Chapter 71 - Learning Their Lessons
While the Clan were busy with their research, starting with examining everything they already knew, the Hogwarts students were getting ready to return to school. Easily the most anxious of them all was Gabrielle Delacour. She would be transferring in, something that hadn't happened in the last decade, and she wanted to impress her hero. Her beloved older sister had tried to ease her fears. 'Easy for her to say not to worry! She already has Harry's heart.' Gabrielle fumed.
It wasn't easy for any Veela attending school and Gabrielle was feeling the pressure of expectations laid upon her. First, she was the younger daughter of the Apolline Delacour, diplomat extraordinaire for the French magical government and poster child for young Veela across Europe. Now she was also the younger sister of the Fleur Delacour, Beauxbatons' Champion and Runner Up in the recent and controversial Triwizard Tournament. She would be representing Beauxbatons and the Delacour family to the English and she felt the eyes of the world would be upon her. Intellectually she knew better, that only her family and friends would be watching and they wished only the best for her, but that did nothing to quiet her fears, either.
At least, not until Harry dropped by after she got her school supplies put away and let her scurry into his arms, hiding her face from the world. Fleur smiled tolerantly as she followed her beau inside and stroked Gabby's hair, smiling wider when her little sister turned to her instead. 'Just like when we were younger.' Fleur thought to herself. Fleur reminded the younger girl that her friend Athena would be there with her in every class.
Harry left the pair to themselves, kissing Fleur's cheek briefly before he went out to start the next session of training, leading the rest of his Jewels on a light two mile jog. The cool late August afternoon weather was perfect, letting the girls push themselves and letting Harry enjoy the sight of them sweating.
Another pair of young ladies were also preparing for a return to Hogwarts. Though Angelina Johnson and Alicia Spinnet could have finished in June, in some ways they were glad they had failed their NEWT exams. It meant another year playing Quidditch at Hogwarts, another year with their friend and teammate Katie Bell, and another year to get picked up by the professional teams.
They now realised how foolish they were to have pinned all their hopes on getting that last year. While they would love to find out during their first week back at school that the Holyhead Harpies had decided to hire both of them, they now accepted, however unwillingly, what their families had said. NEWTs actually were important to their careers.
Their trip to Diagon Alley put them off balance, though.
"Did you ever see the Leaky Cauldron looking so clean?" Alicia asked quietly.
"No, but then again I never thought I would see Percy Weasley on his hands and knees with a toothbrush." Angelina shook her head.
"I know!" Alicia giggled then sobered quickly at the long-suffering looks from other Ministry staff on cleaning duty. It was amazing both how popular Minister Bones' initiative to clean up the public parts of their world was with the general Wizarding public and how effective a punishment it was to send misbehaving Ministry workers to do it without magic.
The mostly Pureblood workers who got sent to do it were the most resentful which only increased the popularity of the measure with the general public. This was especially true since these Purebloods were the people who had locked out other, more competent applicants from securing jobs there while doing very little to endear themselves to the people they were supposed to serve.
The two young women quickly walked down to Quality Quidditch Supplies, checking the store display before heading inside and getting all the gossip on the sport they could get. They had hoped to catch the eye of a team scout but that was a vain hope at best. With time running out, they slipped out, rushing through their shopping before taking their haul back to Angelina's home.
The place was only as busy as they remembered from their own days as First Years, something that would have surprised them if they had stopped to think about it. Hogwarts was busier than they had ever seen it but many of the customers went elsewhere for whatever they could get instead of Diagon Alley. The Lily Potter Foundation was quietly extending the tentacles of its reach, supplying a wider range every year for the average witch or wizard. That was a market that didn't much care if their purchases had a Muggle origin as long as the price was right.
The start of autumn came at last, and with it the traditional scramble to head to Platform 9 and 3/4. Amelia Bones' Ministry had brought some sense to the day, again outraging traditionalists by providing cheap Portkeys for any family out of metropolitan London. This was by far the majority of families and made the outing far more practical for Muggleborns living across the United Kingdom. No more did they have to get up at some ungodly hour or rent a hotel room the night before to make the trip unless they wanted to.
The Potter Alliance made a day of the event. They had applied to have a different destination programmed in from the platform itself, as had a few others wanting to get some London shopping in. Breakfast was laid on at Coram's Fields in a special arrangement, with entertainment provided in the hours before families would wander across to King's Cross Station. Once through the portal to the Hogwarts Express, they could greet friends and acquaintances as they sent off their younger members to the school in the Scottish Highlands.
After that, there was a banquet lunch followed by options of theatre or various sports or games, and a dinner in the evening to celebrate their children's safe arrival. This meant something more in these days with Voldemort returned from the grave. Aurors had been on hand, both with the Alliance and at King's Cross Station, to deter any violence and handle any breaches of the Statute of Secrecy. Thankfully, their day had been quiet.
