A/N:
This is again dedicated to HarmonyForever. I guess you're in for another shock. HAHA. ( Zhaogu wo de Pengyou)
Just a heads up and as an official statement regarding requests, this story will never be a triad. My triad fic will be Fairytales and Realities. I won't disclose who will be in the triad but that's my triad story. I have never written multi-pairings so it will be a first for me. Thank you Linkin-Phoenix for your question that triggered this triad idea. If you like Flower Harmony (Fleur/Harry/Hermione) pairings, check out his works.
I felt the need to put it out there because of the odd requests I've been receiving lately.
Enough said.
YOU'RE WORTHY OF THE POTTER NAME
By: tweety-src-clt9
Chapter Four: The Grand Duke's Power
All the students of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry dashed off to the Great Hall as soon as they heard the frantic Patronus messages from their respective Heads of House that reverberated in their common rooms. For the other students who were not in their dormitories, it was easy to hear about the command because of the hurried footsteps all over the castle.
Nobody knew whatever it was that had happened but they all understood that it must be very important. All Heads of House were formidable professors so nobody wanted to incur their wrath. Hence, students were left with no choice but to just immediately comply with the oddly-timed order.
One by one students entered the Great Hall with confused and wary looks on their faces. The first thing they noticed was a very angry Grand Duke pacing in front of the head table with his magic rippling against his skin. Lord Potter's magical energy was so raw and potent that it seemed like there was a gust of wind following him around. The headmistress was clearly troubled, her eyes trained on the angry lord.
The only question on the students' mind was, 'Is this another Voldemort attack or did something happen to Ms. Hermione Granger?'
When it seemed that every student at Hogwarts was already seated according to their respective houses, the door to the anteroom opened. A group of aurors entered the Great Hall and surrounded all the exits. No student could escape now.
Whatever it was, the students knew that something bad had happened.
All students waited with bated breaths. They felt nervous and scared for what would happen next. They watched in both awe and horror when the Duke of Gloucester spoke in a cold angry voice that reverberated throughout the Great Hall without bothering to use a wand. They were amazed at the Grand Duke's grandiose display of a wandless Sonorous charm that was done with such ease that he barely even noticed it. It was clearly a simple feat for the powerful lord.
"Just under an hour ago, my house-elf who is assigned to protect my betrothed, Ms. Hermione Granger, came to me with devastating news. The future Grand Duchess has been attacked. She was given a poisoned drink from a friend she trusted who in turn was cursed by the Imperius… As the Grand Duke, I will not let this heinous crime come to pass. Hogwarts will be in lockdown until we catch the culprits. Now, the aurors will be handing you a parchment, demanding each and every one of you regardless of age to swear on your magic that you were not involved in this attempt on my betrothed… Should the culprit or anyone else have any pertinent information to give me, then speak now," Lord Potter spoke in a commanding voice that broke no argument.
"Students, please fall in line in front of any of the aurors surrounding the Great Hall and kindly make your oaths… Since it is commanded by the Grand Duke himself, then so it shall be treated as a direct order from the Crown," the headmistress seconded.
The Gryffindors, Hufflepuffs, Ravenclaws, and a few Slytherins stood from their seats. They knew that the word of the Grand Duke was law. So, they might as well get it over with. It was better to clear their names at the soonest possible time.
"I refuse to participate!" Pansy Parkinson vehemently expressed her disagreement as she stood from her seat at the Slytherin table and attempted to make a run for it.
"Aurors! Seize her!" Lord Potter angrily pointed to the Slytherin witch who was easily bound by the aurors.
"I will not tolerate this treatment! Unhand me you ruffians!" snarled Pansy Parkinson.
"Take her in for questioning! Find out if she has conspirators," Lord Potter demanded.
"Yes, my Lord!" the aurors chorused.
"After you finish with her questioning, come find me at the infirmary at once. I will be there anxiously awaiting my intended's recovery… Carry on with demanding the oaths. No one is exempted," Lord Potter said sternly.
"Yes, my Lord!" the aurors respectfully complied.
"To everyone involved in this criminal plot against my betrothed, you shall incur the wrath of the House of Potter!" those last words from the Grand Duke of Magical Britain left everyone shaking in fear.
