Disclaimer: J. K. Rowling owns the Harry Potter Universe all other claimants to anything to do with the H.P. story are simply hangers on to her glory. I thank her for allowing us mere mortals to play in her world and I promise that while I have Harry in my care nothing bad will happen to him. I will leave that to J.K.R. herself in her books.
LOVE CONQUERS ALL
Chapter 8. A Proposal.That Friday evening they had all been invited to the Burrow, they did not know if it was to be a party or just a family dinner, whatever they all always enjoyed the Burrow. So to find out they went just after lunch, panic wasn't the word Molly and Winky seemed to be trying to do every thing at once.
Apparently Arthur had been confirmed as Minister for Magic and what had started out being a quiet family party had grown into a huge celebration of his new appointment. The girls all wanted to help but there was not enough room and they were getting in each other's way, the whole thing was chaos.
Suddenly Harry said, "Blow this for a game of soldiers!" and Flooed back to the flat.
"Charming! I'm sure," said Molly looking more than a trifle peeved with him, but within a minute Harry returned with Dobby.
"Dobby is very pleased to help you Mrs. Weezey, you alls goes and sits down and I will bring you a cups of tea," and he pushed everyone except Winky out of the kitchen into the lounge with Ron and Harry.
Molly had turned to go back to the kitchen when Dobby returned with a tray piled high with cups, saucers, plates, a steaming teapot, milk, sugar, biscuits, cakes and chocolate éclairs. Molly was flabbergasted and they all sat down. "Well lets all just have a cup of tea and then I will go and see how they're getting on," she said.
After about five minutes she went to see what was happening in the kitchen, she looked through the door and came back shaking her head, sat down poured everyone another cup of tea and relaxed. The four girls looked at each other mystified and went to look through the kitchen door as well, there were two blurs flying around the kitchen. Freshly prepared food was arriving, there was not really any other word to describe it, upon a rack that one of the elves had conjured in the corner of the kitchen.
All four went and sat back down and continued to enjoy their tea.
"Well thank you Harry, every thing seems to be in order and progressing nicely, in the kitchen." Molly said smiling at him.
Harry replied, "Dumbledore said Dobby was mine for the holiday, so I though that if he didn't mind, he might help you a little bit." Then grinning he added, "I only hope that Hermione doesn't assassinate me in my sleep tonight for giving him more work to do."
"Don't be silly darling," she said grinning, "he's probably thoroughly enjoying himself."
With that Winky arrived and said, "We has finished alls you'd said you was going to do Madame, is there some more for us to doo's?"
Smiling, Molly got up and said. "Let me come and see what we can find for you to do."
x-x
Needless to say the party was a great success, a great many people were there including a lot of people who Harry and Hermione did not know and they all appeared to be having a good time.
Harry led Hermione and Ginny over to Fred and George then Harry said to them quietly, "Why don't you set up a firework display, with all the high society types that are around here you could do very well?"
Fred immediately left for their store to get a load of fireworks.
Ginny, Harry and Hermione moved over to talk to the Headmaster who said softly." It was a good idea of yours having Dobby come and help Winky."
"Well he never seemed to have as much to do as he would of liked," said Harry.
"How are you doing with the instructions?"
"I think that I need to learn Welsh because that is what the actual commands appear to be written in," Harry answered.
Professor Dumbledore raised his right hand and a small book appeared in it, he handed it to Harry and said, "Try this I have always found it most useful and put it away until you get home," he said winking at Hermione and then he turned and went over to talk to Remus Lupin and Mad Eye Moody.
Hermione was looking all flustered and said, "Well I only wanted a really quick look at it!"
Harry chuckled and said still smiling, "Hermione, you and quick looks at books don't go together. Any way did I tell you two young ladies just how devastatingly beautiful you both look tonight." The pair of them smiled at him and gave him a kiss on each cheek and then they rejoined the party, for a few hours.
x-x
The first thing they wanted to do after breakfast on Saturday morning was to reassess their magical power, so they all went to the training room.
Ron went first and made one and a half inches, as did Ginny and Parvati, Hermione made two inches and Harry did two and a half inches, Ron was not happy and moaned at Hermione, "How come you and Harry both made twice the increase of us three?"
