Standard disclaimer: It all belongs to JKR. Thank you JKR for letting us play with your toys.
I will continue to use the occasional song lyric in the story and will give credit at the time when needed.
This is the fifth book in my Slytherin Harry series.
Book 1: Harry Potter and the Muggle's Daughter
Book 2: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
Book 3: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Book 4: Harry Potter and the Blood Traitor's Daughter
Book 5: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
If you haven't read books 1-4 you won't know what's going on. But the bonus is you've got four completed books before you even get to this one!
HARRY POTTER AND THE GOBLET OF FIRE
CHAPTER XI
Ego/IQ
HPHPHP
Harry and his friends were in the kitchens eating dinner when Dumbledore's voice blared through the school. "Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Luna Lovegood, Neville Longbottom, Ginevra Weasley and Daphne Greengrass are ordered to report to the Great Hall immediately." Harry stilled in lifting his spoon to his mouth. Dumbledore's voice faded. He sat there for another moment before putting his bite in his mouth. He filled the spoon with soup again and continued eating. The others watched him nervously.
"Harry?" Hermione ventured.
"I heard." He continued eating.
"Aren't you—"
"When I'm finished." She glanced at the others.
"Harry, what if something's happened?"
"If it was bad enough someone would have mirrored." He reached for a slice of bread.
"Harry," Daphne said, "there is being angry and there is pushing your luck."
Harry focused on her. "What's he going to do, expel me…? Please, I'd like nothing better. Detention…? Fuck it, I'm not going."
"That's fine for you, Mate, but the rest of us can't say the same."
"Good. Maybe he will expel you. The best thing for my sanity would be to get you lot the hell away from here."
He reached for the butter but Luna grabbed his hand. "We're not going anywhere without you, Harry Potter. Now quit behaving like a petulant child and let's go."
"Luna, I am a petulant child."
"Harry," Ginny said. He turned to her. "Let's go."
Harry's cheek twitched. She stared him down. "God I wish you four were as ugly as Neville."
"Harry James!" Hermione gasped.
Neville eyed him. "You know, if I wanted to kill myself, I'd climb your ego and jump to your IQ."
Harry opened his mouth but found he had nothing. He glanced at the girls. They were all fighting smiles. Harry started to grin and soon they were all laughing. "Thanks, Nev," he chuckled, "I needed that."
Neville smirked. "Always glad to point out your shortcomings, Mate."
Harry laughed again. "Come on then, let's go see what the old bastard wants."
Harry pushed the doors of the Great Hall open just as the reverberations of a second summoning faded. "What?" he asked. If it sounded petulant, well, like he'd told Luna, he was a petulant child. The whole hall stilled. Dumbledore was clearly not pleased with him but decided to let things pass for the moment.
"Mr Diggory has asked to address the school. The presence of yourselves was specifically requested. Harry considered for a second, giving the impression he might actually just leave again before he leaned back against the door with his arms crossed. Dumbledore continued to eye him disapprovingly before turning to Cedric. "Mr Diggory, the floor is yours."
"Thank you, Sir." He stepped forward, pausing a moment to take a deep breath. "First of all," he held up a badge. Harry had seen them during class. People had been wearing them pinned to their robes. They alternately flashed, 'Potter Stinks!' and, 'Support the Real Champions!'. "I can't do anything about Durmstrang or Beauxbatons, but I will deduct five points from the next Hogwarts student I see wearing one of these." Harry cocked his head. A number of disbelieving protests were shouted. "This is not in keeping with the spirit of the tournament," Cedric raised his voice over them. "It is also beneath the dignity of the great history of Hogwarts. I'm Head Boy. I can… I will… I will also deduct five points from the next person to interrupt me." Harry glanced at his friends. They all shrugged. He turned back to Cedric.
"Now, I know you're all wondering what I'm doing so I'm going to explain… Last night, something happened that shouldn't have."
"Damn straight!"
