A/N: Another update in the same day! Classes begin… For clarification, it made the most logical sense to me that Harry and Hermione would join Ginny's class which are the current seventh-year Gryffindors. For those who are curious any new spells are Latin. If it is an existing but previously unnamed spell I will try to use the name found in the Harry Potter Wiki
Harry woke the next morning with something clinging to him, or rather he remembered quickly, someone. He turned his head to find Hermione, sound asleep. At some point in the night she wound up half on top of him. He could hear water running; Ginny had likely woken up first and was bathing.
Hermione stirred, waking a few minutes later. "Hmm…" Her eyes blinked open, and she became instantly self conscious. "Harry, I'm sorry I'm usually restless at night."
"Come off it, Hermione. Do you honestly think I've slept alone since the war ended?" Harry shrugged. "It's awful to wake up from nightmares alone." He sighed.
"It was so easy while it was going on," She sighed.
"We were preoccupied, never had much time to dwell; now there's a lot of time." He said quietly.
Ginny came out moments later, fully dressed. "Oh, you're both up then. Good, I didn't want to go down to breakfast by myself." She said in annoyance.
"Why?" Harry asked.
Did you never realize how many blokes try to hit on me walking the halls?" Ginny asked in surprise.
"No!" Harry said quickly.
"Honestly, Ginny, Harry didn't even know that girls fancy him until I told him, and yet he still wound up with a box of love potion spiked chocolate." Hermione chuckled.
"I can't help the Romilda Vane's of the world slipping me spiked chocolate," Harry said defensively.
"My point is that there are blokes all over the school like that," Ginny said with contempt. "One's that try some rubbish pickup line or stare at me. I don't know which is worse."
"The ring should stop that first thing." Hermione said brightly.
I'll be done in a bit." Harry said, realising he still needed to get ready. "Not late is it?"
"No It's just now 7'oclock, and don't worry, Harry, I sent in our preferred schedules for the classes we're teaching while you two were on vacation," Hermione assured.
"Right!" Harry said, without knowing what exactly she meant.
By a quarter to eight, the three of them were off of the eighth floor and leaving the staff room for the Great Hall and breakfast. Things looked odd to Harry before he remembered sitting according to your house was only necessary at the start and end of term feast now.
"How are you, Luna?" They all said, choosing to sit with their wonderfully odd friend.
"I'm fine. You could sit anywhere, and you want to sit with me?" She said in dreamy shock.
"Why is that such a surprise?" Ginny asked, frowning.
"You want to be around me; I don't think I've gotten used to that." She said casually.
Ginny leaned in and whispered something to Luna, whose eyes turned large and glossy; Harry had learned over the summer that this was Luna's most emotional face. She hugged Ginny for several minutes before she filled a plate and began to eat.
"What was that about?" Harry asked.
"Just a promise I made a long time ago, I'll tell you later," Ginny vaguely said.
The four of them ate breakfast together with several people lining up to see them—or more accurately see Harry.
"Bugger off!" Ginny said loudly. "Breakfast is the most important meal of the day and the least you can do is let him finish!" She looked furious.
They dispersed slowly… "Harry…" That voice was small and familiar, in the worst way.
It was Dennis Creevy, a very large stone seemed to settle in Harry's stomach at the now teenage boy who lost his older brother Colin, whose loyalty to Harry was so great he had snuck back into the castle unnoticed in the chaos of trying to prepare for Voldemort's attack…
"Dennis… You look taller." Harry couldn't think of anything else to say, and the weight in his chest got even worse.
"I didn't think you'd remember me?" He looked sheepish.
"You fell in the lake when you got to Hogwarts." He said automatically. It was impossible to forget the enthusiasm Dennis had over the mishap. "It's your fourth year?"
"Yeah, I pushed for my parents to let me finish now that the war is finally over." Dennis sighed. "They didn't want to after Colin, but I couldn't let Hogwarts go because he's still here; that's what it feels like anyway." He said.
"He is," Ginny said earnestly.
"I know he died heroically; I just wish that I could see him again to say goodbye, but I wanted to thank you because of what you did, you and your friends, he didn't die in vain, and that, well it helps more than thought it would." He finished in solace.
"Please tell your parents I'm sorry," Harry said somberly.
"I will." He said.
Harry slumped back into his seat. "It's not your fault," Ginny said automatically.
Harry said nothing. The silence was broken by McGonagall, at the head of the hall.
"Mr. Potter, Miss Granger I need to speak with you both. Miss Weasley, Miss Lovegood please see your head of house for your timetable, classes might be starting later than normal but you don't want to forget yours and start your week behind." She said.
