15. Potion Making and the Friendly Professor
Harry woke up in the middle of the night. He had been dreaming and had been surprised by someone entering suddenly through - a door. He had seen the face and it had been familiar, and nice in a certain way, but … There had been a good feeling, nothing alarming. The memory was fading, the more he thought the less sure he felt. He gave up, instead thinking on the day before. Hermione had gone to bed before him and they should be in his bed. It was pitch dark but his wand should be on a table over here - together with his watch - let's see - nearly four o'clock in the morning. Yes, it would be another two or three hours before any morning light would be seen through the window.
Harry became aware of a slight movement in his bed and turned cautiously on his left side. "Mione, are you awake?" he whispered.
"Yes, what time is it?"
"Nearly four o'clock, it's still pitch dark." Harry moved slowly towards the voice and put out a tentative hand. He found a head of familiarly bushy hair.
"Yes, so I see. I must have been asleep nearly six hours already." Hermione scooted closer to him, her nose now nearly touching his. "Tell me of Dolores Umbridge," she whispered back.
"Why?" Harry was taken aback.
"You mentioned her yesterday, but we never had time to talk about her. I'm curious, is all."
"Just that I more or less automatically slipped into her mind; it just happened when I was looking at her. It was very unbalanced. She seemed to admire Cornelius Fudge - when he talked I felt something like love and hope. When he mentioned me or Professor Dumbledore, there was a feeling of envy or hatred. When he mentioned the cooperation with the muggle authorities, there was despair. On her way out, she was close to panic. I couldn't help feeling somewhat sorry for her." Harry let his hand travel down to Hermione's waist and then back up her spine, feeling her skin below her pyjama top.
"Uhm, that's good," Hermione purred as Harry's hand had found her breast and begun to move his thumb across her sensitive skin. "Actually, I did the same with Minister Fudge. Not intending to even try, I suddenly felt his emotions when looking at him. - Oh Harry! - He was nervous - maybe apprehensive, thinking about the prime mini …"
Her words were cut short by Harry capturing her lips. She wound her free arm around his neck. He was now leaning heavily onto her with his leg locked with hers. His still free hand had now found her soft mound and his middle finger pressed down in her valley with rhythmic movements. Harry leaned back, looking into her face. She kept her eyes shut, with a blissful smile on her lips. The sight made Harry forget his manipulations and when he stopped he was awarded with a look into Hermione's deep brown eyes.
"You look lovely," he whispered.
A few seconds later, her eyes took on a mischievous glint and she said. "Let's get naked." She pushed him in his breast to get free. She sat up and with a swift and gracious movement tossed her pyjama top aside. She then quickly wiggled out of her bottoms as well. After having stored the view for future reference, Harry soon did likewise. When he threw their clothes onto the floor he noted absentmindedly that the room outside the hangings still was pitch dark. He just then got a new push which landed him on his back.
Hermione quickly was on top of him, gripping his half inflated penis in one hand. She squeezed it gently and began moving her hand along its length. When she finally took him into her mouth and let her tongue play around its head, Harry's erection really earned its name. With a mischievous smile, Hermione moved up on his hips and ever so slowly sat down on him. Eyes locked with his, she began rising and sinking down on him in a slow rhythm.
"Harry, I love feeling your tip at my entrance and then slowly having you filling me completely. I could go on for ever."
Harry silently admired the view. He looked at her young body with her round and full breasts, their nipples standing out within their aureoles, her well toned stomach with her navel indicating the lack of too much fat. Her hips framing her thighs and between them, the patch of curly hairs above those lips alternately kissing the tip of his member and then spreading, allowing him the most delightful entrance. He could not avoid helping pushing up into her. He remembered Hermione's experiment a few days ago. He marvelled that he actually reached that far up inside her body. When he stretched his hands up towards her breasts, she leaned forward, resting her hands on his upper arms. She pushed her breasts into his waiting hands.