It was very clear. That parting statement was not a threat but more of a promise of what to expect should anyone dare to make any attempt on harming Ms. Hermione Granger, the Grand Duke's beloved, once again. Since the young enigmatic Lord Potter recently slain Voldemort, it was a unanimous realization to never cross him in whatsoever manner. They would all treat the future Grand Duchess with the utmost respect. No one would ever dare to cross the Grand Duke by causing any form of injury to his lady in any way.
oOOOOo
Harry sat by Hermione's bedside. The gentle movement of her chest and the sound of her breathing was comforting to him. It had been three days since she was dosed with the poisoned liquid. Ms. Weasley had long been cleared of the effects of the Imperius on her person while Ms. Parkinson had been taken to Azkaban.
Per the investigation, Ms. Parkinson made an attempt at Hermione's life because she wanted to be the next Grand Duchess. Aside from her selfish reasons, the Slytherin witch wanted a pureblood to hold the heart of the Grand Duke of Magical Britain. Whoever married him, according to the evil witch at least, would be the most influential person in magical society because he would heed to his wife's counsel.
Thinking of Pansy Parkinson, Harry clenched his fists in restrained fury. If not for that witch's interference, Hermione would have been unharmed and not fighting for her life right now.
"Please, Hermione… Come back to me," Harry whispered as he held Hermione's hand.
As each hour passed by, with Hermione still on the brink of death, it was like his future was being taken away from him. He just could not imagine living his life without Hermione by his side. He may have just acknowledged the depth of his feelings for her, but now that he knew he was in love with her, he could never accept marrying someone else. If the worst scenario happened and he would lose the love of his life, he just could not see himself marrying another woman.
Hermione Granger would be his wife. No one else would do. So, she must survive. He needed her to spend the rest of her days with him. He just could not afford to lose her.
"Excuse me, my Lord?" Harry's thoughts were interrupted when he heard the familiar voice of Madam Pomfrey.
"How may I help you, Madam Pomfrey?"
"As the betrothed of Ms. Granger, I wish to speak to you and her parents regarding the status of her health," the seriousness in the healer's voice made his blood turn cold.
"Will she – will Hermione be alright?" he swallowed the lump in his throat. He could not fathom the possibility of losing her. It would kill his very soul. Hermione was the one constant in his life ever since they became friends. He had lost a lot of people through the years but his heart would not survive her death. She was so vital to his existence that the thought of living his life without her just seemed so futile and empty.
"Come with me, my Lord," the healer refused to give him a direct answer.
Harry glanced at the grave look on Mr. and Mrs. Granger's faces as they too had no choice but to follow Madam Pomfrey to her private office. When all four of them took their respective seats in the ensuite office, the healer pointed her wand to the door to cast privacy charms around the area.
Mrs. Granger was silently wiping her tears with a handkerchief while Mr. Granger had a strong arm around his wife's shoulders. Harry was quiet and anxious. He was praying for a miracle – anything that could be done to make sure that Hermione would survive. The longer she stayed asleep, the hope in his heart that she would wake up again got dimmer and dimmer…
"All four healers, myself included, assigned to help Ms. Granger in her recovery have successfully removed all traces of the poison on her system – "
"Oh, goodness! Thank the Lord!" Mrs. Granger exclaimed with relief.
"We have some bad news, however," Madam Pomfrey continued and all three of them immediately turned their attention to the stern healer once more.
"But I thought – since the poison – why?" Harry stammered. It was like his short moment of relief and joy just got flushed away when he heard the words 'bad news.'
"Ms. Granger's body is not responding to the healing potions. That is the reason why she does not awaken. It seems her magical core has taken a serious beating… Lord Potter, as a magical surely you understand – "
"With a damaged magical core, she can lose her sanity or die," Harry murmured as the gravity of the problem sank in.
"No! My baby!" Mrs. Granger wailed.
"The healers and I, we – well, we have thought of a rather unorthodox method but – "
"Do it!" Harry immediately agreed and the Grangers nodded in support of him.
"There is a problem – "
"If it is about finances, then the House of Potter will happily shoulder it," Harry insisted.
"Oh, no, my Lord. This is not about galleons but more so about Ms. Granger's blood status – "
"Excuse me! You dare to deny my betrothed the treatment she so deserves just on the grounds that she is of non-magical parents?" Harry's magic started to ripple in cold fury. He would never allow the circumstances of Hermione's birth to be used as a slur against her. As the Royal Wizard, it would be one of his main agenda in the upcoming Wizengamot sessions to change the stigma against blood status.
