Chapter 21
Flight School
Monday, 7 October 1996
A.C.T. met on the edge of the Training Grounds, which then at rest resembled a larger cobblestone courtyard, only slightly smaller than the quidditch pitch, with eight circular four story watch towers at each corner and midpoints. The stones though were enchanted against every form of damage the faculty of the school could imagine and also charmed with the most potent transfiguration magic enchanted in recent history.
They were warned ahead of time to dress for cold, so the squad did, except for Ron because as Hermione suspected, cold no longer seemed to bother him.
"Are you sure you're alright?" Hermione asked in concern.
"I promise you 'Mione I feel fine. I'll let you know if that changes."
She felt his hands and his cheeks all of which felt as if he was in a classroom, normal and room temperature. "You feel normal to the touch. Besides 'fine', how does it actually feel for you?"
Ron took a moment to register it. "A bit of duality? Like I can still feel the temperature. Still feel that nip and chill in the air and briskness in the breeze. And my reflex is, 'oh I should get a jacket' but that's just like conditioning. But if I move past recognizing the temperature… there's no discomfort, no need for the coat. If you pardon the pun, it is pretty cool." he smiled.
Hermione smiled just as Sergeant Tonks called the squad to order. "Attention." Reflexively, they all fell into silent formation. "Squadron, you will notice we have a special guest today you will all recognize. Not only is she your Transfiguration Professor, she is the lead spell cast designer for this Training Ground." Tonks gestured to Professor McGonagall.
"Thank you, Sergeant. And may I say I am very impressed with your class. I may have to copy some of your methods." the briefest of smiles pressed on her lips.
"Cadets, at ease." Tonks continued. "This week will be divided into sessions. Before we face the full Scottish weather that only a few of us would enjoy, those of you comfortable on brooms will be with me, developing Battle Brooming. Those of you not comfortable in the air, you will be with Professor McGonagall, who will be managing the Training Grounds. She will be transfiguring targets, you will blow them to hell. I want your focus on Bombarda or stronger."
Tonks took out her field notebook, and read a list of pre-selected names. Harry noticed her notepad was the same as he had seen muggle officers use, including a mechanical ballpoint pen. Muggles did seem to have the upgrade on a few things.
"Cadets Bell, Bones, Finnegan, Longbottom, Potter, Thomas, and both Weasleys you are with me, the rest with Professor McGonagall."
Tonks gave the squad a moment to divide as ordered, then focused on her group. "All right flyers, a study of both muggle and wizard warfare shows the eternal struggle to seize the high ground. Fine, we will just go higher. We are in experimental territory. But as our own Miss Weasley has shown, air to ground engagement can be a force multiple and I want us to have that. Now to introduce your equipment for today, will be Nimbus Racing Brooms own Miss Weasley.
Harry shot a look to his side to see Ginny grinning, so obviously she had kept this surprise under wraps, even to him. Her senses must have picked up his thoughts as when she stepped forward she turned to glance at him and gave him a very flirty wink. Yep, wanting to keep this a surprise… that was perfect Gin. He grinned and watched her take front and center.
"Alright, listen up!" Ginny snapped to get the team's attention. "I don't know about all of you, but I have been flying for nine years and in that time I've flown everything including a Shooting Star, Cleansweeps Five to Eleven, Nimbus 1000, and Firebolt. Thanks to a contribution From Nimbus we will be riding literally the fastest broom they have, Reign of Fires."
Ginny opened the top case from the stack she stood in front of and pulled out something she was well acquainted with but few others here were. A long black broomstick with gleaming silver metal work rear brushing uniquely a blood red. At the head of the staff was also a large red ruby. "Thes brooms have dual arcane thrust projectors meaning it accelerates like a rocket. Flight ruby at the head of the broom assists with braking and steering. It brakes quickly and turns sharp. If you are not braced for it, this thing will throw you. When you turn, bank hard. Thrust hard. It has the power. If you fly these right you should be able to out pace everything we know about.
Also from Nimbus, telepathic links. Clip to your ear so we can communicate to each other. And to answer the common question, there is an intentionality filter on the spell. You have to want to send any thought out. Clip on, attuned in.
