Disclaimer: I alas do not own Harry Potter I wish I did but I don't. All I own is this computer I'm working on and a few other items in this room of mine.
A/N: I had a few questions about this chapter and why didn't Harry just stun them. Well we have to take time into it and it would look bad if they just walked in and out with in a few minutes and didn't do anything or have marks on them see that the forest is going to leave some little cuts on them no matter what they do. Also if he stunned them right off the bat then they would know that someone other then a dragon was in the forest meaning Silvenestri would never be able to hunt night or day and she needs fresh kills all the time while growing at the moment. Anyway on with the fic and do tell me what you think.
Chapter 16: Pride and Honor.
/ Telepath /
Charley had taken a few minutes to ensure that none of his brothers had been injured and then positioned them to keep watch so that they could not easily be surprised again. He was disturbed by the armour-clad stranger and how close he had come to losing a brother. He did not think that the man had actually intended to hurt any of them. The trees had all fallen clear of the group after all and he had given Charlie enough time to get Fred out of harms way but it had been close.
He was now squatting on his heels in the exact place where the stranger had fallen not too long ago. He had to trust his brothers to give him fair warning if the stranger returned and he was really worried about Ron. He was way too young to be out in the woods hunting dragons with the added and previously unsuspected difficulty of this stranger haunting the woods. That there was a link between the dragon and the stranger was not in doubt. The man had said as much, whether he had intended to or not was a matter he could consider later.
He dearly wanted to know who this man was. It was not only the armour and sword that made him curious but the magic. This stranger seemed to have a most unusual twist on the use of summoning charms - he had felt the type of magic cast and that curious twist that had moved the man, not the tree. It was intriguing and to add to that curiosity there was this clear indication that the stranger was not what he appeared.
Charley looked again at the impact marks the man had made when he hit the ground and at the point where he had stood to grasp the sword. The impression the body had made when it had hit the ground left no doubt in his mind that the man was far smaller than he had appeared to be. He had been shielded by an illusion and a very convincing one it had been.
"Well this guy knows his spells. What we were seeing was not his true face or form, so keep you eyes open and stay together." He shot a meaningful look at each of his brothers who acknowledged his caution with a nod then stood and looked up at the tree from which the stranger had made his escape. Flicking his hand at the tree he motioned them to move off. "We follow the same course. Keep your eyes and ears open."
Ron and the others nodded as they started to walk along in the same general direction as the stranger had retreated each hoping that the injuries he had sustained in the fall would slow him down and perhaps force him to leave them alone for a time.
Half an hour of slowly and cautiously moving through the forest found them deep within the most ancient parts of the woods. Charlie paused, motioning for everyone to halt and listened intently to something he knew intently. The low sound of a dragon's breath in deep sleep was well known to him but he detected something else in that sound and he scowled.
"Be aware that the beast is ahead and that it's sick. The breathing does not sound healthy and don't for an instant think that a sick dragon is an easy dragon to take. Exactly the opposite is true. A sick dragon is more likely to kill you than a healthy one."
He was looking specifically at Ron when he voiced his warning and then his gaze wandered to the twins who were very serious looking, unlike their usual selves. If he did not tackle the problem of the dragon now and took them back to Hogwarts he knew that he would probably never have so good a chance to capture the beast and attend to its illness. He had come so close already to losing Fred and he did not want to have to tell his mother how he lost one or more of his brothers if anything should happen.
Just then the whistling sound came back this time louder and faster than before. "Down!" George screamed as the disk came flying out of the woods to their left.
The disk went flying over their heads and with a high pitched whine cut not one but two trees in it's pass dropping them so that they formed a V with the brothers standing at the mouth of the V, clear of the branches by only a few feet.
Fred scrambled to his feet first and looked at the damage and turned, searching for any sign of the wielder of that most unusual weapon. He saw the man standing at the tip of the V where he certainly had not been standing moments ago and next to him was a cloaked figure that nimbly ran the length of the tree. Something about this second figure suggested a female, perhaps the way that she stood, feet primly together as fine fingers grasped the cloak tightly to her before she leapt lightly to the opposite tree in the V.