"I thought you were head of Gryffindor house?" Ginny asked.
"I will still handle discipline, but Hagrid will handle simple matters like timetables." McGonagall said. "Off you go."
Ginny shot Harry a stern worried look before walking off to the staff table. McGonagall led them to the room just off the Great Hall.
"I trust the three of you find your room suitable." She said closing the door.
"Yes, Thanks, Minerva," Harry said.
McGonagall nodded. "I won't keep you both; I have your teaching and student schedules here." She flicked her wand, and parchment appeared on the nearby table. "The first staff meeting will be the coming Monday, after the first week of term, it will give a chance for feedback. It's also a chance for me to catch my breath." McGonagall finished plainly.
"Things aren't going well?" Hermione asked.
"Oh things are well enough but I'm head of Hogwarts after a war and it's been hectic." McGonagall said.
"Do you need anything?" Harry offered.
"The both of you, like the other Head Boys and Girls I've chosen, will be patrolling the Castle in sections every weekend, likely Saturdays after midnight, the castle wide curfew I am implementing." McGonagall said said.
"Isn't there already a curfew." Harry said quizzically.
McGonagall looked amused now. "I watched your father and his friends, and then you and your friends sneak around this castle for almost fifteen years, with the Weasley twins mixed in that span too."
"Yeah…" They both looked sheepish now.
"But after Colin Creevy died sneaking back in this castle…" McGonagall faltered, looking stricken for a long moment before she became stoic once more. "Never again."
In the past, Harry would have hated any increase in rules and regulations, but that seemed another lifetime ago.
"We're used to keeping watch, so that's not a problem at all," Harry said.
"If only the other pairs would be as cooperative. The Slytherin heads, in particular, will not take this seriously." McGonagall said with annoyance.
"Let us handle the entire castle." Hermione said earnestly.
"I can't ask you both to adjust to patrolling the entire castle by yourselves." She dismissively.
Harry shared an ironic smile with Hermione. "We've spent so much time looking over our shoulder this last year, keeping watch, that we can't shake the habit we've tried." He said.
"Alright then, I will leave this to you both." She said gratefully.
"Minerva, you didn't announce this yet, why?" Hermione asked politely.
"I was never going to announce it; I've dealt with enough students to know they work around what they see coming and I'm not losing another student because they decide to sneak in, out, or around the school." She said seriously.
"We're glad to help," Harry said.
"Thank you; I need to return to my office. I hope this term is successful for you both." She said.
After McGonagall left the room Harry and Hermione examined their schedules. "Do you honestly want to do that, every Saturday?"
"I'm already conditioned for watch and patrol." Harry shrugged.
Hermione sighed. "I know what you mean; it's not easy. Looks like classes start soon, we should go."
"You said you did this while I was on vacation?" Harry said curiously.
Hermione nodded. "Another letter came while you were gone; she needed to know immediately."
"Thanks for that." He said.
They left the room and found Ginny sitting alone at the Gryffindor table.
"What was that about?" Ginny asked, "I've threatening blokes with the bat bogey hex for half-hour." She said irritably.
"Schedules and Saturday patrol of the castle, after midnight." Harry whispered.
"I can imagine how that is going to go over." Ginny said.
"Yeah, but I don't blame McGonagall one bit. After Colin…" He trailed off. "I'll see you both in Charms."
"Harry…" Ginny and Hermione called after his retreating back.
"Do you think he will ever— "
"No, I don't think so, Ginny, not completely." Hermione told her sadly.
"We have all the same classes except for a few, let's catch up to Harry then." Ginny urged quietly.
With a nod both girls left the Great hall and headed for Charms with the Gryffindor's and Hufflepuffs, Harry was already seated in the back when they arrived.
"Well now that everyone is here we can begin." Flitwick was as squeaky as ever. He continued formally. "Since you are all in your seventh and final year we will be focused on the highly advanced and complex charms that exist within this branch of magic. Can you name any particular charms?"
To nobodies surprise Hermione's hand flew into the air. Harry found his hand rising too.
Flitwick seemed pleasantly surprised that Harry was participating and chose him. "Yes, Mr. Potter?"
"The Fidiulus charm." Harry said.
"Yes extremely advanced and complex indeed. Can you explain its function."
"It conceals a secret in a living soul, one person is charged with keeping the secret and thus it can never be known to strangers unless the secret keeper gives the secret." He sounded almost removed.