After a few minutes she began to grind her hips more forcefully into his. She lay down, now with her legs stretched along his allowing him to take her into his embrace. They kissed hungrily. Finally, Harry flipped them over, so now Hermione was below. She locked her ankles with his legs, helping him to get power behind his thrusts. He let most of his weigh remain on his arms, with his hands in her hair and around her shoulders. Their mouths were now fused together and their movements in perfect match, harder and faster. They finally broke free from the kiss to each shout in an animalistic cry of lust and love as their abdominal muscles pulsed in their primordial function of reproduction.
Several minutes later, they were still tightly embracing each other when Hermione found her breath steady enough for words. "Wow that was awesome!"
"Yes, really, I think I lost consciousness for a while. The light flickered." Harry moved slightly pressing his fingers in his eyes.
"Please, don't pull out. I want you in me as long as possible. I could stay like this for ever." Hermione moved her hands along his shoulders and up his neck. Their eyes locked for a moment. "The light. It's confined inside your hangings. - And it's growing weaker."
"Yes, so I noticed," Harry confirmed.
"I thought you produced it!"
"How and why?" Harry asked.
"You can do wandless magic causing things to fly; why should I doubt you can make a 'lumos' charm without a wand? As for why - simply to have a look at me." Hermione stuck out her tongue. "No, that was silly - and I don't mind, I love having a look at you as well," she added.
"No, I haven't tried. The sight was quite nice though," Harry returned.
"I think I have heard that powerful wizards might give off a glowing aura e.g. when they are very angry." Hermione answered after some thinking. "It might be the emotion that dissipates some of its energy as light. Perhaps it goes for lovemaking as well. You certainly qualify as a powerful wizard. I haven't seen any light before though."
"Let's not forget that you are a powerful witch. - Come to think of it; a week ago, there was a full moon shining into the room. Now the moon must be on the wane, and there was a cloudy sky at least yesterday." Harry tried to reason back in time.
"Hmm. We've made love in the dark before now," Hermione answered dubiously. "Maybe I will have time for some research today." She snuggled closer to Harry, relaxing into a sleeping position.
---
In the morning, Harry and Hermione awoke to another day of events. They felt some anticipation for the waiting article in the Daily Prophet and they would move to the new corridor. They should also put in some studies.
Now that they soon would learn the outcome of the press conference and the interview with Rita Skeeter, their nervousness increased. They made haste towards the breakfast in the great hall. There was an expectant mood obvious among the unusually large number of teachers and pupils already assembled. The newspapers had not yet arrived, so Harry and Hermione had time to start their breakfast, noticing the same anticipation in the face of others. Somehow, that made them calm down a bit.
When finally the owls descended over the tables a hush went through the hall. The news editor hadn't saved his ink:
Voldemort is dead!
The entire country is celebrating, see p 2-5
Press conference at the Ministry of Magic, see the editorial and p 6
Exclusive interview with our heroes Harry Potter and Hermione Granger, see p 7-9
Mr James Bond: A New Tactics, see p 10
A background, who was he? p 11-12
Harry and Hermione scanned the copy. The press conference had got a decent coverage of the facts with a picture of Minister Fudge between Harry and Mr Bond. The editorial phrased the difficult question of the trustworthiness of the ministry in the light of earlier press releases. Also the still ongoing process of investigating the true loyalties of those working at the ministry was commented and reports of further developments were promised.
There were many reports and pictures of people celebrating in pubs and streets around the country.
The pages dedicated to Rita Skeeter's interview stirred their emotions. A half page photo of Harry sitting behind the table narrating the adventure of the New Year's Eve made Harry blush; he thought he looked too self-important. Hermione had a different opinion; she thought it a very good picture showing the mature Harry she valued and was proud of. There was another photo of them together talking. It must have been taken shortly before they left. After some debate, they had to admit that it was a good picture, showing a pair knowing each other very well in an eager and trustful discussion. The text also made overall justice to their narrative. The only reference to something more than friendship was the phrase: "Their minds showing a singular degree of rapport."
The views of Mr Bond were related thoroughly as was his fame in the muggle world. A photo of him together with Harry was hinted at as showing an old master with his highly valued young colleague.
"I think we got through that without any scratches and bumps," Hermione said. "Minister Fudge is probably not very satisfied with his publicity though."
"I wish Ron should have some warning before he reads this," Harry thought aloud. "Hope Fred and George understand the importance of that. They promised to take care of it."
