Chapter 35: It's all about that Small Gold ball with wings.
**********************Hogwarts, Quiddich Pitch*****************************
March 25, 2006
1:00 pm
"OK THIS IS JUST ANOTHER GAME." Ron shouted gleefully as he paced in front of the assembled Gryffindor team. McGonagall's prescription last Sunday had proven just the ticket. Ron had been able to go play for the afternoon, and after having any other thoughts driven forcefully from his mind, by the application of bludger and quaffles, he had been content to go lay down and fall asleep instantly next to Luna in his normal bed. But not before Harry had caught Pomfrey's muttered complaint, "what are rules anyway, I guess I work for the Potter/Granger/Weasley clan instead of Hogwarts, I should ask Mr. Potter for a raise". Harry had quickly escaped before she realized he was still there.
An hour after Ron had fallen asleep, exhausted, he was awoken by the thumb of a small hand rubbing the back of his, its fingers inserted carefully into his. Luna had been awake and smiling at him from the next bed. She was in the stands today, once again in control of her faculties, the giant lion head held in her lap. She had been too tired still to climb the many stairs to the Gryffindor stands, but Hagrid had happily fixed that dilemma, by the simple expedient of picking her up and carrying her up to the top of the fifty foot stands without the least sign of strain. In fact, he had even kept up a running conversion with Professor McGonagall as he climbed the stairs. Back in the locker room, Ron stood, and with a wave of his wand, moving diagrams started dancing about on the board. "Everyone see this, we'll start here." He pointed as a tiny, illustrated Harry flashed through the line of Slytherin Chasers and scattered them like chickens. Ron showed at least ten more diagrams as Harry tuned him out; his real job after all was to catch the snitch and to keep Malfoy from it.
Mione? Harry cast as he more or less pretended to pay attention to his Co-Captain.
Yeah, Love? She replied with just about as much attention as to Ron as Harry, they had helped Ron come up with the plays after all.
Ready for this? This won't be like the Ravenclaw game, Harry sent back worriedly, The Slytherins will be out for blood, and Draco, even though, he's supposedly on our side, will be right with them.
At the front of the room, Ron switched to another play, and Hermione nodded as he said something to her, I'm not afraid Harry, and there will be no 'save Mione' needed today. She murmured pointedly.
Harry chuckled in her head, No, but there might be some 'save Harry' moments needed. He replied wryly and she grinned over at him, and grabbed his hand quietly. Up at the front of the room, Ron finished and pointed at Harry. With a flicker of a grimace, Harry stood up. "Ok mates, this is it, McGonagall wants to keep the trophy for another year, she said something about getting a stand for it." Seven identical grins broke out at that, "this will be rough, but I expect, not worse than a Tuesday or so." Everyone, even Hermione shared a laugh at that, after Madame Pomfrey's joke in the aftermath of last year's Slytherin game, they Gryffindor team had started ranking the injury probability of matches on a Sunday to Saturday scale, with Sunday being a cakewalk and Saturday being one of those days when everyone went back to the castle on a stretcher. Neville, Seamus, watch out for the girls," Harry raised a hand to forestall the protests, "nothing on your skills ladies, but I figure that they will be gunning for the three of you, they know their chaser line doesn't hold a candle to you." Ginny and Pavarti grinned at that, while Hermione rolled her eyes, Love you too Mione, he thought over to her and she stuck her tongue out in response.
"Neville, Seamus, if Crabbe and Goyle...happen to fall off their brooms, well darn it, stuff happens." They all laughed a little hungrily at that, it wasn't really a joke, the laughter stopped at Harry's next words though, and a predatory look settled in his jade orbs. "Everyone be careful, we all know damn well, that group's the Hogwarts chapter of the Death Eaters, so they will try to hurt you. If it comes to that, they go down first." He watched silently as hungry looks settled into six more pairs of eyes, and he gave then a nod. "Let's go lions." Harry said simply, and pulling Hermione to her feet, he swept out of the changing room, the rest of the team in tow.
