There you go fam. Finally got this one up. I hope its better then the previous one. I also want to thank everyone for their awesome reviews and wonderful suggestions. Hope you all enjoy this!
_zik_
Chapter 2 - The Intentional and the Unintended.
"Harry, where are your glasses." Hermoine asked.
"I left it in the room of requirement. I realized I didn't need them anymore when I woke up." Harry replied.
Hermoine perked up at this obviously thinking about the possible scenarios as to why all of a sudden Harry didn't require his glasses anymore. She bit down on the follow up question she wanted to ask and let it rest for the moment making a mental note to pursue this further later, atleast on a full stomach.
"I am dead starving." Ron said aloud.
"When are you not?" Harry quipped with a chuckle which earned him a playful punch from Ron.
That led a few teasing remarks exchanged between the two friends. Hermione sighed. Boys! As she watched her best friend and boyfriend engage in playful banter her heart gave a leap. A weight seemed to have lifted of her chest.
Harry had always had a difficult life. To see him carefree and light hearted gave her a sense of joy she could not describe. A sudden reminder brought her out of her animated thoughts.
'How will Harry react when he finds out?'
The little scene between Neville and Ginny in the morning had not gone unnoticed by her keen eye. She was just glad that Harry had seemed oblivious to the exchange. It was so unfair on him. She had seen him frequently check on the small dot on the marauders map when they were on the run.
However, she could not blame either Ginny or Neville. They had obviously been through a lot during their year at Hogwarts leading the resistance. It was only natural that they had found comfort in each other. Also, the fact remained that Harry had officially broken up with Ginny before embarking on the horcrux hunt.
Ron's remark brought her out of her stupor, "Earth to Hermoine, do you copy?"
Harry shook his head laughing, "Remind me not to show you a science fiction movie ever again mate"
Hermoine gave him a playful punch.
"Ouch, easy there Mione. It's not decent for respectable witches to punch their boyfriends" Ron said giving Harry a wink.
"Boyfriend? When did that happen?" Hermione asked with a serious expression.
Colour drained from Ron's face. "I just..I thought.. I just…back there…" Ron stammered unable to find words.
"Gotcha." Hermione's bland face twitched into a smile before she and Harry burst out laughing. Colour returned to Ron's face. A little more than usual as he turned red.
Hermione gave him a quick kiss. "You're not the only one with a sense of humor, boyfriend." Hermione said with a wink at Harry.
That led to all of them laughing. Last night and its horrors forgotten for the moment.
The house tables were partially occupied when the trio reached the great hall. Professor McGonagall had insisted that the participants of the battle stay back and recuperate with their families while the Aurors sorted out the situation outside rounding up the runaway death eaters. No one had argued. Additional rooms had been converted to dormitories in addition to the house common rooms.
The trio settled down near the rear end of what used to be the Hufflepuff table since it was the least occupied and offered them the privacy they sought. A quick mufliato later Hermoine turned towards Harry who perked up at the sudden use of the privacy charm.
"So Daphne Greengrass huh! Who would've thought the Slytherin pureblood princess would stay back to fight death eaters while the rest of her house fled to safety?" Hermione started with a contemplative expression on her face.
"To be honest, I have never heard her broadcast pureblood notions like the rest of her house. Come to think of it I hardly ever heard her say anything at all. She was one of the silent types" Harry added.
"It doesn't make sense at all. Would you care to shed light on the events of this morning Harry?" Hermione gave him a pointed look.
"Yeah mate. I understand you were knackered when you returned and that's why we didn't press it but what actually did happen after you apparated with her barely alive body and her family" Ron chimed.
"And also tell me how you managed to side along apparate four people. Anything beyond two is unheard of. Even the Hogwarts library failed to give me an explanation for that or how your were able to perform a selectively focused levitation charm." Hermione added in a single breath.
Harry had been expecting this pending query since he woke up. He was actually surprised Hermione was able to control her inquisitive nature for as long as she did. Nothing frustrated her more than questions to which she had no answers. With a sigh he embarked on a thorough detail of his morning escapades.
-x-x-
Astoria Greengrass was having a horrid day. To be honest even horrid was an understatement. First, she had found out with the rest of her house that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named was attacking Hogwarts. Then, when through Morgana's blessing the Headmistress had asked Filch to escort them to safety through a secret passage, her stupid sister had decided to play hero and snuck back towards the imminent battle.