"Five points, Tanner," Cedric snapped. James' mouth dropped. Cedric glared at him but his friend said nothing more. Cedric started again. "Something happened that shouldn't have and I will admit to being as angry as all of you are. I was doubly angry because I, more than anyone but two, was the person Harry Potter worked hardest to dissuade from entering the tournament. It seemed awfully convenient then when his name came out of the Goblet. What a good way to get rid of the competition, yeah…? But what none of you know, is what happened behind closed doors. Let me just say it was… eye opening. And because of what happened, I then skipped class for the day and went to the library." He turned to the head table. "Professors, I'm sorry and will willingly submit to whatever disciplinary measures you deem appropriate."
"We shall deal with that later, Mr Diggory," Professor McGonagall said. "For now, please finish."
"Yes, Ma'am." He turned around again. "As I said, I spent the day in the library; reading this book." He held it up. "The title, if you can't see, is, Triwizard Tragedy. Funnily enough, only four current students have checked this book out… Though I imagine at least three others have read it; or they've read enough."
He walked down the hall between the Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw tables to where the Beauxbatons students were sitting and tossed the book in front of Fleur. It landed with a loud bang, knocking over a number of goblets in the process. The occupants of the nearby seats were forced to scramble quickly away to avoid getting soaked. Fleur was not one of them. She remained, seeming frozen in place, eyes locked on Cedric.
"I'm not opposed to playing dangerous sports," Cedric said. "People die playing quidditch; on average, about one person a year, one person, across thousands of matches. The Triwizard Tournament, though, two hundred twenty-one people have died because of it. You can look it up, do the maths if you like, but I'll just tell you it works out to a death for every fourteen participants. Which means, if quidditch were as dangerous as the tournament someone would die; every – single – match… One hundred forty-nine champions, thirty-four spectators and thirty-seven hostages champions failed to rescue, two hundred twenty-one deaths. One, for every fourteen direct participants. While he was speaking the colour had slowly drained from Fleur's face, leaving her ghost white and shaking.
Cedric turned to face Harry, locking eyes on him. "Harry Potter swore he did not place his name in the Goblet. He swore he did not ask anyone else to place his name in the Goblet. I believe him. And I wish to hell I'd listened to him when he told me not to." Harry held Cedric's eyes for a few moments before pushing off the wall and walking to stand in front of him. "I'm sorry, Harry. I should have listened to you."
"Are you finished?"
"Yes." Harry jacked him, square in the nose, spinning him half around.
"Ah, god, son–of–a," Cedric cussed, holding his face.
"Mr Potter!" Professor McGonagall shouted. "My office, now!" Her chair fell over as she shot out of it.
Harry ignored her. Cedric shook himself. "Not even bloody damn quidditch season," he complained. He turned back to Harry, pinching his nose to stop the blood dripping from it. "Suppose I deserved that."
Harry stuck his hand out. "Apology accepted."
Cedric switched hands pinching his nose, getting blood all over Harry's hand when they did shake. "Still mates?"
"Yeah, still mates."
Cedric jerked his head. "Come on. I'll walk you to her office." He looped an arm around Harry's shoulders and pulled him from the hall. Ginny and the rest of his friends hurried after them.
Daphne paused in the door. "I did tell you." She turned and left.
HPHPHP
The fallout of Cedric addressing the school played out over the next few days. Hufflepuff, figuring if Cedric believed Harry, once again became the safe haven the six could sit and eat in relative peace. Slytherin, especially the first and second-years were always almost all friendly faces. There were, of course, those of the ardent pureblood set, but there was always going to be little Harry or any of the others could do about them. The Slytherin quidditch team also remained a safe bet. All of the starters had been forged under Marcus' hand. They'd learned the hard way they didn't have to be friends; they just needed to fly together. Gryffindor, for the most part, seemed to think there was no point in upsetting the applecart and continued with a wary policy of live and let live. Unfortunately, the six remained on unspeaking terms with the twins. By Harry's count he had them on at least their third chance and maybe their fourth and he figured he was far beyond any responsibility to make an overture. And with Ginny seeming to have reached her breaking point with them he had no issues being shot of them either. Ravenclaw, they remained ugly. Luna said they were convinced she had helped Harry cheat his way in and saw it as yet another betrayal of her house on her part. They were doing their best to just brush them off as the idiots they were, but it was hard sending her back there with just David and Andrew to fend for themselves every night. At least Flitwick, as opposed to last year, was doing something about it. It was hard though to punish people without proof and very often there wasn't.
