I do not own Harry Potter, or any of the related characters. The Harry Potter series is created by JK Rowling and owned by Warner Bros. This fanfiction is intended for entertainment only. I am not making any profit from this story. All rights of the original Harry Potter story belong to Warner Bros.
The Boy with the Horntail Tattoo
Chapter Two
A/N Harry will seem out of character for some of this chapter. He's been guided by a force he doesn't understand and it upsets and frustrates him.
Harry lifted a corner of his bed curtain and watched for movement in the predawn light. He had decided to rise early rather than risk anyone seeing the tattoos. At least not before they were permanent.
He padded to the bathroom, clothes and trainers in hand, and gazed at his reflection for a few minutes without the posing that he had tried the night before. The black ink was stark against his skin and gave him a menacing bad boy vibe. He liked it especially the grim, it really did look like Padfoot.
His hands began to itch as soon as the thought floated across his mind.
"Gak!" Harry gasped and scratched furiously at his palms.
He caught sight of the dragon and he stilled.
It was watching him.
The obsidian eyes followed him as he went through his ablutions. The eyes seemed to bore into him through the mirror. Their expression was—disapproving.
Harry suppressed a shudder. That surely looked scary. What as freak tattoo! As if it expected something from him—
"What?" he whispered, "I wanted to cover up the scars!"
The look of disapproval became more pronounced.
Own your mistakes and battles. It's a mark of honour.
Harry jumped and pulled his T-shirt and jumper as quickly as he could to cover up. He looked at his reflection again. His eyes, huge with shock, looked back at him. The bad boy had been replaced by a scared little child. What on earth was he thinking?
The shower forgotten, Harry left his dorm and descended the stairs as quietly as he could. The common room was cold and dark. The house elves hadn't relit the fire yet, and the furniture loomed like monsters in the dark. He had a passing familiarity with monsters much scarier than an armchair shrouded in shadows so he wound his way to the portrait hole without pause.
The corridors were better lit, but echoed his footsteps back to him. It took ten long minutes to reach the main entrance hall and his grunt of effort as he pushed the small wooden side door open was the first sound he had made since he spoke to the inanimate drawing on his arm.
Harry was worried. The hope was some fresh air would jolt him out of whatever held him in its sway. He stared down at his hands and sighed. Yesterday wasn't the first time he had been 'guided' into a decision that he either didn't want to make or was unsure of.
The saving grace was that each time he had submitted to the pressure had worked out better for him. A solid example was the remembrall incident in first year, Harry had had no intention of racing after the memory ball but his hands tingled and his body weight was driving the school broom down before he had given any conscious thought.
That worked out pretty well.
Harry slowly paced across the lawns that stretched out between the castle and the forbidden forest. Dawn slowly approached and he could only hear one bird tweeting. It was silent, pristine, and peaceful. The wide open sky felt like home.
Harry took a deep breath of cool air and sighed. He had the feeling that life was going to become very complicated very soon and he felt so unprepared it wasn't funny.
Voldemort wasn't going to be quiet for long, the ministry and the Daily Prophet changed their tune with the weather, and he had this urgent need to get a tattoo.
"I think I need to speak with the Headmaster." Harry said to the empty air.
"Well lucky for you, here I am." Professor Albus Dumbledore said from over his shoulder. "Nice morning Harry, if a tad early."
Harry jumped out of his skin and span so fast that he fell over and could only stare dumbfounded up at the aged professor. Professor Dumbledore turned and serenely observed a couple of bats swooping and diving over the lake. Harry rose to join him.
"Why are you up so early Professor?" Harry asked.
"I know when anyone is out of their common room during the night. The wards inform me. Oh by the way, before dawn is still classed as night, Harry."
"Sorry to wake you Professor. I just wanted some fresh air."
"It's quite alright, I'm an early riser anyway. What are you struggling with?"
Harry was quiet for a long minute as he wrestled with whether he should tell all, part or none of his worries. The professor had ignored and avoided him all last year only to arrive in the nick of time and save a beleaguered Harry. He was sore about it, that he had needed rescuing in the first place and that he had put his friends in such peril.
Harry frowned but stayed silent. Dumbledore turned to him but kept his own counsel. Harry opened mouth, closed it then tried again.
"I ask you during the summer if I could be trained so I can survive the prophecy." Harry said.
"Yes, you did. There was no opportune time to arrange for someone. It was a very busy time for me and the Order." Professor Dumbledore's eyes twinkled.
Harry frowned and chewed on his top lip for a moment.
"Ron told me that all the Weasley children had lessons most of August. Why couldn't I have joined in that?"
"That was arranged by Arthur and William. I had no involvement in it."
The Professor scratched at his neck and continued to watch the feeding bats.
"I do enjoy watching the wildlife here at the castle. It's soothing." the old man segued.
"I can feel something coming. Something terrible and I'm not ready. Will never be ready. Will I have to kill again? Will I get my friends hurt?"
"One of life's great tragedies is the loved ones who are hurt due to our actions or maybe worse, our inaction."
Dumbledore turned back to watch the bats swoop and dip and dive. Harry knew the feeling.
"I need to train. I need be stronger." Harry said.
A strange feeling of desperation came over him and his hands tingled, it was a warning. Professor Dumbledore smiled benignly and pulled a book from, well somewhere. Thin air? Harry's heart soared.
"I promised to train you and I shall. We will delve into the mysteries of magic together. But first please read this my boy. It's vital before you start thinking about any combat training."
Professor Dumbledore handed him the book turned and walked sedately back towards the castle.
"Breakfast will start soon." He called over his shoulder.
Harry looked down at the book and frowned. His heart sank from its previous lofty high to a stomach churning low. A Most Important Treaties on Wartime Ethics and When To Not Take A Life.
"Wow." Harry said softly.
He looked up and watched the elderly wizards back and felt a spasm of hatred. This was just like during the summer.
"Is he trying to get me killed?" Harry muttered.
Harry resolutely cast a warming charm on himself and after he considered the damp grass underfoot he conjured a floppy camping chair and slouched in it until the sun had fully risen, his mood now restored he dismissed the chair and returned to the castle.
He walked into an empty great hall and lingered over a solitary breakfast for an hour at which time Hermione joined him, his fourth cup of tea recently drained; he had been contemplating a croissant as she sat and poured herself a bowl of bran.
"You're up early." Hermione said, "bad dreams?"
"Not really, I couldn't sleep so I went outside to watch the sunrise. Professor Dumbledore scared the shit out of me and gave me that."
Harry indicated the book discarded on the table two settings down with a dismissive gesture and plucked the french pastry off the loaded plate. As he crunched through his second breakfast Hermione read the spine and mumbled to herself before she addressed Harry.
"I suppose it is important to be aware of the rules of engagement, but, well, I."
Hermione stuttered to a halt and stared at the book, deep in thought. She opened her mouth to try again and Harry beat her to it.
"We were almost killed several times last year, you were badly injured by a monster who did not follow any kind of ethics. What does this have to do with our survival or the prophecy."
Hermione hummed unhappily as she absently spooned her cereal into her mouth and munched on it.
"Would considering ethics and if we should be casting tickling charms at Death Eaters help us survive?" Harry said. "I've tried opening it twice and I couldn't get past the second page. It sounds like the vicar who preached at me and Dudley in Sunday School. I didn't understand it then and I don't understand it now. How the hell does turning the other cheek get you anywhere?"
"You, we should trust Professor Dumbledore, Harry. He's got our best interests at heart."
Harry looked at her askance and saw she was looking at the book dubiously. He sighed and put the half eaten croissant down. He had lost his appetite.
Harry was thankful that it was Sunday because even though he was restless and antsy he was also unable to focus on anything. He floated around the dorm and common room all morning and thoroughly annoyed Hermione.
He finally propped himself up against his bedhead in the mid-afternoon and cracked the accursed book that had plagued his thoughts from the second Dumbledore handed it to him.
A disconsolate feeling crept over Harry as he flicked through Dumbledore's book. He was certain now that the man had no intention to train him in anything other than ten pin bowling. The only sound was Neville's soft snores and the gentle ticking of a clock.
"Stupid chocolate frog card." Harry mumbled.
He slammed the book closed in disgust and frisbied it across the room in a fit of pique. It slammed to the floor and skidded out of sight underneath Neville's bed. A snort came from behind the curtain, but only soft muttering followed as he drifted off again. Harry sighed and scooted across the bed to slip his trainers on and drew his wand. He flicked down and his laces tied themselves. This was a new trick that had been shared around the dorm, Neville had been the one to show him.
