the windowsill. Harry had seen Colin fly just last year, and had been impressed with the other boys speed and agility. Harry threw himself forward recklessly, feeling Colin's hand grab his robe to steady him as the broom headed away from the window to the grass in front of the school.
He looked back at the Gryffindor tower and Colin steadied him on the broom. Flames were pouring from every window - the tower blazing like a beacon in the night.
0oo0oo0
Harry woke in the hospital wing, his arm aching fiercely, wrapped in heavy bandages, suspended in a sling. Dobby was sitting next to his feet, and Harry smiled at the elf before trying to sit up. Dobby was there in a flash, plumping pillows and offering Harry water. It took him a few minutes to calm the elf down, and by then Madam Pomfrey was there, checking him over and shooing Dobby back to the end of the bed.
"Where's Ron? Is Hermione ok? Did everyone get out?" Harry clutched her sleeve anxiously, and felt something relax when her kindly face smiled at him. Her hair and clothes were in their usual pristine order, so he knew she hadn't spent the night rushing from one gravely injured student to another.
"Yes, everyone got out safely. There were a few little burns, and some bumps and bruises. Miss Granger wasn't hurt badly and she's with the others having breakfast, and Mr Weasley wasn't hurt at all," she patted his shoulder, "Now, you're to have some breakfast, and I have a potion for you to take for that arm of yours. Then Professor Dumbledore wants to see everyone in the hospital wing after breakfast - we had to put all of Gryffindor in here last night. You can get up for that. And I expect to see you first thing in the morning and last thing at night every day until I tell you otherwise."
"Yes Madam Pomfrey," Harry nodded, and received a pat to the shoulder in return. She went to fetch his tray and Harry looked down the bed, holding his good hand out to Dobby.
"Did all the house elves get out too?" he asked as Dobby walked back up the bed. He patted the elf's shoulder lightly and Dobby beamed at him. It took so little to make the elf happy, and Harry was glad to make the effort. Without the assistance of Dobby and his fellow elves, Gryffindor tower would have been turned into a funeral pyre.
"They did, Master Harry, and none of the house elves were hurt at all. Gryffindor protected the elves! Stimpy the baking elf would have been hurt very badly if the young masters had not helped him. Never has a house elf been protected by a Wizard like that!"
"I'm glad that everyone is unhurt," Harry said rather inadequately. Dobby beamed at him again and then moved when Madam Pomfrey reappeared.
"Dobby has to return to the kitchen, Master Harry, but Dobby will come and visit if he is allowed to. Dobby will tell the other elves that Master Harry asked after them," the elf got off the bed and padded to the wall. He opened the door to one of the elf passages and disappeared down it. Madam Pomfrey put the tray in front of Harry with instructions for him to eat the lot, and then bustled out of the small room he had been put in to supervise the rest of Gryffindor.
After breakfast, Harry was given his wand and a pair of slippers and led out into the main ward of the hospital wing. The beds had all been removed and someone had conjured up a large number of couches and cushions. The whole house was seated on these, still in the hospital wing provided pyjamas and nightgowns, looking rather washed out and tired. Harry spotted Ron and Hermione sitting together on a large couch, sharing it with several first years, Beth Dunn included. Neville made as if to get up and give Harry his seat, but Harry kicked a free cushion over to the couch and sat at Ron's feet, leaning against the armrest for support and discreetly sticking a finger down Ron's sock. Professor Dumbledore was sitting in a squashy paisley armchair, and Professor McGonagal was beside him on a velvet red fainting couch. Both of them looked very grave. Professor McGonagal gave Harry a small smile and then looked over at the Headmaster.
"Firstly," Professor Dumbledore didn't even have to ask for quiet, the Gryffindor students were so subdued, "I want to thank every one of you for your courage, calm, and teamwork last night. You worked together to prevent what could have been a most terrible tragedy. You should be proud of yourselves, as indeed all your teachers are."