Basically, the six could count on about a third of the school to be friendly, and a second third to leave them alone. The last third still hated them though. They were convinced Harry was a liar and a cheat or any number of other things. They'd also decided Cedric, because he'd expressed his remorse at entering the tournament, was a coward. The older boy was straining under the demands of school, being quidditch captain, Head Boy, preparing for end of year N.E.W.T. examinations and now the looming tournament. He was managing, but after less than a week of facing the kind of hostility Harry and his friends had for over three years he wasn't in a good mood.
With all of that, there was still Beauxbatons and Durmstrang to deal with as well. Fleur and Viktor seemed to have been shaken by the events behind closed doors and then Cedric's address to the school and were merely keeping their distance from the other two champions. But their headmasters did nothing to hide their hatred of Harry or their belief Cedric was a coward. They did nothing to stop the nasty words or looks directed at either of them. Karkaroff, Harry was certain, was even encouraging it. The Durmstrang students were banging into Cedric an awful lot in the halls, but he wasn't exactly small and therefore wasn't easily displaced. Harry though was and could be. He'd been walking by a group of the Durmstrang boys when one of them, about as big as Crabbe and Goyle combined, had suddenly slammed him into a suit of armor. By the time he'd picked himself up, Neville had thrown the boy into a different suit of armor and Ginny, Daphne, Hermione and Luna were squared up, facing much bigger opponents. Before the fight could begin in earnest though the noise of the two boys and the armor crashing to the floor had brought professor Vector running. Harry claimed to have tripped. The other boy seized on the out and claimed he'd been laughing at Harry's misfortune and walked into the other suit himself. The fight would happen. Harry was sure of it. It was just a matter of where, when and making sure none of the teachers were around. He and his friends we're constantly on their guard and he was more grateful than ever he'd forced himself to fully integrate with his wolf. His heightened senses made it nearly impossible to sneak up on him and had saved them being outnumbered in the wrong place more than once.
So, of course, Harry found sleep next to impossible. He rolled over in his bed, considering. "The hell with it," he said. "What's the worst she can do?" He was up and slipping out of his room before his mind started providing answers to that question. Five minutes later he slid out one of the secret entrances to the castle. He quickly transformed and raced down the lawn. He reached the edge of the forest where he slowed to a trot as he ran along the tree line. A few hundred meters on he turned and plunged into the darkness.
He couldn't help thinking about the last time he'd been in the forest alone and how he'd wished he'd completed his animagus training. It really did make it much easier. Then, he'd been the intruder; now, the forest welcomed him. Then, he'd been hopelessly lost in minutes; now, he knew exactly where he was and where he was going. Then, he'd been the hunted; now, he was the hunter. It wasn't till he reached the clearing that his confidence faltered. He may have been a wolf, but this was a goddess he was approaching. He cautiously walked completely around the clearing before sitting on his haunches to simply observe for a while.
It was surprising, given he'd been here twice now, just how much he'd missed seeing. The trees ringing the clearing were much bigger than the rest of the forest. There were thirteen in all, forming a near perfect circle. He guessed they must be at least ten meters around each. They were also quite uniform in growth; both in thickness and height, and their branches all started the same distance above the ground. The ground within the clearing was different to the rest of the forest as well. It just smelt of the earth more than anything he'd trod getting there. And how very strange was that? The forest really was wild, protected by the same wards that hid Hogwarts and Hogsmeade from nonmagicals. It was a living time capsule of what Britain's forests had been a thousand years ago. The forest was already more than any other forest in Britain, yet this clearing was somehow greater even than that.
