Chapter 70 – The Battle for Body and Soul

Harry fell out of the space between himself and Hermione and realized he had come to her library; the place where she stored her knowledge of everything and everybody. But Harry didn't have time to look around. Hermione was being choked and manhandled by some man bigger and stronger than she was.

Harry ran, tackled the mugger and rolled him on the ground. Hermione lay gasping for breath as a few feet away from where Harry and the stranger had stopped. Harry stood up and tried to get back to Hermione but stopped in shock as he recognized the person that had attacked her.

It was Tom Riddle. Again! Harry tried figuring out how he had managed to just defeat the diary memory a few seconds ago and yet the same person was in front of him.

But Harry realized quickly it wasn't the same quite the same person. Oh, it was Riddle all right but his version of Tom Riddle was older, leaner, meaner looking - really meaner looking. Harry saw that his face was drawn into a long perpetual sneer and his eyes were red instead of the brown he had just seen. There was a vague feeling of a reptile in his look. He was dressed all in black and looked shocked that somebody had dared touch him.

"What is this place?" Tom said as he slowly regained his own feet. He looked around as if he was just gaining awareness of where he was.

"Someplace you shouldn't be Tom" Harry said wearily. He had walked backwards until he was next to Hermione. He knelt down to check on her but never let his attention wander from whatever this representation before him was.

Tom took a menacing step forward. "How dare you address me like that? You will bow down and pay proper respect to Lord Voldemort or you will die!"

'Here we go again' Harry thought.

"Vol…Voldemort?" came anxiously from Hermione as she got to one knee. Harry glanced down to her and saw that she was rubbing her throat but seemed to be okay.

"Just another version Hermione. There seems to be an awful lot of them for someone that hasn't actually been seen in over ten years."

"What do you mean 10 years? You children - explain yourselves now!"

"I don't think so."

Hermione regained her feet and stood next to Harry. "What is he doing here? This is my place" she whispered.

Harry turned sideways to talk to her but his eyes never left Tom or Voldemort or whatever he fancied himself to be here. "Long story but Ginny was taken over by the spirit of Voldemort, Tom Riddle, in a diary." Harry bent and whispered in her ear. "Shorter story I don't know the answer to – I think he came out of me!"

"You have my diary? Where is it?" Voldemort overheard part of their conversation and came closer, yelling as he approached. "That is my property; give it back!" He was reaching into his cloak and checking his pockets, looking for all the world as if he wanted to pull out a wand and curse the pair of them.

Harry turned back to Tom. He wasn't going to cower in front of somebody that had to make a name up to scare people. He pulled Hermione around so that he stood between her and the invader. "Sorry Tom; there was a little accident with a basilisk fang. Your diary 's been destroyed and the memory of your younger self with it."

Voldemort reacted with rage. He gave up looking for his wand and just reached out his hand. "Crucio!" Harry dived out of the way as the Unforgiveable Curse left the wizards hand. Hermione dropped down behind him and the yellow bolt of light just flew harmlessly over their heads.

Two immediate things happened at that point. The grownup Tom Riddle sank to his knees and Hermione groaned beside him. Harry turned to look at her and saw that she looked hurt. 'Are you ok Hermione? Hit yourself when you fell?'

"No. When Vol… he took that shot it made me feel like someone stabbed me."

Harry turned back to look at Voldemort who was regaining his feet with a bit of confidence. "What did you do to her?"

Voldemort raised his head and Harry saw a wicked sneer start to appear on his face. "There is a source of power here. In this place. Could it be that girl behind you?"

Harry realized with horror that Voldemort was feeding off of Hermione like he had used Ginny and the others to gain strength. He was nothing more than a parasite – a type of magical leech. No wonder everyone thought he was so powerful; he used the magic of everyone around him. At least in the latest two versions of him. 'How many copies of this creep are there?'

"Crucio!"

Harry didn't react fast enough to move Hermione away from the curse that was aimed at her. He reacted to protect her; he dove and took the spell himself! Even if Hermione hurt it would spare her the curse.

