Last chapter before the "Graduation/Epilogue" Chapter. I'm so excited. As always: I don't own it! Enjoy!
Revelations, End of Year feast, & Packing…...
Alyssa POV
I groaned my head pounding like a jackhammer hand taken to my skull. The throbbing sensation had wove its way around my face and into my eyes. I didn't want to open my eyes. I couldn't bear the pain that was coursing through my veins. My whole body screamed from pain as I laid there in the darkness. I had managed to open my eyes and realized I was encased in darkness. Was I blind? I couldn't remember what happened after I was dragged away from the fruit portrait leading to the kitchens. How long had I been down here?
Standing up gingerly, I reached for the closest thing to and my hands grasped bars. Bars! I felt the trickle of anger tickle the back of my pounding skull. I was in the dungeons! Fury flicked through my head making the pain bearable. The whooshing sound of my blood in my ears was deafening. Whoever threw me down here had a purpose and a purpose I would find!
I felt my magic swirling around me like a whirlwind. Putting my hands up, I pushed them out and busted the bars apart. My own innate magic bursting forth from my body. Doing the work for me. Blasting them to smithereens. All around me, a invisible wind swirled around carrying me through the dungeons like it was my guide. I found the stairs that led toward the door out of the dungeons. Treading lightly up the stairs, I came to another door. The door swung open violently as I passed through it easily. My feet led me toward the front of the castle where I was sure I would find out who did this to me. I was a danger to those around me. My magic flaring with step I took. There wasn't a time in my life where I had been this angry before.
This was unheard of for me. My blood boiled in rage as I continued my journey to the one person I believed to have done this to me.
Back in London…
HarryW POV
The fog around me lifted as I begin to finally wake up. How long I had been out, I wasn't sure. Was I even in the same room as before? My eyes blinked open to the harsh light of the world and I winced from the onslaught of voices expressing their concern that I was indeed alive.
Searching my brain, my last thought had been of Alyssa. How the sense of foreboding hung over me like a dark cloud. Something was wrong that day and I knew it was gong to progressive become worse if nothing was done about it.
And nothing had been done about it. I was stuck in London when I should have been in Scotland. Maybe whatever happened to her and myself could have been prevented. Unfortunately, I had a feeling that our circumstances on the matter were moot. That whoever had planned this made sure that she and I were in two different countries. Something, I was beginning to regret.
"He's awake, everyone…" I heard my brother speak up. Groaning from his excitement, my head began to pound. Letting me know that, I was indeed, alive. The calming, yet confused sensation that I was feeling was unusual, but then it changed. Gasping for air, I felt it. The anger that poured from my bond with Alyssa struck my core and I screamed.
"Ahhhhhhhh!" I fought my own natural instincts to take my wand to whomever and strike them dead.
"Will…" I grunted my voice ready to let out a howl of anger. "Bind me! Bind me before I destroy everything!" the hot lava of anger raced down every nerve, every cell and penetrated my bones all the way down to my very core.
"Incarcerous!" I heard someone, not Will, shout. Thick black ropes bound my strained body. My own magic leaking, touching and wishing to break everything in the room to lash out.
Then the screams came. I screamed for the pain Alyssa felt. The anger, the fury and the betrayal that ran deep into the heart of everyone wizard and witch since the beginning of time. The love of my life had been betrayed more than once in her short life and this was, to her, the icing on the cake.
"Si-Silencio…" My brother gasped silencing me temporarily until this was over. I laid there, bound and silenced struggling to free myself of my bonds. I could feel her. Every inch of her and at that moment, I wish I didn't.
Alyssa POV
My feet led me to the first floor. The whole way through the castle, my magic swirled around me. Protecting the students from my fury. If no one paid attention to me, they wouldn't be able to tell what was going on but they could feel my magic bleed off me. I turned down the Gargoyle corridor, I know there as one person that could give me some kind of explanation.
Dumbledore.
Standing at the bottom of the Gargoyle, my eyes flitted to slants and I took a long slow breath. Blowing up the Gargoyle wouldn't do me any good. "DUMBLEDORE!" I bellowed.
I didn't have to wait long before the Gargoyle moved on its own accord. I took a step on it and traveled up the tower to his office. Stopping in front of the Oak door, it's brass handle gleaming at me. Laughing at me. I wished to blow it off and see what kind of laugh it had then. The door opened seconds later. I stepped into the room, my anger evident now on my face and demeanor.
"Miss. Potter….." he started to say as he stood up from his chair.
"No." I spoke quietly. My voice wasn't loud but I knew he could hear me. "I found myself in the dungeons today with a splitting headache and bruised body. I want to know who did that to me and I want answers now!"