"Your parents have been informed, and will be here this afternoon to see you all," Professor McGonagal spoke up, and there was a little ripple of reaction through the room, "And I will say to you what I will say to them - last night you all exhibited the true spirit of your house, in your care for your fellow house mates. I am honoured to have such excellent students in my house."
"During the attack, the house elves managed to not only assist you in your escape, but to rescue your personal belongings as well," Dumbledore spoke again, and Harry rubbed his finger over Ron's ankle bone in relief. He wasn't looking forward to repeating the mammoth shopping trip that would be necessary to restore his wardrobe and school supplies. Besides, he liked the stuff they'd bought the last time. Ron had chosen a few shirts especially for Harry - who'd been feeling sentimental enough to buy them.
"These are being cleaned and placed in the new Gryffindor quarters. Unfortunately the Gryffindor tower requires extensive repairs before it will be suitable for habitation once more, as it is now merely a ruined shell," the Headmaster continued, "Once we have completed our meeting here, you will be taken to your new dormitory and you will have the rest of the day to settle in."
The Gryffindor's smiled, whispering to each other, speculating where they would be. For a moment the allure of a new dormitory distracted them from the events of last night. Both the Professors let them talk, waiting until the students had settled again before resuming their remarks.
"Unfortunately we were unable to capture your assailants last night," Dumbledore said this softly and Harry felt the mood turn sharply to fear. Beth Dunn squeaked and got off the couch to come and sit on Harry's cushion, burrowing between his shoulder and Ron's leg. Harry disentangled himself from his friend's ankle to hug her for a moment.
"Why couldn't we see them?" Hermione had her hand in the air, "We all tried to summon their invisibility cloaks but it didn't work, and neither did the revealing spells we tried."
"They were using a Chameleon charm," Dumbledore told them, "It alters a persons appearance so they cannot be seen by human eyes."
"We should have kept Dobby with us - he'd have been able to tell us where they were," Hermione said to Ron, who shrugged and shook his head at her. Second-guessing was a habit that Hermione had after the fact - she had nearly driven them mad with her desire to go through all the OWL exams again once they were out of them.
"And how were we supposed to know that?" Ron asked her, "We didn't know the charm existed!"
"There is nothing you could have done differently last night," McGonagal interrupted what looked like the start of a quarrel, "You must remember that you were faced with a very difficult and dangerous situation. Your presence here this morning is proof that you did everything right to get out of there in one piece."
"Do we know how they got into the castle?" Angelina asked after a moment. She was also seated on a cushion near Ginny Weasley. Her braids were a bit singed, probably from ferrying people out of the windows to the lawn below. Several people nodded and leaned forward to catch this answer.
"We found traces of the Chameleon charm aboard the Hogwarts Express," Dumbledore looked around the room, meeting eyes and offering a little smile, "And we traced them to Hogsmeade as well - we are certain they have left the castle."
"Did they hurt the Fat Lady?" Neville asked next. McGonagal smiled at him kindly.
"They sealed her shut with a very difficult to remove version of the Permanent Sticking charm, but the fire didn't damage her canvas at all. She was very distressed of course, but she will be unstuck soon and we will be able to remove her for cleaning," she told him, and several people sighed in relief.
"Perhaps now would be a good time to discuss the events of last night," Dumbledore murmured. People shifted around a little, uneasy at reliving the event when it was so fresh in their minds, but Harry was resigned. Dumbledore did not believe in putting off unpleasant things.
"Harry can tell you - he was in charge," Seamus grinned over at his stunned housemate. Harry paled a little and looked around at his friends who were nodding and grinning at him. He didn't want to be in charge - the last time he had nearly killed his friends. Beth shifted against him, moving to hug him firmly.
"I wasn't!" he protested, and felt Ron lean over to touch his shoulder. The touch calmed him and he bit his lip. He and Ron and Hermione had worked together as a team - like they always did. And the rest of the seniors had done whatever they thought best as well.
