Chapter 6 – The Hunter and the Temptress

Phew, that was lucky! What would have happened to Harry and the gang if Scotland had gone independent? The Hogwarts Express would have been stopped at the border for passport checks, Dumbledore would have been sacked as Headmaster as the new government wouldn't have wanted a 'foreigner' in charge and McGonagall would probably have left to become the new Scottish Minister for Magic! Just as well they voted no.

Massive thanks as always to my rock, Arnel. Thank her for these rapid updates, folks!

The snow was lying patchily on the pine-needle covered floor of the forest, but it still made things difficult for Harry. Carefully, he slunk forward, avoiding the large piles, and letting his ears and nose do all the work. The crisp February air carried scents much further than normal, and he could occasionally catch the odour of his prey. He paused, knowing Gellert, who was trailing him in a Disillusioned state, would also halt.

There! Somewhere off to his three o'clock, he heard a twig snap under a heavy boot. His ears sprang up and he held his tail high, knowing that it would alert his guardian to the fact he had located their foes. Then, moving forward at a slow pace, he headed in the direction he had heard the sound.

The group proved to be further away than he had thought, a dip in the ground having carried the sound. As he caught sight of them, he went flat onto his belly and peered at them through the undergrowth. As they had expected, there were five of them; all dressed in the black robes and gruesome masks of Death Eaters. They were trudging along a narrow forest track, apparently oblivious to any danger.

"Remember, we need to identify the bodies," he heard Gellert whisper from behind him. "Avoid head-shots, and do try not to burn them to a crisp this time."

Barely aware he was doing it, Harry transformed back into his human form. "That was an accident," he hissed.

"Even so, be more careful!" Gellert insisted. "I'll take the three in the lead and you take the remaining two."

Nodding, Harry changed back into his wolf form and sprinted away. He widened the distance between him and his guardian so that when they did begin to attack the Death Eaters they would hopefully catch them in a cross-fire. As soon as he had set off, Harry had begun to count silently in his head. As soon as he reached ten, he dropped down again and transfigured. Drawing his wand, he took aim at the last Death Eater in line, now no more than fifty yards away.

Suddenly, a bright bolt of purple light shot out of nowhere and struck the lead Death Eater. He was literally blown off his feet, and landed in a mangled heap of twisted limbs. Before his body had hit the ground, a second beam of light was heading towards the next Death Eater, who had no chance to avoid it. Harry had not been idle, either. He watched in satisfaction as the chest of the last Death Eater in line seemed to explode, and he quickly sent two more curses at the other target.

This Death Eater was quick and managed to get a shield in place to deflect one of Harry curses. However, the man wasn't so lucky with the second one, which clipped him and sent him spinning. Harry sent two more spells towards the fallen body, and was relieved to see them both find their target. Even from this distance, he could hear the screams of his victim as he was ripped apart by the spells. With a grimace, he realised that Gellert would chastise him later for allowing the man to get a Shield Charm in place, at all.

Glancing over, he saw that his guardian had put all three of his nominated Death Eaters down. No one was faster or more accurate with a wand than Gellert Grindelwald, save perhaps Voldemort himself. Harry stood so his guardian would be able to see him. Sure enough, Gellert walked rapidly over to him, his hands clasped behind his back.

"Well?" Gellert demanded as soon as he was within a few feet of Harry.

"I'm sorry, Gellert," he said apologetically. "I wasn't quite fast enough targeting the second Death Eater and my second curse was slightly off target."

"There is no 'not quite fast enough' or 'slightly off target' in combat, Harry, you should know that by now! You were too slow and your aiming was sloppy. When we get home I want you to spend three hours practising target shooting. I will expect a ninety per cent hit rate and an average engagement time of under a second. Got that?"

"Yes, sir," Harry sighed. In truth, he was annoyed with his own performance and couldn't fault the old man for calling him out on it.

"Good. Now, let's see what rewards our ambush has given us," Gellert said, and began to walk towards the fallen bodies. Harry followed him closely.

When they arrived at the bodies, they split up and began to remove the dead Death Eaters' masks. The first person Harry had killed proved to be a young witch with black hair that had purple streaks in it. He didn't recognise her at all and assumed she must have been a recent recruit. The second body proved to be more familiar.

"Over here," Harry called as crouched down next to the wizard who had managed to cast the Shield Spell. He knew the fact that the man was a skilled wizard and a fighter with a fearsome reputation would not lessen his punishment for not putting him down with his first spell, but it did make Harry feel slightly better.

"Ah, the very wizard we were hoping to see," Gellert nodded in approval as he peered at the body. "Is he dead?"

Harry nodded.

"Excellent. Sever his hand and bring it with us. Hopefully, we will learn much useful information tonight," Gellert said with grin. "You may want to mutilate the body a little more, so it's not immediately obvious the hand is missing."