Harry felt on fire; the pain was unlike anything that he had experienced before. Every nerve and muscle in his body felt like it had been struck by lightning. Harry flopped on the ground as Hermione whimpered beside him. The wizard in black walked closer to look at the two juveniles that were laid out on the floor. Harry felt something touch his mind; it was evil and slimy and tried to break through his defenses. Harry fought back with his mental shields but not before Voldemort caught one kernel of information.

"Harry Potter? How is it that you are here and this old? The last I saw of you was after I killed your father and your mud-blood mother. You were crying in your crib and I was just about to destroy you!"

Harry heaved himself to his hands and knees. "Sorry to disappoint you, Tom, but you failed. I lived despite your best efforts. In fact you were the one defeated."

"Nobody can defeat the greatest sorcerer in the world. You are lying. Crucio!"

Harry rolled out of the way as the Unforgiveable just missed him. 'Doesn't he have any other thoughts in that head of his?' he thought. Harry stared at the self-proclaimed heir and got to his feet again. He hoped he could keep Riddle talking until Hermione regained her strength. Harry hoped they could call on their bond magic to get rid of this Riddle when she felt better.

"Missed me again Tom. A little rusty after being out of action for 12 years?"

"How dare you call me that? My name is feared throughout the magical world."

Harry stood up and inched away away from Hermione as Riddle sputtered in anger. "No. Your real name is Tom Marvolo Riddle. An orphan whose muggle father abandoned your mother because he found out she was a witch? I know you Tom Riddle. A made up name doesn't impress me much - Lord Voldemort. How could you ever think you are the true heir of Salazar Slytherin? You're no better than me – a half blood with no parents."

Riddle stared incredulously as if the facts about him were privileged information that no one was supposed to have. Harry thought it ironic that Riddle had been the very one to tell him everything.

Harry saw that Hermione was shakily getting to her feet. She was staring at Riddle, Voldemort. She had been hearing what Harry had been saying with disbelief. Harry suddenly remembered that she had been unconscious when he arrived in the Chamber of Secrets and hadn't heard the younger Riddle rant on there.

Harry waited until he felt Hermione erect her own mental defenses before he spoke again. "Hermione, take a good look at the 'Dark Lord'. He's lost 12 years of his existence and he's frustrated that he has no memory of the lost time. His younger self was hidden in the diary and had been forcing Ginny to open the chamber and direct the Basilisk. The diary is destroyed and so is the basilisk. The guardian, the monster is dead."

"NO, I cannot be defeated!" Voldemort was staring at Harry in outright rage. "I am the most powerful wizard in the world."

"You're not in the world now." Hermione's voice was loud enough to take Voldemort's gaze away from Harry. "You're another memory. Take a look around. We're in my mind; this isn't a real library." Harry heard a lot of bravado from his girlfriend and hoped Tom wouldn't turn his spells on her. "You've been defeated. At least three times now since Harry doesn't lie to me. According to all magical laws, that many defeats means that you've lost your title to your conqueror."

"You lie. I cannot have been defeated; I am immortal. It makes no matter what your falsehoods may be. I shall kill Harry Potter here and now and make short work of you witch. I'll just take over your body and Lord Voldemort will walk again. You have a surprising amount of power for a mudblood. I think I shall kill your parents' first, dear girl. Another orphan at Hogwarts will gain me a lot of sympathy while I consolidate my power."

Harry felt the horror and sheer evilness of Tom Riddle's plan. Before Voldemort spoke another word, two wandless spells were aimed at him.

"Incendio!"

"Obscuro!"

Voldemort's shield stopped Harry's fire spell in time but not the one Hermione had sent. The vision blocking spell temporarily blinded Voldemort and he began shooting spells in every direction. Unfortunately one hit Hermione and threw her backwards screaming.

Harry was incensed that Hermione had been badly hurt. He fired spells rapidly at Voldemort but the evil ones' shield held. Voldemort just laughed and started walking toward Harry. Harry glanced over his shoulder to see how Hermione was doing and was distracted enough for another Crucio to slip by his shield and hit him in the shoulder!

Harry fell to the ground in pain. Voldemort walked up so he could stare down at the boy. "You have fought valiantly but you knew you were going to be defeated. Maybe I'll just take over your body Harry Potter and say that this girl was killed accidentally. Think they'll believe Harry Potter's word?"

