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Chapter 42

Harry looked back toward the shore where Hermione and Luna sat talking quietly just behind his body, still sitting in meditative lotus pose. He smiled as Luna looked up at his astral form and waved at him then turned back to her conversation.

Astral projection was one of his favorite forms of magic, it was true freedom. As long as his body was safe (and the tether between his body and wandering spirit was intact so he could find his way back) this was the ultimate in freedom! Nothing could hold him! Not even gravity! His grin grew larger as he swooped and dove above the surface of the lake for a couple of minutes (causing Luna to laugh at his antics) before he plunged into the darkened depths below him.

'Well, that's not exactly true,' he thought as he began to look around, trying to get his bearings before he began mapping the lake. 'Almost nothing can hold me…' he knew there were wards that could, or if he was in a room that was constructed entirely of cold iron, but he doubted that anyone here knew that.

He bobbed back upwards so his head was just above the surface and taking in a couple of landmarks he set to work. He began with a trick that FX and his father had adapted after watching a marathon session of war movies, releasing a pulse of magic into the water he then waited… Magical sonar.

Over the next two hours he developed a mental picture of the depths. Other than two deeper areas it was mostly what he had been told to expect from a mountain lake. One area led into a cave system, he would only look into that if it was necessary. The other however seemed to have a more or less flat bottom that looked to be large enough for what he was looking for. He swooped downward for a closer look.

It didn't take him long to find the Mer-village, surrounded by what he assumed was the plant life they farmed. Grinning wildly he made note of the layout then made his way back toward shore, taking note of each landmark as he passed.

Dr. Margret Mead was forgiving of many things, especially considering her feelings about the state of magical Britain, but the possibility of further injury coming to her young charges while here was not one of them. So, when they were packing up to come back she had as well.

Once in London she had set about renting everything she felt necessary in case of injury during this insane tournament. Within the first day she had arranged for the majority of things to be delivered to Sirius's house; all the equipment necessary to stabilise up to three critical patients, as well as several minor, and transport them to an area of a hospital in London for further care. This was all added to the things brought for the classroom, as it would be closer to the castle.

She stalked through the castle toward her destination, the infirmary. When she opened the wooden door she shook her head, the entire castle was drafty and cold did she really expect anything different from the infirmary? No, she decided, she didn't.

Inside she found stone floors worn with years of use, steel frame beds and divider curtains. In all a dozen beds, each with their own side table, otherwise it looked like something from an old Victorian era motion picture.

"Can I help you with something my dear?" an elderly lady asked stepping out of what Margo assumed was her office.

"Yes, I believe you can," she said trying to keep her voice professional. "My name is Dr. Mead, are you Madam Pomfrey?"

She smiled, as she smoothed the wrinkles from her apron. "Yes, I am. A doctor you say… muggle medicine?"

Margo ignored what she felt was a slight. "Actually I hold credentials in General and Emergency medicine, as well as their counterparts in magical healing."

Her eyes widened. "B-but you are so young?.."

Margo cut her off. "I assure you it is quite true. I have been retained for the last seven years by Fairgrove, as director of their medical facility."

The matron had heard Albus talk about the company that Harry worked for, but she had never heard him speak of any magical connection. She watched slightly dumbstruck as the woman moved past her and began looking through her magical stores. Reading the labels on some and moving them aside, occasionally pulling loose a stopper and sniffing or holding it up to the light checking on the color.

"Why is this not locked up separately? It's an opium derivative… highly addictive. It needs to be dispensed carefully, and not left where it can pilfered by a student looking for a high."

Pomfrey looked at her oddly. "It is just a pain relief potion… Laudanum is available at any apothecary…"

"It is also addictive!" she snapped back. "Why you would give this to any one here is beyond me! It is outlawed in this form by both of my governments, as well as the British one! It is illegal to even have the plant it is made from! Besides there are many other pain relievers that are of a better quality available, not to mention less addictive."

She shook her head, this was not why she was here, she didn't come here to teach. "At any rate, I wanted to come and speak with you about Harry, Hermione, and Luna. As of now I am informing you that if any of them come to be injured here they are to be taken to their classroom, it is on the path to the greenhouses."

The elderly lady pursed her lips. "I am..."

Margo turned toward her, eyes hard, menacing. "They are in my charge! I will not allow you to undo all my hard work with Harry or Hermione!" She stalked closer. "It has taken me over a month to undo the skeletal damage to Hermione! Her bone density was dangerously low! The nerve inflammation was ridiculous!"