The man was standing on the tree to the right of the brothers, his sword resting easily in his hand while the woman took up a position on the second tree. The cloak very effectively hid her face from them but her wand was out and it was clear that she was ready to fight.
"I thought I'd even the odds a little." He stood in shadow, watching the four brothers and in a half crouch, ready for any move they made and it seemed to Fred that he watched Charlie in particular. "None of you have any major combat training, that not being your specialty so instead of issuing a challenge for a duel I thought that the two of us would entertain you with a game of Catch Me If You Can until midnight."
The man smirked as he jumping down from the tree into the V, placing the woman behind him. His strange double bladed sword rested in one hand, the upper blade along his upper arm, lower blade extended out as a shield for the woman who stood with her wand at the ready.
Ron looked up from where, he lay half covered by Charlie who had tackled him to get him out of possible harms way when the sword had hacked into the trees. Some of the cloud that seemed to perpetually hang over the deeper woods of the Forbidden Forest broke up, allowing the light of the setting sun to penetrate despite the trees thick canopy. His eyes widened as he found himself staring at an unmistakable 5'8" tall man with hair and eyes he knew only too well.
"Wait a minute… Harry! What are you doing here?" He yelled as Harry suddenly found himself standing in the stream of light from the setting sun.
Fred and George looked at Ron then at Harry who seemed to glare at the sun and then walked towards them, the woman right behind him, her eyes looking all round but flicked back to them. None of them seemed to notice that Charlie was only now beginning to stir and that he seemed groggy, not quite aware of what was going on.
"Hey mate, what are you doing here and dressed like that?" Fred eyed Harry in his armour, sword still at the ready.
"Hey, Fred. George." Harry nodded amicably. "Long time no see. Let's get this match started shall we? You four against us two if you win the dragons yours to try and take. If we win you're minds will be modified so you don't remember seeing me here. Sound fair?" Harry grinned at them and Tonks moved off the tree trunk to stand beside him.
Charley shook his head, aware of voices around him and that Ron was shaking his shoulder and urging him to stand up. Still somewhat dazed by hitting his head solidly against the ground he looked at Harry, taking in his armour and the twin-bladed sword then the woman in the silver cloak he recognised from earlier.
George, ever the fun loving gambler gave his older brother a thoughtful look, noting Charley seemed unaware of what was happening. He decided to stall for time. "One condition. We get to see who you friend is first."
Harry smiled and looked at the woman beside him. "Do you care to show yourself, My Love?" he whispered, a large smile on his face.
The woman nodded and pulled back her hood to show the true face and hair of Tonks beneath the cowl. "Of course, Love. After all they're going to lose." She smiled at the looks on the faces of the three brothers, hoping that Charlie would stay out of it for a little longer. The younger boys were going to be much easier to handle.
Ron and the twins looked at the woman, none of them recognizing her but Charlie seemed to shake himself, staring at the face he had rarely seen. "Tonks? Why are you and Harry here?"
Tonks placed her head on Harry's shoulder and placed a quick kiss on his cheek as her arms slipped around his chest. "Because he love's me for what I am, not for what I could be as you did Charley. Silvenestri is the dragon you are hunting and she is like a sister to me. I will not permit you to take her from her friends."
Charley seemed to waver, rubbing at his head for a moment, trying to dispel the ringing in his ears as he studied the couple. The sight of the forest wavered around him and was overlaid by a room crowded with people and by an explosion of magic that set a deep chord of fear within him. Memory surged back, further staggering him, making the entire situation otherworldly and he was suddenly very afraid for his younger brothers. Something was very wrong with all of this and if only he could focus he could make certain that his brothers were unharmed.
"Guy's we can't beat them." He fought down the fear, determined to gain control of legs that did not want to support his weight no matter how he tried to stand.
Ron was trying to help him up and he saw Harry recognise that he remembered and curse as he realised that the memory charm no longer worked. Yes, he was remembering more and more every second, and what he remembered made him very afraid for his brothers.
Harry cursed softly and exchanged a glance with Tonks, both of them aware that Charlie remembered what had happened and needing to do something before he recovered from the fall.
