I own, nothing, nothing. Rowling owns it all.
Chapter 24: Pets?
******************Hogwarts, Harry's Room************************
January 27, 2006
5:30 am
A soft buzzing sound woke Harry; he opened his eyes to see only a mass of chestnut curls obscuring his vision. Easing back a bare few inches, he turned and squinted at the bedside clock. Hermione's alarm clock, which had somehow migrated into his room, read: "ARE YOU INSANE?" Flicking his fingers at the alarm, it shut up and shut itself into a drawer of his nightstand.
In his arms, Hermione stirred and rolled into his chest, the t-shirt that she had worn to bed riding up, baring her legs up to her hipbone, as she tossed a leg over his and settled back down. Harry grinned, and with a whispered charm, froze the mattress so it wouldn't move. Carefully, silently, he slid down the bed, pausing once his eyes were even with that teasing hipbone. With another quiet incantation, the black silk knickers she had worn to bed vanished. Harry's fingers trailed lightly up her leg, pausing at her curls. Hermione whispered something in her sleep and rolled on her back, her legs flopping open.
Oh yeah, sure Mione. Harry grinned as his head lowered, and his hands crept upward, pushing under her shirt. He could hear his own heart start beating faster as his hands felt the heat coming off her body. Nipping at her thigh, she jumped, but quickly lay still, too still. Harry's tongue flicked outward teasing, licking, as he continued with his wake-up.
"UMMMM" Hermione groaned, her hips coming up to meet him, any pretence of sleep gone. Her heartbeat started racing along with his, as another groan escaped her lips. Harry paused and grinned wider as he recognized the signs. Don't you dare stop...OHHHH, OHHHH Merlin...Even that thought was soon blown away as Hermione quivered, her thoughts crashing, her breath ragged. A long shuddering breath, a second, "Come here." Hermione managed and ever eager to please, Harry crept back up dragging her shirt up with him and over her head. He tossed it over his head to land on Crookshanks, who hissed at them and headed out of the room. Her hands slipped to his waist and pulled his shirt off to join hers.
Tasting herself on his lips, Hermione slipped her tongue to meet his. "Harry," his name a moan, "Where the fuck is my wand?" Harry shrugged, and dropped his lips to her neck. He followed the hollow of her throat down between her heaving breasts, and up one to suckle gently, while his hand found the other. "Harry...ohhh, ummm" Hermione stammered.
"Uhhh?"
"I really think," She stopped as his lips crashed onto hers again, their tongues dancing once more. Her thought forgotten until she felt something pressing against her hip, "Love, I..." Without a pause, Harry reached under her head, under her pillow and handed her an intricately carved, ivy wood, dragon-heartstring-cored wand. If she hadn't already been flushed, she would have been at forgetting her wand was under her pillow. Inconceivous, Hermione incanted in her thoughts, then with another wand flick, vanished Harry's pants. Tossing her wand in the general direction of the nightstand, a soft sound, very much like a purr came from the back of her throat as Harry got the hint.
Lowering his lips to hers, Harry kissed her a bit breathlessly as they lost themselves in each other. With a strength that very few knew she had, Hermione clamped her knees about his hips, rolled them over and lowered herself smoothly. With a slight grin, after an eternal pause, she started moving, their pulses, and breathing, in time.
Biting her lower lip, her hair suddenly damp, Hermione looked down at Harry, her brown eyes almost black. Reaching up, Harry pulled her down to him, her lips once more meeting his as she rocked faster, as if trying to outrace her, their beating hearts.
Around the room, small objects began to rise, and an odd energy started crackling. Unnoticed to either of them, soft blue glows started to spill from their eyes. Crookshanks, who had edged back into the room, looked up at the floating objects, the chain lighting and left quickly, shaking his head as he went.
Ohhh fuck me..." Harry groaned, as mesmerized, he watched her chest heaving, the sweat glistening in the early pre-dawn light.
"Trying..." the giggle was cut off abruptly as....
Pulses raced, and with a final effort, they crashed as one, muscles quivering as Harry let go with a sudden rush of warmth. With their mutual explosion, energy snapped outward in an invisible wave, shattering knickknacks and sweeping books and parchments to the floor from Harry's desk and shelves. Collapsing onto his chest, Hermione didn't move, only smiled a small, sated smile and nuzzled his neck, her purr, or was it his, louder. Harry turned his head and kissed her forehead, where she had rested it on his shoulder, "Morning, Hermione"
A brilliant smile lit her eyes and face, "Morning Harry." Without lifting her head from his shoulder, she brushed long, damp curls from her eyes and scanned about the room. Chocolate eyes narrowing, she laughed, "We really have got to learn to control that."