"Well Harry has been helping me, hasn't he?" Hermione answered, "and he told me that whenever you are casting the sort of spells that benefit from a little oomph! Like the banishing spells, you must always do it like you really mean it, sort of angry, to get the most out of them and to get them to work properly."
"I didn't know that, who told you that Harry?" Tonks asked.
"Well, believe it or not, it was Bellatrix Lestrange, who gave me the idea, while I was fighting her in the Ministry of Magic. I tried to cast a spell on her and although it hit her it did not really hurt her as much as she thought it should and that's when she said that to make a lot of spells like that work, you must do it like you really mean it." He hadn't wanted to tell them that he had tried to cast the 'Cruciatus Curse' on her.
"Well it seems to work for us two," Hermione said, "are we going to try and translate the rest of that scroll now, please darling."
"Ok then come on." Harry said as he went to his bedroom but before he picked up the book he turned to Hermione and said, "Do you ever think of getting married?"
She smiled and put her arms around him, she rested her head on his shoulder and whispered, "Of course I do silly, all girls do."
"I do as well," he said quietly, kissing her cheek, "when this is all over, but I only ever think of marrying you."
She was in heaven and she kissed him then she said, "If that was a sideways marriage proposal Harry Potter then I accept with all my heart, just so you know and so you do not have to worry when it is all over."
Then they kissed again and he said, "I hate to be a spoil sport but we had better get on or the others will wonder what we have been doing."
The original translation was in the computer so they went through to the study and switched his computer on, then brought up the translation. Hermione had come in with him, she pulled up another chair and sat, very close beside him; she put some parchment, ink and a quill on to the desk and asked to look at the book she said, "Nothing like making it simple, is there,"
The book was completely blank.
Harry examined it, and the only thing written on it anywhere was the title. 'Universal Translator' on the spine, Hermione picked up the quill, dipped it in the ink, opened the book at the beginning and went to start writing.
"Don't you dare desecrate me with that filthy rubbish. You vandal!" the book screamed at her.
She quickly put the quill down, the others having heard the noise came in and asked what was going on.
Hermione was shocked, she had never been called a vandal in her life before and certainly not by a book, so she answered, "I am most terribly sorry, we actually want to translate Welsh into English and I…."
"Then why did you not say, that is no problem." The book said and glowed for a second, Hermione opened the book again, and it was a Welsh to English dictionary.
She was astounded and said to the book, "I really am most terribly sorry to have nearly written in you, I have never seen such a wondrous book before."
"Apology accepted," and the book sounded extremely smug.
With a smirk Ron said, "Whatever next Hermione, buttering up a book!"
She stood quickly and dragged him out of the room, then whispered at him in the corridor, "It's a magic book you pillock and it appears to be of a pretty sensitive disposition, I happen to want it to be helpful and you aren't, being, helpful that is," he apologised and they both went back into the study.
After looking at the Dictionary, which really was excellent, the actual translation was quite straightforward.
DechrauStart, begin.
ArosStop
Dim HudlathNo Wand, without wand, wand less.
CeluHide, Invisible?
DisodliDisplace
BrysioFast, quicken?
CryfderPower, strength?
AesShield?
CwblAll?
AmlyguShow, display, reveal?
It did not take them long to realised that the translations were only an indication of what might be available to the wielder of the ring, but the real effect could not be assessed until the ring was worn and tested, to find out. So, once again, the project was shelved until they would be in a position to further assess the ring's potential.
Then it was back to work, especially for Ginny who was still valiantly trying to do a years work in a few weeks.
x-x
The following Wednesday was Harry's sixteenth Birthday, he awoke suddenly because his bed was rocking from side to side, as he struggled to open his eyes. Ginny and Hermione were either side of him bouncing up and down out of phase so he rocked from side to side, "Are you trying to make me sick?" he asked.
Both of the girls immediately stopped bouncing on his bed and jumped on him, cuddling him and kissing him all over his face then wishing him Happy Birthday, he put one arm around each of them and cuddled them, they lay there talking quietly.
After about fifteen minutes the others started drifting in wishing Harry Happy Birthday and he said, "Come on let's go and get some breakfast." Ginny and Hermione agreed, the others started arguing as to the merits of breakfast or presents first, however Harry settled it by putting on his dressing gown and going with Hermione and Ginny through to the dining room.
