Chapter 6 – Just Tasking
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To add insult to injury they told me that as a champion I was required to have a date for the Yule ball and I also had to dance. I tried to get out of it by saying I was a defunct champion but they said I must participate. My first thought was something doesn't smell right. It was like magic or no magic I was going to fulfill their plans but then the real terror entered my mind. I had to ask someone for a date who didn't mind that I couldn't dance. The only ones I would ask was Hermione or Daphne and then…would the one I didn't ask ever speak to me…or…oh Merlin help me.
They found me out by the lake.
"Harry what's wrong?" Hermione asked.
"You know you can tell us why you are so unhappy." Daphne asked.
"Oh all right I'll tell so you all can have a good laugh and leave me in my misery."
"Come on Harry we won't laugh." Hermione said trying not to laugh.
"Maybe giggle a little but not laugh." Daphne giggled.
"Ok you two you asked for it, I would like to ask one of you to the ball but I don't want to hurt the other. But then neither of you might want to go with me and I don't know how to dance and I have to go and I have to dance in the opening ceremonies."
I noticed the two girls look at each other and then Daphne asked, "So which one of us would you ask?"
"That's part of it, I can't or won't choose, I am so mixed up and I can't tell you the half of it."
Hermione looked at Daphne and Daphne gave a slight nod.
"Harry we girls don't normally say things like this but we both have fancied you for a while now. We have just been waiting for you to make a decision as to whom so the other can back off." Hermione explained.
"Well choosing one over the other is not going to happen."
"Harry this has gone beyond fancying you, for whatever reason we are drawn to you like a moth to a flame." Daphne added.
"Let Harry escort us both to the ball, we can draw lots who get the first dance." Hermione exclaimed.
"This is getting heavy, isn't the ball a date and don't date you know kiss? Kissing means feelings like relationships that could lead to marriage?" I forced out.
"Yes Harry that would be our hopes."
"Not happening, you two find some nice guy and fall in love and all that, I am not the one for you."
"Give me one reason that we should leave!" Hermione demanded.
"You offered an oath once before but this time I need one, are you still willing?"
They gave the oath to never revel what I was going to tell them.
"The reason you both should run is because I died when I was nine, I'm not human."
They didn't know whether to laugh or…
Daphne checked my neck for a pulse while Hermione felt my arm I think for warmth. I ruined their proving me human and alive by slowly 'fading'. When I 'faded' back I figured they would run screaming out the door. What I got was two girls hugging me and saying it didn't matter. I had two dates for the ball. After two weeks dancing lessons from the girls their feet were healed as I no longer stepped on their toes. Fred Astaire I was not but I could do a couple of different dances without making a total fool of myself.
The most interesting point before the ball was Ron asking Hermione to be his date to the ball. Hermione politely refused throwing Ron into a tirade. Ron was calling her everything from a scarlet woman to a mudblood. About that time he reached to grab Hermione and a "KI-AI" was heard across the Great Hall. Everyone watched Ron fly without a broom and landing painfully on his back. It seemed, to Ron's displeasure, that Hermione had Karate training before Hogwarts.
/Scene Break/
The second task had arrived and we three sat with warming charms watching the calm lake. The champions were all under the water and well it was boring. Fleur had to be rescued, Diggory pulled Cho out first, Krum got his friend and Longbottom almost drowned when his bubble-head charm failed. Over all I was happy not having to compete.
/Scene Break/
The third task was a maze and the teachers flying overhead doing a commentary just didn't thrill the audience in the bleachers. MadEye was patrolling the outside of the maze along with Flitwick to pull out the champions if they got into trouble.
Panic erupted when Longbottom and Diggory grabbed the cup and disappeared but turned to applause as the two appeared in front of the bleachers. I and the girls were sitting on the lower end of the bleachers and had gotten to our feet when MadEye tossed something at me. I just flicked it into the maze with a passing of my hand, it was never good to interact with his "Constant Vigilant". Before I could do much Dumbledore is telling the crowd sit back down, MadEye disappeared and the Minister started a warm up speech. After what seemed like forever everyone was directed to the Great Hall for the ceremonies and more speeches.