Harry sat on the edge of the bed and huffed. He had the feeling that he should be somewhere else. He stood up, hesitated then sat again. What the hell was happening with him? He was never this uncertain. Harry unconsciously shouldered his book bag and left the room.
He descended the stairs to the common room and surveyed the sea of humanity that were his housemates. Hermione was nose deep in a book bigger than she was. Ron was crowing his victory over a small third year who Harry couldn't remember the name of. Small, ginger and pale, maybe Fitzpatrick?
"Yes! Ha! I win! How good am I?"
"Yeah, good game." his opponent said dejectedly.
"It was, wasn't it! I won again!"
Ron belatedly shook the extended hand briefly and then proceeded to ignore him as he poured over the board and hunched over it while he muttered. Harry felt vague disgust at his friend. His manner of winning never sat well with him, it spiked to something like hatred for a split second and his lip curled.
Where had that come from?
He realised that he better move when he saw Ron scan the crowd for another victim. Chess was not on any to do list Harry cared to draw up today. He stepped backwards up the stairs until he was out of sight of Ron and waited a minute. He heard his cue and made his move.
"Dean? How about a game?"
"I'm no pushover, Weasley. You better defend your king," Dean retorted.
Harry slipped down and out of the stairwell and looked up into the amused face of Hermione Granger. She wore a baggy top which showed a decent amount of skin, and he glanced automatically down and back up into Hermione's now unamused glare. She raised an eyebrow at him so he made his way over to her.
"Like what you see?" she snarked.
"I couldn't see anything past that book. It's massive. Is that why Nev's upstairs asleep. Did you make him carry it all the way up here?" Harry said as he perched on the arm of her chair and jostled her and read over her shoulder.
"His was a noble sacrifice." Hermione said solemnly.
Hermione was forced to change position so she could look up at him. She huffed then tried to shove him off, when she failed to unseat him she settled for nudging his hip.
"Honestly Harry. I've not seen you like this before. What's gotten into you?"
"I don't know. I feel restless and on edge. Don't know what to do with myself. If I play chess with Ron I know I'll probably end up beating him to death with his own board."
Hermione snickered then paused and looked closely at him.
"You're not joking. He is a bad winner, Ginny says he always has been. It's not the behaviour of a prefect, I think I'll ask him to tone it down. That third year looked upset."
Harry let out a huff. "Yeah you better. I'm not sure I could control myself if we started to argue over it. I'm going for a walk."
"Have fun."
Harry nodded and wound his way through the chairs, tables and sofas towards the portrait hole and passed a group of boys who were deep in conversation. He noticed the boy who Ron had beaten looked annoyed and on impulse altered course and squeezed between two armchairs and crouched down in the midst of his friends. A couple of the braver boys glared at him but Harry ignored them.
"Hermione and I are sorry about the way Ron acted. Hermione is going to tell him that it's not the way for a prefect to act. I suppose that's a good thing. He only acts like that when he's had a really good game."
"Th- thank you." the boy stammered. "He only just beat me too. I think five more moves and I would have had him."
Harry smirked. "That's the best way to get your own back," He whispered. "Beat him at his own game and then yell and scream. Then quietly say to him, 'it's not nice is it?' I can't do it, I'm pants at chess and I don't even get close but I think you might. Practice and practice then ambush him." Harry's smile turned feral and the third years who had all leant in to hear him reared back and Harry stood.
"Remember. Practise with everyone you can. Read books on past games. There's a section in the library. There's books about everything down there."
"I will." he grinned.
Harry turned and made his way to the portrait hole and stopped in his tracks.
"There are books about everything down there." He whispered.
Harry dismissed thoughts about finding the underground gobstones tournament that Oliver Wood and Alicia Spinnet were running and headed for the library.
Five minutes later Harry stood and panting from the speed he had traversed the halls and staircases. He had spooked at least one group of first years as his quick walk turned into a mad dash.
The accumulated knowledge of a thousand years was a daunting sight. Tens of thousands of books on hundreds of shelves separated into dozens of sections. The set of rooms that contained the library was far bigger than the section of castle would physically allow.
He tried to collect his tumbling thoughts and focus on a more structured approach.
Combat spells, Rituals, Dragons.
Harry took a breath and nodded resolutely. He sidled past the library guardian and gave her a nod. Madam Pince only dained to raise an eyebrow before she returned to her work.
Harry blindly pulled a book at random and pulled a face at the title. 'A complex review of the arithmancy required for spell creation.' Harry flipped through a couple of pages and blanched at the complex formula in very small font and the indecipherable descriptions. He slammed it closed and returned it to its spot.
He was more selective on his next choices and soon a remote table bore the weight of five books on spell chaining and battle charms. Two on rituals and two more on dragons. He sat before them and pulled a notepad and muggle pen from his bag and tried to decide which book to start on.
He felt whatever had a hold of him ease off and he relaxed so much he almost slid off the chair. His eyes dipped and his chin bounced off his chest then he was wide awake and full of energy. It honestly felt like someone had hit him with five enervates and a few hundred cheering charms.
Harry blinked to clear his vision and dragged a charms book towards him. He opened it and his notebook at the same time and got to work. Hours passed and Harry's only disturbance was Dobby as he popped in to bring Harry a mug of hot chocolate.
He flicked back through his pages of notes and decided that tomorrow would be a practical day. He would head up to the Room of Requirement straight after dinner and see if no one else was using it. Once the books had been returned to their shelves and his notebook secured in his bag, Harry picked up the short letter he had just written and left for the owlery.
The owlery door creaked open as Harry climbed the last few stone steps into the owl roost. He was greeted by dozens of quiet hoots, a smell of ammonia, several drifting feathers and a white floor.
Harry specifically didn't think about what turned the floor white and instead looked up for a lighter-coloured shadow. He didn't have to wait for long. Hedwig detached herself from her perch and descended with several flaps of her powerful wings. The loose feathers zoomed about and Harry got a concentrated face full of ammonia as she settled on his arm.
"Hi girl. Sorry I've not been up in the last few days. It's been eventful."
Hedwig hooted and fussed over Harry's hair for a few seconds then held out her leg. Harry deftly slid the small note into the tube tied to her leg and stroked the feathers on her chest.
"Sorry It's not a long flight. You can take the long route if you want. Take it to Sam at Skyn Designs in Hogsmeade please and wait for a reply."
Hedwig battered him across the head as she took off and swooped out of the gap in the eves high above Harry's head.
He glanced around, shuddered and pinched his nose as he made for the door.
Break_
"Harry!"
Harry was heading back to the common room after lunch to drop off his transfiguration textbook and get his dragonhide gloves when a voice called him back. He welcomed the reprieve as the thought of wearing dragonhide was making him feel inexplicably angry.
"Hi Katie," he said. "What's up?"
"I've just seen McGonagall in the great hall, she's asked if we can meet her in her office. I think it's about tryouts and the new practice schedule Hooch has stolen from Ballycastle."
"That's a good point. I owled her during the summer about my ban. She said see her after the term starts. I need to get my herbology gear and I'll meet you there." Harry said and turned to start on his journey again.
"I'll come too. Need my Creatures book." Katie said and fell into step with him. Her blonde ponytail bounced jauntily as they trotted along.
"Does yours growl unless you tickle it first?" Harry chuckled.
"This one tries to bite fingers off. I heard Mary Hartford had to get a finger reattached." She replied.
"Is that the Hufflepuff with the big-"
Harry started to ask but he was cut off by a slap on the arm and a scandalised laugh from Katie, "Harry!"
"Ow! I was going to say hair! A captain shouldn't be abusing her players. And I voted for you too."
The were on the fifth floor landing and had just missed the next staircase as it decided to change balconies.
"There was no vote. McG gave me first refusal, and you weren't going to say hair." Katie accused.
"Well, she has big hair too." Harry laughed.
The comfortable banter of teammates carried them up to the Gryffindor tower and back down to Professor McGonagall's office and Harry knocked politely as Katie tried to keep her book under control.
"Do you need my belt?" Harry asked.
"I think I'll just stun it. It's what we did last year." Katie grunted.
"Come!"
The permission to enter sounded muffled through the door and Harry held the door for Katie as she struggled with her book. She gave up and jabbed her wand in the spine as it sniffed at her fingers.
"Stupefy!"
"Ah! Good. Please have a seat, both of you." Professor McGonagall gestured to the chair in front of her desk and gave Harry a worried look.
Harry felt his insides clench and his palms felt slick with sweat. But he sat beside his captain and kept his own counsel.
"Welcome back for a new year of Quidditch. I'll start with you Mr Potter. I've tried all summer to get your ban lifted but whatever that dratted woman did has made it permanent."