Onboard the train, Cho happily oversaw the arrangements to remodel the last car of the train that Harry's Jewels and close friends took over. As normal, there was a main compartment for the guys where Justin provided a selection of fizzy drinks while the Clan provided the snacks. The students in there could lounge around and watch a suitable action film or two during the long train ride with breaks for lunch and for a romantic comedy or two.
In the other, the Jewels settled in gratefully, the subtle tension that always gripped them these days while in public places in the Wizarding World fled ahead of the massages Harry was already giving them. The ladies were grateful to Harry for being so understanding. Not only was there the pressure of their social status, which was complicated by their unusual relationship, but there was the uncertainty about when the terrorists would end their relative silence.
In private, they relaxed, exchanging hugs and kisses before settling in. Instead of the usual romance or historical film, somehow Star Wars had made it through the voting process and the classic opening washed over a quiet audience.
Just as the film came to an end a couple of hours later, their isolation was brought to an abrupt end by the crashing sounds of Draco Malfoy's triumphant voice grating on their ears. He ordered his companions to unlock the door to the car for him and strode in as soon as it was opened.
"What have we here? Blood traitors and Mudbloods, all!" Draco sneered at his audience of annoyed students. "What?" he asked a minute later when no one had bothered to reply.
"Detention, Mr Malfoy. Leave. Now." Harry hissed in the pale boy's ear.
Draco about jumped out of his skin. "What for? You can't do that to me!" he insisted.
"I can and I have, Mr Malfoy. You have invaded our car and disturbed our ride before using banned epithets against everyone inside. The full extent of your punishment will be decided upon our arrival, no doubt, but you did go past the numerous signs warning you off. You did read them, didn't you?"
"What would I care? I am a Malfoy."
"Of course, you are. We have heard that from you often enough over the last five years. Whether you bothered to read the warning is the question at hand. You should have learned over the last few years that rules apply to everyone. In case you missed it, that means even you. Did you know that by breaking in here, you have consented to taking a dozen lashes?" Harry grinned as Draco swallowed his bluff, hook, line and sinker.
"But you'd never get away with it!" Malfoy protested.
Beside him, Crabbe and Goyle looked as pale as their boss. Unlike him, they didn't much care if McGonagall eventually punished Potter if they got whipped first. They knew from experience inflicting them on others that those wounds were far more painful and longer lasting than they ever wanted to feel.
"Why don't you go toddle on back to your compartment, Malfoy? Do you really want to put it to the test?"
Crabbe tugged on his boss' sleeve, annoying Draco. Draco turned and admonished his minion. "Don't interrupt me!" Turning back, he saw the tip of Harry's wand an inch away and right between his eyes. Draco went cross-eyed trying to focus on it before he looked back at Harry, now backed up by what looked like half of the school. Behind him, Draco could feel his other supporters melting away like snowflakes on a hot summer's day in the face of the massed and clearly determined opposition. Belatedly, Draco remembered that no matter how much he protested, Potter's spellwork had always outdone his own and that his own wand was still trapped in his confining robes.
"I- I am going to report you for threatening the scion of a Lord, Potter!" Draco's voice wobbled far more than he liked but it was the best excuse he could come up with on short notice for his abrupt retreat. As he left, he didn't notice Pansy's mask slip and the smile emerge at his failure.
Harry had ignored Draco's threats. The brat would no doubt do just what he said but only his own sycophants would listen. The rest of the trip was much quieter. Some friends dropped by for a little while and some of the guys wandered the train, but no further sign was seen of the Ferret.
During the Sorting, there was much whispering about Hogwarts' first Veela student in living memory. Headmistress McGonagall had decided to leave her for last, allowing the First Years to get their new House assignments out of the way before the unusual transfer student had her own time under the Sorting Hat. In deference to custom, she had not informed the young Miss Delacour how the process worked but the Jewels had happily taken on that task for her.
As such, Gabrielle was able to walk up without showing fear and sit on the little stool before the Hat was dropped onto her head and the voice sounded in her ear.
"Oh hell. Another one! Please drop your mental defences so I can properly sort you." The Sorting Hat recited the admonition that it had used more often in the last three years than in the entire previous millenium. "I assure you that your secrets are safe with me and that any threats you may wish to make are entirely unnecessary."
"Oui, I know that!" Gabrielle replied cheerfully, if quietly, as she dropped her rudimentary shields.
"Ah, much better," came the reply inside her head, the Sorting Hat giving the impression that it was enjoying the extra elbow room. "Let's see. Plenty of ambition and a thirst for greatness, but it's all focussed on that Potter lad. Courage, certainly, to come here despite your heritage in these times, and a streak of nobility. There is a thirst for knowledge, also, but it's again muted by your focus on being useful for Mr Potter and your friends. Still, your loyalty and teamwork will see you placed among your friends in HUFFLEPUFF!"
