"And my Cousin, Tracy. You met her mother."
That raised Tracy's eyebrows.
Of Course that's when Ronald noticed that Harry was talking to the witches.
"What are you slags doing talking to Harry like that?" His ears turned red.
Harry turned, took the broom from his hand and handed it to Ginny, before decking Ronald square in the face. "Mister Weasley." His voice was as cold as the northern shores. "You will want to learn to hold your tongue, before you choke on it."
"I don't need you to defend my Honour, Mister Potter." Daphne hissed.
"I wasn't." Harry turned back to her. "I was defending mine, and protecting the loudmouth lout at the same time. Us Gryffs hear about how you deal with Males that earn your Ire." He adjusted his coat, Causing Ron to lift his head.
$Something smells tasty and not in the edible way.$ Ron tasted the air in the direction of the witches.
$Yes, and I need to watch how I go about catching them, or I will be eaten first.$ Harry replied.
Ginny snorted. $And just why are you consorting with the likes of them?$
"Because it will annoy Malfoy." Harry answered in English. "Anything else is up to Greengrass."
"That and Annoy Ron." Ginny looked down at her brother who was still in the street holding his nose.
"No, that is Ronald." Harry lifted the forward half of Ron from his shoulders."This is Ron. Red, always hungry, and Annoys Granger."
Ginny smirked."That works." She kissed the snake on the snout, "Got to get to the bookstore before Granger buys all the books." She took the brooms with her.
Harry turned back to the boy on the ground."Mister Weasley, you do know that she just walked off with your new broom."
Ronald sprang from the cobbles and tore after his sister.
Taking Daphne's hand in his own, hooking his thumb inside hers so he can kiss the back of her hand. "Milady, I too must run. But before we get that far, where shall we sit tomorrow, Car number please. I will have Granger with me, but I am planning on sending Ronald off to find Wood."
"The third car from the Front." Daphne stared at her hand in his. "The First car is for the Head Boy and Girl, and where the Prefects meet. The Second Car is where the Seventh Year Slytherins gather, as they have the most clout. Next year, if things go as I hope, I will be meeting you there. But the Third Car is where I will be, as I will be flexing my Power. With you courting me, my position can only Improve."
"Then Milady, I shall count the hours until we meet again and pine for thy Beauty." Harry kissed the back of her hand and Walked away quickly.
Ron peered back at them and waved his tail in a happy manner.
PBPB
At Flourish and Blotts, Hermione had collected every book on the lists, with the assistance of Percy. She also got three books that Harry promised her. Percy further bribed her with two of his books for her to cover him when he would slip out to date Penny in Muggle London.
Her five books were Obscuring the Mind by I.D. Ego, Peeking into the Beyond by Ein Stienbeidge, Breaking the Code by D. E. Vinchee, What the Stars are telling Us by Hubal, and A self updating Guide to the Peerage, including Muggles. The last was printed by the Ministry.
She did not catch what Percy bought, but she also gave him six ten pound notes. "This will allow you to buy things for Penny. She can show you how to use the money."
Ginny came walking towards her carrying two brooms, one looking alot like Harry's. Right behind her came Ronald.
When Harry showed up, he stopped at the cage holding the living books. He hissed at them, and they all stilled. He opened the cage door, selected two books, and closed the cage door. The rest crawled into the corner and huddled in fear.
"How did you do that?" The shop assistant asked.
"I told them that I would rip their spines out if they didn't calm down." Harry smiled happily at the man. "Besides, you just have to stroke their spines to tame them."
"Thank you." The assistant sobbed, before pulling a bottle of something that smelled of high proof from a pocket and took a healthy slug, before recorking the bottle and sliding it into his pocket.
Harry continued to the Counter, scratched Crookshanks behind the ear where he sat beside Hermione's Collection of books.
Blot frowned at the cat, then his Witch, "Let me handle this…"
"Sir! Are you about to insult my good friend?" Harry looked at the guy, as He answered in a cold tone of voice.
Ron popped up and looked the man, Speaker only tasted that nasty, just before he punched a guy. $Should I bite him?$
$No, you might catch his case of Git.$
Blot froze. Then he saw the scar… the grade of the silk of the coat… "Milord, I may have in my overzealousness to serve you that I inadvertently did not recognize your friend…"
"Just bag up everything and give me the total." He tossed the two monster books on the counter. The sales-wizard was quick to ring everything up, and Harry signed the slip. Then everyone returned to the Leaky Cauldron and sorted out their books.
