But I don't have any magic to help with that," she protested.
He nodded grimly. "That's right, you don't. But you have something even more important than magic. You have your love for him and his for you. His magic will try to extend your life beyond the Muggle average, and it will succeed, to a point."
Hermione leaned forward and placed her hand on Cindy's arm. "Sirius will live to roughly twice the average age for a Muggle. And when he marries you, his magic will do the only thing it can do to bring you both into balance. It will take away years from him and give them to you, along with a little bit of his magic."
She blinked at her. "I'll be a witch?" she asked incredulously.
"No," Hermione replied with a shake of her head. "You won't be a witch, you'll become a Squib with just enough magic to power things like the potions and other items that rely on a person's magic to work. It's not enough power to actively work with, but it will be there."
"And he'll lose what?"
Harry leaned back in his chair. "He'll lose some of his magic. Not a lot, mind you, and it won't be noticeable. And he'll lose roughly forty years from his expected lifespan so that you can gain roughly the same. Marriage in the wizarding world is a sacred sharing, Cindy. It's not something people do lightly. There is no divorce in the wizarding world because there's no way to separate the shared magic of two people.
"A married couple who want to break up can only split and live apart in the wizarding world."
He paused before plunging forward. "You're only seeing the negative about this. If Sirius were smoking, you'd know each cigarette shortens his lifespan and as a doctor you'd hate that. You hate the fact that he's deliberately cutting short his lifespan, but that's not the case here. Sirius loves you and he's offering you nearly forty extra years to live together. He wouldn't make that offer if he didn't really love you. There is no guarantee that you will live that long. But consider the alternative. You live a normal lifespan and then he goes on alone for another fifty years without you? He doesn't want that. I wouldn't either."
Cindy sniffled and looked at him strangely. "But how could he give that up for me?"
"Because he loves you," he hissed in annoyance. He couldn't understand her lack of understanding. "He loves you, like my parents loved me and gave their lives for me. I'd do the same for Hermione in a heartbeat! Sirius has been dealt a crappy hand for most of his life. His family hated him for refusing their narrow-minded dogma. He found refuge with my family and then lost that when my parents and grandparents died. He needs you and wants you, Cindy. I can see it. We all can."
Hermione and Emma both gasped at Harry's words. Hermione blushed and Emma stared at the two, wondering.
"He's been alone and hurting for too long," he said, then his voice dropped to a whisper. "Can't you accept that? He wants you and wants you to live your life with him. In his mind, he isn't sacrificing anything. He isn't even giving you a gift, he's being selfish in wanting you around longer because he needs you to be with him."
Cindy nodded tearfully at him.
"I don't know what else to say. He needs you and I need you to help him in ways I can't."
"I don't think you need to say anymore," Sirius said in a choked voice behind him.
Harry stood and whirled around so fast his chair crashed over backwards. "Sirius! I didn't... If I knew..."
Sirius grinned and walked over to him. He placed both hands on his shoulders. "I know, Harry. I know. I love you, too."
Cindy stood and walked around the table until she was standing next to both of them. She reached out and touched them both. "I never thought I would have a family of my own, and now I see that's exactly what I'm getting. A husband and a son, two fine men I'm proud to call my own."
Sirius wrapped one arm around her waist and pulled her closer. "I hope that doesn't mean you aren't interested in adding to that family?" he asked hopefully.
She looked at him and smiled, then shook her head. "No, I could be convinced to add more. After all, Harry doesn't need us to teach him about pranks."
Harry stepped back in time for Hermione to grab him a tight hug, her eyes filled with tears. Surprised, he hugged her back. "What did I do?" he asked.
"For being you," she whispered back.
Emma smiled and made a mental note to speak to Dan. Sooner or later those two were going to formalize their relationship and she wanted him to get used to the idea.
Hermione's House, Oxford, England, July 17th, 1996...
It was the bang that caught Harry's attention. It was a distinctive sound that he had heard before. Someone had arrived on the Knight Bus! He was in his room, dressing when he heard the sound of voices downstairs.
Frantic, he quickly invoked his Evan Black disguise. It wasn't much: his eye color changed to a deep blue, his hair turned to a light, sandy brown and grew longer until it was nearly mid shoulder length. Discarding his regular shirt for one proclaiming the virtues of the Sydney Slaughterers, an Australian Quidditch team, he finished his disguise and hoped no one would recognize him.
What he didn't know was that he no longer looked like the scrawny Harry Potter people remembered. He had put on a lot of muscle mass, thanks to quality meals and regular exercise, and he had shot up to a respectable five eleven. His shirt was tight, outlining his muscled chest, and around his neck he wore a leather thong with several seashells threaded through it. He was a far cry from the Harry Potter of fourth year.
He stepped from the room and walked to the stairway. Hermione appeared at the bottom of the stairs and she looked up. Her expression immediately changed to one of relief. "Ah, Evan, there you are. We have company I'd like you to meet."
She walked up the stairs to meet him.
"Company?" he asked sotto voce.
"Mrs. Weasley, Ginny, and Ron," she hissed. "They wanted to know if I wanted to go with them to Diagon Alley."
He groaned and closed his eyes. Could he take a trip to Diagon Alley with the Weasleys?
"How do I look?" he asked.
"Good enough to eat, but that's because I know it's you," she replied with an impish grin. Since their declaration that they wanted to be together even after school, their conversations had become a lot more flirtatious in nature. Hermione found it strangely refreshing to be able to hint at matters that she'd never talk about normally.
He gave her a mock scowl and she giggled.
"All right, let's see how well my acting abilities work," he said softly, then he kissed her quickly.
She grinned and took his hand, pulling him down the stairs.
Emma looked up and tried to hide the relief in her expression when Hermione arrived with Evan in tow.
"Everyone, this is Evan Black. He's a distant cousin of Sirius Black. I met him on Fiji," Hermione announced.
Harry moved to stand next to her, his arm around her waist possessively. "G'day everyone," he called with a wave. He had met several Australian wizards and those wizards he knew from Fiji didn't sound much different than they did. So his fake accent was more Australian than Fijian, but he figured the Weasleys wouldn't notice.
Ginny's eyes lit up, seeing Evan. She eyed him as if she were evaluating a piece of beef she wanted to buy and discovered she was very hungry.
Mrs. Weasley smiled and Ron frowned, spotting him. Ron had wanted to believe Lavender, even after the photo and the gifts Evan had sent Hermione. He liked her and had hoped that one day they might date, but ever since Evan came into the picture he knew she was lost to him. First it was Harry blocking his way to her, now this Evan.
Ginny walked up to him. "Hi, I'm Ginny, Ginny Weasley," she said, suddenly shy. Evan Black was taller than she expected, his skin a golden tan. Each move made the muscles in his chest ripple under that shirt.
"Hi, Ginny, Ginny Weasley," Evan replied with a smirk. Ginny's blush deepened and he chuckled.
Ron moved forward, frowning. "I'm Ron Weasley," he said, offering his hand.
Harry took the offered hand and was surprised when Ron tried to squeeze him. He tightened his smile and did nothing. The simple fact was that Ron didn't have enough strength to hurt him. King Kong's marathon body building sessions had seen to that.
A minute later Ron stepped back, looking chagrined. Harry had merely smiled and pretended that all of Ron's effort was wasted. Molly pulled him away and both Hermione and Ginny glared at him. Emma hid a smile. She recognized the pissing contest for what it was and knew who had won.
"No worries," Evan said pleasantly. He turned to Hermione. "So how are we getting to this Diagram Alley?"
"We'll take the Knight Bus," Mrs. Weasley pronounced.
"You'll love it, Evan," Ginny said timidly.
Evan grinned affably at her, surprised by her suddenly timid behavior. She was acting like she did around Harry before her first year.
"Do you have enough money with you, Evan?" asked Emma.
He nodded and tapped the pouch on his belt. "Coin and my debit card if needed, so no worries," he replied easily.
Emma nodded and turned to Hermione, handing her several fifty pound notes. "For your books. Have you your list?"