"You were the one who organised us to get the juniors into the dorms," Angelina reminded him, while several people nodded in agreement. No one seemed upset by it - in fact the seventh years looked approving.
"And you made up that protection spell, too," Lee added, "It saved our arses when we headed up the stairs."
"Protection spell?" McGonagal looked over at Harry. He blushed and looked at his slippers. His change to the Protgeo spell had been a desperate, almost unthinking bid to save Angelina and her charges. It was a serendipitous discovery, and he wasn't inclined to claim any credit for it.
"Harry changed the suffix of the Protego protection spell from -o to -ah," Dean spoke up, "It forms a shield with the Gryffindor lion on it."
"Can you show me?" McGonagal leaned forward, and several people got out their wands. They pointed them at their housemates who grinned, not at all worried about the spell after it was tried and tested under such awful circumstances last night.
"Protegah," the word rang out strongly and shields with Gryffindor's lion popped up all over the hospital wing. Harry blinked at the one in front of him, and then grinned. He could feel faint warmth radiating from the shield and sighed. Beth chuckled and looked up at him.
"It's pretty," she whispered, "Did you invent it?"
"I guess," he shrugged as the shield faded away. McGonagal was giving him a rather strange look, but he ignored it. His arm was aching again and he was starting to feel tired. It was warm in the hospital wing, and he stuck his finger back down Ron's sock, the touch of skin on skin reassuring.
0oo0oo0
"I can't believe you went to sleep," Ron muttered as they followed Dumbledore along the fourth floor corridor. Harry had dozed off not long after the demonstration of the Protegah charm. His friends had let him sleep, waking him when it was time to go to their new dormitory. His head had been leaned against Beth's and when he woke she had been stroking his knee in a rather proprietary manner.
"I can't believe you let me," Harry replied, a little embarrassed, though no one had teased him about it. Beth had woken him with a gentle touch and Ron had hauled him up. He'd followed along obediently, waking as he walked with Ron's hand on his elbow to guide him along. Harry desperately wanted to be alone with his partner to check that he was ok, but knew that there was little chance of that for a while.
"Here we are," Professor McGonagal stopped in front of a large and rather hideous horned gargoyle. It had short stubby wings, and fangs that stuck at odd angles out of its mouth. It crouched on squat-clawed legs, and had four sets of strong arms that ended in three fingered hands.
"Who is that?" Harry asked without thinking, and the gargoyle rustled its wings, turning its head with a rough grinding sound to look at him through pale stone eyes.
"I am called Wrestler, who are you?" it's voice was also rough and grainy, and Harry blinked at him in astonishment.
"Put your wand hand on its head and give your full name," McGonagal told Harry, standing back to give him access. Ron helped Harry take the sling off, and Harry gritted his teeth as he lifted the arm. The stone felt warm under his sweaty palm, and tingled slightly.
"Harry Potter," he said obediently. The wings rustled and the wall behind the gargoyle rippled.
"Wotcher, General," Wrestler said in a respectful sort of tone and Harry stepped through the wall. He walked a few steps forward and turned to look behind him. Ron had his hand on Wrestler's head and was greeted with a 'righto, Colonel' before also stepping through the wall. He hurried over and put the sling back on Harry, stealing a very brief kiss as he did. His eyes were clouded with worry, but Hermione stepped inside and prevented them from speaking.
Harry turned his attention to the common room they were standing in. Scuffed leather couches were grouped around sturdy tables. There were floor length windows along one wall, letting in the sunlight, with faded red drapes tied back with yellow and red ties. Two large fireplaces - on opposite walls - dominated the room, and there was a new Gryffindor banner hung above one of them. Just past the main entrance there were two corridors, opposite each other, leading off into the rest of the dorms. There was three large wooden chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, and a few torches set in brackets on the walls. The floor was covered with thick rugs. Each entrance to a passage was surrounded by carved arms, twisting together to grip each other's wrists. Harry had the feeling that they would become as mobile as Wrestler was, should any of the boys attempt to sneak into the girls dorm.