His face clearly showed shock, but his emotions were all over the place. I had deliberately not told him of my Empathic abilities. Lest, he use that against me. There was whole four people in this castle who knew. I felt the magic spark between my fingers as I waited for him to tell me what I needed to know.
"Perhaps a prank gone awry?" he replied his eyes trying to stay friendly.
"A prank?" I said scathingly. "Turning someone into a chicken, is a prank Headmaster. Throwing them down two flight of stairs then into a cell in the dungeons, is not."
He paled at my words. He knew he had been caught or at least knew something about what happened to me. To place me in this predicament. I looked out the far window. It was dark, it was a full moon. Dread fill my heart. Something wasn't right. That fear, the one I hoped never came to pass snuck upon me.
Whirling my head around, my eyes landed on the shiny object that was sitting on Dumbledore's desk. I wasn't sure what it was but on closer inspection, my eyes would tell me it was Time Turner. Those were hard to get and unless you were a Professor or Headmaster-they were hard to get for school.
My eyes narrowed. Someone had tampered with time, but for what? "Where is my brother Headmaster?"
"I haven't a clue what you're talking about Miss Potter." he said snippily.
He was lying. He knew where he was. Whatever happened tonight was circumvented by this man who claimed to be a protector of students. A leader of Light. But all I saw before me was coward. A manipulator. A deceitful old man.
Shifting from one foot to the other the pain in my ankle starting to wear on me, my eyes never leaving his, "I will ask you again…..where is my brother?!"
He sat there in his silence.
My body trembled in anger. One that was renewed with t thought that something could have happened to him. Was it Dumbledore's intentions to lock me up and wiggle his way back not the good graces of my brother by helping him achieve …..say the unthinkable, but not impossible.
"What have you done?" I demanded.
"I'm sure young Mr Potter has come to trust me again, like he used too…." he sneered leaning forward onto this desk. "Before you showed up Miss Potter ruining everything, I had Harry under my wing. The boy trusted me. I was his guidance in this world. He was going to do things that no other could possibly do. And you show up and twist my plans. My words and my image." he paused and sneered at me again. His own anger growing inside him. "You were supposed to be dead! When I split you and Harry up, I left instruction for your family do whatever to you as they pleased. Your stepfather, particularly hated that he had to take care of some other man's child, and I let that fester in his mind. Everything he did to you would be untraceable. I hoped that whatever he would do to you would weaken you or kill you."
"Harry needed a push tonight. He needed someone who he could turn too and where were you? Gone. Sirius Black showed up tonight and I made sure he was caught. The Dementors want him badly, but I knew if I let Sirius die, there was no way that Harry could learn to trust me again. So, I did what I deemed necessary. Sirius Black has been saved. He will continue on living but that's all. He will never be fully free to take care of Harry like he so wishes. He will never be reinstated in the Magical World. You mark my words. He will always be 'on the run' fugitive." His eyes were like ice blue diamonds and for a mere second, I was half afraid of him.
My body screamed from its earlier stunt of being thrown down the stairs and my headache was coming back to haunt me like a wild poltergeist. My breathing became ragged as I tried to calm myself down. Was all the work that I had managed to do. The truths that I have exposed all for naught?
"WHERE. IS. HE?" my voice bellowed into the office. The air sucked out of the room as I tried to keep myself from breaking every damn thing in there. My eyes bleed black and my magic cackled as I could hear it hum around me in a symphony of screams.
The fear that passed over the Headmaster's face was enough to let me know I had gone too far. "In-in the Infirmary." he stuttered. Gone was the manipulator. Replaced by a mere mortal.
Turning, I walked out without a backward glance. The anger still roared in my ears. The applause of the darkness that I had smothered sang praises to the higher powers that I finally unleashed my fury. I was not going to be manipulated no longer.
Racing toward the Infirmary, the doors opened for me once I reached it. Stopping, I gasped looking around the room. I knew he was in here. I could feel him. Looking in every bed, I stopped seeing Ronald with his leg bandaged. He pointed toward the bed opposite of him. Snapping my head around, I saw Prongs passed out in a chair. Hermione in the bed beside him.
My gasp woke him because his bleary eyes cracked open to look around the room. "Alyssa….?"
I launched myself into his arms as he stood. I nearly bowled us over. Sobbing into his shoulder, he held me awkwardly as the fury bled away replaced by relief. Once I finally calmed myself down, I pulled away from him. I checked him over carefully noting the scratches on his face.
"What happened to you?" I whispered.
Back in London…..
