Chapter Ten
Classes that day were a strange affair for Harry. In between dodging Cho and Hermione's sudden wandering hands affliction, he had not actually had time to study a damn thing. Luckily, he knew just about every subject inside out, thanks to Dumbledore in particular. Now DADA was just wrapping up and it was the one lesson he had been able to relax in, despite dodging curses and hexes, as he was chief demonstration dummy.
He hung back at the end of class, his bag heavy on his shoulder. He watched nervously as Hermione dithered for a moment and then finally left. It was not that unusual for him to stay behind. His next period was a free and he often helped Professor Snape, mostly marking papers, which was boring as hell.
"I don't require you today." Snape said shortly.
Harry looked panicked.
"Whatever is the matter, Potter?"
"Matter, nothing sir," he said innocently as he could. "Could you seal the door, though?"
"Go ahead, I think your charms would be quite strong enough, Harry"
Harry did so under Professor Snape's critical eye. He was granted a short nod, which equated to getting an O for the Professor.
"What is it you wish to speak to me about?"
"I've got a moral dilemma."
"I am NOT the person to be seeking advice on that subject."
"It directly pertains to you sir."
"In what way?"
Harry took a breath, "A scenario for you sir. You find something out about someone, possibly their life's work, something they have worked towards for a long time. You then find a possible solution to that problem they have worked so tirelessly to achieve. Do you spoil their fun and tell them, or do you keep it to yourself?"
"I don't often ask for help personally, I enjoy the challenge, there is however one subject that I am starting to revile. So anything I could find to help me with that would be most gratefully accepted."
"I'll make you a deal, professor. Don't hex my bits off, keep my name out of it and I'll give you that solution."
Snape narrowed his eyes, "What are you blathering about?"
"I brain dumped you. That time you invaded my mind. It is not the first or the last time I have done it. I didn't get anything too private but it is not very selective. I'm... sorry"
Severus blinked slowly, he should be angry he supposed. Enraged, possibly, instead, he was rather impressed; extracting a toll like that was positively Slytherin of the boy. "I expect my payment," he said.
"More of an olive branch, you shouldn't have been poking around in the first place, after all." Harry said seriously.
Snape quirked a lip in a thin smile, "Continue"
Harry hefted his bag and pulled out several notepads. "I've been working on this steadily for quite a while. It is amazing stuff really. With your knowledge and a new look at the problem, I think I've cracked it."
"Cracked what?"
"Gongari Clay"
Snape went white.
'Oh shit, here come the hexed bits.' Harry thought tensing. He knew he could take the teacher in a fight but he did not want to fight him.
"Potter, I have worked on this my entire career," he said slowly.
"I know, sir. I admire your dedication... Say the word and I'll vanish the lot."
"Do you think me an idiot, Harry?" Severus asked.
"No sir. In fact, I know you are not."
Snape fixed him a look, "How much do you know?"
"A lot sir, I swear on my magic I won't tell a soul."
"I wouldn't have done it.," he said, the 'it' in this case obvious.
"I know sir, you loved her."
"I did."
"I understand, believe it or not."
"I'm not sure you could. You are rather popular with your peers and with women in particular. Just like your father."
"I'm not my father. I never have been, Professor." Harry replied softly.
"I know that now." Severus said slowly, his shoulders relaxing. "She was brilliant," he said wistfully.
"So I've been told, sir. I wish... I wish I'd met her."
A long pause, "Perhaps I can fill you in on a side of her I doubt has been much mentioned before."
"I think I'd like that sir."
"For now, what is all this scribble? I swear Harry your handwriting is worse than the headmasters."
Harry laughed slightly, "You could be right there sir. It is mostly Arithmancy. I have your knowledge of ingredients but not your- flair with them."
"Cease your flattery and get to the point."
"I wasn't - never mind. I had to go back to the math... I've computed each individual atom of the make up and factored in natural magic."
"Natural magic?"
"The area the clay is mined is saturated in Aboriginal rites and magic's. Ever wondered about a duck billed platypus? Now we know," he said with a grin.
Snape rolled his eyes. "So the missing factor is... magic." Snape said, almost spitting the word.
"Yep, that silly wand waving you dislike so much. It will take two people to create the base potion. One to mix and one to cast raw magic into the mixture."
Snape paused for a long time, "SHIT!" he suddenly said causing Harry to laugh in surprise.
"In my arrogant belief in the superiority of potions; I missed a vital component."
"No offence, but that's pretty much what I thought too."
Snape shot him a sour look.
-oOo-
"I've said it before and I'll keep on saying it until you get it through your over optimistic view of the world. Voldemort does not care about anything except Nagini. Pureblood supremacy does not matter to him in the least. You know as well as I do that he is half-and-half. He isn't anti-Muggle or anti anything. Or, rather, everything, he wants it all to BURN. He would be quite happy if it was just he and his bloody snake, which, by the way, he intends to turn into something like himself. This I believe at least, since he knows of a ritual to do so. I think she is the target. He's never really loved anything but that bloody dog and that snake."
Dumbledore was already pensive, now he was just silent too.
"I don't mean to be so blunt but it's got to be said," Harry told him. "You're working under the assumption that he's using human compunctions and your theory is way off. He is not human, he's at least part reptile now. They think differently, totally differently, than you do."
"I do?"
"I'm part reptile too now, sir. My worldview has shifted dramatically. That's not to mention that I'm also part feline up here." Harry said tapping his head. "I'm not entirely human anymore, sir, and I can't pretend that I think the same way I used to."
"That... concerns me Harry," the professor admitted.
"Don't let it. I will do the job and without the hang-ups, I had before. He is a dangerous animal and needs to be put down. The faster, the better, but he's currently playing hide go seek with the world. I suspect he's building forces. What forces, I shudder to imagine. Anything from your- source?"
"He's not been called away in sometime."
"I'm not surprised and wouldn't be surprised if Voldemort knew actually."
"That would be extremely dangerous for Severus, you do realize."
"Better than you sir, I suspect that you are being fed misinformation and have been for a while. When he's reached the limit of his usefulness, he will be disposed of in Voldemorts usual manner."
Dumbledore did NOT look happy about that revelation.
"I've added him to the spell the Potters used. If he is in trouble... I will know. It took a bloody long while to figure out how though. I've added a few people actually, you included." Harry said with a smile. "I know you think I'm the most important thing the Order has, but without its head the body dies, in most cases."
"Thank you, Harry." Albus said with a nod.
"I'm still not giving you any rides, though" Harry shot back with a grin.
Dumbledore was about to quip back when he felt something. He smiled, "Ahh, It appears that our new Art's professor has arrived."
"Cool, do you want me to..."
"No, do stay. She will need to make your acquaintance anyway."
"I'm still not sure how I got roped into that as it is." Harry grumbled good-naturedly.
"It was your idea Harry, only fair you ... gain the experience."
"Suffer the consequences, you mean. I just hope she's not another Pureblood snob."
"If she is even slightly as I remember Harry, I think you will be surprised." Dumbledore smirked, "I'm actually due for a sitting with her as well, so this will be an interesting experience, though it is costing me a small fortune."
"I hope you don't intend to join them," he said with a wave at the rows of ex-heads, "for at least another 157 odd years."
"Perhaps not soon, but not that long either."
"The world will be a lot less interesting without you in it... Albus"
"Why thank you dear boy."
"About the fortune..." Harry said thinking hard. "I'll pay under one condition..."
"Which is?"
"A copy is made for my home... Your council is always wise and I for one wouldn't want to be without it."
"That is quite a compliment." Albus said surprised. "But why when you have my knowledge?"
