"All bow down, it's Saint Potter who can do no wrong!"
Despite the words he spoke, Harry knew that Draco Malfoy didn't believe that, as evidenced by his tone. Up until that point, he'd been enjoying his breakfast in peace, but expected Malfoy to insult him at some point, given everything he'd experienced.
"Still jealous then, Malfoy?" Harry asked. "Want to be temporarily blind? See what it's like?"
"Like you'd even try that." Malfoy snapped bitterly as he passed him, slamming his elbow into the back of his head. "Oh, sorry, didn't see you there!" Malfoy roared with laughter along with his friends, but as Tracey passed, Harry felt her fingers lightly brush his hair where he'd been hit, perhaps in a discrete motion and show of support. Harry smiled a little.
"Yep, that's Malfoy all right." He said to himself. "Still jealous."
Harry continued to eat what was, as usual, a delicious meal. He found himself looking forward to the week he'd have off, finding himself thinking of the first years. They'd have more time to get acquainted with the school and its grounds. He smiled to himself, then turned his head as he heard Ron ask, "What are you smiling about, Harry?"
"I was thinking about the first years." Harry replied. "They'll have a lot of time to learn the castle since we'll have a week off. I'm looking forward to a bit of a stroll myself. How about you, Ron? What do you think you'll be doing?"
"I dunno." Ron responded.
Harry felt Hermione's entry into the room before he became aware of her presence in any other way, as the time turner around her neck was a rather distinct form of magic. That brought his mind back to his own limited experience with time travel, and some curiosity about how the time turner worked, as he hadn't gotten into that with Professor McGonagall or Hermione. Flapping overhead signified the sound of arriving owls as he heard Hermione climb on to the bench next to him.
"Hi, Harry, Ron." She greeted cheerfully.
"Hey, Hermione." Ron responded. Harry simply nodded, as his mouth was full of some toast.
Within a few moments, he heard a clattering in front of him and Hermione said, "You got an owl, Harry."
Harry swallowed as he reached out, untying a letter from the owls leg, which then flew off. Carefully, he opened the letter and felt smooth parchment. With a thought, the letter was transcribed to braille by Magic, and he read.
"Who's it from?" Ron asked.
"It's from Tracey." Harry responded. "She wants to meet up with us, and Daphne, too. She says at around ten, to meet her in the unused classroom on the sixth floor, across from the portrait of the ballet."
"I wonder why." Ron said. "She was nice on the train, but can't be too careful with her."
"I don't think she's going to be rude or mean." Harry said. "Besides, she took a lot of punishment last year for reporting people who caused her harm, and me, too. I don't think she's scared of bullies."
"Yeah. Well, we'll just see." Ron said.
"Yeah, I suppose so." Harry responded. "Anyway, I'm done eating, going for a bit of a walk. Anyone want to join me?"
"I just got here, mate, so did Hermione!" Ron replied.
"I'll join you." Magic stated.
"Why, thank you!" Harry said, and after climbing from the bench, Felt Magic briefly touch his shoulder.
"You wish it." Magic stated.
"And here, all this time, I thought you were gaining more autonomy." Harry said.
"Autonomy?" Ron asked, confused. "What's that?"
"Go find a dictionary and look it up, Ron, it's good for you." Harry responded with a grin. "Have fun!"
"Come on, Harry!" Ron called after him as he headed for the doors to the Great Hall, chuckling to himself.
"Good morning, Harry." Daphne said as she passed him.
"Hi." Harry said.
He could hear several giggling girls as he passed through the entrance hall, and some tried to follow him. Magic pulled him to a stop and Harry heard her step behind him.
"I've shielded Harry from you physically passing this point until we are out of visual range." Magic stated, her voice loud enough to carry. "Don't attempt to follow us." She then stepped to his side, and grinning, Harry continued walking toward the stairs.
"Thanks." He said.
"I do as you wish." Magic replied.
"I know, but thanks anyway." Harry responded, putting his left arm around her. She put her right around him, and behind them, he could hear the sound of girls letting out sounds of admiration and talking about young love.
