Chapter 39: Delays
Narcissa Black smiled in delight as she watched a group of students attempt to get past her spelled room. When Dumbledore had requested all of the professors to submit clues and obstacles for his proposed quest, her mind had automatically turned to a defense challenge she knew would be difficult for most of the students. She spelled an empty classroom to simulate a Death Eater attack. The room itself mimicked the effect of the dementors causing most teams to turn and leave before the attack even started. McGonagall had protested the idea, but with Severus's help she'd convinced the doddering headmaster that students could use the opportunity to practice defending themselves against an enemy they may have to face for real in the future. The students could not get seriously injured or killed in the room, but hexes, jinxs, and minor injuries were all possible, including a pain inducing hex that resembled the cruciatis only not nearly as intense and localized to the area the spell hit. Severus had likened the effect to being stung by dozens of bees in a small area, painful yes, but not debilitating or illegal like the torture curse. When she wasn't teaching, Narcissa liked to check the monitor she kept of the room to see how well or poorly the students progressed through the room. So far, no one had defeated the attacking death eaters and gotten the next clue, and she was pleased that her room had delayed all of the teams so far.
She would like to see young Potter take on her room, but the boy-who-lived had not deigned to compete in the competition. Draco insisted the Gryffindor was likely too scared of losing since he wouldn't be able to rely on his friends, but she wondered if there were deeper reasons. The boy was obviously talented in defense, and she did not think the room would be as challenging to him. She suspected that the Weasley boy had gone to him about the room and asked for assistance in how to get past it because the boy had added some spells to the teaching outline for the next meeting of the DA. Spells she knew would assist in an attack of the kind the room was programmed to provide. Perhaps she'd have to change the challenge somehow so that the battle varied even more from one attack to the next especially since it looked like a couple of the teams were learning from past mistakes and compensated in their second attempts to get past the room.
As yet another group of students met defeat in her special room, she laughed aloud and rose to her feet. She did not like constantly having to be at the castle and missed her past ability to move about in wizarding society. She modeled her long sky blue robes in front of the three sided mirror she kept in the corner of her dressing room. She was immaculately dressed as usual, her delicate features professionally enhanced, her long pale tresses dressed exquisitely with tiny blue diamonds threaded through her hair. It seemed almost a shame to waste this kind of effort on a bunch of school children, but Narcissa had been raised all her life to always look her best. Deciding that she was ready for dinner in the great hall, she glided gracefully across the room and through a connecting door into her living room and then her office. At least being at Hogwarts allowed her to keep a better eye on Draco, and at that thought she smiled. She expected Lucius to attempt to get to him if she could, and she would rather not see him hurt or killed simply because he had helped her to try to save the Abbotts. Draco had seemed more distracted lately and she worried that perhaps her husband had already done something, a letter perhaps. She doubted the walls of Azkaban would hold him. Lucius was above all a talented, powerful, and extremely wealthy wizard. She had little doubt that he would land on his feet in this war, just like he had in the last. She carefully guarded her thoughts, and schooled her expression for dealing with the staff and students of Hogwarts before leaving the seclusion of her office for the halls of the school.
* * * * *
"Hello, Ginny," greeted Hermione as the pretty red head made her way along the Gryffindor table. Several others smiled in greeting as well, and Ginny struggled not to flush at the attention. She knew her classmates meant well, but she'd rather they left her alone. It was embarrassing enough that her team had taken her to the infirmary and she'd spent the afternoon there recovering from her memories. She'd barely managed to convince McGonagall that she would be alright, and she suspected that her friends and dorm mates had been told to report any strange behavior to McGonagall. Luckily, the newest challenge in the quest had people forgetting her breakdown at the basilisk clue.
"Hello, Hermione, Ron, Harry," she greeted. Since she didn't see Dean at the table she took a seat across from Hermione and dropped her book bag to the floor scooting it slightly under her seat with her foot. She had to admit to herself that both Harry and Hermione seemed happier together. She reminded herself again, that she should be happy for them, and she began to put some food onto her plate.
"Has your team made it to the room yet?" Harry questioned curious if her team had made it to the death eater room. Ron had told him about it, and he and Hermione had added several spells to the DA meeting to help the teams with getting past the room. Neville had assured them that yesterday's practice went well, and that he knew the spells to show the others at the next meeting. Ginny continued to spoon mashed potatoes onto her plate while she thought about her answer. She noticed that Ron had stiffened at Harry's question and knew why. Her brother had not been pleased with her choice of teammates.
"Nuala and Draco figured out the last bit of the clue which leads us to the infamous death eater room, so I'm looking forward to taking it on soon," Ginny finally replied. And she was looking forward to pitting her own skills against the room which had stumped the others so far. Ron harrumphed from his seat beside Hermione.
