Unofficial Portkey Archive

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, it belongs to JK Rowling, etc, etc. Anyone who thinks that I do own Harry Potter is an idiot.

A/N: Well, here's the next chapter. My computer is still fucked, so again, updates will be considerably slower. I'm actually surprised at how fast I got this one done. Read and enjoy (I hope!).

The Room of Requirement was once again transformed into a magical training dojo for Harry and company, with only Draco absent from the team. Seraphina sat on the sidelines as usual, watching as Hermione, Neville, Ron and Luna practised spells against their wooden counterparts. This time Harry had made it more difficult by instructing the targets to move around the room, thus simulating a battle scenario. This meant that not only did they have to hit their targets, but they also had to worry about not hitting their teammates.

Harry lingered around the edges, calling out tips and general instructions when needed, which, to his satisfaction, wasn't often. His team was coming along nicely. Neville was especially impressive, but that might have more to with his lessons with Professor Oniki, not to mention the special private training Harry had been giving him. His progress was amazing, as Harry had begun to instruct him in the difficult (and nearly impossible for most wizards and witches) art of advanced transfiguration, which he himself had learned from Dumbledore.

They had been training for nearly one hour now. Every now and then, during a lull in the simulated combat, Hermione would look over at him pointedly, then jerk her chin towards Seraphina. Harry knew what she wanted, but he really didn't want to talk to the young girl about her love life with Neville. It just wasn't something that Harry did. However, he had promised, and Hermione was insistent.

After the umpteenth impatient gesture from Hermione, Harry gave in with a sigh. He went to sit by Seraphina, who didn't even glance his direction, her eyes locked almost obsessively on Neville.

Harry cleared his throat. 'Hey,' he said, the word sounding so fake to his ears.

'Hi,' Seraphina replied politely, seemingly unaware of the oddness of the situation, her eyes glancing briefly at his face before finding Neville again.

Harry searched for words. He hated forced conversation. 'How are you?'

'I'm good, and you?' She looked at him properly for the first time, sensing this wasn't an offhand pleasantry, and that he actually wanted to speak with her about something.

Harry cleared his throat again. 'Fine.' Except that I'm here, having to talk to you, of course, he thought to himself. It wasn't that he didn't like Seraphina - she certainly seemed like a nice enough girl. It wasn't even that he had to talk to her. It was what he had to talk to her about that bothered him.

'I think this is the first time we're ever really talked, isn't it,' Seraphina observed sweetly, smiling at him. 'Neville admires you a lot you know.'

'He's stupid like that,' Harry said under his breath, but Seraphina heard him all the same.

'What makes you think he's stupid to admire you?'

'Never mind that.' Harry changed the subject. 'I actually want… there's something you should know.'

'There is?'

'I'm only going to say it once, so listen up.'

'I'm all ears,' Seraphina replied, her attention focused fully on Harry now, rapt.

'When the Death Eaters attacked you and Neville,' Harry said, momentarily pausing to find the right words. 'When they attacked you, Neville went berserk. He's powerful. And his power correlated directly with his anger. He was so angry he managed to deflect two Killing Curses with only his raw power. He didn't even have his wand on him. He didn't need it. Do you understand?'

Seraphina had since lowered her head as Harry spoke. Tears came to her eyes. She wiped them away with the back of her hand and nodded. 'Yes, thank you.'

'Good.' Harry stood up. 'That's all I had to say.'

Seraphina sniffed. 'Thanks,' she repeated.

Harry made a dismissive noise and walked away, back to watch the rest of the training session.

That night, Harry was on his way to meet with Dumbledore, when he bumped into Mrs. Granger. He had just been down to see Draco, and was coming up from the dungeons when he saw her crossing the Entrance Hall. She stopped when she saw him and gave him a warm smile.

'Hello there Harry,' she called.

'Hi,' he replied, coming up next to her. 'Going somewhere?'

'I was just going for a walk,' she said easily, 'stretching my legs. Alan's asleep right now.'

'Hogwarts can be a confusing place at first, so make sure you don't get lost.'

'I can see that, but I think I'll be fine. I've always had a good sense of direction. Are you going to see Hermione?'

Harry erred, slightly uncomfortable. He wasn't entirely sure if Hermione's parents knew they slept together every night or not, and even if they did, he certainly didn't want to talk to them about it. 'I thought I might,' he finally settled on. It was ambiguous enough to cover all the bases.

'She really cares for you,' Mrs. Granger said. 'It's sweet.'

'Yeah.'

They reached the second floor. Mrs. Granger reached out and touched Harry's arm, pulling him to a stop. She continued to smile at him. 'I think it's really great how nice you are to her.'