"You should know that knowledge is but one part of the equation. Experience and personality are factors too."
Dumbledore nodded, "She has arrived at my Gargoyle. I will just let her in. Please do stay, Harry."
Harry glanced at his watch and then nodded.
"Somewhere to be Harry?" Dumbledore asked with a slight smirk.
Harry shrugged, he could hardly tell the headmaster he had a date with the head girl to do whatever he was going to do to her tonight.
Dumbledore swept out of the room, and Harry was alone in the office. He got up and walked over to Fawkes. "Hey there Fawkes, how are you?" he asked.
The bird rubbed into his hand and sang a little.
"Don't you get bored up here all the time?"
The bird nodded its head towards the window.
"Ahh you go out and about, hey. Say Hi to Hedwig or something next time you are mobile. I think she fancies you."
The Phoenix twittered in an amused fashion at him.
"Harry... Are you talking to Fawkes?" Dumbledore asked in slight surprise, "and He's replying?"
"Of course, we're old friends, aren't we mate?" Harry said to the bird, who nodded.
"Must unusual," he said and was interrupted from further thought by a polite clearing of a feminine throat behind him.
"I'm most terribly sorry, dear. Come on in do." Dumbledore said and shifted to the side.
Revealed was one of the most beautiful women Harry had ever seen, she looked to be an African princess but she had quite pale amber eyes that looked into your soul. 'What a fox,' Harry thought.
"It is my pleasure to introduce Miss Capalle Zabini. Capalle; this is Harry Potter. He will be your guide, assistant and is also the source of your fee." Dumbledore said with slight amusement.
Harry held out a hand, "A pleasure, Miss Zabini."
"Likewise, Mr. Potter," she said with a voice like molten chocolate. She cast her eye around the room and the portraits in particular. "Less than inspiring work," she commented, much to the various portraits annoyance.
"Ohh be quiet, you bunch of old wind bags." Harry said turning on them. He personally thought they were all amazing work but then he was not an artist. He was however, thoroughly fed up with them putting in their two pennies worth all the time. It grew tedious to say the least.
The portraits grew silent.
"Thank god for that," he muttered.
Capalle Zabini turned an amused look on her young assistant. "One does not usually talk to the assembled patrons of Hogwarts in such a fashion," she rebuked with no real feeling.
Harry shrugged and shot her a charming smile.
"So, Mr. Potter, what do you know about Art?"
"Nothing at all, Miss Zabini"
She turned a slightly confused look at the headmaster, "Normally a patron has at least an understanding of the subject he patrons?" she asked the man. "I would certainly need assistance from someone that could actually assist me with art."
"Mr. Potter is understating himself, as he usually does." Albus said with a fond smile at the young man. He directed everyone to sit down and walked behind his desk. He reached into one of the unending drawers and pulled out a hauntingly familiar statuette.
"This is quite good," Capalle said thoughtfully.
"How'd you get a hold of that?" Harry asked in confusion.
"It took some doing but I convinced Miss Patel to part with it for the night. On the strict promise I return it to her in the morning." Albus said with a smile, "She really is quite taken with it and you for creating it."
"You did this?" Miss Zabini asked.
Harry nodded, "It's just a..." 'Bugger if I say memory he's going to know I was out when I shouldn't be and that'll go down really well.' "...simple piece."
"Gongari Clay, unfixed and no commands," she noted turning the piece in her hands.
"I forgot to fix it actually," Harry, said pulling out his wand.
Capalle stiffened slightly but relaxed when she saw what he was doing. Harry fixed the statue, nothing changed physically but now it could not be reversed by the correct incantation.
"An unusual choice of attire." she commented turning it in her hands again, "You are well versed with the subject though. It lacks imagination, though."
"I'm no artist. It was a simple demonstration of the Clay's properties, nothing more." There was no way he was he was going to get out of this without telling them the truth unless he let them have a mistaken impression about him that could lead to problems with his 'teaching' later. "It's a memory, I can't do art," he said finally, looking at the headmaster.
"I already knew, Harry. With your constant retelling that you are not an artist, it could be nothing but." Dumbledore told him, "I won't ask and you don't have to tell me. You are young and your own man now, then too I suspect."
"Thank you, sir." Harry mumbled.
"Then the subject is obviously your lover," Capalle said finally.
Harry flushed slightly, "No," he said firmly.
She looked at him in surprise, "To do this level of detail one has to be intimately knowledgeable of the subject in question unless you are able to... fill in the blanks with imagination. Yet you say you are not an artist?"
"Harry has a highly organized mind. He is able to recall in vivid detail just about anything he has seen in his life. It is a by-product of some Occlumancy and a Muggle technique I have not had time to study. The result is as you see. Photographic recall" Dumbledore explained for him.
"This still leaves the problem of having a non artist as my assistant," she said.
"Dean is the one you want." Harry said after a moments thought. "I'll help out for a while as you get him ready, then I suggest you use him instead. I can lump around clay and mix materials though."
"Dean... Thomas. The main reason I was brought here."
"One of them," Dumbledore said, "It has come to my attention and, because of Harry once again, that the British Wizarding world is not nurturing it's full potential in most area's of study. We have become too focused on creating so called 'productive' members of society and have left out the gentile subjects, such as Art... Music, these sorts of things, there are many in the world that could be an Auror or in some other fashion work in government. There are few, such as yourself, Capalle that create."
She nodded in agreement, "This is one of the reasons that I came." She told them.
"He won't disappoint, I promise you," Harry told her seriously. "He's very good at what he does. Talented to the extreme, we all think."
"Take me to my classroom?" she asked, more ordered.
The headmaster nodded, "Go on Harry. It's a good idea."
Harry nodded. "Miss Zabini," he said with a nod towards the door and quick look at his watch. He was going to be cutting this fine if he was not careful. He could only imagine Cho's reaction if he did not turn up on time or otherwise.
He led the beautiful woman through the hallowed halls of Britain's oldest learning establishment and they soon reached what was to be her classroom.
"Dean mate? What are you doing here at this time of night?"
"Oh bugger... I was just working on something. What time is it?"
"Eleven Thirty mate." Harry said with a laugh. "Tell you what, while you're here. Meet Miss Zabini."
Dean looked at her with a big smile, "It's a privilege to meet you, professor," he said with awe in his voice.
She ignored the introduction and instead walked over to the desk that Dean was working at. "Normal Clay?" she asked.
"Yes, Harry said I should try doing it this way as well as with the other stuff."
"He did, did he?" She said looking at Harry in interest.
Harry shrugged, "Artists work in all sorts of mediums, don't they?"
She ignored the question and looked that sculpture over. "This has quite a bit of potential," she said critically. "Strong lines, shows competence. A sure hand with the trowel, not a pallet knife, then?"
"I've not gotten to that stage of detail yet." Dean said self-consciously.
"No... It is fine work though. Definite potential" She turned to Harry, "You were correct in bringing me here."
"Well, Dean was thinking he'd have to leave the Wizarding world to do his art. We couldn't afford to loose that sort of talent so easily."
Dean ducked his head.
"No, indeed you and the headmaster are correct about that. I would suggest that you work on larger pieces for a while, though. Get a feel for the medium and it allows you a little leeway with detail," she said to the young artist. She looked around, "We do appear to have a large amount of Gongari Clay."
Harry snorted, "This is nothing. We have been stock piling for the last 100 odd years. Typical administrative cock up, the classes were canned, but the order was never stopped. So in the dungeons there is a room full of the stuff and it isn't a small room either."
