Harry Potter and all characters, etc. belong to J.K. Rowling, not me.
If You Can Help Her – Chapter 41 – Beginning of Training
"Ginny," called Harry as he opened the door to his room. He found her as he expected, with swollen eyes, tears running down her cheeks, and an angry expression on her face.
"What's, what is it?" she asked shakily. "What are we so mad about?"
He walked up and took her hand, calming her down partially. "I think we should also tell Ron and Hermione."
She chuckled slightly. "I think they're in mine and Hermione's room doing the same thing they were doing when Mum caught them earlier."
Harry smiled at the prospect of interrupting Ron and Hermione. "Well, let's see then." He got up with a devious grin on his face and walked toward the door.
-IYCHH-
"Alohamora!" cast Harry with a wicked smile on his face. Followed closely by Ginny, he opened the door to find Ron and Hermione passionately snogging on her bed.
"Well," remarked Ginny, shaking her head in mock disappointment, "What do we have here?"
"What would your mum say?" asked Harry sorrowfully as the couple disengaged, both of which were red faced – Hermione from embarrassment and Ron from anger.
"What the bloody hell do you think you're doing?" he shouted.
"The same thing you've been doing to us!" answered Ginny, glaring at her brother. "Mum said we could!"
Harry took a deep breath. He enjoyed embarrassing them, but he felt he'd better get back to his purpose. "The reason we interrupted this snog-fest is because I've got something important to tell you all."
Hermione could tell by his changed expression that Harry was serious. "What is it?" she inquired while straightening her hair.
The raven-haired teenager took another deep breath as he sat on a bed. "Dumbledore just answered a question I asked him right after I woke up in the hospital wing, after saving the Philosopher's Stone."
All three of his companions stared at him. "Mate," stated Ron, "That was three years ago. What did you ask him?"
"Why Voldemort came after me while I was a baby."
"When you got that scar?" asked Ginny. "I thought he was after your parents."
"No," corrected Harry, shaking his head. "He was after me."
"The books I've read don't ever mention his motive," commented Hermione, frowning.
"A few months before I was born, Dumbledore was interviewing Trelawney for her teaching position. He thought she was a complete fraud, and was about to leave when she went into one of her trances like she had the night Wormtail escaped. She said,
The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches...Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies...and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not...and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives...The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies.
"A Death Eater overheard the first part of that before being interrupted and ran back to tell his master. Snake-face concluded that it was either about me or Neville, so both of our families went into hiding."
Harry watched his friends as their eyes widened in fright. Hermione spoke first. "So he…he marked you with that scar." She pointed at his forehead. "That means it's you."
"Does Dumbledore know what power you have?" asked Ginny softly.
Harry sighed. "He seems to think it's love."
"What are you gonna do," snorted Ron, "walk up and snog the git senseless?"
"That's not funny, Ronald!" yelled Hermione, giving him a reproachful glance. Looking back at Harry, she asked, "Does he have any idea how love can help? Oh!" She then put her hands over her mouth and looked from Harry to Ginny excitedly.
Ginny smiled at her bond-mate. "Does that mean what I think it means?"
Harry grinned back. "I guess so."
Ron asked, "Would one of you like to include me in this conversation?"
"Not really, Ron," answered Ginny as Harry became very interested in his shoes.
"I mean, I know you two are dating, but lots of blokes have girlfriends." He then looked at Harry with an odd expression. "You're not planning on bringing Ginny with when you fight him, are you?"
"N…" replied Harry.
"He'd better not even think about leaving me behind!" interrupted Ginny, glaring from Ron to Harry.
"But what can Ginny do that's so special?"
"It's not what she can do, or what Harry can do," explained Hermione. "It's what they might be able to do together!"
Both Harry and Ginny were glaring at the bushy-haired brunette. "Hermione!" yelled Ginny.
Ron looked between them. "Obviously, there's something you three know that I don't, and I'd appreciate it if you'd tell me!" He was obviously getting frustrated.
"It's none of your business, Ronald!" countered Ginny angrily. "Mum, Dad, and Sirius know. That should be enough for you."
"Come on, guys!" insisted Ron.
Harry responded, "Look, Ron, this is kind of personal. Ginny and I will discuss tell…"
"You told Hermione!" accused Ron.
"We needed her help researching it, you prat!" replied Ginny.
Harry was getting mad at Ron. "Look, we may know something about that power, but that's not the point! The point is that up until now, Voldemort didn't know the whole prophecy. Last night, he stole a copy of the prophecy from the Ministry, so he knows the whole thing!"
Ginny's eyes went wider as she realized, "Now he knows that the prophecy doesn't say who will win."
Hermione added, "He may have been a bit cautious before, because he wasn't sure…but now he knows that he can kill you, so…" She stopped, unable to finish as both she and Ginny began weeping silently. Ginny put her arms around Harry while Hermione did the same to Ron.
"So he'll attack me a lot more now, because he doesn't think he has anything to worry about," finished Harry once Ginny let go of him.
Hermione looked thoughtful for a moment before speaking. "So what are we going to do about it?"
"I'm gonna start training. Y'know, practicing spellwork like we did for the tournament."
"But you're too young…"
"I know I'll have to wait until I get back to school for that, but I can research them now."
Hermione beamed at him. "I can help you find good spells!"
"I'm counting on that, Hermione. I also thought it might help if I started doing some muggle exercise. I wouldn't imagine most Death Eaters do that."
Ginny snorted. "Are you kidding? People like the Malfoys think sweating is beneath them!"
"They'd have their house-elf run a mile and claim they did it!" added Ron. "Sorry, Hermione," he added when he saw her disapproval.
"No, it's the truth," she admitted after a moment. "That's why something needs to be done about that. But, anyway, you can't run around outside with V-V-Voldemort after you, and you can't run around here either. What kind of exercises were you planning?"
