A/N: If you are familiar with the Moodies' catalog and the HP universe in which our story exists, you've probably been wondering when this particular song - originally from 1969's On the Threshold of a Dream - would appear…
Warning for excessive fluff ahead :-)
Ch 15 in which nothing really happens...
– 15 –
Are You Sitting Comfortably
Ride along the winds of time
And see where we have been
The glorious age of Camelot
When Guinevere was Queen
It all unfolds before your eyes
As Merlin casts his spell…
- The Moody Blues
o o
o
"Can you guys wait a minute before we head to the common room? I need to use the loo."
As Ron slipped into the water closet near Madame Pomfrey's office, Ginny moved to sit next to Harry.
"You fought off a love potion - that's pretty amazing."
Harry grabbed her hand. "Gin, I was so scared - that girl's face was all I could think about. The only thing that I could use to temporarily block it was picturing you."
"So I'm your secret weapon?"
Was this what Dumbledore meant by The power he knows not? "Yeah… I don't know what I'd do if I lost you over this."
"Well, that's not going to happen, Mr. Potter, and I'm going to give you a little treat for your success."
"Not cauldron cakes, I hope…"
"No, silly. After you're done dressing down that little tramp, I want to meet you in our special place. Give me about five minutes to change, come down in your cloak and I'll let you out the portrait hole like always."
o o o
Ginny was highly impressed at Harry's tirade against the fangirls; they were terrified of him now - maybe they would stay that way.
As soon as they were safely inside their fourth floor hideaway, Ginny pulled off Harry's cloak and gave him a long, tender kiss.
"Was that my treat?"
"No, but there might be more of that later. This -" Ginny said, flourishing a small box from the pocket of her robes, "- is a special invention of the twins. It's called a Patented Daydream Charm, and this particular version is for two people to experience together."
"Wow - sounds exciting - but, this isn't like that love potion, is it?"
"Oh no, the twins insisted that if the two are in a relationship, the charm will not put them in a situation further than they've already progressed. In other words, if we've only snogged, then we won't do more than snogging."
"Okay, that sounds alright." Harry studied the box. "Merlin's Spell takes you to Camelot?"
"They had others - you could sail the ocean, visit amazing places, but this one had my name on, so I had to get it."
"Guinevere?"
"The Italian variation is Ginevra. Mum and Dad honeymooned in Florence and a famous Ginevra lived there long ago. Mum always said she fell in love with the name and waited all these years and six boys before she could use it on me."
"It's a beautiful name, just like you."
"You're too sweet." Ginny pecked him on the lips. "Now this charm lasts for an hour, so we need to get it started if we don't want too many questions about why we missed curfew."
"Right. What do we need to do?"
"You need to make the settee bigger so we can lay on it. The box says we need to be sitting comfortably."
"Comfortable. Got it." Harry waved his wand and the settee grew in depth until it was the size of a bed, covered with colorful fluffy pillows.
"Oooh, nice," Ginny cooed appreciatively, climbing into the pile and settling in. "Now get over here so we can start."
"Yes, ma'am," Harry chuckled, sliding in beside her. He took the vial of purple potion she handed him. "We drink them together?"
"That's what it says," she said with a smirk. "See you in Camelot!"
o o o
A moment later Harry and Ginny were relaxing in a small curtained room, and oddly enough, the room was gently rocking. They could hear the clop clop clop of heavy feet on a hard surface.
Harry looked gobsmacked at his girlfriend bedecked in bright flowing gowns. Her hair was tied back in a fanciful braid and a small circlet adorned the top of her head. "You look amazing - Guinevere."
"You clean up well yourself, my King," Ginny chuckled, admiring the coat-of-arms embroidered into his dark tunic and the tight fit of his leather pants. "You even have a cape!"
Harry tugged at the fine cloth draped over his shoulders. "How about that?"
Ginny pulled aside the curtains and gasped. "Harry! I mean Arthur - we're in a carriage - and oh Merlin! We have a castle!"
"Wow," said Harry, joining her. "So this is Camelot."
They were crossing a courtyard with high stone towers behind, heading for an arched passage through a crenellated wall that curved back around the towered portion. Guards pulled up a heavy iron grillwork as they approached and a massive timber door slowly lowered to form a bridge across a wide ditch - a real moat!
