19 Settling In

The return of the couple to Hogwarts Sunday at dinner was a warmer affair than either expected. They had flooed straight to the infirmary, bypassing the possibility of being seen returning. From there Professor McGonagall escorted them to the Great Hall for dinner.

"Harry!" the pair looked up at the excited call, and were unsurprised at seeing most of Gryffindor, most of the school in fact, staring at them.

"What?" Harry asked, grinning, "You look like I don't eat here every day."

"Uh, Harry," Neville replied as they took seats near him, "not sure if you noticed but you two have been quarantined in the Hospital wing since Friday."

"Nope, never noticed," Hermione teased, "We're fine by the way."

""I was getting there," Neville sulked.

"We know Nev," Harry said, clapping him on the back, "We're just teasing."

"Oh."

"Hey Hermione," one of the twins called, sliding in beside Neville.

""Mistress of obscure charms," the other joined in, sliding on Neville's other side.

"Queen of the cruel pranks,"

"And overall bad ass."

"Definite bad ass,"

"What do you want?" Hermione cut the twins off before they could get going.

"You wound us,"

"Yeah, what makes you think we want something?"

"You're being nice," Harry answered with a grin.

"He's got a point dear brother,"

"True brother mine."

"Teach us how to do what you did to Mclaggen?"

"What?" Hermione was shocked at the request.

"Well, we weren't able to remove the spells yesterday," one of the twins answered looking sheepish.

"Yeah, we even asked Flitwick for help."

"But it took both of us and Flitwick to remove it."

"So how'd you make it so strong?" inquired the right one, "The silencing and tickling charms were bad enough, but the sticking charm?"

"Most sticking charms last a couple of hours unless you make it a permanent sticking charm," the other finished.

"I..." Hermione looked at Harry in confusion, "I don't know, it was just a normal sticking charm."

"That was some sticking charm then Hermione," complimented Neville, "So what did Madam Pomfrey say? We tried to come see you but she said you were under quarantine."

"Given the… unusual way we were healed," Hermione explained, reciting the story they'd rehearsed, "Madam Pomfrey didn't want anyone else exposed if something was wrong."

"How were you healed?" Fred asked, leaning in.

"Later," Harry responded, watching as everyone seemed to hang on every word.

" 'Arry," a sensuous voice called from behind them, "I'm zo glad you are okay. You as well 'Ermione."

"Thanks Fleur," Hermione replied, "Glad you and the other Champions are ok too."

"Endeed, ve are all happy to 'ave survived."

"Add us to that list," quipped Harry.

"Ve already did," she grinned, then sombered and leaned closer, "Ve realize you are still recovering, but ve would like to speak to you, both of you. Maybe one evening later zees week?"

"All of you, the three champions?" Harry asked, watching as Hermione went into her analyzing mode. It wasn't noticeable to most, but he could tell. The set of her jaw, the purse of her lips… Harry shook his head to prevent his thoughts from going further down his happy thoughts of his girlfriend… no, his wife.

"Yes," Fleur responded, oblivious to the thoughts going through the teen's minds, "We wish to discuss several things," she looked at Hermione, "With both of you."

"Give us some time to settle in," Hermione said, "How about Wednesday night? After dinner?"

"We shall see you then," Fleur smiled, and walked away. The pair turned back to their friends and couldn't help but laugh. Both twins seemed in a trance while poor Neville was redder than a strawberry and drooling. Reaching over, Harry gently shook them back to awareness.

"You might want to pick your jaws off the floor if you want to chew," Harry said simply, causing Hermione to laugh even harder.


The common room was packed when they returned, it seemed like every Gryffindor was present. Angling to the side of the room, Hermione pulled Neville over to her.

"What's going on?"

"House meeting, McGonagall has some big announcement," Neville explained, "Everyone has been trying to figure it out since she announced it Saturday morning."

Harry looked at Hermione, the unspoken question plain on his face. Her minimal nod in return had him groaning. Both suspected the same thing, this was about them.

"I see you finally stopped hiding," an officious voice called from the crowd. It was instantly apparent who had spoken, even without the cringe worthy voice. The sudden clearing around Cormac Mclaggen told the pair exactly who had spoken.