"Fabulous," Capalle said with a smile that lit up the surrounding area. "Get me some, would you, Harry?"
He looked at little surprised but walked over and grabbed a lump of the stuff.
"Excellent, now if you please, I want another demonstration of this ability you have."
"Oh... you've got to see the statue he did for Parvati. She went mental over it." Dean put in.
"He still says he is not an artist." Capalle said with a slight smile.
"Artists are all about being able to take something and make it shine. I only have memory. I can't interpret something, I can only copy." Harry said.
"Still, an interesting talent"
"It's not a talent," Harry said, "It's a skill anyone can learn."
"I should hope not. Otherwise people like us," she said waving at Dean and herself, "would be out of work."
"Again, you take something and make it more, better. Take a certain part of something and make that show up. A portrait can be a photo realistic copy, or you can make an aspect of the subject show through." Harry said, "THAT is talent."
"I still want to see," she told him. "And Mr. Thomas, I've seen the statue you mentioned it was interesting."
"Harry's amazing," Dean said causing Harry a little shock. "You'll soon come to see what we all do. He's special."
"Dean!" Harry said with a blush.
"Interesting, but please go on with the demonstration."
Harry sighed, "What do you want?"
"Anything?"
He concentrated for a minute picking something from his memory. He dare not do anymore portrait style sculpting. Instead, he decided on a 'safe' subject. A memory of Thisilar in full flame as seen from just in front of said flame, the result, as he cast, was quite spectacular. The dragon reeling back and taking in a giant breath, its chest puffed out and quite obviously, about to blow away what was in front of it. Very little could take a full flame from a dragon. The heat went beyond mere physical flame into the realms of magic.
Capalle let out a breath.
"Bloody hell, Harry!" Dean said, "That's fan-bloody-tastic." He said peering at the small statue from every angle.
"When did you see a dragon like that? How on earth did you survive?"
'Okay, not so safe,' Harry thought wryly.
"Harry fought one in the Tri-Wizard championship." Dean informed her.
"I was the one that did the sculptures given out to the contestants," she informed him. "I know that dragon very well. This is of the same species but it is NOT the same dragon. You can only work from memory correct."
Harry nodded.
"Then I must ask how you are still here?"
"A guy needs his mystique," he said with a charming smile.
"I told you Professor, Harry is something else. Look at this thing. Excuse the language Professor Zabini but I'd have crapped my pants, Harry probably whacked it on the nose with a paper."
Harry guffawed.
"I also note you cast silently." Capalle said with a sigh. "Not many your age can."
Dean just grinned at him.
Harry shrugged, "I've got a few tricks. I tend to need them. Besides, Silent casting is no big deal. As Professor Snape says, 'no silly wand waving' is necessary. Magic is about intent and power, not the words involved. They merely help the younger student focus properly, giving the spell the correct intention."
Dean looked at him seriously, "Thanks Harry. I did not get that, but... I think I can do it now."
Harry nodded towards his tools, "Go on then mate."
Dean smiled, his eyes screwing up.
Harry stopped him, "You're not going to the toilet mate, let it flow. Feel it inside, grab it and do the deed."
Dean laughed, but nodded. He held out his wand and pointed it at the small palette knife he had been using. A few seconds and it lifted into the air. "YES!" he enthused. "So that's what Professor Flitwick has been trying to get through my head."
"Said the words in your head, didn't you?" Harry asked with a smirk.
Dean smirked, "We're not all that good Harry."
"Does the job mate. So it is fine. In a fight, it gives you a good advantage if the other person does not know what is coming. But running the words through your head while fighting a Legimens would be fatal."
"Typical male, It always comes down to conflict somewhere along the line," Capalle said with a sad sigh.
"In my case, Professor, it is necessity rather than desire to think of things in that fashion," Harry said with an equally sad sigh.
"Can I set this?" Dean asked, distracting them both.
Harry shrugged, "If you want mate."
Dean did so, and smiled since he had not said the words.
"You are a born teacher, Mr. Potter."
"Please call me Harry," Harry said. "Teaching is great actually, but I'm a born killer, nothing else." he said sadly.
Her response was cut off when Professor Snape virtually exploded through the door. "There you are Harry, you've got to come and..." he trailed off as he caught sight of Capalle. His jaw dropped and he came to a screeching halt.
"Professor Snape; Professor Zabini"
Snape blinked.
Capalle smiled.
Snape felt his world... change.
Harry looked between the two and smiled. Then his watch chimed. His face fell, "Oh bugger," he said.
"Something the matter, Harry?" Snape asked in a distracted sort of way.
"Erm... No nothing. Was there something you wanted, Professor?"
Snape snapped back to himself. "Oh yes, actually, I need your help with something."
"Dean, mate could you finish showing Professor Zabini around?" Harry asked.
"I'll write you a pass." Snape said, much to everyone's surprise.
"Of course, it'd be a pleasure."
"If that is okay with you Professor?" Harry asked the attractive woman.
"Of course." she said, her eyes wandering to Snape.
Harry smirked, "Then Professor when you're ready."
"Come along Potter," Snape said, and once they were out of the door he added, "Stop bloody smirking at me."
Harry chuckled, "Of course Professor... Professor, do you mind if I just nip off and do something. I'll meet you at your lab."
Snape shot him a strange look but nodded nonetheless. "Very well."
"Thanks Professor." Harry said and took to his heels.
"No running in the hallways," Snape called after him.
-oOo-
Harry came to a screeching halt as he reached the entrance to Ravenclaw and looked around. "Well she didn't wait long," he mumbled with annoyance.
"Who are you looking for?" the portrait that guarded Ravenclaw asked.
"Cho Chang." Harry replied.
"She re-entered just a moment ago."
Harry told it the password, much to the portraits surprise and it opened for him. "Cho?" he said in a low tone.
"Harry?" Was the quick but surprised reply.
"Look, sorry about this Cho." Harry said.
"I thought you weren't coming," she said in an equally as low tone, looking a bit put out as she walked over to him.
"I'm sorry but tonight has been crazy. Look, this is not going to happen tonight. I have a new teacher to help and Professor Snape wants something. I'm not going to be able to hook up tonight."
Cho frowned at him, "I was waiting for ages, Harry."
He frowned at her, "I'm only ten minutes late, Cho."
"I've been there since 11.30," she told him.
"That is not my fault Cho. I said midnight. I'm sorry I was late but I have responsibilities now."
"You don't think I do?" She asked snappishly, "I'm Head Girl, you know!"
"Whatever Cho. How about tomorrow, same time?"
"I'll think about it."
Harry shrugged, "Whatever, I'll be there for ten minutes. If you don't turn up, fine." he told her and walked away.
Cho let out an annoyed huff, knowing full well she would be there, probably early again too. She stomped off to her dorm.
Neither of them had realized they were not alone; a blonde head appeared from behind the nearest high backed chair and looked at the door with a disapproving look on her face.
-oOo-
Harry thundered down to the dungeons of the school, navigating on instinct as he did so. He had had to stop and explain himself to Filch, but being an Assistant Professor had its uses. He finally came to a black doorway and knocked gently. It did not do to disturb Snape shockingly, for one it could ruin a potion and secondly one tended to have to dodge hexes.
"Come," the man himself called out.
Harry let himself in, his nostrils being filled with acrid smells and peering through a miasma of smoke. It was amazingly hot in the small room but Harry liked the heat these days, it spoke to the reptile inside of him.
"What can I do for you Professor?"
"On my desk Harry, Just check my calculations," he was ordered.
Harry did as he was asked, taking a seat and pouring over the Arithmancy set out in Snape's neat but small penmanship. "Huh." He said after a moment, "You found an error in my calculations." He continued.