Harry frowned. 'Okay?'

'But,' Mrs. Granger eased towards him, 'surely you're tiring of her? She's just a little girl. No matter how much you care for her, she can't show you real pleasure. For that, you need a grown woman.'

Harry backed up until he hit the wall. Mrs. Granger followed him. She ran her hands up and down his arms.

'Uh.' Harry held up his hands, trying to warn her off, but she didn't pay any heed. 'Look, Mrs. Granger…'

'Jane,' she corrected him, smiling seductively.

'Mrs. Granger,' Harry repeated, 'this… I don't know… shit…'

'Shh.' She pressed a finger to his lips. 'No need to speak. Have I told you how grateful I am that you saved my life?'

Harry clenched his fists. He didn't know what to do. Mrs. Granger never seemed to hate him the way Mr. Granger did. She had always been kind to him, especially since he had rescued her from Voldemort, but this was going way past kind and into something he didn't want to even think about.

'I haven't, have I?' She suddenly gripped his face between her hands. 'Oh well. I'd rather show you.'

And then she kissed him. Harry wasn't sure how long their lips remained plastered together, but he wasn't exactly counting. As soon as he was able to, he forcibly shoved her away. She laughed, trill-like, and smirked at him.

'What the hell are you doing?' Harry snarled, furiously wiping his lips.

'Oh come now Harry,' she said, still giggling, 'surely you know what a kiss is. My daughter isn't that inadequate, is she?'

Harry narrowed his eyes, his heart suddenly racing. 'Who are you?' he growled.

'Don't play silly now,' she chastised him, 'you know who I am. You don't need to hide your feelings either. It's okay to want more.'

'I'm not buying it,' Harry said.

'I could say the same for you. I'm no fool. My husband hasn't satisfied me for years. Ever since we first met, I've been imagining you, only you, a young strong bull who could fuck me like I deserve. And I know you've thought about it too.'

'Stop it.' Harry drew his wand. 'Say another word with her mouth and I'll stun you.'

'Oh, you're no fun,' she simpered, pouting.

Harry raised his wand. 'I'm warning you.'

'All bark, no bite.'

Harry opened his mouth again, maybe to warn her, or maybe to finally fulfil his promise, but the words never left his mouth. A bright red light slammed into him. He crumpled to the floor.

Mrs. Granger, or the person posing as her, turned to sulkily glare at her partner. 'Why'd you do that? I was just starting to have some fun.'

'We're not here so you can fuck with Potter,' "Mr. Granger" replied, his eyes no longer clouded over with blindness.

'Actually, I rather had in mind that he'd be the one fucking me,' she said, 'but oh, for a Slytherin, he's just so damn loyal. Wonder what he sees in that Mudblood.'

'Who cares?' "Mr. Granger" pointed his wand at Harry's slumped over form. 'Let's just get out of here before anyone catches us.'

The moonlight shone into the small clearing in the Forbidden Forest, bathing the young couple in luminous light.

Luna lay curled up in a ball, with her head resting on Ron's bare chest. He was stretched out, his eyes closed, one hand playing softly with her hair. Grass grew up around them. The branches above them swung gently in the wind, with the shinning moon creating a light show against their bodies.

'Don't you ever get scared in here?' Ron asked, out of the blue.

'Why would I?'

'I don't know.' Ron idled for a moment. 'You hear stories, you know. About the Forest. Monsters. Werewolves. Nasty tendril things. Giant spiders.' He shuddered. 'I mean, it's forbidden for a reason, isn't it?'

Luna giggled. 'Those are only deep in the Forest silly.'

'Oh.'

'I like it in here,' Luna said quietly. 'It's more magical than any other place I've been. When I'm here, it's almost as if I'm in the past.'

'The past?'

'When the world was truly magical,' Luna answered. 'When we didn't have to hide. When the world was full of wondrous magic even our kind has forgotten.'

'Magic even we've forgotten?' Ron usually hated having to ask questions (it made him feel stupid), but he didn't mind with Luna. She never made him feel stupid.

'Think about it. I know what people say about me, because I believe in things they don't. Things they can't believe in because they can't see. They can't even consider other avenues of magic. It has become commonplace for them. It's no longer magical.'

'I guess that's true,' Ron agreed.

'But there used to be so much more out there. Things we can't even imagine anymore. We let it die. Bit by bit. And now all that's left is what the few of us who still believe scramble to keep. Then we're looked down upon for doing it. For trying to keep magic alive.'

Ron found himself being ashamed, because he had been one of those people. He had thought Luna was odd, a freak - until she had shown him otherwise.