"Alicia and Angelina promised they would owl him first thing yesterday evening. I think they are more reliable than Ron's brothers when it comes to such things."
"But an owl cannot fly all the way to Romania in a few hours!"
"Harry, do you honestly believe those owls with the newspapers have flown all the way from London this night?" Hermione asked. "I am convinced e.g. Hedwig can apparate somehow. She is not an ordinary owl you could find in a muggle forest you know."
Harry looked dumbstruck. He felt really foolish. He was saved by Tonks. She was sitting at the teacher's table together with Remus, Professor Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall. She lifted a copy of the Daily Prophet and made a thumb up sign. The others at the table joined her making the same sign and smiling at Harry and Hermione. Then Tonks pointed at her wrist and put up nine fingers in the air and then pointing towards the stairs leading down wards. Obviously she meant that the next round of combat training was due at nine o'clock. Harry and Hermione made both a ready sign to indicate they had understood.
Light at heart, they made their way up one last time to their dormitories. The house elves had already begun moving Ron's and Seamus' things. Harry's dormitory where he had lived five and a half years already felt partially abandoned. Most of his own belongings were packed in a crate, also ready to be moved. They left to wait before the big iron door a few minutes later with the things they needed for the rest of the day in a bag.
---
On their way down, they had time to think back to their last exercise with the wooden pegs Hermione had devised. She took out the small booklet with the different wand positions. Remembrance came flooding when Harry saw the pages in question. The events of yesterday had pushed the topic into the rear recesses of his brain, but now the discussion in the common room the other day came to his mind. He had been thinking of spell sequences and now they stood out clearly again.
"It will be interesting to use the real wands and see those other spells and how they act together," Harry said.
"Yes, I see your point in stringing them together," Hermione answered.
They had reached the big iron door, and stood close together, Harry's right hand resting on her shoulder, with their wooden pegs in their left hands, reading in the booklet and comparing and practising their wand movements. They were so absorbed that they didn't notice the arrival of Remus and Tonks until they were standing close by.
"It's good to have such diligent and interested pupils," Remus commented with a smile. "Singular degree of rapport, indeed," he thought to himself.
"Damn good idea with those pegs, Hermione," Tonks added while she opened the big door.
"I understand from our meeting along the lake the other day that you had tried some spells to use in a fight. Which did you use?" Remus asked when they had reached the short end of the training hall.
"Actually, we memorized these pages," answered Hermione, leafing through the beginning of the booklet.
"And we discussed stringing the spells together like 'shield, skip, expelliarmus, stupefy' if you are taken by surprise somewhere," Harry put in. "Then you start with two spells not needing your ordinary wand, giving you time to pick it up."
"Excellent thinking," Tonks said. "Give me your combat wands please." Tonks received their real weapons - that's what they were actually. "I will remove all spells except 'shield' and 'skip' replacing them with their standard letters. That way we can start the exercise without danger."
A minute later she was done, handing over Hermione's wand. "You start standing over there. I will walk into the partition over there. When I come forward, you act. OK?" Hermione nodded and walked to the spot Tonks had indicated.
"Be ready with your arms at your sides, looking this way." Remus instructed her.
A while later, Tonks made her appearance, her wand moving towards Hermione. In a blur of motions, Hermione reached for her combat wand with her left hand, activated her shield, moved away two yards to her left and Tonks was clearly marked with an 'E' and an 'S' in short succession on her chest.
"That was very impressive, Hermione. It couldn't have been done better. I didn't think you could move that fast." Tonk's praise was blended with surprise.
She then continued: "Now Harry, you will take on Remus. Being a Quidditch player, you are trained to catch small movements. Remus will hide in one of the partitions, unknown to you. You then walk slowly down the aisle. Remus is not likely to stand still when he attacks."
Harry had to turn away while Remus took up his position. When Harry was about to start his walk, he asked if he should have his combat wand ready. "I would have if I expected an attack," he said.
"Naturally, but let's assume you just go for a walk. Imagine you are not expecting an immediate attack," Tonks instructed. "The first stage of getting the wand ready is the one most important to practise."