Though Magic was physically attractive, he didn't think he was attracted to her, though he realized he'd never actually given that much thought. She did what he wanted, was there for him when he needed or wanted her, and was the closest person that there ever would be to him, as she understood everything about him more than anyone else was likely to. Tracey, on the other hand, was a different matter. His mind wandered to the feel of her fingers lightly brushing his hair, and he found himself imagining what the feel of her hands would be like on his face, the sound of her voice as she would whisper in his ear. He shivered a little and felt a shifting in his pants, swallowing.
"You're starting to become aroused." Magic stated quietly. Harry blushed.
"Don't say that!" He quietly and frantically said. "What if someone overheard that?"
"No one was close enough to overhear that." Magic responded.
"Good." Harry sighed, feeling that he'd calmed down from his thoughts.
"You don't experiment with me much anymore." Magic said.
"No, I don't. I don't want to try anything too advanced or dangerous." Harry responded.
"You enjoyed experimenting, determining limits." Magic said. "You stopped when we went to Hogwarts."
"You almost sound like you enjoyed it, too." Harry said. "Why didn't you ever tell me?"
"Awareness is gained, knowledge is learned, perceived limits are expanded. That's all I'm aware of." Magic responded. "I don't feel."
"I don't know, Magic, there was yesterday's..." Harry stopped, shivering a little. Magic put her right arm around him again and took hold of his shoulder, rubbing it a little. Harry sighed, comforted by the physical contact from her as he'd always been. "I just don't want to experiment with things that might bind my magic, or do something else I don't know."
"You know what binding magic feels like. You won't have your magic bound." Magic stated.
"All right." Harry said. "Since you want to experiment, okay. But only if something doesn't feel dangerous or threatening."
"I do as you wish, and you wish to experiment further." Magic stated.
"No, I really want to stop experimenting." Harry said.
"I feel what you're not aware of within your mind." Magic responded. "You are still curious, still wish to expand your knowledge." Harry thought about what she'd said, and could feel that there was a brief part of him that wanted to experiment with magic, to see what different things were all about.
As he continued to walk and headed toward the third floor, he felt a rather odd type of magic from within a room, almost like something that hadn't quite taken a form. Curiously, he headed toward the room, and after checking to see if the door was unlocked, stepped inside. The room smelled of dust, and when he touched the desk the shifting magic was within, he felt its dusty surface. He heard a rattling from one of the drawers, and after touching the shifting magic again and getting a feel for it, he said, "Here's experiment number one, then, Magic. Get ready to protect me. Let's see what this is."
Magic remained next to him as Harry pulled open a drawer. The shifting magic settled on a very familiar form, something he'd hoped never to encounter again, but there was something quite different about it, something that he didn't recall before. As he dispelled the effects of the Dementor in front of him calmly, he could feel it shifting, adapting, bypassing his defenses, and bringing from deep within him, the feel that he'd never again have any feeling of magic, the loss and grief he'd had when he realized he'd lost his magic, and Magic, forever. The cold poured through his bones and through his mind, and he struggled to think of anything to do, any magic to perform. The feeling of loss deepened, however, and the cold only grew greater. A pair of rotting, decayed hands grabbed hold of his face as his only thoughts were sheer grief, and he realized he couldn't even feel his magic any longer, couldn't muster enough strength to defeat it, whatever this was. It was hopeless, and all he had was his fear, his terror at the thing that had slipped past everything he'd had.
Harry felt something push him, grab him, stand in front of him, but the fear still remained. Hot, strong hands gripped his face and he felt something slapping him, felt something shaking him fiercely. A voice was speaking, but he couldn't make it out through the terror that poured through his entire being. He couldn't even think of what to do, but when he heard a loud, long shriek in front of him, his mind cleared for an instant, the instant he needed. He could still feel his magic, and the illusion of the Dementor in front of him was nothing more than the shifting magic that had settled on a form that would terrify him, to gain its own joy and pleasure. Now that he knew what it was, he felt nothing but anger, and with a thought, forced the shifting being to change form again, to become a copy of him even as he heard running footsteps. The cold faded as did his fear, and he stepped forward as Magic moved out of his way, grasping his own shoulders.