Finally, as Cadet Potter had famously demonstrated, gravity is a real thing." Harry even nodded and smiled in admission of the truth. "Thank you Harry, for not denying reality. Just so you all don't think I'm a shill from Nimbus, in each case you will find a feather fall bracelet from Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes. Wear it. When these things throw you, these bracelets will let you slow your fall so you can walk away from it.
Questions?"
Seamus started. "How many hours have you been on one of these?"
Ginny was surprised, that was one question she wasn't expecting. "I've not done the math on that yet. Harry?"
Harry shook his head, but yes, he actually did keep track of his team stats. "Factor your summer flights with quidditch time, you're north of 250 hours."
"So, how often have you wiped out on this thing?" Dean asked
"Me personally? I haven't but I'm crediting my extended fly time history for that."
Seamus snickered and muttered something to Dean. And though they didn't hear it the tone reflexively triggered both Weasleys, Harry, but worse yet, also Tonks. Ron started to move till Harry grabbed his wrist. Ron looked to Harry, who clearly was just as pissed but nodded to an equally pissed Ginny, but she was looking at them with a glare and a clear shake of her head, 'No.'
"I'm just as pissed as you, mate," Harry explained with a growl. "But you and I both know Gin can take care of herself."
"I 'spose." Ron relented.
Besides, Sergeant Tonks was already pouncing. "Something to add, Cadet Finnegan?" she probed as she approached.
"Uh, um, no ma'am." Seamus stuttered.
"So you are calling me deaf and blind then?" Tonks continued, focusing so hard on him he felt as if molts of fire would soon erupt from her eyes or he may otherwise burst into flames.
"No, no ma'am."
"Excellent, because I guarantee you I am not. And when one of my cadets thinks they have something to say, they better damn near have the guts to say it loud enough so everyone can hear. Such as you Cadet Potter!" Tonks punched with a snap look at Harry. Care to enlighten the flight team with your words of wisdom to Mr. Weasley?!"
"Yes, ma'am." Harry replied loud and clear. "I reminded Mr. Weasley that Miss Weasley can take care of herself."
"Agreed." Tonks replied.
Harry looked over at Ginny and did see a slight nod of appreciation.
Meanwhile, Tonks glared with ire returned to Seamus. "So Cadet Finnegan, do not be under the illusion I will let you slide on this. Repeat yourself loudly and clearly." Tonks growled.
Seamus swallowed hard. "I said she was an expert riding a stick."
"And you think you that was an important observation to make when someone with superior experience is trying to brief you so you know what the fuck you are doing in the middle of god damn battle?!" Tonks yelled so viciously Harry thought he saw some of her teeth morph into fangs.
"Not anymore, ma'am."
"I didn't think so." she growled much quieter. "After drill, 20 running laps around the quidditch pitch. And I swear if I hear you mouth off like that again, it goes to 50." Turning her attention to the cadets at large she began pacing around them. "This is a battle unit! Before this war is over, the only guarantee I will make is all of you will be depending on the others to cover your arse at some point. If I were you, I wouldn't want to piss off today the person your life depends on tomorrow. Am I clear?"
"Yes Ma'am." the squad replied.
"Miss Weasley, Get them set to fly."
Ginny nodded as the majority of the squad went to task professionally. When Seamus came up Ginny very directly shoved his case to his chest. "Keep up or shut up." she simply said, with clear irritation and annoyance. She walked over to Harry and Ron prepping. "Thank you for staying out of that." she said as calmly as she could.
Harry nodded. "I know, that you know, that if you really need us, say the word and we will burn the world for you. But respectfully, I'm not worried about your ability to handle Seamus Finnigan.
"Same sis." Ron agreed with a nod.
The lads succeeded in getting a brief smile to Ginny's lips. "Thank you both," she said with a nod.