HarryW POV
The silent screaming went on for ages. I could tell when her anger rose and fell because my own would play tag-a-long. My body and magic fought furiously to escape my binding. Occasionally I would hear weeping and sounds of glass breaking. I couldn't stop the madness. I was a raging bull that needed to be let out.
I wish I could have fainted from this but alas, I was tied to Alyssa in ways I never thought a person could be. Finally after what seemed like hours, the anger bleed away and intense relief washed over me.
Sagging into the floor, I was tired. Dreadfully tired. My body ached from the intense struggle I had put it through. Closing my eyes, I rested my head on the carpeted rug beneath me. Oh how I wished for something cooler to be wearing than this suit. Breathing in and out slowly, I thought of nothing else clearing my mind to rebuild what Occlumency shield I had left from this assault.
Could I be angry with Alyssa? A part of me says I could but the other half of me dares not too. We were still learning how the soul bond worked and yet when we tried connecting during love-making we could never reach such an intensity as this. That small part of me worried about that but now that I know it has to be of this level, it would be easy to reach now.
Without warning, the binds around me disappear letting me fully sag into the carpeted rug. Coming to run my hands through my hair, I sighed and opened my eyes. As I opened my mouth to speak, nothing came out.
Frantic, I rolled over and wished I hadn't. The pain in my body demanded me to lie still and recover. Looking around at my family, who were watching me with interest, curiosity and worry; my eyes sought my brother who lifted the Silencing Spell. Nodding in thanks, I took a deep breath and tried again.
"How-how long was I out?" I croaked. My throat raw from the silent screaming I endured.
"Several hours...At least three." Will spoke up crouching down beside me and handed me a vial. I gingerly took it from him and swallowed the foul tasting concoction. Then he handed me another one. Drinking that one, I felt the pain from my body start to recede. I sighed in relief and thanked him. Then I noticed the strange man in the room. Sitting up quickly, I palmed my wand but Will held me steady.
"He's an Auror. Been keeping an eye on you during all this." I eyed him but nodded.
"Can anyone tell us non-magical people what happened?" my father asked with worry in his eyes.
"That's something Harry will have to tell us." Will said looking at me.
"Alyssa." my voice sounded better than a few minutes ago. "Someone knocked her unconscious. Then when she woke up, I felt her rage. It was strong enough that I could feel it from Hogwarts. Whoever did this to her set her off."
"That bond your brother was talking about?" the Auror spoke up. I nodded feebly at his direction.
"It's a soul bond." I replied.
"Well that explains it." the Auror stated clearly.
"Have you ever felt this before?" he questioned. What was this? An interrogation?
"Nothing of this caliber, no."
"Alyssa? You mean that girl-witch we met at Christmas?" my grandmother asked. Her voice filled with disdain.
"That is her. And before you go blaming her for all this; this wasn't done with malicious intent."
"Oh, it wasn't, was it?"
I shook my head. "No, it wasn't. Had something similar happened to me like this she would have felt the effects as well, I think." I love my grandmother to death, but that shut her up. There wasn't any way for her to dispel this. It was set in stone.
"I have to get to her…." I muttered scrambling to get to my feet. I wobbled a little as I stood and WIll was there to catch me.
"You are not going anywhere, little brother." he stated adamantly.
I glared at him. "I am going….She needs me."
"And you need to rest Your Highness. Your body and magic have been through an ordeal." the Auror spoke up.
"Then I won't apparate!" I said firmly. "I can make a portkey, you know…."
"Yes, we're aware of that, but you will need to be checked out by a Healer. St. Mungo's is your best bet right now." Will spoke up with sympathy in his eyes. Had it been just him, he would have let me go in a heartbeat.
I nodded in defeat. I was sure they would place an Anti-Apparition and Anti Portkey over the palace. "I'll escort you to St. Mungo's to be checked out." the Auror said before stepping out of the room to flag, what I presume, another stationed Auror.
ProngsPOV
"What happened to you?" I heard Alyssa whisper..
It had startled me when she came bursting into the Infirmary like a banshee. Throwing herself at me, I was completely confused why she would be crying. So, I did my best and just held her while she cried her heart out. Looking toward Ron who gave me a sympathetic shrug but it was Hermione's whose eyes glistened from the pain that she knew that Alyssa was in.
When Alyssa's tears subsided, she calmed herself down long enough to give me a long look. In the whole time that we were battling it out with Sirius and werewolf Lupin, I hadn't thought about her coming to my rescue. Giving me the information that I needed to survive what was going to happen. But she didn't and that was a question I was desperate to ask her. Where had she been but when I looked at her as well, there seemed to be something off. Something had happened to her but I knew she wouldn't talk until s he found out what went on with me and Hermione. How I nearly died tonight.