"What in the hell were you thinking?" She continued to rant. "By all rights she should have died the night she was attacked! And I'll admit whatever you did to save the poor girl's life must have been amazing. Hermione should have been sent home till at least the end of the winter break! Her magic was still trying to cope with the injuries! You assigned her no supplemental diet to help her body have the building blocks to repair, you did not restrict her magic so it could do its work!"

The matron looked almost stricken by her words. "She told you she was still in pain! You ignored it! There is no way I am letting you treat her! Let alone Harry!" She took a deep breath to calm herself. "Look, I understand that you care… I know that you would care for them to the best of your abilities, and those are formidable especially given how you managed to save Hermione's life after the troll attack, something I am planning to speak with you at length about, but they are both under my care. I will see to them."

Margo headed toward the woman's office. "Now, I want to know how you did manage to save Hermione that night, and why you chose not to disclose the severity of her injuries to her or her parents!"

Saturday came faster than Harry thought it would, they had been surprisingly busy the last few days. Between school and fittings they had kept the trail hot. Though this morning had surprised him, he and his fellow males had been roused at the ungodly hour (on a winter Saturday anyway) of eight am and shoved out the door. They were informed that they were not to return until four pm and could use the downstairs parlor to dress, as well as the shower on the first floor.

So started their day, one they spent like most men left to themselves… or at least among this group… looking at cars. BMW, Alfa Romeo, Ferrari, Austin Martin, they moved from one show room to another browsing, sticking their noses under the hood or under the car, asking to speak with mechanics… that's normal… right?

They arrived home at the appointed time, and not a moment sooner, knocked and went inside. Each of them moving in turn upstairs, then to the parlor, just as they had been told.

Harry was the last to retrieve his clothes from the rack they were placed on to air after they had been checked for wrinkles. Black silk socks were first followed by well-shined patent leather shoes. Next came the shirt, white with a bib of something the tailor called Marcela (small diamond shapes used to add texture to the fabric), a turndown collar, and double cuff. To which he added silver cuff links with onyx stones, and a bow tie that matched the silk facing of his jacket.

Next were the trousers, flat front with a single braid down the side, along with suspenders, or as his tailor had called them bracers. To that he added a waistcoat, along with a gold pocket watch (a gift from Sirius), and finally his jacket. Looking in the mirror he had to admit it looked good, and it wasn't that uncomfortable.

Tannim and Sirius stepped up behind him in similar outfits. "You look nice Harry," said Tannim, Sirius agreeing with him.

"You'll turn a lot of girls' heads," Sirius said with a smile. "Though I'm hoping I can still turn one or two. You'll be stiff competition!"

Harry chuckled. "Why do you want to turn the heads of a bunch of girls still in school? Do I need to worry about their fathers hunting you down?"

Sirius tried to look scandalized. "Fathers? Ye gods man I'd be more afraid of Sara than them!" he said in a mocking tone.

"As well you should!" said a venom laced voice from the doorway behind him.

He whirled toward the sound to see the elven woman standing in the doorway in a shimmering butter yellow evening dress. "Sara! How…"

"Long enough," she said her venomous voice giving way to tinkling laughter. "Now be a good puppy and give me a kiss hello."

He walked across the room to her. "My pleasure. You look amazing." He gently kissed her cheek after a warning about messing up her makeup.

"The others will be down shortly. Tannim, Shar wants you to be sure the cameras are ready she wants pictures before we leave." He nodded and went toward the kitchen.

A few minutes later the group had gathered in the entryway waiting for the rest of the group to come downstairs. Harry's mouth went dry when he saw the pair of sisters. He had thought that Hermione looked amazing the night of the award banquet, but each of them tonight put that memory in the shame.

Gone were Hermione's slightly large front teeth and unruly hair. Evidently she had somehow convinced her parents to allow Margo to work her magic on both. Her smile shone brightly as they made their way down the sweeping staircase, her deep blue ball gown lightly brushed her at the ankles, and a string of pearls glowed around her neck. She looked every bit the sophisticated Lady.

Luna on the other hand - her smile was infectious, and warmed him to the bottom of his toes, her hair was done up into a loose bun with ringlets framing her face and her lavender dress seemed to shift colors slightly as it moved between a rose and blue.

Before he could say anything they were lined up and camera flashes were obscuring their vision. In between poses, as the adults decided on what they wanted next, he complimented each in turn.

Moments later they were standing in front of the portal on their way to Hogwarts.