They gazed in wonder as they descended a long grade into a bustling village. People lined both sides of the street, waving and bowing. Ginny and Harry chuckled at each other and began to wave back, trying to look their parts.
The carriage stopped in front of a large grandstand. "I guess this is where we get off," Harry muttered as the door opened and a uniformed footman helped them to the ground and up the steps to the royal viewing area.
Again they waved to rousing cheers, and they realized they were in a jousting arena.
"Oh, this is going to be exciting!" cried Ginny.
"Let the pummelling begin," muttered Harry, knowing what would likely happen.
"Mead, milord?"
Harry turned to accept a large goblet from the maidservant, who looked very familiar.
"Cho?"
She curtseyed in response. Ginny was not impressed.
"What are you doing in our daydream, Chang?"
"I am here to serve, milady," she said, curtseying again as she handed Ginny another goblet.
"Thank you, miss," said Harry, trying to keep a straight face. "That will be all."
"What are you laughing at?"
"Nothing, my dearest Guinevere, nothing at all."
o o o
"And now for the jousting exhibition before our royal highnesses," rang out a voice from below.
"That looks like Flitwick!"
"Opponents will be awarded 5 points for unhorsing the other rider, three points for breaking a lance and two points for breaking the tip of the lance. Knights will be disqualified for deliberately hitting off-target.
"Our competitors today: At the east end, from the north of England - Sir Michael the Corner!"
Harry couldn't help but laugh as the crowd cheered.
"If your old beau can be here," said Ginny imperiously, "so can mine."
"And at the west, from the highlands of the Scots - Sir Cormac of McLaggen!"
"Oh, this should be great," Harry chortled. "Huzzah!"
The crowd cheered as the two knights charged, hooves pounding from either end of the arena, lances extended well beyond the whipping horses' manes in the time-honored contest of strength, dexterity and toughness. At the center a mighty clang heralded their meeting yet neither knight lost his mount. Both lances were damaged, one at the tip and the other shattered in the middle.
"Three points to Sir Michael, one point to Sir Cormac!"
"Huzzah!"
Retrieving new lances, both knights charged again, but the contact was a mere clap of wood. Sir Cormac was able to deflect the other's lance, preventing either knight from inflicting a body blow.
"No points awarded!"
The crowd again cheered on their favorite as the two prepared for the final pass. Leaning in, they both galloped thunderously towards each other on opposite sides of the center rail. Unfortunately for him, Sir Cormac presented a larger target and was knocked squarely off his steed and landed with a solid whoomp, flat on his back.
The crowd noise was deafening.
"Huzzah! Bravo!" cried the royal couple.
"Sir Michael is the points leader at eight to one! The next event is dueling with the broadsword!"
Sir Cormac seemed a little wobbly as he was helped to his feet. The two knights met below the royal box and held up their swords in salute.
"Long live Arthur, King of the Britons!"
Harry stood and bowed. "First blood determines the victor. Let the duel begin!"
The swords were wide and heavy, and each knight used them more as clubs on their opponent, trying to find a weak point in the other's heavy armor. After several minutes of hammering abuse on each other, Sir Cormac foolishly tried to block an overhead blow with his free forearm and ended up losing it instead.
He staggered back and gawked at his useless limb in the mud while a red stream spurted from the new stump.
"You cut off my bloody arm!"
"Don't block with it, you lump, and it won't happen!"
"Bravo!" cheered Harry. "Before I declare the winner, I wish to congratulate you both on a well fought match. Yet I require that Sir Cormac repeat the line."
"The line, your highness?"
"From the film…"
Sir Michael leaned over to Cormac and talked to him in low tones.
"Seriously?" Sir Cormac grumbled. "Alright, whatever."
He cleared his throat and yelled shrilly for the entire arena to hear, "It's only a flesh wound!"
o o o
Harry and Ginny suddenly found themselves swathed in darkness. Looking around in a panic, they saw a tall figure approach, carrying a brightly glowing ball in his hands.
"Oh, Merlin!" Harry murmured.
"Yes, my Lord?" he asked, turning his long silver beard to the side.
"Wait - you are the real Merlin?"
"Of course, milord, milady. I have come to deliver a message."
"Oh, well… alright then."
The ancient wizard spread his arms, and the glowing ball slowly rose until it was above his head, looking more like a miniature moon. He began speaking in an chantlike monotone:
"'Cold-hearted orb that rules the night
Removes the colours from our sight
Red is grey and yellow, white -'"
He paused and met Harry's eyes.