"Practice love, remember what your room looked like that first time?"
"Honestly Harry..." She glared at him from about three inches away, but the dual facts that she was obviously trying not to laugh, and was more than a little naked and still intertwined with him more than ruined the effect. Giving up, she chuckled, "fine, I'm just glad that you pay Dobby to clean up after you."
***********************Riddle Mansion**********************
January 27, 2006
Morning
A tall, thin man with long platinum blond hair and a decidedly long, pointed face walked to a heavy oaken door. He stopped and looked at the door, obviously warring with himself as if he really wanted to do this. He decided, and with a heavy sigh of foreboding, knocked on the door firmly and waited. After a long moment laden with the sound of his breathing, Bellatrix answered the door belting on a silk robe; it was painfully obvious that she had nothing on underneath.
A low, slightly disturbing voice with a hissing undertone came from the darkened room. "Why have you disturbed my...rest, Lucius?"
Lucius Malfoy took a steadying breath, "Our spy has found them; we know where Potter's remaining protection lies."
Do tell, Lucius." Lucius could feel the evil smile in the voice, and though it was probably his imagination, he could almost feel a cold wind blowing through the old mansion.
"#4 Privet Drive, Little Whinging, my Lord." Malfoy responded, a glint in his eye.
*****************Hogwarts****************************
January 27, 2006
Harry was waiting outside of DADA for Hermione; she had gone to see Professor Vector about an Arithmancy assignment before classes started. Waiting, he looked out a convenient window at some first years; trying desperately to stay on the school training brooms, it was a disaster. As he watched, he wondered what would happen next, as this had certainly been an eventful year. Reaaly I hadn't noticed. I wish I knew what the hell Riddle and his cronies are up to. He mused. This is like 5th year he's building up to something, I don't know what, but I don't dare open myself up to him again, there's too much at stake. Harry spotted Hermione coming down the hall and his sprits instantly rose. Walking up to Harry, she gave him a peck on the lips as she interwove their fingers.
"What's wrong?" she asked, she had felt the tone of his thoughts, but not the substance, since he wasn't thinking at her.
"Just wondering what will come next?" He responded resignedly, Harry had long ago given up trying to shield her, it just made her mad, and she deserved better anyway.
"What ever it is we'll get through it together" Hermione replied back with a slight grimace.
While they were talking together the rest of the class showed up, waiting for Professor Dumbledore. They were only four months from their NEWTS and it was starting to show. Where some might once have skipped a Friday morning class, especially a double, today it looked like it was over flowing. As Harry glanced, around he noticed every one there, even and especially Malfoy. Watching his long time nemesis out of the corner of his eye he saw Draco's eagle owl swoop down to give him a message. "I wonder why Draco's getting an owl this late after the morning post?" Harry asked Hermione under his breath and waved at the same time to Ron who had just arrived from walking Luna to Divination.
"Don't know, if I had Crookshanks here or if Ron had had a proper rat, we could have had a familiar flinch the note" She replied with a grin to which Ron just rolled his eyes.
"If it's bad, I assume that we will eventually find out," Ron replied, not really wanting to expand on that thought.
Dumbledore strode up wearing purple robes, with blue moons, yellow diamonds and green clovers; he had liked the jingle, and his "funky" hat as Ginny had christened it. He unlocked the door and waved them to seats. "Today," he intoned "we will be looking at how to produce shielding charms for your familiars. These can be particularly useful say, if you are using your animal to carry messages in and out of enemy territory." He finished with a tiny, invisible unless you knew him well, wink to Harry as he said the last. In this class at least, Harry sat up front along with Hermione, and a grumbling Ron for a plethora of reasons
You couldn't have taught this to us before now? Harry thought ruefully, though he had reviewed this spell in the summer after Sirius died, at the time he had been trying to protect everyone he loved, Hermione, by not admitting his feelings and Hedwig by a protection spell. He had immediately cast the charm on Hedwig the minute he got back to Hogwarts, and now either he or Hermione would renew the charm as it ran out weekly. They had tried with Ron's owl, Pig but for some reason, it just wouldn't stick.
Dumbledore went on, "The incantation for this spell is Protego Familiarus. Does anyone know the properties and limitations of this spell?" He looked around and found no hands up except his two top students, so he went with Harry, it was his turn.