While they had been looking at the common room the rest of Gryffindor had stepped through the wall. Professor McGonagal was the last person inside. She smiled at them all, and moved to stand between the two branching corridors. Harry thought she looked a little tired as she stood there. The teachers wouldn't have had much sleep last night - seeing to the safety of the students, putting out the fires and tracking the school's assailants must have taken a lot of energy and concentration.
"The girls dormitories are on the right, and the boys are on the left. At the end of each corridor there is a room for the seventh year Prefect, and halfway down there is a room for the fifth year Prefect, with the sixth year Prefects room located at the entrance to each corridor. The Prefects will of course be sharing this room with a friend, and I believe the house elves have already moved your belongings in. There are also boys and girls bathrooms and toilets located in each corridor for your use. I'll leave you to get settled, and find your way around. You are expected to come to the Great Hall for lunch, and your parents will meet you there afterwards. Wrestler will not admit anyone to the common room unless they touch his head and state their full name. Anyone not a member of Gryffindor will be restrained immediately."
She nodded to them and headed out through the wall. They stood around for a moment staring at each other before Ron cleared his throat in an attention getting kind of way.
"We should do something for the house elves," he said, "We should put a tin in the middle of the common room and all put in for a present or something."
"A plaque?" Neville suggested, "You know, we can say what they did and things."
"All in favour?" Hermione asked briskly, and everyone raised his or her hands. She nodded decisively and looked around, "I'll put the tin out then, and we'll have a collection by the end of the day. Now we should find our rooms and get cleaned up."
Harry smiled at his friend and turned to the boys near him, ushering them towards the left hand corridor. He passed the first door without glancing at it, walking them along to the next set of doors. There was a brass plaque shaped like a lion on them, with names engraved on it. Relieved that they wouldn't have to open every room and search for personal belongings, Harry urged the boys to find their names.
"Harry," Ron called and Harry turned back, passing friends and housemates as he trudged back to Ron. Ron pointed to the sixth year Prefects door. The brass plaque read R Weasley and H Potter. Ron grinned at him and opened the door.
They stepped into a narrow rectangular room with a high ceiling. To the left of the door was a large mahogany wardrobe that took up most of the space between the walls, leaving just enough room to open the doors, or to walk past it to the rest of the room. In front of them was a window and just underneath it sat a bookcase with all their books - the Muggle fiction they'd started to collect and all of Harry's old and new schoolbooks as well as his collection of Defensive books, side by side with Ron's books as well. The wall to the right of the door held hooks that their cloaks and bags hung from; including the broom storage bags that Hermione had given them. There were also a couple of moth eaten wing chairs, with a table between them.
Ron stepped past the bulky wardrobe. There was a small fireplace with a fireguard in front of it and a mirror hanging over the mantle. A second window had a large dresser underneath it. There was a curtained bunk bed jammed into the end of the room, about the width of the four-posters that they usually slept in. There was also a large writing desk and their trunks. Harry stared at the bed with longing and Ron turned around to close the door and put a privacy seal on it. He came back to Harry and put his arms around him, spooning up against Harry's back. He felt some of the tension leave his body as Ron hugged him close and sighed into his neck.
"Come on, bed," Ron mumbled, and walked them forward. Harry reached out and opened the curtains before climbing onto the bed. Ron followed him and settled Harry on his back, touching him lightly, then curling up beside him to stroke Harry's right hand.
"I was so scared you'd be hurt," Harry blurted, and Ron leaned over to kiss him. They kissed for a long moment and then leaned back.
"Me too, you heroic General," Ron teased and Harry felt himself flush. He wrapped his good hand in Ron's hair and pulled a face.
"Insubordination, Colonel?" he asked lightly, and Ron grinned. Harry was feeling a lot better if Ron could grin at him like that.
"Yeah, and did you hear Wrestler call Neville Sarge? I thought he was going to burst," Ron kissed Harry again, "And now we've got a whole year in here together. Privacy. I bet Dobby had something to do with this."