Katie gasped and Harry felt his chest tighten like a vice.
"I've been on to the Ministry legal department and they agree that there is no legal basis for the original ban at all to say nothing of a lifetime ban. They insist once it's been untangled the magic will be released and you can play."
"That's just perfect. How is this even possible? Isn't she back in the ministry now?" Harry asked, "can't she be ordered to do it?"
"Unfortunately whatever the centaurs did to her has, erm, damaged her. She is still in Saint Mungos and does not have the wherewithal to be ordered to do much of anything. I am truly sorry Mr Potter, Miss Bell."
"Well," Katie slumped in her chair. "I guess I won't be switching Ginny to chaser after all. He can't fly at all or just play Quidditch?"
Professor McGonagall gave Harry a sorrowful look and sighed.
"Mr Potter, we have found your broomstick. It was in the Dark Arts office and it's not in good condition. Professor Flitwick and I have tried to repair it but it's not serviceable. Professor Flitwick even took it to Nimbus to see if they could repair it, but there was too much damage."
Harry felt an upswell of emotion. Disgust. Anger. Rage. Disconsolate grief. A dawning realisation that one of his few valuable possessions had been vandalised and abused. He felt dirty.
"She did what?" Harry asked quietly.
Professor McGonagall opened her mouth to reply but he cut her off.
"Apart from my wand, it's the one thing I had that was mine. Sirius gave that to me."
Harry had to stop talking. His rage was all consuming and he felt a wind ruffle his hair. Professor McGonagall just looked at him with a sad expression.
"Sirius? Sirius Black?" Katie asked.
"He was my godfather. He gave it to me for Christmas three years ago. That's two brooms I've lost now. Sirius died a few months ago."
"Oh Harry." Katie said and took his hand.
"I truly am sorry Mr Potter. I'm hoping we can resolve at least one issue."
"Can I sue her? This is criminal damage isn't it? In the muggle world I can press charges. Can I do it here?"
"Yes you can," she replied slowly. "The Aurors can take the broom in as evidence and inspect the magical trace on it. It will prove which spells were cast on it. But they can't charge her until she is fully aware."
"Then it will be a nice surprise for her. Is she still a ministry employee?" Harry said darkly.
"Yes, but she's under investigation for corruption and attempted murder with a magical being."
Harry's eyebrows rose. Katie squeezed his hand.
"Attempted murder?" she asked.
"Yes. There is a paper trail which would indicate she gave two Dementors orders to visit your home Mr Potter. Albus told me in my capacity as your head of house."
Katie gasped while Harry kept grimly silent.
"She told us that on the day of the centaurs. She was going to cast the cruciatus on me too, to loosen my tongue. I'm so glad she's not in the castle anymore," Harry said.
"No! When was this?" Professor demanded.
"The same day Hermione tricked her into the forest and the Centaurs found her."
Harry examined their clasped hands.
"Will you tell the Aurors? Can I call them for you now?"
"It was only a threat. She didn't actually cast it." Harry said.
"She also attempted to kill you. You should make a statement." Professor McGonagall said.
"Maybe the weekend?" Harry hedged.
"Very well. I will floo call Madam Bones later on this afternoon and arrange it."
"Thank you professor." Harry said.
"Now, I still have scheduling conflicts to discuss with Miss Bell. You don't need to stay for that under the circumstances Mr Potter."
She leant back in her chair and the leather creaked, Harry nodded and Katie squeezed his hand as he stood.
"Thanks Katie, Professor."
"Now I trust that you can maintain some discretion Miss Bell, I doubt Mr Potter would appreciate it if what was discussed got out to the school." Professor raised an eyebrow slightly.
As the door closed behind Harry he heard Katie's reply.
"Of course, Professor."
Break_
The Room of Requirement stunk of sweat. The wooden dummies that Harry had created had leapt and chased him around the room for two hours. The dummies crawled on the walls, stood on the ceiling and appeared where he least expected them with startling regularity and fired a stinging hex at him from a stubby wand-like finger.
Harry hadn't given much thought to what he wanted to do in the room, he had his notebook of spells and tactics and just wanted space to learn. Apparently the Room decided that doing was the best form of learning and he had been on the back foot from the moment the door clicked shut.
He didn't know it but exactly two hours after the door closed the faceless mannequins stopped where they stood and the door clicked open. Harry sent blasting curses at each Dummy in petty vengeance and walked out the door as shrapnel ricocheted off the walls.
Harry limped slightly and felt his knee pop as he made his way back to Gryffindor tower. He had missed dinner and probably should have spent at least an hour doing the Transfiguration homework that was due in a few days. He should, but he really couldn't bring himself to care. He was tired, his magic had been expended to an extent that he felt stretched out and drained and every muscle protested the gentle walk he could manage, but he was content.
That good mood lasted as long as it took him to open the portrait hole to the common room and awkwardly crab walk through. The argument was in full swing and the common room was empty apart from the protagonists. Both of his friends faced each other before the banked fire, but their heads had whipped around and were pointed at the portrait hole. Hermione had her hands held in front of her pleadingly and Ron was a picture of stubbornness; fists planted firmly on hips and chin jutted forward.
"Harry!" Hermione exclaimed.
They lost their posturing and turned to give him their full attention.
"Where have you been?! I've been worried sick!" Hermione continued.
"I told her you were alright. Probably in the library again, honestly Hermione, Harry has been there more than you. Is that why you're so upset?"
"Ronald this is no time for joking! Anything could have happened to him."
"I was letting off some steam is all." Harry said.
"For two hours?" Hermione asked.
"But you missed dinner!" Ron exclaimed hotly. "What was so important that you missed dinner!"
Harry stood slightly taller and raised his chin.
"I was training. Practising combat spells."
"But the Professor asked you to wait," Hermione said.
"Wait for what? Voldemort won't wait for me to be ready. I told you I could feel something coming." Harry replied.
"But who are you training with? You didn't ask us." Ron interjected, his tone hurt.
"I did. You said you want to play chess first. I told you where I was going to be. I couldn't find Hermione and ask you to tell her too." Harry said.
Hermione turned a jaundiced eye on Ron who flushed red.
"Oh yeah. Room of Requirement."
"I'm sure you should have waited. You shouldn't be practising new spells on your own." Hermione worried her lip.
"Wait for you more like. You can't stand anyone knowing something that you don't." Ron snorted.
"I do not! At least I want to learn." Hermione poked back. "Anyway. You shouldn't be training alone."
"No one else is interested so I went myself. I'll be there again tomorrow too."
"I really think you should-" Hermione started to say.
"Wait, why should he wait?" Ron asked, his temper flared anew.
"Because Profess-" Hermione began.
"Will you stop saying that!" Harry interrupted her. "I really don't want to be lectured again. I'm going outside."
Harry turned and had reached the portrait hole before either Ron or Hermione had processed what just happened. The pain in his legs subsided in his anger.
"Harry stop!" Hermione chased after him.
Ron grumbled to himself and followed her. By the time he caught up with his friends Hermione was trotting to keep up the pace.
"Please talk to me!"
Hermione tried to placate Harry again and rushed to come level with him as he stormed through the castle, his limp still present but anger gave him wings.
He felt cooped up and hemmed in. He needed open space.
"Harry!" Ron exclaimed.
Ron grabbed his arm and Harry snatched it away. He stopped abruptly and spun to face him. They stood nose to nose.
"Piss off Ron. You want me to wait for Dumbledore when I know I can't, he's ignored me all summer and barely spoken to me since we came back. I need to get ready for something bad and no one is helping or listening to me." Harry shouted, then glanced around and continued in a hiss. "He's still alive. You both know that. Why are you being so weird about it?"
"Harry!? Weren't not the ones being weird." Ron said.
"All I said was we should trust the Headmaster. You can trust him. He knows what's best." Hermiona added.
"What's gotten into you Harry?" Ron asked, then offered. "Come back to the common room. I'll get my mini Quidditch pitch, we can run through some plays."
"I'm banned, remember. I don't want anything to do with Quidditch." Harry said, his fists on his hips.
"Oh yeah. Chess?"
"Come on back to the common room?" Hermione said again.
Harry inhaled and put on his best smile then nodded. He held his palms out to placate them.
"Fine, fine, I want to go for a walk outside. Alone. Then I'll come up."
"Alright, if you're sure." Hermione said.
"Five minutes yeah?" Ron asked. "I'll have the board set up and ready for you. We can relax. I think I've still got a box of Bertie's somewhere."