Hermione nodded to her question.
"Then I guess we're all ready to go," announced Mrs. Weasley. She turned to Emma. "I'll try to have them back in time for dinner."
"All right. Be careful," Emma called to Hermione and Harry.
Of all the people traveling, Hermione was the only one who had not been on the Knight Bus. Harry grabbed a bed and quickly pulled her down to sit next to him. She looked at him curiously when he tightened his grip around her waist and then grabbed firmly on the bed post.
She squeaked when the bus took off with a bang and clung to Harry with both hands. After looking out the front window, she buried her head against his shoulder, refusing to look again.
This was the first time in several years Harry had been back to Diagon Alley. Last summer, Hermione had owl-ordered most of her school materials so they hadn't had to come to the Alley. They had felt it was better to avoid the possibility of Harry being discovered.
They had just entered the Alley when Harry stopped and stared at the headline from the Quibbler. Hermione plowed into his back and Ginny into hers.
"Ha... Evan?" Hermione asked, correcting her mistake.
Ginny stared at Hermione, her eyes narrowing in speculation. She had been watching the interaction between Hermione and Evan carefully. It was clear they cared for each other very much, but she was sure they hadn't reached an intimate state yet, despite Lavender's latest claims.
Evan pointed to the headline at the newsstand. It read, "Harry Potter volunteers to take naked space walk!"
"Oh, that's the Quibbler," commented Ginny with a laugh. "They're always posting sightings about Harry Potter." Ginny's expression fell and she sighed, her shoulders slumped a little. "I miss him still."
When Evan turned to Hermione, she could see guilt in his eyes.
"You can't believe anything the Quibbler says. They report a sighting of Harry at least once a week."
He nodded, but she could tell he was upset. Not by the headline, of course, but by Ginny's reaction.
"Come on. I want to check out Quality Quidditch Supplies," Ron said.
"Ron, Gringotts first, then books, clothing and potion supplies. Then Quidditch," Molly said firmly.
In Gringotts, Harry followed Hermione to the counter to change her pounds to galleons while the Weasleys headed off their vault. Ginny looked like she would have preferred to stay with them.
Hermione met Ron's eyes just before he disappeared with the Goblin. His eyes flickered from her to Evan for a moment, then he nodded. Turning back to the exchange counter, she sighed. It seemed as though Ron had finally come to understand that she wasn't interested in anything more than friendship with him and that Evan was quite real.
"Are you all right?" she whispered to Evan.
"I'm fine," he muttered. "I just feel like a right prat. I ran away from all of my friends. What kind of friend does that?"
"One that wanted to remain living," she retorted as she shook her head. "Look, we'll talk about this tonight. Just believe me when I say you did what you had to do to live. Who knows what that old man had planned for you?"
Evan nodded unhappily. He believed her, but it didn't make him feel any better. One thing that Sirius and Remus had taught him was to stand by his friends.
Hermione and Evan waited by the door for the Weasleys to return from their vault.
"I didn't know that Gringotts offered debit cards. Is that something new?" Hermione asked.
Harry shrugged. "I'm not sure. Sirius got it for me before I left Fiji. It's tied into my trust account and not the main account," he said, then he frowned. "I really need to keep a closer eye on my accounts, but it's dead boring."
"I'm surprised you did as well as you did on Estate Management then," she replied dryly.
Evan was about to reply, then he looked up and smiled at the approaching Weasleys.
"All right, first we're off for books," pronounced Mrs. Weasley.
Hermione grinned. The bookstore was one of her favorite parts of visiting Diagon Alley.
Inside Flourish and Blotts, Ginny and Ron went in different directions, looking for their books. Harry followed Hermione, carrying the books she picked out.
Mrs. Weasley came up behind them and looked at Evan expectantly. "Don't you need to buy books too, dear?"
Evan turned to her. "Oh, no, Mrs. Weasley. I'll get my books when Hermione and I return to Fiji in August. Besides, I doubt that this store will carry the books I need."
Mrs. Weasley looked doubtful and Ginny approached after seeing them converse. "What kind of classes are you taking that we aren't?"
"Well, my Runes class is a mix of runes and enchanting, just like my Potions class is a mix of potions and alchemy. But there's my languages class, where I'm continuing to learn new languages. Last year I did Arabic and Japanese. This year I'm continuing with Japanese language and culture."
It turned out that Harry had a talent for languages, like his mother Lily. He was soaking up every language he was exposed to.
"Oh, say something in Japanese!" Ginny said with a grin.
"Watashi no namae wa Evan Black desu," Harry said with a straight face.
"What does that mean?"
"I said my name is Evan Black," he replied with an easy grin.
Ginny grinned and turned to her mother. "I can't find this Herbology text," she said, pushing the book list at her.
Mrs. Weasley sighed and nodded. "All right, dear. Let's see what we can do."
She wasn't sure about leaving Hermione alone with that strange boy, but she had to trust the elder Grangers to have checked him out. She didn't approve of Sirius Black and was wary of anything to do with him. As far as she was concerned, he should have been taking care of his ward, Harry Potter, instead of this strange boy. It bothered her that Harry had walked out of Hogwarts and vanished without a trace. When questioned about it, all Sirius would admit to was that Harry was safe and happy.
He seemed to be a nice enough boy, but there was something off about him that she didn't like. His answers were a bit too glib and his attitude not properly respectful for a foreigner.
Watching them, she went reluctantly with Ginny.
"Maybe this was a bad idea and I should go home?"
Hermione turned to him. "You'll be fine. I think Mrs. Weasley always thought I might get together with Ron and sees you as competition. The one you want to be careful around is Ginny. She's a lot smarter than she let's on. I swear that girl should have been put into Slytherin."
He nodded absently and let her add another book to the pile he was carrying. It didn't matter to him, he was adjusting the weight with his ring.
At Madam Malkin's, Harry got the chance to help Hermione purchase a dress robe for school functions, as well as a pretty dress that she'd use over the Yule holiday. She loved going dancing with Harry and had been surprised to discover he had taken dancing lessons just so he wouldn't disappoint her.
She stepped from the changing room wearing a powder blue dress with a plunging neckline. Mrs. Weasley shook her head in dismay and Harry's jaw fell open in shock The dress was perfect for the dancing they did, and what it did to her figure was enough to make him wish for a cold shower right there in the store.
Hermione took one look at his reaction, then turned to Madam Malkin. "I'll take it."
The shopkeeper nodded and made a note on her parchment.
Mrs. Weasley frowned. "Dear, don't you think it's a bit too revealing?"
"Actually, Mrs. Weasley, that dress is brilliant on her. She's going to be the envy of the dance floor next month," Harry said.
Mrs. Weasley frowned and debated with herself whether or not to scold this boy for butting in where his opinion wasn't wanted. Hermione used the interruption to slip back into the changing room. A few moments later, she handed the dress to the shopkeeper.
After Madam Malkin's Hermione and Evan went to Florean's for lunch, while the Weasleys went to the apothecary for potion supplies. Hermione had owl ordered her supplies at the end of the year so she could work on her Potions homework.
Hermione and Evan had just made their selection when she heard a familiar voice.
"Oh, hello Hermione," said Luna Lovegood. "Are you enjoying your summer?"
Hermione looked up at the girl she knew only from a study group at school. "Hello, Luna. Yes, thank you. How are you?"
Luna peered down at the couple for a moment, then she fixed her attention to a spot directly between them, on the table. "I'm fine. I'd like to stay and talk, but I'm getting ready to go with Daddy for our annual Golden Ringed Platypus expedition."
Harry blinked and looked at Hermione, wondering if this strange girl was insane or not. Then the girl turned to him. "That's really a very good disguise, Harry. Normally I can see through a glamor, but that isn't a glamor.
"It was nice seeing you both, but I have to go. Take care, Harry!" she said airily, then she turned away and breezed out of the shop.
Harry turned to Hermione, his eyes wide with astonishment. "Hermione," he hissed.