"You're not infallible, Potter." Snape told him.
"Never said I was, sir, it's just that I double and triple checked them over. I'm annoyed at myself is all," Harry said. Silence as he continued the long work of checking equations and calculations over. It was quite the compliment that Snape trusted him to do this actually.
"I think this one might need some adjustment," Harry said after a long moment. Pointing out the section, he was talking about.
Snape looked over his shoulder, "Hmmm," he said, "How so?"
"It's taking the amount of magic needed and doubling it at least. I do not think you will need to do that. The natural magic we are trying to replace is of a very low level. If we over do the power levels, we are going to destabilize the matrix entirely. I suggest we start low and build our way up until we get it right. It's a lot easier to add than subtract after all."
"That's true enough, I suppose." Snape said thoughtfully. "How much do you suggest?"
"Very little, about 1 amp"
"Amp?"
"Electrical expression, I'm not sure what it's called in magical terms."
"Erg." Snape filled in. "I suspect they are about the same thing though."
"Actually, I DID know that. Knowledge isn't fully integrated as yet," he said
"Hmm, interesting, but not germane to our discussion, I've got the base potion ready by the way."
Harry looked up in interest. "Already"
"I was hoping to give this a try tonight. Unless you are too tired?" Snape asked, almost eagerly.
Harry shook his head, "I'm good. Let's give it a go."
-oOo-
"God Harry, wake up already."
"I'm awake, I'm awake!" Harry said, "I was just thinking. Sorry I didn't hear you the first time. I was doing some... housekeeping."
"Hmm, whatever mate, it's breakfast time." Ron said.
"Already?" Harry asked in shock. He and Professor Snape had worked until about 4am, and then Harry had gone back to his dorm to meditate and try to organize his knowledge. The stuff he had gotten from the Headmaster was taking some sorting. How the man operated with so much stuff in his head and in little to no order, Harry could not understand.
"Well what time did you get in last night?"
"4am, this being assistant teacher stuff is for the birds mate." Harry said with a yawn.
"I'm worried about you, Harry. I hardly see you anymore."
Harry shot him a sour look, "I'm around mate, and it's you that is always with Lavender."
Ron smirked and shrugged, "She has assets you don't."
Harry laughed, "That's true enough I suppose. How are you and Hermione getting on?" he asked carefully.
Ron winced, "I don't know what her problem is mate. She has gone mental on me, I swear she has. Is she mental with you too?"
Harry paused, "She's not being herself of late, I'll admit," he said.
"She HATES Lavender though, it's scary."
Harry shook his head, "Sometimes, mate, you're really dense."
"What?" Ron asked.
Harry just shook his head at him. "You'll figure it out mate, but I just hope it won't be too late by time you do."
"What are you on about mate?" Ron said with a shake of his head.
"Like I said, you'll figure it out... eventually."
"You make out like I'm thick or something." Ron complained.
"I know you aren't thick mate, just clueless about certain things."
"Clue me in then." Ron shot back.
"If I do, you won't learn anything." Harry said with a smirk.
"Git!"
"So quite a few people tell me" Harry shot back. "So... you going to give the new arts class a go then. First class is tomorrow night."
Ron screwed up his face, "I dunno mate, and seems kind of girly."
"Don't let Dean hear you say that." Harry suggested.
"That's different, he's got real talent."
"That's certainly true. But what do you think, give it a go?"
"I dunno mate, there's practice that night."
Harry blanched, "What?"
"Practice, you know Quidditch... Ringing any bells here?"
"Oh... bugger." Harry said.
"What's the problem Harry, it's not like you HAVE to take the class."
Harry winced, "Ron, mate, I'm helping teach it."
"No. No. No." Ron said, "You can't. What about Quidditch?"
Harry shook his head. "I dunno mate. I honestly do not know. I mean we are planning to replace me eventually with Dean. In the meantime I'm kind of stuck with it."
"Oh bugger. You're good mate but even you need to practice."
"I know, I know. With everything else going on though..."
"Don't you dare say it?" Ron said, slapping his hand over Harry's mouth.
Harry just looked at him.
"We're working something out. Try to get the pitch another night or something." Ron told him, "You're our star seeker. All my strategies have you smack bang in the centre this season."
Harry just looked at him.
"Oh sorry mate," Ron said removing his hand.
"Thank you so very much." Harry said with a slight grin. "You're right though... We will figure it out. But next year I'm not so sure I'll be able to play."
Ron winced, "I told you not to say it."
"This year I'll make every effort to stay in the team. I mean, strictly speaking, I am semi a member of the staff. I get them, but I'm not supposed to earn House points even."
"Shit... really?"
Harry nodded, "I'm like half a member of staff and half a student. In some ways, the rules do not apply while in others they do. Like I can wander the halls at night, but I can't miss my homework," he said smiling at the end.
Ron laughed, "That sucks."
Harry nodded.
"Well, I'll talk to Madam Hooch about the pitch and the team of course. You talk to Professor Dumbledore about letting you out to play." Ron suggested.
"Okay mate, sounds like a plan."
"Right, I'm hungry." Ron said
Harry laughed, "Come on, you walking stomach; let's go before you're devoured from the inside out, I can hear it growling from here."
"Oh, got to meet with Lav in the Common room."
Harry froze.
"What's up?"
"Nothing mate, crick in my back."
"Not going to kick Dean off his chair again, are you?" Ron asked with a smirk.
"Hopefully not"
"Maybe you should take 'Mione up on her offer." Ron said walking off.
Harry blushed slightly.
"Well you coming or what?"
Harry followed his friend down to the common room. His red haired best friend latched onto his girlfriend almost on sight.
'She really has got him tied up in her knickers, hasn't she?' Harry thought to himself.
She decided to notice him and smiled thinly, "Harry," she said.
"Lavender," Harry said back in much the same tone of voice. In other words frosty.
Ron, bless him, missed the byplay, "Ready Luv." he asked.
"For you baby, anytime," she said dreamily.
Harry grimaced slightly.
"Come on luv, let's eat." Ron said and started to lead them away, hand in hand with his girlfriend. Lavender looked over her shoulder and strangely enough shot Harry a heated look.
He frowned in reply.
Her eyes narrowed.
So did his.
"Harry, do you have a minute?" A voice called out to him.
"Sure, Parv," he said turning to her and expression turning to a smile.
Lavender shot her friend a scowl but was already being led away by her boyfriend.
Harry breathed a sigh of relief.
Parv waited until they were alone before speaking. "I don't know what happened between you two. It can't have been good though," she said after a minute.
"No, it really wasn't." Harry agreed. "But as to exactly WHAT it was I couldn't actually tell you. She was awfully jealous of that statue I made you though."
Parv smiled, "About that."
"Yeah Professor Dumbledore said he was going to get that back to you. I fixed the setting too, something I'd forgotten to do before," he said.
Parv smiled at him, "Thank you, Harry. That's not what I was going to ask though."
"Oh?" he asked expectantly.
She leaned forward and kissed him with quite a bit of heat. His arms curled around her and held her close for the minute or two the kiss lasted. Eventually she pulled back with a smile on her face, "Thank you very much." she said.
"For what?"
"The statue... That kiss." she replied
"The statue was nothing. The kiss was my pleasure," he told her with a charming, sexy, smile on his face.
"I was wondering..."
"What?"
"Can we, you know... do what we were doing that night... sometime... If you, you know, want to?"
"I thought that was a one time thing."
"You kiss like an angel, Harry. No girl wants that to be a one time thing."