"Draco, bloody hell, when did ferret boy become Draco," Ron groaned sounding all too ready to launch into another lecture on how she should never have agreed to be on the same team as Malfoy.
"Ron told me about it and we've added some spells to the DA practice that should help," Harry offered quickly in an attempt to stem Ron's current argument.
"Yeah, we went over some of them last night," Ron added though he seemed displeased that the subject had changed so quickly.
"It sounds like a real challenge," Hermione put in thinking about Ron's description of the room and giving Harry an opportunity to take another bite of his shepherd's pie. Ron let it go and instead of lecturing Ginny concentrated on eating. Ginny was happy that the conversation had happened over dinner because she doubted Ron would have been swayed otherwise.
"Why aren't the two of you competing?" Ginny found herself asking. She took a bite of her own shepherd's pie and savored the familiar taste. Harry motioned for Hermione to answer as Harry took a drink of his pumpkin juice.
"We just decided that we have too much else to do. The DA takes up a lot of our time, and we're preparing for NEWTS." Ron snorted and swallowed.
"We're only sixth years, Hermione," he reminded her and Ginny got the distinct impression it wasn't for the first time.
"They're very important exams, Ronald," Hermione insisted shooting Ron a McGonagall like scowl.
"I almost didn't compete because I wanted to devote my time to Quidditch and studying for OWLS, but Hannah and Luna insisted that I'd learn a lot from the quest and reminded me about the money involved," Ginny said with a shrug.
"Hey, Gin," Dean greeted sitting down beside Ginny and across from Harry. Seamus took the seat next to him forcing a blonde haired fourth year to scoot further down the table to make room.
"You're sitting too close to my sister, Thomas," Ron warned as he snatched a second helping of pudding from a nearby platter.
"Shut up, Ron," Ginny returned exasperated with her over-protective brother. "I don't get on to Luna about how closely she sits to you." Ron blushed furiously and sputtered something nonsensical with his mouth crammed full of chocolate pudding. Harry laughed earning himself a scowl from Ron.
"Ginny can take care of herself, Ron," Hermione insisted deciding against having a helping of pudding herself. Her appetite had improved since returning to Hogwarts, but after eating so little during the summer, she found she got full faster. "Are you ready to go to the library, Harry?" Harry finished off the last of his own pudding and nodded.
"You're so whipped," Seamus said with a laugh as Harry grabbed his book bag and stood.
"I have homework," Harry protested adjusting his bag on his shoulder.
"We all have homework, but you spend way more time in the library since you started dating Hermione," Dean remarked. "We've all noticed."
"She's a good influence on me," Harry replied with a smirk which made Hermione smile. "Bye," he added with a wave and followed Hermione out of the Great Hall. The others just shook their head as the two left.
"How do they do it?" Dean marveled wondering how the two managed to devote so much time to studying.
"I imagine the same as everybody else," Seamus snickered making Dean blush almost as red as Ron had earlier.
* * * * *
"Does it bother you to spend so much time in the library, Harry?" Hermione questioned as the two climbed the stairs just outside the great hall.
"No," Harry assured her as they topped the first landing. "I enjoy spending time with you, and I get my homework done and out of the way so I can focus on the DA or spells that I want to learn." Hermione nodded, a smile lighting her face.
"Thanks, Harry," she said softly taking his hand and entwining their fingers. Harry tugged her closer and caught her lips with his own. A group of third year Hufflepuffs wandered by and giggled at the two. They pulled apart reluctantly, and started to climb the stairs once more.
"Any luck figuring out what happened yesterday," Harry asked as they neared the library. Hermione shook her head.
"Everything points to apparition, but the wards on Hogwarts aren't supposed to allow that."
"Well, if you'd like to try to recreate yesterday's experience and see if the same thing happens, I'd be more than willing to assist you," he suggested his eyes sparkling mischievously. Hermione's face flushed as she thought back to what they'd been doing at the time. She certainly wouldn't mind a repeat performance of that.
"I'll keep that in mind," she breathed softly.
"Good," he managed before heading through the library doors. He was still amazed at how turned on he could get watching her face flush with color and her voice get all breathy. He also loved knowing that he could do that to her. She'd been all set on studying, and now, he knew, part of her just wanted to snog him senseless.
The two settled into their usual corner near the back and began working on their various assignments. With their detentions with Snape again tonight, they were hard pressed to find enough time to get everything done.
Author's Note: I've been holding this chapter forever it seems. It was actually mostly finished before I posted the last chapter, but I swapped the order of the two, and had to change some things in this one to reflect that. I know it's shorter, but I wanted to get something else out there since it's been so long. Not sure when the next update will be, it all depends on when I can find time to write. Thanks for all the reviews.
Author's Disclaimer: Of course, I don't own the characters, etc - if I did, Harry never would have dated Ginny and I'd have a lot more money.