"It's all right. She won't tell anyone. Even if she did, no one would believe her," Hermione said softly.
"Eh? Why is that?"
"Her father prints the Quibbler and while she is frightfully smart, she also believes in creatures no one else believes in." Hermione paused and looked thoughtfully at him. "I'm more interested in her comment about your glamor. She's right, you know. It looks too real for it to be a glamor. I can't see any of the faint, telltale shimmer one usually sees around a glamor."
"Here come the Weasleys," Harry muttered.
Both of them pasted smiles on their faces and waved at the approaching red heads. Evan used the distraction to steal a spoonful of Hermione's ice cream.
Seeing what Even had done, Ron shot him a grin. Mrs. Weasley frowned and made a note to talk to Emma Granger about the boy's behavior and warn her that they shouldn't leave Hermione alone with him. A nice girl like Hermione really should be seeking someone of station and not a wastrel from the Pacific.
"Get all of your supplies?" asked Evan.
"Yeah, now we can go visit Quality Quidditch," Ron said with a happy grin. "Ginny and I both use Comet 260's."
"Do you play Quidditch, Evan?" asked Ginny.
Evan smiled. "I used to, but there aren't any pitches on Fiji. I still have my Typhoon Mark IV though and fly when I can."
"No Quidditch!" exclaimed Ron mournfully. That was something he couldn't understand at all. How could anyone live without Quidditch?
Evan shrugged. "It's all right. I've got my board and my bike. My PE tutor makes sure I stay in shape."
"Tutor? Don't you attend a school?"
He shook his head. "Most of the wizards on Fiji are home schooled, usually by their parents. Sirius, however, has hired tutors for every one of my classes. They arrive by Portkey before class and leave afterwards." He grinned at Hermione. "Come August, Hermione and I will be taking classes in Advanced Transfiguration and Runes."
Molly frowned. "But... what about the Reasonable Restriction to Underage Magic?" she sputtered.
Evan's expression turned serious. "Mrs. Weasley, Britain is the only country in the world that thinks that law is reasonable. I can practice magic anytime I want. So can Hermione, when she's with me in Fiji. And on top of that, she'll have help from Masters in both fields."
Ron and Molly looked appalled, but for different reasons. Ron shuddered at the idea of additional school work during the summer, while Molly was sure what they were doing was breaking a law somewhere.
Ginny looked interested. She always thought the restriction was dumb, and while she didn't quite hate school like Ron did, the ability to learn more magic during the summer would be nice. If anything, she was becoming even more envious of Hermione. Not only was her boyfriend smoking hot, but he was smart and they would be making magic together, while she de-gnomed the garden.
Two hours later they were back at Hermione's house, in the backyard with Ginny and Ron. Molly was in the kitchen, speaking with Emma. The two Weasleys looked at the pool with a little envy. They had a swimming hole, which worked for them, but it was a half mile walk from the Burrow to the hole.
"How much do you know about this boy, Emma? I don't mean to pry, but he seems a little odd," Molly said, cradling her cup of tea.
Emma smiled at her. "You don't have to worry about Evan, Molly. Hermione has him wrapped around her little finger. He wouldn't dream of doing anything to hurt her."
"Still, it seems to me that he's not being fully truthful. I'd suggest keeping an eye on him. I'm not sure I'd be willing to leave my Ginny alone with him," Molly countered.
Only because your Ginny wouldn't think twice about trying to steal him away from my daughter, Emma thought unkindly.
She nodded. "I was like that at first. But I've known him for nearly two years now. Believe me when I say I trust him around Hermione."
Molly nodded reluctantly. After all, it wasn't really her problem. But the situation still intrigued her. "If you don't mind my asking, how did you meet Evan?"
"We first met him before Christmas in 1994. Sirius had moved to Fiji and he invited us to come out to visit him over the holiday. Hermione was close to Harry and Sirius and we thought that Sirius might like a friendly face, since Harry had gone missing. He bought us the plane tickets, so we went. Evan was living with Sirius at the time. She and Evan hit it off almost immediately."
Molly scowled at hearing Harry's name being mentioned. "Yes, Harry Potter," she said with a bit of anger and sorrow. "I had so many hopes for him and my Ginny, only to have them ruined by that fool of a Headmaster."
"It was a great shame to have that happen to him. And then, when people learned how he was treated, they still did nothing against his family," Emma said. She was interested to see Molly's reaction to that statement.
Molly stared at her for a moment, then reached over and patted her hand. "They couldn't do anything, and by the time they learned of his home situation, he was already a Muggle," she said, shaking her head. "Such a waste of ability and power and to lose it so young! He and Ginny would have made wonderfully powerful children."
Emma smiled weakly. Hermione had explained about the British prejudices concerning Muggles, but this was the first time she had ever experienced it first hand.
In the backyard, Evan was off discussing brooms with Ron, while Ginny and Hermione sat at the picnic table, discussing, well, Evan.
"I know I saw the photos, Hermione, but I never realized just how fine he looked. He's almost as cute as Harry was," Ginny whispered excitedly.
Hermione blinked and tried to keep a straight face. "Really?" she replied. "I don't know. Harry was cute in an underfed sort of way. He was my friend, but I never really paid that kind of attention to him."
Ginny sighed. "I wish he hadn't left. But without any magic, he's not much use to anyone, anymore."
Hermione looked at her, surprised. "You mean if he showed up now, you wouldn't be interested in him anymore?"
Ginny shook her head. "I would be happy to know he's all right, but that's about it. Mum would never let me date a Muggle, and even if she would, I don't think I could. Now, tell me more about Evan. He seems very attentive, and don't think I didn't catch how he held your books for you."
Hermione smiled weakly. She liked Ginny, but had never seen this side of her before. It was disturbing. Covering her discomfort, she launched into a fictitious tale of meeting Evan and falling for him. Inwardly, she hoped the Weasleys would go home soon.
Meanwhile, in another part of England...
"Daddy?"
"Yes, Buttercup?" replied Xenophilius Lovegood.
"You'll never believe who I saw in Diagon Alley today," Luna said.
"Oh? Did you manage to find out if we could hire any Short Stumped Snarkles as pack animals, Lotus Blossom?"
Luna sighed. Sometimes getting Daddy to pay attention to her was a little difficult. "No, Daddy. The Magical Menagerie was clean out of Short Stumped Snarkles. They think they won't get another shipment in for two months."
Xenophilius turned in his chair and clutched one fist. "Drat! They never have anything we need for our expeditions!"
"Daddy, don't you want to know who I saw?"
"Who did you see, my little dandelion?"
"I saw Harry Potter. He was having lunch with one of the girls I know from school."
Xenophilius scowled. "How is that possible?" he muttered to himself. "I've placed Harry in Tibet for the International Naked Yeti Roundup." He turned to look at his daughter, but was only partially successful. He was badly cross-eyed, so one eye was firmly fixed on her ear. And that explained why he thought his daughter was an exceptionally bright but rather ugly child. Strangely enough, her mother had exactly the same deformity.
"What was he doing in Diagon Alley, little weedling?"
"He was having lunch. A blueberry and chocolate ice cream sundae with nuts and fire ants, I think. And the Queen was there, too," Luna said. She knew the queen wasn't there, and that perhaps Harry was traveling in disguise for a reason. Adding the Queen to the story would make it more believable to people. She was tempted to add Elvis to the sighting as well, but only Americans would believe it then. After all, everyone else knew that Elvis had been turned into a vampire and was now living in Ecuador.
He made a note on a parchment and rolled it up before sticking it in his drawer. "I'll see that we update the Harry sightings, my little cherry blossom."
Luna smiled happily, then went down to the kitchen to cook dinner. She was an accomplished cook; for her it was a survival skill. Xenophilius was of the opinion that raw food was safer than cooked. She wasn't about to sit through another meal of freshly cut grass and gravel.
Hermione's House (Later that evening), Oxford, England, July 17th, 1996...
Harry collapsed onto the couch beside Hermione and tiredly wiped his face. As he did, his features returned to normal.