When Molly entered with a Southern White Faced owl, Harry noticed how affectionate it was to her, as it groomed her hair as it rode high on her shoulder. "Everyone, I would like to introduce you to Athena."
Just then, Arthur arrived through the Floo. "Evening Weasleys. Potter, Granger." He pulled up when he saw his wife and the bird on her shoulder. "Molly-wobbles… have you done something new with your hair?"
"Arthur." She smiled at him, " No, this our new Owl, Athena. Harry bought the books and robes for our kids in exchange for weekly treat boxes, and I could use the rest to buy us an owl to replace Errol when we retire him.
Arthur glared at the boy, before nodding.
Harry bought dinner, and when Molly started to object, he just smiled at her. "And how many meals am I and Hermione going to enjoy at your table? Just allow me to make a down payment for the coming years."
Then everyone turned in for the night.
PBPB
The Next Morning, Harry and Hermione headed out early for the Express. He had asked Tom to tell Molly when she came down. He spotted his favorite cabby at the cab stop, and for the price of a Continental Coin, he and Hermione were delivered to Kings Crossing, and they made their way to the pillars between tracks nine and ten…
As He had asked Hedwig to fly to Hogwarts after stuffing her with bacon, he only had Ron to deal with. As he was wearing all black, Ron had to ride under the coat, and Hermione was walking Crookshanks on his leash. Once they loaded their trunks onto carts, Crookshanks was quick to leap atop Hermione's truck where he sat and began to wash himself.
As they passed through the Barrier, Harry headed towards the front of the train. In the third car, they inspected the cabins, and finally chose the last cabin. Using their wands to rack their trunks after they each dug out a book to read, they made themselves comfortable and waited for Greengrass and company to arrive.
Half an hour later, Astoria pulled the door open, saw them sitting there, and turned to yell over her shoulder that she found them, before dragging her trunk into the compartment.
"Good Morning, Miss Greengrass." Harry smiled at the first year. "Do you have a book to read, or are you going to be visiting with others?"
"Why are you asking?" She twisted her face into a frown.
"It is a long journey to Hogsmead. If you are staying with us, you are going to be bored. A book is a good weapon to fight that boredom. Or if you have other friends to visit with…" he pulled his wand, and waited.
Astoria frowned at him a bit longer before pulling out, Spells: Grade one.
"Good choice." Harry then racked her trunk. As Daphne and Tracy joined them. They each had a book in hand, so Harry just racked their trunks.
Crookshanks hissed from the top of Hermione's trunk as he looked at Daphne as she pulled a smaller black female half breed from a deep pocket in her robes.
"Blanche, I told you I expect you to behave."
The black 'cat' looked at her Human, before looking at Crookshanks, and moved to curl up beside Harry.
"Bitch." Tracy scratched the cat between the ears, "I wanted to sit there." Astoria jumped to claim the seat beside the black cat.
Daphne sat beside Hermione and Tracy sat beside her.
Ron poked his nose out from under Harry's coat, saw the young witch beside his Human, and decided to see if she was like Harry's other female. As he bridged the gap over the cat, she watched him, and as he slithered across her shoulders the black monster coiled to pounce…
Astoria giggled as the snake moved across the hairs at the base of her neck.
$I like this one. She tastes like mint and oatmeal.$
Harry, without thinking, responded, $Most likely her body wash. Remember that she is a hatchling. Treat her gently.$
"Harry, that tickles." Hermione kicked him.
"Sorry, but he liked her taste. Mint and Oatmeal. I was telling him it was just her body wash, and that she was a hatchling."
"Hatchling?" Astoria asked.
"They don't exactly have a word for youngster. Calling you a hatchling means that you are not a threat to me, and because of our current status… He will bite to protect you."
"What breed is he?" Daphne looked at the redhead that was over her sister's heart.
"I was told he was a Flame Hooded Cobra, but I have not seen him show off his hood."
"Have you milked him?" Tracy asked.
"No, I was going to see if he wanted to milk himself tonight and then feed him. I was going to give the venom to Snape to add to his stores." Harry answered. "I have no idea of the value of the venom, but I do know that it is a poison and an ingredient for antivenom." He frowned before nodding, "I made the ruling that he is not to slither his way into any Witch's robes until she is fourteen and she invites him in. But can you imagine someone petting a fourteen year old Astoria and a red head pops out of her budding bosom?"
Tracy choked on her laughter.
Daphne snorted.