Harry looked to the right. Initially it was so he didn't have to look at either of his friends but suddenly he was drawn toward a darkened alcove. Drawn like a moth to a flame. It was irresistible. Then the spell broke. Maybe he saw blonde hair?
"Just trust Professor Dumbledore and everything will be alright, you'll see." Hermione spoke to him as if he was a nervous colt.
"Yeah sure. Fifteen minutes."
Harry headed directly for the nearest secret passage and once inside held his breath and listened to the conversation of the two who had followed him.
"I'm really worried about him, Ron. What if he gets himself hurt again?"
Harry felt his resolve soften and he moved to open the passageway and he froze when they continued.
"He'll be alright. Come on. We just got to trust Professor Dumbledore."
"Yes. Trust the Professor." Hermione agreed.
"What the hell is going on?" Harry whispered.
Harry marched, still annoyed and worried, to the great hall and walked past a smug Draco Malfoy. He stood like on guard, his sunday best immaculate, and hair perfectly coiffed, he opened his mouth to give a cutting comment but Harry beat him to it.
"Not interested snake boy, get bent."
Harry flicked his wand and Malfoy's hair ruffled itself and his squeak of outrage was muffled as the door slammed behind him. Harry smiled and felt better as he sat on the grass beneath the big oak tree halfway to the Quidditch pitch.
Harry chuckled tiredly and slouched down a little more, the bark a pleasant scratch down his back. A flurry of wings heralded the arrival of a post owl. With a flare of wings Hedwig landed on his leg and gave him an assessing look.
"Hi Girl. Have you got something for me?"
Hedwig lifted her leg and once she was relieved of her burden accepted several strokes before she returned to her roost.
He unrolled the letter and grinned in relief. Sam was free and he was booked in for Saturday. The next few days were looking slightly brighter. If he could just get his emotions under control, one minute he felt normal and could laugh and joke, then the slightest thing would cause a towering rage. He turned his attention back to the great outdoors and felt the ball of tension in his chest uncoil and ease. He huffed a laugh.
"Heh, get bent. I wonder if his father will hear of it?"
Break_
"Mr Potter."
Harry perked up from his breakfast and twisted in his seat at the interruption of his conversation with Dean and Neville.
"Erm, yes Professor?" Harry asked.
"Please come to my office at two o'clock." Professor McGonagall said. "I have already informed Professor Flitwick that you will miss his class."
Harry paused a second then paled, he nodded and finally found his voice.
"Yes, I will Professor."
She nodded and strode off and left Harry the centre of attention on the Gryffindor table. Most of the first years were oblivious to the sudden lull in conversation. Harry glanced around and tried to act nonchalantly.
"It's not in his sock drawer." He said to Neville, "I checked."
"Huh? I er, oh The Berties. I think he spelled them invisible under his bed."
Dean snorted. "He doesn't know how to do that!"
"Er Harry? What did the Prof want?" Seamus asked for all the other students who Harry was ignoring completely.
"Oh, Auror's are coming to interview me." Harry said.
"What for?" Seamus asked.
Hermione and Ron both looked at him with sympathy from further down the table and Hermione shrugged, the message clear. It was his choice to share or not.
"Umbridge." Harry said shortly.
The silence descended and each first year looked around confused. Having said all he was going to say Harry kept his gaze on his plate and gradually the hubbub of conversation and speculation arose around him. It would be all around the school by lunch time. Brilliant.
Harry had been correct, for the entire morning and even in his dorm after lunch he had been approached by students offering commiserations or just to ask innocent questions. Some were not so innocent but then those were easier to deal with.
"Potter! What's this about Aurors coming for you?!"
The challenge came the moment he rounded the corner before the potions classroom followed by sniggers and chortles. The amusement became stifled as everyone present quietened to see if the well evidenced Potter Temper of last year would make a reappearance.
"When Umbridge threatened to cast the cruciatus on me? Don't you remember Parkinson. You were there assisting the criminal." Harry said.
He kept his calm and the jibe caused an intake of breath at the information most did not know.
"You better not spread malicious lies Potter." Parkinson said although she had lost what little colour she possessed.
"That will be for the Aurors to decide," Harry replied, "they will have the memory after all and if they see a crime you might have the Aurors coming for you too."
Harry smiled sunnily at her and stepped around the gawking girl as she stood unmoving in the middle of the corridor gaping like a landed fish. Most of the Slytherins present had gone pale.
Professor Snape swooped around the corner and glared at the gathered students.
"I will be taking your class today, Professor Slughorn has had a family emergency and has left the castle for the weekend. Any potions related questions shall be directed at me until his return. You may enter."
The students filed in and all were distracted by the process of choosing partners, setting up cauldrons and finding the ingredients for their assigned potion. It only took five minutes for the aftermath of Harry's comment to Parkinson to become evident.
"Malfoy!" Professor Snape barked. "You've missed the porcupine quills, it is why your potion is a tar like substance. Evansco. You have time to start again."
Potions were almost a pleasure with Snape preoccupied with scolding the distracted Slytherins, Harry had been working with Neville and their potion was surprisingly well brewed. The lesson progressed in a similar manner until Professor Snape finally lost patience.
"Malfoy, Parkinson, Zabini," he paused and surveyed the steam issuing from each cauldron. He sighed. "All Slytherin's apart from Miss Greengrass will stop what they're doing and vanish the contents of their cauldrons. You will all sit quietly until the end of the lesson and remain behind."
"Can you upset the Slytherin's before every lesson? This is great!" Neville whispered.
"I'll see what I can do." Harry chuckled. "But if we do it every lesson Snape will get suspicious and accuse us of cheating."
"I suppose it is cheating compared to last year. I'm just happy that Umbridge isn't here."
"I hear that."
"Bottle your potions, clearly labelled and leave them on my desk. I wish for all my Slytherin's to remain behind." Professor Snape announced. "You may go Miss Greengrass, your work was exemplary."
"Thank you Professor."
Her smoky voice drew Harry's gaze and their eyes met for a second before her hand passed before her face to tuck a stray lock of hair behind her ear. Harry stared after her until Neville elbowed his arm.
"Come on. Charms."
"Oh yeah. I've got the Aurors, you go on ahead."
Harry packed his potions textbook away and left the classroom to the sweet sounds of Snape haranguing his Slytherins.
"And look at this! Even Potter and Longbottom's sample turned out better than your effort Malfoy. Many more of this and I will be informing your father that you will need a summer tutor-."
Harry smirked as the lecture was cut off when he pulled the door closed behind him.
The conversation he heard as he approached Professor McGonagall's office door was less pleasurable if more illuminating.
"My time is limited but I have time enough for this, Minerva. The minister wants an update on the spate of muggle killings and I have precious little to tell him."
The stern female voice filtered through the door and Harry paused, his hand raised to knock.
"I heard, their deaths are linked to a magical origin?" Professor McGonagall asked.
"Oh without a doubt, the trace is clear. We even have suspects but I am being blocked by the Wizengamot from getting a core sample. It's a mess." She sighed.
"Yes well, I'd ask Albus to intervene but he has said that he has less influence of late."
Harry let his arm drop at what he heard, shook his head and knocked twice firmly.
"Come."
Harry pushed the door open and looked up at the two older women who were regarding him. He nodded at the woman he knew by name and reputation but had never met.
"Mr Potter, this is Amelia Bones, she is the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement."
Her crimson Auror robes gave her a severe religious look and her grey hair and monocle put Harry in mind of an old fashioned school headmistress, unrelenting and principled.
"Ma'am." Harry said and sat in the only free chair.
"Mr Potter. As you might have guessed I am a very busy woman and would usually send an Auror team to take your statement but I felt this was an opportunity that I should not miss."
"This isn't about Madam Umbridge." Harry asked.
"Oh it is, very much so. But I thought, could you show me a few memories?"
She reached out and tapped the rim of a stone bowl that rested on the Desk between them and Professor McGonagall. Harry hadn't noticed it as the flat profile was initially hidden by Madam Bones herself.
"Oh, memories. Er, which ones?"
Harry knew which ones but it was always better to know what was coming. He shifted in his seat slightly but kept his eyes on the Department head.
"Your interactions with He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named and the events of last June."
Harry sighed. "In order?"
"Probably best, I would prefer that you join us to clarify events and I have found that it can be cathartic for personnel who have been in combat to review and critique their own performances." Madam Bones gave him a flinty stare.
"We will come out every few memories to discuss and recover." Professor McGonagall said as she conjured a tea set.
Harry breathed deeply and drew his wand, he concentrated on the events of first year and with faint malice he began the Philosopher's stone debacle with the visit to Professor McGonnagall's office and one by one deposited them into the bowl.