"I'm sort of seeing someone at the moment," he admitted. 'Or maybe more than one.' he added mentally.
"You didn't seem to care a minute ago," she smirked at him.
"That's true. Honestly, I do not care about it. It is a casual thing. I just thought you might."
"Casual is fine by me too, Harry"
Harry smiled, "I think that's an idea I can get behind."
"Only if you're really good, Harry," she told him saucily.
Harry laughed, "Come on minx. I'm hungry."
She leaned forward and kissed him hotly again. "Just to tide me over you understand. Let me know when you're free, okay?"
Harry nodded, and got his raging hormones under control as well as other things.
"Come on then," Parv said leading him down into the great hall for breakfast, whereupon she was the target of a couple of nasty glares. She honestly did not care though. She was out to have some fun; she liked fun, preferably without too many complications. Even Harry seeing someone else did not bother her a lot, just as long as it was not her best friend any more. She had stepped back before because the two had seemed so hot for each other. The air virtually warped when they had been kissing back in London. Of course, his kisses towards her had been no less- heated. It was just a good idea to be careful around Lav. She was occasionally a bit clingy. If she had to guess, she would say that it had been jealousy that had driven her and Harry apart in the first place. The statue obviously had not gone down too well at all. She personally had been on the business end of a serious hissy fit that evening. It was hard to explain to an irrational Lav that she was NOT trying to steal Harry away from her. Which was more than slightly annoying in the first place, because Lav was a big ole flirt most of the time, so Harry flirting should have been fine, yet apparently, it was not.
Stranger still was Lavenders continued belief that she had some sort of hold over Harry when she was going out with his best friend.
Parv loved her friend, she really did, but that did not mean she did not think the girl had some serious issues.
She sat down to her breakfast, making a mental count of how many stares she was getting. Cho Chang was one and it was a pretty nasty one at that. Luna Lovegood looked confused. Hermione Granger looked slightly put out. Not counting Lavender, the worst glare she was getting was from the Slytherin table. Why Daphne 'I'm a lesbian' Greengrass was shooting her a jealous look she had no idea. It WAS interesting though. Was Harry doing something with her, of all people?
Her friend Tracey Davis was looking intrigued more than anything else. Parv was sure that she and Greengrass were 'together' actually, but it was hard to be sure. They were never intimate in public or anything. It was just a feeling she had.
Harry suddenly jerked in his chair, drawing the entire table's attention onto him.
Dean smirked and shifted his chair back. "Do I have to be worried, Mate?" He asked, "Back playing you up again?"
Harry was looking a little freaked. "Sorry mate, but its okay. I think you're safe this time."
Harry looked at his plate and over to Hermione, who was wearing a cat that got the cannery smile. He could skip breakfast, he supposed. It was one way to keep her hands to herself.
He could always nick a cow from the local farm later... 'Oh god I wish I hadn't thought that,' he told himself looking a little green. Suddenly his eggs and bacon were not looking that attractive a prospect. He had missed about three meals so far and it was not as if he had fat to burn either. No, he had to eat.
Hermione reached for the bread again. In a flash, he handed her the platter. She looked a little put out, but accepted it with a smile. "You should let me have a go at you Harry," she said suddenly.
Harry blinked at her.
"I'll be sure to work out that stiffness, I promise."
Harry blinked again. "Erm... Thanks Hermione," he said carefully.
"Come see me tonight and I'll sort you out," she told him with a gleam in her eye.
"Hmmm, got a full dance card tonight, 'Mione." he said, "I'll catch up with you, though. We need to talk," he said putting emphasis on the last word.
She met his eyes, a naughty expression in her own. "I can talk," she told him.
Somehow, Harry thought she was missing his meaning.
The table jumped again.
The Gryffindor nearby laughed.
"You really should let Hermione do you mate," Ron said.
Harry blinked again. 'This is SO surreal.' he noted to himself.
"I agree, Ron," Lavender said nastily. "I'd think he'd need something by now."
Harry narrowed his eyes at her, "I'm more than fine, I assure you," he said.
She scowled at him.
He ignored her for the rest of the meal.
-oOo-
"Now we're ready to begin working on our transformations," McGonagall said after they had finished talking, in depth, about the process.
The class generally looked excited.
"This is where we begin to find out who will and will not be able to transform," she told them. "If you cannot, I assure you that it is by no means something to be ashamed off. Out of the entire year, I expect no more than a dozen of you will be able to transform even a part of yourself. Perhaps one or two will accomplish the full transformation."
'Like Hell,' Harry thought to himself. Dumbledore was right, people needed an escape mechanism. He would do whatever he could to help, though he was not entirely sure on what that should be at that current time. He would do something though, that was for damn sure. Even for the ferret, who unfortunately was not actually a ferret. Some sort of ape, apparently. Pansy was a quite attractive looking horse and Crabbe and Goyle were both gorillas.
This was VERY funny actually.
There were other amusing creatures but for the most part everyone was quite happy with their animal forms.
"We will start with the hand. You will require great attention to detail. This is why we have been studying our animals so fully. Imagine your hand as the appropriate limb on your form. This is where spells cannot help you. You have to 'feel' your magic and let it flow, control it, of course, but you must meld the magic to your mind and to your form. It will do the rest."
Dean glanced at Harry and gave him a nod and a smile.
Harry smiled and nodded back.
"Now look at your hands. Pick one and concentrate on it. Will it to become the paw or appendage in question," the professor went on to say.
Harry glanced at his hand he could already do this. He had found both his forms already. The magic he had made it almost easy. This perhaps, though, would be good practice for him in controlling the rate and flow of his magic. He focused. His hand shifted and promptly his desk was crushed.
'SHIT!' He thought and quickly changed back.
"Mr. Potter!" McGonagall said sharply. "Whatever happened?"
"I don't really know Professor," he said. 'I used the wrong fricking form is what I did,' he admonished himself mentally.
She waved her wand and his desk was back in an upright and whole position. "What was your form again?" She asked.
"Jaguar, Professor."
"They aren't that heavy," she pointed out.
"Like I said professor, not really sure what happened," he said over much sniggering.
"Very well, do try to be careful." she told him. "Now back to work, all of you."
He glanced around, hoping no one had seen. It was a futile hope. Hermione was looking at him as if she had seen a ghost.
He ignored her for now; he knew he would have to deal with her later though, to think of something appropriate or something. He focused on his cat's paw transformation. Only he was too up in the air and instead of turning just his hand, his magic flared.
"Oh I say!" McGonagall said suddenly.
Harry growled and kicked shifted around, the entire class room suddenly too bright and filled with noise and smells.
"Wow, he's GORGEOUS," Parvati, gushed, moving towards him.
"STOP" McGonagall shouted, freezing her in place. "Remain still, Mr. Potter, no one here will harm you. Don't let the animal side take over."
Harry nodded, to show he was safe.
McGonagall breathed out a sigh of relief. "Good. This is something we have yet to truly cover. I didn't think anyone would transform yet..." she shook her head, "I should've known it would be you, though."
Harry chuffed out a laugh.
"When transformed, your animal side CAN take over. The feral nature can and has done, take over and make you into little more than the animal you have changed into. We are going to work on meditation techniques that help you to remain in control when transformed."
Parvati was still half out of her chair; Harry looked at her and padded over. She reached out slowly, her hand shaking somewhat. He pushed his head into her hand and was stroked in reply.
"Where are his clothes?" Ron asked curiously.
"Your magic takes care of that." Hermione put in, moving forward to make a fuss of the feline Harry as well.
"Harry, can you turn back?" McGonagall asked softly.