"'But we decide -'" he said expectantly, indicating Harry needed to finish the line.
"'Which is right?'"
Merlin nodded. "And -?"
"'And which is an illusion.'"
Merlin bowed. "Good luck on your quest, Harry Potter."
With that, he vanished in wisps of vapor. Harry and Ginny stood bewildered in an impressive banquet hall of vaulted stone, and Merlin's moon-ball spun slowly overhead like a medieval disco ball.
"Not at all ominous," said Harry.
"And he called you Harry."
He frowned. "That's right. And how does he know a modern poem from the Moody Blues?"
"This is our daydream, Harry, so I don't think you need to solve this particular puzzle right now. Besides, there's an Irish band playing over there, and I didn't get to dance with you at the Yule Ball."
"You trust your toes with me? I haven't danced since then."
"I got over Neville's stomping just fine. You couldn't be any worse."
The band was playing a slow lilting waltz, and Harry extended his hand.
"May I have this dance, my queen?"
Ginny beamed as she curtseyed. "Why, yes, my king."
They slid together and held each other close. Harry discovered daydream waltzing was quite easy, finding the rhythm and steps to sweep his beautiful girlfriend across the floor as their subjects clapped in admiration. He gained a new appreciation for her enticing physique as their bodies moved together, a very different experience than sharing a settee.
The waltz ended all too soon and the fiddler stomped out a beat with his peg leg, jumping into a rousing Irish jig.
Harry and Ginny stared in amazement. "Remind me to ask the real Mad-Eye if he can play the fiddle," Harry chortled.
Everyone in the hall began to kick, stomp and twirl to the lively beat and Harry and Ginny reveled in every minute, never getting the least bit tired. Eventually, another slow number came up and they fell into each other's arms again.
"Ginny - Guinevere - this was brilliant - thank you so much. I can't imagine how it could have been better."
"Really, my king? Methinks your imagination has been stunted somewhat if you can't think of any improvements…"
"Hmm, I suppose as the noble King Arthur, Head of the Knights of the Round Table, I should have an opportunity to prove myself in combat, or save a damsel in distress…"
"Now if you could only find a damsel in dis-aaaaAAAAhhhhh!"
"Ginny!"
There was a breath of hot air, a tremendous dark shadow, and she was ripped from his arms - screaming and flailing in the grasp of some gigantic beast, flapping its wings and sailing out the open end of the hall. Something about its vicious swinging tail looked familiar to Harry, and the full picture slotted from one of his most traumatic memories.
"Bloody hell." The Hungarian Horntail was back for revenge.
Harry surveyed the hall; no one appeared to be injured but everyone was terrorized by the sudden appearance of the dragon. There would be no help there. He briefly thought about calling for Merlin, but who knew if the old wizard would respond.
Damn it, he was Arthur, King of the Britons, and this was his awesome daydream - he was responsible for saving his queen. Remembering how he defeated the dragon in the Triwizard Tournament, all he needed was -
"My broom!" Into his outstretched hand appeared his trusty Firebolt.
He swung it between his legs and took off like one of the twin's fireworks, a cloud of dust and awestruck subjects in his wake. Harry knew that he had the advantage in speed and maneuverability, but the dragon had tough scales, incredible strength, and magical fire breath.
It also had Ginny in its claws.
It took Harry little time to catch up to the aggressively climbing Horntail. Ginny was clutched to the dragon's chest like a tiny doll.
"Harry!" Other than terribly frightened, Ginny was alive and in one piece.
He wasn't sure what to do. The dragon could crush or drop Ginny upon a whim.
He flew ahead of the dragon, wary of its smoking maw.
"Hey, dragon, you stole my queen, and I want her back! I left your eggs unharmed last time we met!"
"I have hungry hatchlings," she snorted. "Puny human girl not much snack, but hair is pretty. She not your youngling?"
If the situation wasn't so dire, Harry would have laughed. "No, she is my… mate."
The dragon sniffed at both of them. "But you not mated her. I take her."
"We're still young. We will mate."
"No, too late."
Harry decided reasoning with the Horntail was a useless cause. He didn't have his wand, but he thought about a weapon that might be more useful against its magical defenses.
Again, he held out his hand, and into it appeared the gleaming Sword of Gryffindor.