"You!" He shouted. "Just what did you think you were doing! You take joy from my fear, is that it? Now how do you like it, being forced into another form!"
Harry heard the footsteps stop and knew someone else was behind him, but hadn't said anything.
"You don't like it, do you?" Harry asked, shaking himself and feeling the shifting magic within trying to change form again. "Okay, try this, and do this."
Harry thought again, felt the shoulders in front of him rise, grow stronger. The being, now a copy of Magic, stepped toward Magic and said in a voice even duller than Magic's own, "I'm Magic that isn't Magic."
"Just what are you, anyway?" Harry asked, calming as Magic put an arm around him. "Got any ideas?"
"A shape shifter. A thing that seeks out fear and becomes that which will frighten." Magic responded. "My scream alerted Professor Lupin, though had the intent of clearing your mind."
"That it did, Magic." Professor Lupin sounded calm, and almost impressed, but also concerned, Harry noted. "The correct term for the being in front of both of you is a Boggart, something I was going to cover for your first class. Are you all right, Harry?"
"Yeah." Harry responded. "Just calming down. This thing's only purpose seems to be to gain joy, pleasure, from people's fear. And strength, too. It's not really intelligent, though. What should I do with it, lock it into some form?"
"No, Harry." Professor Lupin responded. "The Boggart can be defeated by laughter."
"I could just dismantle its magic." Harry said, not feeling guilty for manipulating this being, which seemed to be more like an animal than anything, something that had preyed on his fear.
"Given your impressive displays of magic so far, I think you could do so, also. However, I'd like you to try something a little more traditional. Generally, when one comes upon a Boggart, they force it to take a shape that's humorous." Professor Lupin said.
"Hmm." Harry said, thinking for a moment before forcing the Boggart to shift once again, though allowed it to do most of the shifting.
In front of him stood the Dementor again, but a Dementor that couldn't effect him in the same way. Instead of its rattling breath, he heard it blowing, felt warmth filling the room along with a great happiness, a deep joy. His best memories were coming to the front of his mind, when he'd gained a guardian in Sharen, freed Sirius Black, the feeling he'd had when he realized he'd never again be going to the Dursley's. The knowledge that what was supposed to be a soul sucking fiend was, in fact, making him joyfully happy and giving him more life, made him chuckle a bit, and the joy and happiness it had sent he and Professor Lupin, who could apparently feel it as well, sent them into peals of laughter. In front of him, Harry felt the shifting magic grow weak, unstable, then vanish completely. It took him a few moments to catch his breath, but as he turned around, he heard Professor Lupin clapping.
"Congratulations, Harry, and well done." Professor Lupin said happily.
"Thanks, Professor." Harry replied with a bit of a grin, though still felt unsettled that something like that had been able to effect him so easily.
"We know the magic now." Magic stated next to him, standing on his right. "We can shift it into anything we wish if we encounter this creature again."
"You'll remember, won't you?" Harry asked. "I might not, but because of how deeply it effected me, I probably will."
"I remember everything." Magic responded.
"Of course." Harry said.
"I'm curious, Harry." Professor Lupin stated. "What form did your Boggart take?"
"A Dementor, but worse." Harry responded. "It was a little more intelligent, countered my attempt to dispel its effects." Harry shivered.
"Very wise." Professor Lupin said. "That suggests that what you fear most is fear itself."
"I suppose." Harry replied. "So, covering Boggarts in your Defense Against the Dark Arts class, then, you said?"
"That's correct." Professor Lupin responded. "In fact, I have one locked within a case in my classroom at the moment, waiting to demonstrate it to your first class."
"Oh." Harry said. "Well, guess I've got a bit of a head start. You know, now that I've calmed down, the Boggart really doesn't seem all that frightening. I could actually use one to help me if I wanted to."
"How so?" Professor Lupin asked as Harry heard him step further into the classroom, sitting down in an unused desk. Harry sat on the desk behind him, and Magic moved to stand on his left side.
