Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the Harry Potter story or characters. I do, however, reserve the rights for any characters I develop and the plot of this story.

Harry Potter and the Veela Life Debts

By Jojobevco

Chapter 19

September and the Coming Storm

September 2, 1995

5:30 PM

Hallway outside Defense Against the Dark Arts Classroom

First Floor

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

Hogsmeade, Scotland, United Kingdom

"Oohhhh, I am going to strangle that woman!"

"Hermione!"

"Shut it, Ron! 'Basics for Beginners' is the single worst chapter of every single book I have ever read! Not only that; she's also denying something we all know is true."

"If you mean she's denying what Neville said about Harry—"

"She was besmirching the good name, and memory of my dear friend, Harry, how dare she!"

"But, Hermione—"

"And she's denying that Voldemort has returned!"

As Hermione continued her rant against Delores Umbridge, she and Ron were joined by none other than Draco Malfoy.

"Well, if it isn't the blood traitor and the mudblood! I wonder if you found today's class as intellectually stimulating as I did. In fact I think that Professor Umbridge is an excellent teacher—"

WHAM! With a 'textbook' right cross, Hermione decked Malfoy, she then proceeded to shout loudly, "If I ever here you use the words Umbridge and excellent in the same sentence, I'll have your balls for dinner!"

Malfoy gulped and Hermione leaned down to whispered in his ear, "Myrtle's in five, we need to report this."

Hermione then walked with Ron down to the Great Hall so they could eat dinner. As they approached the entrance, Hermione suddenly hit her head with her hand in a mock display of forgetfulness.

"Oh no, Ron, I forgot that I had to go to the library to get a book on the importance of the Second Goblin Insurrection."

"But, Hermione, we're here and I'm hungry!"

"Don't worry about me, you go ahead and eat."

After Ron went in, Hermione backtracked her way to the Second Floor Girl's Bathroom (AKA Myrtle's Office), where she was met by Draco Malfoy.

"So, Draco, was I convincing enough?"

Draco held the thumb and forefinger, of the hand he wasn't massaging his jaw with, an inch apart, "Bit over the top, Granger, and I think you failed stage combat training."

"I just wanted to deck you again."

"That hurt!"

Suddenly a voice came from behind them, "Oh, will you two stop whining and open the damn door already, I'm supposed to be on a date."

They turned around to see Myrtle, in her ghostly glory, sitting, er floating.

Hermione suddenly put her hand over her eyes, "Um, okay, I am not getting into this!"

Myrtle turned to Draco and winked at him.

Draco grinned and gave a mock salute, "Yes, ma'am" before pulling out what a muggle would recognize as an electronic keyfob and pushing the unlock button. A horn like sound beeped twice as series of red lights untop of the sinks blinked. Draco pushed the unlock button again and a hissing sound "Hesshhhockk" came out. The sinks split apart and started descending revealing a platform.

Hermione and Draco moved onto the platform and Hermione called out "Chamber Base!"

The platform suddenly descended and the sink closed up again.

A short time later they were in a, much cleaner, outer reception area, where they were met by two members of the French Auror Service who held wands on them, blank expressions on their faces, "Identify."

"Hermione Jean Granger, Senior Special Advisor to Her Majesty's Muggle Government on the Magical Issue."

"Draco Lucius Malfoy, Special Advisor to Her Majesty's Muggle Government on Magical Pureblood Culture and Politics."

Both were holding up their corresponding ID badges.

The guards entered a code on the door and let them through.

The Chamber of Secrets had undergone a complete transformation over the summer. It used to be a rather nasty, grimy, messy lair. Instead, it was now a clean lair that had been turned into a command center. There were no real structural changes done, other than repairing damage from Harry's battle with the basilisk and a thousand years of degradation. Instead, the Hogwarts Base of the Joint Magical Counterterrorism Task Force was built within the confines of the original construction. As they entered, the left most wall was covered with weapons and guns of many varieties; the right, covered with the Armor used by the French Aurors.

In front of the statue of Salazar Slytherin was a large computer-like apparatus that was composed of auto writing paper and large mirrors. In the center of the Chamber was a table that was projecting a rotating three dimensional model of Hogwarts, and the people in inside it.

They walked over to the desk that held the large computer like apparatus and Hermione tapped her wand to the large 42" monitor, er mirror, clearly enunciating, "Headquarters"

The mirror rippled for a moment before revealing a communications room with secretary, chewing gum behind a desk, "Headquarters of the Joint Magical Counterterrorism Taskforce, how may I direct your call?"

"This is Bushy and Slick. We need to speak to Whitehead and Untamed ASAP."

"Whitehead and Untamed are unavailable at the moment, can I take a message?"

Hermione groaned, "Just have them call me back!"