Harry looked down uncertainly. "I, er, was thinking I could probably buy some of those muggle…"
"Exercise equipment?" Hermione looked excited. "That's brilliant! Some of those machines work out the whole body, but don't take up much room. Hmm. I think you're a bit young for weights. I'm not sure, I'll have to check. I wonder if we could get someone in the Order to pick them up. Maybe you should ask Sirius to buy them. He is your guardian, after all. Maybe…" She pulled out a parchment and began making a list of criteria for the equipment, and then suggested learning some sort of muggle fighting as well.
After reassurances that they all were with Harry 'all the way' and were convinced he'd win (although Ron still seemed a bit miffed that they didn't tell him their secret) they separated to their rooms for the night.
-IYCHH-
The next day after breakfast, Harry explained his plans to Sirius, who smiled broadly. "That's a great idea! I'll get you some equipment today. We can turn one of the rooms here into a muggle gym. I also have an idea about learning fighting. I've got to go if I'm gonna get it all taken care of!" He was extremely excited about the whole thing as he hurriedly left the house.
Harry told his friends what was going on, so they waited four hours, either doing chores or playing games, until finally Sirius apparated into the house looking like a kid at Christmas.
"I'm back!" he announced excitedly as he hurried up the stairs to an unused bedroom, followed closely by Harry and his friends. Taking out his wand, he shrank everything in the room except one end table, and stuffed it all into the closet. He then pulled out six different shrunk exercise machines he'd had stuffed in his pockets. After arranging them where he wanted them on the floor, he resized them properly.
He had a weight machine, two treadmills (which he charmed to work off of magic instead of electricity), and three machines that had several exercises on them that worked every part of your body. "This way, several people can workout at the same time," he explained happily.
Sirius also put an exercise mat in one corner so someone could do stretches, sit-ups, or push-ups on it. On the end table, he put a Wizarding Wireless Network receiver so they could listen to music while they exercised. Sirius then pulled out a bag that had exercise clothes for everyone. They all changed quickly in their bedrooms, and all five of them started using the new equipment.
-IYCHH-
With Hermione's help, they soon worked out a good exercise schedule for every day, and stuck to it faithfully. Seeing no point in keeping the prophecy from the Order, Albus informed them a few days later at a meeting. It was easy for Harry to tell when they were informed, based off of the way Molly started bursting into tears when she looked at them exercising.
The quartet also studied defensive spells daily, but didn't practice them. At first, Harry had objected to the others joining him, but they insisted that it was important for them to be able to defend themselves during this war. Harry couldn't argue the fact that they were in danger of attack and it was best to be prepared.
Harry and Ginny continued working on phase three of their bond without being able to duplicate the moment of communication they'd achieved just before Harry was told the prophecy. Hermione finally managed to get Ron to read the Animagus book, so they began learning that.
About a week after they started exercising, the Daily Prophet delivered awful news. The Dementors attacked Azkaban and freed many of the prisoners, kissing several guards in the process. The next night, a small muggle village was attacked by Death Eaters. Fifteen muggles died before aurors arrived on the scene and drove them away. Madam Bones was quoted as saying,
"In this time of crisis, it is important that we all work together – the Ministry, Hogwarts, everyone – to assure us the victory over He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named!"
-IYCHH-
Before long, it was Harry's birthday, and he had a small celebration. Sirius and Molly both had wanted to make it a huge affair, but Harry had asked to keep it just himself, Sirius, Hermione, and the Weasleys. Molly had made the cake, so naturally it was excellent. After the cake came the presents.
Opening Ginny's present first, Harry found a dragon-hide vest. He looked at her in astonishment. He thought of asking how she could afford it, but decided instead to just smile and say, "Thank you very much!" and give her a quick kiss.
"I want you to always wear it, Harry," she stated firmly, with love in her eyes.
He didn't need an explanation of the danger he was in or that dragon leather was resistant to spells. That's one of the reasons he'd bought her the jacket for Valentine's Day. "I will, I promise." Then he grinned. "Even in the shower."
She giggled for a moment. "You know what I mean."
Hermione gave him a book on advanced defensive spells. Ron gave him a box of several chocolate frogs. Fred and George gave him some joke products. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley gave him a box that contained a new hand for their family clock.
As he was gazing at it in awe, Arthur produced the clock from behind his back. Harry was acutely aware of Ginny's putting her arm around his shoulder as her father gave a small speech. "Harry, we've considered you just like family for a long time now, and we've got a feeling that one day you may even officially become family." At this point he winked at Ginny, causing both her and Harry to blush.
Mrs. Weasley continued, "I know we've had our differences, but we want you to know that we love you as much as any of our children."
Harry could barely stop himself from crying as he got up and hugged Molly tightly. He felt Ginny join in that hug moments later. After they'd hugged Arthur as well, Harry moved onto the gift from Sirius.
He tore the box open and took a large ornate basin out of it. Sirius proudly announced, "This, Harry, is your own Pensieve!" He then pulled two small cases out of the same box. One was labeled, 'Muggle exercise' and the other was 'Muggle dueling.' He opened one to find several labeled test tubes containing what appeared to be a silvery liquid that seemed to float. They each were capped.
The teenagers stared at it for a moment while Harry's jaw dropped. Hermione asked, "Are those memories of lessons?" Sirius nodded ecstatically. "What kind of dueling does that teach?"
"Several different kinds. Wrestling, boxing, karate, gunfighting, and swordfighting to name a few. Hopefully, you'll find something you like!"
"Th-Thanks!" said Harry, completely astonished.
"It's nothing," replied Sirius. "I'll teach you how to use it tomorrow."
-IYCHH-
Chapter end