"Mmm," Harry rubbed his fingers through Ron's hair. Right now he was far too comfortable to care about anything. Ron smiled at him and put his head down, burying his face in Harry's neck. They held each other quietly.
0oo0oo0
They had collected a large amount of money from their fellow housemates, Ron mused as he peered into the collection tin the next morning. There were quite a few galleons in the mix, and the rest were silver sickles. They'd be able to afford the plaque easily, and maybe have enough left over for something extra. He heard Harry come through the wall and smiled, putting the tin back. He'd had fun waking Harry early this morning and helping him with his morning ablutions and dressing. Though his partner wasn't up for any fun and games, they'd enjoyed touching each other lightly and making rude comments.
"What did Madam Pomfrey say?" he asked his friend. Harry was frowning a little, but the pain he'd woken with was gone from his face. His arm was still heavily wrapped, and supported under his robes with a sling. It made Ron's heart lurch each time he saw it, remembering Colin's landing on the lawn, the blonde boy yelling for help as Harry fainted from blood loss.
"I have to wear the sling for the next fortnight," he sighed, "Report to her before breakfast and tea for new dressings and potions, and I'm not to use my hand for wand work or note taking, though I can attend classes."
"What, you'll just sit there?" Ron rolled his eyes, "Half your luck."
"Actually, Madam Pomfrey taught me the kind of spell they use to make Quick Quote Quills," Harry replied, "So I'll be taking notes anyway."
Normally quills that took notes automatically were banned from student use, but as Harry couldn't write left handed the teachers would make an exception until he regained the full use of his arm. Ron was glad that his friend would have something to do in lessons besides sit there - Harry was a doer, not a sitter, and would likely drive them all to distraction with his fidgets.
"Good morning," Ginny emerged from the sixth year Prefects room, her bag already over her shoulder, "How are you today, Harry?"
"What am I, chopped liver?" Ron complained, and Ginny pulled a face at him. Harry knew it was a part of their family makeup to bicker and tease, though the Weasley's were the closest family he'd ever had the privilege to meet.
"Good morning, Ron," her voice was exasperated, "Do you mind?"
"I'm fine, Ginny," Harry laughed a little at Ron's disgruntled expression. He could hear people stirring in the corridors behind them and knew that the rest of Gryffindor would soon join them, "You're staying with Hermione?"
"Yep, and the beds are so queer - they're bunk beds, but with the usual curtains. But you'd know that, right?" she tilted her head and Harry nodded. The top bunk wasn't going to be in use this year, but they didn't have to tell anyone that. Ron cleared his throat and went to fetch their bags, not wanting to give the game away. Hermione was out there examining the tin when he returned, and that reminded Ron it was his turn to pay the owl for their Daily Prophet. He checked to make sure he had the coins and then jerked his head at Harry, who immediately understood.
"We'll see you at breakfast," he told the girls and followed Ron out into the corridor. They both said good morning to Wrestler on their way past, walking along the corridor briskly. The Great Hall was slowly filling with students as they arrived, and Ron led Harry to their usual place at one end of the Gryffindor tables. They sat down and Harry shifted their plates automatically while Ron started slathering jam onto toast and piling it onto the top plate. Harry poured pumpkin juice for them both and the owl arrived right on time. They settled into their morning habit of reading whilst they ate, talking quietly over the articles as the table filled around them. Professor McGonagal had handed out their timetables yesterday, and Tuesday morning started with double Potions.
Ron was not looking forward to this, as Snape was sure to be in a foul mood, and Malfoy would probably have some choice comments lined up about the attack on Gryffindor. He watched Harry wipe his face clear of crumbs and sighed, folding the paper and stuffing it into his robes.
"Come on, we might as well get going," he sighed, and glanced around the table. The first years were sitting halfway down the Gryffindor tables, bracketed by the senior students protectively. Hermione and Neville were sitting opposite him and Harry, talking in low voices.