She tapped her wand again, cutting the connection.

"You know, I'm surprised you didn't try to get Weasley down here."

"Did you not notice how I had to keep cutting him off to keep him from spilling even the most basic of secrets? I swear that kid has such a loose mouth."

"Well, you'd know it if he did, Granger."

"Draco Malfoy!"

"What, it's true."

"We are not together and we most certainly haven't done that!"

"Well if your free…"

"Humph!"

"Ahem."

Both of them turned to the small creature known as Dobby currently in his butler outfit.

"If youse be done arguing, then dinner is ready," Dobby gestured to a newly set table for two behind the three dimensional rotating diagram of Hogwarts

"Thank you, Dobby, let's eat, Malfoy, all this arguing is making me hungry."

5:45 PM

Training Room

The Headquarters of the Joint Magical Counterterrorism Task Force

12 Grimmauld Place

London, United Kingdom

"Avada Kedavra!"

A bright green light shot toward Harry who quickly conjured a massive slab of marble, which absorbed the curse and shattered.

"Good, Harry, very good, but, not good enough."

"What?"Harry was very impressed with his work; he had just managed to successfully block an AK with a conjuration.

Albus Dumbledore clucked his tongue and shook his head, "That, Harry, is the sort of response I'd expect from Minerva McGonagall, The fact that you conjured Marble, instead of basic concrete, was a nice touch, but it was too plain."

Too plain, those were words that Harry had been hearing all day. It turns out that Epic-Class Dueling was forty percent raw power, forty percent spell knowledge, and twenty percent showmanship.

In the words of Albus Dumbledore, "Being the best duelist in the world is not enough; you must instead be the best duelist and make it look easy."

"Let's try it again from the beginning, this time put a bit of a design into it."

Harry was starting to get frustrated, he wanted to know how to beat Voldemort, not be a stage magician. He decided to confront the man on it, "But, sir, how will learning this, help me to defeat Voldemort. I mean, he's not exactly the type to be impressed by cheap parlor tricks."

Albus snorted, yes, snorted, "While the concept of Epic Class Dueling might have a rather large emphasis on showmanship, it is not 'cheap,' Harry, it is the quality of the magic that makes it work. Besides, Harry, I'm not teaching you to defeat Voldemort."

Harry was stunned, that was not the answer he was expecting.

"Well, not entirely, that is a significant portion of this." Dumbledore deftly flicked his wand twice, creating two chintz armchairs, "Sit, Harry, we need to discuss this."

Harry sat, wondering what brought this on.

"Harry, I am an old man, actually, I just celebrated my 114th birthday last month. I'm not getting any younger, Harry, far from it. My experience with you has shown just how far I've fallen."

"What do you mean?"

"I never should have left you with the Dursley's, Harry. I never should have subjected you to that. I should have told you the truth the moment you asked me why Voldemort tried to kill you as a child. But, I believed myself to be absolutely right and infallible, and that led to my fallibility, and the loss of quite a bit of precious time.

"There will come a time, rather soon I believe, when I will need to step aside. I am not just teaching you to defeat Tom, Harry; I am teaching you to replace me."

"Replace you?"

"Yes, Harry, I am teaching you to be the man that Tom Riddle was supposed to be. If Tom Riddle had been the guy he was supposed to be I wouldn't be here right now. Instead, I would be relaxing on a beach in the Caribbean and Tom should be teaching this to you.

"In short, Harry, you are the greatest wizard to live since, well, me. Because of the Prophecy, it just means you need to become me faster."

A short time later, Harry and Dumbledore were on the mirror with Hermione and Draco.

"Quite frankly, Headmaster, the situation is terrible. We are supposed to be preparing young people for a coming war, not a bloody sit down with tea and crumpets and Death Eaters."

Dumbledore stroked his beard, "That does sound like Delores's sort of party, Mr. Malfoy, do you agree with Miss Granger's assessment?"

"Yes, I do Headmaster."

"Suggestions?"

"We need someone else to teach us how to fight, someone with practical experience and who commands a certain level of respect."

"You sound like you have someone in mind Miss Granger."

"In fact, I do, Headmaster, Harry."

Harry took this as his cue to chime in, "Um, excuse me, but I thought I was supposed to be dead?"

"This would be a good opportunity to reintroduce Harry to a select group of individuals, obviously they'd all have to sign magically-binding non-disclosure notices, but it'd be good to get his face out their again to a few trusted supporters."

"Very Slytherin of you, Granger."

"Thank you, Malfoy."

"Harry?"

Harry started stroking his chin, "It sounds like a good idea to me Headmaster," he turned back to the screen, "Let us know when you're ready to proceed Hermione, Headquarters out."

Back in the chamber, Hermione was making a list of everything they had to do. Draco was writing it down.