Harry nodded again, and grimly began dismembering the body of Amycus Carrow…

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Harry walked down the busy corridor with many things on his mind. His conversation that morning with Severus Snape had radically changed his game-plan, and he would have to completely re-think his approach to the time he spent here at Hogwarts. On top of everything, he still had to have his promised conversation with Michelle that evening, too. What problems would the pretty young girl drop in his lap?

He was barely concentrating on his surroundings as he walked, when suddenly a familiar scent reached his nostrils. Trying to look casual, Harry took a glance behind him. Although the corridor was fairly busy, a chubby-looking girl with long, straggly blond hair caught his eye. She was dressed in the uniform of the Hufflepuff House, and Harry would lay odds he had never seen her at the school before. Seeing Harry was looking in her direction, the girl suddenly stooped and began fiddling with her shoelaces. It was all Harry could do not to growl in anger.

Picking up his pace, Harry headed along the corridor and then turned abruptly left. This took him down a less populated walkway. Listening carefully, he was certain that he heard footsteps following him. Time to spring an ambush.

As he reached the end of the corridor, he again turned left, and as soon as he was out of sight broke into a quick run. He then darted into a disused classroom and pressed himself against the wall, listening intently. He waited until the sound of footsteps were right outside the door, before he lunged out and grabbed the chubby girl roughly, dragging her back into the room. Slamming the door shut with his foot, he pressed the girl up against the wall with his left arm. In the meantime, his right hand reached into his robes and withdrew the knife he always kept with him. Bellatrix had harshly taught him the benefits of having a backup blade years before.

He pressed the knife forcibly against the girl's neck and she gasped in shock at his actions. Fearfully, she stared into his eyes, panting slightly. Grinning, Harry used his now free left hand to grab the girl's ample left breast and squeezed hard.

"Nice tits, Tonks," he smirked.

The girl's mouth dropped open in surprise, before an angry expression appeared on her face. Instantly, her face morphed into a more familiar heart shape, while her hair became shorter and turned bubble-gum pink. She glared at him.

"How the bloody hell did you know it was me?" she spat. "And do you want to stop touching me up, you pervert?"

"Might as well," he agreed. "After all, this pair you have now aren't nearly as impressive as the ones you just had. You should have kept them. Who knows, it might have actually put a smile on the lips of that miserable bloody werewolf you hang around with."

"You leave Remus out of this," she raged, "and while you're at it, get that bloody knife away from me."

"Nah, I can't do that, my dear Nymphadora," Harry said apologetically, and he increased the pressure of the blade against her skin just to prove his point. "You see, I might need this knife in a minute. That really depends on whether you tell me who sent you to follow me."

"Go to hell," Tonks snapped.

"Shut it, bitch," Harry growled. "One way or another, you're going to tell me who sent you here. Are you acting for the D.M.L.E. or the Order of the Phoenix? Which one is it?"

"How do you know I didn't just to decide to do this, anyway? You're a dangerous bastard, Potter, and I don't trust you in a school full of children. From what I hear, you've already hospitalised a bunch of kids," she said angrily.

"A bunch of kids? For your information, that was Lucius Malfoy's little brat and his gang of thugs, and they attacked me! If Draco hasn't taken the Dark Mark already, he will be doing soon, so don't give me any crap about me assaulting some harmless bunch of teenagers. Anyway, I know you don't wipe your own arse without orders from either Bones or Dumbledore, so don't give me that load of old bollocks. Who sent you?" Harry demanded drawing the blade against her pale skin slightly so it cut into her flesh.

"Aaaggh! Leave me alone, you traitorous bastard," she yelped.

"Me, traitorous? You little bitch! I should cut your throat for even daring to say that. You're the traitor to the House of Black, you hypocrite. You were the one who was going to sell Sirius down the river, you backstabbing cow," he raged.

"Sirius is a wanted man and, despite what you say, I've seen no evidence to prove he didn't kill those Muggles. If he's innocent like he claims, he should hand himself in and face a fair trial," she retorted.

"Fair trial? Are you really so stupid? The Ministry would set a Dementor onto him as soon as he showed his face. I wouldn't put it past Dumbledore to try and polish him off, either, bearing in mind how much effort he expended to make sure Sirius didn't raise me. So don't spout the party-line at me, Nymphadora, it won't wash," he spat.

Tonks just glared at him defiantly. Realising he wasn't getting anywhere, Harry pressed her tightly against the wall, ensuring she couldn't move, at all. Then, with slightly more groping then was strictly necessary, he fumbled inside her robes until he found her wand, which he tossed over his shoulder. He then grabbed her and threw her roughly to the ground. She caught her shoulder on a desk as she fell, and lay on the floor moaning. Harry sheathed his knife, and drew his wand.

"Imperio," he cried. Instantly, Tonks stopped moaning and rolled over to face him. On his silent command, she rose to her feet, and stood meekly in front of him with her arms dangling at her side.

