Chapter 28
Notes:
In which my Goblins go off-script.
Chapter Text
They had discovered that he could latch both manacles onto one arm and they would still work. That way he didn't have to walk around with handcuffs on. Instead, he just wore his fall robes with longer sleeves to hide the new addition to his uniform. Professor Flitwick and Professor McGonagall had been informed of his condition so they could keep a closer watch in case he needed to step away. They hadn't told Professor Weasley. As much as Harry didn't want to upset the man was on track to be his new favorite Defense teacher, he agreed with the choice. Percy may have turned out to be a boon to the students, but he was still a Ministry Owned Man. Finding out that Harry was a magical powerhouse that only got stronger around other magic would lead to disaster. The Ministry would want to control him at best and try to recreate the process at worst.
Harry walked into the Defense classroom to see that all of the desks had been removed. Instead, there was an open expanse with a row of pedestals along the far wall. Professor Weasley stood in the center of the room. He waited with a patient smile as the class filed in. Harry noted that he had taken to wearing pin-stripe robes like Fudge had worn the last time he had seen him.
"Welcome, welcome." Professor Weasley called as the students entered. "We did the theory, so today is the practical. I'll demonstrate the spell then we will form lines and practice on the targets."
He scanned the crowd to make sure the students were all paying attention.
"We discussed the flare spell." Professor Weasley continued. "It is an important one to know as it can signal danger, mark the location of an injured person, or, if need be, work as a low-powered offense. Aurors use them quite frequently in their daily patrols for all three. A Flare, while not as powerful as a Stunner, is an effective deterrent to escalate a hostile encounter. When struck, it feels like a strong Stinging Hex. It leaves no lasting damage but is known to cause brief localized numbness as well as a feeling of pins and needles in the surrounding area of impact."
Percy paused for the class to take in the words.
"The wand movement is simple, and the incantation is shorter than a stunner as well." Percy continued. "Can anyone, aside from Miss Granger, tell me how the Flare is inferior to a stunner."
He mentioned Hermione with a small smile to acknowledge her intelligence without belittling her enthusiasm.
"It's not as accurate." Ron spoke up.
Harry looked at his friend in shock.
"Five points to Gryffindor, Mister Weasley." Percy nodded. "Correct. The Flare is used primarily to mark location. The sky is an easy target to hit."
Ron preened at the attention.
"Anyone else?" Percy asked. "Miss Granger, you're free to chime in now."
Hermione blushed.
"A Stunner is safer." Parvati spoke before Hermione could recover.
"Explain and I'll gladly award another five points." Percy teased.
"A Stunner will knock them out and they can't fight or run." Parvati twirled her hair as she spoke, there was a slight color to her cheeks as well. "The Flare would just smack them up a bit."
"Five points." Percy said. "Please attend carefully." He turned toward the pedestals where a large circular target popped up into view. His wrist flicked upward just barely. "Flo."
An oblong chunk of light launched from the tip of his wand. It wobbled as it moved at a rapid pace toward the target. The spell popped into sparkles as it struck the outer rim of the circle. A couple of people gasped at the sudden flash of light.
"As you can see." Percy turned back toward the class. "Accuracy is not the strong point."
"You could just be rubbish." A voice that sounded like Dean mumbled.
"Five points from Gryffindor." Percy glared at the boy.
Percy turned quickly to the side; his wand snapped up. He sent a Stunner at the same target, and it hit dead center.
"Any spell that you can practice enough can be done silently and with minimal wand movement." Percy explained. "Unfortunately, it is something that cannot be tracked as the process is dependent on the individual rather than power or focus." He took a small, calming breath. "That is a lesson for another day. Line up. The wand movement is a small flick upward and the incantation is Flo. Say it with me."
The entire class repeated the word. From there the students did as they were told. They formed lines and took turns casting the spell. Percy would move from student to student and offer corrections as needed.
"Interesting watch, Mister Potter." Percy commented as he stood beside Harry.
Harry followed his gaze to the gauge on his wrist rather than the manacles on his other arm. He was not sure how he would have explained those. Even with everyone casting around him the readout was mostly yellow with stripes of green valiantly trying to hold on.
"Madam Bones wanted me to keep track of my magic after this summer." Harry explained. The best lies had a bit of truth in them. "She was worried that there might be some unknown side-effects from the encounter with Dementors."
Percy's jaw went tight before he moved on to the next student. Mention of the Dementors soured the Professor for a brief moment. Ever the professional, Percy got himself in order and was back on form by the end of class.
"Friday will be review." Professor Weasley called as the class ended. "The Essay will be Twelve-Inches due on Monday."
"Professor." Ron approached his brother.
Harry stopped by the door to watch his friend. He really hoped that Ron wouldn't mess this up. The relationship between Percy and the rest of the Weasleys hadn't been the best since he had started to work at the Ministry. Arthur and Molly were certain that Fudge took an interest in Percy due to their connection to Dumbledore. Percy thought that meant they didn't think he was worth the attention. Harry wasn't sure how that all worked, family dynamics weren't something he knew much about.
"I just wanted to say." Ron muttered. "You're doing a great job. I heard a few Slytherin yesterday saying you couldn't be a Weasley. From them, I think that was a compliment."
"Thank you, Ronald." Percy gave him a polite nod. "Do you have any questions about the course material?"
"No." Ron shook his head.
"Then you better be off to your next class." Percy started to prepare the room.
Ron walked out of the room with bright, watery eyes. Harry stepped up beside him.
"Are you alright?" Harry whispered.
"Are you kidding me?" Ron looked at him in shock. "He called me Ronald."
Harry tried to read his friend.
"And… that's… good?" Harry guessed.
"Of course, it's good." Ron beamed. "That means he's not mad at me. He still calls Fred and George, Mister Weasley."
Harry smiled.
"Hey, Potter." Pansy seemed to appear out of nowhere.
"What do you want?" Ron and Hermione spoke at the same time.
"Easy there." Pansy rolled her eyes at the two. "I'm just here to see if Potter needs any help." She stepped closer. "You know, like the other day."
"What is she talking about?" Ron asked as he looked from Harry to Hermione and finally to Pansy.
"Nothing." Hermione snapped. "Let's get to class."