But of everything he'd missed, the most interesting was a stone obelisk near the middle. It was easy to see why he'd missed it before. As now, it had been dark then when he'd visited. The stone wasn't all that big, maybe as high as he was tall and about a foot around. It was blacker than anything he'd ever seen though. Light almost seemed to be swallowed right into the stone and he almost wasn't sure his eyes weren't playing tricks on him as he focused on it now. More than anything, it was his magic that told him it was there; power radiated from it.
Harry wasn't sure how long he'd been watching it when, despite his wolf sense, something he'd failed to notice latched onto the back of his neck. Harry let out a yowl, levitated a good foot off the ground, spun around in mid air and upon landing scrabbled away. But whatever had latched onto him wouldn't let go. He bucked and twisted and transformed, so he could swat whatever it was away. "Get off! Get off! Get off." It took a good fifteen seconds or so for him to stop flailing around and when he finally did manage to get himself under control he became aware of a tiny little chittering sound. He focused on it, nearly blasting it before he realized it was the goddess, or Kai, or the fairy, or, well, whatever the heck she was. The little thing was lying on the ground, madly laughing at him. Just now she was on her stomach, pounding her fist on the ground with how pleased she was with her trick.
Harry nearly choked on the instinct to yell at her, or worse, blast her. One of those little fists had stone-cold knocked a dragon out. He didn't want to know what they could do to him. Come to think of it, he wondered if he could somehow bribe her into coming to the first task. He'd cast his best stunner, she'd knock the dragon on the head, making it look like he'd knocked the thing out and he could collect the egg he was supposed to retrieve from it. It took quite some time for the fairy to stop laughing; every time she seemed to have got control over herself she'd look at him and burst into another round of mad giggles. Though she'd managed to sit up now. Of course, the way her legs were spread wide and her body was slumped she looked to be punch-drunk.
"Had your fun I see."
Harry spun around. Of course, if Kai could sneak up on him, the goddess herself could as well. Harry glanced between the goddess and the fairy a half dozen times. Kai took one look at him and flopped to her back chittering madly again. "But," Harry said. "But I thought she, you, were…"
"Yes?" Nimue asked. Harry continued to glance between the two. Still cackling, the fairy blindly waved a hand at him.
"I thought she was you," Harry said.
"She is." Harry's brow furrowed. Nimue considered him. "She is a manifestation, or perhaps an expression, of myself that is, in some instances, better able to interact within this realm."
"Oh," Harry mouthed.
"Think of it as a split personality."
"People with split personalities are usually locked up," Harry said. Nimue's brow arched. "Erm, can we pretend I didn't say that?" She continued to eye him. Harry tried not to fidget. Seeking the goddess out suddenly didn't seem the wisest course of action he could have taken. He was wondering just how to extract himself from the situation when she smiled and held her arm out.
"Come, Harry Potter, walk with me." Harry gathered himself and cautiously moved to her. She took his arm and set off. Make no mistake though, she was definitely the one steering. Kai picked herself up from the ground, flew up and alighted on his shoulder. She gave him a kiss, patted his cheek and sat, amusing herself by kicking her feet against him to see how big a puff of fairy dust she could create. It got to the point she sneezed so hard she blew herself backwards right off his shoulder.
Nimue tightened her grip on Harry's arm, preventing him from turning to catch her. "I am fine." And indeed she was. Wings buzzing, Kai flew up and settled on his shoulder again, sitting crosswise so she could lean with her back against his neck. He was sorely tempted to make a remark about just making herself comfortable but he held back. It about killed him to do it, but he managed. It also took a supreme effort of will to ignore the tickle of her wings on his skin. So on they walked. Harry was sure Kai knew she was irritating him but he said nothing. Nimue said nothing and in what felt like mere moments they were at the edge of the forest with the castle lawn stretching out before them. Harry glanced back the way they'd come but there was no answer for how they'd arrived at the school so quickly.