Dear Merlin when she found that out. Her eyes were tired but she gave me a smile anyway.
Taking a seat on the bed that Hermione had been snoozing on, she looked at me expectantly. So, I told her everything that happened. From Buckbeak's execution to getting caught under the Whomping WIllow to the discovery in the Shrieking Shack. The whole thing, including the meeting with Peter Pettigrew. Her eyes turned dark hearing about how he escaped. That we all found out that Uncle Moony was a werewolf-to her chagrin, she looked sheepish.
Then the whole escape from the Shrieking Shack. How he turned into a werewolf and tried to attack us but Sirius fought him off in his Animagus form. That was one of the scariest parts of the night. Looking at her, I winced at her glower when I told her I chased Sirius down the small lake in the Forbidden Forest where we were attacked by Dementors. When she interrogated me, I couldn't tell her much but the anger that spilled over her wasn't that bad. Not as bad as I sure it was going to be.
We, including Hermione and Ron, told her about the meeting with Dumbledore. His helpful way of giving us the Time Turner to go back in time fix the problems. How we went back three hours to save Buckbeak and save Sirius from getting the Dementor's Kiss. He promised that he would stay at Potter Manor for now on unless he was in disguise.
She shook in a small roll of anger about Dumbledore but realized that it wasn't our fault but that he was being manipulative. He wanted me back on his side. By letting me go back in time to save Sirius, he was trying to show me that he could be helpful and that if I didn't want to lose my Godfather, I would do as he asked. I knew then that he would come to me someday for another favor about SIrius and he would throw this back in my face how he helped me save him.
"You know, he was manipulating you right?" she asked me cautiously.
"I figured that, but why?"
"Because Harry," Hermione rolled her eyes, "his hold on you has slipped dramatically since the arrival of Alyssa. He knows that if she's not around, then he can be the hero."
I paled at her words, "Then what about next year?"
"Next year, you must be extra careful. I won't be able to be here to keep an eye on you. This is where you three need to stick together." Alyssa cautioned.
"But, you knew about Uncle Moony didn't you?" I asked with a touch of accusation.
She nodded her head slowly at me, "I did. And I swore on my magic, I wouldn't tell a soul. This wasn't something that needed to be broadcasted. He's had it rough being what he is and I didn't want to screw that up by telling everyone. He knows that he is taken care of by the House of Potter should he chose to do so." she told me grasping my hands in hers. "He is still your Uncle. He will not hurt you like the rest of them will. I promise you. Now that I can brew the Wolfsbane potion it will help."
I nodded feebly at her words. I had started out to be angry with her but the way she spoke about family and honor kept me from doing so. He had never hurt me in all the times we worked together or when he was at the Manor at Christmas Time. I think he genuinely cared about about Alyssa and I. Then there was Sirius…
"What are you going to do about Sirius?"
"Give him a flea bath." she muttered. We chuckled at her threat. I knew she was being serious.
"Might I ask, what happened to you? Why weren't you there too….you know, help?"
She chuckled darkly. Her expression darkened as well. "If I had been there in the Shrieking Shack with you, then I would have helped them kill Peter. I wouldn't have thought twice about doing it. He betrayed us, his friends, and his honor."
We were taken aback by her words. I couldn't imagine having to kill someone. Or at least carry the hate in my heart to do so. Would there come a time that I would have to kill? I shuddered to think so. I didn't think any less of my sister but I knew she would do anything to protect me and that included killing to save my life.
"But, Alyssa, what did happened to you?" Hermione spoke up. Ron, was unusually quiet this go around. Normally he would crack a joke but then become serious. Tonight, he was dead quiet. Listening and learning, I suppose. Maybe seeing where we went wrong about the whole thing.
Alyssa sighed and conjured herself a drink. Taking a sip of it, she handed it to me. "I was heading down to the kitchens for a snack…" she paused to conjure a platter of sandwiches and drinks for us. Ron smiled and started gobbling down his food with a mushed thanks to Alyssa.
"...when someone threw a sack over my head and dragged me down to the dungeons. Do you know how much it hurts to be thrown down a flight of stone steps?" she asked with a sigh from her lips. "Then I was tossed into a cell and that someone used Stupefy on me. I was out cold. When I woke up, I'm assuming from the time turner ending its cycle, I was enraged. I have never felt that kind of anger flow freely through me. My magic was everywhere. I was a danger to everyone in the castle at the at moment. I faced Dumbledore who admitted that he was trying to get you back to see his way of things. I think I scared him enough that he let me leave him alive. So that's why I wasn't there."