As they stepped out on the pitch, they were greeted with a roar of sound, and a couple of actual roars, from Luna's hat, and an actual lion that Hagrid must have brought along, unless someone else besides Harry was a lion animagus. As they came out the Slytherins struck up a chorus of Weasley is our King, the original version, with an added refrain using the words, mud somewhere in there. But they were quickly shut up as from three sides, a blizzard of popcorn, Bernie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, and Chocolate frogs was banished at them. The recalcitrant house dove under their seats for cover, and stayed there as at least five WeasleyWhizBangs detonated over their heads. McGonagall turned and glared at her house, before she turned back to the pitch, her hand over her face to hide her amused expression. Across the pitch, Snape stood and shook his fist at the Gryffindor stands, before he sat back down in a huff.
The Gryffindor stands erupted once again, and McGonagall didn't even try to stop them as Harry and Hermione smiled, and touched lips. As they broke away, each immediately taking a deep breath, Hermione even waved up to Luna, and ignored the Potter and Potter banner, that Colin and Dennis Creevy were sitting next to, trying and failing to look innocent. "I guess I'm out to take the flip." Harry muttered.
"I thought Hooch said Ron had to." Hermione responded with a slight grin.
"She did, then she thought it might be better that she could keep an eye on me." Harry shrugged, and walked slowly away backwards, holding her hand until they could no longer reach, at which point she blew a kiss to him and headed over to Ginny and Pavarti, tying back her hair with a leather thong as she went. Harry shook his head, a stupid grin plastered on his face, as Ron swept up next to him. Throwing an arm over his shoulder, he led him to the center of the pitch where Madame Hooch, and Malfoy were waiting, and Malfoy had to keep up appearances after all.
"Ready to lose, POTTY?" Malfoy hissed as they walked up.
"No, Ferret Boy, I'd hate to take that familiar warm feeling from you, you might cry." Harry snarled in return.
"THAT WILL BE ENOUGH, GENTLEMEN" Madame Hooch snapped and glared at the three of them. "This will be a civilized game, today." She stated, and took out a galleon; flipping it, "call it Potter."
"Heads"
"Heads it is, which goal will you defend?" She asked already knowing the answer.
"Ma'am Gryffindor will have the honor of defending the North Goal today." Harry replied formally, a curious light in his eyes. Despite herself, Hooch smiled and gave first him, then the other two, a formal bow, more suited for a formal duel than a Quiddich match. In response, as one they inclined their heads, and headed back to their teams.
Harry walked back to the waiting Gryffindors. The team stood, their brooms on their shoulders, and happy, tight little grins on their faces. Ron stopped next to Harry and laughed. He looked at Harry, who just indicated the team with a wave. "Lets go." Ron said simply and mounting his broom, he kicked off and headed for the sky.
"You heard him." Harry replied simply and followed his friend to the air. The section of the crowd in crimson and gold thundered as the team flashed by and Leslie shouted out over the crowd.
"WELCOME TO TODAY'S FINAL MATCH OF THE 2005-2006 SEASON." Leslie waved her mike over the Gryffindor stands to take in the cheering. "TODAY'S OUTCOME WILL DECIDE THE OWNER OF THE QUIDDICH CUP FOR ANOTHER YEAR." Leslie paused to let the cheering and jeering pass. "PLEASE WELCOME THE SLYTHERIN SERPENTS CAPTAINED BY DRACO MALFOY, WITH GREGORY GOYLE AND VINCENT CRABBE AT BEATERS, MILLICENT BULSTRODE AT KEEPER, AND MALCOM BADDOCK, TRACEY DAVIS AND THEODORE NOTT AS THE SLYTHERIN CHASER LINE." The team flashed by in formation past the announcers booth and the adjoining Gryffindor stands, to more than a few boos, several of which might have come from several adults sitting with the Gryffindors. The loudest of these was a peculiar witch who was standing to see over Luna's hat, and whom had her blond hair decorated with red stripes. The Slytherins did a few barrel rolls just to spite the crowd and headed to their start positions.
