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Harry Potter shall never be mine or I'd be Harry Potter himself. I'd be stinking rich and would use curses on my own sister just to annoy her.
Chapter 2
It was quite a nice summer day outside. Harry and Hermione were just out the door when Moody appeared in view with his bowler hat hiding his eye.
"I should have know your little outburst of power last night was related to hormones or something Potter. At least Dumbledore should double the guard around here with a little luck." He grumbled as he walked to a more secluded place to apparate.
Harry strolled to a precise point near his aunt's not so perfect garden and crouched as though he was weeding. Hermione did the same and they were pulled into a large four rooms tent.
"Why Harry! When I saw the fireworks last night I didn't believe Moody when he was talking about hormones but now. . ." Tonks teased
"Well. . .Harry, we may need to have a bit of a TALK although I'm not the best for this." Lupin looked mean fully at Harry.
"Don't even think about it Moony! I just had too much of a realistic nightmare and panicked with good reasons too. Hormones have nothing to do with any of this and the talk you think about was given in my 6th primary year as well as by Mrs Pomfrey." Harry countered.
"What fireworks Tonks?" Hermione asked the metamorphmagi who was trying to find the right hair color for going out on patrol.
"When Harry transported you last night he overpowered several layers of protection added to the ones already there through sheer will and power. I'm surprised the place remains safe at the moment. Dumbledore had to come and set them back himself!" She exclaimed while looking at Harry. "It also caused the electrical network of this whole town to shut down for the night."
Harry looked at him with some apprehension, he already felt pointed out most of the time and was wondering if this was anything else he just had others didn't.
"Yeah, just an overload of power. Emotions are a powerful tool Harry and well used they can augment the power of a spell exponentially." Lupin continued. "I remember your father being able to do the same thing once in a while but he just shrugged it off to some sort of cosmic chaos theory that whenever a Slytherin was getting on his nerves it was divine providence that made sure they were hurt all over."
"You mean his father could do that as well? Like an inbred capacity?" Hermione asked.
"Yes." Tonks answered. "Old wizarding families and some muggleborns have old secrets buried in the sands of time. Each have either some sort of hidden potential or sometimes a secret only passed to the eldest on his coming of age. The Weasleys have one but it's well hidden, The Potters have incredible potential hidden in them, and the Malfoys always flaunted their gift without telling what it is." She took a deep breath. "I'm a metamorphmagi, the first one in the family, but my children will have the ability to become one and their children as well."
"I understand but why does Harry have that much power if he can't control it?" Hermione asked.
"With every secrets, there are repercussions Hermione. Some parts of the secret have been lost to our world for a very long time. Harry, you have power but lack the control to use it efficiently that's all." Lupin answered "I believe we told you more then enough. Dumbledore may be the only man alive with a clue to how to control your powers Harry and that's because he's the oldest man in this world."
"I think I understand." Harry answered `I'll see what I can get out of him next time we meet.' He thought at the same time.
"What are you here for anyway? You know you can't exactly disappear like that." Tonks asked, deriving the conversation.
"I need some of my things from home. You know, clothes, sleeping bag, pillow . . .girl stuff. . ." The last was said in a tiny little squeal as she blushed. If she stayed with Harry that long she would have to worry about her time of the month sometime and Harry wasn't equipped for such problems.
"I'll go get them this afternoon." Tonks said.
"I could go right now." Lupin argued.
"Please, those matters need a feminine touch." Hermione muttered as Harry looked puzzled a bit.
"You don't want to ask Harry." Lupin stated as he understood the hidden meaning.
"Why do I have the feeling I'll never understand women?" Harry asked the older man. Lupin shrugged in resignation.
"Don't ask me. I never understood and probably never will. I'll bet even Dumbledore doesn't know what goes on in their head." He stated before they both sighed in defeat.
"If a man was ever to understand us ladies the world would be a much better place to live in!" Tonks interjected.
"I must agree with Ms Tonks here. Either a better world or at least make for an intelligent male." Hermione added.
"Before we're compared to dirt, me and Hermione are going for a little walk around town. Did you get authorisation from professor Dumbledore?" Harry asked the pair.
"Yes, training starts tomorrow at 6 am sharp with Moody. Be prepared to sweat and suffer. . . He was my drill instructor at auror training and it wasn't exactly pleasant." Tonks explained.
"Thanks Tonks. We're off then, see you later." He dragged Hermione out of the room
Once outside on the sidewalk, Hermione looked thorn between asking or waiting for Harry to tell her.
"You want to know what this was about, don't you." It was more of a statement then a question and Hermione knew it.
"Yes but. . . If you don't want to tell me. . ." she answered.
"It's all right, you'd know tomorrow anyway." He sighed for a second before looking quickly around. "Let's go to the park to talk, there should be almost no one there anyway and it concerns school related things."