We sat there in relative silence until Ron let out a healthy burp. Everyone shot him a look and he muttered an apology. He shrugged and finished his platter of sandwiches. I looked back at Alyssa and I could see her eyes drooping.
"You need to get some sleep Alyssa." I muttered.
"I will. I need to get ahold of Harry…." she said quietly. "Accio journal." we waited for a mere moment before it zoomed into the Infirmary. Ron ducked anyway even though he was at a safe distance. I chuckled at him but turned back to Alyssa.
She stood up and being pacing. The worry that was etched on her face concerned me. As she read, she began to chew on her lower lip. Something was terribly wrong. Flopping back down on a nearby bed, she conjured her quill and began scribbling furiously in to the journal. We waited with bated breath and watched her for quite long few minutes.
Tears streaked down her cheeks when she glanced back at us. Coming to my feet, I raced over to her with Hermione trailing me. "Alyssa what's wrong?"
"He-he been magically hurt by me." she choked a sob.
"What do you mean?" I asked scrambling to understand her. She held her journal out of rme to read.
"Alyssa, I'm leaving this note to you. I know you're in the same boat as Harry, but , Harry is in some sort of magical like coma. What ever magic was placed on you; it backfired and hit him too. He collapsed in the room with his family. We, me and a stationed Auror, have been trying to revive him, but to no avail. After a while, he woke up screaming as if he were in pain. But it wasn't pain. It was anger...it was fury. So much that we had to bind him and silence his screams.
When he finally calmed down, he told us that it was from the soul bond. Granny's not happy and I've taken him to St. Mungo's to be checked out. He wanted to come straight to you but I insisted that he be taken to St. Mungo's. I know you care about him and he cares deeply for you. It's why, I think, he's not angry about the situation. If you want to see him, you best get here quick.-Will."
I finished reading a few seconds slower than Hermione and turned to look at my sister. The tears were like a river flowing down her cheeks. She really blamed herself for this. From what she had told me, this wasn't neither hers nor Harry's fault.
"I-I- have to go to St. Mungo's!" she cried coming to her feet. Looking over her dirty robes, she transfigured them into something respectable. 'Accio Potter robes.' she muttered. Just like the journal they whizzed into the room and she caught them with her left hand. Slipping them on, she cast us a look and a tight smile on her face.
Giving me a quick hung, she rushed from the room and from our sight disappeared. I turned back to Ron and Hermione, I shrugged.
"Do you think he will be alright?" Hermione whispered looking back into my eyes.
"Dunno. It's hard to say. I guess we'll wait on her."
"Maybe we should all get some sleep." she suggested giving us a pointed look.
"Yea." Ron and I chorused. I climbed in the bed beside Hermione who had taken back her old bed. Closing my eyes, sleep didn't come until the early hours of the morning.
When I woke the next morning, there was no sign of Hermione but Ron was still snoring in his bed. I couldn't tell if Alyssa had come back or not. Reaching for my glasses the world slowly came back to focus.
Someone had left a note on my chest. Reaching for it, I opened it up seeing Hermione's delicate handwriting. She said that she had left to shower and find something to eat. With classes being cancelled for the day, she would bring us back food to eat. I laid back in my bed and wondered about my sister. How heartbroken she was last night. That she felt like everything was all her fault.
A few minutes later the door opened revealing Hermione who was carrying a basket of food. Flashing me a smile, she sat the basket down on the bed she had used and opened it up. The aroma of food wafted through the Infirmary and Ron opened his eyes smelling the food.
"Good morning Harry, Ron." Hermione said quietly. Handing us a platter each we sat there and devoured the food. Ron, of course, finished before me but didn't have the heart to ask for more food. I was certain there wasn't any left. After finishing mine, I shot Hermione a grateful look that she reciprocated.
"Have you seen Alyssa?" I asked.
SHe shook her head. "No, I haven't. I Don't think she came back from St. Mungo's last night. I wonder how bad he was? She didn't seem too bad off…."
"I know, but we don't know it affected Harry." I mused.
So what's everyone saying?" Ron spoke up from his bed.
"Everyone knows about Lupin." she glanced at me. "I'm sorry Harry, but I think he's leaving." I nodded my head at her. Picking at a string on the blanket, I refused to meet her eyes. "The parents are furious that Dumbledore would let a werewolf teach their children. Even though, that Lupin isn't dangerous."
"Blimey! What are we going to do next year?"