As if that wasn't enough that they had found the immobile body of her barely alive sister when she informed and brought her parents back to Hogwarts. Thinking back at the way they found Daphne's nearly lifeless body brought tears to her eyes. Although, when she thought back to the scene of Daphne being stuck under the rubble with her deathly hand sticking out it actually could've been worse. Especially if Potter hadn't intervened the way he had.
Harry Potter was an enigma. Whatever stories she had heard about him did not quite add up to the person she had seen in action a few hours ago. He could've easily stood at the sidelines and watched. He didn't owe them anything. What had he to gain from saving her sister? Nothing was the logical answer. Yet he had.
And not only that, he had apparated the four of them to St Mungos with haste. She had never heard about anyone being able to side along apparate more than two people let alone four. But he had. His surprising traits did not end there though. He had accompanied her family to the emergency ward where Healer Payne had furiously cast diagnostic and healings spells at her sister with limited success. He had stayed by Daphne's side throughout her convulsions offering soothing words. Daphne had even held his hand at one point.
Hours had passed with Healer Payne trying everything from spells to potions. Although the physical injuries had all but healed Daphne's condition had not yet stabilized. And still Potter had not left her side. It seemed that he had made it a personal agenda to not let her die. She heard him mention to Healer Payne that he had seen enough deaths today and will not be able to tolerate another.
His determination was so strong and pure that Astoria's parents did not even think once of asking the absolute stranger to leave. At one point it seemed like he was pouring his magic into her. If that was even possible? Astoria was pretty sure she was imagining a transparent golden glow emanated from where there hands met. Obviously she hadn't had any sleep last night so she was hallucinating, wasn't she?
That was the point where Daphne's body began responding in a positive way. The constricted lines from Healer Payne's face lessened as Daphne's convulsions subsided and her breathing became steady. A sigh of relief came from her father and her mothers faced garnered relief beyond what words could describe.
With the sudden change in Daphne's movement Potter seemed to snap out of his determined stupor. Gently letting go of Daphne's hand he moved towards Healer Payne. After exchanging a few words and positives nods he moved towards the door. Giving a silent nod towards her watching parents and looking towards Daphne one final time he slipped out of the emergency ward.
-x-x-
"You still haven't answered how you were able to side-along apparate four people or how you achieved such a perfect selective levitation spell."
Hermione was quick to point out after Harry had given them an overview of the morning's event while very tactfully omitting the details of Daphne Greengrass holding his hands and him pouring his magic into healing her; if that was even possible.
He had very clearly felt the sensation as he continuously poured his strength into combating the evident despair and weakness emanating from her. How he felt it, he had no idea. He just had. And so he had given all his composure, all his concentration to counter those feelings of defeat. A sudden warmth filled him as he saw her convulsions subside.
"Harry?" His chain of thoughts was broken by Hermione's pointed questioning which was also clearly evident in her inquisitive expression. Ron was quiet but his eyes were studying Harry with a depth which was unfamiliar with his usual self.
"I really don't know Hermione." Harry let out with a sigh. "Trust me I was equally surprised. I just tried and was able to do it. I didn't really think about it then. Hell I wasn't even aware that side-along apparating more than two people at once was unheard of." Harry continued.
"As for the selective focus levitation charm I just concentrated very hard knowing that completely removing the rubble could prove fatal for her. Also if you have forgotten let me remind you that I was in fact using the Elder Wand which may have been the reason for my ability to perform complex spells with such ease" Harry added with finality.
If Ron's thoughtful nod was anything to go by Harry had indeed struck a chord with the mention of the Elder wand seemingly to explain the increase in his spell casting prowess. Alas Hermione was not one to be satisfied with meagre contemplative explanations.
"Oh really, Harry? Should I dwell to remind you that back in Dumbledore's office you performed a silent and wandless conjuring spell. Or should I say Elder-wandlessly. And the fact that you somehow miraculously don't need your glasses anymore." was Hermione's direct retort.
Harry's face was a stoic mask holding back a grimace with great concentration. Finally, he softened up, let out a sigh and faced his friends.