"That many?" Professor McGonagall murmured but stood with Harry and Madam Bones and they all placed a finger into the silver swirls.
The next few hours were not going to be pleasant.
Break_
The last few days had been tortuous; Harry was in almost constant pain as he had scratched his hands raw and he didn't understand why. Reviewing his memories had been painful and harrowing. Madam Bones had watched the memories of both his confrontation with Voldemort, his godfather's death and the Voldemort-Dumbledore duel several times. Harry was thankful that he had the foresight to cut the memory of his godfather's death short, even if he had failed to cast the cruciatus curse on Bellatrix Lestrange he didn't want to know either women's reactions or the possible repercussions.
Apparently because she couldn't be charged yet all they could do is to add it to the case file and wait for her to awaken. On top of that someone kept staring at him. He knew it down to his bones but couldn't figure out who, like they were trying to get his attention but it wasn't yet time. It was maddening.
He stood in a shadowy corner of the Gryffindor common room and glanced around. No one was watching so he crouched as if to tie his shoelace and slipped his invisibility cloak on then regained his feet.
"Silencio." he cast on his trainers.
As there was no hue and cry he moved to the portrait hole and applied just enough pressure to allow a Harry wide gap.
He held onto the portrait to stop it from swinging completely open by the method of sliding his hand across the canvas.
"Well, I say!"
A startled exclamation from the Fat Lady had Harry look hurriedly at where his hand lay. He fairly slammed the frame home and scuttled away from her cries of outrage and work of art abuse.
The trip to the Dark Arts Corridor was ten tedious minutes long and consisted of side-stepping early risen students and the occasional teacher. He thought about flicking Snape hard on the nose but decided that he preferred living no matter how tempting the thought was.
Then Harry had a brainwave. Yer a wizard Harry!
He pointed his wand at his own throat and subvocalized. "Ventus Voca."
He then drew careful aim on Snapes' overly large nose and whispered. "Flipendo."
Snape squawked in surprise, flipped in a circle and landed face first on the cold flagstones. As he flopped onto his side and slowly righted himself Harry took a deep breath and shouted as loud as he could.
"Hee hee ha ha ho ho! Got yer conk! Bbyyyyeee!"
His voice echoed from twenty metres further down the corridor and Harry allowed his impersonation to trail off like he was receding into the distance. Snape sat there in the middle of the corridor stunned for a few seconds, before he touched his nose, saw that it came away bloodied and lurched to his feet. He stumbled off into the direction that 'Peeves' had disappeared to and screamed red-faced and frothy.
"Peeves! I'm going to exorcise you for this!"
Three students leant forward from their position a plastered to the wall, each head tracking the Potions Masters progress and awed faces.
"Wow." one said.
The other two nodded.
"I'm going to give Peeves my last two cherry bombs. Maybe he can blow Snape's cauldron up too."
Harry clamped his mouth shut with one hand while he hustled to the statue of the one-eyed witch and strangled out the password.
"Dissendium."
He threw himself into the tunnel and collapsed, hand still over his mouth and shook with suppressed glee. As the sound of stone grinding on stone began Harry lost control and cackled with glee at a dream come true.
That had raised him out of his funk.
It took the full length of the passageway to regain some control and he managed to stop giggling when he reached Honeydukes Hogsmeade's premier, and only, sweet shop. Harry stepped around a blind corner and into the street a few minutes to nine and jogged lightly down to the bright yellow door of Skyn Designs. The bell tinkled and before Sam could raise her head from the magazine she was reading, Harry whipped his cloak off and stuffed it into his waiting bag.
"Morning," Sam said cheerily.
"Hi," Harry said.
He felt a little awkward and paused in the doorway long enough to get an invite from Sam, he smoothed sweat slick hands on his jeans and tugged his T-shirt which stained a darker red on contact with the liquid.
"Well come on in. I can tell you're nervous. You have every right to be. Having a tattoo is a lifelong commitment and with the way the magical tattoo harnesses your core to move about it is very difficult to change and impossible to remove."
Sam turned her back on Harry and hoisted herself up onto the counter. She spun on her bottom and until she settled facing him with her legs crossed indian style. Then smirked as Harry jerked his gaze up without being prompted.
"So," she adjusted her robes to sit more comfortably. "Are we doing one today or do you want the temporary tats again?"
"Is that an option?" Harry asked, surprised.
"Of course, I usually charge for my time on the second or third recasting. A week isn't that long a time to decide on these things. The grim? The dragon? Or something else?" she asked. "May I?"
Harry didn't respond, just removed his jacket and T-shirt and glanced worriedly down at his arm. The dragon was an inanimate ink stain again and fixed and unmoving.
"Maybe the grim," Harry said.
It was an experiment. He had understood the warnings enough to know that something wanted the dragon. Needed the dragon. His hands burned and it took all of his considerable willpower to not react and scrub his hands raw.
"No, the dragon." he said with finality. "The grim can wait."
The sensations stopped. Harry watched the dragon, and it seemed smug without actually moving. It was an impressive trick.
Sam gestured him forward into touching range and smoothed over his skin with gentle fingertips before turning him around to see the back.
"I'm seeing what the shape looks like in different light. I might change the shape of the scales too. Maybe bring the tail this way?"
She drew her wand and Harry watched his skin prickle and goose flesh as her hand traced over the alterations. Suddenly he felt a surge of peace before it was ripped away.
"Stop!" he shouted, which caused her to jump. "Sorry, go back to the last one."
"I was in the zone then. This?" Sam asked.
"Yeah," Harry sighed.
"There's the template then. Come on through and I'll set up the inks. Any change to the colours?"
Harry looked at his arm then down to his hands. No reaction, it was just waiting.
"Can you add some red in? Maybe a little yellow?"
The smug feeling returned and remained as Sam tweaked the colour scheme and sighed.
"Damn, I do good work."
She hopped off the counter and led Harry to a room he hadn't seen before. There was a massive dentist chair with a hole in the headrest and armrests that looked too long and too wide. A coat stand stood just inside the door and Harry hung up his jacket and T-shirt.
"Take a seat." she gestured at the chair.
Harry paused a second and let out a long breath which did nothing to settle his nerves. The combined urging of a gentle buzz in his hands and a reassuring smile from Sam caused him to sit on the chair and slide back.
"You sure?" Sam asked.
A feeling of calm settled over Harry, a feeling that he was in the right place at the right time. The unheard voice of Harry's childhood whispered in his mind.
This is right, this is good. You want this. I have never steered you wrong. Trust.
Harry calmed. Breathed easy and nodded once to Sam.
"I'm ready. This is what I want."
"Alright, alright, alright." Sam drawled. "I like a man who knows what he wants."
Harry blushed as she bustled around the room as she gathered her supplies, and Harry watched her every move. The needle gun was sleek and modern, she made a production of opening the new needle packet and installed it with a firm click.
She wheeled a trolley with a squeaky wheel and a small cushioned stool to his left side and sat, she then stood and removed her robes. Underneath was a tight sleeveless yellow T-shirt with a band Harry hadn't heard of before and sat again the ripped holes in her jeans gaped wide to show pale flesh beneath.
"Is that a wizard band?" Harry asked to distract himself.
"Yeah, Camera Obscura, although I heard they have signed a deal with a muggle record company." She said distractedly as she connected tubes and twisted knobs and adjusted dials.
"Is this what muggles use?" Harry asked.
"Sort of. I modified it to be powered by magic and hold much more ink than they use."
Sam tapped her wand gently on the dragon's red striped and yellow speckled black body and whispered a word with a loving sigh.
"Transparentem. I love my job."
The ink faded until the skin could be seen underneath but still, somehow clearly visible on top.
"I've not heard that spell before." Harry said.
"I should hope not. I invented it. Now hold still. I've got to shave all the hairs off your arm and smooth the rough edges off the scar."
She worked diligently for the next ten minutes in silence. She started at his hand and ran her gentle vibrating wand up and down his arm. She rotated and lifted his hand and adjusted her grip until she was holding his hand and when she got to his elbow she chuckled.
"What?" Harry croaked.
"You've gone bright red."
"I-" Harry cleared his throat. "I've not- you're very pretty."
"Well, thank you Harry. You're handsome too. I do like a bad boy. But this is serious work and I've not made a mistake yet. Let's get Smaug out of the way first."
She smiled, flipped a switch on the trolley and a gentle hum filled the room. She flicked her wand and a guitar solo reverberated around the room.
"My favourite song ever. Sweet child of Mine. I always play this first when I'm working. Gets me in the mood."