"I can't." Harry said before she could drag him away.
"Oh?" Pansy took another step closer to him. The desire in her eyes was obvious.
"I have an appointment at Gringotts." Harry clarified. "I should be back before dinner."
Pansy pouted.
"Let me know if you need my help." Pansy turned and walked away. Her hips had more sway in them than usual. "You know, in case Granger can't handle you again."
On instinct, Ron caught Hermione's raising wand-hand. People always said she was the voice of reason in the group, but she was just as reckless as her friends. Hermione was the one who set Snape on fire, she was the one who punched Draco, and she was the one who captured Rita Skeeter in a jar. Harry was pretty sure she was still blackmailing the reporter. Honestly, she was the scariest of the trio.
"Would you take notes for me, please?" Harry asked Hermione, mostly to distract her.
She would have taken the notes and made sure that both he and Ron had studied them before the weekend. Asking here was polite as well as gave her something other than Pansy to focus on.
"Sure." Hermione replied.
"Thanks." Harry kissed her on the forehead. "You too, Ron."
Ron held up his hands.
"No kisses on the forehead for me." Ron grinned.
"Cheek?" Harry countered.
"Get out of here." Ron chuckled.
Harry hurried off to Dumbledore's office. The gargoyle opened as he approached.
"You're late." The gargoyle called.
"And you are made of stone." Harry replied.
The gargoyle stared at him in confusion.
"Thought we were stating the obvious." Harry stuck his tongue out at the gargoyle as he ran up the stairs.
"Ah, Mister Potter." Dumbledore turned to face him with a smile. "Just on time."
The Floo was already lit and ready. Dumbledore held the case for the manacles. The old man stepped into the flames without another word. Harry followed a moment behind. This time, he managed to land in a crouch rather than on his face. A quick look at his watch showed completely yellow now. Traveling via Floo had washed away the last streaks of green. The trip did feel a little slower this time too.
"Wizard." A goblin stood nearby as the two arrived. "Follow me."
The goblin didn't wait as they turned away. Goblins were fast for such small creatures. Harry and Dumbledore caught up to their guide with a slight jog. The goblin led them into the private offices. Then down some steps and a short elevator ride. It was a rather modern looking one as well. Not the iron gate like the ones at the Ministry.
"Wizard magic isn't the same as Goblin magic." The goblin said as he noticed Harry's attention.
Harry nodded. He didn't know enough about either to really know what that meant. The floor the elevator stopped at was lined with thick wood slabs intricate gold knot-work that stretched the entire length. Each door they passed was made of a mixture of gold, silver, and some type of wood that Harry didn't recognize. Finally, they cam to the end of the hall where the largest of the doors stood.
The goblin opened it easily as though it didn't weigh a metric ton. A group of proud looking goblins stood behind a workbench with a case similar to the one Dumbledore held in the center. While most goblins were in a constant state of disdain when they had to deal with wizards. This group had a glint of something in their eyes that was a mixture of genius and madness. They also wore overalls and leather gloves rather than the fancy suits the others wore.
"Put the case on the table, wizard." One of the worker goblins ordered.
Dumbledore did. "Here you are, Master Rendblade."
The goblin opened the case then gave Harry a pointed look. Harry unlocked the manacles. A wave of power rushed through him. He swayed on his feet. The watch had shifted color to a deep orange with hints of red. He set the manacles in the case and steadied himself on the table.
Master Rendblade and the other workers snickered at his reaction.
"Now." Master Rendblade stared at Harry with a look bordering on malicious. "We have designed a ring as ordered. This will suppress wizard magic."
Harry reached for the box as Dumbledore took a step back.
"Beware." The goblin screeched before Harry could touch it. "It is powerful enough to kill the average wizard. It will strip away his power and leave him as nothing more than a withered husk."
Harry shrugged. He didn't have much of a choice now. Either the burst of magic he felt when he removed the manacles was a delayed impact from everything he had been exposed to before, or it was in response to Goblin magic. No matter the cause, he was fast approaching the release of Wild Magic and he really didn't want to fuck a Goblin.
He opened the case. The ring inside was a silver band that looked to be made of tightly woven individual strands. It appeared as though there was some sort of stone among them.
"It looks nice." Harry lifted the ring with care.
The goblins watched him with hunger in their eyes as he slid it onto his finger. They started to mutter amongst themselves in their native tongue when Harry didn't fall dead before them. Harry ignored them. He turned his attention to his watch. The dark orange had lightened to yellow with small spikes of green around the edges.
"Mister Potter." Dumbledore said. "If the goblins will allow, please cast a spell or two?"
The workers nodded eagerly. They started to get louder as Harry went through a few spells without trouble.
"It works great." Harry said with a satisfied smile.
"May I try as well?" Dumbledore asked. "To make sure the ambient use of magic is managed as well?"
"Of course." Harry nodded.
Dumbledore started with Transfiguration. Even with someone of his power it didn't seem to effect the color much. It was good to know that the response from class wasn't a fluke. From there, Dumbledore moved to charms. The color of the watch didn't change, but Harry could feel the ring start to vibrate.
"One more." Dumbledore sent a Teeth Cleaning Charm directed at Harry.
A swish of cold air swirled around his mouth. The goblins screamed once the spell hit him. Their ring shattered. Harry checked the watch, just to make sure. It hadn't changed at all.
"That worked great." Harry turned to face the Goblin workers.
The smile on his face dropped as he saw their reaction. Binns had droned on and on about Goblin Wars, but it wasn't until that moment that Harry knew why the creatures were so fearsome.
"No." Master Rendblade barked. "This is not over. I will make a ring that will strip you of your magic, wizard. You will drop dead right here before me."
"Thank you, Master Goblin." Dumbledore inclined his head. "We will eagerly await your next creation. Hogwarts will gladly compensate you for the destroyed product."
"No." The Goblin yelled. "This is not about something as mundane as gold."
The other Goblins in the room gasped. Their guide fainted.
"This is about honor." The Goblin continued to yell. "I will not rest until I have created a ring that will strip the magic from his bones."
"Until next time." Dumbledore placed a firm hand on Harry's shoulder. "We must return to Hogwarts. It is a school day after all."