Harry turned away from his growing fan club and walked over to his desk, morphing before their eyes as he sat down.
"Remarkable." McGonagall whispered. "10 points, Mr. Potter."
Harry shook his head at her. "Oh, I'd forgotten again." she admitted slightly sheepishly.
Hermione looked between them.
It was actually Ron that filled her in. "Harry can't earn points anymore."
"I can loose them, though" Harry put in.
Lavender was looking annoyed at her boyfriend, so he backed away.
Hermione looked more than a little annoyed, more about the point's thing than anything else.
Draco sneered in pleasure. Potter got Gryffindor far too many points and now he could not, 'Oh happy day,' he thought.
"Very well, after that excitement, back to work if you please, Harry, a word," the professor said.
Harry walked up to her desk and they began a whispered conversation.
"What happened, Harry?" she asked him.
Harry looked contrite, "I've been able to do it for a while now, but my control isn't what it should be."
"How is that?" She asked.
"I really did only mean to change my paw... Hand."
"I see, how long?"
"About a couple of weeks or so."
"Doing so without someone to watch over you, Harry, it is remarkably short sighted of you."
"I just sort of did it in the end, actually," Harry told her.
"You have a relationship with your magic that is quite unlike anyone that I have ever taught or met Harry. It is truly remarkable. To maintain such control whilst in the change... How was it the first few times?"
Harry smiled, "Confusing... fuzzy and hard to think. Luckily the Occlumancy training I have had helped I think. Part of me was always in control."
"The fact you can fight of the Imperio might have a bit to do with it as well," she said thinking hard. "It shows a sense of self that cannot be denied. It also makes you pigheaded enough to try this alone in the first place." she added the last with a thin smile.
"Sorry, Professor."
"It makes the rest of this section rather moot for you, though, doesn't it, Harry?" She asked with a slight smirk. "I think I also will avail myself of your assistant status."
"Just as long as you don't have me marking homework," he said with a grin.
"Stay up here with me and watch over the class and see if anyone needs help." she said finally.
"Okay, Professor," he agreed, leaning back on her desk and looking out over the class.
Draco looked up and saw his hated nemesis standing at the front of the class as if he belonged there or something. Oh, how he hated him. Smug, arrogant bastard, he needed to be taken down a peg or more. But how?
Just then, Harry swooped down the class to Pansy, helping her with her hoof, which she was stuck with half-and-half. He smiled at her charmingly and slightly flirtatiously, which gave Draco the beginnings of an idea... He was sure he could make Pansy do it; it was just a case of baiting the trap and springing it on the golden boy. How would he be with his reputation in tatters, Draco wondered... not so bloody smug to be sure. Draco smiled nastily and then went back to his hopefully soon to be paw. Not the most noble of creatures, perhaps, but he could see the opportunities inherent in it.
Harry walked back to the front of the class and looked out at it again, a chill running down his back. Some danger sense was warning him something was just not right, that someone meant him harm. It was not that much of an alien feeling to him these days, but he wished it were. No one seemed to be leaping out at him.
Then he locked gazes with a pair of ice blue eyes. 'God that Greengrass is a hottie', he thought giving her a sexy smile. She actually blushed slightly and ducked her head back down to her hand.
'Strange,' he thought to himself with an inner smirk. Now there was a female he could definitely get into... in a manner of speaking of course. Though literally would be fan-bloody-tastic.
"Harry?" Hermione asked from her desk.
"Yes 'Mione?" He asked smiling at her.
"Could you give me a hand here?" She asked coyly.
Harry smiled and walked down to her. "What's up?"
She looked from side to side, "I can't do it, not at all. Everyone else has gotten at least a skin change. I've still got my bloody hand."
"Well, it's a very nice hand," he told her.
"Harry, please..."
"Okay, first step... You're thinking too bloody hard," he told her. "Not a surprise considering," he told her with a cheeky wink.
"I can't stop thinking," she told him waspishly.
"You can," he said, putting a hand on hers. "Don't think of anything"
A few moments then a head shake. "It's like not talking about an elephant in the room. You tell me to stop and I can't help myself."
Magic flared into his hand. She smiled faintly. "Concentrate on the join of us, the feel of my hand on yours. Nothing else okay," he said in a low voice.
She nodded, feeling the slight tingle where they met.
"You're surrounded in a blank fog. Sound is deadened; you cannot see anything but the fog all around you. It is ambient; it does not feel of anything. No dampness or chill," he virtually purred.
She did nod, but her eyes closed.
"There's nothing but you," he continued. "Just BE in the mist."
Hermione did as she was asked, starting to feel more than slightly peaceful.
"Now in the mist there is a bright light. It is brilliant it, lights up the surrounding area. That's your magic, can you feel it?"
A moment, then a nod
"Concentrate on it, will it closer," he told her. "Bring it right up to you. It's amazing isn't it, bright pure at it's core..."
She nodded a smile spreading across her face. "Now reach out," he told her.
She did, physically.
He pushed her arm down. "In your mind, not your body," he said in that same hypnotic voice.
She did as she was asked, feeling an almost painful electrical presence.
"It's a wild thing, so you have to be stern with it," he told her. "Don't let it work you, work it. Command it to your will, 'Mione."
"Will it to do what?"
"For now, just make it bend to your will," he told her.
In her mind, the ball of light seemed to try to flee. She was stern, as Harry instructed, and it snapped and crackled at her. "Bring it into you," he told her.
She mentally pulled it towards her, the light blinding her and the electric hiss of it filling her mind. Pull it in she did, though. She was of an indomitable will and she forced it to cooperate with her. It slowly, but surely sank into her body.
The air around her began to hum, in the real world too. By this point, the entire class had stopped to watch. None, after that, could deny that she was an unusually powerful witch. Professor McGonagall watched as Harry taught a student to control her raw magical core in stunned amazement. Dealing so directly with magic was virtually unheard of. Never known was someone that could TEACH others to do it. The amount of power Hermione apparently had at her disposal was also fascinating to behold. The aged professor was willing to bet that Draco Malfoy would not be so quick to anger the bushy haired girl again.
"Now open your eyes," Harry silkily said.
She did so, causing a few people to jump back as they were actually glowing with power.
"Look at your hand," he told her, having removed his own sometime ago.
She looked down, "It's the same."
"Make it different. Tell your magic what you want and do it!" He commanded.
She nodded in a distracted way, her magic leaping to her command.
"Careful, 'Mione, not too much, it needs just a trickle. Don't let your magic get away with you," he told her. "It's heady to be sure, but you are its master not the other way around."
She nodded and pulled back her power. Suddenly a paw appeared on the desk where her hand was. She flexed her fingers watching long sharp and deadly claws spring out and scratched the desk.
Harry smiled at her, "Well done, 'Mione," he said. "Now you know what to do to turn it back."
Hermione bit her lip. "I want to go all the way," she said.
'Oh boy'
"Not yet, you need to prepare you mind. You could easily enough, but you would be an animal. Just turn back, and pull your power down deep into yourself. I always imagine it to be around my belly button. Remember where you put it, and with practice you can call it up any time you need it," he told her.
She nodded, her paw morphing back into a hand. She beamed at him and threw her arms around his neck, "Thank you. Thank You, Thank You," she bubbled.
He pulled her gently off, "My pleasure, 'Mione," he said.
"Bloody Hell!" Ron said with a big grin, "Well done, 'Mione."
She smiled at him, and then turned back to Harry, "That felt amazing. Thank you."