Harry struggled to get off his back and rolled over. "It doesn't matter Tom. Despite the prophecy you wanted to kill me for; you've been defeated and will be again. Dumbledore will see through you again no matter if you take my body or Hermione's."

"Such brave words for someone about to die. Say goodbye to your mudblood girlfriend Harry Potter. Your existence is finished." Voldemort walked five paces away and then swung around to face Harry.

Harry stood up a little groggily and wondered if his reflective shield might save him. He prepared to do what he could to save Hermione. Voldemort smiled and prepared to cast the last spell at Harry.

"Keep your vile, disgusting paws…"

"…off my fiancées!"

Harry cranked his head around just as fast as Voldemort did. It was the Weasley twins' cadence in speaking their combined thoughts but they could not possibly be here. What Harry saw was also impossible but it was happening. Ginny Weasley … and Ginny Weasley! Coming from opposite directions but unmistakably Ginny. Both were glowing from some source that only grew brighter the closer they got to each other. Voldemort stared at the sight of the twin girls but made no move to defend or attack them (her?) while they reached out for each other's hands. The glow became almost blinding when they touched and Harry felt the bond magic suddenly rise to full power between the three (four?) of them. Before anything else happen there was another bright flash of light and Ginny's voice(s?) cried out:

'Protego Adamantinus!'

Cries of amazement came from three voices but only two were heard. Tom Marvolo Riddle, Lord Voldemort, was encased in a crystal-clear shield that did not transmit any sound. Riddle tried casting a couple of spells that either ricocheted back at him or disappeared before he appeared to weaken again. Tom was caught in the same spell Harry had used to rescue Hermione, Ginny and Dumbledore back in the Storm room at Hogwarts!

Harry and Hermione stared as the source of the blinding light that faded out to the single form of Ginny Weasley. She was on her knees and holding out her hands to keep the spell going. Harry and Hermione rushed to her side and grabbed her; the bond magic swept them up together and Voldemort fell to his knees in his jail cell. Harry picked up the spell and kept his focus on maintaining the unbreakable magic shield. The one that cut off the person inside from any type of magic.

"How di.." Hermione started asking but Ginny lifted up her voice to be heard. "Shrinking spell Hermione – we've got to get rid of that bastard!"

Harry understood immediately what Ginny wanted. He sent a mental thought to both girls and watched as they caught part of the bond magic between them and directed it at the shield that he was maintaining.

Tom Riddle's anger turned to panic as the shield around him started to shrink. It continued to get smaller, trapping and compressing everything inside it until the clear shield suddenly turned red. Hermione turned her head away but Harry and Ginny had personal reasons for watching the end of the one Tom Riddle. It shrank down to the size of Hagrid's hand before Harry and Ginny looked to each other again. With a quick thought, another spell was quickly cast.

With the cry of "Evanesco", the shield and the remains of Tom Marvolo Riddle vanished from the mind of Hermione Granger. Harry, Hermione and Ginny stared at the place where the evil wizard had been but turned to each other with glad cries and hugs. They eventually sank to their knees together and tears of happiness and relief lit up all three faces.

When Harry got his wits back about him he kissed Ginny soundly on the lips and then turned her toward Hermione. The smiles that lit up Ginny and Hermione's faces as they hugged and kissed unashamedly was something Harry would remember to his dying day.

"Ginny, you have to explain. Why were there two of you here?" Harry had a girl under each arm and just couldn't stop smiling.

The smile drooped a little on Ginny's face as she started explaining. "When I got hit that day in Lockhart's class, Tom rushed in on me and set himself up. But he was overconfident and overlooked a few things because I was so young. Do you remember that Hermione had told me how she had organized her memories? Well, I had been practicing that every day since she taught me that trick. I had all my memories in books too; but I separated mine a little differently. I had my course books of course but I had set up my memories of both of you in a book by itself. Everything that had happened to you and us and Hermione since you came to the Burrow. Almost another whole Ginny with all the changes we went through."

Hermione nodded as if she was following everything Ginny was saying. Harry was still waiting for why Ginny had forgotten about them but then he caught on. "You hid those memories? From HIM?"

