Books in Series:
Book 1: A Girl Can Be More Important Than a Firebolt
Book 2: Light of the Heart
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A/N: Harry Potter and his world belong to J.K. Rowling, Warner Brothers and anyone that has received licensing rights.
-oOo-
Chapter 06
November 1, 1996
Hogwarts, Scotland
They sat at the Gryffindor table at their normal time for a Friday. The Great Hall wasn't even half full, many taking advantage of the later breakfast and no first class this morning.
It was Neville, Hermione and him towards the end of the table. None of the other sixth-year Gryffindors were up besides them.
Neville looked around the Great Hall. Astoria typically met them on Fridays to run with them, but she hadn't this morning. "Neville, she will be here," Hermione comforted his cousin as she read a book and picked at some porridge. Harry had his own book out. He had finally gotten the hand loom enchanted properly and wanted to get back to run it for a while. He needed a few yards of fabric to start making the cloak he wanted. He didn't trust himself enough yet to make it fully out of the golden yarn, so he was only going to use it for sewing and rune work. Even the few thousand yards of fine thread he had was worth almost 800 galleons. Aunt Bel insisted he not pay, but he had been given the grant and sent it directly to her account manager on Guernsey.
It also gave him a reason to request the goblin made gold for the rings he was working on. He was determined to enhance their business for protective and muggle resistive charms. Aunt Bel had sent them an article in an American journal about a breach in California when a new muggle sensor, or something like that, was said to pick up on magic. He didn't fully understand it, but Hermione ate it up and ask for other journals that went over some of the arithmancy. Ron and a few others looked totally confused when she had received a few muggle books on physics and electronics.
"Professor Slughorn sent me another invitation for tea tomorrow and asked me to take someone along," Hermione told him.
"Why, so he can collect us?" Harry asked. Aunt Bel didn't have a very high opinion of the man, but Aunt Andi liked him. He had helped her and Ted with contacts when she was cast out of her House. She had warned him the man looked at those he helped as his 'collection'.
"He isn't that bad and last week he mentioned Gwenog Jones may come by. He has mentioned to her there were a few really talented Quidditch players."
"I'm sure Harry is top of the list," Neville commented.
"I love Quidditch, but I don't want to go professional," Harry told them as he jotted down a new spell he could try on the rings. He would just have to figure out how it would work with some of the others.
Luckily, Neville just accepted their quirks and didn't say anything about them doing their work.
"You should have done Potions. Professor Slughorn has done some very interesting potions and takes the time to explain everything and why it is important."
Harry sighed. "I am rather disappointed in DADA. For all the bluster Snape has for the Dark Arts, I haven't learned anything, yet, that Uncle Remus hasn't already taught us. Maybe I should talk with Professor Babbling. I could still sit the NEWTS without being in class."
"What would you do instead," she asked.
"Potions or Creatures. Hagrid has gone over some interesting stuff and the NEWTS are raising hippogryphs and Professor Hagrid said he was getting permission for a graphorn," he said with some enthusiasm.
"You should do potions," Hermione told him.
"What if we want to expand the farm. Creatures would be more useful," he argued.
She stopped reading and looked up. Neville looked at him too. He hadn't thought about what he said. "You want to expand the farm?"
He shrugged. "Maybe. Aunt Bel doesn't have enough clients to keep two or three Masters busy, and I always wanted more animals or creatures."
"Can we make some more greenhouses," she asked.
He stopped this time and blinked. They were talking as a 'we' and planning what to do after they graduated next year. He looked up and Neville raised an eyebrow. "I was thinking of making a library too to get more books out of my vaults," he said cautiously.
She smiled. "I would like that. There she is, Nev," Hermione said quietly.
Neville turned to see Astoria with Daphne and Tracey. Once seeing them, all three moved towards them at the Gryffindor table. Neville smiled before trying to look more stoic. Astoria took a seat next to him, as she was want to do lately. Daphne looked at them. "Would you join us?" Harry asked her.