After the Sorting had finished, Headmistress McGonagall stood up to make her first Welcoming Feast speech.
"...And finally, I would like to introduce your new Heads of House." Minerva ignored the gasps as she confirmed the rumours that had somehow spread throughout the school already. "These fine witches and wizards will be on hand to monitor and guide you as you become upstanding young students. They will also be taking the First Years to teach you the finer points of how to write essays and answer homework questions." Her mouth briefly twisted before settling back into place. "A few of our older students may like to join them for a refresher after the summer break for an easy way to improve your marks."
Against her initial wishes, she had included that last line in an effort to encourage some of the school's more interesting students to apply themselves in that extra class. As much as it grated, if it would stop just one time her teachers had to struggle through some illiterate trash masquerading as an essay, it would be worth it. 'Do it for the headaches you are saving.' Minerva told herself again.
"We are most fortunate to have their services available to help teach your young minds and they are empowered to enforce school discipline as needed, freeing up your teachers' time to assist you more in their chosen fields."
And hadn't that met a mixed reception! No one truly wanted to spend their evenings wandering the castle seeking out amorous teens in compromising positions and the rivalry between the Houses was the spark for some truly epic migraines. However, spending more time with the most dimwitted of their students wasn't that much better for some of her staff. Minerva was glad that Snape was already gone or she would have never had any peace after that decision.
After naming each Head of House, and their special qualifications, Minerva finished by calling for the food, smiling at the awe on the First Years' faces when it appeared by magic on the golden plates. This year, the Muggleborns weren't upset by the food at all, something that pleased the Headmistress. As for the students raised in the Wizarding World, they were amazed that all those stories about great food at Hogwarts were just as true as their families had insisted all along.
As the Fifth Year Prefects escorted the new students to their dormitories, Minerva spared a thought for the transfer student. Under other circumstances, she would have sent Miss Delacour along with the First years to the Hufflepuff Common Room for her introduction. Instead, she felt quite sure that the young girl's friends would be sure to see her to her new home without sending her off an hour before her curfew.
That evening, Minerva was proved correct. Gabrielle introduced herself to her new roommates and her new Head of House who had a suite just off the common room. She nodded along when he told her that he would be monitoring the dorms. She already knew everything he was telling her as she had made a point to ask Harry all that she could before she started at a new school. For instance, she knew that while loud sounds like fights would be transmitted to the Head's rooms, softer ones including almost all conversations would not. That was both to preserve some privacy and prevent the headaches the constant noise would create.
The recitation came to an end and Gabrielle darted off, cuddling up to Hannah as she hid behind the bigger girl from the curious stares. All too soon, Athena dragged her off to meet with them properly. Despite her fears, Gabrielle found they were not hostile to the interloper, though it would take her a little while to get used to the others and them to her.
Soon, Harry and Hermione reminded her and her new maybe-friends that it was time to head up to bed and reminded the girls to show her where everything was. Harry got a smart salute from the couple of Muggleborn girls in the group, something that made him do a double-take. Their giggles had him shaking his head as he headed up to his new dorm room.
"Gotcha!" Justin crowed as he saw Harry's expression.
"Yes, yes you did, man." Harry grinned.
Ernie MacMillan just handed over a Galleon to the victor, chuckling himself. "It was worth losing to see that, Harry." Ernie admitted freely. The other two weren't there yet but came up laughing a couple of minutes later.
Harry took it in good spirits. He would have to track down later how Justin had got to Athena without his knowledge, but he expected this would be the least of his worries during the year.
The morning brought with it the depressing realization that he was right. The fashion label he and his ladies had started was doing nicely but that brought with it the problems of success. For a start, the volume of the business was growing large enough that keeping the books for the firm was almost a challenge. A challenge in staying awake, that is. Then too, they had had their first customer complaints at the store in regular London.
Some customer was claiming that the dress she had bought had ripped when she tried it on at home despite assurances from the sales staff. For proof, she brought in a dress that was not one of theirs and had clearly been cut with scissors. When Angelique had heard the commotion, she stepped out and calmly asked to see the receipt. The customer, flustered by the Veela Allure, fumbled and dropped her handbag as she struggled to answer.
"I- erIforgotitathome!"
Angelique cut back on the Allure, annoyed she had forgotten, and raised a delicate eyebrow. "Zen I'm afraid zat we cannot 'elp you." Her French accent was exaggerated for effect as her tone told the woman that Angelique knew everything the woman was saying was a poor lie.
The woman fled the store before having to return to pick up her handbag and its contents. On her return, she refused to look anyone in the eye, meekly accepting her items when the staff handed them over before leaving quietly.
Such good fortune hadn't lasted. When the woman had recovered, she started spreading a nasty rumour about the store, saying they wouldn't honour their guarantee and look how her dress was ruined and obviously it was all their fault. By the time a constable turned up to question her, she was long gone and the damage was done. Sales were brisk inside the store but fewer new customers came in to replace them once they left. Harry estimated her vicious words had cost them a few thousand pounds in takings for the day.
