FIRST A SONG FOR JKR:
Hey everybody I've got somethin to tell
It's what I learned from relationship hell
Lust turns to disgust
A heart of gold into rust
A soft touch to a slap in the face
It gets old
It goes away
This one's for all the suckers who still believe in love, this one's for you.
This one's for all the suckers who still believe in love, this one's for you.
It never works but we keep tryin' like fools
Learning and breaking the rules
At first you're excited
Then you're less than delighted
By the end you want them to drop dead
It can't last
It's gone so fast
This one's for all the suckers who still believe in love, this one's for you
This one's for all the suckers who still believe in love, this one's for you
- 'Suckers' by Real Big Fish
NOW ON WITH THE STORY!
Chapter 3: Secrets
Very early the following Monday morning, Auror and Order of the Phoenix member Nymphadora Tonks as well as a group of Ministry of Magic Aurors apparated in to a small wizardry village a small distance south of the Scotland England border, the group were sent after an alert of a Deatheater attack. The group had their wands at the ready for a Deatheater attack, they found it very quiet.
"Are we too late?" Tonks asked, as she carefully walked out of the ally they appeared in. What was in the center of the village was not what she expected at all.
Men, women, and children stood laughing and applauding. And in the very center of the town square was a giant, green seal juggling multiple green energy spheres containing Death Eaters. Beside the scene was the Green Lantern, watching the Deatheaters scream and beg for release, some getting ill from the unstable movements. "What? You want me to make it juggle faster?" Lantern asked the Deatheaters, "If you say so!"
"I see we didn't really need as many Aurors as we brought," Tonks said walking up to the costumed hero. "Get all these guys all by yourself?"
"Oh, they weren't any big names in this crowd," Lantern said, trying to mask his voice, "Just a group of Voldemort's thugs."
"Still, very brave of you …" Tonks said flirtily, sheathing her wand on her belt, then letting her hand slide over to land on the Lantern's spandex covered rear. "Very brave indeed."
The moment of contact caused the Lantern's green lens covered eyes to widen and the seal vanished letting the Deatheaters fall from their great heights with sickening thuds.
"Sorry boys," Lantern said, giving a small salute to the unconscious dark wizards. "Well, Miss, I better get back to the school …" he said easing away from the lusty-eyed Auror.
Green Lantern soared toward Hogwarts before slowly approaching the dorm room level of Gryffindor Tower. He slowly opened the window and glanced around the dark room for any sign of motion before floating inside, a green aura forming around his costume changing the black and green tights into red and gold pajamas and his black and black and green domino mask into a pair of owl eye glasses.
Harry Potter stretched his arms over his head before climbing into his bed after a long night of fighting and flying. He pulled off his glasses and placed them on his night table and shut his eyes longing for sleep.
"Harry, you can't sleep all day!" Ron said loudly as the room suddenly filled with blinding light.
"Go. Away." Harry grunted as he pulled his pillow over his head.
"Oh c'mon, Mate," Ron said jerking the covers from Harry's bed. "It's Monday! Start of a brand new week of the breast year of our life!"
"Ok, Ok … wait did you just say breast year of our life?" Harry blinked putting his glasses back on.
"No, I said best year, I'm sure." Ron blushed slightly, "Hurry, Harry, after breakfast it's *sigh* Charms Class!"
"Ron, Professor Zatanna's our teacher …" Harry said slowly so Ron would understand as they dressed and quickly made their way out of the dorms and common room.
"Yeah, I know, it's such a crime, making it illegal for students and instructors to have relationships …" Ron sighed dejectedly. "I'd rock her American world. But oh well, I can deal with the look but don't touch rule."
"Ron, you're a nutter," Harry shook his head as the two walked toward the great hall. "Where's Hermione?" Harry asked surprised to not find his bushy haired best friend anywhere around.
"Probably the library. Her loss, let's eat!" Ron said sitting down roughly at the Gryffindor table and started rounding up his plate.
Harry nodded and took his seat and too began to have his breakfast. A moment later Hermione came in breathing rather harshly and still attempting to fix her disheveled tie and robes. "Oh, I'm glad I didn't miss breakfast … I overslept!" She said breathlessly.
"Huh, Lavender said you weren't in your room this morning," Ron said, looking up from his plate.
"Oh …" Hermione flushed slightly, "I … fell asleep in the library, studying 'n all."
Ron and Harry glanced at each other, but shrugged off the believable story, neither noticing the look Hermione gave the Head Boy, Terry Nestro, as he walked in just a few moments after Hermione with a bit of a flush to his face.