"Excellent, 20 points to Gryffindor! Now who can tell me, for a charm with such a simple idea. Why is the spell so advanced and complex? Ah yes, Miss Granger?"
"There are two reasons: First, you are not just telling a secret and expecting another person to keep it. The soul is affected because that's where the secret is magically concealed. Then there is keeping the secret itself. The right person, even if that's the one with the secret, has to be careful with the secret. To spill the secret could be terrible, to the point of running the life of the subject of the charm." Hermione's voice had cracked with emotion.
"Are you alright, Miss Granger? You seem like you have personal experience with the dangers of this charm?" He said.
"Not me, sir, just people close to me." She finished somberly.
Flitwick seemed to remember what Harry feared he might, but fortunately, he did not let on about it. "Thank you Miss Granger, 10 points to Gryffindor. Now, Fidelius Charm's are most widely used to conceal important locations and keep people in hiding. These two things very often go hand in hand, but not always. However, in such situations, that is where this charm becomes a matter of life and death."
"Yeah I just don't see the stakes in that charm." A Hufflepuff boy blurted out suddenly.
"Well, one of your classmates can tell you otherwise if they feel comfortable enough." Flitwick squeaked.
"My parents, picked the wrong friend as keeper of the secret and Voldemort found them." Harry said bluntly.
He had no idea why but it felt good to punch all his classmates in the face with the life and death nature of some magic.
"Thank you, Harry. I realize how difficult it is for you to discuss this charm." He said calmly. "As Harry said, his parents were the subject of the Fidelius, but the greater lasting impact lies in the secret keeper, for if they die, all people who know the secret, in turn, become keepers of the secret."
"What's the incantation?" A Gryffindor girl Harry did not know, asked.
"Far too complex to go over today. Now another charm, come on don't be shy." The little professor said.
"Memory charms." Hermione said, though she sounded detached.
"Right, Miss Granger, why do we use memory charms?" He asked.
"To protect the international statute of secrecy, and, to directly protect Muggle's from dark wizards and witches who might want information." Hermione said quite removed.
"Yes Miss Granger, precisely. "And how does this work?"
"The charm paralysis the memory center of the brain, and the caster can then fill in that blank moment with whatever is needed. Using memory charms on particularly traumatic events leaves the subject disoriented and confused for some time and these side effects increase the more the spell is performed."
"20 more points to Gryffindor. It is essential to distinguish Memory charms from the false memory spell. Who knows the difference—Ah yes, Miss Granger again?"
Hermione answered almost pained, but only Harry and Ginny noticed, "Memory charms are used for memory modification, but if performed improperly, leave the subject with no memory whatsoever. They can also be forcibly broken by an accomplished Legilimens, but this will often cause irreversible damage to the subject, even death. The false memory spell implants false memories into the subject's mind."
"Excellent, Miss Granger, another 30 points," Flitwick said. "Now, there's one more advanced charm, or more precisely counter-charm we must discuss."
"Sacrificial protection." Harry said intensely.
"People make sacrifices everyday, there's nothing magical about that." Someone blurted out harshly.
"Thank you, Mr. Murphy." Flitwick said. "Harry, you may leave if you wish; I know this, even more so, will be difficult to discuss." Flitwick said earnestly. Harry remained seated, so he continued. "Sacrificial protection is a truly unique counter-charm in which a person sacrifices their life for others; in doing so, the benefactor is protected from potential magical or physical harm by their assailant."
"What a load of rubbish war just happened. People made plenty of sacrifices for others." Murphy said still more harshly.
"Ah but you must understand, just any sacrifice does not invoke this counter charm; who can tell me— Miss Granger?"
"Intent and willingness to die so that others can live. You must throw yourself at the mercy of the attacker, with an intent to die and not fight back." Hermione said emotionally.
"So it is like a permanent protego charm?" Someone else asked.
"I cannot offer specific details about this spell as it is some of the rarest and most ancient magic in the entire world. Lilly Potter is the only known wizard to invoke such magic." He said.
"Sir, if I may." Hermione began quietly. "I think that the strength of the spell comes down to the act of the sacrifice and that person's conviction. Harry made a similar sacrifice that protected those of us who survived Voldemort's last stand." She said delicately.
The small sage looking wizard was astounded. "My my, I wondered why his binding spells had little to no effect. Poor Mr. Longbottom was set ablaze along with the sorting hat and survived without so much as a singe."
"So, Muggle-borns are the only known records of this magical counter charm, isn't that odd?" Another student asked.
"What is that supposed to mean?" Harry and Hermione asked sharply.