On the other hand, even such things as this couldn't stop the growing business for long. That same day also saw them the 'honoured' recipients of an interview request from a radio programme. Normally, they would have been only too pleased by the free advertising that implied but the host of the programme was notorious for his delight in ruining reputations. It was widely rumoured that only people who paid kickbacks would get a neutral or barely positive review on air.
The request saw one of Harry's clones paying the man a visit to confirm his intentions. One interview of a different sort later, and he was convinced to change his tune. In exchange for an honest in-depth review, he would receive a discount at his next fitting at Bewitched and their silence on what they knew of his off-air dealings.
The results spoke for themselves. They had a fifty percent spike in visitors over the next three days above expectations and a thirty percent increase in sales over the same time period. The man even came in to buy his girlfriend a new dress. As long as his wife never found out, everyone would be happy.
For her part, Jennifer was especially pleased with how things were going. She was more sought after than ever, flying to Paris and New York for shoots and shows. After every show, she celebrated with Harry and her friends. Life was good and getting even better for the beautiful model.
In the end, the return to classes was about the least troublesome change in Harry's life.
He was pleased to hear that they were going to learn how to cast silently in all of their classes for sixth year. This was something he and his friends had been doing for nearly two years already, which meant that for the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff classes, they could move that much quicker through the material.
That was unlike the Gryffindor and Slytherin classes, where Malfoy was quick to whine about all the extra work while Ron Weasley bit the inside of his cheek to avoid joining his voice to the slimy Snake's complaint. Seamus Finnigan was not so restrained and somehow set fire to his desk as he shouted. Dean Thomas, sitting next to the fiery Irish boy, doused the flames with a quick and silent Aguamenti, earning Gryffindor two points for the silent casting and ten points for quick thinking. He also earned himself a glare from his dorm-mate and friend. At the end of the row, Neville Longbottom dropped his head onto his hands.
While Seamus and Dean were still friends after that, it only highlighted the impact of the Potter Alliance on Hogwarts. The Irish boy managed to get his head out of the sand a little, accepting his friend's offer of help as the olive branch it was.
Early Thursday evening of their first week back, Harry asked Neville to round up the guys. Neville dropped what he was doing immediately, rushing around to get them together. Harry apologized to the panting Gryffindor on his return.
"Sorry, Nev. I really should be more careful about that."
Neville shook his head and laughed. "Don't worry, that wasn't you."
"You- you pranked me? Well done!"
From the laughter around him, Harry knew the others had been in on the joke. "Right, anyway, now that you are all here, I wanted to check in with all of you. We've got more classes this year than ever, probably a good thing."
Ravenclaws Kevin and Anthony cheered dutifully to the chuckles of their mates.
"No, really, more time in class means less time for idiots like Draco to stir up trouble. However, I wanted to ask you when you wanted to meet for training."
There were a few grumbles until Justin loyally pointed out something. "What, are you guys really turning down the chance to cause a little chaos and destruction? What kind of guys are you?"
As they settled down and checked their schedules and chatted, Harry set out the snacks on a table he conjured, showing off some of his ninja speed to the guys since they were in private. Eventually they agreed on a few times per week that would work for most of them and got stuck into the food and drink.
Everyone settled into the return to school with more or less grace. After his deception and routing by the Boy-Who-Lived, Draco kept his head down for a time before his arrogance and pride saw him speak out next.
Sophie Roper was chatting to a couple of the Third Years outside the Muggle Studies classroom, explaining what electricity was and why it was useful to Muggles. The pair had practised their 'charming and innocent girls' routine well and it had worked on her when they waylaid her, recognising her as one of Harry's ladies.
"You don't need to know that rubbish!" Draco declared in their general direction, backed up by Crabbe, Goyle and Bulstrode.
"Excuse me, Malfoy. No one asked you for your opinion." Sophie moved unthinkingly to shield the younger students with her body. "And in point of fact, they do need to know for their essay."
Draco couldn't let that challenge stand. "The whole subject is useless! Proper witches would know that already. Now make way there, Roper. Don't you recognise your betters?"
Sophie grinned at that perfect opening. "I don't recognise any of you as my betters. Why should I when none of you are any better than I am? In fact, are you my equals in anything of importance?"
Behind her, the younger teens had sensibly moved out of the line of fire and her pleasure grew.
"Are you really challenging a Malfoy?" Draco asked.
"I am challenging a Malfoy to find something of worth in himself," Sophie corrected.
Draco roared and reached for his wand, watching with disbelieving eyes as it soared away from him into Sophie's outstretched palm. A signal from their master and Crabbe and Goyle were reaching for their own. Millicent was a touch faster, however. She had understood the earlier insult unlike the minions beside her, and her first curse was already flying as she screamed "Densaugeo!"