"Tell me, Harry James Potter, why did you seek me out?"
Harry turned back. The goddess was looking out at the castle, waiting for him to answer. "Erm, well, I kind of wondered why you were helping me?"
"Do not lie to a goddess, Harry," Nimue answered without looking at him, "she will always know." On his shoulder Kai had tipped her head back against Harry's neck and was slowly rocking it back and forth. Harry had the sudden image she was rolling her eyes at him for being stupid. "Now, why did you seek me out?"
"Is there anything you can do?" Harry figured if he couldn't lie, being blunt was the next best choice.
"I could tell you the tournament is nothing, but you already know this."
"Can't you put a stop to it, destroy the Goblet so none of us have to compete."
She smiled painfully. "Even could I, you would not wish me to do so."
Harry frowned. "Why not?"
"I cannot answer that." Harry opened his mouth but she spoke over him. "Every interaction you and I have, has a price, Harry. It costs me and it costs you."
Harry stared at her. "And you've already helped as much as you can, yes?"
"It is no small thing, for even a few moments, to bring together the living and the dead."
Harry studied her. "How badly were you hurt?"
She smiled. "That is not for you to concern yourself with."
"Is there anything I can do?"
"Love her."
"I do."
"I know."
Harry considered for a few seconds before asking, "How much is this conversation costing?"
"You mean, will it prevent me helping you at some time in the future?"
Harry shrugged. "Given what's coming for me can you blame me for wanting to store up any help you might be able to give me?"
She smiled gently. "No, I cannot."
Harry sighed dejectedly. "Somehow I think I knew things would be this way."
"You've no more questions?"
Harry toed a small stone into the soft ground. "I think, rather than ask questions I'm pretty sure I already know the answers to, I'd prefer to just trust you'll continue to pick where and when you can help." He glanced up at her. "I mean we're all still alive, right?" He looked down again, returning to grinding the stone into the ground. "And we wouldn't be without you, would we?" he whispered.
She reached out and raised his chin. I am one small piece. The most important thing has been all of you." Harry swallowed. "Trust your instinct, Harry." She kissed his brow and was gone.
Kai floated up from his shoulder. Tiny as she was, the pain in her eyes was plain to see. She dipped down, touching her hand to her chest, then his over his heart."Thank you, Kai." She smiled, inclined her head and then zipped over his shoulder. By the time he turned she was a hundred meters into the forest. A second later she was gone from sight. Harry stared after her for a few moments before slowly turning back.
His heart about stopped. Standing in front of him was a wolf… a red wolf. He stared. The wolf stared. And then it transformed. He continued to stare.
"You understand," she asked, "I'm going to kill you within an inch of your life, yes?"
Harry swallowed. Ginny had always had a power over him. The last two years, more than once, he'd feared his inability to look away from her. He still did, tell the truth. This though, was the first time he'd ever looked at her and known beyond a shadow of a doubt if he were to ever cross her, betray her like she had believed he had with Hermione, she would tear him apart limb from limb and there wouldn't be a damn thing he could do but run and hide in the deepest, darkest place he could find and pray she didn't find him. "Yes," he answered.
She gave a sharp nod, "Good." And then she collapsed.
"Ginny!" Harry cried lunging for her.
"Can I just say, 'Ouch.'?"
Harry hauled her into his arms. "Bloody hell, please don't tell me that was your first time."
"Ok, I won't," she croaked. "Oh you're warm."
"It was! Nimue, were you with me the whole time?"
"I 'fuse to answer tha' on'a grounds I may in–incrim–'nate m'self."
"By the goddess… Ok, we've got to get you to bed, can you stand?" He tried getting her up. She made it to her feet but almost immediately went back down again.
"Nope, don't thin' so."
"All right, fine, up you go." Harry scooped her up in his arms and set off.