"Legilimens!" he cried out, entering her weakened mind. Fortunately, as Harry's question had been fresh on her mind, he found what he was looking for quickly. After a quick scan through her recent memories for anything else useful, he left her mind and began to ponder what he had just learnt.

It appeared he had been right with both of his guesses. Madam Bones, the head of the D.M.L.E., had agreed to Tonks taking a leave of absence from her usual job as an Auror on the suggestion of Albus Dumbledore. The Headmaster had then tasked Tonks to follow Harry and learn what she could about him, on the understanding that he would share any information with Bones. The fact that he had a faction of the Ministry working against him, as well as the Headmaster, complicated things.

Harry glared at the still passive Tonks. She truly was a traitorous bitch, and had been quite prepared to hand her cousin into the Ministry, and certain death, just because Albus bloody Dumbledore had suggested it was the 'best course of action for everybody'. What he meant, of course, was that it was the best course of action for him and his grand master plan, the bastard.

Deciding that forewarned was at least forearmed, he Obliviated Tonks of the last fifteen minutes of her life, and sent her on her way after tucking her wand back into her robes. He would lift the Imperious Curse from her once she was a sufficient distance away.

Swearing to himself, Harry left the classroom and headed back along the deserted corridor. Things were already getting complicated, and he'd only been here a week. He was beginning to regret not leaving with Sirius when he had the chance.

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It was nearly six o'clock, and Harry had just made his way across the wooden bridge and was approaching the circle of stones that was known to all as the Sundial Garden. The sun was already low on the horizon, and autumn was already making its presence known. The dim light and falling temperatures suited a clandestine meeting perfectly.

He strode to the centre of the circle and looked around. There was no sign of Michelle yet, and Harry wondered if the young girl would, in fact, make an appearance. Almost the second that thought went through his head, Harry heard footsteps approaching. He turned and saw the pretty young girl running towards him.

"Harry, I'm so glad you came," she squealed. "I have to…"

"Not here," Harry interrupted. "Let's head over to the gatehouse. We'll be hidden from prying eyes there."

"Okay," she agreed nervously, and followed him to the small, stone gatehouse that divided the garden from the rest of the grounds. Once under cover, Harry turned expectantly to the small girl.

"What did you need to speak to me so urgently about?" he asked kindly. "Have those Slytherin boys been giving you trouble again?"

"No, nothing like that," she said. "I just had to warn you about all the horrible rumours that are being spread about you."

"Rumours? What sort of rumours?" Harry asked interestedly.

"There's this girl in our House called Susan Bones, and she's been spreading all sorts of filthy lies about you," Michelle said angrily. "She's been telling everyone that you're a Dark and evil wizard, and you shouldn't even be allowed at Hogwarts. She claimed you've killed loads of people and are really in league with You-Know-Who! Me and the girls have tried to tell everyone that you're not like that, but no one will listen to us. Bones and all her friends have convinced everyone in Hufflepuff that you're not to be trusted, but I know you're not like that. I don't know why they're saying these things."

Harry pondered this information for a moment. So, Madam Bones was getting her niece to do her dirty work for her, was she?

"Don't worry about it, Michelle," Harry began gently. "Susan Bones is the niece of Amelia Bones, who's the head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. Ever since I returned to the Magical world, she's had it in for me. She was one of the main contenders to become the Minister for Magic, but Rufus Scrimgeour beat her to it. The fact that I've publicly supported Scrimgeour annoyed Bones greatly, and she's been looking for ways to discredit me ever since. No doubt she's the one who's been passing on these rumours to Susan."

"So, she's trying to blacken your name just to help her career? That's awful," Michelle gasped.

"That, my dear, is politics," he smirked. "If I'd publicly supported her, she'd have been preaching what a wonderful person I was, and I'd bet I'd have loads of new Hufflepuff friends by now. I'm sure if Scrimgeour had a relative attending school now, he'd be using them in a similar fashion."

"But that's just wrong," Michelle insisted with a pout.

Harry just smiled, but secretly couldn't blame the stern Madam Bones from having a few concerns about him. He had, after all, killed quite a few Death Eaters, many in circumstances where he could have incapacitated them or accepted surrender from them. Of course, there was the whole thing about harbouring a wanted criminal, too.

"It can't be helped," Harry sighed. "Hopefully, my actions will silence a few of the doubters in time. Thank you for bringing this to my attention, though. That was very considerate of you."

Michelle beamed, before her smile faltered and she began to look nervous.

"What's the matter?" Harry asked as he noticed her changed expression. "Is there anything else wrong?"

"No, well, not exactly," she replied, looking embarrassed. "It's just that, err, I know I can't go to Hogsmeade or anything yet, but I was just sort of wondering… um… Harry, would you go out with me?"