"Alright." Tonks said, reclaiming the flight team's attention. She waved her wand over a stone podium with two crystal balls on the arms and the center stone covered with a grind of jewels. "The school grounds have been equipped with illusion projectors. Today they will be projecting illusions, generally death eaters." The crystal ball on the left showed a generic black robe wearing wand wielding human. "Which you are to shoot. Stunners only. Don't blow up the castle grounds or rogue student. Also these emitters will be creating flight rings," The crystal on the right showed a large perfectly round gold ring. "These you fly through. We'll track the score by time to completion, rings hit, and targets hit. Today's course is a perimeter patrol with a fly around the castle. And I do me around. Do not under any circumstances fly and fire around the interior of the castle. Understood?"
":Yes ma'am." they all replied in reflex unity.
Tonks waved her wand over the crystal balls dismissing the original illusions. The right one now emitting a projection of the school grounds that she began tracing as she taught. "Today, you'll start heading east. Bank hard north through the edge of the Forbidden Forest. Yes, I want you to fly through the trees a bit, test your steering and avoiding. I highly doubt every battle will be wide open spaces. Proceed north to the wall where you will bank left and largely follow the wall back behind the quidditch pitch, bank south proceed to the great lake. Fly the southern perimeter of the lake and around As you return give me a clockwise loop of the exterior castle and back here. The flight rings are your guide. Understood?"
"Yes, ma'am," With clearly greater excitement.
Tonks prepared a lumos on her wand and a mechanical stopwatch in her hand.. "Ready… Set… GO!" she cracked the light.
The quidditch players were off like a shot, used to this. Used to the equipment Ginny took an early lead. Very comfortable with acceleration and speed Harry was close behind. Katie was nipping at Harry's heels. Then came Dean. As Keeper, Ron wasn't the fastest player so was slower on acceleration so the tail end of the quidditch players. There was a brief gap that Susan came next with Neville behind her and Seamus's head was clearly not in the flight as he was a distant last. "Shite." He wore under his breath.
The first run was a straight away even longer than the quidditch pitch… which frankly was just fun. All of the quidditch players had the need for speed so they very quickly took advantages of the brooms power. More experienced and… perhaps more reckless, Seamus pushed hard, made up the gap between he and Neville and pushed further to Susan.
Over the link Tonks reported. "Nice lead Miss Weasley, though I wouldn't relax. You have three chasers on your immediate tale."
"Oi, I'm a seeker." Harry corrected.
"Exactly, he takes the simple job." Katie joked.
"And leave the real game to us," Dean agreed.
Ron didn't waste time with chatter…he was focused on catching up with the flyers in front of him.
"Nicely done Mr. Weasley… you know what, let's make this less confusing. Nicely done Iceman." Tonks decided as she watched the illusion of Ron coming alongside the second place team.
"Getting too crowded for my taste." Harry answered. "Hey Crimson… Lightning's coming." he warned as started to pull further ahead beside her.
"Oh merlin," Neville laughed.
"Yep," Susan agreed, "They're flirting. We're doomed."
"Heads up!" Crimson shouted through the chatter. "Flight rings coming. Everyone thread the needle."
Using the quidditch practice term, every one lined up. And started whipping through it.
Crimson kept count and announced to the team behind her. "Two …. And three rings… repeat, triple ring in a row." she warned.
Quickly Crimson could see the wall flight rings showing the first turn north. "Hard bank right, another triple ring run. Bank ….. now!"
Ginny knew what she was doing, and sudden quick turns was Harry's position. Both of them held steady and put extra speed to pull out hard, followed by another needle thread. Katie and Dean drifted costing them distance and time.
"Shit!" Katie spit out.
"She wasn't kidding." Dean confirmed
Ron kept his acceleration up and got between the two pairs. Straining to redeem himself, Seamus had moved up between Susan and Neville. The three of them showed the difference between only knowing the basics of how to fly and having competitively flown.
"Nice turns Crimson and Lightning. Iceman moving up" Tonks noted. "Bell, Thomas this is why we train. Finnigan, Bone, Longbottom, get in there."
"What's a bloke got to do for a cool nickname?"
"Earn it!" Crimson snapped back. She didn't have time to waste on him, doubly so at these speeds."
Tonks smiled as she warned. "Crimson, watch your right."
Briefly she looked to see a very focused and determined Harry literally within an arm's reach.