"Sir," Harry began "the protego charm for familiars, like the similar charm for Wizards, provides for defense against such spells as stunners and other combat jinxes and curses. As with other most other protection spells it does not provide for direct defense against unforgivables, however if the wizard that the familiar is bonded to is within eyesight of his or her familiar, the Imperious curse and Cruciatus curse will either not work or be very greatly lessened in its effectiveness. The Kedavra curse is unaffected of course. The spell also provides for limited defense against physical and flame damage to the familiar in question. The duration and effectiveness of the spell depends on two factors, the ability of the wizard casting it and the animal involved. The spell works best on phoenixes, owls, cats and kneazles, to a degree on lower mammals such as rats, and not at all on reptiles or amphibians. The usual duration of the spell is one hour to one week, depending on the wizard casting it, though there are examples of longer duration"
"Very complete and correct, Mr. Potter, take twenty points for Gryffindor, now for additional points does anyone know of an example of this spell that lasted longer than the usual one week or so. Anyone...Ahh Miss Granger." He said with straight face, though he was struggling not to smile, especially as he could see Malfoy out of the corner of his eye making his bucktoothed, 'mudblood face'. I ought to step outside for a second and let her at you for a second. You're living on borrowed time boy.
"Professor, the best examples of the spell lasting more than the usual limit of one week are Merlin's owl Samantha, and your own Phoenix, Fawkes" she replied, carefully not mentioning that Crookshanks and Hedwig's protection spells lasted at least a month each, Harry or herself renewed them every week after that test just in case.
"Also correct, Miss Granger take five points for Gryffindor, now if you don't already have them go get your pets, you have ten minutes. If you don't have a pet at Hogwarts go get a school owl. Don't grab any cats unless they are your own." He finished; the last because in Fred and George Wesley's NEWT year, last year after they returned to a free Hogwarts, one of them had grabbed Mrs. Norris and "mistakenly" unprotected her.
Harry grinned over at Hermione, neither got up, as they knew they didn't have to. In the wizarding world there were familiars and there were Familiars. The former were basically pets, though often possessed of some magical ability. The latter however, were closer to actual partners to the wizard or witch and would often appear when needed. Just as Fawkes did just now, as he appeared in a flare of light and landed on Dumbledore's shoulder. Harry leaned over to Hermione and whispered, "Thanks love, for making up the points I lost to Snape yesterday."
"That was bullshit, and you know it." She whispered back, "Anyway your answer already more than made up for it." Yesterday during potions, Snape took ten points from Gryffindor because Harry had looked 'shifty'; he had been just reading his book, not even looking at Snape. As she was talking, a snow-white owl swooped through the open door and settled on Harry's shoulder opposite her. Pig came with him and fluttered over to Ron. A minute later, Crookshanks strutted leading in Pavarti's and Lavender's cats. She had the strangest feeling that Hedwig and Crookshanks have herded the other pets down here like a prefect leading first years to the dorm. Harry also noticed this odd behavior and looked a question at her, which she answered with a shrug.
After a few more minutes Dumbledore restarted class. "Now that everyone has an animal please cast your charms." Harry covertly signaled Hermione to go first and she was the first one to 'be able to" cast the spell on Crookshanks, and thereby gain ten more points for Gryffindor, much to the annoyance of the Slytherin contingent. Harry's subtle indication for Hermione to go first was not lost on Dumbledore, he smiled briefly at it, and then watched Harry cast the charm at Hedwig, who flashed blue for a second then turned normal, a sign of a successful spell, who then gave a soft hoot to Harry.
The rest of the class was not as successful, the gossip twins were finally able to charm their animals after a half hour of trying and Draco was able to charm his eagle owl reasonably quickly. Many of the other students who were using school owls and as such were having problems getting the charms to take, as the owls from long experience, didn't like students aiming wands at them and they tended to duck or fly away. Ron was having particular problems, as Pig either wouldn't stay still or when Ron would cast the charm he would suddenly spin out of control and crash. Crookshanks just lied on the table in front of Hermione being petted and gazed longingly at Pig, as if lunch were served.
Harry glanced at Dumbledore, who with Fawkes on his shoulder, was walking among the students giving advice. Harry had long since concluded that Dumbledore secretly liked the pandemonium. But even he had his limits; eventually Dumbledore gave up and assigned a two-foot essay to those, including Ron, who had not managed to an animal protected.
"Harry, Hermione, my good friends" Ron started before they have even left the classroom.
"No Ron, I'll review it, but you're writing it." Hermione replied before he was even finished with the question. Ron just shook his head and stomped off towards lunch, with the other two following at a more sedate pace, their familiars once again riding their shoulders.