"We would love to," Daphne responded and sat on the other side of Hermione. "What are you working on?"
"I am still learning algebra. There is some things in Calculus I still don't understand. I wish Hogwarts taught more muggle studies subjects," she said sounding frustrated. Harry had been working with her, and was good at Arithmancy, but Hermione was going beyond what he understood at the moment.
"Maybe we can find some tutors. You are of-age and could leave for independent studies in the evening," he told her.
Daphne looked flabbergasted. "Why would you need muggle mathematics? Arithmancy doesn't work that way," she stated.
"Actually, it does. Most of the stuff in arithmancy goes through about the first-year muggle algebra techniques, but going ahead it doesn't seem to get much more advanced than that. Ilvamorny has been applying basic calculus for decades," she responded.
"How do you know that?"
"I have a few textbooks from Ilvamorny and only understand about two-thirds of it. They start their students in arithmancy first year and allow them to drop fourth-year."
"Merlin," Tracey exclaimed. "I've seen what you do in arithmancy and don't understand any of it."
"It's not much different than the equations you use in Astronomy to predict planet movements," Hermione told her matter of fact.
Tracey looked to be thinking. "I use the charts and tables," she responded. "We have only just started to learn how to make the tables."
"Hermione, Professor Sinistra didn't teach us how to do any of that math for our OWL's," Daphne reminded her.
Harry was listening as he tried to read. Neville and Astoria were talking quietly across the table from them as Astoria ate.
"It was in the course books, in the last few chapters from Year-three on. I just thought everyone was doing them," Hermione told her.
"I was," Harry piped up.
"Why didn't you get an outstanding on your OWL then?" she questioned.
"I hate Astronomy and couldn't remember some of the constellations and the importance of them."
"How smart are you two?" Daphne inquired.
"Bloody brilliant," Neville spoke up. "Though Harry has been trying to catch Hermione for years."
Harry shrugged. "Hermione earned it. You mind if I go see if Professor Babbling is in her office?" he asked. He started to pack up his stuff.
"Are you really going to transfer classes," she asked.
"If she agrees. I feel the last two months have been wasted, and I really don't want to sit in another class today if I don't need too," he told her.
"Aunt Bel won't let you take Tiffany or others here," she reminded him softly.
"I know. Tiffany is doing fine though. She is almost weened and fitting in now." It was more to reassure himself than contradict Hermione. "I can also hire a tutor next year to help me get ready for my NEWTs."
"You mean Dora and Uncle Remus?"
"I can't wait to turn seventeen. Then we can go into Hogsmeade whenever we want," he told her. "They can't come up to the castle this year."
After a moment, she nodded. "Would you at least come to Slughorn's tea with me this weekend?"
"Sure," he said giving her a quick kiss. "Ladies, please excuse me. Berk," he said to Neville.
"Troll," Neville responded.
"Hermione, you better never let him go," Tracey said before he walked out of earshot.
-oOo-
Later that day...
Harry sighed as he sat in the front row. Professor Snape was in his office still. "Why weren't you at breakfast or lunch? Tell me you aren't trying to avoid Ginny," Ron asked as he sat next to Harry.
"Hermione, Nev and I were at breakfast after doing our run. I went to talk to Professor Babbling before you got to breakfast and I was talking with Professor Hagrid at lunch," he told Ron.
"Why were you talking with Professor Hagrid," Ron asked confused.
"I put in a request to drop DADA and take Creatures," he told him.
Ron grimaced. "You really don't think we will learn much from Snape, do you?" he asked.
"Have you learned anything that Uncle Remus didn't teach us?" he asked.
"No, but I need this if I want to get into the Department of Magical Creatures."
"I'm still taking the NEWTS next year, but I am going to ask Uncle Remus to tutor me next year," he told Ron.
"You think he will do that? Can I take lessons with him too?" Ron asked.
Harry shrugged. "Most likely. If not, I'll find someone else. I can use this time for something more constructive or do my own studies in DADA."