The girls latched on to my arms and we headed for the Great Hall. That is when someone slapped a port-key on Hermione's back. Since we were all arm in arm the three of us were port-keyed away.
/Scene Break/
Things started very quickly, amid a dozen of stunners I saw us being in a graveyard. There were about twenty masked individuals in black robes surrounding a large cauldron and a bald headed freak. Next to him was a squat ugly guy I had once seen disappearing into the Forbidden Forest. MadEye Moody was on the other side of the bald freak but MadEye was morphing into someone else. I waved my hand and a shield absorbed the stunners, concentrated magic was fantastic.
The bald freak Voldemort raised his hand and all his black-robed idiots stopped sending curses.
"Ah yes our guest has arrived, as late as that may be he is now our evening entertainment." Baldy hissed.
"And who might you be baldy?" I asked. I saw the girls had their wands out but were giving me a look like "are you crazy?"
"Harry you jest, would you pretend not to recognize the greatest wizard of all time?"
"Is that you Dumbledore? Now I see why you wear that stupid hat and beard. Tell the barber not to expose so much next time you're an ugly mother.
"Avada Kedavra" yelled a pissed off Voldemort.
I wondered if I should return the same curse or see what would happen. I could not 'fade' the girls out; we could not fight our way out past that number of Deatheaters so what to do?
The curse hit me…and talk about a comfortable feeling almost like a pleasant massage. The curse was absorbed into my body. "Hay send me another that was way cool but then I shouldn't monopolize the feeling, shall I send it back to you like I did when I was a baby?"
We got to see Voldemort yellow teeth as he disappeared with a snarl. He was followed by his minions leaving only the cauldron and us in the graveyard.
"Are you crazy? That was the killing curse you…"
"Hermione's thoughts were cut off by the arriving 'POPs' of Dumbledore and a few Aurors from the Ministry.
"What happened here?" Dumbledore demanded.
"Well you see that MadEye you employed was a phony and he was apparently tossing port-keys around." I pointed to the Blast-Ended-Skrewt that was smoldering off to the side. I thought it must have been the port-key I diverted into the maze. "Someone got us with a port-key when we were heading back to the Great Hall."
"Why would Voldemort have him do that?" Dumbledore it seemed wanted a public explanation from the kids.
"He and a few of his Deatheater friends were having a welcome back Voldemort party."
It turned out that the Aurors were there because of the 'Avada Kedavra' registered on one of their monitors. "Alright kids hand over your wands we have to check to make sure you didn't cast an unforgivable curse.
While the girls handed over their wands I said, "Voldemort was the one who cast that curse." That got this party humming but then who would believe kids our age.
"Ok sonny you girlfriend's wands are clean so hand over your wand."
"Sorry but I don't have a wand you see Dumbledore snapped it, didn't you see the papers? Besides I'm a squib now because of the tournament. It was all in the Dailey Profit."
They of course didn't believe me until they did a complete search of my person. Finding no wand, but finding someone who had read the article in the Dailey Profit, they then told us how lucky we were that they had arrived and that we were now safe. They then came to the conclusion that the bad guys were trying a kidnapping to get money. At least I caught Dumbledore's mistaken slip, he knew about Voldemort before we had said anything about his being at the graveyard. We finally convinced them we needed to be returned to Hogwarts.
That evening I was in the Forbidden Forest searching for a nice branch to make a new wand. They expected a wand so I best have one for show. Sooner or later I would do magic and everyone would know I never lost my magic.