"Wow, someone else can handle these." Crimson smiled.
""Eyes on skies, babe."
Quickly they saw another ring set, arching down.
"Rings!" Crimson waned.
"Dive, dive, dive!" Harry added.
At speeds there were going, the ground came quick.
"Pull up hard!" Crimson screamed.
"Tail stand," Harry reminded quickly as they both stood up on their broom stirrups and cranked their booms straight vertically. Their brooms came close to the ground and the bristles touched the grass. They exchanged smiles briefly as they leveled out.
Just as they did though, Katie fell down between them riding high on her broom. She had glee on her face, taunting "Coming through! No way I'm letting the younger classmen beat me!" They looked back to see Ron joining the front followed by a frustrated Dean and Seamus quickly behind.
Crimson and Harry exchanged smiles… and thoughts. "Let's give 'em, hell." Harry grinned.
Tonks couldn't help but grin as well as listened over the link.
Finally, Susan and Neville brought up the rear, both struggling but stubborn. She braked hard on the drop and side slid along the grass while pulling up. Neville tried to follow suit… but forgot to account that he was several stone heavier than Susan. His left stirrup and leg dug hard into the ground sent him rolling. "ARGH!" he shouted in the link.
"Longbottom, report." Tonks ordered quickly.
He took a moment to mentally assess, he replied. "I'm okay. Rolled and knocked the wind out of me, but I'm okay."
"Understood, report back." Tonks ordered as she continued to watch the illusion.
Rapidly Crimson could see the tall and foreboding trees of the Forbidden Forest… and she smiled. "Orchard run!" she cried out, even though she knew Harry and Ron would be the only ones to understand.
"Scatter!" Ron translated. The relatively tight group of flyers spread out, each passing on different sides of different trees. Here was the Weasley's and Harry's element; each of them had lost count of how many speeds through the orchard they had ridden. The three of them easily flowing ahead as they continued to fly through the trees.
But as they attacked the forest, the forest began to attack back, Harry's reflexes were the quickest to see it. "Eaters!" He warned as he drew his wand and barely remembered to limit to stuns which, for the illusions, were enough to dispel and evaporate them.
"Wizard Tag!" Neville and Tonks heard as he landed near her.
"Do you know what Wizard Tag means?" she verbally asked him.
Neville smiled. "Something the three in the lead came up with this summer, ma'am. Keep moving, keep shooting, don't die."
Tonks shrugged as she contemplated the idea, then nodded her head in agreement that yes, that it had merit.
The forest erupted with a flash of spell fire as the flight team opened fire. Crimson, the most comfortable flying and shooting at the same time but Harry … the most battle experienced… limited to simple stunners… his fire rate was incredible. Stuns he had learned to cast silently. No longer limited to speech, Harry could fire at the speed of thought, and Harry had learned to think fast too.
"Impressive shooting, Lighting." Tonks confirmed.
Banking south and leaving the forest the Crimson had a yard lead with Harry on the right… and Ron, yes Ron on the left. The Chasers were chasing them with Seamus within arms reach. Susan was about a second behind.
"Ron, good of you to join." Crimson welcomed.
"Sis," he simply nodded as he kept his focus.
The ground was opening up again as they rounded the quidditch pitch. As it did they were greeted by a full platoon of Eaters.
"Fan out!" Ron said.
Harry clarified. "Crimson's center line. Lightning right side, Iceman left."
"Second right." Katie volunteered as she drifted past Harry
"Second left." Dean said as he followed suit.
"What the hell?" Seamus asked as he started to let up on speed.
Which meant Susan quickly passed him, "It's a formation, Center Rear!"
Professor McGonagall's head snapped to attention when the illusionary platoon appeared. She knew what was happening but still the sight was distracting. "Cease fire!" she ordered as she took a few steps to the west for a clearer view. The other cadets, even Sgt. Tonks followed along.