The others, realising the argument was a bit futile, followed them.
As they were finishing their breakfast two owls came through the window, one was a school owl and the other was Hedwig.
Harry had removed a rough brown paper parcel, obviously from Hagrid, from the school owl and it accepted a piece of bacon then it left, as he was removing a very neatly wrapped parcel from Hedwig a beautiful Tawny owl arrived. He gave Hedwig some more bacon and removed the package from the Tawny owl.
"Hello Circe," said Harry stroking the Tawny owl. "Ron, Ginny, your mum has sent this new owl she is called Circe." Ron and Ginny immediately started making a fuss of the new owl as well and she really seemed to love Ginny. Harry opened the package from Hagrid, it was a complete selection of sweets and chocolate from Honeydukes, he was very pleased. Then he opened the parcel that Hedwig had brought, it was from Hermione's mum and dad, it was full of sugar free sweets, he thought he heard Hermione mumbled something that sounded suspiciously like, 'Flipping typical'.
But Harry said, "Here you are Hedwig," and he fed a sugar free sweet to his owl.
Circe hooted softly so Hermione fed her one and said, "When did you find out that owls like sugar free sweets, Harry?"
"Oh about two or two and a half years ago, don't tell your mum and dad though Hedwig would miss them, I don't like them at all."
"Actually I think that they are disgusting as well, when my mum sends me the next load I know what to do with them," she said, they were all giggling and both the owls were tucking in to the sugar free sweets.
Next he opened the parcel that Circe had brought, it looked like Hedwig and Circe had become friends already,
Harry said, "There's a note here that says that if you want to keep Circe you can Ginny, or you can go and choose your own owl if you would prefer," Ginny decided immediately that she liked Circe and would keep her, "also we have all been invited to the Burrow this evening for my Birthday Party." He opened the parcel and it contained two pairs of gloves and six pairs of socks, all hand knitted, he was very pleased, the castle could be very chilly in the winter.
Ron passed Harry his present it was a Quidditch book Harry thanked him. Then Ginny passed him a very slim, light present, when he opened it, it was a quill, and he looked at Ginny who said, "It's an auto translation quill, this one is set for English so whatever language you run it across it translates it into English." Harry was certain that it would be very useful and he thanked her.
Parvati passed him her present which was another book, this one was called, 'Famous Divination Cheats that Went Right,' by Ivor Blindeye, Harry looked quizzically at Parvati who explained, "It's all about people who concocted predictions for Divination homework and exam's that turned out to be spot on," she smiled cheekily, "I thought it would suit you."
Every one including Harry burst out laughing and he said, "Parvati, I am glad to see that you admire my quasi advanced Divination technique," Parvati favoured him with a mock scowl which provoked everybody to start laughing again.
Next Tonks handed him a long package, which he opened, it was a pair of hand crafted duelling swords and Tonks said, "It's actually a bit of a cheat, because you should all learn to duel with swords," he thanked her profusely, it was something a bit different to add to their work schedule.
It was Hermione's turn next, so she went to her room to get his present, when she came back she had a beautifully wrapped box about two foot to a side, she put it on the table in front of him and he opened it, it was an Astral Globe. It was a sphere two-foot diameter, with the Sun in the centre, all the Planets with their moons were orbiting it, it was absolutely gorgeous and he told her so.
Then Tonks asked, "I wonder if Molly needs to borrow Dobby again and do your mum and dad want to come to the party Hermione?"
"Are they invited Ron?" Hermione asked.
"I expect so but I don't know, shall we go to see mum and find out?" then Tonks said.
"Well Harry and Hermione can stay here if they want and we will go."
When the pair agreed to stay behind Ginny wanted to stay with them and the couple agreed, so the others went to dress to go to the burrow.
Hermione led Ginny and Harry through into the lounge with the Globe, she took out the instructions on a piece of parchment and cast a levitation spell, the globe so now it was floating in the centre of the room. The others came through, said goodbye and Flooed to the Burrow, then Hermione read the instructions again and cast another spell, the globe started expanding, she stopped it at about seven foot diameter, she darkened all the windows. She cast another spell and the outer Globe disappeared, leaving only the sun with the planets and their moons floating in the room, it was breathtakingly beautiful and you could walk right through it.