Harry nodded. He wasn't going to argue with any reason to get out of there.
Chapter 29
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
The goblins had been uncomfortably silent over the last couple of days. Harry wasn't sure if he should take that as a good thing or not. He had never heard of a goblin turning down gold, but then he wasn't exactly an expert on the people. Honor did seem to be a very important part of the magical world.
Today he didn't have the luxury of distractions. Hedwig had returned from the delivery to Emily refused to talk to him about it. She was not happy and that did not bode well. Harry had finally convinced Tonks to allow him to visit the girl.
Hermione waited for them at the exit to the Great Hall. She wasn't happy that she couldn't go with them. Still, she wanted to see him off. She wanted to see where he lived and maybe meet the muggle girl that caught Harry's eye. Not that she was jealous. She had made peace that she would have to share Harry. Physically, at least. She still wasn't sure how she felt about him. Did she find him attractive? Of course. Did she have a crush on him? Since first year. Did she love him? Yes. Was it love-love? She wasn't so sure. Sex was fun and she would walk into hell with him, but she didn't see them having a real long-term thing. School Sweethearts settling down together was a nice fantasy. They didn't work out nearly as much in practice. The Voldemort problem needed to be handled before any solid plans for the future were made.
"I can apparate us there." Nym offered. "We'll have to leave the Hogwarts ward though."
"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Harry asked. "I still don't know how I'll react to it."
"We'll just have to figure out a way to burn off the extra magic." Nym purred.
"I can't believe you're doing this." Hermione huffed.
"Luna was right about Amelia and Nym." Harry countered. "I'm not going to leave Emily alone in this."
"Because of you're saving people thing." Hermione grumbled.
"A little." Harry nodded. "There are literally people out there trying to kill me. They would jump at the chance to hurt me in some way. Emily is in danger even now. Plus, she's the mother of my child."
"You're too happy about this." Hermione shook her head.
"I want a big family." Harry shrugged. "This isn't how I planned it, but I'm not going to argue."
"I've heard horror stories about muggle childbirth." Nym shivered. "I'm not going to pass it up if I can help my sister-wife have a better experience."
"Sister wife?" Harry and Hermione said in unison.
"You're going to take responsibility, right Harry?" Nym fluttered her eyelashes at him.
"You didn't strike me as the marrying type." Harry teased.
"Are you calling me a scarlet woman?" Nym shifted her hair to a Weasley inspired red and her voice to an uncanny impression of Molly.
Harry shivered. Thank Merlin she hadn't been among the pregnant. There was a vast gulf between dirty talk in the heat of the moment and the real world. He would never forgive himself if he caused the Weasley family to fall apart. With more experience he could see how it had happened. He didn't know it at the time, but it was his magic reaching out to fulfill his desires that caused Molly to find him like it had done with Pansy. Of course, that had been sexually attracted to him before to be open to the influence.
Nym stopped on the other side of the Hogwarts wards. She held back her hand as she looked back at Harry. He sighed, closed his eyes, and took it. The incredibly uncomfortable being balled up and sent through a tube pressed all over his body.
He discovered that they were now in Privet Drive once he opened his eyes. Harry checked his watch. Thick yellow lines were starting to take over. The only thing preventing it from moving on to red was the fact that they were in a low-magic area. He'd have to keep that in mind.
"Aw." Nym looked at his watch as well. "I was hoping for a quickie."
Harry shook his head.
"Where does this baby-mama live?" Nym scanned the area. "Scratch that, how do you tell these apart? I grew up in a muggle neighborhood and it wasn't as bad as this place."
"You get used to it." Harry shrugged. "That's her house."
Harry strolled up the walkway with Nym by his side. He took a look at her from the corner of his eye. She was in her 'standard' form, which was a bit taller than him, sporty, and with shoulder-length pink hair. He knew he wasn't the tallest wizard in his year, but he had grown a lot over the summer. With the influx of magic repairing his body, not to mention the sex, and he had filled out. He had a lithe, athletic build that was perfect for a Seeker. Most magical folk didn't bother with physical activity unless their job required it. Duelists, Quidditch players, and a few other professions were the only ones that a magical person would need to be active. There were spells and enchantments to take care of practically everything. He was pretty sure that it was only through magic that most witches and wizards looked the way they did.
The meandering train of thought didn't make the short walk up to the door any longer. Harry rang the doorbell and waited for a sign.
His skin tingled with nervous energy as the moments stretched out.
"She could be at work." Harry offered when there was no answer.
"Where does she work?" Nym asked.
"She didn't say." Harry shrugged.
Nym muttered something and rolled her eyes. She took a quick look around.
"Use a locator spell." She whispered. "You'll suck up the magic if I do it."
"I better not get letter from the Ministry about this." Harry grumbled.
He drew his wand and cast the spell. It pointed them toward town. Harry looked up to scan the sky for any incoming owls. He let out a little sigh when he didn't see any.
"Looks like we're going for a walk." Harry started in the direction the spell had given.
"We need something more specific than that." Nym fell into step beside him. "You will need to cast that charm every few minutes to make sure we don't overshoot."
"Is there a better one?" Harry asked.
"Auror secret." Nym dropped her voice to a stage whisper.
Nym took a step away from him and drew her wand. She set a hand on his shoulder.
"Think about her. Her name, face, maybe how she looks naked." Nym teased.
Harry felt a small tickle just behind his ears.
"Oxenfree." She drew a sharp triangle then bisected it with a vertical line.
A beacon of light appeared in the air. It was in the same direction that his spell had shown.
"That's not subtle." Harry arched an eyebrow at her.
"We're the only ones who can see it." Nym tapped her wrist to signal to check.
Harry glanced at it. The yellow lines were thicker, but there were still slivers of green.
"Still good." Harry held his wrist up for her to see.
"Where does she work?" Nym asked.
"It didn't come up." Harry rubbed the back of his neck.
"What exactly do you know about this girl?" Nym asked as they started to walk.
"She was nice." Harry shrugged. "She wants to travel. Doesn't want to settle for a normal boring life."
"Wow." Nym snorted. "Deep conversation."