"Dragon! Let my queen go or I will attack! I killed a beast half again your size with this sword!"
"Puny blade not scare me. Leave or I eat you too."
Harry had to show the dragon he meant business. He took a sharp turn up, flipped and dove extending the sword, and it tore a long slice through her leathery wing.
The dragon shrieked and turned, blasting a jet of fire at him, but Harry's Firebolt was aptly named. He was already on the dragon's other side and tore through that wing as well.
The Horntail sent another angry blast his way, but she was now struggling to maintain altitude. The puny human snack was now a liability to her, so she threw it upward as she tumbled through the sky, directing it towards her open jaws as it screamed and flailed anew.
"Haaaarrryyy!"
"Ginny!"
Adrenaline fueling his body, magic propelling his broom, Harry streaked forward as his queen - his girlfriend, and future mate as he had declared to the dragon that was half a moment from eating her alive - fell in a deathly arc towards a horrible end.
Timing it far too close, he crossed their collision path just before the dragon's jaws snapped on empty air and screeched angrily once more, fire jetting this way and that, unable to find her intended prey.
Surprise and joy etched across her face as Ginny landed astride his broom practically in his lap, she took his head in both hands and kissed him for all she was worth.
Harry made a futile effort to control the broom, until he noticed that, in fact, there was no broom, and he opened his eyes to the fourth floor room where he sat on the expanded settee, and Ginny was holding onto him fiercely, her body shaking wildly.
He stroked her back as he held her close. "Ginny? It's over now - you're safe, we're safe."
She leaned back, gripping his arms. Instead of the tears he expected, she was laughing with abandon.
"Harry! That was AWESOME! Broom flying is never going to be the same!" She wrapped herself around him again, legs as well as arms, and it was doing strange things to Harry as she squirmed against him, kissing and squeezing as never before.
Eventually she eased back and took several deep breaths.
"I guess there's one thing we should remember when using the daydream charm -"
"Be careful what you wish for!" they chuckled together.
Ginny kissed him again. "So I'm your mate, now?"
Harry blushed. "I tried to talk in terms she would understand. You know I love you and I look forward to when we can, you know…"
She gave him a blazing look as she ground her hips into his. "I can tell."
"Ginny…"
"Harry, I love you too - so much - and there's nothing I would like better than we just shag each other senseless, right here and now. But…"
She retreated with a sigh. "Mum brought me up in the old ways, which means we want to take advantage of certain wedding rituals that are only available if we are unsullied when we take our vows. I hope you agree - it will be worth the wait."
Harry grinned. "Right. No sullying."
Ginny smacked him on the arm. "Don't be silly. Now, I did make you a promise…"
With that, she reached down to the hem of her jumper and lifted it over her head, followed by her tee shirt, and then there was nothing left to remove.
Harry stared gobsmacked at her creamy pale skin, reveling in his first view of her twin treasures. "Gin, you're not a queen, you're a goddess! Are you sure?"
"I'm a girl who keeps her promises," she smirked and reached for the hem of his shirt. "You need to give a little, too."
Together, they shrugged his shirt off and explored the new territory opened to each other, sharing intimate touches and light kisses which became slowly more animated and hungrier as they allowed each other across old boundaries.
"We don't have a lot of time before curfew - we need to make the most of it."
And so they did.
o
Omake
Ginny was getting bored as the line of finely dressed men on horseback continued passing the reviewing stand.
"Harry, we've only got an hour in this daydream, how long is the parade going to last?"
"But, Gin, they're the Knights in White Satin, never reaching the end!"
"Never my arse," she muttered.
Suddenly a paper airplane flew into the side of Harry's head, followed by another, then a veritable army of folded notes were bombarding him from all sides.
"Oww! Bloody hell, Ginny! What is all this?"
"They're Letters I've written, never meaning to send. And I'm going to keep on sending them, until you stop the bloody knights!"
o
A/N: This fun little diversion is given to you, my readers, in appreciation of all the love and support you've given to me and this story. Rest assured that I have no plans to abandon it, I'm just not one of those authors that can create a chapter every day or even every week. Thank you for reading (and reviewing!)
FYI the poem recited by Merlin is the last stanza of Late Lament, the last cut of the 1967 LP Days of Future Passed, immediately after Nights in White Satin - a thought-provoking finale to an amazing ground-breaking album.