That night I reluctantly did some serious thinking for the majority of the night. It was not safe at Hogwarts but nothing could kill me but…I was now comfortable here because of the girls or I would…I wish my brain would go to sleep so I could. It was obvious that Voldemort was a large problem. I could just leave but then I would also be leaving the girls. I laughed when I thought of doing in Voldemort, I could not generate the hate for the "Avada Kedavra' curse that was for sure. Further did I want to wade in and kill twenty or thirty Deatheaters to get to a well protected Voldemort? Then there was the problem of how powerful and how skilled Voldemort was and then there was the idea of killing someone. Yea killing someone was my worry after kill twenty someone's to get to him, no, I knew I was not a killer and would not kill. I had already seen a couple of the memories with the black ribbons and that was enough.
/Scene Break/
The next morning at breakfast and soon to be rid of Hogwarts for a while we learned that news travels fast and people are slow. The three of us had just walked into the Great Hall and were headed for the Slytherin table when Draco showed his ignorance again.
"Potter you're a squib and you have the nerve to bring a mudblood to the Slytherin table. You are not only stupid but dead. The Dark Lord says you will be killed in a most horrible fashion along with your mudblood and blood trader. Draco got a SPLAT in stereo. Both Hermione and Daphne hit him in the face, surly causing large raccoon black eyes in the near future.
Most everyone thought girls flattening Draco was funny but missed or ignored Draco's announcement of the return of the Dark Lord.
I rode the train with the girls to Kings Cross and after they were safely away with their parents I 'faded' to my room in Minerva's quarters. Pool parties were scheduled in the next couple of days.
/Scene Break/
Dobby was working in Hogwarts and was very attentive to me but he really wanted a house for the Great Harry Potter. I suspected he wanted one to clean and polish. So I 'faded' and Dobby POPed to Gringotts and we talked with Griphook.
"Harry nice to see you again would you like to check you accounts? We have made quite a lot of Galleons."
"Ok but first I need to find if I have any properties Dobby is itching to go to work and make us a nice hideaway."
"You do have several properties but most are like Potter Manor. The Deatheaters found them and destroyed them in the last war."
"If I have the Galleons so is there someplace that I might buy? Travel distances are not a problem."
"Gringotts does have a small castle in Scotland for sale, up by Inverness, that you could have but it is a fixer-upper."
So we went visiting. Dobby was jumping up and down and Griphook was counting the Galleons that could be made putting up wards and an indoor pool. I just liked the view.
"Scene Break"
My view was now causing me some problems along with some of my body parts. Daphne and Hermione have no Hogwarts robes on; in fact they only have small bikini suits on. They are both sitting really close to me or should I say rubbing against me and giggling at my reaction. I am supposed to be dead but my body is not supporting this theorem.
"Alright you two you have had your fun just look out when I get a little bit older."
"And a bit bigger" Daphne said causing both to giggle. I was going to say something about how they were not heavily endowed right now but why be nasty besides I controlled my body size. That's when I started to giggle.
/Scene Break/
When I returned to my castle, Dun-Potter, Dobby had already completed the Master bedroom and the indoor pool room. It definitely was a long way from the cupboard under the stairs. I gave my complements to him and returned to Hogwarts and my room in Minerva's quarters.
No one around so I checked out the great hall, again no one so I turned invisible and faded to the headmasters office only to find an order of the phoenix meeting.
As I arrived, "Potter has not attended his detentions and he is going to regret it when the break is over. He is just like his father…"
"Indeed Severus, however this meeting is to discuss the return of Lord Voldemort. So what have you to report on Lord Voldemort.
"The Dark Lord will not admit it but Potter really shook him up by absorbing the killing curse. Some of his other servants, which were present, confirmed Potter was hit by the curse. In my opinion he left the graveyard because he was afraid Potter could send his next 'Avada Kedavra' back at him. Knowing Potter it was all an illusion and hype and…"
"Thank you Severus you information as it is always invaluable. Does anyone have any further information on Deatheater activities? Fine then keep up your surveillance activities and report back any new information. Meeting adjourned."