Hermione watched him, shocked at what she was seeing. He shouldn't be able to do that, even with a focus ring. He had problems with a glamor spell with a wand and couldn't cast one at all with a focus ring.
A moment later, Emma and Dan joined them in the living room. Emma dropped into her favorite chair with an exhausted air about her.
"You know," she said slowly. "I used to like the Weasleys, but now I'm not so sure. The way Molly dismisses all things Muggle is disturbing."
Hermione nodded. "Ginny wasn't much different. She basically said that she missed Harry, but now that he was a Muggle, he was pretty much beneath her notice. And before that, she told me that Evan was almost as cute as Harry."
Harry cracked one eye open and looked at her. "Almost?"
Hermione laughed and leaned against him. "Yes, almost. And I could see her eying you with interest. If you were a side of beef, she would have purchased you."
He chuckled and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "She can eye all she wants, but I'm not interested and I'm off the market. Besides, I don't think that was lust she was looking at me with. There were a couple of times when she seemed to be looking as if she was trying to piece things together in her head. Mark my words, after the twins, she's the smartest Weasley and the one most likely to penetrate my disguise."
"Should we be worried?" asked Dan.
Hermione shook her head. "I don't think so. Harry pulled Evan off well enough to fool her, at least for now. He made some smart comments and demonstrated some Japanese, which will keep her from connecting Harry to Evan."
"Why?" Emma asked. She had kicked off her shoes and had them propped up in Dan's lap. He was seated on the footrest and began to rub her feet automatically as he listened.
"Simple. Evan's smart; Harry isn't," Harry said with a grin.
"Harry!" Hermione admonished.
"Oh, fine. The Harry she knew well was only a mediocre student. He probably would have gotten four or five OWL's, if that many. Not the eight that Evan got, and he certainly wouldn't have learned to speak Japanese and Arabic."
Hermione smiled to herself and cuddled deeper into Harry's embrace. He was combing his fingers through her hair and she was enjoying herself immensely.
Dan frowned. "I meant to ask you. You took your OWL exams under the name Evan Black. How can you take your NEWTS under the name of Harry Potter?"
"Sirius made a deal with the Pacific Rim Ministry. They're hoping to open the first formal wizarding school on Fiji and Sirius offered to donate the land for the campus. It's in the interior and will only be accessible by Portkey. The school won't be ready for several more years, but they couldn't pass up the chance to get twenty five hundred hectares of land at no cost if they allowed for a minor name change on the NEWT exams and a few other concessions," Harry replied. "I don't know all the details, but either I'll take the exam as Harry Potter, or the grades will be assigned to me afterwards. Either way, it works."
"Nice," Dan murmured. With that much land, they could build a campus that would rival most modest sized colleges.
"Harry, can I ask how you removed your glamor? You didn't use the counter-spell," Hermione asked from his shoulder.
He paused in combing his fingers through her hair and looked startled.
She sat up and looked at him. "Did you use your wand to cast the glamor this morning?"
He shook his head. "No, I thought I had made a breakthrough in using my ring."
She gave him a pensive look, then bounced to her feet. "I want to go look something up," she announced.
"Now?" exclaimed Harry.
"Now," she answered, then went upstairs to her room where she kept her books.
He shook his head ruefully. "She could be about to give birth and she'd be asking for a medical book so she could look something up," he muttered to himself. Then he glanced up to see the frozen expression on Dan and Emma's face. A moment later, they began to laugh.
"You have no idea Harry," Dan said with a chuckle.
He sighed and climbed to his feet. "Well, I guess I'll call it a night then. For some reason, today wore me out more than I thought it would."
Emma looked up in alarm. "Are you feeling all right?"
He smiled reassuringly. "Yes, thanks. I'm just tired."
"All right, dear. But if you start feeling ill, we're right down the hall."
Harry nodded and waved before heading off to bed.
He had been sleeping for several hours when he vaguely felt his bed shift.
"Harry?" someone whispered.
He rolled over and tried to ignore the voice.
"Harry?" the voice whispered again, only this time someone was also shaking him.
He opened his eyes and blinked sleepily. "Hermione?"
"Were you sleeping?" she asked with a grin he couldn't see.
He yawned and dropped his head back onto his pillow. "No, I was examining the inside of my eyelids for defects. Now, is there a reason for this midnight visit? Perhaps you've finally decided you want a hunk of this green eyed wizard, hmmm?"
"You know I do, Mr. Potter. But when that happens, it won't be with my parents sleeping in the next bedroom. Now, shake free of your over-sized ego and pay attention," she said in a low voice.
He sighed and sat up. "How may I serve you, Oh, luscious, intelligent one."
"Prat," she muttered.
Harry conjured a small blue bell flame and set it hovering by his night table.
He tried to ignore the fact that the small light was outlining her body perfectly. He looked at her and couldn't hide the desire he felt. It was burning in him like a raging inferno and it forced him to shift in the bed to hide the growing bulge under the blanket.
For her part, the idea had seemed like a good one when she first thought of it. But now she wasn't so sure. He had been downright adorable in his sleep. If that wasn't bad enough, he was giving her a look that she was coming to recognize. It was a look that he reserved only for her. She couldn't help it, it caused her breath to quicken and her pulse to race.
"I... ah... um... I think I know what is going on," she blurted. "And stop looking at me like that. Don't make it any harder."
He suddenly started to laugh and she glared at him. "I... couldn't... make... it... any... harder... without... hurting... myself," he gasped, holding his sides as he laughed.
Hermione blushed when she realized what she had said.
Harry finally calmed down and sat up straight. "All right, just what are we talking about here?"
"Have you ever cast a glamor on someone else?"
He blinked at her seemingly unconnected non sequitur. "No, I don't think so."
"But you have problems casting one on your self with your wand and can't cast one using your ring at all. That's clue number one," she said, ticking off one finger.
Harry nodded, still confused.
"Clue number two, you got sick after taking the animagus revealus potion, each component of which is fairly standard. It's the potion itself that made you ill, not the ingredients."
She ticked off another finger. "Finally, clue number three. Luna Lovegood. What did she say today?"
"'That's really a very good disguise, Harry. Normally, I can see through a glamor, but that isn't a glamor,'" Harry parroted stupidly. He looked longingly at his pillow and wondered when Hermione would get to the point.
"Only one class of wizard fits these clues. You're a natural morpher," she said triumphantly.
He blinked owlishly. "Er... What?"
"A natural morpher, like a werewolf or a metamorphagus or a shape shifter. There may be other types, but my book is very limited about the topic." she replied, sounding upset about having to admit about a flaw in her book.
Harry sat silent for a moment, then he thought about both his hair and Hermione's. Slowly his hair color began to change and lengthen until he had a hairstyle similar to hers. She leaned back on the bed and nibbled on her lower lip. It had taken minutes for his hair to change, but it was clearly identical to her own now.
"I tell you about this wonderful ability you have and you use it to mock me?" she asked incredulously.
He shook his head. "No, not mock you," he replied with a grin. "But just think, you can use me to test out a hair style."
Hermione laughed quietly. He closed his eyes and concentrated on returning his hair to normal. It took a minute, but he managed it.
"Now, Miss Granger, as much as I'd love to continue this conversation, I think we should go back to sleep," he said, laying back down.
Hermione nodded, but she looked unhappy. "Don't you want to kiss me good night?"
He reached up, sliding one hand behind her neck and pulled her gently down to him. He kissed her hard and let one hand slide under her nightshirt, caressing her hip. She shivered and moaned softly. His tongue probed her mouth, tangling with her tongue, tasting every part of her. She wanted that hand to touch her, really touch her.
She moaned again and sighed in frustration when his hands fell back to the bed, releasing her.
"Harry, that's not fair," she said breathlessly.
"No, it isn't, but now you understand what you're doing to me, as well. I love you, but I'm only human. We agreed to keep things slow. If you want to change that, we can talk about it. Otherwise, teasing isn't fair. I'll wait as long as you need, Hermione, but we need to cut back on the teasing."