Harry was at a loss for words as the point of no return had crept up on him like a thunderbolt. He took a deep breath and rested his head back and exhaled slowly.
Sam scooted forward on her wheeled stool and trapped his hand against her side. He could feel her take a breath.
"You'll jump when I start. Everyone does. Even those who've been inked before. It hurts. Just keep in mind your motivation and that you really don't want to distract me. Body bind jinx?"
Harry shook his head and swallowed. "No, I'll be fine."
Sam smirked. "Okay bad boy, you got it."
Sam stilled and breathed in time with the driving drum beat and touched the needle to his skin as she crooned, "sweet child of mine!"
Harry's fingers twitched but that was the only reaction that he gave. The pain was excruciating initially but soon faded as he focused on the music and Sam's breath against his arm, the warmth against his hand and he relaxed some and let his fingers curl around her upper arm.
"You've got some pain tolerance Potter."
"Hmm."
"The discomfort usually fades after a few minutes but the pain can take you by surprise."
She spoke without a pause in her work. Her intense gaze drew him in and he watched her for a few minutes until she flicked brown eyes up to meet his for a second.
"You're staring," She said.
"So are you," He replied.
"I'm meant to be staring at you. It's what you're paying me for." she smirked.
"Your ceiling is boring. You need a landscape up there then." Harry said, eyes fixed upwards.
She stopped again and watched him stare up. She huffed a laugh and picked her wand up from the trolley.
"Inimus Animus." she chanted.
Harry twitched and looked down.
"What was that?"
"Did it hurt?" she asked.
"No it was hot-ish but no pain." Harry said, confused.
"Then I guess that's what my magic feels like to you. Any colours?"
"Colours? No I- yellow, pale yellow."
She smiled and put her needle to his skin again. The song changed.
"...that fatal kiss is all we need… Hmmm."
They were silent for the next thirty minutes as she concentrated on her work. Occasionally singing lines and expanded on Harry's meagre musical knowledge.
"Inimus Animus. I'll finish off your shoulder then I'll go put the kettle on." she said into the silence between songs.
"Okay, yeah I need a break too. Erm Sam, I was thinking, do you live here alone?"
"Oh I don't live here. I share a house in Plymouth. There are four of us, Dawn and Tara work in the ministry, dangerous Creatures office and Tara is in the tax office. Clare works in a store in the magical sector of Manchester. She sells second and third hand clothes. Actually she sells anything. It's more like a thrift store than anything else. We were roommates at Hoggy. Seemed weird to live apart, so we didn't."
"In Manchester? I didn't know there was any outside of Hogsmeade and Diagon." Harry said.
Sam's silvery laugh sent a tingle up Harry's spine and she glanced at him when his arm quivered in aftershock.
"There are dozens. Maybe hundreds. Didn't you know there are five streets off Diagon? Your friends must have told you?"
"Don't think so, Ron has only ever mentioned Diagon and Quality Quidditch Supplies."
"A Weasley?" she asked, at his nod she continued. "That makes sense. Broomstick mad the lot of them."
"Ron certainly is." Harry agreed.
"I saw a few games last year. Weasley certainly is our king."
They both laughed and she leant back and switched off her trolley. Sam rose and stretched like a cat, sinuous and lithe. Harry watched her move then busied himself with an awkward shuffle off the chair without the use of his left arm. It was stiff.
"Just milk, yeah?" Sam called over her shoulder.
"Yeah," Harry grunted.
He picked up his T-shirt, looked at his shoulder, then thought better of it and put it back on the hook.
He sat in the same chair as the week before and pulled her copy of the Daily Prophet towards him. It was unopened and he unfolded it. There wasn't much to attract his interest. Politician this, politician that. Nothing about him or Professor Dumbledore. It had been less of a thing in recent months and Harry was all the happier for it.
Out of the corner of his eye he could see Sam swaying to the music that filtered in through from the studio. Harry paused to watch her and the simple domestic scene it presented. They had occupied the same space for well over an hour and had given a yearning Harry didn't understand.
The normality of the scene struck him, her making the tea and him reading the paper. He'd seen it at the Dursleys hundreds of times, but it was usually accompanied by a shout of 'boy,' or shriek from aunt Petunia, and an unpleasant task. He thought he hadn't wanted that until last week, until today.
Harry sighed.
Sam slid a steaming cup in front of him and quirked an eyebrow. Harry guessed he hadn't been too subtle.
"My, erm, I grew up with my relatives and they weren't the nicest of people. My aunt, she wouldn't let me speak if we had guests around. I don't really know how to act in someone else's kitchen. Do I help? Do I stay out of the way? Do I wash up afterwards?" Harry smiled weakly, "I dunno."
Sam smiled warmly. "You're doing fine Harry. The perfect house guest. You've even taken your clothes off for me."
Sam winked and giggled as Harry blushed again.
"Fine!" Harry exclaimed. "Pick on the impressionable school boy."
"Drink your tea, bad boy. I'm on the clock."
Harry took a mouthful of tea as she said, "Besides, if you're going to continue to make a good impression I won't be held accountable for my actions, my bed could well see some action."
Her gaze flicked down the length of his body, and she licked her lips in a suggestive manner. Harry choked on the hot liquid, and he coughed so hard that he slipped out of his chair. Her amused laugh caused him to glare up at her, as he wiped the tea from his chin.
She offered him a hand up and grinned down at him. "I bet your aunt doesn't say that!"
"Thank Merlin she doesn't." Harry muttered as he followed her back into the studio and carried his mug with him.
Break_
Harry stood and stretched. The skin on his arm and shoulder felt tight and sore. He looked down at his dragon and grinned. It did look badass. He looked up to see Sam smirk at him with her head tilted to one side.
"Come over here." she said as she gestured to a table with a pyramid of jars and tubes.
"Muggles have to go through weeks of tattoo care if they want to preserve the skin and tattoo for life and to prevent infection and promote healing."
"Healing?" Harry asked as he looked down at his shoulder warily.
"Your skin's just been pierced a thousand times. Infection can be quite high. But we have the essence of murtlap. Apply a thin coat twice a day and keep it wrapped in clingfilm when you're in bed or with long sleeves on. Once the scabs have fallen off you can stop. You should sleep on your back or your other side until then."
She pulled a muggle plastic shopping bag from a roll and snapped it open. She put three tubs and a tube in the bag then waved her wand to shrink it.
"Here you go. The grim will have to wait for a few days at least. I'll check the progress when you come back."
"Thanks Sam. This is for you." Harry handed her a pre-counted pouch of fifty gallons.
"Thank you very much. Once it's healed and moisturised, would you mind if I take a picture so I can display it in my shop?" she asked.
"The Dragon-Who-Lived?" Harry smirked.
"Nope. No names and no faces. Just the artwork, and that is a work of art. It almost looks alive."
As if it could hear the tattoo shivered and undulated slightly. Harry flinched at the movement from the corner of his eye.
"That happens. You won't see most of it. I'm not certain but I think it's the ink accessing your magical core. Mine did that too."
"Oh, okay." Harry said, uncertainly.
He sat on the stool she indicated as Sam gently smeared a layer of cream onto his arm and shoulder. She pulled her wand and pointed it at a length of cling film. She traced the air around his arm and twirled her wrist in a circle. The flexible plastic flowed around his arm from the forearm up to a flap which she smoothed down his shoulder blade.
"And done."
She summoned his T-shirt and held it out to him with a raised eyebrow.
"Can you manage?"
He smiled and accepted the garment, then he frowned and pushed his wrapped arm through the arm hole gently.
Harry pulled a face, "it's a little sore still."
"It'll take the murtlap half an hour to soak in and start to work. By the time you get to the castle you'll be back to normal."
"Thank you so much Sam. It wasn't painless but you did make it much easier than I was expecting."
"As I said. It was a pleasure." She offered him the plastic bag and he accepted it and stuffed it in his bag on top of his invisibility cloak.
Harry straightened his jacket and crossed the shop. He rolled his shoulder to see if he had any restriction of movement and was pleased to find it did not impede him.
"Harry!" Sam called.
Harry had just rested his hand on the door knob, but half turned and looked at her expectantly.
"I would kick myself later if I didn't try it."
"Try what-" Harry was cut off.
Sam had been much closer than Harry and expected. She took hold of his jacket collar and pulled him into a deep passionate kiss. She hummed and slowed down, she ran her free hand up to the back of his head and threaded her fingers through his hair. Harry flapped his arms for a second before he followed an instinct, and slipped his hands around her slim waist. She slowly broke the kiss and rested her forehead against his.
