Flight and Fight

Sukie reached forward and batted Ron's wand away, then slapped at him with the back of her hand. "You're not fit to be the mean and snarky member of the trio. I'm that member now."

Hermione and Malfoy exchanged hexes.

"Crucio!" Yelled Malfoy, but Hermione knocked his wand to the ground with a counter curse. The Death Eaters both ran away.

"Not even worth wasting time on," said Sukie.

Hermione sighed. "I really thought Ron was a friend. So sad…"

"Don't be sad, Mummy," said Ash, nuzzling her cheek.


00O00

Wormtail captured – Sirius Black cleared!

This was the headline of the Daily Prophet. The article went on to elaborate how Wormtail had been executed via the veil in the Department of Mysteries and how Sirius' name had been cleared.

Harry and Hermione cheered. Hermione's green face was bright with happiness. Ash neighed in approval and cantered around their feet.

Sukie came in at that point. "OK, it's happening. I'm in Gryffindor. And those interviews Dumbledore set up for me to find a boyfriend… I know I've found the right one. I knew it right away. Just looking at him… his name's Jason. First of all, he had everything I would give a boy if I could make one out of clay. Perfect face covered in vibrant freckles, the greenest green eyes, wavy auburn hair I can run my talons through, the most beautiful smile…"

"If that triple combo of auburn hair, green eyes and freckled face was what you're looking for, you just needed to look at pictures," said Harry.

Sukie flicked her long, dark green hair away from her face. "That's not all. I love him because I know that he needs a strong woman to take care of him. He's so sweet. He wanted me to put my wing round him, and it just felt so right. My life was pretty lame up 'til now, but the future is bright…" she grinned, showing her fangs. "We both want to make a nest. I just want to keep hugging him and then we kissed…"

She closed her eyes in ecstasy.

"Well I really hope it works out," said Hermione. Harry did too. Their friend the harpy was a weird girl. How could she already be so sure she'd found her dream boyfriend?


00O00

With his name cleared, Sirius came to sign the marriage permission form in McGonagall's office.

"Let me congratulate you on your acquittal, Sirius," McGonagall told him.

"We get up to really strange and dangerous adventures when we're together," Hermione told Sirius, knowing what made Sirius tick. The sunlight streaming in through the window shone off her green nose and cheeks.

"Hermione defeated Voldemort and great personal risk," added Harry. "That's what makes it fun for her."

"That's the sort of wife worthy of James – I mean Harry," said Sirius. He signed the form and Hermione took it.

"Harry has saved himself all for me," Hermione told him. "Although I've had experiences. I've even done it with a unicorn and pushed Ash here out of my birth canal." She beamed fondly at her little spotted foal who nuzzled Sirius' leg and smiled up at him.

"I only had a crush on Cho Chang, which was well written in terms of awkwardness, but didn't convey that I was attracted to her," said Harry. "In fact, the one flattering thought I had about her appearance was that her hair looked pretty with a blue ribbon. A straight lady could have noticed that about Cho, even one who doesn't like writing her own gender and puts a lot more effort into such minor characters as Mr Crouch and Mr Diggory than she does their wives."

"Harry's first actual experience will be with me," said Hermione. "I'll make it special."


00O00

Ron disappeared from Hogwarts. Harry wondered if he had sought sanctuary with Voldemort yet. Voldemort could not return with the aid of Barty Crouch and Wormtail – one in Azkaban and one dead. But with a new devoted servant, who knew how long it would be before he rose again?

To take his mind off things, Harry liked to go flying high above the Quidditch Pitch, even when it was not Quidditch practice. He flew higher and higher, until Hogwarts grounds was as small as a postage stamp and the clouds formed a mist around him. He emerged from the other side. Sukie was lounging on a cloud, watching him. "Hey, Harry. You fly well. Taking into consideration you've got no wings." She crinkled her shiny green nose at him.

"Too bad Hermione can hardly fly," said Harry. "It's the one thing she can't do."

"Jason can't either. He's clumsy even on the ground. I love that about him," said Sukie, a misty look in her eyes.

Back on the ground they met up with Hermione and Jason. Sukie took Jason in her arms and kissed his face with such fervour it looked as though she was trying to suck him, then they rubbed noses together, his freckled face pressed against her green one. Harry supposed they really were in love. So was he. He was less demonstrative, but he had been in love since First Year. He took Hermione's hand.

Sukie grinned. "Can't believe I fancied Cedric – he's a great looking guy, but he's such a vague insubstantial character. And no offence, I can't believe I fancied you either, Harry. You're so tough and sardonic and insular. Life gave me Jason."

Jason grinned shyly at them, his freckled cheeks blushing pinkly. "Y – You fly well," he told Harry.

"The only way I'd ever lose a Quidditch match is if I were unconscious," said Harry.

"I couldn't fly, but now I can. In Sukie's arms," said Jason.

Sukie planted a kiss on the top of his head.

She and Harry decided to race. Harry had the international standard Firebolt, but she didn't need a broom. They raced around the Quidditch pitch, while the green and freckled faces of Hermione and Jason and Ash looked up.

Suddenly there was a booing and hissing from the opposite stands. A knot of Slytherins had assembled to jeer at them.

"Potter! Monster!"

"The Slytherins are always the baddies in the books," said Harry grimly. "They have nothing to do, but jeer at us. Although no doubt we'll hear in one of JKR's interviews that some Slytherins protested against the ones jeering and quickly went to find some other Slytherins to organise a counter demonstration. Like how they all fought for Voldemort in Deathly Hallows, but Rowling said in an interview that several returned to fight for Hogwarts. But her interview was utterly unsupported by the text."

"I don't know what any of that meant, but I'm going to deal with it now," said Sukie grimly, and she swooped down, her taloned hands glowing with a green light, ready to fire down bolts of magic.