Ron looked at his brother in disbelief, letting go and Charlie crumpled to the ground again with a muffled yelp of pain. "What do you mean we can't beat them? We out number them two to one! How can they beat us?"
Charlie lurched to his feet, supporting his weight against a rock for a moment as he tried to recover. His head was pounding and he felt that he would be ill very soon now and he must get his brothers to run before it was too late.
"You have no idea of what Harry is. He's beyond anyone's power but Dumbledore and You-Know-Who. Maybe not even they can stand against him now. Back up and hope you can keep most of your memories intact." Charley hissed at his brothers and lunging to the side he managed to pull the twins back away from Harry, his voice showing the very real fear he felt at the power that Harry was starting to show in his aura. Charlie knew running was hopeless and he only hoped that a second dose of this unknown and potent charm would not leave him a vegetable. Maybe his brothers would be okay.
Ron looked at his older brothers as though he did not know him and then at Harry who was looking at them with a patently bored expression.
"I can take him!" Ron screamed and launched into an attack with his fist aimed at Harry's jaw and two charms at the same time.
A feral grin split Harry's mouth and he jumped aside, one arm snaking around Tonks and the other holding his sword. The charms and Ron's fist missed him.
"At last! Someone willing to fight me for his pride and not his power!" He landed neatly on the left tree and let go of Tonks and handed her his sword then jumped back down so that he was standing in front of Ron. "So tell me. Why are you fighting Ron? What drives you to fight the last of the Dragon Lord's?" Harry permitted the next charm to hit him in the chest to show that his armour had a lot more to it than just looks.
"You bastard Harry! Stop playing with him before you break his spirit." Charlie snarled, taking a wobbly step forward and Fred caught him before he sprawled on the ground.
"You took Hermione away from me! You're always getting all the good luck! You're always the golden boy. Your rich and no one is as good as Harry Potter!" Ron screamed, dropping his wand and started to throw punches and kicks as fast as he could. Over the summer he had been given some instruction in close quarters fighting by members of the Order and he threw everything he had at the armoured figure.
Charley groaned against Fred, trying to force down that pounding headache that was making the scene before him waver with red and black patches. He had to stop this before Ron got hurt and he wished that he had never agreed to bring any of them on this hunt. It would have been better if he had come alone.
"I did nothing to Hermione. You were the one who cheated while dating her and she found out. I didn't tell her. As for the good luck and the money, well, you can have it. Now show me what you got!" Harry dodged all of Ron's attacks or blocked them while Fred and George, pale and looking sick, dragged Charley out of the way.
Ron actually surprised him as he was rather good for having had so little instruction and Harry was thankful that the Dragon Lords had their own style of hand to hand combat. It gave him an advantage over Ron as he knew something of the style Ron was using but Ron knew nothing of what he faced. He chose to ignore Charlie cursing at him and calling to him to remember who he was and to fight against 'it'. Did Charlie really think that he was enchanted? Perhaps by the armour he wore? Was that what Charley thought?
He would deal with the others after he had taught Ron a lesson as he was rather testy with Ron. Harry thought back to a little over three weeks ago when Hermione and Ron had broken up. Easily blocking a kick he remembered what had happened and how Hermione had been hurt.
FlashbackHarry was sitting in Tonks room dressed in a bathrobe while he was reading a book on charms. Tonks was asleep on the bed, the silk sheets covering her naked form. Her face was turned towards Harry and her brown hair flowed down her back looked delightfully mussed. One arm rested across the mattress reaching out to where Harry had been lying before he had risen to read the book.
He wished that Tonks could have seen him before the time spell had regressed his body to his current age once more and decided that he really needed to push himself harder to develop the physique he had formerly had. He rather hated living in the body of a sixteen year old again.
Harry had just finished another page of his book when Hermione had came running into the room without even knocking and threw herself into his arms crying. Stunned he had stared at the girl who seemed totally unaware of his lack of proper clothing or that Tonks was only sleeping a few feet away from them.
"Hermione what's wrong?" Harry said to the sobbing girl in his arms while running a gentle hand through her hair. The book landed on the floor at his feet while his free arm eased around her shaking shoulders as he tried to calm her down to find out what had happened.