"Yes and no, Harry. I could guess right off he wanted to hurt you but I couldn't let him get near you or let him know what I knew about you." Ginny turned to Hermione and blushed. "I didn't have a lot of options Hermione and I did something desperate that I hope you'll forgive me for."

Now it was Hermione's turn to look confused. "What did you do?"

Ginny looked down at the ground and seemed a little embarrassed at her actions. "I relabeled those memories and placed them into your library to hide them. You were distracted by my accident and just didn't notice. I basically went back to just knowing what was written in the diary about you and what I knew before Harry came to the Burrow."

Hermione seemed shocked. "So the 'you' that woke up in the infirmary really didn't know us at all. How come I didn't notice another book in here?" Hermione gave a general wave in the direction of her knowledge library and Ginny smiled and laughed just a little.

"You know that miscellaneous section you mean to keep filling in with stuff you haven't learned yet? Stuff like 'How to Knit?' and 'Things My Mother Will Tell Me before I Go on My Honeymoon'? Hermione blushed and covered Ginny's mouth with a hand to keep her from saying anything more embarrassing.

"I will admit there's a lot of subjects I'm interested in but haven't investigated yet. Yes, I've got some blank books with titles in my mental library."

"Well for the last couple of months there's been a new book there that was labeled 'Possible Names for Grandchildren'. You never noticed it amidst all the others."

Hermione smiled. "I guess the three of us might talk about those grandkid names someday."

But Harry had another question. "What about the bond magic? And all that other stuff?"

Ginny smiled as if she was proud of herself. "I kept some daydreams with me. That was my 'fantasy' life with you, the Boy-Who-Lived. Tom didn't think that any feelings or thoughts about you were real; just my imagination working on a dream life with Harry Potter was all he thought. I'm only a 'silly little girl' after all."

Ginny stopped and thought for a bit. "Could someone explain to me how that 'person' ended up here in Hermione's mind? I saw Harry's scar burst out there in the real world and then Tom was here. What and why did that happen?"

The three friends all stopped and thought about the problem. Harry was the first to venture a guess. "I got poisoned by the basilisk venom before I stabbed the diary. Maybe that made my scar erupt and drive the older Tom out of my head somehow. There were also some phoenix tears involved. Maybe the combination?"

"But that would mean that memory or version of Tom was or had been in your head all along." Hermione shook her head. "That just doesn't make sense."

Harry shook his head in annoyance. "Yes, I know. It didn't make sense at first that Ginny could tell you were in trouble when Tom, Voldiesnorts jumped her but I figured it out. You and Ginny had the bond first so when the diary was destroyed, so was her need to have the 'make believe' bond and she could sense you immediately. Even through the stunner she gave you Hermione. And I was dealing with the basilisk venom that was still going through my real body. I almost blacked out when the scar erupted; it was a good thing Ginny pulled me up and healed me enough to come to you mentally even though that delayed her even more from joining in the fight."

Ginny giggled. "Voldiesnorts; I like that Harry. But maybe now your scar won't hurt anymore."

Harry reached up and touched the tender scar that was still on his forehead in this place. "This whole experience is way too much over my head. Hopefully Dumbledore can explain it to us. But the important thing is that Ginny really saved both our lives so we both owe her a life debt Hermione. Kind of squares things up; not that I'm keeping score or anything."

Ginny blushed at the praise from Harry but she looked up at his next words.

"But Ginny, you should have told us immediately."

"I couldn't, I wouldn't. I had to protect you. It wasn't until later that I realized how much he had taken me over and then he wouldn't let me talk to either of you. Even in pretend friendship.; he just wanted to watch you. He was in my mind for so long! I fought against him every day. I tried telling you yesterday but we were interrupted and he took me over again. I'm so sorry Harry, Hermione! I made a mess of everything. But I managed to get myself to you after Harry killed the other Tom. I saw him about to k… kill you and lost my temper. It somehow summoned my other self back from that spare book of memories. That's the only explanation I have for there being two of us. You saw what happened. "

Harry smiled and quoted something that Ginny told him a long, long time ago. "Just reinforces the fact. Never, ever mess with the Weasley women!" He and Ginny just giggled.