Harry nodded and started his walk down the aisle. After having passed a few partitions, Remus suddenly emerged, his wand swerving to the right in Harry's direction. From where Tonks and Hermione watched the scene, Harry in an instant was wrapped in a faintly glittering halo. The next second, he was at Remus' left hand side while Remus had a letter 'E' written on his chest. Remus now turned the other way towards Harry only to find that Harry had skipped behind his back. Remus now had a 'T' written between his shoulder blades. Remus turned around with his wand aimed at where Harry had been an instant before - he had quickly taken a step in the opposite direction. Remus now had an 'R' and a 'P' on his chest. Tonks blew a whistle to call an end to the exercise.
"Remus, if you didn't get Harry before he put up his shield, you lost the fight." Tonks said. I've never seen the like before. You are displaying auror performance on your second lesson. What makes me puzzled is that you Hermione were so good at speed and positioning. I had expected that of Harry, being trained in Quidditch. And Harry cast six or seven - seven - spells flawlessly within a few seconds. I had thought that Hermione might do that, but again I was wrong. You haven't fooled me with a polyjuice potion or something, have you?"
"I'm not sure I had you on my first try Harry. Next time I will go for 100%. This time I think like Tonks said that you won. Now I think we will go through this exercise again slowly, with the real spells activated, so you get to know what you see when your opponent is hit. Lets' have your wands for a moment."
Harry and Remus put a number of glass panes in place while Tonks showed Hermione how 'Expelliarmus', 'Tarantellegra', 'Reducto', 'Stupefy' and 'Petrificus Totalus' were configured to their wands.
They then went over the exercise again. Harry watched with interest as Hermione's expelliarmus actually forced Tonks to keep to her wand with all her might although the spell was attenuated by several of the half-reflecting mirrors. And they all laughed at the result of Harry's Tarantellegra which caused Remus to tap-dance wildly despite the attenuation of the mirrors before Tonks cast the counter spell.
"Well, you performed very well indeed." Remus commented good-humouredly and slightly out of breath. "Now, we repeat this with some changes in our start positions."
After a while, they all agreed that in order to win, the attacker had to be sure to hit with the first spell. "We'll have to devise some other set ups for our next training session. We look forward to it. Now, let's put these screens away," Remus concluded.
Some minutes later, Harry and Hermione parted from Remus and Tonks and left for their next items of the schedule of the day.
"I will do some research in the library," Hermione said.
"Thought so, and I will, believe it or not, go to the potions classroom," said Harry, looking her in her eyes until she started to smile. He gave her a kiss. "See you at lunch."
---
Professor Dumbledore received a call somewhat later. Remus and Tonks came to visit him in his office.
"Hello you two - is something amiss?" he greeted them.
"No, not really. We had Harry and Hermione doing their combat exercise this morning. It went remarkably well. In fact, before long we will have to call in our very best fighting aurors in order to give them adequate sparring partners. Today they caught us somewhat unprepared. Next time we will ourselves have to rehearse before we try to teach them." Remus started.
"Not that it mightn't do us good," Tonks continued, "but what has happened to them?"
"They have been our best students for many ears, at least in certain aspects, and they just happened to finish off our worst enemy a couple of days ago. You knew they were good, so what specifically do you think of?" Professor Dumbledore answered.
"I have taught Harry before, and I know he has great powers and potential, but we have just once before shown them the principles and given them a booklet to study. Of course, I expected Hermione to know most of the book more or less by heart, but that is not Harry's style - but he did as well," Remus explained.
"And when I fought with Hermione, she of course knew very well what to do, but she was quick and agile like she had played Quidditch since her first year - and we all know she hasn't," Tonks filled in.
Professor Dumbledore sat thinking for a while, with a happy smile on his lips. "Thank you for your confidence and sharp powers of observation. We will keep this secret to a very few. I've had some thoughts on this as well. You know the prophesy and 'the power he knows not'. I'm not so sure that that power was 'knowledge on muggle technology' as we had it yesterday. I will investigate further into this. Professor Dumbledore nodded his head. Remus and Tonks took this as a sign to take farewell and take care of their other duties. The old wizard remained seated for a while, thinking.