"Nothing, it's just this magic is very powerful, but the only known occurrences are in a half-blood family; it just seems unfair, wrong even." The same girl continued, she was tall and well put together, but the stench of entitlement met Harry's nose.
Harry was angry now. "What's wrong is people that think like Voldemort and think that any sacrifice creates magical protection, it doesn't work that way. The only way you cast this charm is being willing to die for others and not dying in combat, or my dad would have been able to protect both of us, but loving people so much that you insist on being their physical shield giving your life so that others will live. If one person in here thinks that it's easy to make the choice to die, you are so naïve…"
Harry's anger suddenly evaporated replaced by an intense grief that he resented. He'd been through this off and on all summer, he thought he was over it… But now he knew it would never leave him entirely. Flitwick started talking again, but Harry was deaf to his words and, without warning, got up and left the room...
"Professor," Ginny interrupted delicately.
"Yes, Miss Weasley?" He said, stopping partway through explaining using the Patronus Charm as a means of communication.
"Pardon me sir, but I want to go check on Harry, is it alright if I leave early?" She asked hopefully.
"I suppose but you will miss your homework assignment. I save it for the end of the lesson." He said.
"Go, I'll fill you in later on, okay," Hermione said reassuringly.
"Thanks, Hermione. I'm sorry, sir." Ginny added apologetically before running out of the room too.
Harry was in the Gryffindor common room, grateful it was mostly empty except for the other seventh year students who had an hour between classes on their schedule. Harry decided to throw together a lesson plan to distract themself from his resurfacing grief…
Ginny's voice met Harry's ears a little while later. "I figured you would be here, but I never thought I'd see you acting so adult; then again, you are a professor now." She whispered with a small smile sitting on the sofa.
"Sorry, I left." He told her apologetically.
"I knew that a lot of the advanced charms have painful memories for you, and Hermione. She looked on the verge of tears talking about them."
"I'm fine." Harry insisted.
"Don't insult your Mum or me by lying, Harry; she knows how difficult it is when you're reminded of her sacrifice even during a school lesson." Ginny said gently.
"Seeing Dennis reminded me of Colin," Harry said sadly.
"I know, but it was that girl that set your off, right?" Ginny asked.
"The war, people are selfish and disrespectful about it; I don't like it at all," Harry said anxiously.
Ginny lowered her head into his chest. "I don't like it either; I blew up at the press today." She wrapped his hands in hers.
"You are very good at press control." He kissed her forehead.
"We should get going, don't want to be late, professor." Ginny said in a whisper.
"Let me finish throwing something together." Harry said.
Now it was strange to be occupying the same room as every other Dark Arts professor. He entered the classroom with his lesson plan that was hastily thrown together. With seventh year students today, Harry was set on teaching advanced defensive techniques. The shock that Harry Potter was their teacher left everyone except for Luna (the lesson was with Ravenclaw) and Ginny with open mouths. The best friends couldn't help but giggle at their peers.
"Well, um I think everyone knows my name so I won't bother writing it down." Harry said smiling for a moment.
"You are the defense teacher?" Someone blurted out suddenly. "You are our age and a student too, there's no way you are qualified."
"And Gilderoy Lockhart was qualified." Harry pointed out. "Or maybe you would like being taught by death eaters again?" Silence told Harry to continue. "Now, today I want to see how well each of you defend yourself in a duel. It'll help me decide how to teach you for the rest of the year. Pair off come on, we don't have all day." Harry continued once everyone was standing with a partner. "Right you will duel one at a time at the back of the room that way it's less chaotic." Harry moved all the chairs and desks out of the way with one flick of his wand. "The first to knock out their opponent is the winner. I will return anyone that loses to consciousness. Ginny and Luna will go last since I know their skills well, and will face Hermione and I— "
"That's not fair why can't one of us face you!" Someone else protested.
Harry was blunt. "I'm doing this to assess the dueling skills of the rest of you and to show you what skilled dueling looks like. I have fought with the three of them many times and know what they are capable of, it's the rest of you I need to gauge." He looked serious and and offered warning. "The war may have ended, but nobody should get complacent." He said bluntly.
The class became visibly nervous now, though Ginny, Hermione and Luna were not…
Harry called pairs up one at a time to duel. Most didn't last more than two minutes and were largely mediocre. Harry commented on all of them.
Ginny found it amusing watching Harry bluntly criticize the dueling skills of her peers.
"It's harsh, but most of them are bad, honestly." Ginny said in mental conversation with Harry while duels continued.