Leslie paused again to let the boos subside, and to be replaced by a roar of approval as the Gryffindor team snapped past. The smile could heard in her voice, "NOW PLEASE WELCOME...YOUR GRYFFINDOR LIONS...LEAD BY HARRY POTTER AT SEEKER, AND RONALD, THE KING, WEASLEY AT KEEPER. SEAMUS FINNEGAN AND NEVILLE WEASLEY AT BEATERS, AND THE RAMPAGING CHASER LINE OF GINNY, THE QUEEN, WEASLEY, PAVARTI, THE RAMAGING GODDESS, PATIL, AND HERMIONE GRANGER." Leslie waved her mike over the crowd before continuing, "as an interesting point, Miss Granger has assured me that she has every intention of accepting Mr. Potter's proposal just as soon as he gets around to it." Out over the pitch, both Ginny and Pavarti grabbed onto Hermione's firebolt, desperately keeping her from going over and blowing up the young witch. Harry rolled his eyes as next to him, Ron started laughing. Ron waved as he peeled off to orbit the north goals, while the now somewhat calmer chasers, and their escorting beaters started orbiting the pitch. Harry flew to the center of the pitch and hovered waiting for the release. With a whistle, the game was on.
"THERE'S THE RELEASE, AND POTTER AND MALFOY ARE IN PURSUIT OF THE SNITCH." The snitch shot out at a right angle to both Harry and Draco and the two rivals snapped after the tiny gold ball. Draco crashed into Harry, once, twice, then as they broke apart the snitch had vanished from both their sights. With a muttered curse, Harry stood his firebolt on its tail and rocketed straight up, right through the line of the Slytherin chasers, whom had received the quaffle on the release, and knocked the ball out of Nott's hands with the force of his passage. "AND POTTER LOOSES THE SNITCH FOR NOW, NOTT DROPS THE QUAFFLE, IT'S GRABBED BY WEASLEY, TOSSED TO PATIL. OHH THAT HAD TO HURT." Pavarti started to spiral to the ground as a bludger shot ripped the tail off her broom. Both Hermione and Ginny dove to catch Pavarti and together they managed to slow the Gryffindor's decent to the pitch. "AND BADDOCK HAS THE QUAFFLE, HE PASSES TO NOTT, TO DAVIS, SHE SHOOTS..." Ron stretched out to block the shot, in perfect position, but just as his fingers were about to touch it, a bludger shot out and nailed Ron in the ear. The quaffle sailed through the center goal; Ron held up a hand to his head while the other pulled his broom back under control, he hovered low to the ground with his hand to his head. "SLYTHERIN SCORES ON A TREACHEROUS DISTRACTION OF THE GRYFFINDOR KEEPER."
Quickly with both the Gryffindor keeper and the Chaser line temporally knocked from the game, the Slytherins Quickly scored four additional goals. They crowd moaned, and a new set of snacks was banished across the pitch at the Slytherin stands. Uproarious laughter erupted from them as they broke into a fresh rendition of the "Weasley is our King."
Harry snapped past Hooch, screaming, "INJURY TIMEOUT" Hooch half turned on her broom and blew her whistle. She immediately flew off in search of the Slytherin seekers. What they had done was technically legal, but she gave them a warning nonetheless. Harry landed by the chasers and was immediately joined by the beaters and Ron having gotten control over his broom. "All right Pavarti? Ron?"
"Yeah mate." Ron growled and wiped a bit of blood away from his eyes. Hermione walked over and pulled his hair away from the cut. She pointed the tip of her wand at it, and drawing the point down the three-inch slice, muttered, "suturous" The cut sealed up as the tip went along the cut, and the pain ebbed. "Thanks Hermione." She nodded and went over to Harry. He was standing over Pavarti who looked really peeved.
"I just got this damn broom." Pavarti snapped as she held up the broken off front end of her Nimbus 2002.