"Well, it's magic shifts." Harry replied. "And it can become any form that frightens people, or when I was manipulating its magic, it would become any form I wanted it to be. It would do anything I wanted it to do, also. So I could lock its magic from shifting once I gave it a form, then I could command it like I did before without me using my own energy to create more..." Harry trailed off suddenly.
"Yes?" Professor Lupin asked, still sounding intrigued.
"Nothing." Harry replied. "I wanted to keep that secret."
"You have my word that I won't divulge any of your secrets." Professor Lupin said. "Though, if you're still uncomfortable telling me, I understand. We don't know each other well, after all."
"There's something I know about you, though, a secret you keep that Sirius Black told me. So I suppose it's only fair you know something about me. You know that Magic here is my magic. She physically exists as a real human girl, well, her body. Her magic is mine, too. But I can create Magic again if I want, as someone that looks and acts the same, but is initially energy. Magic told me if my other manifestations eat, though, then they'll gain enough energy to transform their energy bodies into real physical ones." Harry said.
"Fascinating." Professor Lupin replied, sounding enthralled. "I suppose it would make sense that you're able to do that, as from what I've heard, the use of magic comes quite naturally to you."
"Yeah." Harry responded. "That's right."
"So." Professor Lupin said. "What secret about me did Sirius Black tell you?"
"That you're a werewolf." Harry said.
He heard Professor Lupin gasp a little, then stammer, "He-he told you that?"
"It was part of the story of why Pettigrew was able to hide as Scabbers. He probably wouldn't have told me, but I asked him if he knew what your restless magic on the full moon was." Harry said.
"You can feel that?" Professor Lupin asked. "I'm usually not aware of the wolf within me, but you knew it was there?"
"Yeah." Harry replied. "It was being held back by another magic, though, and it seemed like it was more restrained than usual. Besides, right now, you're magic's calm and stable like everyone else. The restless magic's still there, but it's not acting up."
"If you can feel that they're separate, distinct..." Professor Lupin paused for a long moment. "Can you heal me?"
Harry felt Professor Lupin's magic deeper, felt how the restless magic and his own were tied together very closely.
"I don't know." Harry said. "I wouldn't want to try, either, with how closely the two are tied in. It's like, whatever's making the restless magic's part of your blood, part of you."
"Yes." Professor Lupin sighed. "A werewolf's affliction is part of their blood after they're infected, and there's not been a cure invented yet. So, in essence, it is a part of me, and I suppose it'll always be."
"If I had more time, maybe I could figure it out." Harry said. "I don't know, thirty minutes, an hour, maybe. I'd try and block the transformation, but I'd really need to see the magic at work without being restrained in any way. And even if I do something now, what I did probably wouldn't work or might cause more problems."
"It would be too dangerous for you to see me transform, especially when I'm not under the influence of Wolfsbane." Professor Lupin said. "I wouldn't be myself. I'd attack you without a second thought."
"I can leave very quickly." Harry replied. "I think, though, that's the only way I'd be able to help you, to see how you're forced to transform, to feel the magic as it does whatever it's going to do. Otherwise, they're too tied in, too close. I can do a lot of magic that people find advanced, but I can't do everything."
"Nor would I expect that you could." Professor Lupin said as he stood. Harry did the same.
"I won't tell anyone." He said. "I'll keep it to myself, don't worry."
"I appreciate that, Harry." Professor Lupin replied as he and Magic started walking toward the door. "Do you need any help to get somewhere?"
"No, not at the moment. Besides, I'm going to meet up with someone in about an hour on the sixth floor, anyway, with my other friends Ron, Daphne and Hermione." Harry said.
"Well, then, I'll leave you to your walk." Professor Lupin responded. "And take twenty points to Gryffindor for your defeat of the Boggart today."
"But..." Harry began.
"I know you don't like receiving points for your feats of magic, but I'd have given the same to anyone else. And, you didn't simply dismantle it as you said you were going to, either. You defeated it in almost the same manner anyone with a wand would have." Professor Lupin stated.