Harry checked his pocket watch, nodded and dug out three gold Galleon coins. And worked them into his vest lapel.
"What's with that?" Tracy asked.
Harry showed her his empty hands then drew his palms across his chest, and walked a coin over the knuckles of each hand. Galleon over one and a Continental Coin over the other, then passing his hands over his chest again, before showing his empty hands again. "Daphne knows about my summer job, Hermione knows a few facts as well. As it is a muggle job, I need to have a few tricks that can be easily explained as street magic."
"Speaking of your summer job." Daphne smiled evilly at Harry, "What would it cost to get someone a Referral?"
"Depends on the Patient. Their symptoms. And how far it has spread." Harry leaned back, "Plus any complications." He leveled a glare at the Beauty, "Odds are your Aunt will owe Kent a favor or two."
"If I do not want to involve my Aunt or Your Boss?"
Harry flinched."Yeah, not going to happen. The next five years, I answer to Kent in all things. I went rogue a week ago. She put me on Housekeeping duty. I am just glad that all our guests are in the same line of work, and not real sickos."
Harry refocused on the witch, "But just because I have to go through Kent, does not mean we have to go through your Aunt."
Daphne nodded as the cabin door was ripped open.
"Harry! Why did you leave so early?" Ronald Weasley said as he sneered at the two witches not of his House.
"So I could have a nicer compartment." Harry stood and patted his chest three times, And handed the three coins to Ron. "Besides, you want to find Wood and talk to him. Take the coins and join him and talk Quidditch. When the cart arrives, treat him to a few frogs, raise a butterbeer in my name and I will see at the Feast."
Ronald glared at Harry,
"If you don't want to try and join the team this year …"
Ronald dropped his trunk and bolted towards the back of the train.
Harry shook his head and cast a sticking charm on the trunk and glued it to the ceiling.
Ginny leaned in,"Room for one more?"
Harry just racked her trunk and let her snuggle in beside Astoria.
Tracy looked around. "Wow, Potter has his harem all together in one compartment."
Crookshanks snorted, as Harry looked at Tracy in panic.
Hermione smirked, "Getting a bit ahead of yourself there Davis. Harry is only courting Greengrass, the elder. You and the younger are at best maybes, as Ginny is little sister as Harry sees the twins as brothers. Myself…"
"We are in what Muggles call a holding pattern." Harry answered. "We don't know if we are interested in each other enough to take the next step, and with my budding relationship with Greengrass, we will continue to circle each other until the other makes a move or something."
Hermione tilted her head as she looked at him. "Or until one of us gets fed up and demands the other sit down and talk it out. But staring down a Millennial Basilisk is easier for guys than talking to girls about their feelings."
"Damn Right!" Harry smiled. "The snake could only kill me, the witch can make it hurt!"
The witches all grinned and nodded in agreement.
The Express whistled as she leaned into her harness and began to pull away from the station.
PBPB
About an hour into the trip, the door was flung open…
"Greengrass we need to talk…" Draco began to say, before he saw who else was in the compartment.
"Not now, Malfoy." Harry sighed as he stood, "I am talking to these ladies about the best treatment for Anal-Cranallectomy. As you are still suffering from stage one, your input is not needed. In all the cases I have studied, none of the patients survived the procedure."
"What are you talking about, Potter? And get away from my contracted Witch!" Malfoy reached for his wand, and found himself staring at the tip of Potter's Wand.
"Miss Greengrass and I are in Talks. I was introduced by her Aunt. And as of Last Week, we even have her Father's permission to proceed as needed." Harry allowed the tip to glow with a green glow. "Now why don't you run and find Weasley and torment him before I attempt to cure your Carnal-Proctology issues." He looked at Crabbe and Goyle. "More often than not, the solution for stage one impacts the patient into stage two."
Goyle snorted in humour, as he hooked a meeting paw under Malfoy's arm and pulled him from the compartment. Crabbe nodded to them before sliding the door closed.
"That was unexpected." Hermione frowned. "I thought they were more muscle than brains."
"They are." Tracy smiled, "But they play up the Goon angle as much as they can. They only have one flaw, they think more with the gut than their brains."
Harry Moved Blanche to the window and sat with Astoria and looked at what she was reading. "Pull your wand. Now, this spell is taught to get you in touch with your core. Close your eyes and feel your mana flow." He tapped her chest just below the nose of the snake. "There are four elements that your mana mimics. Fire as it burns along your veins. Water that flows or freezes from your heart to your fingers. Air blows like a wind, and lightning that jolts along the channel. Relaxed and speak the incantation.