"I beg your pardon, my Lord, but it seems you have misunderstood my meaning. What I am saying is that since her parents are non-magical, they will not be able to offer her the help she requires during this supposed unorthodox method," Madam Pomfrey hurriedly appeased him.
"Oh, I see… Well then, I will do it! I will do anything necessary just to be able to save Hermione," he declared.
"My Lord, please do not be too hasty – "
"Do not try and stop me, Madam Pomfrey!" Harry warned.
"I do not wish to intrude, my Lord, but the procedure – it is too dangerous! A man of your stature! You are too important to our world," Madam Pomfrey countered.
"Hermione is very important to me! I will do anything in my power just to save her! You better tell me about this procedure, Madam Pomfrey, lest I consider this an offense against the future Lady Potter," Harry's voice rose and his ever-unkempt hair seemed to be moving to the rhythm of his magical aura.
"As you wish, my Lord... Just to set things clear, I am sorry for the slight against your lady. It was truly unintended. I was just expressing my concern for your – "
"Madam Pomfrey, you have witnessed so many times when I was confined into one of those hospital beds outside. Every single time I lay in a hospital bed, Hermione visited me and waited for me to recover… When she was petrified in our second year, I too did the same thing. I held on to hope that she will come back to me… So, please, please tell me what I must do! I need her alive… I need her here, with me," his voice was pleading now.
"Of course, my Lord. I understand… Now if you please excuse me, I shall call forth the other healers who will be explaining the core rebuilding procedure to you. Please stay here as I will be preparing Ms. Granger for the treatment… You will be given instructions and likewise be attended to by the other healers," Madam Pomfrey stood from her seat.
"Thank you, Madam Pomfrey," Harry said sincerely.
"There is no need to thank me, my Lord. The love you have for Ms. Granger is such a beautiful thing to behold… It is I who should be thanking you for showing me what love can truly do," Madam Pomfrey smiled at him before she exited her office.
"Lord Potter, are you really sure about this?" Mr. Granger asked.
"I promised you that I will do anything for your daughter, sir. And it is a promise I shall gladly keep for the rest of my days," Harry said with determination.
"But it seems very dangerous!" Mrs. Granger exclaimed.
"I know but I – I love her, Mrs. Granger. There is not a thing in this world that I will not gladly sacrifice if it meant that Hermione would live a long and happy life."
"I have said it before, but I shall say it again. I could not have parted with my Hermione to a much more worthy man… We are forever in debt for your willingness to sacrifice yourself for our daughter, my Lord," Mr. Granger said in earnest.
"Thank you, Lord Potter," a teary-eyed Mrs. Granger said.
"There is no need to thank me, ma'am. Any man truly in love will be willing to do anything for the woman who owns his heart," Harry replied.
When the door opened and three healers entered the room, Harry mentally prepared himself for all the instructions he must successfully carry out just so he could save the only woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life with.
oOOOOo
"Good luck, Lord Potter," Mrs. Granger extended a hand and patted Harry's cheek in support.
"Thank you, Lord Potter, for doing this for our daughter," Mr. Granger gave him a comforting smile which he only acknowledged with a nod.
Harry took a deep calming breath before he opened the door to the ritual room where Hermione's sleeping body laid waiting for him. After listening to all the instructions, reminders, and guidelines from the healers, he felt that he was ready to share his magical core with Hermione.
The paradigm for this method of healing was very simple. He would cast a spell to share his magical core to hopefully boost and rebuild Hermione's damaged one. If he succeeded, then Hermione would awaken as if nothing bad had happened to her. If he failed, then not only could she die but it would be detrimental to his own magical core as well. Since this method of healing had never been attempted before, the healers were also uncertain of the possible side effects that they would be experiencing after the spell was cast. There was a chance that Hermione would be very deeply familiar with his magic to the extent of feeling him wherever he was and vice versa. Immersing oneself to the magic of another was such an intimate experience that the healers described a possibility of their resulting bond to be like that of the marriage ritual. Whatever side effects they would experience, whether his magic would lose some of its potency, he really did not care. If giving up some of his magical strength was the price he had to pay just to be able to save Hermione's life, then it was a price he would gladly pay with an open heart. He would do anything for his future Grand Duchess.