"Don't know Ronald, but there will be a new Professor." Hermione sighed and looked back at me. I shook my head at her. I didn't want to talk about it. I was going to lose someone else I cared about. Of course he wasn't dead, but he was being evicted from society because of something he couldn't control. Uncle Moony was about as dark as freshly fallen snow. HIs only crime was being in the wrong place at the wrong time And he suffered for something he didn't do.
I realize this now.
Getting up from my bed, I kept quiet but left Ron and Hermione in the Infirmary. I knew I wasn't being fair to Hermione, but I know she would understand. She knew I needed space. I needed to talk to Uncle Moony. Ducking into the Gryffindor Common Room, I walked up to my dorm and grabbed a change of clothes. Showering, I threw on the clean clothes and made my way out of the Common Room. I didn't want to talk to anyone.
Heading down the corridor, I took the stairs that led me to the Defense Office. Knocking on the door when I reached it, I heard him call out for me to come in. Pushing the door open, he was standing behind his desk looking worn and tired. Really tired. Like he hadn't slept in weeks.
'Hello Harry…" he said softly. I was shocked by how he sounded. Hollow. "Trust me I've been worse…"
"You've been sacked?"
"No, no Harry. I resigned this morning. Parents don't want…." he paused and gave a self depreciating smile. "...well someone like me teaching their kids."
"But you're one of the best! You didn't do anything to deserve this!" I stepped forward with anger in my voice.
He sighed and nodded his head at me. "I am aware of that Harry, but he Board of Governors do not see it that way So, I resigned. You will have another Professor next year. But until we meet again, I hope all the best for your summer."
He turned to walk out of the room after packing up his belongings. Grabbing a cane, he stepped out of the room. "You-you know that the House of Potter will always be here for you…" I said softly trying to meet his eye.
"Yes, I know. It's all appreciated Harry." he replied and left the room and for some reason, it felt like he was walking out of my life. I know that seems absurd but at that moment, in that office, it felt like it.
Sighing, I followed him out but he had already disappeared from the room. LIke he had disappeared from my life. It was saddening, but there wasn't anything I could do about it now. Maybe convince Alyssa or Sirius to have him come to Potter Manor. Maybe we could fine him something …..anything to do.
Exiting the room, my feet led me to the Infirmary where Ron and Hermione were both missing. Nothing bothering to ask Madam Pomfrey where they might be, I rushed from the Infirmary in search of my friends.
Running toward the Great Hall, I found them sitting down at the Gryffindor table. They look like they were waiting for me. I gave a sigh of relief and walked over to them. Plopping down beside Hermione, I reached under the table and squeezed her hand. If she were mad at me, she wouldn't squeeze back, but she did. I was in the clear.
"I spoke to Prof Lupin, he's already left."
"I'm sorry Harry. Will you ever see him again?"
"I hope so." I replied. "Have either of you seen Alyssa?"
"We did." that was the first bit of good news I had heard all morning.
"Looking for me?" I heard her voice say as she took a seat beside me.
"I am. How are you?" I asked seeing how different she looked from last night. Relieved, maybe?
"Better. Harry's going to be alright. No lasting permanent damage." she replied snatching a cup of tea.
"What happened to him and you if I may ask?" Hermione spoke up. Her hand clutched firmly into mine.
"That's partly why I didn't come back to the castle last night. I owl'd McGonagall and told her where I was before she sent out a search party. She understood that I needed to be there." she took a sip of her tea and set it back down. "We discussed what we learned"
"What's that?" Ron asked finally pulling himself away from his lunch.
Her wand appeared in her hand and she cast a Privacy Charm around the four of us. Pocketing it, she looked at us and sighed. "Since we are soul bonded, we have a connection. That said connection can be a blessing and a curse. For example, yesterday's events. Had I controlled myself, he would have never felt my anger. If one of us loses control of our emotions, the other can feel. If a spell is cast on one of us, the other is affected; such as 'Stupefy'. We weren't really in the mood last night to test that theory of what spells can affect us."
"It is curious that it's just high octane emotions that will flow freely. I think it has something to do with our Occlumency shields. We did test that theory last night. I lowered mine and he lowered his and we can feel the emotions pass between us. It was incredible! He raised his and I lowered mine but whatever emotion I threw at him, it didn't affect him. He told me that he had to rebuild his shields from yesterday. Means he's been lax about them."
"So that means if you two keep your minds protected, like they're a shield from your baser emotions then everything will be fine?" Hermione surmised.
"We think so. If one of us is physically injured, it doesn't affect the other either. Which is good news to me." She turned and looked at me, "Remember how I said I can feel him when he's close by?"
"Yea. I remember but you said that you could feel him when he's in London, not in Africa."
"That is true, however; in very close proximity, we can use mindspeak. Last night we were in the same room; not touching and were able to do it."