She stood and looked down at him. With him laying in the bed, his arousal was obvious to her. She nodded in understanding. She had deliberately changed into a very light nightshirt before entering his bedroom to tease him a little. Ginny's reaction to Evan had ignited her insecurities and Harry's obvious desire had been a quick way to relieve them. It was only now that she realized what she'd done had been wrong.
She'd apologize to him tomorrow and make plans for that conversation about moving things up a little.
She closed the door and slipped back into her own bedroom. It was far too late for her to be taking a cold shower. Frustrated, she climbed into bed with a sigh and closed her eyes. Images of a tented blanket and his hot touch against her skin danced through her mind. She groaned in frustration and turned over.
In their bedroom, Emma removed the stethoscope from the wall with a satisfied smile.
"Well?" asked Dan.
"I told you they could be trusted. She woke him up to explain what she had discovered, then they kissed for a few minutes before he sent her back to her room," she replied. She wasn't about to tell him about some of the racier parts of their conversation. She would have words with Hermione on that subject, alone. She wasn't mad at her daughter, in fact she was rather pleased, but it was time to rehash a few key points of the talk.
"Good. I always said Harry was an honorable lad," Dan muttered. He pulled the blanket up and rolled over.
Emma suppressed the urge to pummel him with her pillow. Instead, she climbed into bed and quickly fell asleep, dreaming of chasing Dan with a whip and a bag of marshmallows.
Hermione's House, Oxford, England, July 20th, 1996...
The news that Harry might be some form of natural morpher sent Sirius into a fit of laughter, and he pointed out that the Potter blood had no such gifts. However, Candace Black married into the Potter line, making her Harry's great great great great grandmother. And the Black family did carry such traits.
Remus said he would make arrangements for Harry to meet with someone that might be able to help him.
Remus and Sirius were both shocked when Hermione laid out her case for the talent being there, even if it was largely untapped. The final proof was Harry's ability to change his hair and eye color, and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't cast a glamor on himself.
Natural morphers were incapable of using magic to disguise themselves without it fighting against their own inherent magic. That others had been able to cast glamors on Harry suggested either an untrained, awakening talent, or just a weak one.
Remus suggested that the glamors might have been wearing off, but the metamorph in him had been adjusting his looks to match the glamor so no one knew when it wore off.
Sirius was pleased as punch. He thought this proved once and for all that Harry was a Black.
"Good morning, Emma."
Emma looked up to see Remus stepping through the door to the garage and their portal. She was shocked at how tired and ragged he looked.
"Remus! Are you all right?" she exclaimed. Then she glanced up at their calendar and understood. Last night had been a full moon.
"It was a tough transformation last night. Cindy has been studying potions with help from Harry's potions tutor, and we think she'll be able to make the Wolfsbane I need. For now, I have to tough it out," he said tiredly.
"I hope Cindy can help you, but can't Hermione make the potion? She received excellent grades on her exams," Emma told him. Hermione's OWL scores had finally arrived and, as predicted, she had swept her exams, achieving full marks in every test.
Remus shook his head sadly. "I wish that were the case, but the potion will only keep for a month and it's devilishly difficult to make. At best, she could only make the potion when she was home. She couldn't do it while at school. Harry's tried a few times, but he's not good enough to make the potion. He's good, but it takes a real master to make it."
Emma nodded. She thought that might be the case, but it never hurt to check. "So, what brings you to England this time?" she asked, setting a cup of tea and a plate of biscuits out for him.
He leaned back in his chair. "What else? I'm still looking for that brooch. It vanished into a family about a hundred years ago and hasn't been seen since. The last person to own it was a collector named Swanson, and then it vanished."
Emma frowned and sat down next to him. "Ravenclaw's brooch would be what? Over a thousand years old now?"
Remus nodded.
"So you're looking for a piece from the tenth or eleventh century that could fit in the palm of your hand," she added thoughtfully.
"Where are you going with this, Emma?"
"I'm just thinking, what if it slipped out of your world and into mine? What would the Muggles do with it? It could be in a museum or it could have been auctioned off for all we know and now it's sitting in some old lady's jewelry box."
Remus looked startled for a moment, then he shook his head. "No, Voldemort would have needed to get his hands on it in the mid 60's. Right about 1966, we think." He paused and his brow furrowed. "Although he could have stolen it, then created his Horcrux and put it back. Sitting in a Muggle museum for all to see would tickle his fancy and prove he was smarter than the average wizard by hiding something in plain sight."
Emma nodded. "Museum break-ins should be easy to find out about. Just go to the library and look through the microfiche."
Remus blinked and looked at her stupidly.
She chuckled. "Right, first things first. You rest here for a while, then we'll go to the library, where I'll teach you how to use microfiche."
He nodded gratefully. In truth, he was getting very discouraged looking for the brooch, and Emma's method did offer an avenue that he hadn't considered before.
"Remus, Hermione said something the other day that she couldn't explain. I'm hoping you can."
"Oh? What did she say?" he asked. He picked up his cup and sipped his tea.
"She said she could feel Harry's magic and was attracted to it, even back in their first year when she met him on the train."
Remus smiled. "Do you want to know the myth or the real answer? I can assure you, the myth is more interesting, if only from a historical perspective."
She leaned closer and took a biscuit from the platter. "Let's go with the myth first."
"Legend has it that a powerful wizard will call to unattached witches. His magic will seek them out, attracting them to him. A hundred years ago, a wizard like Harry would have dozens of witches seeking his attention because they honestly believed that mating with a powerful wizard would result in powerful children. The honor and prestige they could gain from having powerful children was incalculable.
"If this were a hundred years ago and you and Dan were wizards, you'd be actively trying to convince Hermione to bed Harry for the prestige and power it would bring to your family. The fact that Harry is growing into the most powerful wizard of this age would be a powerful attraction to any witch. They believed it was his magic calling to them, seeking a suitable mate."
He paused long enough to drink a bit of tea.
"The truth, I'm afraid, is something much more mundane. Witches have a greater degree of sensitivity to magic and are able to feel power levels in wizards, even if they aren't consciously aware of it. Studies have proven that this ability has nothing to do with mating and everything to do with the fact that they are more sensitive to magic. Some think it's so they can be more aware of what their children might be doing magically."
Leaning back in his chair, he continued. "All wizards and witches have an aura around them, a glow that represents the power level of the individual. The aura is rarely visible, although I've seen Harry's aura on several occasions. And there are people who can naturally see auras, the rest of us have to use a spell to seem them.
"I glow, but Sirius glows brighter than I do because he's a stronger wizard, although not by much. Hermione glows stronger than either of us. She's a powerful witch, one of the strongest I've ever met. But all of us are nothing compared to Harry. He doesn't glow, he stands as if he were the source of a raging cascade of magic. There are times when he's agitated that the magic literally flows off him like a waterfall.
"I suppose, in a way, Hermione senses this and recognizes that pairing with Harry would be advantageous. But that happened so far down in her subconscious that I don't think she's even aware it helped influence her."
"So this isn't a spell or something Harry did to her?" asked Emma worriedly.
Remus stared at her in horror for a moment. "You can't honestly believe that, can you? That Harry would manipulate your daughter like that? Merlin, Emma, Harry would do anything for her. He'd never hurt her like that!"
She looked down, ashamed. "I'm sorry. That was uncalled for and I know Harry better than that. I'm just not sure I understand what's happening between them now that Hermione has mentioned feeling Harry's magic."
He took a moment to collect himself. He was angry and outraged that Emma would ever think something like that about Harry. But he also understood her confusion and wanted to explain it to her to help put her fears to rest.
Sighing, he raked a hand through his hair. "There's no coercion on Harry's part. His aura is mostly out of his control. No one, not even in the magical world, knows why two people fall in love. They just do. Harry and Hermione met at an important formative point in their lives and they're growing up together, each giving the other something unique."