"I helped her with some groceries she spilled, we talked, and just hit it off." Harry replied. "The Dursleys tell everyone that I'm a delinquent. A bit of conversation was enough to convince her that I wasn't. If she was still around next summer I might have seen her again."
Nym just gave him a little smile.
"You've never had a one-night stand?" Harry muttered.
"Point taken." Nym inclined her head. "You forgot that I'm a responsible adult that uses protection."
Harry gave her a smug smile while staying quiet.
"Fuck off." Nym punched him in the shoulder once she realized why.
They made it to the town proper a few minutes later. The beacon moved quite frequently now. Luckily, it stayed to the same area, so she was probably just going through her shift. The beacon led them to a small strip of shops. Harry had been worried she had worked at the same place as Candy. That would have been an interesting experience. At least she wasn't pregnant too.
Nym walked into the shop first to find it was a second-hand clothing store. Emily was in the process of hanging up some clothing. She looked to be muttering to herself and hadn't seen them yet. Harry took a deep breath and walked over to her.
"Welcome to…" Emily started to say.
Her 'customer service' smile dropped when she saw it was him.
"What are you doing here?" She dropped her voice to a whisper.
"Looking for you." Harry gave a shy smile.
"It is not fair that you're so cute." Emily muttered. "Things have gotten really strange since I met you. This big owl tried to attack me, my period is late, and I'm having these weird dreams."
"Hedwig wasn't trying to attack you." Harry soothed.
"Hedwig?" She asked.
"She's my owl." Harry explained. "She was delivering a letter."
"That still doesn't make sense!" Emily snapped. "Did you hear the part about my period?"
"Yes." Harry nodded. "That's why I wanted to talk to you." He paused. "Is there somewhere we can talk in private?"
She narrowed her eyes at him. After a moment she grabbed his hand and pulled him toward the back of the store. She locked the door before she turned to face him.
"What?" Emily crossed her arms, inadvertently drawing his eyes to her chest. "You said you went to a boarding school in Scotland. How are you here then? What else did you lie about?"
"I do go to school in Scotland, I was there this morning." Harry answered.
"It's not even noon!" Emily cut in. "There's no way you got here so fast. Do you have a private jet or something?"
"No." Harry shook his head. "I used magic."
Emily stared at him.
"You're insane." She rubbed a hand over her face. "Cute, sweet, and insane. Of course you are."
"No, he's not." Nym said.
Emily leaned over to see behind him just in time for Nym to close the door.
"How did you get in here?" Emily asked. "I know I locked that."
"You did." Nym twirled her wand along her fingers. "I unlocked it."
"Who are you?" Emily took a step back.
"Officer Tonks." Nym pulled a wallet out from her jacket and flashed a badge. "I'm with Harry."
Harry had only seen them on TV, but he was certain that they didn't usually have a wands in the design.
"Why?" Emily drew the word out.
"Long story." Nym chuckled.
"Listen." Harry cut in. "I know this sounds crazy. This is Nym, she's kind of my bodyguard."
"I'm his baby-mama too." Nym flashed her a smile. "We have that in common."
Emily gawked at her. She turned her gaze to Harry.
"Fuck." Emily groaned. "My life is ruined."
"I need to take you somewhere safe." Harry offered her his hand. "That way we can talk, and you can decide if you want to see me again."
"I'll get fired if I leave now." Emily shook her head. "I'm the only one here."
"I've been authorized to offer you an office job working for me." Nym cut in. "Our office run on a file system that's years out of date, and I hate doing paperwork."
"How much per hour?" Emily asked slowly.
"Give me a moment." Nym muttered to herself as she counted something off on her hand. "Triple whatever you're making now."
"You can do that?" Harry asked.
"Exchange rate." Nym replied with a nod.
"Exchange rate?" Emily asked.
"I can tell you more once we're somewhere private." Harry replied.
He tried to give her an encouraging smile.
"This better not be a scam." Emily sighed. "This job sucks anyway."
"Thank you for trusting me." Harry gave her a gentle smile.
"Is your car out front?" Emily asked.
"We didn't bring a car." Nym stepped up beside them. She slid a hand around Emily's shoulders and the other around Harry's waist. "Have you had lunch yet?"
"No." Emily scrunched her brow. "Why?"
"Good." Nym nodded. "Take a deep breath."
"What?" Emily asked.
They popped away.
Chapter 30
Chapter Text
Emily dropped to her knees and emptied the contents of her stomach on the cobblestone street of Hogsmeade. A couple of passing witches gave understanding looks as they passed by. Apparation was known to cause that for the first few times.
"What the fuck was that?" Emily yelled.
"Apparation." Tonks replied. "Kind of like teleportation, but not."
"What?" Emily stared at Tonks for a moment.
"Well, you know in movies when they teleport they disappear in one place and show up in another?" Tonks didn't wait for an answer. "Apparation is like that, but instead of vanishing and reappearing, it opens a tunnel from one point to another and pulls you through. That way you don't have to worry about accidentally sending yourself into space or landing in a spot that's already occupied."
"I don't think that's what she meant." Harry rubbed a hand along his face.
"Oh." Tonks stared at the girl for a moment then shrugged.
"Magic." Harry helped Emily find her feet. "Magic is real. I'm a wizard, you're pregnant, and there's a very good chance that our baby will be magical as well." He paused. "That and there's a murderous mad-man that wants to kill me and it's easier to protect you here."
"What?" Emily yelled.
"An evil wizard killed my parents and wants to kill me." Harry explained. "You would be in danger if word got out that you're having my baby."
Emily took a step away. She put her hands on the back of her head to make deep breathing a little easier. Her gaze travelled around the town as she let the information settle. She desperately wanted to find something that she could use to explain this as a bad joke. Unfortunately for her, everything pointed to the fact that she was nowhere near where she had just been. It was still daytime, but the weather was noticeably colder. Then there were the people. Every single person in the town were dressed like it was Halloween and the only costume allowed was a witch.
She closed her eyes and felt the world shift around her. Strong hands caught her before she could fall. It had only been a single encounter, but she recognized Harry's touch. Maybe it was magic.
"Let's get her to Hogwarts." Nym said. "The carriage ride will do her some good."
Harry led her over to a carriage that was waiting nearby.