Hermione was about to say some words to Ginny but Harry had noticed something and gripped the two girls tighter. There was a small wind circling the three of them and sparkles of magic were appearing and getting stronger. "I think we need to get back to our own bodies Ginny; there's something happening here that I don't understand."

Hermione gave Harry and Ginny another hug and said she would see them in the real world. Harry reminded her that they were still in the Chamber of Secrets and not to be scared about what she saw. Hermione watched as her bond mates disappear in the small swirl of magic.

Xxxx xxxx

Harry woke up in a very unfamiliar position. He was smack dab in the middle of a girlfriend sandwich. He had fallen with one arm across Hermione's shoulders and didn't even have to look to know that Ginny was draped across his back. He just knew it.

He was looking right down at her when Hermione opened up her eyes and smiled up at him. "I was scared that I might have lost you Nonnie." He bent down and gave Hermione a gentle kiss on the lips. She nodded but then looked up past his shoulder. "We've told you once and we've told you twice Jamie…"

The gentle voice in his ear joined in with Hermione's "…you are not getting rid of your fiancées that easily." Both girls started laughing in earnest and then Harry joined in at the happiness that they were all sharing. Ginny got off Harry's back and gave him a hand to stand up. They both pulled Hermione off the floor and just joined together in a real three-way hug. That lasted a long time as the three mentally contacted each other again.

Hermione opened her eyes and suddenly noticed the corpse of the immense snake. She gasped in shock and stood back from the other two. "That's the basilisk? Harry, how could you kill that? It was immense."

Harry smiled and held out his hand for Hermione. "I had a bit of help. Before, during, and after. Fawkes?"

A familiar song echoed around the chamber and the scarlet and gold phoenix flew around the threesome before landing on Harry's shoulder again. Both the girls reached up to touch and pet the preening bird as Harry explained his battle with both Riddle and the monster. Ginny had seen the basilisk after she had been revived but hadn't known how close Harry had come to losing his life.

"Thank you Fawkes for saving Harry. And us." Ginny was listening to the small sounds that were coming from the phoenix but Hermione noticed something as Harry reached up to stroke the feathers on Fawkes chest.

"Harry! Your hand – the index finger." Harry held out his hand and a new ring finished appearing on the first digit of his right hand. It was oval and had a green stone embedded with silver that soon resolved itself into an emblem that all three Gryffindors were familiar with.

Harry stared and tried to make sense of what he was seeing. Ginny's eyes were wide open in amazement but Hermione seemed to know what had happened and leaned in to kiss Harry on the cheek. "Congratulations, Lord Slytherin! I was right - by defeating Riddle or Vol…Voldemort three, no four times now, you have won the title that he had."

Harry stared at the ring. This was something he hadn't even imagined; couldn't even contemplate what this meant for him. "I have to be nice to Snape now? Or is it the other way around?"

Ginny and Hermione laughed and hugged Harry again. Harry felt a breeze when they embraced this time. Fawkes launched himself off Harry's shoulder and flew to the nearest column to watch the three carefully.

The little breeze picked up again and the sparkles of magic that had appeared while they were in Hermione's mind started appearing again. First in white, but then blossoming more and more into every color of the rainbow, the magic swirled around the three in brighter and faster patterns. Harry held out his hand and watch as a few of the sparkles seemed to flow right through it. Harry felt something but could not really say if it was something that affected him physically, mentally, magically or some combination of all.

The speed and density of the magic sparkles increased over the next few seconds and Harry pulled the girls closer to him. They eventually had to kneel down and huddle as the wind and light became too much to stand up against. Harry tried watching the magic as it increased in speed and brightness until he finally had to close his eyes. He could feel the magic going through him and going through the girls he was trying to protect.

The magical storm finally overwhelmed the three and they slumped to the floor. Had Fawkes been able to talk he would have told anybody that asked that he had seen the magic turn into a whirling, multi-colored cloud of light that enveloped and then sank into the three forms that lay twenty feet from the basilisk that used to guard the Chamber of Secrets.