Then, racing from behind the quidditch pitch six tightly grouped dark broom riders dressed in black rocketed around the corner. As they approached the platoon the grouping spread out, like a bat opening its wings to glide down. Then the team opened fire, the lights of their stuns raining down to the platoon below. The matriarch of the school took some small price she could recognize her children from here. The long haired redhead in the lead, clearly Ginny. The tallest lad, and obvious red hair, yet strangely very comfortable on a broom, Ron. The long haired blonde blonde, Katie. Medium length redhead in rear, Susan. The darkest skin, Dean. Bringing up the rear Seamus. Harry wasn't so much distinguishable by appearance, but when the team opened fire, the caster with the double than normal fire rate was obvious.
The flight team descended on the platoon like a bird of prey, their spell fire like talons. As they flew through and fired the platoon was blown away like candles on a birthday cake. Then as quickly as they came, they left.
The cadets stood in amazement with gasps and sounds of awes.
"Merlin's beard…"
"Holy hell…
"They can do that?"
It was a sentiment that McGonagall herself shared, but she was a professional enough professor she tempered her reaction. "Well… it appears our flight team has set the example. Which of you is going to exceed it? Hmm? Back to fire drills."
Hermione paused for a moment, "I really need to learn how to fly."
The proud head of house let the slightest of smile touch her lips as she stood near the Sergeant. "What exactly were your assigned orders here?"
"By any means necessary, establish a battle ready auror squadron." Tonks repeated.
"Sergeant, I think you may have accomplished that, and a bit more."
Tonks smiled. "I had a Transfiguration professor who taught me to pursue excellence."
Past the squadron, Crimson saw another set of flight rings arcing up. "Ring run, Climb!"
"Tighten up single file!," Harry added as they shot skyward.
The high speed vertical run was a stressor all its own. Gravity was still a thing and they were going against it as hard as they could. "Dig deep!" Harry encouraged.
Still, comparatively inexperienced Susan couldn't handle it. Her head got fuzzy, vision blurred… and her grip and the broom…slipped. Without a conscious rider the broom soon slowed and plummeted to the ground. As the unconscious Susan fell back to nothing but air. Finally her feather fall charm activated.
"Bones, you still with us?" Tonks asked.
Hearing her name jarred her back awake. "What? Huh? I blacked out… I'm okay, the bracelets work. I'm floating down now."
"Grab your broom, report back."
At the zenith of the climb the rings arced to a gentle downhill slope to the Great Lake.
Crimson smiled. "Try to keep up." she taunted and she darted for the lake.
"Gladly," Harry answered as he mirrored and jetted on her heels.
"Underclassman," Katie growled.
Ron returned to quite focus
"I'm not getting left behind." Dean added.
"Sod it all." Seamus finished.
This straight away felt wrong. The next ring run was a gentle leveling out over the lake. No Eater targets. No hard turns. No challenge. Something was off. Not sure why or for what Harry held his wand firm.
He didn't have to wait long. From under the water line seven emitters rose and broke the surface of the water. But these crystal balls didn't create illusions, they fired stunners."
"Scatter!" Crimson ordered as her shield charm bracelet triggered
"Protego." Harry cast his own.
Ron's reflexes put him into a barrel roll up behind Ginny just as Katie slid in behind Harry slamming together. Ron took the hit unphased, Katie was knocked off balance. Just as she was slipping, Ron's right hand shot over and grabbed her wrist. "Keeper," he smiled.
"Thanks," Katie replied.
"What the -?' Dean yelped just as a stun got him in the chest. He gently floated to the ground.
Through only dumb luck did Seamus through the fire unscathed.
Tonks laughter came over the link clearly. "What's wrong? I thought you all like surprises."
"Once around the lake and then a castle loop." Crimson reminded, then saw emitters start to rise all along the water's edge rising. "Lightning."
Harry nodded, "I can hold the shield, Tighten up!"
"Let me add some more, 'protego'." Ron cast, extending the shield to the second row beneath them making them all look like they were riding an electric blue slay around the perimeter of the lake.
"Seamus, get your arse up here!" Harry barked.
"He's still with us?" Crimson asked, "Impressive."
Katie looked back with her wand. "Accio Seamus Finniegan's broom!"
With a lerch he and his broom shot up to her hand. "Merlin! Next time warn a bloke."