He shook his head. "You should see Harry when Hermione leaves after the summer holiday, or after Christmas. He mopes around the house looking like he's lost his puppy. It's almost painful to watch because we know that we can't help him. That's why Sirius got those journals for them. James missed Lily quite a bit when they were apart, but that was nothing to the way Harry misses Hermione."
He paused and scowled. "We used to tease James about it, but never could with Harry. He's had it pretty rough for a while and that's something that's hard to forget. And we don't want to make the mistake of forgetting about him like we did last Halloween. The Dursleys left him with a vulnerability that I don't know if he'll ever outgrow."
Emma matched his scowl. "Yes, about that. I'm surprised that you and Sirius have done anything to the Dursleys."
"We can't," Remus replied. "Harry made us promise we wouldn't. He plans on coming down on them financially, once he turns seventeen. I think that's his only plan. He wants to show up there and hit them with an eviction notice. But he was quite clear that he didn't want us doing anything that might risk our going to Azkaban."
"You three take care of each other," she commented.
"We're family," he replied with a shrug. "My parents are dead, as are Sirius' and Harry's, so we're family. We may be small, but we're growing. Sirius is adding Cindy to the family and I think Hermione will join us as well, some day. In Harry's mind I think you and your husband have joined already."
"What about you, Remus? Isn't there room for someone special in your life?" she asked gently.
He sighed. "It would be nice, but where can one find someone willing to put up with a monster? I turn lethal for at least one night a month. That's bound to put a kink in one's love life."
Emma nodded sadly. He was right, and the odds of her finding a woman who would understand him and what he went through every month were slim. She thought about her list of unmarried friends and realized that none of them would be willing to live with that sort of problem.
Remus glanced out the window, then stood up so fast he knocked his chair over. "Oh, Merlin. Emma, get Sirius here. I think I just saw Professor McGonagall walk by in her animagus form."
Emma nodded and Remus pulled his wand, then hurried for the back door.
He skidded to a halt on the steps. Harry had the tabby in a body bind and was floating her toward the pool.
"Harry," he said nervously. "What are you planning to do?"
"Cats hate water," he replied in a matter of fact voice.
"Harry," Hermione said in a frightened tone.
He shot her a reassuring grin. "Is Sirius on his way?" he asked over his shoulder. He had levitated the cat until it floated above the middle of the pool.
"I hope so. I wouldn't want to have to try to explain this to him." Remus muttered. How could he explain how Harry had given their former Professor a hated bath?
The door opened again and Sirius and Emma stepped out, then Cindy joined them. Harry didn't turn to acknowledge their presence as he continued to hover the cat over the pool.
He gestured and the cat spun to face him.
"You know, Professor, there are laws about trespassing. I dare say the Grangers have not given permission for you to be on their property. One would think your motives for being here are less than honorable," he said in a calm tone. He was anything but calm, however. Everyone around him, even Emma and Cindy, could feel the power pouring off him.
"Harry, bring her over here and release her," Sirius said wryly. As much as he would enjoy watching his former Professor go for a swim, he knew her wrath would outweigh any amusement that might be had.
"Aw, Sirius, you can't tell me you never wanted to dunk a cat in water," Harry whined.
Sirius fought hard to keep from laughing. The look on the tabby was something he would always remember, with its ears flat and its eyes nearly popping out of its head.
"No, Harry. Set her down," he said firmly.
Harry glanced over to Hermione and she nodded, then made a few gestures with her hand.
"It's a good thing I don't like the smell of wet cat. Smells almost as bad as a wet dog," Harry said with a grin, then he directed the floating cat away from the pool.
"Hey!" protested Sirius.
Remus frowned and turned to Harry and Hermione. "Which one of you cast the anti-Apparation ward?"
Hermione suddenly blushed.
"Don't be angry with her, Remus. It's necessary," Harry said as he placed the cat on the ground near the table and released the binding.
The cat's form shifted and flowed into Professor McGonagall. She frowned at Harry, who stepped back, ready to cast a shield at a moment's notice.
"I see your powers have improved impressively, Mr. Potter," Minerva commented dryly. She kept her hand far away from her wand.
"No thanks to you or that school. I'd probably be dead if I were still there," Harry shot back. Hermione walked over to him and touched his arm, trying to calm him. He spun on his heel and walked over to where his shirt lay next to his towel. He reached down, grabbed it and put it on.
Minerva blinked at the anger in Harry's words and then she spotted the scars on his back. Scars that she and others had let happen.
"Why are you here, Minerva?" asked Sirius. "Harry's right. You're trespassing."
"I came here because I wanted to check up on Mr. Potter," she replied.
"Your concern is touching, if a bit overdue," Harry snapped. Why couldn't she have cared when I was starving and locked in the smallest bedroom? he thought. Or when Dudley burned my back and the Dursleys rarely bothered to use the prescription medicine on it?
Remus walked over to Harry and spoke to him quietly. The young man trembled with a mixture of fear and anger. He knew that if the Wizarding World discovered he still had his powers, the hunt for the Horcruxes would become a race. One he probably wouldn't win.
"You need to stay calm, Harry. You're putting out a lot of magic right now and while it won't alert the Aurors, it might result in someone from the Accidental Magic Reversal Squad showing up," Remus said softly. He watched him with worried eyes. The last time Harry had been this upset had been shortly after they arrived in Fiji. He'd had a bad nightmare about being stuck in the cupboard under the stairs. It took them two days to repair the damage to the roof on that part of the house and the neighbors still didn't believe the story about a waterspout.
Harry knew that McGonagall was aware that he still had his powers and he was fine with that. But he never expected her to show up, unannounced. It jarred him badly and he was having difficulty dealing with it.
Remus glance at Hermione for a moment. "I'm going to go talk to Sirius and Minerva. Why don't you two go sit down?"
Harry nodded and let Hermione lead him over to a group of pool chairs. Cindy stepped up behind them and placed her hand on Harry's shoulder. "It will be all right," she said softly.
"Professor McGonagall won't divulge your secret, Harry. She's known about it for months and hasn't said a word," Hermione offered.
He closed his eyes and nodded slowly, trying to calm himself and ease the ball of lead sitting in the bottom of his stomach. "I know. But seeing her is a shock. She was a close friend of my parents and knew they didn't want me to live with the Dursleys," he replied quietly.
At the picnic table, another, different, but related conversation was going on.
"Honestly, I didn't think my presence would have ever invoked such anger," Minerva said. She was shaken by the events.
"What can you expect, Minerva?" asked Sirius wearily. "He views nearly everything to do with Hogwarts as part of what kept him an imprisoned slave. You saw the scars on his back. That's the Dursleys' and Dumbledore's work. Maybe he's wrong to feel betrayed, but he does."
Remus walked over and joined them. Emma appeared a moment later, carrying a tray with tea and biscuits.
"He has his magic," McGonagall said flatly.
"Yes, but you knew that already. You also know that no one else can find out about it. Not until it's time to tell the world," Remus replied
"But why?"
"The prophecy is still valid," Remus explained. "That's what this is all about. He's out there, we've temporarily neutralized him, but there is still the potential for him to return. We need time to get Harry ready. With the rest of the Wizarding World thinking that Harry doesn't have any magic, and Voldemort being powerless, we've pulled the rug out from under any of his followers that still remain free."
"And I take it you two are providing the instruction he needs?" she asked archly.
Sirius grinned and pulled out a copy of Harry's OWL results from the Pacific Rim Ministry. She took the offered parchment and her eyes widened, seeing the scores.
"I had a feeling I might need to show you this. But how Harry is being trained is our business," Sirius said quietly. "Every class he takes is with someone at a Master level or above."
"He'll be taking his NEWTS at the end of this year, a full year early," Remus added with pride.
"Do you see why no one can know, Minerva? Don't argue with me over this. If I have to, I'll Obliviate you to protect that young man," Sirius said harshly.
"Maybe you should go calm down with Harry," Remus muttered.