"Probably not the best idea." she said in a low husky voice and chuckled at his dog like whine. "Merlin, boy but you can kiss."
Harry signed and stepped backwards when she did.
"I- I'll go then." Harry stammered.
"I'm free next Saturday for the Grim if you want." she smirked.
"I'll need to see the fall out of being out of the castle all day. I'll owl you."
Sam nodded and chewed her lip as the bell dinged.
Break_
"Harry! Where have you been? I've had to cover for you twice."
Hermione demanded as Harry sat down at the Gryffindor table across from her just as she had put her cutlery down. Half the hall heard her and the din lessened so they could hear his reply.
"Zonkos. Here."
He slid two chocolate bars across the table then scooped vegetables and potatoes onto his plate besides a healthy helping of sliced turkey. He paused then added four more slices of turkey and too much gravy before digging in with gusto.
"Hungry, Harry?" Neville asked.
"Shopping makes Harry hungry," he said between bites.
Hermione held one of the chocolate bars in front of her face and studied it like a magical oddity.
"You really went shopping? What for?" she asked.
"Why didn't you invite us?" Ron demanded.
"Chocolate." Harry replied around a mouthful of turkey.
"How many did you buy?" Hermione asked.
"Three."
"Where's the other one?" Seamus asked, engrossed with the conversation and Hermione's impending eruption at Harry's oblique answers.
"Ate it." Harry smirked.
"You were in Hogsmeade all day and all you bought were two bars of chocolate?" Hermione said quietly.
Harry nodded with enthusiasm. "Three. You should try it. Totally worth it."
"Worth what?" asked Ron who was completely confused by now. He ran his hand through his hair and left it looking more scruffy than before.
"Worth walking the entire way to Hogsmeade. Anything happened here while I was gone?"
"Oh yeah, Snape tried to exorcise Peeves. Dumbledore had to stop him." Dean said as he inspected the gravy stain down the front of his West Ham replica football shirt.
"Really?" Harry smirked and chuckled slightly.
"Harry! What did you do?" Hermione demanded.
"To Peeves? Nothing. I was buying your birthday present." Harry deadpanned.
"You said we could go together!" Ron complained.
"No, you said we could go together. I said go yourself."
Neville, Seamus and Dean sniggered at the look of outrage on Ron's face.
"My birthday present?" Hermione asked.
"Yeah those chocolate bars, happy birthday." Harry nodded to her.
Hermione stood with dignity as the sniggers turned into full-blown laughter and she departed, her nose held high, but she slipped the chocolate into her bag.
Harry smirked. She had missed that he hadn't done anything to Peeves but then again the poltergeist hadn't been his target.
Break_
A monster felt like it was trying to burst free from Harry's chest as he stood in the middle of the library and desperately tried to decide what he wanted. He glanced at the restricted section again and sighed. He needed a permission slip first before Warden Pince would allow him access.
He had done good work and found many combat spells which felt tantalisingly familiar. The one's he had practised took less effort to perfect and it worried him.
This year was bizarre.
A side effect of spending so much time at the study tables was that his essays were all up to date and he had read ahead on charms and transfiguration. Now he was looking for something specific and had no idea what it was.
A body walked into his back and apologised as Harry stumbled into a chair and had to catch himself on the table. Small hands slid around his chest and caressed more than was strictly necessary to help him regain his balance.
"I'm sorry." A husky feminine voice said to his back.
Harry turned around and came eye to forehead of a blonde girl with green trimmed school robes. He looked closer and realised that he knew her. Sort of.
"Daphne Greengrass?" he half asked.
"It's only been six years, Potter." she smirked at him.
She sounded slightly breathless as she started up at him. Her hand twitched almost as if she wanted to reach out and touch him. Her green fingernails caught his attention as her fingers flexed then disappeared into two tight small fists.
"I'm sorry," she said again. "I wasn't looking where I was going."
"It's alright. Only an accident. Might have to charge for a repeat performance though, Greengrass."
Daphne swept her gaze up and down his form, sniffed and smirked. "I might even pay for it."
She turned away and disappeared into the stacks like she has never been there and Harry stared at the place she had disappeared and frowned. Huh.
"Everyone is being really weird," he muttered.
"Harry! There you are!" Ron called far too loud.
Harry jumped a foot into the air as he was dragged from his introspection.
A harsh hush came from the stacks and Ron cringed.
"Chess Harry?"
"Huh, what?" Harry asked. Not comprehending the sudden change of pace, he was staring at the stacks again.
"Chess! It's been ages since I've b- erm since we've played." Ron said, only slightly quieter than before.
"Huh, yeah okay."
Harry's concentration was completely blown and he knew he wouldn't be able to concentrate much more tonight. He turned and began to make note of his books and page numbers as Ron bounced next to him impatiently but not offering any help.
The monster in his chest had gone.
Break_
Harry was lost in thought as absently spooned an excellent onion soup into his mouth. He barely tasted it, he was so distracted.
"Harry, what's that on your neck?" Hermione asked suddenly.
Her flyaway frizzy hair flicked her and Ron in the face as she whipped her head around to stare intently at him.
"Gak," Ron choked. "Oi 'Mione."
"What?" Harry asked as he slapped a hand to his neck.
"It, it looked like an eye was looking at me." she said with a stutter.
"Oh, it's nothing. The animated snake I did for Flitwick. Maybe I put too much power into it."
"You drew it on your neck?" asked Ron. "Didn't yours look like a five year old drew it?"
"No, that was Neville." Harry smirked. "I drew one on my arm after class and animated it, Flitwick said they would move."
He hopes he could change the subject by throwing Neville under the bus and distract Hermione.
"Hey!" Neville jabbed him in the ribs. "I can draw. Seamus' looked like a two year old drew a worm with legs."
"Me ma is the family artist. I usually stick to stick men and a single wiggly line for worms and snakes." Seamus grinned.
"Harry, can you show me?" Hermione asked.
Clearly she had not been distracted. Her eyes were narrowed.
"I can feel it on my upper thigh. You still want to see it?" Harry offered.
Hermione sent him an annoyed look and sniffed then rose from the table.
"Fine, be that way. I'm going to the library and no I don't want you to come, Harry."
The boys all broke down into sniggering buffoons and Hermione left with her nose in the air. The dinner table was quiet for a minute or so apart from the occasional snigger and the clatter of cutlery.
"So Ron, seeing as what happened with your mum's present, have you gotten Hermione's yet?" Harry asked.
He strove valiantly to keep a straight face but felt a cheek muscle tick at the effort. Ron's wide-eyed look of horror indicated that he had not. He turned beseeching eyes on Harry who shrugged.
"She always needs quills Ron, maybe those pink ones we saw in Hogsmeade?"
Ron's eye twitched so Harry decided not to offer the suggestion of an hour's ride on a hippogriff. Magical Menageries were offering them for three sickles a ride. Maybe Neville would get a kick out of it.
As Ron calmed down he shot Harry another pleading look and tried his hand at puppy dog eyes.
"Harry, what did you get her for her birthday?"
"Ginny's got better puppy dog eyes. Hell, even Dean has better puppy dog eyes than you." Harry said around a mouthful of potato.
"Thanks?" Dean asked.
"Ginny?" Ron called over his shoulder.
Ginny's head perked up from further down the table and Ron waved her over and she trotted over still chewing.
"Yeah?" she asked.
"Harry said my puppy dog eyes aren't good enough. Can you hit him with yours?" Ron said.
"Pweese Hawrry?" Ginny wheedled as she turned her massive brown eyes on Harry.
"Wow." Neville said from next to Harry. "She is good. Tell her Harry."
Harry snorted and appraised Ron.
"You have no idea at all?"
"None." Ron confirmed.
"You sure?" Harry asked.
"Definitely." Ron nodded emphatically.
"Alright if you're sure. A parrot." Harry said then shoved a heaped spoonful of treacle sponge to hide his grin. He was only partially successful.
Everyone around him looked confused or unconvinced. Harry sighed.
"Hermione's birthday is next week right? The nineteenth?"
Everyone nodded.
"She told me last year that from nineteen ninety five the Annual International Speak Like A Pirate Day is on the nineteenth of September." Harry paused. "You know what a pirate is right Ron?"
"Yes I know what a pirate is." Ron huffed.
"So I've been threatening to give her a pirate's outfit for her birthday. She thinks I'm joking."
Dean and Seamus snorted and grinned at Harry. Ron looked confused. Ginny just rolled her eyes and went back to her meal.
"I've got her a pirate's hat and eye patch. If you got her a stuffed parrot it will complete the outfit. She'd love it."