*******************#4 Privet Drive, Little Whinging**********************
4pm
Vernon Dursley had gotten off work early; He was at home in his incredibly average house complaining to himself as he watched the television. His large, florid self was crammed into a recliner that was almost too small for him; his tie and shoes were discarded over next to the couch. He was muttering contentedly to himself "at least that damn boy is gone, maybe I can make his room into a den." He was alone at the moment, Petunia had just left; she had forgotten to get Dudley's mid-evening snack in her shopping earlier in the day. Dudley was gone somewhere, undoubtedly out causing havoc with his friends, before coming home for his pre-dinner feeding.
As he was sitting in the chair the doorbell rang. "DAMN DOOR TO DOOR SALESMEN" Vernon growled as he levered himself up to get the door, all the while wishing his wife was here to get the bloody damn door. Opening the door, the pair whom he found waiting were far from salesmen. Two adults, one a vaguely disturbing woman with long black hair and heavy, sleepy-looking eyes, and the other, a tall man with very light, long blonde hair, were standing on his doorstep. Both were wearing black, the woman in particular was wearing an almost suggestive outfit under a cape that was artfully left open to display her wares. The odd pair was waiting with their heads down and their hands held behind their backs.
"Yes what do you lot want?" Vernon snapped at the two on his doorstep, and started to close the door.
"Vernon Dursley?" asked the woman suggestively in a low, soft voice, her dark eyes coming up to his.
"Yes," He replied and then he noticed the blokes hands, were now not behind his back. They were now in front of him and they weren't empty. Vernon opened his mouth "FR...."
"Silencio" Vernon never said anything again. He stood there in the doorway, his mouth open obviously trying to yell and his eyes bulging with sudden panic.
"Thank you Lucius," Bellatrix murmured to her companion. She pointed her wand at the fat man who was still screaming silently, "CRUCIO" Vernon fell back into the house, now writhing in pain, he remained that way for several seconds until he passed out from the white-hot knives rending his flesh invisibly. Bellatrix kicked him, and mentioned conversationally to the unconscious Vernon, "you are a worthless piece of shit, even for a muggle, aren't you, your nephew withstood that for several minutes from both myself and my master. Lucius look about for the others, they should be here according to our spy...I'll just play with this one for a bit longer."
Lucius shook his head and started searching the house leaving Bellatrix to her fun. As he was searching, he heard from the living room, "Enervate, CRUCIO." A series of loud thumps followed by silence, was heard, only to hear it all again. Lucius rapidly finished searching the house, but to no avail, they have missed the rest of the targets. Lily Potter's sister, and her fat son. We had always wondered what happened to Petunia, she dropped out of sight some years before Lily's death. He walked back into the living room and spotted Bellatrix getting ready to go again. "Enough fun Bellatrix, end it, I'll leave Potter a message."
Bellatrix pouted but pointed her wand between Vernon's bulging eyes anyway. "Avada Kedavra" A green flash lit the room and a rushing sound filling their ears, Vernon's eyes were suddenly dull and lifeless.
Malfoy pointed his wand skyward. "Morsmordre" the Dark Mark appeared above Privet Drive for any wizard to see. "Let us leave," Lucius held the door open for Bellatrix as she left the house, and closed the door behind him. In the house, there was no sound, until from somewhere outside, a double CRACK echoed off the tightly spaced homes.
*****************Hogwarts, Headmaster's Office***********************
4:30pm
Albus Dumbledore was sitting in one of his cozy armchairs opposite Minerva McGonagall a cup of hot chocolate in his hand. The headmaster and assistant headmistress of Hogwarts were sitting, discussing school assignments, the Quiddich season and just what they were going to do next year when Harry and Hermione graduated for DADA. Minerva wanted to offer the job to Hermione full time, as she reasoned that her husband, it was an open secret that Harry was just biding his time now among all the Order members except Hermione, would always be available to help also. Harry was a wonderful teacher, but they both thought he would be offered an Auror appointment immediately on graduation, especially since Kingsley Shaklebolt already had his badge made up.
Dumbledore disagreed slightly, he had a suspicion that either they both would be Aurors or something else together. He figured that both of them might be offered Auror slots, which would normally preclude teaching early in their careers. It wasn't uncommon for Aurors to take a year off and teach that class or to do so after retirement, witness Moody's attempt four years ago, but they generally did so after being on active duty for several years, similar as to what Tonks was doing now teaching the third years.