IOI
"Welcome to Sixth Year Charms, Class. You may call me Professor if you like, but I prefer to just be called Zatanna," The beautiful magician said, giving a overly dramatic bow. "Now with the war going on, you're all going to need to know some protective charms and spells to protect yourselves from Voldemort and would-be Voldemorts," Zatanna said, smirking when the whole class seemed to shrink back with the exception of Harry.
"Oh get over it," Zatanna snorted to the stunned class. "I've read up on the jackass, and Tom Riddle is just a guy who hit the books to the point of obsession and was as nutty as a fruit cake. High caliber and should be seen as a threat, yes. But as a force of nature that shouldn't even be muttered as a name, that's just making things worse for us and great for him." She then smirked at the grinning Harry.
"Enjoying yourself there, Mr. Potter?" Zatanna said approaching the trio's table. "I had a feeling this would have a nice 'ring' to it to you," She said leaning across the table, to push his glasses up on his nose, "Eyes up here, handsome, you too Red," She winked at Ron before going back to the front of the desk.
Ron and Harry blushed crimson and looked down at their textbook while Hermione just crossed her arms and clicked her tongue as she looked down her nose at her friends.
Zatanna spent the remainder of the class basically going over what will be expected of them and what to expect out of her class. "Next time we'll have a pop quiz class, I'm going to give myself a charm, and anyone who can guess the charm next week correct will earn five house points. Now then …" Zitanna tapped her shoulder with her wand then glanced up at Draco Malfoy. "Mr. Malfoy, come to the front of the class for a second." She said as she smiled at the blond smirking Slytherin.
Draco did as told and Zatanna gave him a strange order. "Ok, Draco, I want you to give me any charm, any charm you want." She then nodded, "Whisper it, so … it'll be the pop quiz next class meeting."
"Right, this is going to be good," Draco smirked, drawing his wand. He cast his chosen charm at the professor but before it struck the beautiful American it rebound back and struck Draco right in the chest making him fall to his knees.
"DRACO!" Pansy called out as she dove to his side and helped him to his feet, "Draco, love, are you ok?"
Draco looked at Pansy for a moment before giving a goofy smile. "Pansy, I love you."
"Wha-wha?" She blushed and backed away quickly from the drunk-looking Draco.
Draco giggled, before turning to the stunned Trio, and walked around their table to throw his arm around Harry. "Scar-Head, I love you, you know that? I love you." He then placed his hand on Ron's head and ruffled his red hair, "You too Weasley, I love you." He then turned to the gapping Hermione and grinned at her. "And you, Granger, for a Mudblood you've got the best arse and knockers in Hogwarts history, I love you!"
"Mr. Crabb, Mr. Goyle, take Mr. Malfoy to the Slytherin Common-Room, the Feel Good Charm should wear off in about seventy two hours." Zatanna tried to keep from laughing.
Draco's two stooges looked at each other before approaching the smiling blonde. "Hey guys, ya know what? I love you, both of you. I love you just so very bloody much!"
"Let's go, Draco," Crabb blushed, as both boys hid their faces as they grabbed Draco's arms and dragged him from the class room.
Before they could get him out the door the Slytherin Prefect had one more thing to say. "I LOVE ALL YOU GUYS!!"
"That was just … weird …" Ron blinked, glancing to Hermione, and was stunned to see her looking down as she appeared to be fluffing the swells of her chest. "Very weird, oy Harry?"
Harry just stared forward with a sick look on his face. "I feel violated …"
"Alright class, give smiley there time to get to his common room, then you can go to your next class." Zatanna said with a smile before she returned to her desk.
After class the trio stayed behind to give the halls time to stabilize before they moved out of the class.
"So what's next?" Harry asked as he followed Ron and Hermione out of the classroom.
"I've got Transfiguration," Hermione stated looking at her schedule, "Then study time."
"Me too," Ron said, "Bloody shame we can't take it together this year, mate."
"Yeah," Harry said scratching his head, "but this is the only time Professor Jordan can help me with … the special education."
"I'm just glad it's not Professor Snape helping you, Harry," Hermione spoke up placing her hand on Harry's arm. "He seems like a much better teacher for you."
"You don't know the half of it, Hermione," Harry smiled half shamefully, before turning away, "We'll I'll see you during the study block if I can."
"Actually I'm …" Hermione stopped herself when her two best friends looked at her. "Um, I'll be a bit late from Transfiguration. I have to meet Luna at the Library to help her get some info …" She said blushing slightly, avoiding eye contact with Ron and Harry.