---
When Professor Dumbledore stood up, he had a determined expression on his face. His first call was to Professor McGonagall. This errand was of a purely administrative nature, but it took its time. When he came up to Hermione working in the library, she had therefore had been there more than an hour.
"Good morning, Hermione. May I sit down and have a chat with you?" Professor Dumbledore scanned the pile of books on her desk. "What are you researching?"
"I - ah - I'm looking into the possibility of the aura of certain wizards to produce visible effects," Hermione answered non-committally.
"The aura - yes, that's a curious phenomenon. Clever of Harry to think of that the other day. Did you perceive anything when you saw Tom - or Lord Voldemort - as he used to call himself?" - "Or have you seen something around Harry?" Professor Dumbledore added as an afterthought. The twinkle in the eyes of the old man increased as Hermione's cheeks and ears started to redden.
"I'm sorry to embarrass you, Hermione, but I may be an old man but not so old that I can't remember being young and in love. I know what may happen in the dark then. Did you see some light?"
"Yes," she answered in a small voice.
"Strong, or just a faint glimmer?"
"Strong, we - we could make out details quite clearly. And the room outside the hangings was dark," Hermione had by now regained most of her composure.
"I'll explain what I think is going on when we meet later today, in your new rooms. Please don't feel awkward by my asking you such questions. You know I'm very happy to have you two as students and being together, don't you? By the way, there is an interesting book on the subject by the great witch Amora Bedworthy. That was her pen name. She wrote many learned essays on the effect of love-making and magic. Her true name was Sally Trimble, if I remember correctly.
"I know of the book, but it's in the restricted section," Hermione replied.
"Oh, I'll speak to Madam Pince." Professor Dumbledore rose and walked away in search of the librarian.
"The headmaster asked me to give you this book, Miss Granger," the librarian came a few minutes later to Hermione's desk with a slight blush on her cheeks. "He also said that you should be allowed to look into any book you wish. I objected on the grounds that such permission has never before been allowed to a Hogwarts student. We arranged so that you may read any book, but I will take down the titles of those from the restricted section on a list that will be sent to Professor Dumbledore regularly for inspection."
"Oh, thank you Madam Pince." Hermione looked like she had got an additional Christmas present. The slight embarrassment she felt earlier was like blown off into the wind.
---
Meanwhile Harry had got a visitor. Professor Dumbledore had found him in the potions classroom in the midst of basins with ingredients carefully made ready, a number of hourglasses, three cauldrons simmering merrily and some phials waiting for the resulting potions.
"Do I disturb you?" the old wizard asked.
"Not at all," Harry answered with a glance at the hourglasses. "It's a while before the final adding of ingredients. I have made sure that these three potions have similar methods of brewing, so I can make them simultaneously. I will attempt four trickier ones after lunch." He seemed quite confident and well at ease.
"I take - potion making has not been your favourite sport up to now, Harry? Or am I misinformed? Professor Dumbledore asked with a benign smile.
"No, definitely not. I had difficulty to concentrate and lacked the patience necessary. Now with Voldemort gone, I feel differently."
"Could it have something to do with Hermione - or with both of these reasons?"
"Yes, certainly. She makes me feel happy and filled with confidence. I hope I can do something for her as well."
"Yes Harry. She's a treasure as you know quite well. If anyone can make her happy, you can."
"I hope so. But it's hard to understand why she has chosen me of all boys."
"Harry, you have great qualities, you have to understand that. And she is a person that values those qualities. It's a complex process; the one that makes boys and girls find each other. You should be happy that it worked out for you two. - And I am as well, as are many others." Professor Dumbledore paused before he continued.
"We'll meet in your new rooms this afternoon. I think there are a few things we'll discuss then. Good luck with your potions!" Harry looked after the retreating form of his headmaster.
"What made him come and look on my potions?" Harry asked for himself.
---
Harry and Hermione met at the lunch table. After some small talk, Harry mentioned the visit by Professor Dumbledore in the potions classroom.
"He seems to be on to something. He made some comments about potion making and how I liked it; and then he said he was happy that we were together. He seemed to think that was important, but he didn't tell why. He pointed out that we will meet this afternoon - in our new rooms. There is something on his mind he wants to tell us."