"When did this get here?" Harry asked as he helped Emily step up.
"No one can Apparate into Hogwarts." Nym explained. "We could either pop in at the edge of the wards or come here and take a carriage."
Harry was the last one in. He wasn't sure how Emily was doing, but he didn't think it was a good idea to try to sit beside her. She looked like she needed space.
"There aren't any horses." Emily idly commented.
"It's actually pulled by creatures call Thestrals." Nym explained. "Only people who have seen death can see them. It sounds scary, but they are actually really shy. Sweet too once they trust you."
"Oh." Emily leaned back in the seat.
"I'm sorry about all of this." Harry gave her a shaky smile. "I didn't think I would have to drag you across the country and then melt your brain." He paused. "Wait. Nym, can she go to Hogwarts? There are anti-muggle wards."
"Got it covered." Nym pulled a bracelet from her pocket and slid it on Emily's wrist. "Think of this as a magical hall pass."
Emily held up her wrist to examine the piece of jewelry. She dropped her arm back beside her and closed her eyes. Her breathing slowed to a steady pace. She wasn't asleep, more like she was trying to calm herself down. After a moment she opened one eye. Her shoulders slumped.
"This is real." She muttered. "Magic is real?"
"Yeah." Harry nodded. "I only found out a few years ago."
"And you go to a magical boarding school, not St. Brutus'." Emily sighed. "Were the stories you told me true at all?"
"All of them, actually." Harry chuckled. "I had to change the magic parts to fit."
"Oh?" Emily raised her eyebrows. "Like what?"
Harry spent the rest of the ride re-telling the stories. This time he included all of the magical aspects. Emily had plenty of questions, as did Nym. Both young women stared at him in shock as his story finished. Nym looked like she wanted to jump him right there while Emily was still in shock.
"And you brought me here to keep me safe?" Emily finally spoke. "You've practically died every time you've come here! What makes you think I'll be safe?"
"To be fair." Harry winced. "It's usually only me that gets hurt."
"That doesn't make this any better!" Emily yelled.
"Magical babies are known to have moments of accidental magic." Nym spoke before Harry could say anything more. "Obviously, it's too early for anything like that to happen yet, but you will notice around the second trimester. The frequency can increase once they are born depending on how strong their magic is. Baby Potter is certainly going to be a beast with Harry as the daddy."
"A beast?" Emily gasped.
"Not literally." Nym waved away the question. "Harry is a powerhouse, any of his kids are likely to have a lot of magic too." She settled a hand on her belly. "Our bundle of joy is going to be a terror."
"Why are you so sure the baby will have magic?" Emily asked.
"The baby usually has magic if one of the parents has it too." Nym explained. "That's how it works. Even a squib can have magical children."
"What's a squib?" Emily asked.
"A witch that can't do magic." Nym replied. "Want to know a dirty secret of the magical world?"
"Sure?" Emily replied.
"There are no half-blood squibs." Nym smiled brightly. "Purebloods don't want people to know, but almost all of them come from older families. Magic can only do so much with a shallow gene pool."
"In-breeding." Harry clarified.
Emily curled her lip in disgust.
"No one looks twice when cousins get together." Nym explained. "Immediate family is frowned on."
"Well, that's something." Emily rolled her eyes.
"Don't worry." Harry chuckled. "My family tree actually has branches."
"A few more now, thanks to you." Nym teased.
"Is this normal?" Emily motioned from herself to Harry and Nym.
"No." Nym bumped Harry's shoulder with her own. "Harry here is the last of a family line, there are some rules to help keep Ancient and Noble Houses from vanishing. Plus, he's famous, so no one is really going to argue if he starts giving the magical world a bunch of green-eyed babies."
"You're famous?" Emily asked.
"Remember that mad man that wants to kill me?" Harry didn't wait for an answer. "He tried to kill me when I was a baby. I survived, he didn't. Well, he did, but it's a long story."
"The war ended that night." Nym took his hand and gave it a squeeze. "That made him a hero."
"Wow." Emily let out a long breath. "This is a lot."
Harry nodded.
"Want to see something cool?" Nym asked.
Emily raised her eyebrows but didn't answer. Nym waved her wand to open the privacy curtains on the carriage. Their approach provided an amazing view of Hogwarts. It wasn't as awe inspiring as riding a boat across the lake at night, but it was still beautiful.
"Wow." Emily whispered.
"Welcome to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." Nym smiled at the muggle.
Chapter 31
Summary:
Harry, Nym, and Emily arrive at Hogwarts. An unexpected conversation leads to an unplanned encounter.
Harry/Lavender
Chapter Text
"The carriage is about to stop." Nym said. "Do you have your cloak?"
Harry nodded. He slipped his cloak over himself and vanished from sight. Emily gawked at the spot where he had just been.
"I'm still here." Harry said.
His voice made her jump.
"Just invisible." Harry tried to sound soothing. "It's safer for you not to be seen with me until we've got protection in place."
"He's cute, I said." Emily muttered to herself. "What's the worst that could happen, I said. Past Emily, you are a fucking moron."
"Don't be too hard on yourself." Nym bumped her with her shoulder. "You aren't the first to fall for his charms and you definitely won't be the last."
Emily raised her eyebrows in a silent question.
"Well, he's rich, powerful, famous, and good looking." Nym winked at him. "He could flash that smile of his to any woman in the country and she'd be on her knees in the middle of a crowded street."
"That's a bit much." Harry shook his head under the cloak.
"Remind me to get you a Harry Potter magazine." Nym countered.
"Harry Potter magazine?" He almost didn't want to ask. "Are they like those stupid books?"
"No." Nym teased. "Normal pictures of you with articles about your likes and dislikes. There was an entire spread on how your Seeker skills would transfer over to foreplay."
"Even with the smear campaign?" Harry really hoped she was just teasing him.
"Are you kidding me?" Nym chuckled. "There were weekly articles about wizards that went mad and their exploits between the sheets."
Harry closed his eyes and waited for the carriage to finally stop. Nym helped Emily out. She kept the door slightly open to allow him to leave without raising suspicion. Nym shifted into her version of a tour guide. Her hair changed to a fake blonde that was a shoulder-length bob. Her face shifted to one that he swore was the Weather Girl on the channel Vernon liked. The only thing that didn't fit with the new look were her clothes. Distressed jeans and a Wicked Sisters shirt were not the standard tour guide attire. Emily followed her in a daze.