Sophie side-stepped the jet of light almost lazily, her smile never fading. "Tut tut, Bulstrode. You know you haven't beaten me in a single practical exam. Would you like to know why?" Her own silent Stunner sped out from her wand, casually held low but aimed at her larger opponent. It missed but forced Millicent to cancel her own spell.
"It isn't because I'm a Pureblood. We both know I am a Halfblood, just like you." Her next spell was one designed for cleaning and polishing stone which she cast under Draco and his minions.
"It isn't because I had any sort of head start or special tutors hired by my family, like Malfoy here had." The following low-powered Summoning Charm, invisible and silent, pulled the trio off their feet as she lazily dodged Bulstrode's second spell.
"The reason I am able to do all of this, Bulstrode, is that I seized the opportunity that came to me to choose the better way. Among my friends, everything I do comes easier, including learning and performing new spells. I can trust them to watch my back, to help me when I need it, to cheer for me when I succeed. And I do the same for them."
Her precisely cast Cushioning Charm and overpowered Stunner combination caught Millicent by surprise, the Stupefying Charm blasting her back unconscious into the wall that had been altered by the first Charm, preventing any serious injury. She added another Stupefying Charm to Draco and his goons, putting them mercifully out of their misery and checked for watchers before making a Shadow Clone. She sent it off hidden on its way to find Harry while she used a few Levicorpus spells to move the foul foursome after her to the Hospital Wing.
Harry met her there as did Headmistress McGonagall who heard her statement on what had happened, and what Sophie had done in response. A quick check of the wands supported the story. The Headmistress docked her four points for casting spells in the hallway, coincidentally the same number of Snakes she had knocked out with her spellwork and the minimum that could be levied for what she had done. She then gave Sophie four points for her efforts to defuse the situation and protect the younger students, adding "We both know full well, Miss Roper, that you are skilled enough to have stopped them without going so far as you did. Next time, do remember to leave them awake to learn their lessons."
Sophie nodded. "Yes, Headmistress McGonagall."
"Good. And good work on saving those two young Lions, dear."
When Draco and the others awoke minutes later, the Headmistress glared frostily at them though most of her ire was focussed on the blond who had started it all.
"Alright, Mr Malfoy. You and your friends are here after you attacked a fellow student, a Slytherin like yourself. You started the confrontation by denigrating the value of the most important course Hogwarts has on offer, one that has been maligned and neglected for decades, mind you. You followed that by offering insult to three students, demanded deference that you were never due, then proceeded to attack her with spells after comprehensively losing the battle of wits. In short, you are here because you tried and failed to bully other students. Nod if you understand."
Draco opened his mouth but found he could not speak in the face of her ire.
"I said 'nod if you understand', Mr Malfoy."
Sullen, Draco did so, barely.
"Now, normally I would dock you and your accomplices a lot of points. That will not happen this time." Draco's instant triumphant smirk was wiped off his face at McGonagall's next words. "That will not happen since that would punish Miss Roper and the rest of your innocent Housemates for your misdeeds. Instead, we will be trying a Muggle method to teach you not to repeat your abominable behaviour. Until your punishment is over, you will be banned from the Great Hall and other common areas. You will have to earn back the privilege of associating with good wizards and witches. Instead of attending classes, you will be granted one hour per day to work on your essay. The subject for it will be on bullying, the negatives about it and what are your responsibilities when you encounter it."
Draco considered that. 'Days off from classes wouldn't be so bad,' he thought, then asked the obvious question. "And what will happen the rest of the time?"
"I am so glad you asked that, Mr Malfoy." Her smile reminded Draco that her animagus form was a cat, a natural predator. "When you are not working diligently on your essay, or spending no more than ten minutes on your meals, you will be aiding Professors Sprout and Hagrid in their tasks. At this time of year, there is always a lot of work for them to do and your marks in Herbology suggest that you will be competent to the tasks they will set you. I believe that they are particularly looking forward to your assistance with the next shipment of dragon dung."
"And how long will I have to do this?"
"Until you all turn in satisfactory essays, Mr Malfoy."
On her way out, Minerva collected the four wands. The Snakes wouldn't have any legitimate use for them until they were ready to return as Hogwarts students once more. Behind her, Poppy Pomfrey grumbled as she set to work, finally allowed to poke and prod and examine the students in her care and adding an extra layer of humiliation to their day.
While Draco and his cronies were hating how their day turned out, Sophie found hers improving. After leaving the Hospital, Katie took her to a classroom.
"Thanks for coming." The Head Girl told Sophie. "I wanted to take the time to thank you in person for saving two of my own. I'll tell my House later, but I am grateful for what you did. The way you saved them from your own Housemates will do more to silence the hotheads than a hundred lectures from me or the Headmistress would."
Sophie gave the older girl a genuine smile. "It will also make life easier for my sister Snakes if stupid Lions don't try picking on them as much in the future, but that wasn't why I really did it."