"He came from the library. He asked me what I was researching. I was rather embarrassed, because my real topic was to find out something about the light we saw. He wormed that out of me quickly and started to talk openly of love and magic. And then he mentioned a book in the restricted section I had tried to get to read but Madame Pince didn't allow me. So now - believe it or not - I have unlimited access to that section if I want. Only thing is that Madame Pince will do a list and show Professor Dumbledore which books I have borrowed - afterwards."
"Gee, congratulations! Then you don't have to use the invisibility cloak late at nights," Harry exclaimed. "Was it a really bawdy book, or merely dangerous?"
"I understand that the author specialised in magic connected to sex. She wrote a series of books, containing charms, spells and potions. I took some down - they may come handy one day."
"Are you going to try them on me," Harry asked a bit afraid.
"No, on Malfoy," Hermione answered. "You will see."
Harry's puzzled expression cleared after a while. He had every confidence that Hermione would win the next fight with the ferret boy. The anticipation made him grin happily.
---
Harry returned to the potions classroom after lunch. The results from his morning brew were contained in three neatly labelled phials and the used utensils were cleaned and in order for this afternoon. Harry started methodically arraying his notes on the four recipes he was to follow and started to set up his cauldrons and burners. He then started with the different ingredients and found that one was missing. One of the recipes called for six seeds of mistletoe, but the pot in the student's stores cupboard contained only five. Harry's first impulse was to ignore the matter, but then he heard Hermione's voice in the back of his head. "Instructions must be followed".
Harry's mood dropped some degrees. He heard someone moving outside the classroom door, so he resolutely took the near empty pot in his hand and went out of the room. He found the door to professor Snape's room ajar, so he entered and found his dreaded teacher just taking off his overcoat.
"Excuse me, professor, "Harry started. "I was doing my potions assignment and I just found the supply of mistletoe seeds was too little. Do you have some more available?"
Professor Snape didn't answer but he pointed towards the big cabinet where Harry already knew his teacher had his own supply. Harry opened the big door, found a pot with the missing ingredient and poured a quantity into the nearly empty one from the classroom. He was on the point of leaving when professor Snape spoke with scorn in his voice.
"I hear you are doing your assignments in good time nowadays. I take it is the diligence of your sweetheart, Miss Granger, that rubs off on you. So it happens sometimes, I've heard."
"Yes, I have much to thank her for. - I met Miss Tanner the other day. She was a very nice person. - And thank you for the mistletoe seeds." Harry left professor Snape to sort that out for himself.
---
Harry was almost done when professor Snape came in through the classroom door some hours later. Harry was putting on the label on the first phial from the afternoon brews. The other three were nearly ready, simmering in their cauldrons for the last few minutes. Snape examined the first four phials, three from the morning and the one Harry just labelled. He brought them to his own desk for examination. He did that very thoroughly, so when he was done, Harry was ready to deliver the last three phials for inspection.
Harry started to clean up his desk. When he was ready, professor Snape came up to him.
"Harry, you have done your assignment with excellent result. I will keep these phials to use if a true need arises in stead of brewing them myself. That's the best mark I can give you. You have grown a lot since you first came to Hogwarts, especially the last few weeks. Of course I mean as a wizard of great power and ability."
"I know that you think I have been mean and unjust towards you and your fellow Gryffindors. That's true. That's been my intention, because that's how to grow strength and a good spirit among the Slytherins. To the Gryffindors it does also good because to you that treatment adds to your strength and determination." Harry had some difficulty to believe he actually heard correctly. He concentrated on storing the words in his memory for later evaluation. Professor Snape thought for a while before he continued.
"It's not always easy to be mean and unjust and sometimes I fear that I may be permanently distorted. You hit me rather hard when you mentioned Miss Tanner. - You should know that I've never actually been your enemy, but we have different roles to play, you and me. - When term starts, we will continue the act, but now you know what it is. Please let us use gentlemanly weapons."
"Thank you Professor for your openness. I will keep a low profile." Harry bowed and left the room. This was something he would need the help of Hermione to assimilate.