Harry didn't know whether to laugh, sigh, or hit his head on a tree.
"Now, Mr Grawp, I know that you have a lot of big feelings right now-"
The giant smashed an ancient tree trunk into Luna's shield, sending her flying like an overly enthusiastic baseball before she wheeled around and started bouncing around Hagrid's raging brother again.
"I hope that helped you feel better, but we do need to work on using our words-"
Grawp smashed her into the earth and repeatedly stomped on her while he roared incoherently.
"That's okay friend, just let all that frustration out and then we can talk-"
Grawp tried furiously to pick up Luna and her Bubble of Solitude, but his cracked and muddy fingernails failed to find purchase on the divine protection.
"I know you haven't gotten to make any choices for yourself in a long time, and that's really really hard."
Grawp let out a surprisingly high-pitched wail of frustrated anger and threw himself on the ruined forest floor, beating the cold ground with his fists.
"See, you're already making progress. You're doing such a good job, Mr Grawp!"
Harry just sighed and sat down on a tree branch to keep an eye out in case the semi-feral giant made a run for it.
…
Harry and Neville once again stood in the ruined wasteland of Hangleton. There was a massive Notice-Me-Not charm on the area courtesy of the ministry, which both kept the area from being repaired by the mundanes and made it a good training ground. This time, both of them were smiling.
Harry was happy to finally have someone to spar with.
He and Hermione had never spoken directly about it, but they never, ever fought each other, even for practice. Even the idea of turning his power against his Ice Queen was physically painful and wrong in a surprisingly visceral way. Worse than the idea of opening his own veins.
Sparring with Luna was… frustrating. The combination of precognition and divine protection made it almost impossible to fight her directly, but her propensity for non-violence and her general disposition made it difficult for her to fight back. She still practiced with them, but she would never be the one to go on the offensive.
Neville, on the other hand…
Neville grinned his lazy, happy grin and raised his hand with a cheesy "bring it on" gesture.
Neville liked to brawl.
Harry flew towards him at top speed and was still too slow.
Nevilles eyes glowed a savage yellow and he knocked the first blow aside, pivoting and kicking Harry in the ribs hard enough to throw him several hundred yards with a thunderous THUD.
Harry couldn't help but think that this may be revenge for the whole awakening thing. Even though he liked it.
Harry landed on his feet and skidded another fifty feet before reaching up to catch Neville's arm as he tried to crush Harry into the ground. Harry's eyes glowed brilliant green as he braced against the ruined earth and turned Neville's strength against him. He used his grip on Neville's arm to swing him around like a hammer and slam him into the ashes.
His friend didn't waste a second, pushing off the ground in a low spin and catching Harry's legs with a kick wrapped in crackling yellow lightning, breaking Harry's legs like twigs as he was sent sprawling to the ground.
So much fun!
…
"Why hasn't Voldemort just broken into the ministry and taken the prophecy? I know that we have our security set up, but we probably couldn't stop him before he made it to the Department of Mysteries."
Albus hummed while he considered the question, idly stroking his long beard.
"There are a number of reasons that I could postulate, although we may never know for sure. Remember that Voldemort does not possess the Shroud of Death or the Blade of the Castle. He must consider the possibility that he could become trapped within the Department of Mysteries, which contains many unknown and strange magics in addition to powerful wards."
Harry nodded along. He was so used to being able to fly through walls and wards that he sometimes forgot that others couldn't.
"It is also important to understand that Voldemort is unaccustomed to being outnumbered by individuals that he cannot easily dominate or destroy with raw magical power. The addition of four new individuals who he cannot discount as insignificant changes the balance of power when compared to the last war. Fourteen years ago, only I could stand alone against him, and only Mad-eye and a few others could hold him off for any length of time. Most would be lucky to escape, and our forces were being chipped away with every confrontation. Voldemort is cautious about committing to a risky, all-out attack when he could feasibly be defeated."
Harry hadn't considered that. His interactions with Voldemort mostly consisted of talks about ascension, not about Voldemort's insecurities.
"Since he would be required to fight his way out of the Department of Mysteries, likely against yourself and others of significant strength, he needs his Death Eaters to be battle ready. Azkaban will have taken its toll on his followers; Dementors drain the magic of their victims and it takes time for them to recover their reserves."
Harry tapped his finger on the headmaster's desk. "It sounds like he would prefer to lure me there, so that I am the one in the depths and he can be in the position to corner me there, rather than the other way around."
"Quite so. Although, if you don't mind me saying, I feel he would quickly realize that, rather than being trapped by him, the tables had turned."
Harry grinned savagely. "He would be trapped in there with me."
…
Harry smiled as he neared where Hermione sat perched on the edge of the Astronomy tower.
They both realized pretty quickly that normal outings like dinner or a movie got boring pretty quickly if you were…well… like them. It was Hogsmeade all over again. Especially considering that they spent most of every day together anyway. This was pretty much as close as they got to a date.
She stood up on the battlement as he approached. Her jeans and sweater looked out of place in the ancient castle, but he liked it. She was always gorgeous.
She smirked down at him. "Are you ready, Death Walker?"
"For you? Always."
"Then catch me if you can."
She took off into the night sky and he immediately shot after her.
She spiraled and beelined for the edge of the wards with him hot on her tail. He was starting to gain on her just when they crossed over the ward line.
They both turned invisible as Hermione reached out to his soul. They had finally figured out how to share that benefit of the cloak through their connection.
To the world, they may be invisible, but he would always be able to feel her brilliant spark.
They had also learned that touch wasn't required for side-along apparition. At least, not for them.
Hermione twisted her power and willed them away.