"Ron." More a wail than an explanation was enough to inform Harry that Ron had done something to hurt Hermione. Even after he had told Ron what would happen if he ever hurt Hermione in any way Ron still had done something to upset her.
"What did he do Hermione?" Harry said gentle, running a hand over the side of her face and wiping away the tears of the young woman he thought of as the sister he never had. He would always consider Hermione to be his sister more than merely a friend.
Hermione had looked up at Harry and in a quite voice broken by sobs had whispered, "I was in the library looking something up for my homework… I… I went back to the common room and… and I saw Ron… Ron and Lavender. They were kissing in front of the fire and… It was not just an innocent kiss but an all out snogging session. I… I just snapped and run. Oh God, Harry. I… I can't believe it. I thought we could work."
Hermione was again lost in sobs with her face buried against Harry's shoulder and unmindful of how Tonks had woken during her explanation and was now looking at them from the bed, her face caught in her natural look.
Harry looked about ready to do Ron a mischief for cheating on Hermione but said nothing merely continued to rub her back soothingly. He sensed that Tonks had awoken and after a moment looked over his shoulder and met her gaze.
'I'll take care of it.' He mouthed to her before he returned his attention to Hermione and held her gently, rocking until she fell asleep in his arms.
He remained in his seat with Hermione curled against him while Tonks dressed and watched them a sad look on her face. He was going to have to have words with Ron and from the look on Tonk's face he surmised that she too might be paying Ron a little visit tomorrow.
End Flashback"You're lying! She did not catch me with Lavender and even if she did what's it to you? It's none of your business. You told her and made her leave me. It always has to go your way and you never liked the idea of me and Hermione. She was always too good for the likes of me." Ron snarled as one well placed kick hit Harry solidly in the side throwing, him off balance and to the left.
Harry grunted at the impact and steadied himself. Looking down at himself to make certain that his armour had taken the blow without so much as a dent for all of the force behind the kick. "Very good move, Ron. However if you what to do real damage you're going to have to hit me somewhere where I'm not armoured. That means it has to be the head." Harry dodged the next four attacks. "If you want my wealth, Ron, beat me and I'll give you the volt key."
"Fuck your money Mr Perfect!" Ron snarled and launched another attack sequence aiming for Harry's head since it was patently obvious even in his rage that any attacks directed at his body and legs had no effect accept to make Harry grin wider.
"Stop it! Stop it before one of you gets hurt." Fred shouted.
Tonks frowned at the two boys, one in every day clothing and the other in armour. It was a farce and she knew it. Harry was only playing for time to delay them and she remembered what Charlie had shouted about breaking his brother's spirit. Any enjoyment she had had in the contest was long gone though she thought it might be a good thing for them to fight it out.
Ron had blamed Harry for the break up with Hermione and Harry had wanted to tear Ron limb from limb for weeks now. Some days they were almost normal and other times they poisoned the very air with venomous looks.
Charley looked decidedly ill but was slowly regaining control of himself though she suspected he was still too confused by the blow to his head to safely cast magic. She would have to keep an eye on him in case he decided to chance a spell and she saw that George had his wand drawn and looked be torn deciding if he should cast the charm, whatever it might be, on Harry or his brother.
They continued to fight, Ron's vibrant red hair becoming plastered to his head with sweat and Harry was panting though not so exhausted. The magic of the armour protected him and she knew that Ron was going to be battered and bruised but Harry too would carry a few bruises.
"Give." Harry panted.
"No." Ron gasped as they faced off from a wrestling bout.
"Give." Harry snapped. "You can't win."
"Not about winning." Ron whispered and flung himself at Harry.
Harry grunted as he dropped low and spun. Flashing out a leg and well placed foot to sweep Ron's feet out from under him. Ron growled and clambered up to his feet and came on again, managing to push Harry back and they clinched.