"Oh, this's nice." She looped her arms around his neck, resting her head against his shoulder. "Harry?"
"What?"
"Don' be mad, k?"
"I'm not mad." Of course he was mad at her, but she was exhausted-drunk and wouldn't know he was lying. Of course it made no sense, going from terrified of her one second to seething with anger the next but she'd been stupid, more stupid than him. Or so he told himself.
"Good. I don' like when you're mad a' me."
"I'm not mad."
"Jus' saw you on'a map and was worried so I flol–folol— came af'er you."
Harry softened. Being completely fair he should have told someone what he was doing. "I'm not mad, Love. I promise."
She picked her head up. "D'you jus call me Love?"
Harry paused for half a step. He'd told her he loved her before; in his music when they were at Zakynthos, but not since. He wasn't sure she was ready to hear it so directly, but it had just come out on him and he wasn't going to back away from it. "Yes."
She turned his face to hers. Harry stopped walking. "K, but you hav'ta promise an' tell me when I 'member."
Harry slowly shook his head, chuckling with exasperation. "I promise." She smiled and rested her head on his shoulder.
"Good." Harry set off for the school again. Her head lolled to the side, indicating she'd fallen asleep. Which was good because it meant she stopped talking, but bad because her arm slipped from around his neck and left him to do all the work of carrying her. He had no idea how, but he somehow got into the school and back to the Slytherin common room without being caught.
"Where have you…" Daphne started the second they entered the door.
"She's fine," Harry said, "Or will be once she's slept for about a week."
"What happened?"
"Long story short, she completed her animagus training and followed me into the forest." Daphne stared at him. "We need to get her into bed," he pressed.
"She should go to the matron."
"She can't go to the matron because the matron can't know she's an animagus."
Daphne tipped her head to the ceiling. "Oh, I'm going to kill you both." Her wand slid into her hand.
Harry stiffened. "Hey."
"Wingardium Leviosa!" she said. She floated Ginny out of his arms. "You, sit," she ordered.
Harry sat. The second she was out of sight he bolted for his room. Inside of ten seconds he was in his bed with his wards set to block her and his mirror on vibrate. Hey, he wasn't stupid, delayed death was infinitely better than instant. He lay there for a second before pulling his wand and pointing it at the anchor stone. He'd be an idiot to think she hadn't/wouldn't told/tell Hermione or Luna as well. One mad witch, even if it was Ginny, he could manage (maybe) four, not so much.
The following morning Harry was in the entry waiting for Hermione, Luna and Neville to come down; Daphne was tending to Ginny. "Hey guys," he greeted them. Hermione and Luna stuck their noses in the air and walked by without a word. Neville stopped to glower at him. Harry braced himself. Neville hit hard. Instead of hitting him though he just shook his head disgustedly and followed the girls. Harry stood there for a second. "Oh come on," he grumbled, "blokes aren't allowed to give blokes the silent treatment."
Despite that belief, breakfast was a silent affair. Cedric had tried talking to him but a sharp look from Hermione and warning from Luna that Harry was being punished and wasn't allowed to speak with anyone right now convinced the older boy to abandon him. There was just something about Luna sometimes that you didn't question. It actually didn't take long before all of their normal company sensed something off about the group and a ring of empty seats soon surrounded them. "Look, I'm sorry, all right?" Harry pleaded.
Hermione set her fork down. Luna followed suit. "Come with us, Harry." The two girls stood.
"But—"
Neville hauled him up by the collar of his robe. "I wasn't done, Harry," he cut him off. "So you can imagine just how pissed off I am." He gave him a bit of a shove towards the doors.
"Well I wasn't done either," Harry complained.
"Shut it and move, Harry."