Harry blinked in surprise. He'd realised that the young girl had a crush on him, but he never imagined for a moment that she would have the nerve to actually ask him out. Mentally, he sighed. She was truly a lovely little thing, but far too young for him. The last thing he wanted to do, however, was hurt her feelings. How could he let her down gently?

"Oh, sweetheart, I'm truly honoured that you would ask me out," he began carefully, "but…"

"But you think I'm too young, don't I?" she challenged, her voice wavering a little. "Can't you just me a chance? I'm really mature for my age, and I'd be a really great girlfriend, I really would!"

"I don't doubt that," Harry confirmed fondly, "and I'd be lucky to have such a beautiful witch as you, I really would. But, as much as I hate to say it, I am too old for you. I'm an adult in the wizarding world, and you're only just starting your second year. People would be up in arms if I started dating you. Imagine what Susan Bones would say, for instance."

"I don't care what they say," Michelle said, clearly fighting back tears. "We could keep it a secret, if you like. We could sneak out and meet, just like we're doing now."

Harry grimaced at her persistence. He needed to convince her that a relationship with him wouldn't be a good idea, perhaps even scare her off, a little.

"Michelle, you know I'm seventeen, right?" he began warily. "Well, seventeen-year-old boys have needs that we generally require our girlfriends to fulfil. Err… do you know what I'm talking about?"

"Sex," Michelle said bluntly, a fierce look in her eyes.

"Umm, yes, sex," Harry confirmed, suddenly feeling a lot less confident about this approach. "I'm afraid that your young body just isn't ready to give me what I need, sweetie."

"I'd… I'd be willing to try," Michelle stammered. "I'd do anything for you."

Harry gulped, his head suddenly full of images that would probably earn him a twenty year stretch in Azkaban if he ever tried to turn them into reality and, for once, he wouldn't be able to call it an injustice.

"Oh, my little angel, I'd simply be too worried about hurting you," Harry reasoned. "Plus, if anyone ever found out, I could be thrown in prison for a very long time. You wouldn't want that to happen, would you?"

"No, I guess not," she replied, the first tear starting to drip down her cheek.

"Look, I'll make a deal with you. If on your seventeenth birthday you still want to date me, and we're both free, we'll get together. How does that sound?" he asked kindly.

"Seventeen?" she wailed. "But that's years and years away!"

"It's not so long," Harry disagreed, "and if we're meant to be, it will happen eventually. Besides, I promise we'll still be friends before then, if you still want me to be?"

"Of course I do," she said sadly, clearly beginning to accept defeat.

"Good, because I want to be your friend, too. Now, how about a hug for me?" he smiled.

Michelle leapt forward into his arms and clung on fiercely. He could feel her small body shake as she sobbed quietly against his shoulder. Gently holding her, he let the young girl cry herself out. Eventually, her weeping subsided, and she pulled away slightly, looking at him with red eyes.

"Feeling better?" Harry asked softly.

"Yeah, I… I bet you think I'm some stupid little girl, don't you?" she said in a raspy voice.

"No, actually I think you're wonderful," he countered.

"I should go back now," she replied, straightening her back and wiping the last few tears away from her eyes. "Someone will notice I'm gone soon."

"Will you be okay?" Harry asked and was met with a firm nod and a forced smile. He slowly leaned in, and kissed her gently on the forehead.

Michelle blushed prettily. "Seventeen; I'm going to hold you to that, you know," she said.

"I'm looking forward to it," Harry smiled.

Then, with speed that astonished him, Michelle leapt up and kissed him firmly on the lips, before turning and running back in the direction of the school. Harry watched her go wistfully, wondering if everything at this school was going to be complicated. He had just turned to head back himself, when he caught a familiar scent.

"You might as well come out, I know you're there," Harry called out.

A second later, a smirking Ginevra Weasley appeared from behind the gatehouse. She leaned against the stone wall casually.

"Well, that was a shame. I thought I was going to get some juicy blackmail material, there," she grinned.

"You think I'm into fiddling with little girls, do you?" Harry asked, anger creeping into his voice.

"Calm down, Potter, I was only joking," she replied nonchalantly. "Actually, I thought it was rather sweet the way you dealt with that situation. That little Hufflepuff minx really has the hots for you."

"Yeah, that's me; a babe-magnet for twelve-year-olds," Harry snorted. "How much of that conversation did you hear?"

"Pretty much all of it," Ginevra admitted. "So, that top-heavy cow Susan Bones is spreading shite about you, is she? I gather she plans to follow in her aunt's footsteps and work at the Ministry, so being a lying bitch is probably a job requirement. You should probably knock her on her fat arse."

"Believe it or not, I'm not really a big fan of beating up girls, despite what I did to Draco's pet slag. Besides, if I do threaten her, all I'll do is confirm what everyone has been saying about me," Harry grumbled.

"Hmm, I guess you'll just have to look for an opportunity to take her down some other way, then," Ginevra mused. "Still, the other Houses always take anything the Hufflepuffs say with a pinch of salt. They do tend to be like a bunch of old washer-women."