"Did I hear you are really looking to drop DADA?" Susan asked behind him.
It was one of the few times she had said much to him all year. The girl next to her was frowning. "Why would you do that? You are the best student in class and not to mention the best dueller," Meghan Jones added.
"It is November and we haven't had one dueling class and I haven't learned anything new yet," he told them.
"I haven't either, and would really like to have the dueling sessions again," Susan agreed.
They didn't get to talk much more about it before the bell rang and the door to the classroom shut of its own accord. Harry also missed the upper floor classroom. Snape had refurbished an unused dungeon room and many of the special vials he had kept in his potions room now lined the walls. Snape twirled his wand and the seventeen scrolls with their essays on Inferi zoomed to him.
"Potter, why are you here," the man said with his placid expression.
"Attending class, Professor," he responded as politely as he could.
"I received a form for your request to drop the class and gladly signed it." Harry almost thought the Professor was smiling, but it was hard to tell.
"I am still in the class until Professor Babbling and Headmistress McGonagall sign it, Professor."
The man's lip twerked. "You may sit the class today, but I don't want to see you in this class again."
"Gladly," Harry muttered.
"What was that, Potter?"
"Yes, Professor," he said loudly.
Susan raised her hand behind him and many in class were looking at him shocked.
"Hand down, Bones. Now, today we will finish on inferi and get into vampires," Professor Snape instructed as he flicked his wand.
Harry was going to be happy to be sod of this man.
A dark hair asian girl raised her hand this time. Snape pretended to ignore her and moved to a large basin with black sand in it. "Now, inferi are very easy to distinguish from zombies," he started and twirled his wand. Two life sized figures formed out of the black sand. Harry sighed. This was second year knowledge.
"Zabini, what is the first difference?"
Susan's and then Ron's hand went up. Harry looked at his best mate curiously.
Neville's went from the desk next to him.
"Inferi will have whole bodies that look very pale, and many times emaciated, while zombies show signs of decay and off-color skin tone," the black skinned Slytherin answered.
Dean's and then Wayne Hopkins' hand went into the air. Snape turned around and saw the half-dozen hands. "The models are before you. You should not have questions about this," Snape sneered at them. "Hands down."
"Professor, we were taught all this second year. Standard Ministry curriculum..." Susan started and Snape spoke over her.
"This is my class and more than half of you did not show proficiency in even this simple understanding when I tested you," he responded.
"You asked questions that were standard to a post-NEWT level and not the OWL's that we all were just tested on," Harry spoke up.
"Mr. Potter, you will keep your mouth quiet or you will be expelled from this room and given a weeks' worth of detention," Snape warned.
Ron spoke out of turn. "We are also supposed to be into the standard non-verbal and other spell learning and we no longer do the dueling or practical classes."
"I don't trust any of you to do that until I know you have the basics," Snape snarled.
Harry closed his book, straightened his papers and took up his bag. "Professor, may I have my form? I would like to be excused to get the other signatures."
Snape smiled. "Gladly," he responded.
A few others around the room started to pack their items as well. "What are you doing," he whispered to Ron as he did the same.
"Same as you," Ron told him.
Snape had walked to the desk and looked surprised when ten of the seventeen students had stood. "Sit down, all of you, or you will be marked absent and serve detention."
"You better give me detention, sir. I will make sure the drop form is on your desk by Monday," Neville replied.
The others that stood, which included every Gryffindor and Hufflepuff, all voiced the same sentiment.
"You cannot take your NEWTS without being in this class," Snape informed them.
"With the endorsement of our Head-of-House, we can sit for any NEWT exam we like," Harry advised. He nodded to Neville. "Professor Babbling has the last period free and I think McGonagall has office hours right now."
Snape stared with hatred in his eyes at Harry as he left with the others.