"We haven't talked like this in quite a while…." Harry said in thought.
"You need something then…?"
Harry was anxious as his thoughts continued to reach Ginny. "Check with Hermione, I never asked if she was willing to do this."
"I will."
Harry addressed the class without any pretense. "Most of this class needs serious work, your reactions are delayed, and nobody cast spells without announcing themselves, and many of you could not perform magic without announcing yourself."
There were murmurs of discontent from the entire class which silently amused Ginny, Hermione and Luna who all made sure to sit together. Ginny took the cover to pass on Harry's message.
"Of course," Hermione whispered back.
Meanwhile Harry raised his voice over the noise. "Alright, enough muttering watch and learn. Hermione, Ginny, Luna…" He said.
The rest of the class watched as these four dueled without uttering a single word.
"They aren't saying anything at all!" Several people said in shock.
Harry eventually hit Luna with a jet of yellow light and started going in the opposite direction whenever she tried to move.
"A Dizzying spell!" Luna mused quietly. "I'm just going to get out of the way now."
The others continued much to the delight of the rest of the class whom seemed awed by the fact that Ginny was dueling two opponents by herself. Hermione eventually ran out of stamina and was subsequently disarmed but still managed to hit Ginny with the leg-locker curse.
"She did that silently and without a wand, no way!" Exclaimed a dark red-headed Ravenclaw girl.
Harry thought better of going any further. "Right, that's enough, thanks Hermione, Ginny, Luna." They nodded.
Once everyone (Hermione having retrieved her wand from some distance away) was back to normal and seated…
The dark redheaded girl protested. "Aw, you're not going to duel her too, professor?"
"We're nearly out of time, and Hermione and I have no interest in dueling each other, but for the record, I wouldn't be surprised if she beat me, she her spell work has always been nearly perfect." He admitted calmly.
"Aren't you exaggerating, sir?"
"No, I'm not. Um… I haven't gone through names so…"
"It's Emily, sir."
"Right, homework is half a roll of parchment on why you think it's important to be able to cast magic nonverbally or without a wand. By the end of this year, everybody will be able to do one or both of those things most times." Harry wasn't used to being so formal but his methods seemed to have kept peoples attention.
The bell rang after a few minutes of silence. Hermione and Ginny stayed behind.
"Waiting for the crowds to thin," Harry asked casually, with a slight glance at Hermione.
"Ginny, I'm holding you up, I'm sorry." Hermione sighed.
"You and Harry always feel guilty leaning on other people, in that sense you really are brother and sister." Ginny said delicately. "I told you, I'm sticking with you whether you like it or not." She shook her head with a smile.
The next class was double Potions with Hufflepuff; Slughorn didn't single Harry out, evidently not over-realigning the truth about his memory; Harry was anything but disappointed about this lack of attention. The lesson was primarily focused on potions related to the dark arts. There was one that caught Harry's attention leaving him in shock.
"No way… That potion with the phosphorescence Emerald green liquid, I've seen it before once." Harry said loudly.
Slughorn thought he'd misheard. "Don't be silly boy, to see any of these potions outside of the controlled environment of a classroom…" He laughed nervously.
"That potion, does it dehydrate the drinker?" He asked with an edge to his voice.
"Merlin's beard, how do you recognize the drink of despair?" Slughorn asked in exasperation.
"Voldemort used it to protect one of the things most important to him." Harry said bluntly.
The two of them locked eyes for a moment with an unspoken understanding.
"Your efforts against him would no doubt mean running across this potion. The drink of despair meant for ones enemies to suffer a slow, agonizing death. It is a powerful hallucinogen, causing physical pain and extreme thirst resulting in life-threatening dehydration, this is just for self awareness." He said seriously. "Today's lesson you will be brewing the Antidote to Veritaserum, quite difficult…"
Harry wished time would speed up as the class began brewing the assigned potion, or antidote in this case. He had always assumed the Drink of Despair was Voldemort's own invention but now he was anything but certain of that. To his surprise Harry's attempt at an antidote to Veritaserum was above average, though Hermione's turned out perfect according to Slughorn, which netted Gryffindor fifty points... Harry was glad when homework was given, and class ended.
"We'll wait… Hermione and Ginny said knowingly.
"Professor… I want to talk about that potion." Harry said bluntly.
"I didn't help him create it, Harry, he combined some of the effects of other potions into that, and for a while, the ministry used it as a punishment for brutal crimes instead of Dementors." He sighed heavily. "I don't know which is worse to be perfectly honest."