"Unfortunately, I suspect that the Gryffindors will lap-up any dirt on me, and our fellow Slytherins won't care either way. As I haven't actually found any Ravenclaws that were willing to talk to me, I haven't got a clue what they would think," Harry groused.

"Your little recruiting drive isn't going so well, is it?" she laughed.

"Why exactly are you following me, Weasley?" Harry asked wearily. "Come to think of it, how did you find me out here?"

"By using my extreme cunning and fearsome intelligence, Potter, qualities that you appear to be lacking," she smirked. "Stick to beating people up, that seems to be what you do best."

"Maybe I should start now?" Harry countered.

"Oooh, so much for not wanting to beat up girls!" Ginevra taunted. "Anyway, I've actually come to tell you that I've considered your offer, and I'm willing to help. I do have some conditions, though."

"What conditions would those be?" he asked, trying to hide his surprise at Weasley's offer of support.

"Well, firstly, as discussed, my involvement would remain completely secret. If it was discovered that I was helping you, I suspect I'd be dead or crippled within a day. I'll help with any reasonable task, but only if I remain incognito, okay?" she declared in a no-nonsense way.

"Fine, so far. You'd be a lot more valuable to me working from the shadows, anyway," Harry confirmed.

"Cool. My second request might come as a bit more of a surprise, though," she told him with a mysterious look in her eye. "I want you to teach me to become an Animagus."

"What makes you think I know how to become one of those?" he hedged.

"Oh, come off it, wolfy! "she snorted. "You aren't nearly as careful as you seem to think you are."

"How do you keep managing to follow me without me noticing?" he demanded. "No one has ever been able to stalk me like you seem to be able to do."

"A girl has to keep some secrets," she shrugged. "Anyway, this is a deal-breaker. Are you going to help me or not?"

"Not many people actually succeed in becoming an Animagus, you know," he pointed out. "What happens if you have no natural ability to do it?"

"I'm positive I can do it," she said fiercely. "I'm sure I'm right on the edge of changing, but I just can't take that final step."

"What's your animal form?" he asked curiously.

"I don't know," she frowned. "I'll find out once I change, won't I?"

"No wonder you haven't managed to change," Harry scoffed. "You've got the whole process backwards! You're supposed to discover your inner-animal first, and then concentrate on changing. I'm surprised you haven't ruptured something by trying to force a change without a form in mind."

"Damn it, I knew I was doing something wrong," she cursed. "All I had to go on was an old, partially burnt book. I gather the school removed most of the literature concerning Animagi a few years back for some reason. I found an old text book that someone had obviously tried to destroy in a disused store room, and that's what I've been working from. It appears the pages on selecting your animal were burnt. So, will you help me fill in that missing information?"

"Okay, I'll help you," Harry said after a brief pause. "By the sound of it, you'll do yourself a mischief if I don't give you some guidance. But tell me, why do you want to become one so badly?"

"Are you kidding? That would be the coolest thing ever! Think of all the advantages it gives you. Personally, I've always hoped I'd be some kind of bird. I love flying and that would be a really useful skill to have," she said, her eyes shining at the idea.

"I guess I can't argue with that," Harry conceded. "I'll have to teach you the basics of meditation, unless you already know that. We'll also need a secure place for you to practice, away from prying eyes. You seem to know this place pretty well, can you think of anywhere?"

"Oh, I might know a little out-of-the-way spot we can use," she purred. "Meet me in the left-hand corridor on the seventh floor tomorrow night at six. We'll begin then."

Then, without another word, she turned and walked off. Again, Harry's eyes were drawn to the sensual swing of her hips and the graceful movement of her buttocks, which was emphasised by the tight Muggle jeans she was wearing. Poetry in motion.

With a grin, Harry began to slowly walk after her. Perhaps teaching the feisty Miss Weasley how to become an animal might be fun. Now, could he get away with convincing her that you had to be naked to transform the first time?

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As was becoming usual, Harry sat alone at breakfast the next morning. In truth, he quite enjoyed the peace and quiet, which allowed him to organise his thoughts for the day. It only tended to be at lunch and dinner that the solitude began to eat at him. He rather missed those playful little talks he'd had with Weasley and Davis during his first few days here, but he doubted they would be repeated anytime soon. He was surprised, therefore, when Davis unceremoniously dropped into the seat opposite him and smirked at him.

Looking up at her, he noticed she had once again reverted to leaving the top buttons on her blouse undone sufficiently to reveal a glimpse of her amble cleavage. Her hair looked like it had just been washed and was positively luxurious, while her lush lips were a rich shade of red. With her tie unknotted and a mischievous grin on her face, she looked like every red-blooded male's dream of a naughty school girl. Harry tried to ignore the sudden tightening of his underwear and looked her in the eyes.