"No, Remus. He's right. I'll offer an oath on my magic to keep silent if you like," Minerva said. She glanced down at the score sheet and noted the name, then she glanced over at Harry. He was holding Hermione in his arms, as if trying to draw strength from her. It was a scene she had seen before, with James and Lily.
"I can see why Harry's powers need to remain secret. But the ramifications of this when it becomes public? It is unlikely that he will be very welcome back in British society," McGonagall said.
"That's probably a good thing," Emma said, breaking her silence. "From what I've been able to see, British wizards are far too parochial and narrow-minded. When the secret comes out, the wizards in Britain will realize they were fooled by a fourteen year old boy who used their own prejudices against them. Will they be smart enough to recognize that and learn from it? I doubt it. No, Harry and Hermione will start a life for themselves elsewhere, I think. I hate the idea that we'll be so far apart, but it would be best for both of them."
Remus and Sirius exchanged amused glances. Emma had just announced exactly how she saw the future playing out and it agreed with their own ideas.
"If it comes to that and Harry doesn't provide you with a portal, I will," Sirius announced quietly.
Emma smiled her thanks, then turned her attention back to the Headmistress.
Minerva looked at her, surprised. She hadn't expected to hear such a cutting opinion of the Wizarding World from the Muggle mother of her best student.
Hermione stood and took Harry's hand, helping him to his feet. Then she walked him over to the picnic table with Cindy following them. He gripped Hermione's hand tightly in his own.
"Professor, my remarks and tone were uncalled for," he said stiffly. "I apologize."
Minerva stood and looked at him closely. He was well fed, filled out and much taller than she remembered. His skin was a golden tan and his eyes burned with suppressed magic. He stood close to Hermione, their fingers intertwined.
"No, Mr. Potter, your remarks were to the point and mostly accurate. I did fail to do my duty toward you. If anything, I should be the one apologizing. As I have told Sirius and Remus, I will give my oath that your secret will remain safe with me.
"They have explained what you are doing and why. Miss Granger's influence is obvious, considering the excellent grades you received. I dare say Hogwarts could not have done better for you," McGonagall replied. "And the school is a poorer place in your absence."
Harry nodded. He wasn't ready to completely forgive her, but he didn't like the level of anger her visit had invoked. One of his recurring nightmares was that Dumbledore had been somehow setting him up to take over for Voldemort. He didn't think he could turn into something as twisted as the Dark Lord, but it haunted his dreams nonetheless.
Cindy draped an arm around his shoulders. "Come on, Harry. Let's have a seat and talk like adults."
"You wouldn't have really dunked me in the water, would you, Mr. Potter? And how is it both you and Miss Granger are practicing magic?"
Harry sat down and made room for Hermione next to him. "I figured that a bath was less unsettling than killing you. As to how we can perform magic, let's just say that there is British magic, then there's the magic of other countries that's not recognized or monitored by the British Ministry, but is no less effective."
Minerva frowned. For the second time in less than ten minutes someone was pointing out a flaw in the British wizarding world.
He nodded to Hermione, who conjured a bluebell flame in her hand, then vanished it.
Minerva's lips thinned. Miss Granger's demonstration looked like wandless magic, although not as sophisticated as Mr. Potter's earlier demonstration. Wandless magic was supposed to be nearly impossible to do, and yet two students were demonstrating the skill as effortlessly as if they were using their wands to cast first year charms!
"We spend our summers learning, Professor. First, here in England, then we go to Fiji where we receive tutoring in Runes, Enchanting and Advanced Transfiguration. Hermione also gets some extra help in her Defense work from me."
Minerva blinked and stared at him. She had not expected that he was spending his summers working. This was a much different Harry Potter than the boy she once knew.
"So, what happens now?" asked Emma worriedly. In her mind, nothing had been resolved yet.
Harry shrugged. "That's up to the Professor. I would hate to have to take action against her, but I won't let her interfere with what we're doing. Her doing so would endanger you, Dan and Hermione."
Emma nodded. It was what she had expected. Harry would allow nothing that would endanger those he loved, and Lord help anyone who put Hermione in harms way. She glanced over to her daughter, who was blushing and trying hard not to smile. It reminded her that she still needed to have a private conversation with her.
Minerva pulled her wand and lifted it skyward. "I swear on my magic that I will not willingly divulge the secrets of those present."
Her wand flashed and her gaze met with Harry's for a moment. He nodded in satisfaction and Minerva breathed a sigh of relief. This was Lily's protectiveness coming into play in Harry. He wasn't sacrificing everything for a world that wouldn't care one bit for him. No, he did it for the girl who sat next to him. Harry wasn't saving the world, he was saving Hermione. The world was just going to benefit from his actions.
"Thank you, Professor," he said softly.
"Well, with that taken care of, perhaps I'll phone Dan and ask him to pick up something to cook on the grill tonight. Professor, would you like to join us for dinner?" asked Emma.
Minerva glanced at Harry, who smiled at her.
He really didn't want to be her enemy, but he wasn't quite ready to embrace her entirely. "You would be welcome, Professor."
"Thank you. I'd like to stay," Minerva replied, accepting the invitation.
Hermione grinned. She genuinely liked McGonagall and respected her.
Sirius stood and Cindy joined him. "We'll pass this time, Emma," he said as he glanced at his watch. "It's nearly four in the morning our time."
Emma nodded and the pair went back into the house to take the portal home.
Minerva watched them for a moment, then turned back to the others. "How did they get here from Fiji so quickly? And who is that woman?"
"Her name is Cindy Adams and she's going to marry Sirius," Harry said smugly. "They arrived as quickly as they did because they used a portal to move instantly from Fiji to England. It's magic proscribed by the Ministry because they want their ten galleon Portkey fee."
Minerva did a complete double take. "Someone is going to marry Sirius Black?" she exclaimed.
Remus laughed. "Yeah, that was about our reaction to the whole thing. But she's good for him, despite being a Muggle."
Minerva shook her head, marveling at the idea of it. Walburga Black must be spinning in her grave at the idea of her son marrying a Muggle.
"Remus, should we explain to the Professor everything we've been up to?" asked Harry neutrally.
Before Remus could answer, Minerva jumped in. "That won't be necessary, Mr. Potter. I will help if you think I can offer any assistance, but perhaps the less I know, the better off everyone will be."
"It may come to that, Professor," Harry replied. "We have some suspicions which, if they prove out, will mean us visiting the school again."
She shook her head."You can't, Mr. Potter. You'd be recognized in an instant and people would want to know why your back."
Harry grinned and his hair grew longer and blond. His eyes changed to a pale gray and he grew a goatee.
"A Metamorphagus!" the Headmistress exclaimed in astonishment. "I haven't seen one since Nymphadora Tonks went through school."
Harry returned his looks to normal. "It's not a well-trained talent yet. All I can do is change hair and eye color and make more hair appear. Right useful for shaving, though. I don't knick myself like I used to."
Everyone laughed.
Dan showed up a little later, bearing fresh meat from the butcher to toss on the barbecue. Harry went over to help him, while Hermione, Remus, Emma and Minerva talked about some of the differences between Britain and the rest of the Wizarding world.
Despite the rocky start, Minerva left, hours later, feeling much relieved about Harry's situation.
Hermione's House, Oxford, England, July 30th, 1996...
"Hermione, do you have a moment?" asked Emma.
She looked up from reading her Advanced Transfiguration text and nodded at her mother.
"Harry's out for his evening run?"
"Yes, he takes that very seriously."
"And there's no complaints from my daughter about his rock hard muscles, I take it?"
She blushed and shook her head.
Emma moved to sit on Hermione's bed. "So, tell me how things are going with Harry."
Hermione's eyes narrow and she looked at her mother shrewdly. "Do you want the answer to keep the parent happy or the truth?"
"I thought we could talk to each other about anything."
Hermione huffed a few times and stood up. She paced for a moment, then faced her mother. "Well, you can relax, mum. Harry's hands don't wander without permission."
Emma frowned. "I'm not trying to start a fight with you. I wanted to talk to you because I get the impression that you're getting frustrated. You're going on seventeen and you're of legal age in the Muggle world. You could be shagging him and I couldn't tell you no."