"Beautiful, absolutely amazing," whispered Harry.
"Well that's me described fairly accurately, but what about the present?" Hermione said, and then burst out laughing, "Do you want me to shrink it back down, it's a bit distracting as it is."
"No not yet, let's just look at it for a while," Harry said, so the three of them just sat there holding hands for about a quarter of an hour being mesmerised by the Astral Globe.
Eventually he asked her to reduce it and Hermione shrank it to the size of a snitch, replaced the protective globe and lightened the windows then passed it to him to put into his pocket with the instructions,
"I left it larger earlier, so that you could see it when I gave it to you. There are a lot more commands you can use with it but I haven't tried any of those."
He thanked her again and continued, "Have you any money left it must of cost a fortune?"
She bristled, "It didn't cost as much as I thought it would. Ginny came with me when I went to buy it, it was in a second hand shop. The man in the shop asked if it was us he had seen with you earlier and when we said yes and that this was for your Birthday Present he gave me a very good price," she said defensively.
"I wasn't complaining and I don't want to know what it cost. I was only making sure that you still had enough money or should I just give you some more without asking?" he said and poked his tongue out at her.
The three of them had sat on the sofa, again very close together.
"Oh, no there's plenty left," said Hermione slightly embarrassed.
Then Ginny rested her head on his shoulder and asked, "Why are you always so considerate?"
"I'm sorry," he said, "All my life I have never had anything to give, or more importantly, anyone to give anything to, so don't begrudge me it gives me so much pleasure. Anyway I think that we should all go and dress or else the others will all wonder what we have been up to."
"Nahh!" said Hermione, "Let's get up to something instead."
Having said it Hermione and Ginny threw their arms around him and giggling started kissing him again, after about ten minutes the three of them quietened down and so they got up and went through to their bedrooms to make themselves presentable for the day.
x-x
When Hermione was going back towards the lounge Harry was still in his room, he was sat on his bed with his head in his hands.
She looked very concerned and said, "Ginny has gone to the training room to practice for a while, but what's the matter darling is it Voldemort?"
"No, no I think that Myrddin's ring is talking to me, it said I was to take 'Him?' out of the box." he gave her a loving smile and took Myrddin's ring out of the black box. It was now on a chain.
"It has told me to sit comfortably and hang 'him' around my neck then I should hold your hand." she nodded, so they went back to the lounge sitting together on the sofa, he hung the ring around his neck on its chain and they held hands.
"That's better, now I can talk to both of you,"
Hermione flinched, "Is that your ring talking in my mind?"
"It is, I am Myrddin Emrys, I would be better known to you as Merlin and I needed to get to know you better, if I am to take care of you both,"
Hermione then said, "How do you do that?"
"Is your name Hermione and your fiancé name Harry? It will make it easier if we have something to call each other individually."
They agreed that these were their names, so the ring continued.
"Well Hermione, I look into both your minds for love, trust, devotion, you know things like that."
"How long will it take?"
"It is already done."
"Well?"
"Well what?"
"Well what do you see?" If they had to take an OWL in patients Hermione would have failed, spectacularly.
Merlin however was extremely patient, "Well I see an immense measure of all the qualities I was looking for in both of you, between each other and towards certain others. However I also see that the pair of you, although quite mature intellectually, are still quite young and for you to bear the whole of this Doom would be a tremendous strain on your development, so I have a suggestion."
We're listening they both said and we are open to all suggestions, so the ring continued.
"Well Harry, you are wearing my ring around your neck, I would suggest that if you were to keep it there then I will be able to help you with all manner of things, you will both feel some of the effect, especially when you touch each other, but it will not be as pronounced as if Harry were wearing me on his finger. However I am a magic ring and if the need arose I would move myself to your hand to give you both the full effect and the greater power which is available that way."
Then Harry asked. "All the commands are in Welsh, do I have to learn Welsh in order to use them?"
"Despite what you may have learned at school, Magic is not controlled by language or incantations it is controlled by intent, your teachers use languages that are strange to you in order to make you concentrate your intent. Some wizards use languages that are strange in order to hide the intent of the written spells, this is more often true of complex ideas that require several stages in order to achieve their objective.