"Leave it Cormac," Harry warned, "this won't end well."

"I know you're scared Potter, but that's no reason to be a coward."

The room dropped to silence, everyone waiting for the response. Hermione smirked a bit, but almost everyone missed it as they waited for Harry to crush him. The response they got, was one no one expected. Harry laughed.

"You think I'm afraid of you?" he chuckled, "Hermione beat you in under a second. You didn't even get your wand out. If you did so poorly against someone you told the papers was cheating, how do you think you'll do against me?" He saw the startled expression on Cormac's face at that barb, "Yes, we know it was you who told Rita Skeeter that Hermione was cheating."

"You can't prove anything! You're nothing but a squib! You have no right to be here."

"I have as much right as anyone," Harry sighed, "Everyone who has magic deserves to know how to use it, to control it. It is a gift, not a right."

"Yes, a gift to those who deserve it, which does not include you!" Cormac snarled, bringing his wand up.

"ENOUGH!" McGonagall's cry froze the Gryffindor's in their place, but everyone noted that Harry was already pointing his wand at the arrogant 5th year while Cormac was still raising his.

"This is an outrage. Fighting amongst yourselves, drawing wands. 50 points Mr. Mclaggen, and a weeks' detention."

"Me? It's Potter's fault!" the sandy haired teen cried in outrage.

"Really?" McGonagall asked coldly, "How is it his fault you called him a squib? That you challenged his girlfriend and she beat you? That you verbally assaulted him and drew your wand? Tell me how that is his fault."

"He provoked me," Cormac accused, "He shouldn't even be here."

"Oh?" McGonagall's curious tone did not match the hard look on her face, "Why is that?"

"Because he's practically a squib, he doesn't deserve magic," Cormac screamed, nearly frothing at the mouth in anger, "His mother was a mudblood whore who shouldn't have been allowed to live much less have magic. He's spawned from an unclean pestilence that should have been drowned at birth. But I'll correct that!" as he spoke, Cormac's wand started to rise again. Everyone, Harry included, was so shocked at the venom in his voice that they were delayed in reacting. Harry saw the orange light of Cormacs spell shoot towards him, towards him but not at him, he realized. It was headed just to his right, towards Hermione.

Everyone watched in horror as the spell leaped across the space between the two wizards, watched as Harry's hand jumped out with seeker reflexes and caught the spell inches from Hermione's face. Watched as Harry screamed as every bone from his shoulder down shattered under the curse. Watched the pair fall together, Harry collapsing into Hermione's arms as the pain forced him to fight off falling unconscious. Then they turned on Cormac.

"Stop," Hermione commanded, crying over Harry as the first stunners knocked their assailant out, "His eyes, he's not himself."

This caused enough pause for the twins and McGonagall to get to the teen. A wave of McGonagall's wand showed a sickly yellow glow about his head. Another flick and the teen was bound as well as stunned. Moving over to Harry, she cast a quick charm to keep him from moving his demolished arm and a mild painkiller. Harry's twitch soothed once that was done.

"Messrs Weasley, bring McLaggen, Hermione, bring Potter," the Scotswoman's voice hitched slightly, "The rest of you, to bed. We shall have our meeting tomorrow night instead."


"Miss me al…" Madam Pomfrey's teasing tone trailed off as she saw the procession entering the hospital wing. Hermione was leading an obviously wounded Harry to 'his' bed. I really do need to just get a plaque with his name on it she thought as she watched Mcgonagall lead the Weasley twins, levitating Cormac Mclaggen, over to another.

"There was another altercation Poppy," Minerva explained, "Mclaggen fired a curse at Hermione but Harry caught it instead. I think it was an overpowered bone shattering curse. The others subdued Mclaggen but Hermione stopped them doing damage, said something about his eyes and that he wasn't himself. I confirmed he'd under a powerful compulsion, possibly the Imperious."

"Oh my word," Pomfrey cried, moving over to Harry, "Let's have a look at you Mr. Potter."

The mediwitch waved her wand over him, then paled as she assessed the damage. Bustling over to the cabinet, she withdrew several vials, then paused. She glanced over her shoulder at the couple, then sagged. Returning the vials, she withdrew a large bottle with a skull on the top.