'I pity them,' Luna murmured softly.

'Thank you for showing me.'

Luna raised herself up to her knees and looked down on him. She smiled. 'It was my pleasure.'

Ron propped himself up with his elbows, so that they were face to face. He kissed her sweetly. She responded with a contented sound and allowed him to bring her down with him as he laid back. He ran his hands through her hair as they kissed. She clutched at the grass.

'I love you,' he whispered into her lips.

Luna beamed. 'And I love you.'

Some time later, they decided it was about time to head back to Hogwarts. Ron pulled his robes on as Luna straightened her dress.

'Ready?' Ron asked.

Luna nodded, and holding hands, they headed back towards Hogwarts, out of the Forbidden Forest.

It was as they were waking up towards the entrance of the giant looming castle when Ron spotted Harry being lead away by the Grangers.

'What's going on?' Ron thought aloud.

'Who are they?' Luna asked, following his line of sight.

'What do you mean? That's Hermione Granger's parents. Surely you've met them.'

'No, I certainly have not,' Luna said firmly.

'Luna, what is it?'

'Ronald,' she said, 'those people are not Hermione Granger's parents.'

'What?'

'They're Dark.'

Ron looked suddenly at the two figures leading Harry away from Hogwarts. Harry - who was hanging motionless between them. 'Oh bollocks.'

'I agree.' Luna pulled out her wand. 'We have to stop them.'

'Right.' Ron grabbed his own wand.

'Don't kill them,' Luna said, taking charge. 'Stunners only.'

'Okay.' Ron easily ceded her command.

Together they rushed silently across the lawn. The fake Grangers had neared the gates of Hogwarts.

'Ronald - go that way, sweep around, so that we can take them by surprise from both sides.'

'Got it.'

Ron branched off to take the long way around and come up on the other side of the fake Grangers.

In the meantime, the kidnappers had arrived at the gate, and "Mr. Granger" was attempting to break through the magical locks. "Mrs. Granger" stood by a prone Harry, watching her partner work, and judging from the way her lips moved, either offering him encouragement (not likely), or berating him (most likely).

Luna and Ron got into position while the fake Grangers weren't looking. Luna signalled to Ron and he nodded in response. They were ready to attack.

Stupefy! Luna cast the silent spell at the same time as Ron, though his spell was vocal.

Luna's aim was true and the fake Mr. Granger fell to the ground unconscious. Ron's was on target, but his shout had given away his presence, and the witch or wizard pretending to be Mrs. Granger dived to the ground to avoid it. She came up flinging curses in all directions, showing some pretty impressive wand work.

Luna hit the ground to avoid several curses sent her way and could only hope Ron had done the same. As soon as she could, she raised her head and pointed her wand for another attack. This time her stunning spell was deflected, but the fake Mrs. Granger was outnumbered, because Ron had survived her onslaught, and he sent another stunning spell her way. She managed to block this one as well, but then she was done for. As soon as Ron had voiced his spell, Luna sent another one her way, so fast she didn't have time for another deflection.

The stunner blasted "Mrs. Granger" right in the back and sent her flying.

'Grab their wands and tie them up,' Luna called to Ron as she dashed over to Harry.

She knelt by his side and pointed her wand at his face. 'Ennervate!'

Harry blinked and groaned. 'Ugh.'

'Harry?'

Ron came to stand behind Luna, the fake Granger's wands held in his hands. 'Potter?'

'Oh shit,' Harry grunted, sitting up and rubbing his temples. He looked around dazedly.

'Do you remember what happened?' Luna enquired.

Harry looked over at the bound Grangers. 'Yeah,' he said roughly, 'I remember. Where's my wand?'

Ron shrugged as Luna replied, 'maybe they took it?'

Harry nodded and got to his feet. He made his way over to the false Grangers and began searching.

'So what happened?'

Harry shot Ron a dark look. 'What d'you think?'

Ron tried his best to ignore Harry's sarcasm. 'Luna said they're dark wizards.'

'No shit.' Harry finally found his wand. He stood up, looked down at the unconscious impostors, and sighed. This didn't bode well. 'Weasley, make yourself useful and bring those two.'

'Where are we going?'

Harry ignored him and started up towards the castle.

'Prat,' Ron grumbled.

'Put yourself in his shoes for a moment,' Luna said.

'No thanks, I like my shoes.'

Luna smiled at his joke, but went on to explain. 'He just found out the Grangers aren't who they say they are.'

'So?'

Luna shook her head and started to follow Harry. 'Think about it.'

She heard him exclaim, 'oh!' and then a few moments later he was following. He'd figured it out.