-oOo-
November 2, 1996
Hogwarts, Scotland
Hermione was humming as she leaned against him in the abandoned office they had found on the third floor of the West wing. It was a little traveled area, being storage rooms and old professor offices from a time there were more Professors. Harry liked it because the Quidditch pitch could be seen from the window and it was a different place than their lab. At times he just needed some place different to think or be with Hermione.
The sat in a large window with a wide ledge. Hermione had conjured a comfortable pillow and Harry had conjured the table next to them. The remains of a picnic were on the table.
Places like this were also nice to have a small date when the grounds were getting cold and they couldn't go into Hogsmeade.
"What are you so pleased about," Harry asked as she just ran a finger over his hand with a book in the other. She was leaning against him and he had one arm around her waist and the other picking at some apple slices.
"Just being here with you. Can we study a little later?" she asked.
"We spent all morning in the lab. I need a break and you do too," he told her. As they sat there, he had to admit he felt a little nervous. She turned the page of the herbology book. He reached for the book and pulled it out of her hands. "That means now too."
She pouted and tried to grab for the book. "I was reading that," she told him.
He closed it and put it behind his back. He pecked her nose when she turned on him. "You can have it back in a few."
She leaned in. "I reserved the Prefects bath for tomorrow morning," she said with a husky voice. Harry tried not to let the sultry look in her eyes sway him from what he was doing today. Not yet anyways. Though picturing her in only her bikini bottoms was distracting...
"Merlin, I love you," he said.
"I know," she told him smugly and leaned in to peck him.
Harry returned the kiss before pulling back. "I got a letter from Uncle Ted today. Do you accept the betrothal?" he asked her, moving to kneel to match her on the wide window ledge.
"I always thought the rumors I heard about this was stupid and so behind the times, but it isn't much different than a prenuptial if both parties agree," she stated.
"Not really sure what that is, but I doubt a prenuptial can cost someone their magic," he said.
She paled. "There wasn't anything like that in the terms of the betrothal."
"Not in ours. If you want out of this, I won't stop you, but I don't think I will ever feel for someone else like I do you," he told her. "I love you."
"I love you too." She bit her lip. "I want to marry you."
He let out a breath and smiled. "I want to do this in the proper way. I want to propose to you when we are ready, and marry you. To magic, we will be engaged once Uncle Ted certifies the betrothal and files it, unless you would like to accept these," he said, reaching into his pocket and taking out two boxes.
Hermione looked at them and her eyes widened.
"It is not the engagement ring I will give you at some point, but if you are betrothed to me, it is your right to have them," he told her handing one of the boxes to her.
Hermione slowly reached down and took it. "Shouldn't you put them on my hand," she asked in a whisper.
"These are House rings," he said opening his case. "They are Goblin silver with the Crests of the Potters and Blacks. Aunt Bel had Harpspear retrieve them and certify their authenticity. This one," he said when she opened hers, "is the Potter ring. Like mine, it declares you an heir to my Bloodline. I didn't want the Scion and Heiress rings because they would lose all power soon. This one is the Black's Heiress ring. If you accept this one, then you will be Heiress Black and have claim to the Lordship and bloodline should something happen to me before the Houses are combined or we are married. After that, you will be Lady Potter. I am not declaring the combined houses to be Patriarchal or Matriarchal. It will be ties to our first child."
"If you really want this, you need to put them on and accept them."
Her eyes looked at the rings. "I thought the Goblins had to certify us taking the magic?" she asked.
"If the Potter Lordship is not dissolved by the time I turn seventeen, then we will need to go to Gringotts to do a blood binding. Otherwise, you simply accepting the rings and the magic in them accepting you will make the betrothal legal and you will be my betrothed. At least to magic," he stated solemnly. He wanted Hermione, maybe not in this way, but he wanted her. "I still want to do a proper muggle courtship too."
She looked up at him, emotion brimming in her eyes. "I love you," he stated.
"I love you too," he replied.
"What if the rings or your family magic doesn't accept me," she asked.
He leaned over and kissed her cheek. "I would be more worried that your magic wouldn't accept mine. I have no doubt my magic would accept yours."