"No, not that!" Harry groaned, recognising the bottle from second year. Skele-Gro.

"I'm afraid so Mr. Potter," Pomfrey sighed, "Unfortunately there's just too much damage. And while I can't believe I'm saying this, thank you for being the one sitting here. Had that curse connected with Miss Granger, things would have been rather grim."

Harry nodded sadly as Hermione curled herself into his good side. He knew she was not exaggerating, for if the curse had done this to his arm, he didn't want to think about what would have happened to Hermione.

"Now, since you are familiar with this particular brew, and I have other patients, I'm going to discharge you in your wife's tender care," the matron explained, "I shall vanish the bones, you two will return to your quarters, where you will take a full glass and try to sleep. I'll excuse both of you from class tomorrow."

"Wife?" the shocked question came from behind Madam Pomfrey, in stereo.

"Oh bugger," Pomfrey started, turning. Sure enough, the twins had moved over to check on their friend and had overheard the statement.

"Boys," Hermione said softly, but firmly. "That is very much a burn before reading secret. No one can know," the last sentence, while still soft, was delivered in a tone that froze the twin's blood. They had been threatened before, usually several times a day from their mother, and they held a mastery in ignoring intimidating threats, but never before had they feared for their very existence as they did now. Before them stood a witch who would not only make them disappear, but suffer for a very long time before killing them without any evidence she was involved. This was reinforced by the power radiating off of her like static electricity, her hair flowing behind her from the charge. The power coming off her and the glow of power in her eyes made the twins nearly wet themselves.

"Sure Hermione, anything you say."

"Yeah, mum's the word," the frightened twin said quickly.

"Good," Hermione said with finality, calming visibly, "Now I suspect Madam Pomfrey and Professor McGonagall have a lot of work to do with Mclaggen, so would you two care to help us back to the Common room?"

"Tell the lion between the stairs I said 'Tis a brea day'" McGonagall said from Cormac's bedside. "He'll let you into your new quarters. Stay there and I'll send food up at meals tomorrow. If you need anything call for Tippy, she'll help you with whatever you need until I come for you tomorrow."

"Yes professor," Hermione replied, watching as Pomfrey vanished Harry's shattered bones.

"Don't worry Hermione, We'll tell Neville to take really good notes for you," the twin on the right said.

"And we'll tell them you're both here?" the other asked, looking at McGonagall.

"No, you don't know where they are, you took them here and left," the transfiguration mistress supplied, "I'll address their new arrangement tomorrow night."

"Okay professor," said one twin, helping Harry out of the bed while the other offered his arm to Hermione. She looked at him like he'd grown a second head, then moved over to hold Harry's hand as they walked towards the door.


It was a long night for the couple. Regrowing bones, as Harry had experienced before, was truly painful. Hermione did what she could, but it wasn't much. They lay in their bed most of the night, and slept brokenly. One benefit, such as it was, they discovered is when they were touching, Hermione pulled a small bit of the pain to her, sharing it. Harry tried to get her to stop doing it, to block it if she could but she simply pointed out that if it were her, he'd be trying to take as much as he could, and curled into his side.

Breakfast was waiting for them after each had taken a shower and gotten dressed for the day. Once they'd eaten, they decided to catch up on their homework. That lasted until just before lunch. They ate early and started to experiment a little. They found that they had to concentrate on the spells a bit more than before. Not because of a lack of ability, but because they had to learn to throttle the power they applied. The first time Harry had tried to levitate a feather, it had ended up stuck into the ceiling. They also found out that the more powerful spells seemed easier. They scared McGonagall after dinner when she entered to get them and was met by a pair of corporeal Patroni.

Harry had cast his Patronus, whom they'd previously named Prongs, as a test. Unfortunately, Prongs was no longer a stag, but a large cat. Hermione decided to learn from him and just before McGonagall had entered, had successfully cast hers.

"My word," The transfiguration mistress cried as she entered. Before her were a pair of wild cats, panthers, cavorting around the room. At her cry, they turned to her and danced to her, letting the positive feelings that conjured them wash over her. "Most impressive, both of you."