"Can I help you with something, Miss Davis?" he asked coolly.

"Oh, don't be like that, Harry," she purred. "I haven't seen you for days. I just thought I'd come and say hello."

"Hello," he said blandly, his expression remaining unchanged.

"You know, you and I should really get to know one another better," she began, leaning across the table slightly to permit Harry a good view down her blouse. "I'm sure we could become really good friends."

Harry frowned. He knew Davis was a smart girl, and this clumsy seduction was not like her at all. He watched distrustfully as her fingers gently caressed his.

"You didn't seem interested in becoming my friend before," Harry noted carefully as she continued to stroke his hand.

"I realised I was being a fool; after all, big, handsome boys like you just don't grow on trees, do they? Maybe I decided we should get more… intimate," she admitted, looking at him lustfully, before whispering in a low voice. "You get me so turned-on. Would you like to slip your hand under the table and find out just how exactly how turned-on I am?"

It was all he could do not to leap over the table and shag her right there and then. Her voice, so low and sultry, sent shivers down his spine, while her body was lush and desirable. Still, he was not stupid and he knew there must be a reason for her sudden change of attitude. Davis had said it herself, if she displayed any signs that she was friendly with him, she could expect a world of hurt from Malfoy and his goons, unless…

"Did Malfoy put you up to this?" he demanded harshly.

"What? Of course not! Why on earth would he want me to be friendly to you?" she spluttered, looking highly flustered.

"Oh, so you could discover information about me? I'm sorry, Davis, as much as I would love to help you with your little dampness problem, I don't trust you an inch. I'm not about to be caught with my pants down, if you get my meaning," he said firmly.

"Your loss, you big poof," she huffed and flounced off.

Harry continued to eat his breakfast. Once he'd finished, he stood and walked out of the Great Hall, ignoring the hate-filled stares levelled in his direction by his fellow Slytherins. He headed up to the third floor and found an unused classroom which he entered, locking the door behind him.

Only when he was certain of privacy, did he start to unfold the small, tightly-wrapped piece of paper that Davis had skilfully slipped into his hand while she'd been blatantly flirting with him. The paper unfolded to a size of about four inches square, and was filled with miniscule writing. Taking out his wand, Harry enlarged the paper so he could read it better.

Potter

Apologies about the naff pass I've just made at you, but Malfoy had the wonderful idea that I should seduce you so I can lure you into an ambush. I told him that there was no way you'd fall for such an obvious ploy, but Malfoy is an idiot, as you know.

As I'm sure you'll see through my clumsy attempt to bed you (and, really, you don't know what you're missing) I suspect they'll come up with something else very soon. I gather their plan is to try and entice you to some deserted corner of the castle and waylay you. Again, I doubt that you'd be daft enough to fall for such a stupid idea, but I thought I'd better warn you, anyway.

Just remember, you now owe me! I never intended to get dragged into any of this, and I'm putting my neck on the block by passing on this warning. I'll expect to be rewarded for my efforts and, no, I don't think that a good shag is sufficient payment (although it does sound quite appealing).

Tracy

Harry grinned to himself. Despite her assertion that she couldn't help him, Tracy had obviously felt compelled to pass on a warning that Draco was planning to make a move. Perhaps she would still be useful to him after all.

Feeling a lot happier, Harry left the classroom, memories of Tracy's husky voice and nubile young body filling his mind. It was just a shame he didn't have time for a cold shower before his next class.

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"What is this place?" Harry asked as Ginevra led him through the door that had miraculously appeared in the wall just moments before.

"The elves call it the Come and Go Room," Ginevra informed him. "I quite often make a habit of eating meals in the school kitchens, and I've made friends with some of the elves. They told me about this place a while ago after I asked them if they knew of any out-of-the-way places I could use to avoid my fellow Slytherins. This is my secret place, Potter, and I'm trusting you with that secret. If you blab about this to anyone, I swear I'll cut your balls off with a rusty penknife and make you eat them."

"That's what I like about you, Weasley, you're so sweet natured," Harry laughed.

"Yeah, yeah, but I'm not joking about this. This room has been a godsend to me, and if any of my fellow Slytherins find out about it, you're dead," she snapped.

"I promise not to tell another living soul," Harry told her earnestly. "So, why does this room look like someone's kitchen?"

"The room changes to match whatever you wish for," Ginevra explained, sounding a little embarrassed. "I figured we'd want a safe and friendly environment to practice in, so I imagined the kitchen at home. My mother used to give me lessons in there when I was young, and it was the one room where all my family gathered at the same time. Of course, these days the real thing is a lot less welcoming for me, but I still have fond memories of how it used to be. Come on, let's grab a chair and begin."

She led Harry over to the large kitchen table and sat herself down on one of the miss-matched chairs positioned around it. Harry grabbed the chair next to her, and turned it so he would be facing her directly.