"Neville, are you in Potions this year?" Ron asked curiously, and Neville nodded, his face glowing with pride. Snape frequently reduced Neville to a pitiful state of nerves, but the forgetful boy had obviously been paying more attention than anyone had thought.
"I couldn't believe it when I got my results!" he told them, "The only other O I got was in Herbology!"
Ron let Harry congratulate Neville while he fished both their bags out of from under the seat. Students were moving all around them and Ron was a little worried about Harry's arm, knowing that it was still very painful and an accidental - or not so accidental - bump would be agonising. Hermione had also gotten up, and she and Neville bracketed Harry, with Ron leading the way to Potions. That turned out to be a wise move as Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle tried to cut them off at the door, foiled by a bunch of seventh years from Hufflepuff who wandered away from their table, heads together as they consulted over a book.
They waited quietly outside the Potions dungeon, Hermione telling them all about the fascinating potions she'd read through over the holiday, and Neville telling them a little about some of the more exotic ingredients. Neville's love of Herbology was starting to pay off as his knowledge boosted him in Potions. Malfoy glared at them from further down the line, looking rather diminished without Crabbe and Goyle looming in the background. Evidently his companions hadn't made the grade to be accepted into Potions this year. Susan Bones and Justin Finch-Fletchley had made the cut, as had Terry Boot and Dean Thomas. Seamus' potions weren't bad, but they did tend to be a bit weak, hence his absence.
Snape let them in with a sour expression on his face, and they moved to sit quietly in the dungeon. Ron realised the Professor was giving Harry a rather funny look, but his friend was too busy setting up his quill and parchment to notice. Snape prefaced his morning lecture with some disparaging remarks about the 'lax examination process that allowed some people to gain such high marks' and then coldly informed them that he expected those marks to be maintained.
He launched into an explanation of today's potion - one that would seal magical wounds from the inside, and the most difficult one they'd tried to date - and then put the notes up on the blackboard. Once everyone was finished with the notes and involved in the preparation of their ingredients - and Neville looked a little pale, but very determined - Snape called Harry up to his desk.
Ron watched with concern as his partner walked quietly to Snape's side and then turned his attention back to his ingredients when Snape glanced his way. He listened with half an ear as Snape put Harry through a ten minute catechism on the effect of each ingredient being used, the reason they were prepared in the method Snape had indicated, the effect of improper temperatures on the brewing and storing of the potion, and the correct sealing spell to use to keep the potion most potent over a length of time.
His friend was dismissed with a curt word - and no indication of whether he'd answered correctly or not - and Harry turned to go back to his seat. Malfoy moved around his cauldron and then stepped back as Harry passed, tripping them both and twisting so that Harry landed beneath him. Ron lurched forward, his stomach knotted at his friend's cry of pain, but Snape beat him to it.
"Malfoy!" Snape roared, and Ron felt sick when he saw the blonde haired Slytherin put a hand back and squeeze down on the bandages as he got up. Harry was pale and sweaty as he bit his lip hard enough to draw blood.
"Potter tripped me sir," Malfoy lied and then yelped as Snape practically shoved him aside to get to Harry. Ron was there too, ignoring the Slytherin student and reaching for his friend. Snape beat him to it, helping Harry sit up and then baring the affected arm carefully. The bandages were bloodstained and Ron sucked in a breath.
"Mr Weasley, take Mr Potter to the hospital wing, and then come straight back here," Snape ordered, and Ron put an arm around Harry.
"Lean on me, mate," he murmured and Harry made a pained noise as they levered him to his feet. Snape let go and Ron slowly led Harry out of the dungeon, aware of the glares being sent Malfoy's way by the rest of the class. Harry was breathing rather heavily and Ron rubbed his fingers on the other teen's arm.
"Ron, don't do anything to get into trouble with Snape. Leave Malfoy alone, please," Harry whispered softly, and Ron sighed. He nodded reluctantly, guiding them up the steps.