Harry smiled at her, "oh ye of little faith, Accio Broomtail." The broken off tail of Pavarti's boom shot over from across the pitch. Harry caught it with a free hand, and taking the front from unresisting Patil, he placed the two haves together; "REPARO NIBMUS" the two ends of the broom shot together with a little snap. Grinning, Harry handed her back her broom as he pocketed the wand, and seeing that Hooch was still berating Crabbe, turned to his team. He spoke softly so as not to be overheard. "Ok ladies and gentlemen, while this is just a game, I'll be damned if I let the Junior Death Eaters beat me." Grim smiles greeted that announcement. "Well co-captain what plans now?" Harry turned to Ron, who was starting to gain that Weasley fire in his eyes.
"Kick their arses? Ron muttered.
"Ok. Works for me, question though for everyone, shall I just end this, or do we want to..."
"I have nothing else to do today Harry." Ginny replied darkly. She looked over at Neville.
"I just do what she says." Laughter broke out.
"I wouldn't have gotten up today if I didn't want to play." Seamus grunted. Pavarti nodded as Harry raised an eyebrow to Hermione.
"I've already put off studying today for NEWTs anyway. I'm game." Hermione snarled and returned Harry's predatory smile.
Hooch finally got done berating the Slytherin beaters and came over to the assembled Gryffindors. "Potter, is your team ready?"
"Yes ma'am" Harry replied and together the team rose back into the air.
"OK FOLKS THE GRYFFINDORS HAVE FIXED THEIR INJURIES AND BROOMS AND PLAY HAS RESUMED." Leslie shouted over the noise as the whistle blew again and Harry once more shot out after the snitch. The quaffle shot up and was caught by Hermione. She ducked a bludger shot by Crabbe, and flipped the quaffle to Ginny who charged the goal. Crabbe raced to block her, but was knocked into a flat spin as a bludger hit his leg and another his shoulder. Neville and Seamus knocked their bats together in celebration as Ginny shot towards Bulstrode, faked a shot with her right hand, flipping the ball to her left in the process and shooting an underhand shot through the leftmost goal. CLANG. "GRYFFINDOR COMES BACK, IT'S 10 to 50."
Harry pumped a fist in celebration and pulled up next to Draco. Both of them were circling looking for the snitch. He looked over at the head Slytherin, "Want to play Ferret Boy?"
"Potter you are just waiting to loose to me."
"You've been saying that for seven years now Draco." Harry laughed as he pulled up and away and headed in the opposite direction. For just a second, he caught a glint of gold near the center golden hoop, but after a second, he lost it in the afternoon sun.
Below, Nott grabbed the quaffle, and flew towards Ron. Ron smiled and bounced back and forth on his broom, waiting for the shot. But it was not to be. Pavarti swooped in front of the Slytherin, and waved, as Ginny picked his pocket. His look was priceless as she flew in front of him, waving the quaffle. Ginny stopped in front of him, and shot the ball to Hermione. She spun and headed back down the field. Baddock and Davis charged her from either side, only to collide in mid air as she dove beneath them, pulled up and shot the quaffle past Bulstrode's outstretched arms. She snarled imprecations at the parentage of the Head Girl, who waved a rude gesture in response. Hooch blew the whistle again as she swooped down to revive the Slytherin chasers.
Leslie beat back a laugh, as she leaned over the commentator stand. "WE HAVE ANOTHER INJURY TIMEOUT ON THE FIELD, AS GRYFFINDOR CLOSES THE GAP ON A OUTSTANDING SHOT ON GOAL BY GRANGER." McGonagall looked over at Leslie, but let it pass. "YES FOLKS IT LOOKS AS IF MALFOY IS SIGNALING FOR A BACKUP CHASER, AND IT LOOKS AS IF PARKINSON IS TAKING THE PLACE OF BADDOCK." Pansy took to the air as Madame Pomfrey levitated Baddock off the field. The whistle sounded again as the quaffle shot out yet again and Pansy immediate grabbed it, next to the Gryffindor goal. She caught and flung it in one movement at the rightmost hoops, but Ron was waiting for it.
He caught the quaffle as easily as if he playing catch and spotting his sister, his red-haired one, he flung the quaffle as hard as possible, two-thirds of the length of the field into her waiting hands. She dropped it negligently to Pavarti, who streaked below her, and dumped the quaffle into the center hoop, behind Bulstrode's scowl. "GOAL PAVARTI " The rather large Slytherin keeper, shook the end of her broom violently as she hovered in front of her goal. Draco stopped in front of her for a second, "What the hell are you doing..." her response was unprintable.