"Neither do I, but I watched Dumbledore drink that potion, so I didn't have to, to get us closer to defeating Tom; thank you for giving me your true memory, sir." He said calmly.
"Liquid luck in the right hands." He said dismissively.
"You knew?" He asked.
"Yes, afterward, I've taken liquid luck myself, and besides I could tell that I was missing a very old memory the next day." He said.
"I'm sorry, professor." He said. "But just so you know, you are better than Snape, teaching." He smiled.
"Thank you Mr. Potter."
Lunch was very welcome after a double lesson. Ginny and Hermione were watching Harry carefully, Hermione breaking the silence of eating as only she could.
"I thought I knew about all the advanced potions, but to hear something like that exists was unnerving."
"That's was what weakened Dumbledore that night on the Astronomy Tower, wasn't it Harry?" Ginny asked delicately.
"He was always going to die within the year, that potion; the drink of despair made sure it was that night." At their questioning looks he added. "Snape's memories showed me a lot of things."
"So that's why you were so confident during Voldemort's last stand." Hermione recognized.
"Are you alright?" Ginny asked.
He sighed. "I suppose, but hopefully, we don't come across anything else from the war in lessons today."
It helped that ancient runes followed lunch. It was rather interesting that magical society had its ancient symbols and languages. Hermione was a big help considering this was the first time Harry was taking the subject. They spent the entire hour going over runes used to form more complex words, with their homework being to translate a story in ancient runes to English. Afterward, Harry and Hermione met with Ginny again (who wasn't taking ancient runes) for Transfiguration, the final class of the day.
"Oh, I hope I can teach an entire class," Hermione said anxiously.
"You're better suited to it than me," Harry assured her.
Ginny was rhetorical. "Yeah, Ron thinks so much more than he did seven years ago, and that's not by accident Hermione; it's because of you teaching him even if you didn't set out to do that."
"You know, I think I'll take a page from Minerva and try to win over the students with my Animagus transformation," she said hastily.
Harry and Ginny watched Hermione duck away to transform into the full-blooded Kneazle cat, which they spotted running in the direction of Mcgonagall's old classroom.
"She'll be fine; she has no problem telling us what to do," Harry said calmly.
Ginny laughed as the two of them headed for Transfiguration.
Hermione decided to let the classroom fill before she started class. The room of Gryffindor and Hufflepuff's applauded when the Kneazle cat became human.
She was a little more relaxed now. "Thank you for that everyone; Good afternoon, I'm Hermione Granger; being that you are all seventh-year students, your goal in my class will be to study and then safely perform transfiguration on living organisms. The second half of the term will focus on Human Transfiguration, and by the end of the year, you should be able to transfigure yourself into another person completely mistake-free."
"That seems extremely difficult." A girl from Hufflepuff said nervously.
"That's just our goal for the end of the year. Today is much simpler, I'll see who can turn mice into hamsters." Hermione set a box of mice on her desk and set one out to demonstrate the spell. "Now, you wave your wand in a small circle, tap the mouse and then say, mures criceta; reverse your phrasing to reverse the transfiguration. The first Gryffindor and Hufflepuff who successfully transfigure their mouse into a hamster and back will earn 30 points for their respective houses." She said urgently, hoping to provide extra incentive for the class before passing out mice to everyone. "It might seem easy given you all likely learned to transfigure mice into snuffboxes but you will quickly find that creature to creature Transfiguration is not as easy as it was starting from inanimate objects." Hermione warned the class as she finished giving them all mice and sat at her desk.
Harry knew Hermione's warning was sound having watched her try to transfigure caught fish into a decent meal while on the hunt for Horcruxes last year… That's why it came as a pleasant surprise that he was successful after only five attempts and even more surprised to see that he was the first Gryffindor who was successful. Harry noticed Ginny was angry.
"I hate small rodents now, all because of that coward wormtail!" Ginny said harshly.
"Gin, calm down, before your magic accidentally explodes." Harry whispered.
"I'm sorry, every time I see rodents, I remember that we had a death eater in our house for 12 years, and it pisses me off!" She hissed back.
"I know, and my Aunt Marge deserved to get turned into a balloon, but that mouse is only a mouse, Gin." He softly reminded her.
Ginny's tension evaporated with Harry's comment, and she was able to transfigure her mice. Others were not as quick, taking more than twenty minutes or longer to achieve the proper Transfiguration. A half-hour later Hermione was walking around to their desks and correcting all manner of mistakes, from imprecise wand movement to poor spell enunciation. In fact, only three other students finished in less than 10 minutes as Harry and Ginny had done. Time was running short by the time everyone had finished successfully.