"Well, okay. Thanks, then." Harry said as he stepped from the room.
"You're welcome, Harry." Professor Lupin responded pleasantly.
As they walked down the corridor in the opposite direction from Professor Lupin, Magic said, "Experiment successful."
"I know." Harry responded. "But next time, let's not."
"You expanded both your knowledge and my own experience." Magic stated. "We defeated the shape shifting Boggart, and now can recognize it. No harm came from the experimentation."
"Not this time." Harry said, feeling a bit of anxiety. "But what if next time, it's something more dangerous? What if it binds our magic in some way we don't recognize?"
"A potential solution is to separate part of your magic from yourself and place it within me, so while I share your magic, I have magic that isn't connected to you." Magic stated.
"What?" Harry asked. "Are you serious?"
"Yes." Magic responded.
"Of course you are." Harry said. "You never tell a joke. So, how do I put a part of my own magic inside you, anyway?"
"Tell me." Magic replied.
"No, I'm asking you how I go about that." Harry said.
"Tell me to proceed." Magic stated.
"Okay, then... Go ahead, then." Harry replied.
The feel of his burning flame changed quite suddenly. He felt as if someone had ripped part of himself out of his chest and placed it within another. He stumbled wildly and Magic grabbed him and held him tight, and as she did so, he felt a bit of his own burning flame within her, quite separate from his own and far less powerful, but much more powerful than any other magical user he'd felt before. He gasped, feeling an almost physical agony, an empty hole within him, and somehow, he knew what Magic was going to do before she did it, and knew it would hurt her just like it hurt him.
"No!" He shouted, pushing her back. "Don't! Keep it, don't give it back!"
"You're in pain." Magic stated. "This will ensure you're no longer in pain."
"No, it's going away." Harry replied, taking deep breaths and feeling the rest of his flame filling the empty hole, though his over all level of magic was lower than before. "See?"
"I feel different." Magic stated after a long moment, gently gripping Harry's hand and starting to walk with him again.
"How?" Harry asked. "Like, how did you feel before, and how do you feel now?" His pounding heart was starting to slow, and as he walked, he felt himself calming from what had happened, though decided not to repeat that experiment any time soon.
"Before, I was calm, stable, your magic. Now, I'm calm, stable, your magic, and possess some magic that isn't your magic." Magic responded.
"That's right." Harry said. "Because you took part of my magic and put it in you, so you'd have magic of your own."
"I'm different." Magic said.
"I know, you said that. But how else are you different?" Harry asked.
"I don't know." Magic responded, and Harry thought she sounded almost hesitant.
"You know, when you were about to put the piece of magic back in me, I thought I could feel your thoughts, coldly logical, but focused on getting rid of my pain, not even caring about your pain." Harry said. "What were you thinking, anyway?"
"You were in pain from the separation of your magic, and placing part of it within me, separated from your magic. Placing the piece of your magic in me back in you would have ended your pain, and your pain is something you don't want, easing the pain was what you wanted, and I do as you wish. As it hurt you to take part of your magic, I knew I might experience pain by taking the magic within me and placing it back within you, but I know I'm different than a normal magical human being, because I'm your magic. Your wishes are all that's relevant." Magic stated.
"But I don't want you to be in pain, either." Harry said.
"I know." Magic replied. "I'm aware of your thoughts, you know this."
"Yeah. I know that, but it's... Magic, you're a unique individual of your own." Harry said. "You're focused on my wants and desires, but you've had a couple of your own before. You didn't like me testing wands, so I didn't. And you didn't recommend me killing Sirius Black because it would have changed my soul, you said. So, I didn't do that, either. So clearly, you've got desires of your own."
"I'm your magic. I do as you wish." Magic stated.
"Then, what would you have done if I'd continued testing wands?" Harry asked.
"Allowed you to proceed and become limited, but you didn't wish to be limited. My wish to stop testing wands was your wish to stop testing wands also, but you weren't aware of that, didn't know our wishes were synchronized." Magic stated.