Hermione nooded and they walked in silence with Harry leading the way. Dudley's gang wasn't out at such an early hour and neither were most children. The swings had been repaired during the winter and Dudley hadn't broken any yet. Harry sat on one and Hermione followed his lead and sat on the one next to him.
"There are some. . .things Dumbledore told me last year that. . .I cannot tell anyone yet. So maybe some of what I'm going to say won't make much sense but if you will listen." He was asking her something more then he was answering her questions at this point. He needed to confide in someone even a part of his burden.
"I'll always be there for you Harry, you don't need to worry about that. I'm listening." She looked at him expectantly.
"Last year, I learned why Voldemort wants me dead. . .I can't tell you why but it's either swim or sink in my situation." Harry took a deep breath. "I asked the people coming over to keep an eye over me for training in any field they may help me get stronger over the summer. I don't have a choice in the matter really but I feel trapped. It's either him or me, Dying or becoming a murderer. IT'S NOT FAIR!" He screamed to the sky before his body was overcome with sobs.
"Harry. . .We should have known that. This is a war we are fighting and we'll all do so in our own way." She looked at him. He was now off the swing and he moved to face her. He almost fell on her as he started crying on her shoulder.
"I. . .You shouldn't have to fight. When you were unconscious during our little. . .raid last year. . .I almost burst like I did last night. . .I couldn't bare to lose you Hermione. . ." His body was racked with sobs as he let go of a part of his burdens right there.
When he finally managed to calm down, they went back to 4 privet drive in relative silence. Once in the relative security of Harry's room. He took out a particularly ancient tome.
"What is this book about Harry?" Hermione asked.
"It's the book containing the ancient spells my mother used to protect me. I think this may be my last summer in Privet drive from what I read." He said "I think I'm lucky or rather unlucky the wards didn't give way sooner."
"What do you mean Harry? The blood of your relatives protects you, why should it dim?" Hermione asked as she leafed through the basic spells and frowned. "I can't read any of this! Those runes are more then ancient, they are almost prehistoric!"
"The reason I believe this is my last summer is simple. I'm sixteen at the end of the month." He stated. "Back when those spells were made, people became adults when they hit their 16th birthday."
"I still don't see the. . .A mother's love saves her child but when the child becomes an adult, no longer may the mother's love protect him!" She almost exclaimed. "Brilliant Harry, that spell must have been made to protect the children from harm during the middle ages or even before, back when Muggles and wizards lived together!"
Hermione began hypothesising about the origins of the book and the various spells inside while Harry read a book on apparition. Dinner came and went while they read with sandwich Harry made on the spot. Hermione now had a book about the basic housekeeping charms while Harry was concentrating upon occlumency. Both went to supper at the very least and were widely ignored by the Dursleys. The conversation was quite pleasant to Harry though.
"Anyway Hermione, what do you think of my course plans for the DA?" He asked her.
"Quite good but you should include from third year and up, maybe put Ron in charge of the first and second years. They may not be up to par but they need to learn the basics fast I believe." She answered.
"Yes, but Ron? Why not Luna while we're at it. . .I got it! Ron and Luna! I'm sure she'll have a crumble horned Shorlack (typo?) by then to show them!" Harry told her but she just rolled her eyes.
"We'll be a lot more this year Harry. You know how things are in Hogwarts. The rumors about our little escapade hasn't left anyone cold. We'll have to dispatch some of our workload." She said sternly. The Dursleys were quite unsettled by their current guest who was talking about magic as easily as she breathed.
"You're right, with my little part as a prefect I'll have a lot more to do. What do you think of studying the Aegis shield spell on the fifth meeting? I was thinking of doin g so first but I want to revise the Patronus first." Harry was beaming while the Dursleys were almost quaking in their corner of the table.
"Yes and we can even practice here since the house is unplottable." Hermione had done it, the bit about the practice of magic had just sent aunt Petunia unconscious.
"Oh let me help! I know how to get her up!" Hermione was either a great actress or she was too innocent to think of the reaction of the Dursleys. Harry knew the truth, Hermione was quite diabolical when she wanted and if you ask Rita Skeeter she should be able to get you a couple of swear words about her that you didn't know about. Like Ron said in their first year, they really have a bad influence on the girl. "Enervate" she used the spell to wake the unconscious on Petunia who screamed at having a wand pointed at her point blank. It took all of Harry's will not to laugh to death and drag Hermione to his room. Once there, he exploded in a loud fit of laughter.
"You don't know how long I waited to do something like this!" He calmed down a little as Hermione chuckled.
"We should get to sleep though, I suppose I'll just find myself some covers." She said.
Harry waved his wand in the air to transfigure some of Dudley's junk into a mattress, a pillow and some satin sheets.
"You take the floor mattress, I'd be gallant and let you have the bed but the floor is probably even more comfortable then it is." Harry made the bed with another wave of his wand.
"Oh, Tonks put my things up here already!" Hermione exclaimed. She took a look at the content and took out some clothes that she made sure remained hidden from Harry.