"That's really useful, you know." Hermione spoke up. "Being able to use mindspeak with someone. How do you control that?"
"Directly communing with him. I have to look him in the eye for us to connect. Imagine it's like using dial-up. You take the phone number and connect it to the Internet Service."
Hermione and I nodded. Ron just looked confused. Being raised Muggle had its benefits. Alyssa wasn't raised Muggle but I'm sure she hand Muggle-born friends at Ilvermorny. It made sense to me.
"Your bond sounds like it's maturing." Hermione said twirling her quill between her fingers.
"Sounds like it to me too." I spoke up giving her a soft smile.
Just then, Lavender came by and plopped down. When she went to kiss Ron, she was stopped by the Privacy Charm. Flustered she tried again, but was stopped. Everyone, but Ron chuckled. Glaring at us, Alyssa canceled the charm and Lavender reached for Ron. Everyone looked the other way while she continued to snog his brains out.
"In two days, everyone will be showing up for Graduation, won't they?" I asked ignoring the lip smacking.
"Yea, they will." she looked around forlornly. "I think I'm actually gonna miss this place."
"Will you? I would think you'd be ready to get out of school before Healer School starts. By the way, how long does that take?" Hermione asked.
"Three years, then I have my residency; which is another three years." Alyssa explained.
"So you'll be done in six years?" I asked with trepidation.
"I will. Then I can work full time, if I wish. I still have the Auror option open to me."
"If you can be an Auror, why be a Healer?" Ron finally spoke up. I suppose Lavender let him go long enough to breathe.
"Because being an Auror is fascinating. It's not what I originally wanted to do. I went to the Academy to learn to defend myself. I always wanted to be a Healer first."
"Defend yourself? From who?" Ron asked again. Thick-headed. He didn't see the frown and fear that crossed my sister's face.
"It-it's not important." she mumbled almost to low to hear.
"Well, are your parents coming?" Lavender asked apparently just now joining the conversation.
"I-think so." she didn't look to happy about them coming.
"You're not happy? I mean, I thought every parent would be happy their kid is graduating Hogwarts." Lavender spoke again. Her words seemed to be hurting my sister and I cringed.
"Can we not talk about it?" I asked impatiently. Everyone looked at me startled but nodded anyway.
Tonight was the End of the Year feast. It wasn't normally something I looked forward too since I would be going back the Dursleys every summer, but this year I would be spend half my summer in America and the second half at Potter Manor. My new home.
Home.
That word was so foreign to me. I never considered living at the Dursleys my home. How they treated me since I was a young child until I received my Hogwarts letter was incomprehensible. I spent the better part of my life in fear of what they would do to me if my accidental magic flared up. Like the time Aunt Petunia cut my hair and it grew back the next day. Or the snake at the zoo. Or blowing up Marge this summer…..
You get the picture.
I was no longer going to fear the man no matter what Dumbledore had to say, I wasn't going back to them. Or I would tell Sirius and Alyssa how they treated me all these years and I suspect that the Headmaster knew about it and let it slide. He knew a young boy was being starved and beaten to death by his caretakers and did nothing to stop it. What kind of person was he? I'm sure ha d had his reasons; which I cannot fathom but they weren't enough to keep me on his side. I wasn't going to be stupid about this and rely on a man who tells me 'it's in my best interest that I stay there' when he's never given me a reason why.
The Dursleys were never my family. My Aunt is my mother's sister but that's all she is to me.
Alyssa, Sirius, Remus….and yes; even Harry were my family. Ron and Hermione included. Looking down at my lunch, I felt a sickening knot form in my stomach. I found that I wasn't hungry anymore. The past two days had been the rough and was just now coming to terms with everything.
Dumbledore's manipulations were unforgivable. He knew what he was doing but what I couldn't figure what was why he was doing it. There had to be a reason besides 'the greater good'. What greater good, if you ask me?
I shook my head of these bad thoughts and hope that the rest of the day passed uneventful. I felt a squeeze on my hand and saw Hermione looking at me with questioning eyes. I shook my head silently at her and hoped she would understand my message. She nodded back and finished her lunch. Taking me by the hand, I heard several Gryffindor housemates snicker but none said anything.
Leading me out of the Great Hall, she kept walking until we were outside and down toward the Lake we went. I didn't say anything but I knew there were no words to be said. Hermione wouldn't push me until I was ready to talk. She was like that, you know. Ron, on the other hand, would badger you until you cracked.
Ron.
Another worry on my mind. With everything going on, how was I going to tell him about Hermione and I? That she and I had been dating since February. Around the same time he and Lavender started dating. That he and Lavender were dating was the only reason why I hoped, nay prayed, that he would see reason and not let his jealousy interfere with this.