Harry thought about sitting back down, but the fact Neville couldn't actually force him to do anything he didn't want just seemed a bad point to push right then. He'd been wrong to go off like he had and if there was one thing his mum had taught him it was the fact that sometimes you just needed to take your medicine. He followed along behind the two girls with Neville trailing him. There was never really a question of where they were going and Harry soon found himself in a replica of Hermione's bedroom at her parent's house. The door closed with an ominous click. Harry stood in the middle of the room with his three very angry friends glaring at him. Not knowing if he should apologize again or let them let him have it, he shifted guiltily.
"Do you not think we have enough to worry about with you right now?" Hermione asked calmly.
"Do you not think we'd be terrified to learn you'd decided to go frolicking about the Forbidden Forest in the middle of the night?" Luna asked.
"Frolicking?" Harry asked with a raised brow.
Neville slugged him. "Shut up, Harry."
"Ow!" Harry shouted, clutching at his now throbbing shoulder. "Bloody, god-fucking, mother…" Harry grit his teeth through another half dozen curses. Eventually he shook his arm out and faced his friends. "I'm sorry, ok? I know I shouldn't have gone into the forest."
"The hell you shouldn't!" Hermione snapped. Harry rocked back like she'd actually hit him. Hermione simply didn't swear. Ever.
"You shouldn't have gone off without telling us!" Luna shouted at him.
"You should have taken us with you, you bloody arse," Neville said.
"At what point did you think we're all getting up at the crack of dawn, killing ourselves, for a lark, Harry?" Hermione asked.
"I like training, Harry," Neville said. "But there is no way in hell I'd be doing everything we are if it wasn't for the shit coming for us."
"It isn't coming for you!" Harry snapped back. "It's coming for me."
"You blithering idiot!" Hermione exploded. "What do you think is going to happen to me when Voldemort comes back?"
"What do you think will happen to me?" Luna demanded. "Or Neville? And we're the least offensive of your friends to Voldemort and his ilk. What do you think will happen to Daphne and her family? They've been targeted already and he isn't even back yet."
"And what about Ginny?" Hermione asked. "Do you honestly think he isn't going to find out a twelve year old girl managed to survive one of his Horcruxes? Do you really think he's going to just leave her be?"
"We're a team, Mate," Neville said.
"It's why you chose the wolf, Harry," Hermione reminded him.
Harry sighed. He could argue his reasons all day, but the truth was he'd blown it and if the situation were different and Hermione or any of his other friends had done what he had, he'd be pissed at them too. "I'm sorry, ok? You're right, I should have talked to you all first."
The three eyed him for a few seconds longer before Hermione moved to him. "I'm just so scared already," she sniffed.
Harry wrapped his arms around her. "I'm sorry."
Luna wormed her way into his arms as well. "We love you, Harry. It would kill us if something happened to you. Please don't forget that."
Harry kissed her crown. "I'll do better, Luna, I promise." He glanced at Neville. His friend held his hand out to him. Harry fist bumped him. "Thanks, Mate."
"Sorry about the shoulder."
Harry shrugged. "Deserved it, don't be."
Eventually Harry found himself on the beanbag with Hermione curled up at his side. Luna was on the bed and Neville had taken the chair. "But how do you cheat?" Hermione asked.
Harry shrugged. "Not sure exactly."
"Well," Luna said, "let's look at it logically. The first task is to collect a golden egg from a dragon. The easiest solution would be to simply summon it."
"Except there will be Anti-Summoning Charms on it," Hermione said. "We already know that."
"So that won't work," Neville said.
"Actually," Harry mused, "it might."
Neville frowned. "Lost me, Mate."
Hermione sat up so she could face him. "How are you going to summon an egg with Anti-Summoning Charms on it?" Hermione asked.
"Simple," Harry said, "remove them."
Hermione cocked her head slightly. "If we could find out when the eggs were being delivered," Luna mused.
"Where they were being kept," Harry added.
"We could get to them the night before the task," Luna said excitedly.
"We've got the school Runes goddess to figure out how to break whatever enchantments they put on them," Harry said.
"But how would you know which egg was yours?" Neville asked.
"We don't have to," Hermione said, "we just do them all."
