Chapter 2
Hermione called out from the front of the shop "Harry, we've got to go now or we'll be late!" Harry hastily replaced his concealment charms to cover his tattoos. As far as the wizarding world was concerned, Harry Potter was perfectly clean cut and would never have something like a tattoo—much less the sheer quantity that he currently had. Harry wanted to keep it that way. It would just make it that much easier to slip into a new life once the war was over.
Harry stepped out of the back room and immediately saw Ron and Hermione waiting anxiously for him. Ron's ill-concealed concern was soothed by Harry's slight smile. Smiles had grown increasingly rare for the boy who lived and Ron's worry had grown almost daily. "Let's go, mate. We can test it later tonight at Hogwarts" Ron hurried Harry along.
"Do you think they worked? Do you feel any different?"
Harry paused to think. "No, Hermione, I can't feel anything that is actually different, I just have this general feeling that…I don't know. I just feel certain that they work."
Hermione squealed and threw her arms around Ron in lieu of hugging Harry. Although Harry had grown more comfortable around his closest friends he was still hesitant to have any unnecessary touch. "I knew we got it right! I worried for a bit about that sixty-second rune but I knew it would work! We should write up our findings and publish them. I can't believe how many books were wrong about embodying spells. We have completely changed how the books—"
"Hermione, the whole point of all of this was to keep Harry's privacy. Publishing an article, no matter how small or vague, will automatically expose him."
"Of course. I'm sorry Harry, I wasn't thinking. I didn't mean…"
Harry cut her off. "I understand. You did a lot of work. You should be proud. I'm sorry that you can't be recognized for it."
"Oh Harry, I don't care about the recognition. You know me. I get so excited about new information that my brain runs away with me. Nothing is as important to us as keeping you safe." She could see that the topic had grown distasteful to her small friend and she swiftly changed to a less problematic topic. "Did you two hear that Lavender had a date today with Blaise Zabini? I can't believe he actually asked her out."
"I wonder what he wants with her. What is he trying to get?"
"Honestly Ronald, not all Slytherins are bad. Maybe he just likes her. She's liked him for long enough. Maybe he heard she had a crush on him and decided to go ahead and ask her out."
"Of all the Slytherins in our year, he does seem the safest. Not to mention Lav can defend herself if she needs to" Harry quietly reminded Ron.
"Maybe. Just seems strange to me."
"Not everything is a plot Ron. I'm sure everything will be fine. And Lavender was so excited this morning getting ready. She must have changed four times!"
"She's nutters. Who gets dressed up for a Slytherin?"
Hermione and Harry exchanged glances and decided to just let it drop. It would take a lot for their friend to learn to look past his prejudices.
The trio slipped in the front doors just on time. Filch glared menacingly but was unable to penalize them and so he slipped away, muttering about ill-behaved children.
"Right. Dinner first, then the tests?" Ron proposed as his stomach grumbled loudly.
"Honestly, all you ever think of is food. You may be right though to put food first this time. It would be better to wait until later though to test the new…spells" Hermione whispered back.
Harry quickly sat down in a section of the table that was nearly deserted. Ron and Hermione separated and sat on either side of him, preventing any overeager students from claiming a seat next to The Boy Who Lived. Neville and Ginny moved down to sit across from the trio. Harry was effectively blockaded in by his friends—something that he needed badly. The sheer level of casual touch that happened around him was astounding, everyone wanting to be near the Boy Who Lived. The four students had taken their decision to protect Harry very seriously, and they trailed after him nearly every minute. At first it had driven Harry nearly to distraction but he slowly realized that this was their way of showing their love and support. He grudgingly accepted their constant presence and now had grown to enjoy the never ceasing companionship.
"How was your date Ginny?" Harry inquired.
"OK, I guess. I don't know. I think I am rather done with him. I'm so tired of Ravenclaws. Honestly, don't they ever do anything but study? I swear, Terry would read during sex if he could!"
Ron made gagging noises as Neville and Harry laughed. "Do you have to talk about sex Ginny? You're my baby sister!" Ron had never quite gotten over the fact that his baby sister was not quite a baby anymore.
"It is hardly my fault that you choose to sit here. Who am I supposed to talk to about this but Harry and Hermione?" Ginny replied tartly. She was pleased to note though that Harry was laughing. A big weight seemed to have been removed from him. Ginny didn't know any details, but she knew that as the year drew to a close that he worried constantly about returning to the Dursley's. She had never been told what exactly he faced there, but she knew from the bit she had overheard last summer that his uncle was to blame for all of it.
"I can't believe you stole Harry from me and corrupted him with your girly gossip! At the rate you're going you'll have ruined all the decent blokes at Hogwarts by the time you graduate. Between the list of your ex-boyfriends that won't talk to me anymore and your theft of my only decent Quidditch friend I'll soon be the only one left talking to me!" Ron didn't really mind Harry's friendship with Ginny. After the problems during Ginny's first year she had trouble making friends in her year, especially with her dorm mates. Likewise, Harry had trouble making close friends. Although everyone wanted to be his friend he was incredibly hesitant to place any level of trust in anyone. Although he numbered Ginny and Neville as his friends even they didn't know any details about Harry's life with the muggles or their secret project.
"You know, talking to yourself is one of the first signs of insanity" Neville deadpanned. A few years back Neville would have been hesitant to join into the conversation but with a new wand, additional training and some newly discovered courage; Neville had changed dramatically since their first year. He had grown enormously and now excelled at Charms and DADA in addition to Herbology and was able to amaze even Snape by his newfound proficiency at potions. By no means a natural, Neville could now no longer be blamed for the most explosions in their year.
Hermione, likewise, had grown up in the last year. At 5'7" she was now tall and willowy. Her hair had finally gotten under control and she had grown into one of the prettiest witches in their year. She had also finally learned to balance a social life with an academic life slightly better and was currently engaged in a strange sort of relationship with Ron. Although neither claimed the other as their significant other, the whole school knew they were off limits.
Ginny, likewise, had grown and stood 5'9". Ron was still shocked almost daily by how much she had grown up but Harry and Hermione had been expecting it. Her brothers were all extremely tall as well and they were both more than capable of recognizing Ginny as the young woman that she was rather than seeing a little girl.
Ron had continued to shoot up during the last year and he now towered over Harry by almost a foot. Harry had, unfortunately, stopped growing at 5'2"…something caused, no doubt, by continued malnutrition and his cramped living quarters at the Dursley's. Harry was the shortest one in his year—including the girls. He was, in fact, shorter than all of the fifth years, most fourth years and many third years. Few people realized exactly how small he was—one of the perks of being extraordinarily famous was that people looked at him and saw what they wanted to see, and somehow, no one wanted a short, malnourished hero.
Dumbledore looked out over the students and his eyes stopped at Harry and his friends. 'Poor boy. I wish there was something I could do about the Dursley's but he needs them. Too bad, really. Ah well, I'm sure all will be well in the end. It is unfortunate that such sacrifices must be made in the course of war. No war is pretty though. I'm sure he understands.'
Harry, Hermione and Ron got up as one and exited the Great Hall in an effort to find a quiet place to test the new tattoos.