I was afraid that he would. He would let himself become stupid over this and it would be worse if we waited until the next school year. If he and Lavender broke things off during the summer and then he started making a move on to Hermione while I was in America. I'm not sure how I would handle it. He dating Lavender, I realized, gave him a fair confidence boost. So, if they did break things off, then he wouldn't have any problem staking his claim on Hermione.
Why was I so worried?
I cared deeply for Hermione, that was said to be sure, but did I want her around any other males? Not really. I suppose that is normal, isn't it? Don't get me wrong, I trusted her with my life and more but, hell, I don't know. Maybe I'm rambling about nothing.
Taking a seat on the large rock by the lake Hermione climbed in between my legs and rested her head on my chest. Leaning forward, I placed a kiss on the back of her head. We sat there in comfortable silence watching the Giant Squid swim lazily across the lake. This was nice. I was going to miss this while I was gone, but I was leaving for a reason. I would be coming back in a few weeks and Ron and Hermione were invited to Potter Manor for the remainder of the summer.
"You're in deep thought today, Harry." Hermione said glancing up at me. I looked down at her giving her a tight smile.
"I know, it's everything that has gone on here lately. Especially in the past two days. There's been a lot for me to think about….."
"You know I will listen to everything you have to say. You never have to worry about me telling anyone your secrets." she assured me. I nodded at her and gave her an actual smile.
"I wish I had known about Uncle Moony from the start…"
"Uncle Moony?" she interrupted.
"Prof Lupin. He's family and always has been. But there's this summer and Ron and everything that I've been told over the school year. Things that I haven't told you Hermione. Not that I don't trust you, I do-with my life, but I wouldn't know know who to tell you. Maybe it's because we're at school and the walls have ears. I can tell you when you come to Potter Manor at the end of the summer before we come back."
"You're nervous about summer in America?" I nodded and she leaned up and kissed me softly on the lips, "You will be perfect during the summer. You're a brilliant wizard Harry. I told you that our first year."
I nodded at her again. All I could do was nod. She was right...and telling me what I needed to hear. We sat there for a minute longer before I sighed. "What about Ron?"
"What about him?"
"What will we tell him about us?"
"I guess the truth.."
"Yea, but when?" I asked impatiently.
She glared at me and I cast her a sheepish look. "When we're ready. Maybe over the summer when we're all at Potter Manor. I won't be seeing him till then and you'll be gone."
I smiled at her decision. This eased my mind. I had thought about it but hearing Hermione say it to my face helped ease me further. She was smart and I needed smart. Kissing her mouth softly, that short kiss escalated into something more and we lsat there on the rock snogging.
Breaking the kiss softly, we sat there and enjoyed each other's company until it started to get dark. SIghing, I look at her and rose to my feet offering my hand to her. "It's time for the End of the Year Feast and I know neither of us want to be late."
She chuckled and led me back to the Great Hall where we sat down. It seemed that we were the last ones in the room. The looming absence of Prof Lupin at the Head table haunted me and I turned back to my friends. Everyone smiled goofily at us and I smiled back.
"We have finally come to another end of a wonderful year at Hogwarts. Many of you will be leaving us and we will be seeing the rest of you next year. To those of you that are leaving, congratulations on graduating tomorrow. Your NEWTS results will be sent to you in the next couple of weeks. Good luck in the future. We, here at Hogwarts, wish you well." Dumbledore said before the crowd of students. "Now, let's tuck in for this lovely feast."
The food appeared before us and I looked it over. I would be back next year for the next feast and so would my friends. Alyssa wouldn't but it didn't seem like she cared too much about. I watched as she ate lightly and kept to herself. She was always liket hat. Never joining in unless she was invited. Whereas I embraced friendships, she didn't seem to care for them. Strange, don't you think?
Squeezing Hermione's hand I dug into the food. We would be leaving the day of the graduation ceremony. I was eager to watch Alyssa graduated and wondered who was going to be there for her? Besides me, Hermione and Ron. Many of us wouldn't see the seventh years graduated but I know that I was staying. Alyssa was my way home and she needed to speak with Hermione's and Ron's parents about coming over to Potter Manor.
After dinner, I gave Hermione a smile and headed up to my dorm and begin packing my things for the summer. I don't know what had gotten into me but I felt responsible today. Normally, I would be slacking off with Ron playing chess instead of doing what I needed to do. After I was done, I took a seat on my bed and I realized I would be here next year. Smiling to myself, tomorrow was going to be a big day and this summer even bigger.