"Well, that took most of you far longer than I expected; that being said a few of you succeeded in less than 10 minutes!" She said. "As promised thirty points go to the fastest from each house…
These were a Hufflepuff girl named Abby Baker, while the fastest Gryffindor was Harry himself, something he didn't expect.
"Are you sure?" He said blankly.
"You were the only Gryffindor who succeeded in less than five minutes, so yes I'm sure. Congratulations to both of those who succeeded the fastest."
"Show off," Ginny muttered, smirking sideways at him.
Hermione addressed the class one final time. "We've reached the end of your lesson for this week. Your homework is a full roll of parchment on why humans may need to transfigure themselves and how this is different from other means of magically transforming one's appearance. You will be given a similar assignment for your written exam at the end of the year so I know what you have learned. Other than that, I suggest those who struggled pocket their mice and practice. That's it; you may go." She said, dismissing the room.
Nobody needed to be told twice, and soon, Harry and Ginny were the only ones left in the room. Hermione blushed awkwardly. "I hope that was alright." She threw her bag over her shoulder.
"Brilliant, professor." Harry grinned.
"I would have been faster than Harry if we were not working with rodents, Scabbers being evil ruined them for me and now I have to resist the urge to make them explode!" She admitted bitterly. "Ron's bed wasn't the only one that cowardly rat slept in…"
"Oh my, I didn't even realize you might be triggered doing this; I'm sorry, Ginny," Hermione said apologetically.
Ginny shrugged. "It's Washtail's fault, not yours. I just get triggered by rodents now." She sighed.
"Would it help if I told you that he was choked to death by the magical hand Voldemort gave him?" Harry said casually as the three of them walked to dinner.
"So that's what happened to him. I was wondering why he wasn't anywhere when we were escaping from Malfoy Manor." Hermione said quietly.
"Your not serious!" Ginny said in disbelief.
"I tried to stop it, but well… Voldemort always said Wormtail returned out of fear, not loyalty. It turned out he was right." Harry said with a sigh.
"Wow, I do feel better." Ginny said casually.
Glad lessons were over for today, Harry was in a good mood throughout dinner, especially as Luna sat with them, making her typically odd jokes, which made her laugh hysterically while puzzling everyone else.
"So Harry…" She said calmly, once she'd had her fill of food and jokes. "The DA I was wondering—
"I wish I had time Luna but Quidditch's will start again soon and teaching a class is about the only extra thing that I can manage this year."
"I know, I want to do it myself, recruit a new group, people who need extra help, you know." She said thoughtfully.
"Oh, yeah, go right ahead; you were already taking charge while we were gone anyway!" He told her enthusiastically.
"Yay, oh, and I will be doing the Quidditch commentary again this season!" She said cheerfully.
Harry was pleasantly surprised hby how much this news thrilled him...
With lessons over for the day, Harry, Ginny, and Hermione sat in the common room after dinner. Ginny playing with her Pygmy Puff Arnold (apparently this didn't trigger Ginny's rodent contempt despite the fact that it was also small and furry) while Hermione and Harry—who for the first time in his academic life vowed to keep himself caught up with all his schoolwork, did homework.
"I'm going to deliver this letter to Ron and turn in early." She told them.
"And here I thought you were doing homework," Ginny said with a wry smile.
"I finished that an hour ago if you must know." She said proudly, looking a little offended that anyone thought she would put personal matters before her homework.
"I wonder how Ron is doing." Harry said.
"I'm sure he's fine, but I wish he were here for Hermione and Quidditch, which reminds me I'm holding tryouts the last weekend of September." She said.
"You miss Ron as Keeper." He said.
"Filling positions doesn't always work out for the best." She said sighed. "But I'll worry about that come tryouts."
"Well, I'm finished with homework, it's been a long day."
Ginny nodded in agreement.
They returned to their private shared room to hear the water running.
"Hermione?" They called.
"Do you suppose maybe she just can't hear us over the water?" Harry reasoned.
"Maybe, but given her psychological breakdowns in recent months, I'm not taking a chance…" Ginny said seriously.
Opening the bathroom door, Ginny found Hermione crying in the bathtub, leaving Ginny uncertain whether she was alright...
"Hermione…" Ginny said delicately. "You're shaking and not from bathing too cold or too hot." She said empathetically. "I had the same thing after the chamber."
"I just want to take a bath, be alone…without feeling anxious or crazy."