"Hey, you going for a shower?" He asked as he used a second charm to redesign the room differently. It now was as large as the Gryffondor common room.
"Y. . .yes, I am. Just get to work on your occlumency before you go to sleep." She tried to sound stern but her voice was almost squeaky from embarrassment.
"Yes mom." He had no idea just what his previous question had sparked within Hermione but she seemed even more self conscious then ever.
The second Hermione was out of the room with all she needed, Harry took position next to the bathroom door. He wouldn't let his relatives near her and least of all Dudley. His behemoth of a cousin would be quite capable of peeking on Hermione. After a few minutes, the rhythmic sound of cascading water stopped and after a ruffling of clothes Hermione came out of the small room.
"Harry! Did you need to use the bathroom?" She asked the the speechless teenager.
Harry almost had to pick up his jaw from the floor, Hermione was wearing only a towel and it showed quite enough of flesh for his imagination to wander just slightly.
"Harry? Are you alright?" Hermione just couldn't fathom why he was looking at her like that, Harry was staring up and down at her in the corridor of his uncle's house. She finally decided to take matters in her own hands and drag him to his room. It almost seemed like he was ogling her.
"Turn around Harry, I forgot my night clothes." Harry did as instructed but he had a mirror right in front of him. He was too late to close his eyes and he got a full view of Hermione's lacy underwear. He was stunned, he was sure he had a goddess under his roof and that she was changing in front of him. None of his muscles would move and his jaw was probably dislocated. Hermione turned around once she shed her towel to find the mirror and Harry staring with a look of shock in his face. She went from embarrassed, to self-conscious, to slight anger and back to embarrassed.
"HARRY! CLOSE YOUR EYES!" She screamed pulling him out of his shock and he immediately closed his eyes.
"Sorry, I just. . .you're just. . .I er. . ." He was stuttering uncontrollably with his eyes closed. He wanted to justify himself but it was impossible for him to do so all of a sudden. He felt scared of Hermione's reaction. If he told her he found her beautiful, stunning or even worst. . .sexy she would react maybe outraged, or angry, enraged at him for thinking like that. Maybe it would ruin their friendship or worst, she could feel the same way about him and. . .Harry shook the thought out of his head when Hermione called for him.
"You can open your eyes and turn around. Now explain why you were outside the bathroom staring." She had her McGonagal voice and no one ever questioned that voice.
"I was. . .er, guarding the door from Dudley just in case and. . .when you came out in only a towel. . .I don't know, I guess I froze, you were the one who told me to turn around while you changed and, with the mirror, you can guess I was stunned at seeing you with only. . .er. . ." He looked at her, she was shaking from either fury or something else.
"Am I that repulsive?" She asked "as to make you freeze from my sight?" She was positively crying now, quietly but Harry felt a pang of guilt. She had misunderstood and he was positive anger would be better then grief for her.
"No way Herm !" He exclaimed. "You are stunningly beautiful, I mean you looked so. . .so. . .stunning that it went as far as to stun me better then a stunning curse! I guess seeing you in underwear that lacy must have overridden my thought process. I just froze seeing you so. . ." He almost qualified her of being sexy but his point had broken through. Hermione was now hugging him and had stopped the damage.
"Thank you Harry." She let go of him a little and they looked into each other's eyes. They were drawn to one another for a second but Harry cut the contact, scared of what he might do.
"I. . .I guess we should get to bed now." He stammered as he climbed into the bed. Hermione went to her own mattress on the other side of the room. She looked at Harry already on his bed and decided to levitate her own bedroll towards his position.
"What are you doing Hermione?" He asked her from his bed.
"Moving my bed, enlarging your room won't make me go away and if you have anything to say about me sleeping near your bed then suck it up." She said as the bed settled in it's intended place. She slipped between the covers and fell asleep in a matter of seconds. "night Harry." Were the last words she muttered.
"Night Hermione." Harry said as he fell into the blissful slumber.
The second Harry was asleep, his mind started spinning with various images for a couple of minutes as though he was under attack from the legilimens but the possibility was minimal, the images were not from any of his memories and they finally settled for a scenery from the middle ages or some time similar.
"Whoa, what a dream this is." He exclaimed.
"Yes, a dream. That's probably as close as you're going to get for a definition Harry but this is more like a vision." A feminine voice said behind him. Harry reached for his wand but drew a sword from a scabbard at his hip instead.
"Put that toy back boy. I'm not your enemy. My name is Lina Inverse and I'm your new sorcery teacher." She stated proudly.
This is the end of the second chapter. I have every intention of giving Harry Hermione and Ron a lot of raw magical powers which means Voldemort and some of his followers will as well. Not to worry, I intend for the cross over part not to be too extensive.
I thank my reviewers and hope for more reviews, it's the only form of retribution I get and it's merely self gratifying.
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