He waited until they were nearly at the doors before he got out of the carriage. The Map helped him get through to grounds unseen. Habit took him to the Gryffindor tower rather than his new quarters. He cursed under his breath as he put away the map and pulled off his cloak. No one would think twice if they saw him around the Gryffindor tower.
If he had paid more attention, he would have seen the approaching name. To be fair, Percy had a lifetime of experience being overlooked. The skill had turned out to be priceless while working at the Ministry. He could go just about anywhere without raising concerns and had a reputation of appearing when the Minister or one of the higher-ups needed help.
"Mister Potter." Percy called as he approached.
"Professor." Harry greeted him with a smile. "What are you doing here?"
"Looking for you." Percy replied without preamble. "May I have a word in private?"
That question made him realize that Percy wasn't just Percy anymore. In fact, he wasn't just Professor Weasley. He worked for the Ministry and had been placed there specifically to keep an eye on Hogwarts.
"Uh." Harry tried to figure out a polite way to refuse.
"Harry." Percy spoke just loud enough for him to hear. "It's important."
Harry flinched at the use of his first name. He was pretty sure Percy had always called him Mister Potter. Percy motioned for him to follow. It had to be important if he had lowered himself to sound casual.
"Sure." Harry nodded. "Lead the way."
It wasn't a long walk. Percy took him to a nearby painting, knocked three times, then grabbed the left edge of the frame. It swung open easily. The room inside looked like a cleaner, smaller version of the common room.
"This is the prefect lounge." Percy explained. "Even those in charge need space to relax."
Harry nodded. He took a seat and waited for Percy to speak.
"As a member of the Ministry, my official statement is that V-v-." He paused. "He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is not back. The result of the Tri-Wizard Tournament was a horrible tragedy, and the trauma affected your memory." He held up a hand to stop Harry from speaking. "That is my official statement." He repeated. "Personally, you have always done right by my family. You saved Ginerva in second year. That alone is enough for me to believe you."
"Thank you, Percy." Harry smiled at him. "That means a lot."
"You are welcome." Percy returned the smile. "But that's not the point of this meeting."
Harry waited for him to continue.
"My curriculum has been approved by the Ministry. While I was able to create it myself, there are limitations." He let out a long, tired sigh. "If what you say is true, defense will be an important skill to learn. However, it's not enough." He met Harry's gaze and held it. "It takes time for the Aurors to arrive. I've studied the past. The Death Eaters like to attack multiple targets at the same time. Waiting for the Aurors could get people killed. Someone needs to teach them how to fight."
"Are you suggesting I teach people how to fight?" Harry asked.
"No." Percy shook his head. "I'm a respectable member of the Ministry and your professor. That would be irresponsible of me." He paused. "However, if someone were to accidentally leave an Auror training manual out where anyone could take it, there's nothing I could do to stop you. Maybe Miss Granger would know how to handle such information?"
"That's a great idea, Professor." Harry grinned at Percy.
"What idea?" Professor Weasley asked.
"Not a clue." Harry shrugged.
Percy stood. A book fell from his lap onto the floor in front of him. He nudged it closer to Harry with his foot.
"I take a two-hour personal break on Saturdays after lunch." Percy paused at the door. "The defense classroom would be open for anyone to use."
Professor Weasley left without another word. Harry waited for the door to close before he picked up the book. True to his word, it was an Auror training manual. It looked a couple of years old, but it was better than nothing. Harry was starting to think he needed find a way to remove the curse on the DADA position. Another year with Percy as a professor sounded amazing.
Harry decided take advantage of being so close to the common room. The Fat Lady allowed entry with a pleasant wave. He took a seat on one of the couches near the fireplace. It wasn't cold enough to need it to be lit, however the ambience was worth a bit of heat.
He started to thoroughly read the Auror manual. It wasn't just some spells like he had thought it would. There were exercises, notes, and tactics that were incredible. He lost himself in the variety of information. The chapter that currently held his attention covered various physical exercises that facilitated improved the way magic flowed through a person.
Harry didn't realize anything was wrong until he felt the room around him go quiet. He looked up from the book to see that the common room was practically full. The Gryffindors looked like they were talking and laughing, but no sound reached him. It didn't seem to bother anyone else, which he took to mean it was some sort of privacy spell. He must have unconsciously set one up.
He froze. His magic had put up privacy charms without his direction. He lifted his watch to see that the display was completely orange. It started to get darker as he stared at it. He searched around the common room, desperate to see who was using magic.
Why hadn't the manacles prevented this? Harry shifted his gaze to his other arm. The tightly packed collection of runes had lost their glow.
"Fuck." Harry muttered.
"Harry?" Lavender Brown walked over to him. "When did you get here?"
"I…" Harry's voice caught in his throat.
He hadn't really paid attention to the other students. The constant potential of his magic going out of control had took most of his time. It hadn't even been a month. Summer break had done Lavender some good. She had always been attractive but now she was hot. Her body had developed nicely. She had been one of the first girls to get boobs, which made her rather popular, and now the rest of her had filled in. Her breasts no longer appeared massive against the rest of her small frame. Wider hips, shapely legs, and an elegant neck made it clear she was more woman than girl now.
"I've been here a while." Harry motioned to the book. "Reading."
"Is something going on?" Lavender walked over and stopped in front of him. "I had this urge to find you. Then here you are."
"It's complicated." Harry squeaked out.
His magic had reached out once more to find an interested witch.
"Lav." Harry said.
"Lav?" She teased. "I like it when you call me that."
"Do you…" He gathered his courage. "Want me?"
"Do I want you?" Lavender tapped her fingers on her chin. "Do I want you to tutor me? Do I want you to take me to Hogsmeade? Do I want you to take me like a madman?" She paused. "Which one?"
"Any." Harry felt his heart start to hammer. "All of them."
"You mean it?" Lavender leaned forward to flash her cleavage.
Harry nodded. He didn't trust his voice to speak.
"Really?" Lavender smiled sweetly at him. "You'll tutor me in defense?"