"Gin, is she alright?" Harry called from just outside the door.
"Yeah, for the most part, just anxious," Ginny called back. She knelt and leaned against the outer rim of the tub. "If you insist on forcing yourself to be alone, try to answer as soon as we call out, okay? You had us worried." She said gently.
"I'm sorry…I'm lucid for once…" She sniffed.
"Do you want me to stay?" Ginny asked calmly.
"I can't help it." Hermione said sadly.
"I know, but look at the bright side; it was just anxiety, no psychotic break this time." Ginny smiled encouragingly.
"My healer said that the frequency of my psychotic breaks would be unpredictable because of the magical scarring from the Cruciatus Curse," Hermione said, frowning.
"But if you stack enough days without any psychotic breaks together before you know it, you will be okay just like me. I'm okay, despite being mentally raped by Tom and his soul nearly eating mine."
"You are stronger than me," Hermione said very matter-of-factly.
"Hermione, there are plenty of times I was weak, especially with you three gone last year." Ginny dismissed. "I finally realized real strength isn't about never showing weakness it's about overcoming weakness." Ginny said seriously.
"But I just don't feel strong enough." She sniffed through tears.
"Well I can stay with you while you finish up, or go. It's up to you, but it looks like you've calmed down for now." Ginny said softly.
"Stay, otherwise I might start crying again." She admitted sadly.
Ginny nodded. "Then I'm here."
Hermione squeezed her hand. "Thanks, Ginny."
"That's what a sister is for." She said reassuringly.
Harry meanwhile, had called Fawkes to deliver a letter he had meant to send for a while now; the bird waited intently for instructions.
Harry sounded rather cautious. "Alright Fawkes, I would deliver this without being seen, by my Aunt and Uncle. You know where you are going right. Dumbledore probably mentioned privet drive over the years. Honestly, I never thought I would be writing Dudley but Hermione says he was worried about me and anyway, he was actually nice to me the last time we saw each other, so…" He sighed tying the letter to Fawkes leg
The Phoenix gave a soft cry in understanding, took flight and vanished from the room in a blaze of fire. Harry decided to create a lesson plan for his first year class tomorrow morning before going to bed. The bathroom door opened eventually and he heard Hermione in good spirits…
"You're alright, Hermione?" He asked her.
There was solace in her voice. "Right now I am, yes. I just need to get dressed."
"How is she honestly?" Harry asked Ginny in a whisper, after Hermione had gone to change for bed.
"Shes had worse moments the last few months." Ginny said, sounding encouraged.
"Yeah, Ron told us. Still, I'll take what we can get and Hermione should too." He said.
Ginny agreed, dropping her head on Harry's shoulder. "I've told her as much; I think it finally sunk in that every little bit helps her get better."
"Yeah, that's all we can ask for..."
Hermione spotted Harry's lesson plan when she returned from getting dressed and he didn't mind that she was eager to look it over…
"Disarming and shield charms that's smart to teach your first years Harry." She said approvingly. "I would take the time, in the beginning, to answer questions because they won't be able to help their curiosity, and they will be enamored with you."
"Yeah, I remember what that's like." He glanced over at Ginny.
"Shut it." She said blushing and looking away quickly.
"I didn't say anything." He said evenly.
"It's that bloody grin on your face!" She threw a nearby pillow at him. "You don't understand how easy it is to have a crush on you!" She said, shaking her head.
Hermione giggled, watching them.
"What?" They asked together.
"Nothing, just proud of my matchmaking I suppose." She bragged. "I'm going to bed now."
"Will you be alright?"
"I don't know, but if I'm clinging to either of you by morning, then I'm sorry." She said apologetically.
"Do you really think we would be sharing a room with you if we cared about that." Harry said.
"Yeah, I know you're trying to force yourself to be alone, but we'll be here, no matter what might happen, so try to sleep." Ginny insisted calmly.
"Thanks, both of you." Hermione said, hugging them both gratefully. They both nodded.
From afar, they watched Hermione get into bed and eventually doze off.
"I think if Hermione is the most of our worries it'll still a good year." Ginny whispered.
Harry nodded in agreement, hoping Hermione would eventually be okay.
A/N: If you are wondering I'm going to try and keep the perspective on the year at Hogwarts, so letters will probably serve as the means of hearing from Ron, other than Hogsmeade weekends and holidays of course. It's easier for me not to have to focus on things too far beyond Harry's perspective, although I have tried to add the perspective of whoever is around Harry with some consistency.4 Anyway I'm rambling now…