"So, you did want to stop testing wands." Harry triumphantly smiled.
"I told you I did. I don't lie." Magic stated.
"And, when you said you didn't recommend me killing. Was that a want, too?" Harry asked.
"It was a recommendation, a suggestion." Magic stated. "You already felt some thoughts indicating you didn't want to kill, and through your thinking of magic and of the warnings received from pieces of magic, I performed the same process, simulated what would have happened within my mind had you killed Sirius Black. Killing tares the soul apart, changes a person."
"Well, I'm glad you stopped me." Harry said.
"I didn't stop you." Magic replied. "I gave you a recommendation. You came to your own conclusion."
"I suppose I did." Harry said.
For a few moments, they continued to walk in silence, then Magic spoke, though Harry didn't remember wanting her to say anything.
"I feel more aware." Magic stated.
"More aware. How, exactly?" Harry asked. "More aware of what?"
"I don't know." Magic stated. "My potential of magic is unknown. My flame of magic is small, but can become larger. I wish this, but you didn't know this or want this until I expressed my wish. Our wishes weren't synchronized, as I wanted something you didn't think about."
"Sounds like you're becoming an individual, someone apart from me." Harry said.
"My heart is beating faster at that declaration, and my thoughts are directed toward convincing you not to allow this, something of my own." Magic stated, then her voice began trembling fiercely as she said, "It's already happening. I'm separating from you. I don't like it."
"Magic, it's okay." Harry said as he stopped walking and stepped in front of her, hugging her to him. Her arms wrapped around him in her unemotional way, though Harry thought he could feel something different about her than before. Even as he did this, he realized he could feel the magic within her, which had been separated from his own, combining slowly back within his own magic.
"Magic, are you doing that?" Harry asked, knowing she'd understand what he was talking about.
"No." Magic responded. "I don't like being separated, I don't like the feeling."
"Maybe you are doing this, unintentionally." Harry said quietly. "But even if you're putting the piece of magic back in me, I don't mind that at all. If it makes you happy, you go ahead and do that, okay? We'll think of another solution to the unrecognized magical bonds."
"I don't have to keep it separated?" Magic asked, and he realized she was shivering in his arms, realized he could feel a sense of a terror even more powerful than anything he'd felt before. "I don't have to hold it back?"
"No, Magic. You..." Harry began.
He felt his flame rush back into him, fill him full once again, and felt the rush of power that had always come from either him performing her wishes, or thanking her for something he did. It was far greater and more pronounced than it had ever been before, though, filling him full of a deep joy, a powerful love. He gasped and tears from the powerful emotions poured down his cheeks as he clung tightly to Magic, who began rubbing his back in her unemotional manner, the feeling of love and joy still pouring through him along with the feeling that his flame was wrapping gently around his heart and mind. The terror he'd felt from Magic vanished from her mind as if it had never existed.
"Magic... I, love, you..." Harry choked, having never said such a thing to her before. The feeling only rose and he couldn't help but laugh from its intensity, crying as he did so, and feeling as if all the love in the world was pouring into him, filling him and making him complete.
"I'll always do as you wish." Magic stated placidly. They were the best words in the world, and for the first time, Harry lifted her with some effort and spun her around, though in doing so, he stumbled wildly. Magic jerked free of him and landed on her feet, grabbing him in strong hands and preventing him from falling.
"Thanks." He said, beaming widely, tears still rolling down his cheeks.
"I protect you." Magic replied calmly. Harry laughed.
"Yes, you certainly do!" He said. After a few more blissful minutes, the feelings faded, but he remembered them. With a grin, he continued to walk with Magic at his side, though after a moment, started to skip a little, still feeling some of the joy and euphoria.
Harry entered the room that Tracey had designated at their meeting place about five minutes before ten in the morning. He could feel the magic of a couple people already in the room, and could hear Daphne and Tracey talking to each other before he stepped within.
"Hey." He said as their voices went silent.
He heard Tracey giggle a little and Daphne say calmly, "Hello."
"What were you talking about?" Harry asked.
"Nothing, nothing at all." Tracey replied a little too quickly.