Harry noticed that Hermione was already sleeping naked on the ground inside the ritual circle. He also glanced at the elements he would be using, along with the dagger that he would need later on. He murmured the complicated spell twice. He had to make sure that he got everything right. Feeling satisfied with his preparation, he shrugged off his ritual robe and let it fall to the ground.
Harry closed his eyes, took one deep calming breath, and held the Elder Wand in his right hand. He could literally feel his magic vibrating all over his skin. The only sound he could hear was Hermione's faint breathing.
It was time.
Opening his eyes, he said in a clear voice, "May Lady Magic hear our plea."
Using the Elder Wand, he levitated the bowls of water, metal, rock, and ash just outside the ritual circle. With everything all set, he started the ritual.
"Tonight, I invoke the Lady Magic to hear my prayer…"
"With water, a symbol of life, I openly share the flow of my magic…" Harry picked the bowl of water outside the ritual circle and carefully placed it north of Hermione's head.
"With metal, a symbol of transformation, I share my magic to transform and to heal…" this time around, he picked up the gold bar inside the bowl and placed it near Hermione's right hand.
"With rock, a symbol of strength, I share my magic to strengthen and to reinvigorate…" he removed the rock from its bowl and placed it a few inches from Hermione's left hand.
"With ashes, a symbol of rebirth, I give my magic to support life…" Harry scooped a handful of ash and carefully set it below her feet.
"With my breath, I share my magic to prolong your life…" Harry blew on Hermione's head, her right hand, her left hand, and lastly, on her feet.
"Ut det mihi in magica,
Magia meus sum participes,
Sutentationem vitae."
Harry picked up the dagger and made a diagonal cut on his palm. He allowed his blood to coat the tip of the Elder Wand, a symbol of his magic and his sacrifice. He walked toward Hermione and knelt in front of her. He used his blood to draw on her forehead.
"Ipse autem ego dabo gratis,
Ut possis vivere."
This time around, he drew a rune, still with his blood, on Hermione's chest and then her abdomen.
"Ut det mihi in magica,
Magia meus sum participes,
Sutentationem vitae."
The last rune he drew was on the flesh near the center of her femininity. His hands lightly shook upon touching her smooth skin in such an intimate place but he did not allow himself to be distracted from his task. He should never lose focus because it was Hermione's life at stake, and frankly, just by attempting this, his magic and his life was at risk as well.
"Ipse autem ego dabo gratis,
Ut possis vivere."
With his blood coated all over parts of Hermione's body where her magic was most concentrated, he took the empty space beside her. He gently held up her hand and he made a small cut on her palm, still using the same dagger. He allowed Hermione's blood to drip on the Elder Wand, a symbol of their magics intertwining in the ritual.
"Ut det mihi in magica,
Magia meus sum participes,
Sutentationem vitae."
"Ipse autem ego dabo gratis,
Ut possis vivere."
And then, the ritual circle glowed brightly. Harry was blinded by the light as he felt the very potent pull on his magic that he could only scream in pain. He expected the pain as per the information he got from the healers but this was truly very painful. It was like battling Voldemort's Horcrux in his scar all over again. Despite the pain, he held on to his grip of the Elder Wand and Hermione's hand. If he let go of either one, then the ritual would fail.
Finally, after what seemed like hours because of the extreme bouts of pain but was just minutes, in reality, the light dissipated...
Harry shifted on his side so he could check on Hermione. To his delight, her eyes started to flutter open.
"I love you, Hermione," and with that confession, he allowed himself to succumb to his body's need for rest.
A/N:
Translations (Latin to English)
Ut det mihi in magica = I give my magic
Magia meus sum participes = I share my magic
Sustentationem vitae = To sustain your life
Ipse autem ego dabo gratis = I give of myself freely
Ut possis vivere = So that you may live
I enjoy making my own silly rituals. If you're into that sort of thing, check out My Cheating Heart and God Save The Children.
Now that's done, allow me to fangirl over Harry. His Grand Duke hotness is just so smoking sexy! ( * swoons *)
Read, fave, and follow if you enjoyed this chapter.
Just a heads up, since this is a Regency AU, expect a ball and an engagement party in the next chapter.
P.S. I am a twenty-five-year-old Data Scientist in the Philippines. My spelling, grammar, and fancy Regency English lingo is not perfect. For this reason, I am slowly editing All Because Of You. To be honest, even My Cheating Heart is due for a third round of editing. So, if you like reading my silliness, y'all have to be patient.