Xxxx xxxx

A variety of thoughts and feelings were rushing around. Too many to separate and identify but one piece caught hold finally and it was identified and known. And then the next was experienced. But it was replaced rapidly. And again. And again…

The smell of Mum's fresh bread floating up the stairs…. Vernon purple with anger and reaching for his belt… "You will bow down and pay proper respect to Lord Voldemort or you will die!"… "Don't pay attention to them Hermione"…Being thrown up in the air by biggest brother Billy…. "You're a wizard Harry!"…" Teacher's Pet! Teacher's pet!"… Dad's face….My name is Albus Dumbledore Tom and I've come to offer you a chance to go to a special school… Mom's face (WHAT?) ….. Standing on a chair to fix breakfast for Aunt Petunia, Uncle Vernon, and Dudley… Charlie taking me for a ride on his broom …Hagrid… 'Harry Potter. Here?'... a nude beach in the south of France (Whoa!)… "Gryffindor!" said the hat … Dumbledore smiling...'Why can't anybody love me?'…"Three girls just jumped me as Malfoy egged them on"….McGonagall frowning when Harry said he didn't have any clothes… 'Crucio!'…'I'm turning blue. And I'm very cold. Help. Harry?'… Harry grimaced but picked up the staff and held it out to the professor. "I'm not sure this is a good idea, sir."… Ginny said the words "I do" and kissed her Harry Potter doll…. 'pain, darkness. I must be back in my closet under the stairs.' …."Avada Kedavra!"…Grandma Granger's funeral… "Ron!"… "I don't care if it raining. I told you to wash the car boy."… "I think it's a shame that people can't just choose who they are supposed to spend their life with."…Treacle tarts…Pumpkin juice? ... "You're too young to fly a broom Gin-gin"…"That's Harry Potter" he heard them whisper.….. Harry's chest was glued to her back and was very warm and snuggly but Harry's 'wand' was starting to poke one of her cheeks! (Woohoo!)… "Harry Potter, the witch that you just rescued, along with me, is named Hermione Granger."… "I can't take you Harry because I'm a werewolf." …"Our dear sister, Ginny" said the twins in unison. .. "It's ok, Harry. I will kill you later. Dumbledore has explained why you left The Burrow…. Unfortunately as the three of them stepped up to get in the vehicle, Hermione's bra went off!...The new bathing suits Hermione and Ginny had.(WOW!)…. Dudley looking up and trying to figure out how the freak had made it up to the school roof so fast…. "Kill them all!"… "Ginny, Hermione please wake up."… "He's getting 'the talk' from my father along with Ron as we speak." … "Thanks for the help; you must be George and Fred. Or Fred and George. You're mum's told me a lot about you both – I'm Harry Potter."…

The images, sounds, memories and experiences flew across and through the three of them without any ability to think of where they came from or who they belonged to. There was no sense of time as Harry, Hermione and Ginny shared everything of themselves with each other.

Harry finally 'found' himself and centered his mind and tried sorting out what was happening. Suddenly he knew - he knew everything. Hermione's doll names when she was three, what kind of dress Ginny wanted to be married in, everything of and about his female mates. That had completed the bond like Dumbledore had told they might a long time ago.

Harry tried setting up some of his mental shields. He started concentrating on the information, the emotions, and the basic things that were his alone. The overflow from Ginny and Hermione slowed - not stopped but it was pushed to the back of his mind. Harry didn't know what kind of shape they were in but he tried sending out a calming and secure feeling though their connection with each other.

'Ginny? Hermione?'

'Here, somewhere.'

'Ginny!'

'Don't yell Harry. I'm slightly overloaded. What's happened to us?'

'I think we finished bonding with each other. That your take on it Hermione?'

'I think so.. otherwise I wouldn't have all of your memories Ginny and Harry.'

'This is confusing.'

'I found some relief by putting up my mental shields and concentrating on MY memories.'

'We'll try that boyfriend.'

Harry smiled as the last comment came back to him in stereo. He thought. 'This was going to be very weird for a while.' He was still feeling every emotion the two girls were having and he was pretty sure they were still feeling his. 'I hope Dumbledore can help us sort through this.'

Feeling a little more mental space, Harry tried checking his physical body. The magical storm seemed to have taken his fatigue and the rest of the basilisk poison away. Harry cautiously opened his eyes and immediately blushed. He hadn't noticed in all the confusion where his hands actually were.