The Slytherin chasers charged the Gryffindors again, Parkinson to Davis, to Parkinson, to a bludger from Neville nailing the end of her broom snapping half of the twigs off clean, and causing her broom to fishtail violently. She swerved into the path of Nott and was knocked sprawling to the ground. Fortunately for her she was only about twenty feet up at the time. Hermione caught the quaffle as it fell from her hands; she shot up the field barrel rolled right and scored, right as Hooch blew her whistle. "GRYFFINDOR SCORES AGAIN ON A SHOT BY PO...GRANGER, AND WE HAVE A WHISTLE ON THE PLAY...YES IT APPEARS THAT ANOTHER SLYTHERIN PLAYER IS DOWN, AND MADAME HOOCH IS CALLING FOR A MEDIC. THIS COULD BE TROUBLE FOR THE SLYTHERINS AS MALFOY DOES NOT HAVE ANOTHER RESERVE CHASER ON HIS ROSTER."
Hermione took the opportunity to pull up next to Harry and hover near him and Ron next to the Gryffindor goals. A small little smile was on her face as she watched Pansy being taken off to the hospital wing. "Happy Hermione?" Ron asked with obvious joy in his voice.
"For now" She replied so that only her "boys" could hear. "I would rather she have a full trial before they throw her through the veil." She spat out the last as Pomfrey cleared the field, Pansy floating limply in front of her. Hermione waved at the other pair of the trio as she leaned forward and shot back to rejoin the rest of the Gryffindor chasers.
The whistle blew again and play resumed, but now the Slytherins were down a chaser. Harry spiraled upward to look for the snitch and spotted it, flitting about near the base of the Hufflepuff stands. He dove for it, shooting downward. Malfoy was closer, a bit, but it didn't matter as the snitch slid sideways and down into the trench. Harry rolled to his left, hard, and managed to pull up. Draco wasn't quite as quick. He pulled up, mostly, but managed to bang his right arm on the stands hard enough to loose all feeling in that arm. He waved off Hooch as she looked at him and he headed back up. Harry and him orbited each other at two hundred feet above the ground as they watched for the snitch and the game to unfold.
"OH A CLOSE CALL THERE FOR THE SEEKERS, AND HERE WE GO AGAIN, WEASLEY HAS THE QUAFFLE, PASSES TO GRANGER, TO PATIL, OHH CLOSE CALL THERE PAVARTI. OH AND IT LOOKS LIKE GOYLE HAS KNOCKED CRABBE SILLY, OR MAYBE HE ALREADY WAS...OHH LOOKS LIKE CRABBE MANAGED TO NAIL THE KING BEFORE HE WENT DOWN." vast titers of laughter broke out from the Gryffindor stands, and a majority of the Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and even Professors as Pavarti ducked under a bludger hit by Goyle at her, which nailed Crabbe right between the eyes on the other side of the field. He slowly fluttered down as his broom fell like a whirligig to the ground. Before he hit the grass though, Pavarti slid to a stop, flung the quaffle straight up, where it was caught by Ginny and shot through the right hoop once again. CLANG "GRYFFINDOR SCORES AGAIN, FIFTY-FIFTY, IT'S TIED AND ONCE AGAIN WE HAVE AN INJURY TIME OUT." Hooch swooped down on the grass and looked over at Madame Pomfrey on the ground, even while looking up at Ron, who waved her off and started orbiting the hoops once more.
"Well Poppy, what's the verdict?" Hooch hollered down to Madame Pomfrey who was waving her wand over the whale like Slytherin.
Poppy gave a little shrug as she looked up at the Hogwarts flying instructor and Quiddich referee. "Blimey I don't know Rolanda, he's conscious, but he was wrong when I asked how many fingers...but I'm not sure he can count that high anyway." Crabbe groaned as they talked and staggered back to his broom and took back off to the sky, albeit shakily.