"I know. You did it because of Harry Potter."
Sophie was a little surprised. "Well, yes, in a way. Without him here, I wouldn't have been able to find people I could trust in the other Houses."
"Nor would you have been able to help with a Muggle Studies paper."
"True." Sophie nodded slowly. "Being friends with Harry opened so many doors, including ones some prefer to remain closed forever."
"Not me." Katie sighed. "Please don't spread this around too much, but all the scandals and corruption we've been seeing because of Harry - No, that's the wrong way to say it. I hate the things that Harry has exposed. I can't hate Harry for doing it, though. Still, it makes me wonder if I would have been better off never getting a Hogwarts letter and just gone to a M- regular school instead."
"You're opening your eyes," Sophie replied, "to the problems of our society. That was the first step for many of us, you know."
"What was the second?"
"Deciding to do something about it." She smiled. "Harry made that easy for me. By becoming part of his circle, I have seen more both about magical society and regular Britain than I knew existed. Though there are things I'll never understand about them, like why anyone would eat at McDonalds, I like these people better than I thought I would. And you're welcome."
"Huh?"
"For saving your little Lions." Sophie left a confused Head Girl behind her, laughing and going to visit the rest of the Jewels.
Pansy heard of the confrontation, of course. Everyone did as the rumour mill worked overtime. The important point in her eyes was that Sophie had been alone when she stood up for Gryffindors. As soon as she could get the other witch alone, she was going to find out why.
That evening, she waited in bed for Sophie to return, getting up silently and padding over to the other girl's part of the shared room. "Hello, Roper."
Sophie cocked her head at the other girls, tired from her long day and just wanting to get to sleep. "Hello, Parkinson."
"I heard about what you did today."
"Of course." Sophie sat on her bed and let her hair down, obviously preparing to rest. Pansy's obvious desire to know should ensure that she wasn't kept waiting long, and Sophie was right.
"So why did you do it?" Pansy asked bluntly.
"It was the right thing to do."
"That's it? That's your answer?"
"Not that you're in any place to demand an answer, Pansy, but yes. Look. It's late and I'm tired. Why don't you think about it for yourself rather than pester me?" Sophie explained as patiently as she was able.
Pansy left the witch alone, heading back to her bed to ponder it. She could see advantages once she applied her brain, but somehow she felt she was missing a vital clue.
In the Hufflepuff dorms, Hermione was studying on her newest acquisition. The computer wasn't strictly hers alone, of course. Between the Clan's backing and Sirius' and Remus' willingness to try new things, they had found that a Cooling Charm on the heat sink worked better than any fan as long as the Charm lasted. From that point, they quickly worked to enchanting a heat sink to do it permanently. Taking it to Hogwarts was a breeze and now Hermione was using it, catching up on the latest news about the Gaunt family ring and the Resurrection Stone it had contained.
When Amelia Bones had tried to use the now Horcrux-free Stone to call up a murder victim, she got nothing, something that was disappointing to say the least. However, she was able to use it to call up the shade of her dead parents. They had talked for a short while before her parents had asked to be released. The process was uncomfortable for them in some way they couldn't explain. Her parents had confirmed that the Stone did get in contact with the real thing rather than some echo or illusion made from Amelia's own mind by directing her to an old family heirloom Amelia had never seen before. Honestly, she would have been just as happy to leave the 'prized' socks right where they were, but it did prove conclusive.
Other tests fit the pattern. The user could only call on the dead who they had a personal connection to. Harry had snarked at that. "I wonder if I can call up Uncle Vernon with it?"
"But he's not dead." Amelia had said, playing along.
"Yet." Naruto had strolled in, giving a cold smile. "I can wait."
Further tests showed that to call someone up used the magic of the person holding it, ruling out regular people using it in a revelation that surprised no one. Still, it did provide potential for use in justice and in aiding the grieving process, as well as an avenue for dealing with deceased who didn't leave a will.
Coming out of her reverie, Hermione said softly to herself, "I wish we could do that now, but we can't while that bastard Riddle is alive. Or Dumbledore, the meddling old goat. And it would need a change to the law."
Athena knocked on the door then let herself in. "Hey, Hermione."
"Hello, little Athena." Hermione replied, teasing her.
"Not so little!" Athena said proudly, showing off how tall she was growing.
"I know. Soon you'll be as big as a house if you keep eating that much."
"Prat!" Athena stuck her tongue out at her sister.
Hermione gave a wicked grin. "So, other than seeing my amazing self," she paused to let Athena giggle, "what did you want?"
"I was hoping to talk about.. Things."
"Harry things?"
"Yes." Athena blushed a little. "He's so handsome and kind and, um, I just want him to notice me." Athena's voice had dropped at the end. Unlike Ginny before her, Athena had never been too shy to talk to her hero. That didn't mean she was able to tell him how she felt and she had heard often enough from Hermione that Harry would not pursue her, or any other girl for that matter.