"Next time fly better!" she snapped back.
"Creative problem solving team." Tonks approved.
As they circled the loop the lake they finally could drop the shield and head to the castle.
Tonks reminded, "Last loop last challenge. Who can get closest without wrecking?"
"You heard the Sergeant, paint the wall." Crimson led the way.
"Spread out. We need room."
"Weave, with the wall," Crimson showed as she flattened out against her broom. The others followed suit and did their best but Crimson seemed to damn near precognition of the twists and turns of the stone and towers that made the caste wall. Her moves were beyond reflex; she flew on instinct and the smart person followed on and flew in faith.
Seamus did not. The entire flight he'd been taxed and stressed, reacting every turn trying to prove himself. Finally the stress slowed his reaction time enough when the last tower bulge emerged he couldn't take the turn quick enough, taking the hit on his right shoulder, hard.
"Aaaarrrgghh!" he yelled as he was blown off his broom floated down to the ground.
"Finnigan, status?" Tonks demanded.
"Shoulder bash, I'll bloody well be okay, bollox."
The remaining four flyers quickly rejoined the Sergeant, landing exhausted.
"Nicely done," Tonks congratulated. We'll run this while the weather holds. Fortunately the emitters are easy to randomize what illusions or stuns the make. We'll keep the variety up."
"Sergeant," Harry panted. "You ah… forgot to mention these things shoot back."
"Did I?" Tonks smiled. "Oh well fortunately all of you are bright enough to know you should always expect resistance in a fight, right?"
The team chuckled, "Yes, Sarge." Harry replied.
"Excellent, now I want a quick review on your larger battle spells. Come with me."
Tonks led the way to the McGonagall. Seamus was nursing his right shoulder from the crash as he cautiously approached Ginny while she stowed her broom and equipment away.
"What do you want now?" She asked in pure irritation. Harry and Ron kept a careful eye out but waited till they were actually wanted.
Seamus could feel all of their eyes on him and his body language showed it. "So … this wouldn't be the first time my mouth's gotten me in trouble."
"Really?" Reflexively Ginny's eyes looked over to Ron. "I may know something about that."
"Well, I did want to at least in person say, I'm sorry, and you are one hell of a flyer."
Ginny looked him over from head to toe. Merlin knew smartass and sass ran in her family, she may have occasionally been accused of that herself. Even though it wasn't offered, she reached out and shook his right hand strongly, jerking his injury, clearly registering with Seamus as he winced. "I've heard worse, but I still didn't appreciate it. Don't make it a habit and we can still be friendly. And say hi to Lavender for me."
"Ah, argh, ow, ya, sure thing, Ginny." She could hear him swear in discomfort as she left and joined Ron and Harry for the walk over to the Training Range.
As they approached they saw the ever changing rising and falling of stone soldiers from the floor that cadets would as quickly as they could blow away with bombards. A one way wall of force stood around the edge of the range fifty feet from where the cadets fired, only visible when the rubble crashed up against it making it glow red.
"Thank you Professor McGonagall," Tonks greeted. "You've done well with this Training Range as well as with these cadets. Would you please reset the floor. I have a few cadets I'd like to see what they can do."
"Certainly Sergeant." McGonagall said with a nod. With a flick of her wand the debris reassembled to show rows of stone soldiers again.
"Mr. Weasley, if you will."
"Ma'am, Professor," Ron greeted as stepped to the front.
McGonagall was surprised to see the boy out without even a jacket. "Mr. Weasley, aren't you cold?"
Ron smiled and looked over to a smiling Hermione. "Um, no, ma'am, I ah, don't get cold any more." Ron focused on the targets and raised his wand, 'ligamen glacies'. He cast and threw a wave of bitter frost and ice 30 feet outward. The cold formed ice around the legs of statues in the way which grew cracked and exploded. Their upper bodies fell down onto their stumps. "I make cold now."
"Sixteen in a single shot, today's best record Mr. Weasley. Nicely done." McGonagall said with respect.
"Thank you, Professor." Ron replied before joining Hermione who gave him a cheeky wink.
"Miss Weasley, if you please." Tonks called as the Professor reset the range.