Tonks glanced up at the sky, now growing darker and knew the day was growing late. This had gone on long enough and from the look of him Charley thought so too, though he looked a lot worse than Ron. George and Fred still steadied Charlie, but they were practical boys and they knew when to leave a fight and when to join in. This was a purely personal fight between friends who really wanted to remain friends and had to find some way to gain respect for each other again.
When it ended it ended abruptly, a charge from Ron that was stopped when Harry went down to one knee, arm bent and planted his elbow in Ron's unprotected midrift. Ron went down, gasping for air, gaping like a fish out of water and George leapt forward.
"Enough! That's it. Came over."
"I do believe I win." Harry puffed, surprised that Ron could put up so good a fight and personally relieved that it was all over.
He had discovered that it was not so much fun fighting someone who had always accepted him. Where had he and Ron gone wrong? It was surely more than the break up with Hermione who seemed to be dealing well with what had happened after that long bout of tears. In fact Hermione seemed to have dealt with it better than he had. He glanced up at the sky and grunted softly. Maybe now it would be over and they could be friends again? If the charm did not interfere but he had to use the charm to keep Silvenestri safe. Well, he would simply have to deal with the situation and hope that Ron could too.
"Now for the final call." Harry straightened, holding up his hand as Tonks jumped down and walked over to him and they stood together as they had done before the fight.
"Satisfied?" Tonks murmured.
George pulled Ron to his feet and over to where Fred supported Charley. The older Weasley reached for his youngest brother but a movement from Harry had Charley stumbling back. Harry's hand glowed with yellow light and he remembered what had happened last time he had seen that glow. Silently Charley hoped that he would remember his brothers, indeed that he would be capable of functioning after being hit a second time by this unknown but powerful charm.
"It's time," Harry murmured, as a bright flash lit the clearing.
When Tonks could see again the Weasley were gone.
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As the last rays of the setting sun touched the edge of the Forbidden Forest Fred and George Weasley stumbled supporting Charley and Ron. Staggering through the last of the trees they looked around them in a daze as a shout from Hagrid reached them and then there were people all around them. Questions were fired rapidly at the two boys who could only shake their heads that they really could not remember what had happened.
Ron complained of a sore chest and was battered and bruised as though he had either been in a fight or taken a good tumble and Madam Pomfrey was summoned to look him over. The twins watched in a daze as their little brother was taken away, as was Charley who seemed in no better condition than Ron and who had not seemed to recognise anyone.
The coherent brothers were escorted to Dumbledore's study where they found to their great surprise a single Dragon scale of purest silver in Fred's pocket. Neither of the brothers could explain to the Professors in attendance where they had found the scale and finally were sent to bed in a guest room, leaving the headmaster of Hogwarts to sit before a roaring fire lost in thought
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Tonks looked around to see Harry sitting on a boulder not far from where Silvenestri slumbered, unaware of the events of the afternoon. He looked to be deep in thought as he rubbed at the split lip Ron had given him.
"You are quiet. Do you feel alright?"
"Yes. Yes, I am alright. He… put up a better fight than I thought. I keep forgetting that this body is not what it used to be."
"It looks just fine to me." Tonks grinned. "Well, then, if you have gotten all of that anger at Ron out of your system, what should we do to keep ourselves occupied until Silvenestri is rested?"
Harry sighed and smiled at her, tilting his head to better see her face and leaned closer to kiss her gently then pulled her closer, encircling her with his arms. "I can think of something that we could do." He murmured into her ear, his hands moving suggestively over her body in just the way he knew she liked.
Tonks smiled and kissed him then hooked a thumb over her shoulder at the shadowy form in the darkness.
"Not in front of the children, dear." She grinned.
Laughing softly Harry took her hand and led her out of the clearing and to a small glade he knew of where the grass was soft underfoot and they could be assured of privacy. It was here that Silvenestri in her human form surprised them some hours later, laughing at them when they blushed for being caught lying naked under the silver cloak.
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Thanks to the following reviewers:
alen, lucy-lollipop, bandgsecurtiyaw, HeWhoComesWithTheDawn, Zesuit, David M. Potter, fireflashphoenix, Darkepyon, jollander, Silverscale, benwa, danielc, Musings-of-Apathy, grookill, Arisa-san, ApocSM.