"That's ok, well see you when we all can get there, huh?" Harry smiled slightly, but let it fall as his two friends disappeared from sight.
IOI
A green light shot across the sky making a bee line toward Hogsmeade. Green Lantern slowed his flight as he finally appeared over the village and began descending down into the ally Dumbledore and Jordan told him to meet Mad Eye Moody of the Order of the Phoenix.
"Bout time you got here, Potter," Moody grumbled after glancing around to make sure no one was around, his large enchanted eye staring Green Lantern in the face.
"I don't know what you're talking about," Lantern replied with a straight face, which caused Moody to laugh.
"You've fooled everyone with that little Power Ring like ya Mum did when she was your age," Moody shook his head, "But there's no foolin' me eye, boy."
"So what's going on?" Lantern changed the subject quickly.
"Deatheaters, boy," Moody stated with a growl, "There's rumors that there's an inside man or men inside Hogwarts, giving um information on the secret entrances and exits. You've been keeping that bloody map safe, I hope." Lantern nodded without glancing Moody's way. "Good. You take the air and I'll look around here on the ground. Word is they've been seen around the Shrieking Shack."
Lantern started to take the air when Moody spoke up again. "Sorry bout Granger, Potter."
"What?" Lantern stopped in mid air, "What do you mean?"
"She hasn't told you then? Interesting." Moody laughed slightly, "Nothin' Potter, nothing serious anyway. Best take it up with her."
Lantern stared for a moment before rocketing to the skies, he'd ask Hermione about it later, but first he had work to do. With the power of his ring he was able to get to the Shack long before Moody, and didn't like what he saw at all. The boarded door was ripped wide opened. Lantern landed and ran into the house, and his heart stopped when he saw the passage to the Willow opened.
The Deatheaters would have easy gathering spot there near the Willow the only people who braved it period were Harry, Ron and Hermione who found the untraveled areas perfect places to sit down and study … "Oh no."
IOI
"What's keeping him?" Hermione asked frustratedly as she paced before Ron who was watching her dully from their usually study area just out of range of the Whomping Willow. "Harry said he'd be here, so where is he?"
"He's probably just running late, may have stopped for a snack, or had a meaningful conversation with a snake or something …" Ron shrugged.
"Do you even listen to yourself speak?" Hermione snapped, looking at Ron with a faint hint of disgust.
"Yup, unlike some people I know who talk a kilometer a minute about everything but what people want to hear about," Ron answered smugly.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Hermione asked her temper begging to take the better of her.
"I dunno, Hermione," Ron shrugged innocently. "I wasn't talking about you par say, wait a tic… that DID describe you to the T didn't it?"
"Awe how cute, a lover's quarrel!" a voice spoke from near the strangely still Whomping Willow that caused both teens to turn pale. Hermione slowly turned and she and Ron saw Bellatrix smirking at them as a large force of Death Eaters and Dark Wizards began spilling from the cave below the Willow. "I had so much fun taking away one of Little Potter's loved ones away, I think I'll take away two more while I'm here." Bellatrix chuckled slightly, "Oh come now, draw your wand, don't make it too easy, or it won't be any fun!"
Bellatrix's chuckling was cut off when the now familiar humming of flight and a bright emerald light erupted from the cavern. "Awe bloody hell." She complained, as the Green Lantern rocketed from the cave.
"I'm sorry, but do you guys have school passes?" Green Lantern asked the surprised Death Eaters with a smirk.
"EVERYONE BLAST THE BLASTED LANTERN AT ONCE!" Bellatrix bellowed as she and the mass of Death Eaters blasted a volley of A.K. curses at Green Lantern.
Hermione and Ron gasped when it met with a green explosion and Green Lantern's body plummeted through the smoke landing at their feet with a thud.
"We got him?" Bellatrix asked in shock, as she, the two teenagers, and the Deatheaters stared in shock.
"Eisner, see if he's dead!" Bellatrix ordered, one of the Deatheaters, who was very reluctant to approach the fallen hero. He approached the faced down green and black clad fighter and rolled him over, only to be shoved twenty feet into the air by a green blast from Green Lantern's ring.
"You two, get out of here and get Dumbledore!" Green Lantern yelled at Ron and Hermione who stared at him just as surprised as Bellatrix. Lantern finally pulled himself up, favoring his ribs.
"Like we're going to leave you like that," Hermione said casting a stupefy spell. "As powerful as you are, you're hurt."