They appeared in the skies over London as she rocketed away from him in a renewed surge of magic.
His grin widened as he once again gave chase, weaving between the skyscrapers and flying low along the river while she twirled and laughed ahead of him.
This time, he reached out to her and apparated them, disappearing from the murky waters of the Thames and appearing over the crowded flow of the Hudson River with the Manhattan skyline looming above them.
Harry liked flying in New York City. Weaving between the buildings was exhilarating after flying over the Scottish Highlands for so long.
They laughed together as they zigzagged and spiraled through the shining spires, always close but never managing to catch one another.
Several jumps and different countries later, she finally willed them away one last time before turning on him and tackling him into the ground somewhere in the empty wilderness. Maybe the Rockies? It wasn't like either of them got cold anymore.
Her lips were warm and demanding as she straddled him, her hands braced on either side of his head. He smiled into her kiss as he returned it with equal enthusiasm, his blood racing while he ran his hands down her back and pulled her tighter against him.
Their lips parted together as he tasted her, felt her breath brush over his skin as she claimed him even while he ran his hands back up her body to tangle in her wild hair, pulling her lips tighter to his as he was lost in her. His mind drowned in the sensation, her blazing soul reaching for his as their power sang and spiraled around and within them.
He pulled her head back by her hair and left a line of burning kisses down her jaw as she gasped. He rolled them over suddenly, laughing as she squeaked in surprise and glared at him before moaning into his mouth as he reclaimed her lips.
He was once again lost in the positive feedback loop. He could sense her love and happiness and fire even as he could feel her languishing in his own joy and adoration for her, around and around between their jubilant souls.
He could live forever and never want anything more.
…
"Do you think we could go to the moon?"
They floated high in the night sky, the blanket of clouds below bright white in the moonlight as they lounged parallel to the ground and looked up.
Hermione idly stroked the back of his hand in hers. "The moon is almost 240,000 miles away. Even as fast as you are, that would take you what, two weeks? Maybe less if you could continue to accelerate in the vacuum, but you still need to maintain your environment to survive and that would slow you down."
"I've been thinking about that. Generating a localized environment seems like a clunky solution. Could I find a way to make it so that I just…don't need to breathe? Don't need pressure or heat to survive?"
Hermione just sighed and shook her head. "I'm sure that anything is possible with enough magic, but just be careful. I don't want to have to go beg Flamel for another new body just because you wanted to go draw graffiti on the moon or whatever."
"I just think that the moon would be the perfect place to dramatically brood, that's all."
"A lofty goal, for sure. I love you."
"I love you, too."
…
Harry poured over one of the many pages of notes from their various machinations.
Know thy enemy.
He had dossiers on the most powerful escaped Death Eaters arrayed in front of him. Voldemort's inner circle, his lieutenants and most ruthless soldiers. He tried to determine who among them would actually be dangerous to him or Hermione.
Augustus Rookwood. The former Unspeakable, an insane but brilliant magical researcher and spy. Creative and twisted in his torturous experiments. Definitely someone to keep an eye out for.
Antonin Dolohov. A master dueler who fancied himself a warrior, formidable and proven in battle. He had also created a signature spell, cursed purple fire that only destroyed internal organs. He reminded Harry of Mad-Eye.
Rudolphus and Rabastan Lestrange. Brothers of a dark family that were ruthless and effective together. While not as battle hungry as Dolohov, they threw around Unforgivables like candy and had no issue with death and destruction.
Finally, Bellatrix Lestrange. Voldemort's mad dog, his pet monster. Cruel and insane even before Azkaban, Bellatrix had no limits to her violence or brutality. On top of that, she was powerful and effective, lethal when allowed off the chain. And the Dark Lord gave her a very long leash.
Harry sighed and leaned back. Individually, they may not be troublesome, but together along with Voldemort… without Albus, he and the other Awakened would struggle even if all four of them were present from the start of a fight. He could only hope that he could pick one or two of the Death Eaters off before Voldemort arrived, the next time that they poked their heads out of their hole.
…
"Now, Mr Potter, I have seen the stories in the papers, but I know that they can be exaggerated. Is it true that you do not use a wand?"
Harry was getting bored of answering these types of questions. The OWL exams were such an annoying formality.
"Yes, Madam Marchbanks. I use silent and wandless casting for all of my spells except for some extremely… rebellious ones that require additional focus." Only Fiendfyre, actually, but he wasn't going to tell her that.
"Well, I'm certain that none of those will be necessary today, so feel free to use your preferred method of casting for any spells today. Now, please turn this inkpot into a raven for me…"
…
Harry knew that he was dreaming even as he became aware of red eyes burning into his soul.
"Voldemort. I was wondering when you would get back from vacation. I'll be honest, it's been pretty nice without you floating around. Any chance you could stay gone? Take your friends to a beach somewhere to enjoy their newfound freedom?"
His Nemesis chose to ignore his witty banter. How rude.
"It is time for your reckoning, Harry Potter. I know that you will doubt any vision that I send to you now, so I will just state the truth and you can decide if you believe it. I have located and kidnapped your Godfather, Sirius Black. He is held even now in the Department of Mysteries, waiting for you."
Harry sucked in a surprised breath. That was not what he was expecting.
"I will know the extent of our shared fate. You will go to the ministry and collect the prophecy before delivering it to Bellatrix, who is already there with her favorite cousin."
Harry wasn't liking Sirius' chances.
"If you do so, alone, I will return Black to you alive. If you do not, he will die. Do not delay, my Nemesis."
…
Harry awoke with a gasp, his heart racing.
Shit.
…