"Well, I've told you before. The ball's in your court. You can't wait for him to make a move."
"I know, but it's so.."
"Scary? Terrifying?"
"All of that." Athena admitted. "I know I want him. I know he's important to me, and I want to make him happy. But I'm still afraid he'll reject me."
Hermione pulled her sister into a hug. "I know, honey. Harry's right, you know-"
"Isn't he always?" Athena put in with a giggle.
"Mostly. But as I was saying, he was right. He really is a very lucky guy. He's managed to put the burden of asking onto us instead of himself and got us to support him."
"A Slytherin in Hufflepuff robes, he said he was."
"That, too. Do you think you would put yourself between Harry and danger?"
"Well, no. I can't see him allowing that to happen."
"Would you want to protect him, though?"
"Yes."
"Do you want to see him happy?"
"Yes!"
"Is that stronger than your fear?"
"Ye- Um."
Hermione nodded to herself. "A wise man once said that 'Courage is the complement of fear. He who is fearless cannot be courageous.' You know Harry gets afraid, right?"
"He really does?"
"Mhmm. I've seen him with his guard down. He still worries about things, even silly things like all of us girls leaving him."
"But- but that's crazy!"
"Hey, no one ever said boys had to make sense, not even Harry."
Athena wanted to spring to his defence but she saw the gleam in her sister's eyes. "Ok, I get it. But how do I do it?"
"You just do it." Hermione grinned as her sister glared. "Ok, ok. Keep your panties on." 'Or don't, if you get what you want,' she thought naughtily. "It's down to emotional control. You control your emotions or they control you, right? You learned that in meditation classes, and it's true outside of meditation too. Get yourself calm first, then think about Harry and what you want to say to him. Once you can stay calm thinking of that, just go up to him and talk to him."
Athena groaned. "That's going to be so hard, though. I really want this to work!"
"The rewards are worth it, Athena. Trust me. Just remember that you are a wonderful girl and only a fool would turn down your love. And is Harry a fool?"
"No, he isn't." Athena smiled a little. "Well, except that time he nearly killed Draco then changed his mind. The poncy ferret should have been gone years ago for what he's been saying about you and the rest of us 'Mudbloods'. Plus Harry needs to stop smothering us."
"He's getting better about that." Hermione responded, ignoring the bit about Draco. "I can't be sure it isn't just that we're getting stronger so he doesn't have to worry about us, but he does let us go around without a guard, unlike in our Third Year with those Dementors around."
"Speaking of which?"
"No, they still haven't shown themselves. Riddle has kept them away and we don't know why."
Athena shrugged then hugged Hermione again. "Thanks, sis."
"You're welcome, Athena." Athena yawned. "Good night, Athena."
Her sister blushed and grumbled. "Good night, Hermione. And thanks."
Athena got a good sleep for once, and woke early in the morning ready to start her day. As she thought over the advice, she felt she could do it. She took extra care in her preparations for the day, then darted down to the Great Hall, stopping at the entrance and scanning the room. 'There!' With a big smile, she walked straight up to Harry, plopped down in his lap and kissed him on the lips.
"Good morning, Harry!" Athena said brightly.
"And a good morning to you, Athena." Harry chuckled, having already made eye contact with his Jewels. Their surprised smiles told him all he needed to know. "Do you have something else you want to say to me?"
"Nope, I think the kiss said it all." Athena settled in on her new perch, grabbing a plate and piling on toast, bacon and scrambled eggs. Her nonchalant attitude and bright smile told the girls that she had what she wanted.
'And all is right with her world.' Hermione thought in satisfaction.
As September waned, Athena settled into her new life with barely a ripple. More important to her was Gabrielle's reaction, keeping her friend's spirits up, and making sure she didn't neglect her classes in favour of cuddles with Harry.
As the month ended, all the girls were called together for a review of their training.
"We don't know why the Death Eaters are keeping their heads low right now but we can't afford to rely on it." Susan opened up the session as it was her turn.
Nym stood beside her, nodding. "That's why we are keeping up our training. Now let's start our warm-ups and give Harry a good show today." Her grin told her listeners that she meant both meanings. She turned her head to the side, watching as Harry warmed up himself, her smile widening as she saw him oiled up.
With incentives like that, the Jewels were smiling as the moved into a light jog then back to their starting place, keeping limber as they waited their turns. Around them, Harry and his clones were keeping an eye on them, their stances and timings as they demonstrated their proficiency at taijutsu, genjutsu, ninjutsu and kenjutsu.