"Hermione, I do understand your concern but as I have told you I am none the wiser about by new found spell casting abilities nor of my apparent lack of need of glasses" Harry stated calmly.
Hermione relaxed at his elaborate statement and leaned towards him for a customary hug, "I understand Harry. However, my concerns are based on some research I did earlier."
"Don't tell me you were at the library the whole time you were supposedly sleeping?" Harry piped in with a questioning glare.
"Yes I did Harry and No it was not unimportant." Hermione addressed not only his initial question but the obvious follow up he was preparing leaving Harry to frown.
"Listen Harry, you are important to me and that makes everything related to you important to me. I couldn't just let it go given that whatever is causing this sudden burst in your magic can ultimately be harmful for you" She added.
She paused for a moment but before Harry could respond Hermione picked up from where she left. "Plus I actually found something which could explain the excess magic in your system, at least speculatively. I was reading on dark curses and came across this excerpt from the Darkest Arts."
Harry and Ron leaned over to peek at the parchment she was holding.
'…Dark curses often lead a prolonged residue on the object they are casted upon depending upon the intent of the caster. There have been multiple instance throughout the decades spent on studying dark curses whereby there effect is still imminent on a minuscule scale that is negligible. The reduced lingering effect can be attributed to the assumption that residual dark magic does no longer hold the intent of the caster…'
Hermione brought forward another piece of parchment, "This excerpt is from The Essence of Magic by Magnus Nordvelt."
'… Magical intent is an interesting phenomenon not solely because of its alternating depiction but also due to the fact that it can be cultivated through multiple mediums. The primary medium for determining magical intent is the caster's heart. There have been various notable situations whereby it has been determined that the mind of a caster can act as a secondary medium for magical intent. In addition, although it is mostly speculative, in theory the soul of a person can also act a medium for magical intent and in actuality, considering the souls omnipresence over the mind and the heart, the strongest…'
"And what actually do these excerpts prove, Mione". Ron inquired.
Hermione gave her trademark 'isn't it obvious' look and was just about to start into a long monologue of explanation before Harry spoke up.
"It means that the piece of Voldermort's soul that was etched into my scar was somehow suppressing my magic."
"Suppressing would be an understatement Harry, considering that Voldermort's initial intent was to kill you and his soul was ever present to fuel that intent. I suppose it was only through your mother's protection that you survived." Hermione pointed out.
She gave a pause before continuing in single breath, "And there's more. I have been giving it some thought while researching and it all seems very obvious now. It fits in perfectly with how things have turned out. Though I still don't have anything to confirm my theory but the more I think about it the more apparent in becomes."
Harry raised his eyebrows before inquiring in an almost wavering voice as if wary of what the revelation might hold , "And what might that be?"
"Harry! In the prophecy it is mentioned that you will be born with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord right?" Harry nodded his head gesturing Hermione to continue.
"And it is also mentioned that the Dark Lord will mark you his equal. Well I've been thinking that what if by marking you his equal Voldemort instead of increasing your abilities, as we earlier believed, actually suppressed it. In actual magical capacity it is evident that the vanquisher should be more powerful than the vanquished. What I am simply trying to imply is that the power that Voldermort did not know of was always inside you in the form of your magical capacity fueled by love and compassion which he unknowingly suppressed when he tried to kill you but instead ended up making you his equal." Hermione finished.
There was ultimately silence throughout Hermione's revelation as the other two pondered on the truth of her statement. It all made sense just as she had said.
"And when the unintentional Horcrux was destroyed it's bind over my magic was gone. That would be years' worth of magical maturity. Won't there be repercussions given the fact that my magical core would be increasing exponentially?" Harry uttered with his question turned statement.
"That's why I have been pestering you. I was worried about you. Although I couldn't find much information on magical cores associated with your situation. Maybe I was looking in the wrong section." Hermione added obviously loathe to admit that the Hogwarts library had failed her.
Harry smirked at her Hermionish statement before asking, "So what do you think I should do about the problem at hand."
Hermione frowned at his initial teasing smirk before responding, "I would suggest seeing a Healer. I would've suggested Madam Pomphrey but given her current position treating the injured from the Battle in the infirmary I'd say it would be better to visit St. Mungos."