Harry growled. A burst of magic came with the sound. The fire was a welcome now that they were both naked. Lavender took in his fit form.
"Where have you been hiding that?" Lavender's eyes went wide when she saw his hardening member.
Lavender let out a happy giggle as he grabbed her ass and pulled her on his lap. Her legs landed on either side of him. She felt his cock pressing against the thin panties that covered her hot pussy as he pulled her firmly against him. Lavender cooed when he buried his face in her cleavage.
She moaned, feeling his lips trail of hot kisses and nibbles over her tits.
"You are mine." he growled against her skin.
"Yours." she agreed with a groan.
Her ass began to rock on his lap, and she felt the length of his cock rub against her wet walls, the tip probing her entrance with every motion they made. He kissed all over her cleavage, licking and sucking her tits as he rolled his tongue like a madman. His hands kneaded her fleshy rear, moving her furiously on his lap as he humped against her.
"I'm going to fuck the life out of you." He growled.
Lavender shuddered at the sheer promise in his voice.
"Fuck me. Make me yours! Fuck me!" She cried out, furiously rolling her ass in his lap.
Harry reached under her ass and grabbed his manhood by the base before he aligned the tip against her sodden entrance. With his other hand holding her firmly by her ass, he prodded her gushing canal with his prick, and in one firm push, he drove inside her.
The feeling of being penetrated by such a thick, long cock sent a swirl of pleasure deep through her pussy. She had never had something this big inside her. One quick, firm push that had his member buried more than halfway inside. She howled at the top of her lungs as she arched her back and threw her head up in sheer joy.
Harry grunted at the feeling of her impossible tightness around his girth. He gripped her ass with both hands and firmly sank his fingers into her pillowy plump flesh before he gently lifted her until only the crown of his cock remained embedded inside her. Before Lavender could react, he dropped her back on his cock, spearing the entirety of his manhood deep inside her.
Lavender moaned louder than before as her lover buried his length to the hilt inside her. Never had she felt so full, so marvelously stretched out, and she felt as if she'd be torn apart. Harry held himself still inside her, letting her get accustomed to his size. He gently squeezed and fondled her round rump. Her lips were firmly attached to his neck, sucking and kissing his skin hard enough to leave bruises behind. Harry was all too happy to let her mark him.
Lavender felt her pussy walls finally adjust to his length. Her heat hugged his cock like the lover that he truly was now. She felt him play with her ass and smiled. Lavender's pussy was hot and tight for his cock. Her walls wrapped his member with the most perfect grip. It brought him so much pleasure that it was hard not to cum right then.
"I think I'm ready." She whispered.
Harry gently lifted her, feeling her shudder in pleasure as his cock slid back of her until only the head remained inside before he slammed her down once again. Harry did it again, slowly pushing in and out of her, making her moan and sigh in pleasure. In no time, Lavender began to rock her ass in his lap, helping him fuck her better and faster.
"Fuck." Lavender moaned as he added more power to his thrusts.
Lavender bounced wildly in his lap as he fucked her. She pulled back and with her palms resting on his shoulders, stared him deep into his eyes. She smiled when he grinned. A loud moan escaped her lips when he began to fuck her even more forcefully. Her ass clapped against his thighs as he held her firmly.
"You fuck me better than I dreamed!" She cried out as he gave a mighty push that clapped her ass hard on his thighs.
She could not believe how good it felt. It was Harry, so she was willing to give him a pass if he was mediocre in bed. She could train him to do all the things she liked, but the feelings he elicited were so intense that she didn't want to ever go without. He sent bolts of pure mind-melting pleasure through her body. Her pussy rushed with electricity as jolts of ecstasy shot straight into her core. All she could do was moan as he kept pummeling her needy cunt with his cock.
Her words spurred him on. Harry growled as he fucked her with a sudden surge of intensity. He started to drill inside her, repeatedly slamming her back onto his cock. Lavender aided him all the while as she kept moaning. Her back arched in pleasure from having his wonderful cock furiously pumping her desperate quim.
Her body pressed against his. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pushing her large tits against his hard chest. They squashed against his chest as her nipples rubbed along his skin and she bounced on his cock. Their lips met in a feral kiss as her hot inner walls hugged his mind-melting cock.
The couch under them scraped along the floor a little with each firm push into her and every bounce on his cock. Harry kept slamming inside her, driving his manhood deep into her pussy.
Her mind cleared for a brief moment as she felt herself lifted off his cock. Before she could react though, she found herself on her hands and knees. Her hands slid out from under her, dropping her head low against the cushion with her ass in the air. Harry returned his cock deep inside her. He rammed into her, shoving the head of his cock against her cervix thanks to the new position.
"HARRY!" Lavender cried out as Harry began to slam away into her from behind.
His fingers held firm onto her ass as he fucked her furiously. He slapped her tight ass hard, spurring her to push back and meet his relentless thrusts with as much enthusiasm.
"Spank me, baby!" Her voice shuddered as she spoke.
Harry grunted in response. His eyes focused on her heart-shaped ass. He delivered resounding slaps on each cheek one after the other. Her ass looked even better reddened from the contact.
"Damn, you were built to be fucked." He growled.
"I know you love my tits." She moaned. "I think you like my ass a lot more."
"Your ass doesn't get the attention it deserves." He said with a grunt.
He squeezed her round ass one more time before he leaned forward, grabbing hold of both her tits. Lavender's back arched as he pulled her upward with her back flush against his front as he fondled both her tits roughly while he continued to thrust into her from behind. Lavender moaned as her lover played with her soft tits. His dexterous hands squeezed and caressed her breasts while making sure he gently teased her hard nipples. The additional sensation drove her crazy.
Harry kept hammering his big, hard cock repeatedly inside her, spearing her pussy walls over and over again. She moaned as she felt him start fucking her more ferociously. His hands felt so good on her tits. The feeling of his cock reaching deeper inside her made her pleasure even more intense. She was getting closer to her orgasm, and she knew he must be close as well. The desire to have his seed shoot deep inside her was stronger than ever. She had always had a crush on him. The stray thought of having his baby stoked a fire within her she didn't expect. Lavender began to furiously slam her ass back to match his thrusts, taking him deeper inside her.