"I promise," he told his friend, "Lets just get to the hospital wing and let Madam Pomfrey look at you."
Madam Pomfrey was highly indignant and whisked Harry off, leaving Ron to return to the dungeon slowly. It was silent except for the sound of the potions bubbling and he retook his place quickly, glancing around.
Malfoy was scowling mightily, and Hermione looked a little tense. Neville had his head down, frowning in concentration and Ron picked up his spoon, stirring his potion experimentally and then leaning down to change the fire, cooling it a little. From Hermione's significant look Ron knew he'd have to find out what had happened at dinnertime.
0oo0oo0
"He got a detention?" Harry grinned a little. Ron was sitting in one of the winged chairs in their room, flipping through a book, looking for a spell while Hermione leaned on their bookshelf. The red head grinned at his partner, but let their friend tell him as she had witnessed it.
"Professor Snape glared at him and told him he'd have detention after tea on Friday," Hermione nodded at him. Harry chuckled and leaned back in his seat. He was still too pale for Ron's liking, but there was nothing the redhead could do about it. Madam Pomfrey had kept Harry for the rest of the day, and none of the teachers had inquired. Professor Dumbledore had been present for dinner and tea, presiding over the room in what seemed to be a very disapproving mood.
"Did Madam Pomfrey say anything about your arm?" Hermione asked anxiously and Harry shook his head stubbornly. Ron looked over at his friend and Harry sighed, giving in.
"Just that if it tears open again she'll keep me in the hospital wing until it's healed," he mumbled, a little flushed, "Don't fuss."
The last comment was directed to Ron, who didn't need a mirror to know his face was also flushed, with temper. Ron nodded and bit his lip, knowing that to retaliate against Malfoy when Harry was still vulnerable was to possibly inflict further pain on his mate. Further discussion was prevented by the appearance of Dobby. He was carrying a tray, and peering rather anxiously at Harry's pale face. Ron felt a rush of affection for the faithful house elf and made a mental note to get Dobby an extra special Christmas present.
"Dobby has brought some supper for Masters Harry and Wheezy," the elf announced. Hermione bristled and Ron groaned under his breath. They didn't need an impromptu lecture on the slavery of house elves right now.
"Masters Harry and Wheezy?" she asked in a rather dangerous voice. Dobby beamed up at her.
"Oh yes, Dobby is taking very special care of Master Harry and his Wheezy," the elf told her, conjuring up an extra cup of tea and some more scones. Hermione raised her eyebrows at them and Harry spoke up before Ron could.
"That reminds me Hermione," Harry's voice was determined, "I've been wanting to speak to you about the hats and things you hide in the common room. You've insulted the house elves to the point that they won't clean in here at all. Dobby had to clean the tower all by himself last year - though he said he didn't mind it…"
"Dobby did not! Dobby was pleased to do it. Dobby hoped to see Master Harry more often!" Dobby interjected, his eyes wide. Ron smiled at the elf kindly, and reassured him before Harry could.
"And you were a great help to us last year too, Dobby. Harry told us it was you who came up with the Room of Requirement when we needed it."
Dobby beamed happily and Harry took control back of the conversation, offering the elf a smile of his own.
"I just don't think it fair that you do the work alone Dobby, and Hermione it's not right of you to trick the elves into a freedom they don't want. I agree that the slavery is wrong, and that something should be done, but why insult the elves while you're at it?"
"Harry's right, Hermione," Ron backed his friend up, ignoring the angry looks she was shooting at them, "If you want to change things for the house elves then you should do it legally - maybe get a few laws passed for their protection, and see about getting wages for them. Professor Dumbledore agrees that we should treat non-human magical creatures better, but you don't see him going around tricking them into something they mightn't want."
Hermione stopped glaring and started looking interested. Harry took the opportunity to thank Dobby and pass around the scones. With a bit of luck they'd avoid an argument and Hermione would start looking for better ways to achieve her goal.
0oo0oo0