"Okay, as I explained before, you need to discover your inner-animal before you can progress any further," he began. "In many ways, selecting your animal is a similar process to a shaman discovering his spirit guide. To do so, you need to enter a meditative state. Have you ever done that before?"

"No, never," she replied nervously.

"Don't worry about it," Harry assured her. "It's a relatively easy thing to do. You need to be completely relaxed, though. The first thing I want you to do is just become as calm as possible. Whatever problems or hang-ups you have, just put them aside for the moment. Just take some slow, deep breaths and relax your body."

"Okay," Ginevra said, and breathed deeply. Harry watched her patiently as she sat quietly for a few minutes, trying to centre herself. When she was ready, she looked up at him expectantly.

"Nice and calm? Good. Right, what I want you to do next is close your eyes and imagine yourself in a place where you feel completely safe and at peace. Do you have a place like that?" he asked.

"I… err, yes. The woods near my home, I guess. I always used to love playing there when I was a kid, and later when I wanted to avoid my family I'd go there and hide myself away. There's a river that runs by the edge of the wood where I like to sit with a book and read. It's really peaceful there," she said with a faint smile on her lips.

"That sounds perfect," he said approvingly. "Imagine that it's a beautiful day, and the sun is shining. You're lying in the shade of one of the trees, and you can hear a gentle breeze rustling the leaves. The river is flowing nearby, and you can hear the water trickling past. How does that make you feel?"

"Wonderful," she replied, her smile becoming more radiant. "It's heavenly."

"It certainly sounds beautiful," Harry agreed, a matching smile coming to his lips. "Now, breathe in the air. What exactly can you smell in the wood?"

"I can smell the grass and, oh, the bluebells! There was always loads of bluebells growing in the wood during spring. The air's always so fresh and clear, here, too," she told him dreamily.

"That's wonderful," he said, watching her carefully. He'd never seen the girl so relaxed and happy, and it made her look a completely different person. While he'd thought her extremely attractive before, when she let her guard down and allowed herself to relax, she was truly beautiful. "Okay, remember, this is your place. Here, no one can hurt or upset you, okay? If, at any time, you feel threatened or unhappy, come back to this spot."

"Alright," she agreed.

"Now, is there a large tree anywhere near you?" he asked.

"Umm, yeah. There's a large willow tree just next to me, with its leaves dangling in the river. I always love sitting here," she told him.

"Excellent. Now, I want you to imagine a door in that tree, large enough for you to pass through. Got that?" She nodded in confirmation. "Now, I'm going to count down from ten, and when I reach one, I want you to go through that door. On the other side is the otherworld, a spirit realm, where you should encounter your animal. Ready?"

"Yes," she said, a hint of excitement evident in her voice.

"Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, get ready, five, four, three, two… and one. Pass through the door, Ginevra," he instructed her.

For a few moments, there was complete silence, before Ginevra let out a gasp.

"What do you see?" Harry asked.

"It's… it's… bloody incredible," she gulped. "I'm standing at the edge of a great forest, and I can see huge mountains in the distance. There's a huge lake off to my right, and it's so blue! Oh, it's just breath-taking. The grass is so lush and green, and there are flowers everywhere. This place is so beautiful!"

"Your animal should be nearby," he reminded her. "Perhaps just in amongst the trees?"

"No, I can't… wait! There!" she exclaimed excitedly. "It's… oh, she's stunning!"

"Talk to your animal," he encouraged her. "Make friends with it."

"Hello," Ginevra called out hesitantly, before a radiant smile appeared on her face. "She's come over to me! She's sniffing my hand and… oh, she rubbing her face against me. Can I touch her?"

"Of course," Harry confirmed. "She's part of you. Do whatever you think feels right."

It was a long while before Ginevra spoke again, but the look of happiness on her face suggested she was bonding successfully with her animal form. A good half-hour passed before the smile suddenly vanished from her face.

"She's gone!" Ginevra exclaimed, sounding a little panicky. "She just suddenly upped and left! What did I do wrong?"

"Nothing," Harry assured her. "It's just time for you to return now. You've met your animal now, so it's time for you to come back and learn how to join with her completely."

"Oh, good," she replied sounding relieved. "How do I return?"

"Just turn around and pass back through the door in the tree," he told her. "Return to your safe place."

"Okay, I'm back in the wood," she confirmed after a second.

"Open your eyes," he said simply.

She did as she was instructed, and Harry found himself looking into her large, brown eyes as they stared back at him. He couldn't stop a wide grin from forming on his face.

"That was brilliant!" she exclaimed, and she launched herself forward to hug him. Harry laughed as he wrapped his arms around her. The embrace only lasted a moment, but it made him feel genuinely happy, perhaps more happy than he'd felt since Melinda had died.

"You did really well," Harry told her as she pulled away. "Very few people discover their animal on the first attempt. What was it?"

"I'm like you: a wolf!" she declared happily.