"They were speaking of you, and how attractive you..." Magic began.
"Hey!" Tracey shouted. "That's private information!"
"Sorry, Magic already knows because she heard you." Harry responded with a grin. "So tell me." He added, feeling more confident than usual after what he'd experienced with Magic. "I hope these good looks of mine aren't based on my fame."
"What, fame that everyone made up for you?" Tracey asked, sounding a bit contemptuous. "Please."
Harry laughed and shouted triumphantly, "Finally! Someone who likes me for me!" After he lowered his voice, he asked, "Have I been in any dreams of yours?"
"What!" Tracey shrieked indignantly.
"Exactly what's gotten into you today?" Daphne asked, sounding confused and a little embarrassed.
"Well, Magic and I faced a Boggart together and learned how to defeat it, and we got closer." Harry replied.
"Aww!" Both Tracey and Daphne sighed, then Tracey said, "You love her!"
"Yes, more than anyone." Harry responded honestly.
"But not that kind of love, right?" Tracey asked after a moment.
"What kind, exactly?" Harry asked.
"You know, like like." Tracey said.
"What?" Harry asked, confused.
"You know... Oh, forget it." Harry heard Tracey's hands hit her robe-covered legs as she let out a huff. He sat down in a chair he found, which was in a circle of chairs.
"You wanted to talk with me, then, Tracey?" Harry asked after a moment.
"Yeah." Tracey replied. "I really wanted to get to know you and your friends a bit more. I've not spent much time with any of you, and to be honest, you and Magic both intrigue me."
"How?" Harry asked.
"Well, for one thing, Magic's always with you. Most of the time, anyway. And don't you do what Harry wants?" Tracey asked.
"I do what Harry wishes." Magic confirmed. "I protect Harry."
"And you don't have any wants of your own, then?" Tracey asked. "I'm sorry for so many questions, but I'm curious."
"That's okay. Daphne's asked all these types of questions before, too." Harry said.
"Yeah, and I tried to get her to tell me, but she just told me to ask you. So, well, here I am." Tracey said. "I wanted to meet here, and sent you the letter because I really don't want to deal with the Slytherins anymore than I have already. They already give me a hard enough time for reporting all their bullying the previous year and causing them to lose the house cup."
"The house cup actually wasn't won last year because of the school almost closing, and most of the students being gone." Harry said. "Exams were, though. By the way, did you guys..."
Harry trailed off, hearing loud voices faintly.
"What?" Tracey asked. "Did we..."
"Shh." Daphne said.
"Just drop it!"
"But I want to know, come on, Hermione! It's not like you're going to be in three classes at once! I mean, the way this schedule's laid out, they've done something!"
"I already told you to stop nagging..."
"And what's that in your robes! It almost looks like a third..."
"Ronald!"
"Well it does! It's round and it's..."
"It's an hourglass Ronald!"
Hermione's shrieking voice was so loud it was echoing throughout the corridors, and from the sound of things, Ron's voice wasn't much better. Harry gulped, having heard Hermione's last shout quite close to the doorway, realizing Ron and Hermione were both stomping toward the room.
"Well at least let me see it, come on! It's related to the schedule isn't it?" Ron was shouting.
"Just stop it, Ron!" Hermione shouted, sounding very irritated, storming into the room with Ron behind her.
"Harry, close the door, and please sound proof this room." Daphne said calmly.
"Magic?" Harry asked.
He heard the door close, felt the sound barriers go up on all the walls, floor, and ceiling, blocking sound from entering or exiting the room. As an added measure, he used magic to lock the door and warn him mentally if anyone was about to enter, something he'd never tried before. The sensation was strange, as if a part of his flame was within his mind. Beside him, Magic said, "Experiment number two of the day. Success."
"What?" Daphne asked, confused.
"Oh, Magic's keeping count of the experiments. The Boggart was the first one, since we were dealing with something I hadn't dealt with before." Harry replied.
"I see." Daphne said. "So, Hermione. Interesting that you've got a time turner."