Harry shrugged, "Like I've said often recently, magic is alive; it's a thing inside everyone. It's up to the individual to control is all"
"Mr. Potter! Well done. I only wish I could give you points for that, but I CAN give Hermione some points. 25 points to you, young lady, and well done."
"Teach me?" Ron said.
"I'll teach you all." Harry replied mildly.
"Indeed, I too would be interested in that lesson, so for the rest of this session... You're in charge." McGonagall said walking around her desk and promptly putting herself in Harry's chair. "Well, go on."
Harry blushed and sighed, "Okay, okay. It is easy enough to do; it just takes a lot of focus the first few times. Don't be upset if you don't get it straight off," he told them, walking to the front of the class.
In the end, no one but the professor herself duplicated Hermione's efforts. She was slightly annoyed to realize that her magic was nowhere near as potent as the younger witch's was.
As the class filed out, mostly full of praise for the lesson she kept Harry behind.
He waited for the last to leave and turned to her.
"Your turn, Mr. Potter." she said with a smile. "Everyone was able to emit their power, but not control it, so I now know the power levels of everyone in this class. Except you."
Harry smirked at her, "Can you keep a secret?" He asked impishly.
"Other than talking to the headmaster I give you my word on my magic," she said a slight flaring as she said it.
Harry shrugged, "He already knows to an extent." He admitted, "Ready?" He asked. It would be nice to show off for once.
"Go ahead."
WHAM, the air around Harry was alive with snapping hissing magic, turning the air vaguely blue in an aura that reached out a good few feet around him, then amazingly enough it intensified. His irises were snapping with tendrils of power and the wood around him was creaking, as it appeared to warp. He tilted his head at her gob smacked expression, but then pulled it all back down with little to no effort. Practice made perfect, after all.
"Merlin!" She exclaimed.
"Remember now..."
She shook her head, "Of course. Albus knows?"
"Most of the order saw me loose my temper, but that's as much as the wards could handle."
"Wards?"
"The wards that are used to power the other wards take ambient magic and use that. A lot of magic flows around this school, I have just topped off the reserve tanks, I would say. Luckily they are designed in such a fashion that they can't be overloaded easily."
"So there is more power?" She asked, going white.
"I am magic," he said in a hollow voice and laughed. "Don't worry, though, I'm not dangerous, but I thought you should know how and why I can do the things I do."
"An Animagus transformation must've been a walk in the park for you," she said, holding a hand to her chest.
"Actually, no. Power was fine, but power is not everything. It's nothing, in fact, without control. I'm still learning that aspect."
"Well... Thank you for your honesty. Tell me, can you really teach them all to change?"
Harry paused, "I think so," he told her.
"Everyone?"
"Of course."
"Then I would like you to join me for the Seventh year class's tomorrow as well as the rest of your year."
Harry paused.
"Please Harry"
"I'll have to miss lessons to do that."
"I will explain to your teachers. I'll fight them for it, in fact," she added with a laugh.
Harry laughed, "Okay then, but no fighting needed, I hope."
-oOo-
In the end, Cho turned up bang on twelve midnight. Harry had arrived a few minutes early, just in case. She slipped out of the portrait and looked around, but frowned when she could not see him.
Harry faded back into view and smiled at her, "Hello you." He said.
Her face blossomed into a smile. "I thought you'd stood me up again," she said, moving towards him quickly.
Harry shook his head, "Cleared my schedule especially." He told her with a sexy smile.
"Good," she told him, and gave him a quick, but filled with promise, kiss.
Harry smiled at her and they looked at each other for a minute. "Astronomy Tower?" She asked.
Harry shook his head, "Filch checks that place out every hour on the hour. Besides, I have somewhere ... better"
"Oh?" She asked, and then her eyes shot open as the world shifted on her, only to reform into a room she had never seen before. She stepped back and turned a full 360. "Nice... where are we?"
"That's a secret," he told her.
"Oh Harry, come on," she said. "How did we get here anyway?"
"So full of questions," he said taking off his coat and tossing it onto a nearby chair. Slytherin's personal chamber was quite the home away from home for him now. Not only was it private for ... fun stuff, it was peaceful and he had gone there on a regular basis alone to just think.
Cho tilted her head from side to side, "You're a lot sexier than you used to be, Harry," She told him frankly.
"Why, thank you, Cho. You're pretty sexy yourself," he told her with a smile that sent a shiver down her back.
She took off her outer robes and she had obviously changed. She was wearing a similar dress to before, thin, high on the leg and showing off her athletic curve to their best. Her long legs were shown in almost their entirety and shaped into a lust-filled dream by another pair of clunky looking heels. She stuck a little pose for him, "Do you like? After seeing your reaction to the other dress, I got this one to go with it."
Harry licked his lips, eyes alight, "You're a wet dream walking, Cho."
She smiled coyly at him and stepped back into his personal space. "I was wondering..."
"What?"
"We could pick up where we left off if you like," she said walking over to the couch and taking a seat, shifting back and parting her legs. Harry could quite clearly see straight up the short dress and, even if he were half-blind, which he was not anymore, he would have been able to see her lack of underwear.
He smiled slightly at the show, but frowned at the thought behind it. "I dunno Cho, as that didn't go so well for me. I was left a little high and dry, if you remember."
She smiled, "Then we could ... deal with that problem for you..." she said licking her lips at him.
"How so?" he asked.
She shifted into a more up right position, driving her dress the rest of the way up, "Come 'ere, Harry."
He stepped closer to her.
"Closer" she said flirtatiously.
Harry stepped right up to her, his waist about head height to her. She reached forward and fumbled with his belt, failing to remove it on the first few tries.
Harry rolled his eyes and helped the process along sliding his trousers down and showing that he was not entirely uninterested in the process. Cho's eyes widened at his still-covered manhood. "Mmm," she purred, reaching out and holding him.
Harry's smile grew. She then reached out and pulled down his boxers, head butting him slightly in the process. He winced slightly but ignored it, then her head came back up and she virtually poked herself in the eye with his dick. "Oh," she said in surprise.
Harry covered a laugh.
"My you are a big boy," she said.
'Okay, that SHOULD have been sexy sounding,' he thought to himself.
She grabbed his shaft in one hand a little hard, but it still felt good, and then put it in her mouth without further preamble. Harry frowned; something did not feel quite right. She sucked on him a little and it was starting to become a little better. He closed his eyes and let out a sigh, but then felt teeth, then winced as she scraped across his helmet a little too hard.
She moaned as if she was in full flow and sucked harder, which was fine, so Harry started to relax his hands resting gently on her head, feeling her soft silky hair. Her head bobbed back, causing him to slide out and she moved forward again, whacking him into her chin, her cheek and finally back into her mouth, somewhat painfully.
By this point, Harry was starting to become tense in a way he did not normally associate with getting a blowjob and then, of all things, she bit him. "Ow!"
"Sorry," she said uncaring around him and then pushed back down, gagging on him and choking slightly, once again ending up with a little too much teeth introduced to his manhood. She pulled him off and coughed a bit, "Sorry," she said again.
Harry was looking at her a little horrified. 'She can't possibly be this bad, surely?' He asked himself.
She whacked him back in her mouth and sucked nicely for a while, keeping to the end of his shaft. Harry began to relax again, but it was a little sore, though, and her mouth was dry. Then she got adventurous again, once more gagged, and choked.
"OW!" Harry said pulling her off by the most expedient method, her hair in other words.
"Hey," she said mildly. "I was just getting into that," she said rubbing the back of her head.
"Hmm," Harry said. "Urh, perhaps you could use your hand?" He suggested.
Cho shrugged, "OK if you want. Sit down then."