As Dumbledore finished his hot chocolate, he got up to get a refill from a carafe on the table. Suddenly with a flash Fawkes appeared, he settled on his shoulder and dropped a note in his hands. Reading it quickly, Dumbledore let out a low groan; his eyes dropped to the floor and he muttered an uncharacteristic "Bloody Hell."
Minerva had gotten up with Fawkes arrival, she took the note from his unresisting hands; she read it:
Albus,
Riddle has struck at the Dursleys. Vernon is dead, most likely tortured before he died. Petunia and Dudley were not here at the time, and are alive though Petunia is distraught. Arthur and Kingsley have a team of Aurors here oblivating all the muggles, they didn't destroy the house like the Granger attack. Suggest you get here as soon as possible.
Alastor
"Minerva, go get Harry...bring Hermione, and Ron also, if they are with him. He'll need them," Dumbledore said softly in the silence.
"Albus..."
"Just go Minerva."
****************Gryffindor Common Room*************
Harry and Hermione were sitting on their old couch in the Gryffindor common room. Across from them, Luna and Ron were sitting in a couple of old armchairs, they had a table pulled up between them and had a deck out, playing exploding snap, just to kill time before dinner. Crookshanks was sitting in Harry's lap trying to sleep but kept looking up every time a card exploded with a look of utter annoyance.
"So Harry, do you guys want to ride with us to Hogsmeade this weekend?" Luna asked throwing down a card with a bang.
"MEOW"
"Sure Luna", Hermione replied for him as she made her play. "I need to get some supplies before your fiancée drags us to the Three Broomsticks to see how much beer he can drink in three hours."
"I only did that once Hermione!" Ron replied indignantly. To which Harry only raised an eyebrow, "okay maybe a couple more times, but I was dared."
The portrait hole opened and turning to look, they all saw Professor McGonagall standing there looking...tired. "Harry", she said in an unusually mild voice, "please come with me, Hermione, Ron, Luna you can come too if you like, please make sure that you have your wands...Harry, Hermione, please get some muggle street clothes on also." McGonagall added, as she noticed that unlike Ron and Luna, the two still had their uniforms on. This last was the kicker, almost no one wore the uniforms around on the weekend, and Harry had even seen Dumbledore, in jeans and a sweatshirt, one early Saturday morning. It was Friday afternoon, and the only reason that they hadn't changed yet was that Harry and Hermione had had to go down to turn in some paperwork to the school bookkeeper and hadn't had a chance. Harry suddenly felt a kick in his gut; he knew that without anyone saying that Voldemort had struck a muggle target, but where?
"Ok Professor," the four all sprinted up their respective stairs. As Harry was grabbing an old leather jacket to replace his robes he glanced over at Hermione who had already skinned into jeans and a dark jumper. As he spotted her school uniform lying on his floor, a random thought crossed his mind, I wonder when McGonagall is going to realize that we basically use Mione's room as a closet now, we've slept together every night for the last two, three weeks. A smile flitted across Hermione's face as she heard the thought but didn't say anything. "Let's go." They ran back downstairs, where Ron and Luna were waiting, they only had to grab their coats and in Luna's case her wand, which she had used to hold her hair in a knot.
As they were walking down the hall Hermione glanced over at Luna, That's not a bad idea with the wand Luna's got, you can have your wand handy and Muggles wouldn't recognize it as a wand.
The group of five reached the gargoyle without incident, or seeing anyone else in the halls. With a muttered password, the gargoyle stepped aside and the group rode the stairs to the door at top, which McGonagall entered without breaking stride, or knocking for that matter. Harry just shrugged and entered behind her.
Dumbledore was waiting for them standing in front of his massive oak desk, seemingly nonplussed at their entrance. Immediately Harry, knew, not what exactly, but he knew that something wicked this way had already came. With a tired expression Dumbledore waved them in, "Good Minerva, you've brought Ronald and Luna as well as Hermione. Harry here," Dumbledore handed Harry the note, Hermione gasped as she read it over his shoulder.
"Mione you..." Harry began hesitantly.
"No she should go..." Dumbledore countered grimly.
Harry looked at her, worriedly, "But she might..."
"I've seen the mark before Harry." Hermione uttered without visible emotion, though they were thundering though Harry and her shared thoughts, as she confirmed Ron's and Luna suspicions.
Harry nodded fractionally, and with a deep breath and a shared look, he took Hermione's hand in his with a tiny shudder. "Lets go" Dumbledore snapped his fingers and they were in Little Whinging. The place that Harry had said that he would never return to.
A/N: Aw Cliffies, I don't mean to write them...they just happen. Sorry.