When they had all collapsed he and the girls had clung to each other for comfort and support. Harry's left hand was presently comforting a spot about six inches above Ginny's left knee and his right hand was supporting one of Hermione's boobs. This wasn't what he wanted them to wake up to. Harry started sliding his hand down and away from Ginny's leg but he received a sharp rebuke.

'Hey, I was enjoying that!'

'Ginny! It wasn't intentional – I'm sorry for…'

'Don't be. You owe me a snog or two anyway.' The fierce longing that came from Ginny made Harry blush all over again.

Harry heard another chuckle. 'He's very good at a number of things, Gin. I'll share with you later.'

'Nonnie, please?'

Harry rolled over and away but suddenly erupted in pain again. All over! To make matters worse Ginny and Hermione were in agony too. Harry's arms flailed out and he reached one girl and then the other. The pain faded away.

All three opened their eyes and stared at each other. 'Uh-oh! Let's try that again.' Harry slowly released Hermione's hand and the pain came back but it was worse for Hermione. Ginny had let go of her also so she had no contact with either of them!

Harry and Ginny reached quickly and made contact with Hermione again. The pain flowed away. "You've got to be kidding me. We're stuck together? No, I didn't mean it like that."

Ginny got the giggles and tried getting a whole sentence out. "Anybody want.. or fancy a… bath? We'll have to wash each other's backs though." Hermione laughed and eventually an embarrassed Harry joined in. "So how do we work this out Harry?"

"This should fade away after a bit; at least the need to keep physically touching. Dumbledore and I researched this. But you two already know that. We need to talk about how all this happened and what it means now. Merlin, we need to go someplace quiet by ourselves for a while and figure this out. I can't see us facing Mrs. Weasley like this."

"Mum will have a heart attack. It couldn't get any more improper."

"Hermione could you…"

Some parchment and a self-inking quill appeared in front of Harry. Harry thought he might get used to having his questions answered before he finished thinking of them. But as he reached for the quill, he stopped suddenly. His face went white for a second but then he smiled shyly. "Can I see your left hands ladies?"

Harry laid his left hand out and the girls made sure they were all touching each other before they stuck their hands out also. There were two gasps and then Hermione smiled and nodded her head. Ginny leaned in to give Harry a soft but long kiss to his temple. The promise rings that Harry had worn and given to Ginny and Hermione were gone. Well, not exactly. The rings had moved from their pinkie fingers to one digit over and had been transformed into simple gold bands. A teary-eyed Harry promised to replace the new rings with a proper substitute whenever they wanted it. Three very nervous hearts started beating again in unison at that moment.

With a little bit of maneuvering on the girls' part, Harry was able to write a letter explaining most of everything to Dumbledore and letting Hermione's and Ginny's parents know that everyone was going to be fine. He also left a message for anyone else that might find their way down to the Chamber of Secrets before Dumbledore. Ginny and Hermione were very helpful in the exact phrasing of the letter and Harry and the others had to laugh as they imagined how Minister Fudge was going to react.

Ginny was the one to suggest the manner and placement of the letter so that no one would miss seeing it and Harry quickly agreed. The three took care of that chore and then the two girls waited for Harry to tell them where they were going.

"We're all getting in trouble for this, you know. We can stay here and face them now if you'd like."

'We go with you Harry from now on and we need to have time to ourselves for a bit to settle down from all the changes. We will face them together when we come back.'

Harry nodded at his bond mates and reached into his pocket again for two objects. Portkeys that he had held onto from the Potter family vault. He was not surprised when the two girls both pointed to one of the choices. Harry pulled both girls into a big hug and then clasped their hands firmly. He squeezed the bit of polished stone and yelled out "Griffin's Lair". There was a gold flash and then the chamber was almost empty again.

Fawkes stretched his wings and then launched himself off the pillar he had witnessed everything from. The phoenix sang as it circled the Chamber of Secrets and then it was gone in a flash of flames. He would return in a little while with Albus Dumbledore who would bear witness to an almost unbelievable occurrence.

(( Like it? Hate it? Bet most of you thought they would be going to Potter Manor. Sorry! The next chapter is the very last part of this story. There's some explanations I still owe you. Hope I remember them all. CC ))