'Wow Cho, you're so very sexy... I don't think." Harry thought sarcastically. He did however sit down, relaxed back, cock standing proud. He was not quite to the point of totally loosing his erection yet. "Take your clothes off, Cho," he purred.
Cho smiled at him and leapt to her feet, whipping her dress off over her head and throwing it off to one side after getting it briefly stuck on her head.
"Ooookay," Harry said. He was hoping for a bit of a show, but never mind. Lavender had always made a bit of a dance out of taking off her clothes and he had rather enjoyed that. Still, there was a hot-bodied naked girl in front of him. That could not be denied.
"Do you like what you see, Harry?" She asked, moving to kick off her shoes.
"No... Leave them on. And yes, I like what I see."
"You like my shoes?" She asked, sounding amused.
"I like what they do to your legs," he replied, leaning forward and running a hand up her leg.
She purred at him.
He smiled, let his arm drop and sat back. She plonked down beside him and went to give him head again. He panicked slightly, "I really fancy a hand job," he said quickly.
She shrugged again, "Okay," she said, grabbing his cock almost painfully hard but then braced herself on his thigh and proceeded to just rocket up and down his length. Strangely, it was not doing the job for Harry. The look on her face was more one of concentration than anything else and she seemed to be trying to move her hand as fast as possible, which wasn't all bad until her hand came of the end and ended up smacking him in the face.
"Did you just laugh?" Harry said, having heard something like laughter.
Cho shook her head, grabbing him again. "No," she said, "Why, is something funny?"
Harry had to bite back a laugh as she promptly smacked herself in the face this time. "Okay, Cho slow down a bit, it's not a race... just move up and down a bit slower, then you might not come off the end."
Then she said one of the worst things possible to say to a guy, "I thought it was bigger than it was for a moment is all."
Harry's face darkened. As if it was his fault, she was crap. He had had a bloody Veela telling him nice his cock was, and others. He knew a lie, thanks to constant and very low level sensing of the world around him, and they were not lying. He also realized Cho did not mean it like that, but there were some things you did not say to a man whilst he had his cock in your hand. Insulting his size at anytime wasn't exactly a nice thing, no matter how much she did not mean it the way it sounded. He took a breath, wondering if he should just tell her to piss off, but he then looked at her, noticing that her nipples were as hard as rocks, she was obviously turned on, fancied him and, frankly, ready for action. Why on earth would he turn that away?
Then she moved her arm in the wrong direction shooting pain from his groin upwards as she had just hit him in the balls and wrenched his shaft at the same time. "OW!" he said again.
"This is harder than it sounds," she said to herself.
"Kiss me," he said, trying to think of anyway to stop her doing what she was doing without undue hurt for either of them.
She smiled and slithered up his body. 'Okay,' he thought, 'This is better, hot body pressed against mine, she can at least kiss and my dick is pressing into her thigh. Much better, of course there is one thing she cannot possibly fuck up... I hope,' He grabbed her by the hips and held her in position.
"Oh yes... yes," she said smiling at him. "Do it, put your thing inside me."
Harry grimaced, which she did not see since she had her eyes closed. She was trembling in his grip and quite obviously wanted this. He lowered her down, her labia parted for him and he slid into her heat smoothly. She was as wet as the morning dew, thankfully.
"Oh fuck," she breathed.
Harry frowned slightly when he realized he had not met any resistance on the way in, which could just mean she rode horses or something. Not that he particularly cared if she WAS a virgin, but he would never have guessed she had any experience from the way things had gone so far.
Perhaps being with Fleur had ruined him for other women. She had been heavenly, to put it mildly. Cho was tight, though, and hot, and wet. She rocked her hips sharply and Harry felt a wash of pleasure.
Her eyes were closed and she was biting her lip slightly. It was a nice view from where Harry was sitting. She bucked into him again, and again, then twisted a little violently, causing him to wince slightly, she pulled up his length and tried to ram back down again, but she went too far and it slipped out, a totally the wrong angle for re-entry, and he whacked into a solid surface instead of a nice moist opening.
"SHIT!" Harry said.
"Shhh, Shhh," Cho purred, reaching down and guiding him back in.
Harry let out a slight sigh, letting her bounce on top of him, but now controlling how far she pulled up with his hands on her hips. By this point, he was pretty pissed off with the entire thing. He found his mind wandering, to the point that he softened slightly, not that she appeared to notice. He found himself looking round the room instead. He had never thought a person could get BORED during sex.
"Oh baby, that's so good, you're fucking me sooo gooood," she whimpered.
Harry just looked at her as if she were mad.
"Is my sweet little snatch tight enough for you, big boy?" She asked, apparently in a world of her own. Anyone else and that could have been sexy.
"It's so BIG and HARD inside of me," she went on.
'Oh god, doesn't she EVER shut up!' Harry thought to himself.
"Is it GOOD for you baby?" She asked.
"Yeah, right, Cho, fan-bloody-tastic," he murmured sarcastically; quite obviously she was not in a state to hear him right then.
She began to thrash around on his lap, her hair flying all over the place and hitting him in the eye several times. "Bang me HARD!" She screamed at the top of her voice.
Harry actually started to laugh before he caught himself. He started to run a memory of doing this the right way with Fleur on a loop in his head, but he was a multitasking sort of person these days. It was, however, enough to keep him hard. Fleur could make the dead hard, Still, it did not stop him watching Cho's gyrations with more than a little worry.
"BANG, BANG, YEAH!"
Harry repressed another laugh.
"Oh such a big wand!"
Harry was trying so very hard not to laugh it was starting to hurt.
He looked around the room for a distraction.
"PLEASE, MR POTTER, CAN I HAVE MORE!"
Harry cut her an askance look. He could not believe that had just come out of her mouth.
"Ohh, Ohh baby, yeah."
His eyes were wide and sparkling with humour by this point.
Then she started to yelp like a dog.
"HA!" He laughed aloud.
"YEAH!"
"HA!"
"BABY, BANG, BANG"
"HAHAHAHAHAHA," he laughed out amazingly loudly.
Cho was totally away with it by now though. She seemed to take it as encouragement actually.
"OHH BANG," she thrust her hips hard, "BANG," and again, twisting slightly too hard and causing him to not only stop laughing but also wince in actual pain. Then she started hopping from side to side on his shaft.
Harry shot her a slightly horrified look. Just when he thought it could not get any worse, there she went and made it worse. He guided her back on course with his hands, stopping wincing as she got back a more usual movement. She honestly did not seem to care if he was enjoying himself; she just seemed to assume he was. He did not think he had ever met anyone quite so selfish in or out of the 'bedroom'
Her body thrashed wildly. "BOOM, BOOM, BANG, BANG!"
Harry rolled his eyes and looked to the heavens. This was getting ridiculous. If it were not for a more... pleasant memory, he would not even be erect anymore. He briefly wondered if he could stimulate himself as he did women. He took a hand off Cho and it lit up with power. He pressed it to his thigh- not even a tickle.
He let out a sigh and put his hand back on Cho...
She SCREAMED in orgasm and shuddered like a live wire.
"Whoops," Harry said realizing he had not capped his power before putting it back on her naked flesh.
She flopped to one side.
"OW, GOD DAMN IT!" He swore as she had still had him inside when she had done it.
"At least it's over, I suppose," he said after checking her over and realizing she was out for the count.
Laughter, again... Harry narrowed his eyes, clicked his finger and Cho was sent back to her bed, fully dressed. He had no wish to deal with her any longer.
He looked around, reaching up and adjusting his glasses to see though most forms of invisibility.
What he found surprised him somewhat.