Astoria did as instructed and the tip of her wand lit up.
"Ooo. That stings." She hissed. She opened her eyes. "Light, pure cold bright light surged from my chest to the wand. It chilled me, and burned me as one action."
"And do you want to quit or cast another spell?" Harry asked the unsorted witchling.
"Another spell." Astoria bounced in her seat between Harry and Ginny.
The Door was thrown open as Theodore Nott leered at Daphne, "Hey there, Babe. I came to invite you to the hottest cabin on the train. Just leave the slut and losers and come have some fun."
Ginny whispered in Astoria's ear and the first yearflicked her wand at Nott.
[Chiroptera Pituita Nasi ]
A mossy green bolt of spellfire left the firsty's wand and slammed into the Boy's face, knocking him back two steps. He felt his face, before he started twitching his nose. Then he started to scream as a green bat started to crawl out of his left nostril before being joined by one clawing its way out of his right. By the time they finished, crawling out of his nose, there were five waves of two. The ten snot bats attacked Nott about the face and head, going so far as to draw blood.
"Damn!" Ginny hissed, "Mine don't draw blood, but they do club my targets into submission."
Hermione flicked her wand at the male screaming on the floor, and slammed the door shut, before sealing it.
An hour later, Astoria was a good ten spells in, when she started to cough. Harry opened the window as Hermione opened the door. Then the Muggleborn triaged the girl, before using the spells that Pomphery often used on Harry.
"Okay, her pulse is strong, but irregular. That could be from her coughing fit. Her breathing is shaking, but again, her coughing. Her core is half depleted, but if I cast random spells for an hour, I would be lower than half." Hermione spoke with the calm of a medically trained assistant. "Other than physical exhaustion, I can not find anything wrong with her."
"Anything from the trolly dears." The Trolly witch was there.
"The last of your chocolate frogs, a dozen wands, three boxes of beans, two cakes, and a dozen butterbeers if you have them." Harry stood and started pulling Galleons from his Pocket. "You ladies want anything?"
"Two packs of droobles, two wands, and a box of beans." Tracy started digging in her purse.
"Four Pasties, two boxes of beans," Tracy glared at Astoria as she opened her mouth.
Hermione sighed before ordering three pumpkin pasties.
Ginny glared at Harry about ordering the last of the Frogs, "two boxes of beans and a bar of Honeydukes."
"And another six Bars." Harry stepped up to the door blocking everyone. "What do I owe you?"
The witch did the math in her head,"Just short of six Galleons."
Harry handed her seven. "Keep the change." He loaded Ginny's and Astoria's arms with everything, before he returned to his seat and tapped his wand to unfold and extend the table.
As everything was moved to the table, Harry passed two wands and bottles of butterbeer to everyone. "Lock the Door, Hermione. We don't want anyone else barging in."
PBPB
They were just sitting around in the cabin, Harry now had his Back to the window, with 'Tori sitting on his lap and leaning back against his chest, as they were reading the Monster book of Monsters. Blanche was sitting on the Table, in the sphinx pose. Ginny was curled up on the far side of the bench, Hissing with Ron the red snake.
Hermione and Daphne were reading books on Runes and Arithmancy respectively while Tracy had curled up with a copy of Teen Witch Weekly.
The train stopped about an hour short of the Village Station.
It got dark outside.
It got cold outside.
It got dark inside.
It got cold inside.
Hermione sat up, while drawing her wand and drew her wand…
And cast a bluebell flame charm in an empty cake cauldron.
Something rattled the door, but Hermione's locking spell held firm. The door rattled again, before a white light drove it off.
Shortly it got lighter, and warmer, and the train started moving.
Hermione flicked her wand, twice at each trunk, and the robes and tie of each witch were dropped to the table. Harry caught his before they hit the table. They pulled the robes over their other clothes, and with Harry exchanging his ties they looked close enough to pass for the night.
Ron had returned to Harry as Blanche found the safety and warmth of her familiar pouch/pocket to her preference. Crookshanks hissed as Hermione picked him up and laid him along her shoulders. When the train stopped, Harry popped the charmed lock and exited into the cold night. Using his robe as a cloak, he walked 'Tori to where Hagrid was gathering the other first years.
"See you at the Feast, Shorty." He patted her on the head, before he jogged to the carriages and joined Daphne, Ginny, Hermione, and Tracy for the ride up to the Castle.
TBC