Harry swerved over to Ron to examine his friend. "You ok there Ron?" Harry called down as he swerved to a halt. He looked a tad worried as he waited for Ron's reply.
"Oi, my head hurts, but I'll be fine." Ron looked up and shrugged. "Harry end this damn game, please."
"Yeah I better, before it ends in duels." Harry gave a half-hearted little smile as he looked over the pitch and took back off to circle looking for the snitch. The whistle went off again, and the game resumed. Ginny immediately grabbed the quaffle, passed to Hermione, to Pavarti, to Hermione and scored. CLANG. Bulstrode grabbed the quaffle, tossed it to Nott, who tried to toss it to Davis, only to have it stolen by Pavarti who shot it a third of the length of the field to score again. CLANG. With only two chasers and a beater and a half, the Slytherin's sole forlorn hope was Draco, if he caught the Snitch before the score was run up too much. Five more successive goals flew through the Slytherin's hoops before Bulstrode managed to block a shot. She passed the quaffle back to Nott who turned once more to the Gryffindor goals, only to see three chasers and two beaters dancing back and forth. He charged, tucking the quaffle in tight. He took a bludger hit, then another but kept coming. Ginny rolled at him, he dodged out of the way, past Hermione, as she pulled up to miss Pavarti and shot. Ron stretched out to block, only to be nailed by his third bludger of the day. Crabbe in his bumbling, swung his bat wildly, hitting the rebound of the second bludger to hit Nott with the tip of the bat, nailing Ron in the small of the back with the iron ball. Ron spiraled downward; just as the desperate shot flew through the hoops, CLANG.
"OHH BAD HIT THERE, AND NOTT SCORES MAKING THE SCORE ONE TWENTY TO SIXTY GRYFFINDOR" Leslie shouted, almost spitting at the injustice of the hit. Hooch turned to go after Crabbe as he obviously had been out of position when he hit it, but from the look on his face, it was obvious he had no idea he had hit it. McGonagall had given up any pretense on being impartial, she jumped up along with the rest of the Gryffindors screaming and waving at Hooch and at Ron, now tremulously getting to his feet, far below.
Before the Slytherins could make use of the absence of a Gryffindor keeper, Harry had finally found the snitch. He had given chase three additional times in this game, but in the span of ten heartbeats it was over. With a small, little smirk, Harry noticed the snitch flitting behind Bulstrode at the Slytherin goals. Standing his broom on its nose, he dove at the Slytherin goal from above. Malfoy, who was at the opposite end of the pitch, tried, but he knew it was already too late. Bulstrode glanced up, tried to block Harry, a foul in and off itself, but he snap-rolled around her, stretched out his right arm and seized the Snitch.
"THAT'S A WINNER!!!!!" Leslie jumped up and hugged McGonagall, who looked amused at the young lioness' antics. She turned away and smiled broadly into her hands. Leslie continued as she shouted over the ROAR from Luna's hat, at least one conflagration deluxe package of WeasleyWhizBangs, and the thunderous approval of the Gryffindor fans. All of who seemed determined to get down to the pitch to greet the team. "GRYFFIDOR WINS 270-60, GRYFFINDOR KEEPS THE CUP FOR ANOTHER YEAR, AND POTTER WINS AGAIN, AHHHHHHH!" Leslie continued screaming as McGonagall quietly cast a spell to turn off her magic mike, and headed down to join her house on the pitch.
********************A cave somewhere in Northern Scotland**************
"SIRE" a masked, black-hooded figure, shouted behind him, "We have found it." The Death Eater pointed towards the entrance of a cave. The cave was situated quite near the peak of the mountain on the opposite side of Hogwarts as Hogsmeade. He excitedly indicated the carved stone archway inlaid with runes, all of which glowed with an odd purple light. At the very top of the archway, instead of another set of runes, a carved serpent looked down at them, a pair of faintly glowing rubies set into its eyes.
"Good, McNair...Good" A hiss greeted his pronouncement, as a robed figure came up from behind him. Unlike McNair this figure was not masked at all, but the sight of his flat-snake like face, and the sullenly glowing red eyes was far, far more terrible than any mask.