With the knowledge you will be utilising through me, you will both be starting to move into a much higher level of magic, generally with the combat magic you will only have to think of what you intend and it will happen."
Hermione was biting her bottom lip and she asked. "So, what are the problems then?"
"The first thing I must warn you of is your virginity, if even one of you should, of your own volition lose it, the ancient magic we will need to use to overcome your archenemy will not work, you both must remain virgins. Possibly as bad as that is your need to stay in as close proximity as possible to each other for as much of the time as is feasible, this is to build up the strength and power of your mutual love.
Do not for one minute think that this will be an easy task.
The second thing is the link that we will establish is permanent, if one of you is hurt the other will know it, then again if one should die then the other will as well. I can additionally give both of you gifts of Learning, of Teaching, of Understanding and of 'The Sight', but the last can be an extremely perilous thing, you may not wish to learn to use it, it can be very misleading."
Then Hermione asked Harry "I don't know, what do you think about it all?"
"Seemingly if you decide to join me in accessing the power of 'The Ring' and I accept you, then if I get killed, how did Dumbledore put it about Nicholas Flamel, you will join me in the next great adventure. Also if I accept it we must stay as close together as possible but remain virgins or the ultimate magic will not work."
"We did not intend anything more than closeness for the next two years anyway, so this means that we must remain close and have a positive gain by behaving ourselves, we must do it for everyone. The second bit; if it means that I will die if you die, then I certainly won't mind that. I don't fear death and I won't want to live without you anyway. So what do you think?" Harry suddenly realised that they were talking without speech. "We are talking to each other without speaking, will this continue?"
The ring seemed to chuckle and answered. "Yes it will, but you have to talk specifically to each other, you won't be able to read each others minds unless, you want each other to of course. Why don't you try it for a little while we can undo it if you decide that you don't like it after a few hours?"
Having thought for a minute the couple decided that they should try it and Harry said, "I really don't feel any different, do you?"
"No I don't either." Hermione replied.
Chuckling Myrddin said, "Then give her a kiss."
Harry kissed her. It was like being in the middle of an exploding firework factory with all the Angels of heaven singing at the tops of their voices.
"Wow!" she said.
"Double, Wow!" he said, "The music sounded real, was it?"
"Yes it was, I can turn it off if you want and the fireworks?"
Then Harry said, "Maybe if you could tone the fireworks down a bit and keep the music softly for us only," he kissed her again.
It was like a clear moonlit night with shooting stars and the heavenly choir softly singing in the background. They both agreed that it was perfect.
Then Harry said soberly, "I think that this means that you and I will have to marry do you want to be committed so young?"
"Of course I do, do you think that I would let anyone else have you Harry Potter? I love you."
"I am pleased about that because I Love you as well." They kissed again then Harry flicked his wand at Hermione's left hand, a beautiful solitaire Emerald ring appeared on her engagement finger.
"Harry that's gorgeous," she said and she kissed him, "but everyone will see it and think that we are too young."
"Then make it invisible," the Ring said.
She pointed her wand at the Emerald ring and it disappeared, "I never cast a spell?"
"I told you about intent, you can make it appear or disappear at will and you don't need a wand to do it, it will be good practice for you."
Hermione looked at her left hand and the ring appeared, she giggled then it disappeared again and she had one of the broadest smiles Harry had ever seen light her lovely face.
Harry asked Myrddin, "If we are fighting really evil people could you bring on the Angel Choir full blast, I'm sure it would help?"
"Of course I can and yes it will help, it will strike fear into the harts of your enemies and give courage to your allies. Also if I think that you need me I will help you unbidden. I shall withdraw now and if you want me just call."
Having both thanked him they sat there smooching, listening to the heavenly music and talking for a while, the one thing they decided was that the only person they would tell about this development, at this time, was Dumbledore, they wouldn't tell any of the others until they had learned to live with it a bit and of course spoken again to Myrddin.
After about ten minutes they went to the training room, they had heard Ginny move into the study where she was writing a Potions Essay so they started practicing some of the new more advanced combat magic that was now available to them.
This was soon to become a routine they would engage in whenever the training room was free.
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