"But Hermione gets books." Neville said, he sounded as confused as Ron looked.
Ron's face however had cleared and he was beaming. "Great Idea Harry. I'll owl mum." he stood, looked down at his half full plate and sat again. "After dinner."
Harry couldn't resist a smirk. Neville leant against his shoulder and whispered.
"You got her a book right?"
Harry just smiled at him. The smile slowly faded and he returned back to his conundrum.
How to get a restricted section pass?
Break_
Hermione's birthday rolled around a clear day, blue sky and blustery. Ron fairly bounced with anticipation.
"Is it your birthday too and no one thought to tell me?" Seamus asked.
"No, I'm just glad for Hermione is all." Ron chirped.
Hermione appeared at the bottom of the girl's dorm staircase in a flurry of wild hair and big smiles.
"Morning!" she exclaimed.
There were more people standing around waiting than was usual for a birthday. The Gryffindor tradition was only close friends were expected to give a present or card but the regular conversations that Harry and Hermione, plus Ron's very public panicked wandering through Hogsmeade had garnered some interest.
Hermione installed herself in the wingback chair that had traditionally been the 'birthday chair,' for a hundred years. Everyone got to sit in it and be presented with presents but the convention was that only dorm mates and close friends gave the presents.
"Happy birthday Hermione!"
Ron was in front of Hermione holding out his gift before she had fully seated herself and looked up in surprise at the hastily wrapped present. The powder blue paper had multiple winged halos on it and the spellotape left gaping holes. Hermione paused for a split second then slowly peeled back the tape, she managed to draw it out for ten seconds before Ron gave an impatient huff and she ripped the paper to shreds.
The birthday girl looked at the red and yellow stuffed toy nonplussed and Ron decided to help.
"It's a parrot!"
"It's lovely Ron, I'll treasure it." she smiled up at him.
Lavender Brown stepped forward next and offered a beautifully wrapped box, shiny brown paper tied with a light blue ribbon. Hermione made no pretence with this one, she gently pried the folded edges apart until she had an intact square of paper, a length of ribbon and a wooden box.
The box was lacquered and had a fancy design in black ink under the varnish and inside was a comb with long prongs.
"Happy birthday Hermione. It's from Parvati and me. It's made from bamboo and works wonders on frizzy hair. I should know."
"But you don't have frizzy hair!" Ron exclaimed.
Lavender raised a manicured eyebrow at him and he flushed red. She turned her attention back to Hermione.
"See how it works on your hair. There are lotions and different techniques that I think will help."
Hermione beamed up at her dorm mate and twirled a lock of hair. Ron mumbled and slumped down in his seat.
"Thank you." Hermione said.
"Happy birthday." Harry said.
He pulled a large rectangular present from his bag and stood to hand it over to her. Hermione tore into the paper and stopped once she could see the title on the spine.
"Oh Harry! It's wonderful. Treasure Island! Pirates?"
"Limited edition Hermione. I found it in a book store during the summer. I thought you liked pirates?"
"Oh! I forgot about Speak Like A Pirate Day!"
"Oo ar Captain!" Harry said.
"Oo ar Captain!" Neville, Dean and Seamus echoed like they had practised.
Hermione giggled. Clearly delighted.
"I get the parrot now." She said.
Ron had been quietly fizzing in the background and finally lost his temper.
"You said you weren't getting her a book!" he exclaimed. "That you were getting a pirate's outfit!"
The boys burst out laughing and all pulled out more presents and presented them to the birthday girl. She accepted them one at a time and beamed in pleasure.
She slipped Dean's eye patch over her head and crammed Harry's black tricorn hat, with skull and crossbones on, her hair formed a disk on which the hat perched. Neville's present contained a black waist coat which was too big but fitted well enough over her uniform.
Seamus cleared his throat and offered her one final gift, "the finishing touch, Hermione."
She opened it and laughed delightedly. She picked up a plastic hook and held it above her head. She laughed again, put the book down and slipped the parrot loop around her arm and positioned it on her shoulder.
"Happy birthday Jim lass." Harry said.
Hermione giggled and hugged them all.
She waved her hook in the air aggressively.
"Arrr!"
"Arrr!" They echoed.
She led them off to breakfast, her book clutched firmly under her arm.
Break_
Harry peaked around the corner and spied his quarry. The rotund man glanced around and tapped his wand to his door lock. His whispers reached Harry but remained unrecognisable.
The door to Professor Horace Slughorn's private potions classroom clicked closed behind the man and Harry stole forward on silenced trainers and swirled his invisibility cloak around his shoulders.
"Proximita."
He cast a proximity ward on the floor in front of the door and turned to face the classroom. The door stood innocently enough but Harry had watched the Professor cast several spells around the door and knew he couldn't enter that way.
Luckily Harry had a different way. A better way.
"Dobby," he asked. "Silencio!"
A small pop and a colourfully dressed house elf, three feet tall and green skinned. He could have been a goblin child. If a goblin would be seen dead wearing five pairs of mismatched socks, a flour sack with self raising stamped on it and a thin slouchy hat on his head. Dobby looked a disorganised mess but at least he was happy. This was clear from the ecstatic bouncing. Harry lifted the cloak and the house elf slipped inside, still vibrating.
"Stop bouncing, listen and I'll take the silence spell off you."
At Dobby's frantic nod he removed the spell and appraised his little friend.
"Finite. Did you find more socks?"
"Oh yes Harry Potter sir, the Weasley twins suggested that I should borrow Professy Snakey's socks. He hasn't notice yet. He wouldn't though. He only wears one pair a week."
Harry pulled a face. "Ewww. Anyway Dobby, like we discussed. If you get me in and out safely I will owe you."
"Yes Harry Potter sir."
"You don't know what you want as payment for helping me yet?" Harry asked.
Dobby shook his head slowly and sighed.
"I've had some ideas but they are hard for Dobby to ask. Elves give and serve but don't get. I am happy that I have helped Harry Potter sir."
"Alright Dobby. Let's get to it."
"Don't touch anything. Big sluggy casts many spells in his rooms. Stay in your cloak and I'll move things for you."
Dobby reached up and grasped a finger. With a pop of displaced air they were inside the dim classroom.
"Can you sense any magic on that drawer?" Harry whispered.
Dobby shook his head which made his ears flap.
"Everywhere but none on the desk or those drawers." be squeaked.
Dobby pointed a finger and each drawer slid open one by one. Harry peered in each one and shook his head.
"A bottle of fire whiskey and lots of potions but no paper. Hmmm."
He looked around and saw several of the narrow potions drawers not fully pushed in, now why would all those bottles be in the desk drawer?
Harry turned and reached out a hand but Dobby snapped his fingers and the drawers open on their own volition. Harry peeked in each and found his prey. A large pile of identical paper, the top one with a note in Slughorn's hand which gave the bearer permission to enter the restricted section.
Harry's hands twitched in anticipation as Dobby levitated several and hovered them over to him. The squiggle which did not resemble the Professor's name was exactly what he wanted and expected.
He reached out and snagged them out of the air. Dobby's intake of breath told Harry that he had made a mistake at exactly the same time he realised it himself. Dobby clicked his fingers twice and all the drawers slammed closed he jumped to clasp Harry's hand and with a significantly louder pop than when they entered the appeared in the hall. Right in front of Daphne Grreengrass' startled face.
Harry held his breath as Professor Slughorn stepped out of his private laboratory and spotted her.
"Whatever is the matter, Miss Greengrass?" He asked.
The professor was clearly distracted as he kept looking over her shoulder at the classroom door and fiddled his hands in an uncharacteristically nervous gesture. Daphne sniffed twice, smirked slightly and turned her away from staring Harry in his invisible eye and addressed the man.
"A pop down the corridor startled me Professor but I could see nothing at all," she replied.
"Oh well if you're sure," he said as he bustled past her and hurriedly tapped at his door with his wand.
Daphne smirked over her shoulder and looked exactly where Harry was standing, she glanced down towards Dobby and gracefully walked away. Harry watched her disappear around the corner then puffed his cheeks out in relief and squatted down to be nearer Dobby's floppy ears.
"You're a lifesaver Dobby, I'll go now and find some firewhiskey. That was tense," he whispered.
Dobby nodded and squeaked. "Anything for Harry Potter sir."
Dobby popped away and Harry stood and wobbled to the nearest suit of armour and sprawled gracelessly beside it, legs akimbo before he realised they were sticking out the bottom of his cloak and tucked them in. Harry sighed and looked about, seeing nothing he slouched against the wall.
"Why is everything so weird?"
TBC