They did it all in the Room of Requirements, using its ability to create whatever the user required with only a few exceptions such as food. For their poison evaluations, they had to bring in their own food and drink samples but that was all they had to worry about. From oldest to youngest, Harry put them through their paces as their designated examiner. A score of jutsus ranging in rank from E, the lowest, up to A were required across the elements of fire, wind, lightning, earth and water, both against bullseyes and moving targets. The Room's capabilities came in very handy in other ways also. On command, it produced target dummies that moved just like real wizards and shot low-level jinxes and Stunning Hexes back at the girls, rewarding them for their accuracy and footwork with better performance.
At the end, Athena's turn came and she put in a decent performance for her age and time training, but she was clearly the worst of them all. Hannah and Susan sandwiched the sad girl in a hug. "You did well."
"Really." Susan was firm as she added her support.
"But I came last!"
"Someone had to, and we started training earlier." Susan said philosophically.
"And we have bigger reserves so we could use more clones to train even faster." Hannah added. "Was there anyone here you expected to beat?"
"No... But I didn't want to come last."
"Sometimes, that's a good thing." Susan giggled.
Athena blushed.
"Don't worry too much, Athena. You did better than expected. We know how recently you started all this. You have a natural talent for taijutsu. You know where you are at all times."
"And you demolished all of the dummies you were set. Ten of the toughest opponents the Room can create and they didn't come close to scratching you."
"Yes, but you took on twenty!" Athena pouted cutely.
"And Harry can take down as many as the room can produce. Should we be upset at losing to him or the advantages he has in training and reserves?"
"Well, no. I-" Athena didn't know how to express her feelings. All she knew was that she felt like a failure.
"You wanted to do better, to impress us? Or just Harry?" Daphne asked with a grin as she came up.
"All of you," Athena said, "but Harry most of all. I don't want him to think I'm useless."
Daphne's grin widened as Harry walked up behind the younger girl.
"And I am impressed, Athena. You are far from useless. Do you know how many of these dummies an Auror can take on?"
"No?"
"A fully trained Auror after seven years of schooling and a further three years of professional training could take down maybe a dozen. Ten of these drones at once? About seventy percent of the time. You made it look easy and you're going to do even better in time. I am very proud of you and would be honoured to have you guard my back in a fight."
Harry raised his voice and looked around at all his Jewels. "I am proud of all of you. I know you were listening to what I just told little Athena here. All I can really add is 'Keep up the good work.'"
October opened with an unseasonable cold snap, making many shoppers stay away from Diagon Alley. The shadows seemed longer and darker, too, as the Sun never quite emerged from behind the clouds. Walking confidently down the street on the first Friday of the month as if she owned the place, Narcissa Malfoy walked into Bewitched and waited to be served.
As she was one of the regulars, she didn't have to wait long at all. Yvette and Angelique came over to her, their Allures set to focus on the older blonde as they approached her and their best warm smiles in place. The effort was made easier as they contemplated all the money they were extracting out of the Malfoys through honest trade. They rang the silent alarm for Jennifer and Diana to come forward and take over the shop while the two Veela saw to the wealthy socialite's needs.
"Ah, Madame Malfoy." Angelique cried and welcomed her further into the store. "How can we aid you today? And would you like some refreshment while you are here?"
Narcissa didn't even think of snubbing the foreign witch any more, instead smiling at her. "That would be most agreeable, Angelique. I will take some tea, I believe."
"Oui, it is just the thing to deal with these chills." Angelique praised her choice as if there had been any doubt in the matter. Almost every visit, Narcissa drank the beverage, relishing in her favourite blend and the way they always had it available and ready for her.
Narcissa accepted the cup and saucer from the teenaged Yvette, sitting properly on her chair as she wrapped herself around the drink. After her first sip, she waved her hand, inviting the two young ladies to join her with their own cups. They charged her a premium for the tea, of course, including their own, but Narcissa hardly cared about spending more of her husband's money, the quality female company only making the task easier.
A few minutes later, Narcissa allowed herself to be persuaded to move into the back where the private fittings were done and relaxed out of sight of the common people. Here, she could be pampered and treated like a queen, and she fully intended on just that.
"Ah, much better." She purred later under the talented hands of her masseur. "After last night's debacle, I needed something to take my mind off things. You wouldn't believe what I caught Yaxley doing with that potted plant." The witch shuddered delicately, wicked thoughts of ruining the Death Eater's reputation going through her.
As time passed, Narcissa felt herself melting even more under the skilled fingers and giving out more information as she did so. If she had been aware of what she was doing, she might have done so anyway, considering it a fair trade for what he was giving her.
Angelique smiled as she listened to the blonde Pureblood spill her secrets. Harry in front of her memorised it all, not just the words but how she said it, while another of his clones was relaying the information back to the Compound. Even the information on the décor was useful in a way.
Naruto at the other end had already suggested they put together some sort of listening device that fit in with the colour scheme. Harry's clone relayed to the one giving the massage to encourage her to keep talking about Malfoy Manor's interior so they could put together an appropriate looking trinket.
Laying down face first on the table, Narcissa missed the satisfied smiles both Veela were wearing.
Thank you for reading.