"Thank you professor," Hermione greeted her, "We do have a question about them though."

"What would that be Mrs. Potter?" she grinned as the patroni faded, "Merely casting a patronus as fourth years wasn't enough?"

"Well, Harry cast his last year," Hermione blushed, "But it was a stag, now it's a panther. Why would it change?"

"I see," She paused, "Professor Flitwick could give a more complete answer, however, major life changes can cause a patronus to change. In this case, I would expect your bond and marriage caused this difference. One thing to note for your other project: almost all, as far as I'm aware, patroni mirror an animagi's animal shape," her wand came out and as she cast her patronus, a tabby cat burst forth, rubbing against the pair.

"That'll help," Harry said in wonder, "Knowing who we'll be is a lot easier."

"Bear in mind Mr. Potter, it is not absolute," Minerva warned, "But yes, it will help. Now come, time to speak to your housemates."

As they left their quarters, they found the common room had been expanded to accommodate the whole house. Following McGonagall to the front, she began by addressing them.

"Mr. Potter, Hermione," She began, "You have faced untold prejudice and discrimination this year, from both within and without. Is there anyone in this room you still trust?"

"Well," Hermione began, glancing at Harry, "only 3 for sure, a few more have actually apologized and attempted to make amends for their initial reactions."

"Who?" McGonagall asked.

"Neville, Fred, and George," Harry stated, "Katie, Alicia, Angelina, Lee, and Faye have apologized and asked to be allowed the chance to make it up."

"Very well, the eight that were identified, step forward," McGonagall conjured chairs to the side and the eight students sat. "Now, I'm sure the rest of you noticed that I retrieved these two from a room no one knew about before. That is for a simple reason: It's not safe for them in the dorms," She let the murmurs die down before continuing. "I'm sure those that weren't present have been informed as to the events of last night. Mr. Mclaggen was found to be under a rather powerful compulsion, but the fact remains that had Mr. Potter not intercepted the curse and taken it upon himself, we would likely have one less student today,"

The stunned silence built, then broke as Neville spoke up from the side, "Do we know who placed him under the spell?"

"No, and given the events of the past months, I cannot, to my shame, discount someone inside this very tower," McGonagall sighed, "I've never been so ashamed to call myself a lion."

The pause drew on, she waited until people started shuffling before continuing. "Because of this threat, and due to his status as a champion, I have placed Mr. Potter in private quarters. At his insistence, I have also placed Hermione there as well. Per the rules and their joint request, her room has the same enchantments as the girls' stairway, but instead of stairs turning into a slide, her door will slam shut and reinforce itself. They may invite people into their joint common room but only explicitly and in company with one of them. They are still part of Gryffindor, but because of the betrayal of the rest of you, they must live apart."

McGonagall paused, taking a deep breath and calming the fire she wished she could unleash on rest of the tower, "Every year I tell the first years that their house is like their family. Well, I believe some in this family wish they could request a divorce.

"Now, there is one other piece of house business to complete," Minerva took out her wand, a quick flick, and 6 rips were heard as 6 silver badges shot out of the crowd. Horrified cries arose from their previous owners but no one spoke out as everyone feared McGonagall at that moment, "All previous Prefects are fired, this is exactly what you're supposed to prevent. You failed miserably," She turned to the side where the others were sitting. "Mr. Jordan, Messrs Weasley. I can't believe I'm doing this but here," she held out three of the badges. "God help me," she murmured as Fred and George picked up badges.

"Ladies, I know you'll do well," And she handed the three chasers the other three badges.

"Now I know they aren't two per year, but frankly they're the only ones I trust to actually do the jobs. Think about that, I trust the twins to enforce the rules and equality more than I do any of you. What does that say about you?" she turned to the terrible twosome, "Sorry boys. Next year, Angelina shall graduate, and the rest will be seventh years. Whether there shall be sixth year prefects next year depends on the actions taken by the current fifth years for the rest of the year. However, I doubt it. I have four very good candidates from the current fourth years, so between the returning students and them, I'm not sure I'll need them," McGonagall swept her icy gaze over the rest of the room, "Now off to bed, all of you."