"First we have to get a place to practice, then…"

A small pop announced the arrival of Dobby, now in his Special Operations Uniform, he was smirking, "You need a top secret place to hide from Blueberry Umbitch?"

September 17, 1995

8:59 PM

Office of the Headmaster

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

Hogsmeade, Scotland, United Kingdom

The Headmaster turned and looked Hermione, as they were waiting for Harry to arrive, "I'll think you'll be impressed with his progress, Miss Granger."

"I know I will be, I hope everyone else is.

At exactly 9:00 PM and 1 second four people appeared in the room, holding a teapot. As one, three of them rolled away and spun outward, forming a defensive perimeter. The fourth was standing, robes billowing around him like the center of a hurricane, a shield encasing him, a look of restrained fury on his face. After checking to make sure no unauthorized personnel were in the room, he lowered the shield and turned off the billow effect.

"Good job, Harry, nice reaction time on the shield and you held the billow effect through the portkey. Also, the expression was good."

Hermione was speechless, "Wow, Harry, you look like…"

Harry quirked an eyebrow

"Nevermind, let's move, everyone else is waiting already."

Harry took out the Marauders Map and activated it. Harry, Gabrielle, Fleur, Tonks and Hermione started moving through the corridor. They were fine until they reached the fifth floor, Harry then held up his hand and signaled them to run into a hidden passageway they just passed.

Tonks whispered, "What is it?"

"Two sixth year Slytherin Prefects."

"Death Eaters?"

"Unknown."

"Orders."

Harry looked down at the map again, before reaching for his invisibility cloak, "Wait here."

Harry threw on the cloak and watched the map carefully, waiting for them to pass. As soon as they did, he stepped out of the passage and fired off two silent stunners, hitting them in the back with no warning. Harry waved for the rest of the group to come out. Harry then swished and flicked to pick up the two prefects and dragged them into a nearby broom closet. He then nodded to Gabrielle, who quickly caught on and started undressing them.

"Fleur, modify their memories, let them think that they had sex," He stopped and banged his head with his hand, "Wait, they're Slytherin, never mind, have them get to second base and bang their heads on the two buckets."

Gabrielle grabbed the buckets off the hooks and slammed them into the Slytherins heads.

After the scene was set and the memories modified, they closed the door and continued on their way.

They arrived at the room and Harry used his invisibility cloak again, he wanted to make a dramatic entrance, as per page 153 of Epic-Class Dueling and You. As his girls, Tonks, and Hermione met with the group at the door, Harry moved around behind a column on the Dueling stage and listened.

An annoying Hufflepuff Harry didn't know was speaking, "Granger, you told us we would learn from the best! Are they it?"

Hermione actually smirked, "No, Smith, they're not, they're just his entourage."

Harry noted the entire crowd was looking at Hermione and the Smith boy, time to make his entrance.

"You will be learning from me, Mr. Smith."

As one, the crowd turned around gobsmacked, Harry looked at them genially, with a bit of power, "Reports of my death were greatly exaggerated."

"Hi, Harry." Harry looked over to the fourth year Ravenclaw with long blond hair.

"Hi, um…"

"Luna, Luna Lovegood."

"Nice to meet you."

Ron was still looking at him, in awe, "Harry, you look like…"

Harry quirked his eyebrow.

"Nevermind."

"He thinks you look like Albus Dumbledore."

Luna did have a way for stating the obvious, Harry's robes were different, they were specially crafted to give a hint of a reminder of Albus Dumbledore, while showing stately elegance and youth. That, combined with his twinkling eyes (took him days to get those right, and he still couldn't make them as expressive as Albus's) and a few carefully practiced mannerisms (he and Albus had just started that section two days ago) reminded people that he was the wizard of the age.

"Well, thank you." Harry turned back to the crowd for a moment, before clasping his hands behind his back and starting to pace. "Today, you are here because you have found the teaching style of Delores Umbridge to be substandard. Many of you are here because you are concerned that you will fail your OWLs and NEWTs without supplemental instruction. Am I correct?"

There were nods all around the room. Smith continued glaring.

"You are here hoping that I will correct that. However, ensuring that you pass your OWLs and NEWTs is not my primary goal. I am here to teach you how to fight, because Lord Voldemort has returned."

Surprisingly, only about half the room shuddered. Stupidly, Smith spoke up.

"Why should we believe you?"

"Whether you believe me or not, is not my concern. I saw Lord Voldemort get a body the night of the Third Task. Dumbledore believes me. As does the French Government and the ICW. In fact, every single magical government in the world, except Britain believes me. So I really don't care what you think!" Harry shouted the last bit, he was sure that there would be people here who just wanted to know his view of the events that night. Harry would not indulge them.