She gave a smile that lit up the room. "I want you, Harry Potter, don't ever doubt that. Are you ready to let everyone know you are Scion Black? I get the sense that is going to raise issues."
"You mean Mcnair, Flint and the Princes," Harry asked.
"And the fact Malfoy and a few others could contest your rights before you are seventeen," she told him. Aunt Bel and Andi were doing their best to bring Hermione up to speed with what he didn't know.
"I can't let Great Aunt Augusta take control of the Potters. She could force me to rescind my request and bind me to the Lordship before I am seventeen. She has already started the process with Neville and will most likely have the votes she needs at the Solstice next month."
"You and Neville say she isn't a Blood Supremacist, but she acts like one," Hermione stated.
"She believes in the sanctity of our families and the heritage they have. Many do. Even those like Great Aunt Augusta. She doesn't care who we marry, has always treated those of any origin the same and has tried to push multiple reforms through to help those not of blood status," Harry weakly defended his Great Aunt.
"If I take this ring, I have the same power as you over House Potter and Black?"
"Almost. It would be equivalent of a Senior House member and would make you and Aunt Bel the only Senior Members, and able to overrule Great Aunt Augusta because you are of-age. If you want, you could take over representation of our House from Aunt Bel until my birthday."
"And what of the Blacks?"
"Until I turn seventeen, the rights of the House are locked. No one can make any decisions or represent the House. As Heiress, you do have inheritance rights over everyone else except me. It is possible a petition could be made to the Wizengamot, but the Vassal-houses cannot ratify anything until I take up my Scion rights or Lordship, and then I have right over them."
"You can't take up your Lordship until you are of-age and married or you turn twenty-one, can you," she questioned.
"No."
Hermione fingered the rings. "I feel you in this one," she said about the Potter ring.
He smiled. "Would you put it on?"
"You will put yours on at the same time?" she asked.
"Yes."
They both took up the Potter heir rings and when Harry slipped it on his finger, he felt the small surge of magic course through him. It was his families magic and felt warm, familiar and exciting, almost erotic, as he felt the magic change slightly when Hermione put hers on. She gasped and sat tall for a moment before meeting his eyes.
"That was different," she stated, her voice sounding pleasant. His body and magic wanted to reach for her.
"The Betrothal contract Uncle Ted has should recognize this. Are you ready to accept being Heiress Black?"
"You really believe we can make changes in Britain?" she questioned.
"I won't say it will be easy, but yes, I think there is a chance. I won't run if I can help our friends and family," he resolutely told him.
"Neither will I," she agreed, taking the ring.
Harry took his and then slid it on their middle fingers at the same time. The magic struck him. It recognized his claim to the House of Black by sending an electric zap through his body, making him feel that it was fighting his Potter blood before settling. This magic didn't feel as pure and exciting as it had when Hermione put on the Potter ring. He felt like he was fighting the unsettling feeling.
He had fallen on the floor from the initial shock and Hermione was leaning heavily against the window. He forced himself up. "Hermione," he called out. No one had warned him this would happen.
She was slumped over and passed out. He gently patted her cheek and she suddenly took in a deep breath and opened her eyes. They looked to threaten to roll up in her eyes for a moment and swayed as though drunk. "This is not supposed to happen," he growled, pushing his magic through his rings and feeling the taint in the Black magic curl up. It was the only way he could describe it.
After a moment, she blinked and her eyes came into focus. "Are you alright," he asked her.
She let out a stuttering breath as she focused on him. "Harry," she cried out and threw herself at him, hugging him tight. "I didn't like that."
"I know, luv. I didn't know," he told her. His skin felt like it was crawling still as his magic purified whatever was on the rings and in the family magic.
"What was that," she whispered into his ear.
"Are you alright?"
She shivered. "I didn't like the feel of that until you touched me."
"I didn't like it either. We need to talk with Aunt Andi," he told her.
She nodded against his shoulder.