"But what if someone else goes first and tries summoning it?" Neville asked. "Wouldn't that help them win?"
"Don't really care about winning. I care about surviving." The four sat there for a few moments, considering in silence.
"We need to see the rules," Hermione said. "But it's likely, once the first person has started competing, even if they figured out the charms had been broken they wouldn't be allowed to reestablish them."
"We need a backup plan," Luna said. "Just in case." They all thought about it for a bit.
"What about flying?" Neville asked.
"What about it?" Harry asked.
"Can you outfly a dragon?" Harry cocked his head. "Get it off the ground, zip down and snatch the egg."
"But how would he get the broom?" Hermione asked. "He's only allowed to bring his wand into the arena."
"Summon it," Neville said.
Luna clapped happily. "That's brilliant. If he can't summon the egg, he summons the broom and gets it that way. One of us can hold the broom for him and we'll put runes on it so it's attuned to his Summoning Spell."
Harry grinned. "Brilliant… But I'm getting a new broom."
"You have a broom," Hermione said.
"I've a Nimbus 1700," Harry said. "If I'm flying against a dragon, you can bet I'm using the fastest broom on the market." He reached for his bag and pulled out a dog-eared copy of Witch Broom. There were at least three brooms on the market that were faster than the 1700. "Do you think acceleration and turning ability might be more important than top speed?" he asked.
Luna hopped off the bed. "Let's go to the library. Neville and I can see what's known about various species and their flying abilities. Hermione, you can start looking for the runes we'll need."
She pulled out her mirror. "Let me talk to Sirius first. Maybe he can start trying to figure out exactly which spells they're using on the eggs."
Ginny eased herself to the floor. It had been Friday night she'd followed Harry into the forest. Other than to use the toilet she hadn't gotten out of bed again till Monday morning when she was forced to for class. Even then it had taken liberal dosing with Pain-potion to manage it. Blessedly, moving seemed to help her aching joints and muscles and she'd made it through the day. She'd even made it up the steps of the clock tower; though she wasn't sure how much she was looking forward to the trip back down. The stairs to the dungeons loomed as well.
"All right?" Harry asked.
"Fine." She held her hand out to him, tugging him down when he took it. They sat in silence for quite a long time before one of the spoke. "You know I'm angry with you, right?" she asked.
"Yes. I'm sorry." She squeezed his hand. Once again silence settled on them.
"It wasn't my first transformation." Harry rubbed his thumb against hers, thankful she was acknowledging her mistake as well. "Though I've not done more than five either."
Harry smirked. "So you're a bit sore then?"
She leaned over and rested her head on his shoulder. "I'll live."
A long time later Harry asked, "Ginny?"
"Hmm?"
"Do I still scare you?"
She raised his hand to her lips. "Some."
"Some?"
"I'm no longer afraid you'll change your mind."
Harry thought about that for a bit. "But you're afraid to be without me?"
"Yes."
"You shouldn't be?"
"Aren't you? It's a distinct possibility, after all, isn't it?"
"It is," Harry agreed. "But you're strong enough. You'd be fine."
She sat up and he turned to face her. "Then you don't know me nearly as well as you should," she said. She reached up and took his face in her hands. "You still terrify me… But I will take whatever time we have, giving everything in me to you, before I willingly spend another day without you."
Harry stared into her eyes. "Do you want me to say it?" he asked softly.
She smiled. "You have, Harry, a thousand times over you have."
"Yours," he answered.
She pulled him to her. "I love you, Harry." She kissed him softly. "I will always love you."
Harry pulled her to him, her back to his chest where he buried his face in her neck. "Yours," he whispered softly. "Today, tomorrow, always."
Ginny sighed contentedly. And, that night, for the first time in weeks she slept without the image of her mother invading her dreams.
HPHPHP
Author's notes: There is so much in these last two chapters I love. Though I think some of the best is Neville somewhat quietly becoming a force capable of standing up to Harry and when need be, shutting him up.