An odd green energy field filled the archway, and as McNair curiously touched it, he was flung backwards, flying through the air past Voldemort. He hit the trail and skidded another ten feet before he stopped. The Death Eaters laughed nastily at his predicament, Voldemort shook his head sadly as he spun to regard the fallen Death Eater. "So foolish McNair...only the heir can pass that barrier, it was only the clues that Salazar left in those old plans that allowed us to find this. And now..." Voldemort turned back to the portal, and hissed, "OPEN" but the words did not come out in English or any other language of men, but of that of snakes. The eyes of the serpent flashed as the stone head turned to examine him, it nodded, the stone grinding with its movements, and the barrier vanished. Voldemort strode forward into the cave.
As he entered the cave, he proceeded down an incredibly smooth passage, one that could have only been produced by magic. A hundred yards later, the passage opened to a round room, about thirty feet in diameter. One by one, torches lit around the circumference of the room. The scene they showed, was surreal, frescos of snakes of all kinds lined the walls, cobras, rattlesnakes, vipers, constrictors. All the snakes were moving slightly, their gaze fixed on the exact center of the room. The object of their attention was a sword held in the jaws of a six-foot, iron cobra. Voldemort smiled darkly as he crossed to the sword. He grasped its hilt, and in a flash of red light, he drew the sword and held it to the light of the torches. The sword of Slytherin, it must be, for it could be no other. The matched Gryffindor and Ravenclaw blades, or the Headmaster's sword for that matter, could honestly be called handsome, or at least attractive for all that they were demonstratively lethal, each weapon as much an example of the extremes of the swordsmith's art, as magical items, or weapons. This sword however, was disturbing. The hilt was composed of black steel, snakes wound around its grip. The guard was composed of two cobras, met at the tails, their flared hoods providing a front and rear guard, with glowing runes similar to those on the entrance to the cave on either side. The hilt held a blade, black as night but wet looking, as if it had just been bathed in oil...or blood. The blade curved back like a scimitar to not one point, but a pair, like a snake's forked tongue. Voldemort raised the blade and laughed.
********************************Hogwarts********************************
Ron was supporting his still weak fiancée, or maybe she him. It was hard to tell after the three consecutive bludger hits he had taken. He had blood on the side of his scalp, but a stupid grin was plastered on his face as he held the Quiddich Cup high above his head. The stands erupted, except for the Slytherins, who hissed and shambled down the steps of their stands.
Harry grinned at him, and then with a leer, he turned to Hermione. She had just landed along with Ginny and Pavarti. Ginny was now dangling off Neville's neck as Pavarti meandered over to the Gryffindor stands. With a raised eyebrow Hermione looked at him, and a corner of her mouth twitched upward. In a voice pitched so no one else could hear over the screaming fans, she asked mischievously, "So Harry, just because you grabbed the snitch, again, you think you can have your way with me?"
Harry shrugged, "Yeah basically," he replied cheekily as he grabbed her about the waist.
She shrugged, "ok", and grabbed his hair as he leaned in. His lips touched hers, and they both shared a connected grin, as Ron shouted, "eww my eyes, my eyes" behind them. Ron shut up quickly as Luna tumbled the pair of them to the ground. Harry laughed as Luna sat on Ron's chest; he still had that same stupid grin.
"Ignore them" Hermione growled throatily, "You were snogging me."
"Oh yeah," The world faded away as his lips touched hers again, and his fingers started in on well-worn patrols in her hair. The kiss turned hotter, as his tongue danced with hers, promising things to come. A flashbulb snapped out from behind them, and then, searing pain flashed through first Harry's head, then a millisecond later, Hermione's. They broke apart, gasping for once from pain, instead of lack of oxygen. Their hands flashed to wands concealed in robes as without thinking the pair of them turned back to back and their senses snapped outward, both animagi and magical. But there was nothing. You ok Hermione?
I'm fine, there's Dumbledore, Hermione immediately pointed out as she saw the tall wizard talking to a laughing McGonagall near the base of the stands. They knew each other so well they didn't even have to think the discussion anymore; Harry nodded, and grabbing her hand, pulled her through the crowd to the Headmaster and Deputy Headmistress.