/Scene Break/
Later the Headmaster was alone but talking to the portraits of previous Headmaster which hung around the office. "He has already taken different friends that he was supposed to and now he received the killing curse, the Horcrux in his scar is surly gone. How am I to convince him now to face Voldemort and fulfill the prophesy?"
One of the portraits responded, "Albus why don't you leave well enough alone and let the 'fates' take care of fulfilling that prophesy?"
"NO! I must guide things or we are all doomed. Already he is disrupting my carefully laid plans. How those two girls ended up in that graveyard is…"
"What is it Albus, realize you are wrong?" Asked another painting.
"No those two girl are ruining everything I must find a way to stop their influence on Harry. Yes if nothing else I will get rid of them from the school. Yes Severus is just right for the job."
/Scene Break/
Now keeping the two smartest girls from a book store or library is like impossible. Further keeping them restricted to a single store or library is asking for trouble. So whether it is a visit to Diagon Alley, Hogmeade village or Inverness stores it is a loosing battle for me so it's tag along and enjoy the search for an unread book. What slows them down is they can't 'apperate' and I can't 'fade' them. The 'floe' or the knight bus is our normal means of transportation.
Daphne arrived at the Three Broomsticks, "Hi Harry I see you got here early."
"I wouldn't want to be late for the two smartest and prettiest girls least I be left behind."
"We would never leave you behind Harry, would we Hermione?"
"Of course not, who would pay for all the books." Hermione had just stepped out of the 'floe'.
"Well since I am Daddy Warbucks I guess I must first treat you all to breakfast before the great book hunt begins."
"We thought you would never ask." Daphne said before both girls started laughing and escorting me to a table. I think that is where someone saw us and told the bad guys.
We had finished breakfast and had a leisurely walk with some window shopping and finally down the main street towards Tomes & Scrolls.
"After Flourish & Blott's in Diagon Alley we thought we would pop over to muggle London to the Westminster library." Hermione added.
"So after this morning of educational pursuits might I ask what you are planning for a late afternoon for my enjoyment?" I hoped that since the library was at the cross roads of Covent Garden, Chinatown and Trafalgar Square that I could get a bite of Chinese take-out for a late lunch while they figured was where we were going for the rest of the day. That discussion was tabled as returned to Hogsmeade and entered another book store. The girls took off in hot pursuit of reading materials buried in the shelves. I wandered around the shop extremely bored. Looking out the window for something besides books I saw a number of Deatheaters on the street and they had eyes for this book shop.
I quickly found an unoccupied aisle and 'faded' to the alley between Gladrags and Scrivenshaft's. I tended to give people great shock in appearing suddenly or disappearing into thin air, besides it was a secret I wanted to keep.
I peered around the corner and saw a good number of Deatheaters covering the front of the store awaiting orders with Voldemort behind them. I had an idea that might work. Since my 'fading' was silent I 'faded' behind Voldemort. I then tugged on his cloak, "I say mister could you and your ruffians get out of the way your blocking my entry to that building." I was already 'fading' away after I tugged on his cloak. Voldemort tried to jump out of his snake-skin, cried "Aaacck" and quickly turned and cast the killing curse or two. While he saw who I was he also saw his curse pass through me. He was fast and activated his port-key and disappeared.
His yelp or Aaacck got a couple of Deatheater to see Voldemort disappear. Since his orders were wait for my command they were still there when the Aurors arrived to check out who did the killing curse. I joined the girls inside the shop to watch the action on the street.
/Scene Break/
The indoor pool at Dun-Potter had windows all around so the nasty Scottish weather stayed out while the sun came in to warm. I spent some time reading but mostly watching two girls in bikini reading or splashing in the pool. Dobby had most of the castle finished and had obtained two additional elves for me; the castle was even too much for him to do alone. Of course I had my suspicions as the two new elves were female.
Soon Break was over and we met on the platform and secured a compartment. The Potter trio was chatting away as the train departed the station. The fun started early with Ron doing his impression of being my best mate and bringing his younger sister Ginny to sit in the trio's compartment who offered me some Gillywater.