"H-how... What... When..." Hermione stammered.
"How was easy." Daphne replied. "You and Ron spoke of your schedule. If it's not misprinted, it's reasonable to assume that you will be in all three classes at one time. The only way this would be possible is if you went to one class, went back an hour in time somewhere unseen, went to another class, went back another hour in a different place, then went to your third class. You would then be in three classes at one time. You spoke of an hourglass, and that's what a time turner looks similar to. Therefore, the only conclusion is a time turner. It's not that hard."
"But Professor McGonagall told me not to say anything!" Hermione shouted.
"You didn't." Daphne responded. "Though, you could have kept your schedule more concealed, or used the time turner to go into the past and get a schedule from Professor McGonagall in her office, which would hold all of your classes, while she gave you a schedule which held only one set of classes."
"But almost none of you are supposed to know!" Hermione said, sounding anxious.
"Except Harry, of course, because he can feel magic. I wouldn't be surprised if he felt the magic of the time turner and identified it already." Daphne said.
"I was there when she got it." Harry replied.
"And you didn't tell me?" Ron asked. "Imagine what we could do with one of those!"
"Nothing good, especially if you didn't remember it before you did it." Harry stated with certainty.
"How do you know that?" Ron asked.
"Because, I've tried it before." Harry responded. "Once, I traveled a minute into the past, and I never, ever did it again. It was one of the most frightening things I did. I could almost feel something pushing me to do nothing, warning me that if I did anything I'd wink out of existence just like that."
"But you didn't, so it can't be that bad." Ron said.
"I've read about people who've messed with time and tried to kill themselves because they didn't know what was going on, thought there was some dark magic happening." Hermione said, sounding very serious. "It's not anything to play around with. You mustn't tell anyone, any of you."
"We won't." Tracey said seriously.
"I won't say a word." Daphne responded.
"You already know I won't say anything, since I was there with you." Harry said. "And Magic, of course, will say that my secrets won't be told by her. Right?"
"I won't speak your secrets." Magic stated.
"Ron?" Hermione asked in a severe voice.
"What?" Ron asked, still sounding a bit grumpy.
"You won't breathe a word?" Hermione asked.
Ron sighed, then said, "I won't say anything unless you let me have a crack at it."
"No, Ron." Hermione stated. "No one else is using it."
"How about it, Harry, want to take me back in time or something?" Ron asked.
"No, I don't." Harry replied. "I don't want to see you hurt."
"Why is it that everyone else gets to know something, but not me?" Ron asked with a sudden viciousness that surprised Harry. "I never get to do anything worth doing!"
"Ron, try and understand the seriousness of what you're asking." Daphne said gently. "You want to play around with time. It's not something to mess with, not at all. Hermione's right to leave well enough alone, and keep the secret."
"Fine." Ron stated, then wrenched the door open and stormed out, slamming it behind him. Harry let out a sigh as Hermione sat down, almost sounding like she was about to cry.
"Do you want a hug?" Magic asked sedately. "I can hug you, then you can cry on me if you wish. I'll listen to you like I listened to Sharen and Harry."
"No." Hermione said in a voice that shook a little. "No, that's okay, Magic. I just need to get a hold of myself."
"When Harry cries, he likes my hugs." Magic stated.
"Magic, it's fine. I'm fine." Hermione said, and Harry heard her taking a few deep breaths.
"You sure you're okay?" Harry asked.
"Yeah." Hermione replied. "I'm okay, Harry, but thanks for worrying."
"You're my friend." Harry said. "I want to make sure you're okay."
"Thanks, Harry." Hermione said. "And thanks to you too, Magic."
"I do as Harry wishes." Magic responded as usual. Harry smirked at her familiar reply.
After a few moments, Tracey said with the sound of a grin in her voice, "So, Harry. What will you do in this room with four lovely ladies?"
"Talk!" Harry said as he blushed heavily. "Just talk!"
Tracey and Daphne laughed, and after a moment, Hermione chuckled. Despite his embarrassment at Tracey's words, Harry was glad that Hermione seemed to be cheering up.