"That was a wonderfully played game, Mr. Potter, Miss Granger." McGonagall said loudly, carefully using their last names. Harry just nodded briskly.
"Thanks," he muttered as he and Hermione stepped closer to the pair. "Professors my scar just erupted." McGonagall's eyes went wide as she started glancing around. Dumbledore nodded, and his hand slipped inside his robes, to grasp the hilt of his badge of office.
"The wards of the school are secure, what ever it is it is not here." Dumbledore pronounced though he still looked a bit wary. "Go on as you were, I assume that Gryffindor will be having another of their...get togethers for this victory, enjoy it." Harry frowned but nodded in the end, and headed back to the team.
*********************Gryffindor Tower, Hogwarts***************************
1:00 am
March 26, 2006
Harry stood near the edge of the party, a smile plastered on his face. He had one arm around Hermione's waist while the other held a beer. The smile however was only skin deep, and the beer was his first. Hermione was similarly distracted. Unlike their friends they both were absolutely sober, neither had said a thing but both of them were waiting for the other shoe to drop. Dumbledore had tried to reassure them both, even though they knew, that he knew something was up. "Harry" Hermione whispered. She shouldn't have bothered, someone two feet away wouldn't have been able to hear over the noise of the party, if they had been trying.
"Yeah, Hermione" Harry returned as he watched some odd game Ron was playing with one of the forth years. They had the chessboard out, but instead of pieces, the board had rows of shotglasses filled with two different colored liquors. He watched as Ron jumped the other pieces, taking two off the board. He picked up the glasses, gave one to Luna, who was draped across his back, her head poking over his shoulder. They clinked the glasses together and slammed the shots.
"Should we just...I don't know, let it go for the night?" Hermione's eyes gazed into his as she asked, mirroring the worry in his own.
"Probably...this is what I hate though, damn bastard fucks with our life at every turn. We can't even enjoy the party... Screw it, love, lets live dangerously." He grinned at his pronouncement, and her eyes lit as her heart skipped a beat, for in that decision, the Harry of old was back for however long, the carefree boy she had grown up with, not the hardened young man that she lived with now. She loved him no matter what, but this side was beyond charming. He pulled her into a kiss, tasking of chocolate, butterbeer and whatever lip gloss she had on today.
Hermione laughed brightly as she pulled a vial from her pocket and tossed it to him. "Just in case."
"What's this?"
"Sobering Draught." Hermione gave a little shrug, sorry that she had to spoil the moment even for a second. Harry pocketed the vial as she apologized.
It didn't though; Harry pulled her in for another kiss, and murmured against her lips, "that's why I keep you around, for your brain."
"Is that the only reason?" Hermione replied saucily as she ground against him to the beat of a Weird Sisters tune. Her eyes scanned down at a slightly growing reaction.
Harry pulled her in, so close that a sheet of parchment would have issues getting between them, as they both moved slowly to the music. "No, that's the G rated reason though." Hermione giggled, Ron wouldn't have gotten the joke; it was a muggle one. "Unfortunately because of you, I can't exactly move, and I don't have a nice concealing robe, just jeans dear. So as much as I love you...please don't move for a bit." She giggled again, but obliged. After a moment, Harry stepped back and taking her hand, walked over to Ron's impromptu game. Harry reached down and grabbed two shots one handed and handed one to Hermione, "here, Mione." They chinked the glasses and downed the shots.
"HEEEEY" Ron complained, but forgot what he was annoyed about as Luna ably distracted him; he turned and pulled her into a kiss. They both fell to the floor, as Harry stepped over his friend and other friend. Hermione still holding his hand, jumped over the pair as they started rolling around on the floor. Without a conscious thought, Hermione flowed into his arms once more, hers rising to his neck, then her fingers slid into his hair as they flowed together, their bodies moving slowly despite the increasing pace of the song, their eyes slipping closed as their lips met again, Voldemort be damned.
A/N the sword is in play...next chapter: Ferret Training and the return of an old friend.