"The next question in your mind is probably something along the lines of 'am I qualified to teach you?' I'll admit that I'm young, but that doesn't mean I'm stupid. Perhaps, a demonstration is in order. Mr. Smith, since you seem so happy to try and take a piece of me, come and join me up here."

Smith did, he was smirking actually, Harry smiled back genially, "Good, now I want you to try and curse me."

Everyone was expecting that Smith would throw a Stupefy or similar spell, so they were all shocked when he threw a potentially lethal Reducto at Harry. Harry, for his part, calmly blocked the spell with a "Protego" and returned fire with three "Stupefies." He then allowed himself a brief smirk before non-verbally- Rennervating the idiot and helping him up.

"That, ladies and gentlemen is why I am teaching this class. I probably know more defensive magic than the sixth years in the room. I have also gone toe-to-toe with Voldemort more times than everyone except Albus Dumbledore. Now, if there are no more questions, we shall begin."

11:00 PM

Room of Requirement

Fifth Floor

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

Hogsmeade, Scotland, United Kingdom

After the last person, (Cho Chang, who was shamelessly trying to flirt with Harry), signed the magically-binding confidentiality form and left, Harry turned around and looked at Gabrielle, Fleur, Tonks, and Hermione.

"So, how did I do?"

Fleur walked up and kissed him, rather vigorously, "You were great, Harry!"

"Hermione?"

"You were one of the best defense teachers I've ever had."

"So once a week then?"

Gabrielle chimed in, "As long as your schedule permits, Harry."

"Good."

The four of them walked back to Dumbledore's office, after dropping Hermione off at the tower.

"Gabrielle, just how long will my 'schedule permit' before things start getting to hectic?"

"Latest intelligence shows that Voldemort is preparing to break his followers out of Azkaban. Once that happens, the clock will certainly be running."

"So how long?"

"We will be in Stage Four of the operation by the end of next month."

"Stage Four is when…"

"Yes, it is, Master."

"And then Stage Five?"

"Yes, Harry."

"Gabrielle, are you sure you don't know what it is?"

"No, Harry?"

"Fleur?"

"No one's told me."

"Tonks?"

"Only the Big Three know about it, and they're playing the cards really close to the vest."

"Then one thing at a time people."

October 1, 1995

1:23 AM

A Shoreline near Azkaban Prison

North Sea

Somewhere near the United Kingdom

Bellatrix Lestrange, in all her crazy, no longer attractive glory, kneeled to her "Lord" with the other idiot Death Eaters, "My, Lord, thank you for rescuing us, your humble servants from the torment of Azkaban, so that we may live to serve you."

"Rise, my most faithful servant, tonight we retreat to my humble abode, for tomorrow, we plan for our victory and the end of Harry Potter, the boy who lived."

"Oooh, can I Crucio him first?"

"Of course Bella, someone needs to soften him up."

"He will die, my Master!"

Insert evil laugh here.

AN: Please review! Thanks to those who have.

Omake: Luna Lovegood and the Giant Round Spinning Kawooshing Thing

Mid August, 1995

Somewhere in the Amazon Rain Forest

Day 22 of the Lovegood Expedition

Searching for the Ruby Eyed Tree Frog

Luna swing her machete in a mighty arch, clearing the path in front of her. She was on Day 22 of her first solo expedition. Her father was supposed to be with her, but problems at The Quibbler had kept him away. So here she was, searching for the rare Ruby Eyed Tree Frog (not to be confused with the much more common Red Eyed Tree Frog). She was frustrated, because she had 22 days of no success, and it was starting to get tiring.

She was about to swing again when she heard music in the distance. She followed it and heard it keep getting louder and louder. Finally, she arrived at the strange circle that seemed to be producing the noise. It was beautiful music, epic, with a sense of wonder.

The circle was about ten feet in diameter and inside of it was a smaller rectangle, about the size of a doorway. Interestingly, the circle was spinning one way, and the doorway another.

Suddenly it stopped spinning and mad a gurgling like sound, before a loud Kawoosh and an expanding unstable vortex of water. Luna instinctively threw herself out of the way. When she stood up again, the music had stopped and the doorway was filled with water, like a puddle. Luna shrugged her shoulders and stepped through. She arrived in a large round room and had just stepped out of a stone doorway. It was surrounded by people in grey cloaks.

Luna just realized where she was,

The "Death Chamber"

Department of Mysteries

Level 9

Ministry for Magic

London, England, United Kingdom

"Oh, bugger, my ticket's nonrefundable and I left my tent back there."

The puddle evaporated behind her.

"Can you turn this back on, please?"

One of the Unspeakables recovered enough to shake his head, "Girl, no one has ever turned that thing on, until you did."

Obviously, this is a reference to the great Stargate franchise. The music playing is the theme to Stargate: SG-1.