"Certainly," she said with a smile, then looked over to Harry and winked. "Confringo." The center of the target statue exploded in glorious mayhem. All the cadets we bathed in the glow of a fireball.. The rest of the cadets, and McGonagall, jerked even if Ginny had done this last week. Ginny smiled. Mayhem was enjoyable.
"Thirty six, well done Miss Weasley." the Professor congratulated.
"Thank you," Ginny smiled as she stepped back.
Finally the crowd's eyes fell to Harry, a sensation he was accustomed to but wished he wasn't. He approached with a grin and a joke to loosen the tension he felt. "Right, I suppose I should give this a go. Any requests Sergeant? Lightning Lash? Witch Bolt?"
"Potter, you know what I want. I've been waiting since Friday, but I want to see so I can report it."
Harry nodded, and quietly tried to mutter something to Tonks, but she wouldn't have any of it. "First, you talk to the Professor. Second, you do so with a lot more confidence than that."
Harry walked over to the McGonagall. With a look of desperate embarrassment, he asked, "Professor, would you kindly move the force wall further back?"
"Really? They are already set to 75 feet."
"Yes ma'am."
"Of course, Mr. Potter. How much do you need another 5 or 10 feet?"
It was one of those days. "Professor, I can cast this 100 feet."
"Really?" Professor McGonagall replied, letting a smile actually curl her lips. With a slower sway of her wand the force walls glowed red and moved backward with statues rising as the floor space opened. "Please Mr. Potter, the floor is literally yours."
Harry stepped up and flexed out the nervousness out of back. "Give the people what they want." he muttered to himself. 'Fulgur fulmenso' he cast with a boom of thunder erupting from his wand. A blinding arc of electricity arced from his want leaping forward all the way to new end of the range, exploding every statue in the way. Everyone except Harry's New Marauders flinched from the light and sound. Ginny stood and beamed with pride. When the bolt faded, the Professor counted. "Forty targets destroyed, and our new long distance record. Very well done."
"Thank you, Ma'am." he said as he turned, only for her to stop him.
"Mr. Potter, neither your mother nor father, could ever cast like that."
"Thank you, Professor." Harry smiled as he left and walked to Ginny waiting for him.
After dinner Ginny and Harry did the relaxing, boring, responsible thing. Ginny grabbed the N.E.W.T. level books for Muggle Study. Harry grabbed Charms and Ancient Runes. They were early enough they were able to get the coveted fireplace seats. Harry sat up on the left side with arm around the front of Ginny's shoulders while she stretched out sideways laying against him.
Word of the Training Range had spread enough that questions came up frequently. Ginny finally handle it the best. "Well, if I can throw fireball and Harry can throw lightning bolt, and it's clear we kind of just want some peace and quiet, do you really want to disturb us?"
Harry snickered. "A bit direct there dear," he said with a kiss to the top of her head.
"Mmm, yes, but honest and effective. And we have heavy class loads."
"I have every confidence in you." he replied with a squeeze.
A few minutes passed then Ginny could tell from his body movement a thought came to his mind. "Watcha thinking?" she asked.
"I just realized something." Harry said. "Ginny, would you let me take you to Hogsmeade weekend?"
Ginny leaned back and looked at him oddly. "Harry, three months. I would think that would be obvious. Of course. Where is that coming from?"
Harry smiled, "Wasn't worried about the answer. But this is our first Hogsmeade Weekend, and I wanted you to have the whole 'being asked' experienced. Not feel like it was just 'expected' or anything. You know me wanting your opinions and stuff."
Ginny smiled. "OH!.. Okay, that makes sense and is actually very sweet. Yes, Harry, I'd be honored," she accepted with a kiss.
Survey and looking for input
I have a loose idea of Snape, for 'reasons', wanting to have a duel between A.C.T. and his 7th year DADA students. But I am on the fence about it as A.C.T is already being deployed against the actual Death Eaters.
This would NOT affect major plot lines. At most it might add another detail to the the major plot.
is this a Chapter you would be interested in reading, or are you preferring the differences the Riddle-verse has against canon? Comment below.