Green Lantern rolled his eyes behind his mask as he made a emerald net appear beneath the largest group of Deatheaters and tried to throw them but as he tried to lift them, pain shot through his injured side. "WATCH IT!" Ron yelled as he tackled the Lantern out of the way from a spell from Bellatrix.
"Two birds with one stone," She smiled as she aimed her wand at the redhead and the Emerald Champion. But before she could cast a charm she was bombarded by enchanted birds.
"Bravo, Ms. Granger, Bravo," Bellatrix smiled as she finally waved the birds off, and pointed her wand at the
attacking witch. "Now let me show you one of my tricks. CRUCIO!" She bellowed as she fired a beam of light
from her wand toward Hermione.
From out of nowhere the head boy jumped between them taking the blast for the bushy haired Muggle-born and fell to the ground screaming in pain, pulling at his Hogwarts robes over where the beam struck him. "TERRY! NO! TERRY!" Hermione cried out, her eyes growing wild as she dropped to the brown headed boy's side, his blue eyes locking with her brown ones as if he was trying to ease the pain. "YOU BITCH, YOU … YOU …I HATE YOU!!" Hermione screamed, her face twisting in rage as she shot to her face and hit Bellatrix with a variety of curses and hexes sending her flying backwards against the Willow.
Bellatrix slide down the slope once Hermione stopped sending her curses, but before she could even catch her wind a vine from the Willow shot down and gripped her leg, and threw her high into the air, sailing into the Forbidden Forest. The remaining Deatheaters glanced at one another before making a tactical behind their leader's flight-path.
"What are you doing here?" Ron asked as he helped the stunned Head Boy to a seated position.
"Hermione, you ok?" He asked, ignoring Ron's question, only to grunt as the bushy haired teen gave him a bone crushing hug.
"Oh thank God you're alright!" Hermione said pulling back to set on her knees before him. "You are ok right?"
"I asked first," Terry grimaced, before Hermione did something that caused Green Lantern and Ron's jaws to touch the ground. She moved in quickly and quite forcefully pressed her lips to Terry's in a very heated kiss.
"WHAT THE HECK!" Ron pointed at the couple, gapping wildly.
Hermione pulled away quickly and paled as she turned to Ron and Lantern, "Ron … I was hoping to tell you and Harry together …" She said looking to the two stunned boys.
"WHAT THE HECK!" Ron pointed at the couple again, gapping wildly.
"Me and Terry …" Hermione started, averting her eyes.
"WHAT THE HECK!"
"We met during the Dumbledore's Army last year, and well." She continued ignoring Ron's flustered look.
"WHAT THE HECK!"
"Ron, please stop it," Hermione scolded. "It turns out he lived near me. And over the summer holiday he asked me out and I accepted. We've been a couple since."
"WHAT THE-" Ron was cut off by a transparent green gag appearing around his mouth.
"Well, you better get him to the infirmary and tell Professor Dumbledore what happened," Green Lantern said in a faraway voice, glancing around at the unconscious Deatheater that didn't get away. "I'll take care of him."
Hermione watched Green Lantern fly away with a curious eye, before turning to help her newly revealed boyfriend to his feet.
Ron just watched the pair before pointing again. "WHAT THE HECK!!"
IOI
Green Lantern dropped the Deatheater off at the Aurors' HQ in London, before taking the long way around the country back to Hogwarts, letting the cool evening breeze wash through his face and hair. Something about Hermione dating this guy annoyed the hell out of him. 'Cool it, Potter, she's a girl, girls have boyfriends. It happens,' Harry scolded himself as he approached Hogwarts Castle. 'Boyfriends become lovers, and lovers become husbands … what if Terry already passed the border of lover, Hermione did seem flushed this morning and said she … Stop it Potter, stop it right there!" He said to himself as he used the ring to open the window to his dorm room on Gryffindor Tower and glided inside.
Without looking around Green Lantern turned to Harry's dresser and pulled out his red and gold pajamas and laid them on the bed. "What's she see in Terry anyway?" Green Lantern asked as his ring and uniform gave a bright glow before flashing brightly as he reverted back to Harry Potter. "Just got to act surprised in the morning … won't be too hard" he mumbled to himself as he picked up the pajama bottoms.
Harry dropped the pants to the floor and froze in terror when he heard Ron's voice behind him. "WHAT THE HECK!!!!"
Harry slowly turned to see Ron staring at him wide eyed and gapped mouth and pointing. "Um … how long have you been standing there, mate?"
"WHAT THE HECK!!!" Ron responded, pointing at Harry's hand where the ring was.
"Oh dear."
IOI TO BE CONTINUED IOI