Harry's jaw dropped. The chances of them both having the same animal were astronomical, the shock must have registered on his face, as Ginevra instantly frowned.

"What? What's the matter?" she demanded. "Is there something wrong with being a wolf?"

"No, of course not," Harry said quickly. "I'm just surprised, that's all. I mean, just think of all the possible types of animal you could be. There are millions of different creatures out there. The chances of you having the same one as me are just enormous."

"Yeah, but didn't you say something about your animal being a reflection of the person you are? That's going to limit your choices a bit, isn't it?" she reasoned. "I mean, who's going to turn into a slug, or something?"

"Actually, I'm met people who do have insects for the Animagus form, so it is possible," he countered. "But I do see your point. The thing is, like a spirit guide, the form is not only a reflection of personality, but is also generally demonstrates a facet of yourself that you require in order to grow as a person. For you to become a wolf, you must need some of the character traits of that animal to become a more rounded person."

"What was it that you required, then?" Ginevra asked curiously.

"Well, in my case it was an unspoken need to distance myself from normal society. Wolves tend to live on the edge of civilisation and are only concerned with their own, small packs. I also needed to embrace a certain ruthlessness and single-mindedness, too. In terms of physical requirements, when I was younger I was terribly skinny and had appalling eyesight. My wolf form gave me strength and endurance, not to mention enabling me to throw away my glasses. Trust me, those things were the greatest virginity protectors ever invented," he snorted.

"Okay, so in my case, it could mean that I need to find myself a new pack, too," she speculated. "My family have virtually disowned me in recent years, so maybe it's a reflection of my need to let them go and move on."

"It's possible," Harry agreed.

"I'm not sure about what physical attributes it would bring to me. I've got good eyesight and hearing, and I'm pretty fit, so I don't know what else it could help me with," she mused.

"How is your sense of smell?" he asked. "That's one thing my wolf-sense has brought me in spades. It's incredibly useful to be able to detect a person just from their scent, I can tell you."

"Ah, so that's how you do it," she declared triumphantly. "I could never work out how you knew Parkinson and Zabini were behind you that first day of school. You're right; that would be a wonderful skill to have. So, what's my next step?"

"Well, as we've been here over two hours, I think we should call it a night," Harry said, before rapidly silencing the girl as she started to protest. "I do have some homework for you, however. I want you to start visualising your wolf. Think about every single detail of it: its fur, its claws, its tail, just everything. You'll need a vivid image of her in your head when you start to try to change."

"Okay, I can do that," Ginevra agreed. "When can we meet up again?"

"I don't think we should establish any sort of pattern to these sessions," Harry pondered. "Someone is bound to notice it we're both missing on the same days at the same time. Tomorrow's Friday, so let's meet up on Saturday morning. How does that sound."

"That sounds good," she agreed.

"Excellent," he said, standing and pushing his chair back in preparation of leaving. Ginevra, however, apparently had other subjects she wanted to discuss.

"So, did Tracy manage to pass on a message to you?" Ginevra asked, her expression returning to the guarded one that she normally wore.

"Yes, she did. Did she mention it to you then?" he asked.

"I was hanging around the common room when Draco came up with his marvellous idea that she should seduce you," Ginevra noted coolly. "Davis told him repeatedly that it wouldn't work, but as he'd seen you two talking several times, he got it into his head that you had a thing for her."

"It was a pretty obvious pass that she made at me, though," Harry pointed out. "Was Malfoy annoyed at her that it didn't work?"

"Nah, with all that make-up she wore, and the fact she practically had her tits hanging out, Draco couldn't believe that you hadn't taken the bait. In fact, he now thinks your gay," Ginevra smirked, clearly amused.

"Yes, well, I'm not going to get too worried about the opinion of a boy who uses that much hair product," Harry replied smugly. "Besides, he's shagging a girl with a face like a bulldog and the personality to match, so what does that say about his taste?"

"Oh, Draco has other girls on the go, apart from Parkinson. Still, I'm surprised that you didn't at least try to play along for a while," she continued. "If you'd played it right, you could have at least got a quickie out of it. Davis did say she wouldn't have minded too much if she had to go through with it."

Harry looked at the red-haired girl carefully. The happy, carefree young woman he had just seen had vanished, to be replaced by the guarded, aggressive girl that now stood before him. Had he just been privileged to get a brief glimpse of the real Ginevra Weasley, he wondered?

"If I'm going to shag a girl, it will be because both of us want to, not because Draco Malfoy thinks it's a good idea," Harry said adamantly. "Besides, it would have seemed too much like manipulation on my part, and I hate being manipulated myself."

Ginevra nodded and actually favoured him with a brief smile. "Come on, then," she said. "We'd better get back to the common room."

She stood and made her way to the door with Harry following closely behind. He had the feeling that he'd just passed some sort of test, and for that, he was very glad.