Hermione collapsed back into her chair and looked at Emma unhappily. "He's frustrating at times. I know he wants me as much as I want him, but he's got this iron self control about him. I don't think I'm ready for that final step yet. I know Harry isn't. But something is still holding him back from going any further than a good kiss."
She paused and chewed her lower lip for a moment. "You know how you'd get together with your friends and they'd complain about the men who wouldn't commit to them?"
Emma nodded. It was a common complaint among the unattached women in her social circle.
Hermione laughed softly. "He's willing to commit; no problem there. He even promised he'd ask me to marry him on my graduation day. He told me he'd ask for your blessing first, though."
"Then what's the problem, love? That he's talking about something that's still two years away?" Inwardly Emma was howling triumphantly.
"I don't know! We kiss and when things start to get too intense, he backs off," she said. She pulled her knees up to her chest and hugged them.
"Does he know where his limits are?"
"His or mine?"
"Yours and his. Yours first, because to me they matter more."
"I don't know."
Emma nodded and stood. "It seems that you should be having that conversation with Harry before you go letting yourself get all frustrated because he won't step over a limit he doesn't know about."
They heard the front door close.
"Speak of the devil," Emma said with a grin. "Talk to him, dear. He's really easy to talk to and I think he's as frustrated as you are. Oh, and close the door when you do. I'd rather not have to give your father CPR tonight."
Hermione rubbed a hand over her face. Her mother was right. It was time for her to talk to him.
Emma walked out of the room and Hermione followed her. She intercepted Harry just as he was coming upstairs.
"Harry, let's go out and sit in the backyard. I want to talk with you," she said softly.
He nodded and followed her, wondering what was going on. On the way out into the deepening sunset he switched on the Granger's bug lamp so they could relax without worrying about winged invaders.
She led him over to sit at the picnic table, then sat down next him when he dropped down onto the bench tiredly.
He turned and straddled the bench. "What's wrong?"
"Do you find me attractive?"
He blinked, then frowned at her. "You know I do."
"Then why do we always stop just when things start to get so intense? Why do you back away, especially when you know I don't want you to?"
"It's not because I want to," he muttered. "It's becoming harder and harder to do so."
She shook her head "You sure know how to send mixed signals."
He grinned. "I'm an expert at that."
"So, can you explain it?" she pressed.
He looked at her intently. "You're extremely important to me. I don't think I have the words to explain just what you mean to me. And I want..." He trailed off into a whisper and looked away.
"You want what?" she asked gently.
"You," he replied. "I want you, but a part of me keeps saying you couldn't possibly want me and that you could do so much better than me. And another part says if I step over the line I'll lose the best friend I've ever had. It gets so confusing and frustrating."
He sighed in frustration. He didn't have any answers. His dreams were filled with a scantily clad Hermione and his nightmares were her rejecting him for doing something he shouldn't.
When she laughed, he turned back to her, surprised. He wasn't sure if she was laughing at him or not.
"Hermione?"
"We're more alike than I ever realized. We have similar fears. I want you too, and I'm afraid that some pretty girl will take you away from me or that I'll lose you as a friend."
"There is no girl prettier than you," he countered heatedly.
She was thankful that in the darkness he couldn't see the blush she could feel heating her cheeks.
"What do you want me to do, Hermione?" he asked, his voice laced with frustration. "I'd do anything to make you happy, but I won't use Legilimency on you just to find out what you want. Remember what I said after Sirius' talk? I need you to tell me." He reached out and caressed her cheek with his fingertips.
"I want us to start doing more. Maybe not that," she countered when his hand jerked back suddenly. "But there is more we can do."
"Things that result in more cold showers or fewer?" he asked with a teasing grin.
She grinned back. "Fewer hopefully. And we'll have bookspace this coming year..."
"This is my NEWT year," he reminded her.
"Think of this way. This year I'll be there to help ease the tension of your NEWTS and next year you can do the same for me," she countered.
"You drive a hard bargain, but you've convinced me."
He leaned in and kissed her. His hand slid up to cup her breast and her eyes sprang open. She squeaked and moved back. Harry immediately looked ashamed of himself. "I'm s-s-sorry," he stammered.
She blinked and quickly closed the distance between them. "No, don't be. You startled me, that's all. You didn't do anything wrong," she whispered, then she grabbed his hand and pulled it up to place over her breast again. "I want you to touch me. That's what this whole conversation has been about."
He leaned closer to her, then glanced at the pool. A light had come on, casting a reflection on the surface of the water. "I think your parents are watching," he murmured.
Hermione looked up and sighed. "We'll find some time to ourselves."
He chuckled and leaned back after removing his hand. "We will. But for now, I don't want to damage the trust your parents have in us. Can we wait until they've gone to work? Your parents mean a lot to me. I don't want them to get angry with us."
"Me, either," she admitted.
He turned on the bench and stretched his legs out, leaning against the table. "This is going to be a long year with me studying for NEWTS, but everything will change once they're over. Have you thought about that?"
She turned and leaned her head against his shoulder. "What do you mean?"
"Once I take my NEWTS I'll be returning to Britain to hunt for Nagini, or helping Remus find that blasted brooch, then hunting for Nagini. I'll be able to meet you in Hogsmeade. We'll be closer," he said.
She shivered listening to him. His voice had dropped a register while he spoke. The thought of meeting 'Evan' thrilled her. Lavender will scream the first time she meets him, she thought viciously. It was a comforting thought.
"I hadn't thought of it like that," she murmured.
He pulled her hand up to his lips and kissed it. "We'll get there. Let's just take things one step at a time. But never doubt how much I need you."
He stood and offered her his hand. He was right. Her parents weren't exactly watching from the window, but they passed it far too often for it to be a coincidence. There would be other times for them to test the limits.
Taking his hand, she let him pull her to her feet. He kissed her softly, then wrapped an arm around her waist as they walked toward the house.
Author's Notes:
Bob peeked out from behind the curtain and was startled to find Alyx filling in a hole.
"What are you doing?" he asked.
Alyx whirled around and tried to hide the shovel behind her back.
"Nothing! Just waiting for you!"
Bob eyed the partially filled in hole with suspicion. It looked like a grave.
Suddenly Generic Reader #6 poked his head above the dirt. "I'M NOT DEAD YET!"
Alyx whirled and smacked him in the head with the shovel and he fell back into the dirt silent. She then turned to Bob and tried to kick some dirt over the body's face. "Yes? Was there something?" she asked innocently.
Bob took a step backwards. "It's time for Author's notes," he blurted.
She nodded. "Alright, I'll be right there, you start without me!"
Bob backed away and turned to the audience. "Right then... and now the author's notes."
sanghamitra – Donuts, they are a mystery that only the truly enlightened will understand. Just be thankful that you do not have to understand donuts to understand our stories.
AK – While you're giving lessons on science, look up the meaning of the word fiction please.
Graup – McNair is trying to capitalize on Harry's fame. He is an Ex-Death Eater and using Harry's fame and reputation to further his own goals. Harry left the wizarding world long before he had established himself as Dumbledore's man, or solidly opposed to Voldemort. As to Scrimgeour, he is just your typical power hungry politician.
And no, Nagini will not be turned into something good, unless you count the snake skin shoes.
Ron will turn out alright eventually, but he needs to grow up some first. Ginny is pretty much in the same boat as Ron, but they are not pivotal to this story like they are in canon.
For the Brit pickers. We ain't Brits. So yes, they are going to "graduate". Live with it. Besides, we needed it for the story and you should be used to us pulling stuff out of our butts by now.
Beta'ing by Keith and Dorothy. Sorry guys, Dorothy made me pull the orgy scene involving Flitwick, Sprout, Griphook and Fang.
No Alpacas were harmed in the making of this chapter, but I stepped on a lemming while emailing it to Alyx. She put it in that night's stew. Someone send me a toothpick! Lemmings are stringy!