He was pounded into her with wild abandon as he pawed away at her tits. They fucked wildly, and they were loud. Lavender was sure her loud moans and cries tested the privacy charms to their limit. It didn't matter to either of them, they were beyond caring about anything but their oncoming climaxes.
Lavender kept crying out how good he was or how brilliant his cock felt. She wanted him to fuck her every day from now on and she wanted to feel his hands on her tits whenever she could.
"I'm close." He grunted in her ear.
"Me too." She moaned.
This spurred Harry on. He kept a firm grasp on her ass as he began to mercilessly fuck her from behind. His thrusts were hard and strong enough to shake the couch they were fucking on.
All she could think to do was grab onto the cushion and hold on. Her fingers sank into the soft cushion as her lover took her from behind. She could only marvel at their fuck session. He was pounding her so good all she could do was melt. She could feel her orgasm build up. Shocks of pleasure were shooting through her core. She knew she was close.
"Cum for me." Harry grunted when he felt her begin to tense up under him.
Harry's thrusts grew faster as he raced to the edge. He fucked her with everything he had, making her body bounce back and forth. The wonderful view of her breasts was a nice plus too.
"Yes!" Lavender screamed. "I'm cumming!"
Her walls clamped down hard on his cock for a moment before she sucked in a deep breath. A smug smile crossed his face as her entire body relaxed as the air left her lungs. Her pussy was made each thrust pushed him closer to the edge. Her walls were practically massaging his shaft as they fluttered around him.
She let out a wordless cry as her body tipped over before the first orgasm could fade. Her pussy walls tightened their hold around his member. Her body began to shudder as her arms gave away. Her large tits collided with the couch as she dropped completely on her front. The shift was enough to pull Harry with her. He held himself above her with his arms on either side of her body.
He growled as her pussy gripped his cock in a vice. His cock grew in pulses as Lavender's world exploded into a myriad of color. Her voice dropped to a whisper as an orgasm crashed through her just as the first shot of his molten cum. She mewled and cooed as she felt his thick, hot seed shoot deep inside her. A contented smile crossed her face as he let himself relax. His cock sent one last large rope of his cum straight into her womb. Her pussy locked against his cock, intent on taking the entirety of his seed deep inside her.
They basked in the afterglow, not caring if the privacy charms were still in place. Harry rolled over her back with a soft grunt. When Harry pulled out of Lavender's pussy, a thick glob of cum dripped out of her and down her thigh. He settled into spooning her from behind.
Lavender leaned back against him. She wiggled her ass to make herself more comfortable as both his hands came to hold onto her large tits. Her nipples were hard and jutted out against his palms and Harry gently caressed them with his thumbs. It earned him a contented, shuddering sigh.
Chapter 32
Chapter Text
Harry slept wonderfully after his time with Lavender. She didn't join him in bed, content for the quicky on the couch, but had left him with wink and a kiss. He had a feeling that this wasn't going to be the last time they were together. The sobering thought of getting yet another witch pregnant was enough to douse his good mood. He really needed to be more responsible about that. Potions were probably the best bet as spells would not be a good idea. He needed to speak with Madam Pomfrey for options.
Potions.
He rolled the word around in his head. There was something he had forgotten. It had to do with potions. A small smile crossed his face. It hadn't been listed on his schedule. Dumbledore, or likely Professor McGonagall, had realized it would be a bad idea to have Harry deal with Snape. He couldn't even imagine all the various ways his magic would react to the greasy bastard. Potions didn't require all that much spellcasting in the process, but considering the amount of jinxes sent his way from Malfoy and his cronies would add up. Harry wasn't sure if he was thankful that he didn't have the class anymore. It would have been interesting to see how unguided magic would react to such a hostile environment.
Now that he thought about it, fighting the build-up wasn't actually helping him adapt. What would happen if someone attacked him? They wouldn't stop to allow him to deal with the excess magic. He shuddered at the thought about what the wild energy inside of him would do to someone attacking him.
That meant he needed to find somewhere he could safely practice his unrestrained magic. A whisper tickled his ear. He tilted his head to try to hear it better. The words didn't have any form, but it felt familiar. He closed his eyes and put his full focus on listening. It didn't speak in words. Emotions and intent settled the tension that pressed in on the edges of his consciousness.
Harry felt something beside him wiggle. He smiled when he realized that it was Luna snuggled against his side. Her eyes were still closed while her breathing was slow and deep. He kissed the top of her head and wiggled out from her grasp. She snagged his pillow, hugged it against her chest, and rolled into the warm spot he had just vacated.
He got dressed as quietly as he could, then left Luna to sleep. Nym was waiting for him out in the hallway. Technically, she was the Assistant Professor for Defense. In reality, Percy handled all of the classes and had won over the majority of the students from First to Seventh Years. It left her with plenty of time to watch Harry to make sure he didn't accidentally explode.
"Hey, daddy," Nym purred at him.
"You're going to keep calling me that, aren't you?" Harry asked.
"Yep," Nym replied with a smile. She took his hand and placed it on her lower tummy. "We made a little Potter." She paused. "When do you think it happened?"
"When we had sex," Harry answered.
"Yeah, but which time?" Nym asked.
"I don't know," Harry shrugged. "Maybe we should ask Luna once she's awake."
"Good idea," Nym nodded. "Where are we going? It's too early for breakfast."
"I don't know," Harry sighed. "I'm following a voice."
"Basilisk in the pipes voice?" Nym dropped into her professional voice.
"No," Harry shook his head. "A whisper I can't make out. It doesn't feel bad."
"Is this a 'too much magic' thing?" Nym motioned to his watch.
He held it up to show it was green.
"I realized I need to learn how control when it gets to be too much," Harry answered. "About that time, I started to hear this whisper. It's like a song on a radio that's too low to make the words out."
"And you decided to follow it?" Nym chuckled. "No wonder you're always getting into trouble."
"I don't get into trouble," Harry bumped her shoulder with his own. "Trouble finds me."
"As you follow strange voices without letting anyone know," Nym countered.
Harry started to say something in reply. After a moment, he shrugged.
"Want to come with me?" Harry asked.
"Of course," Nym hooked his arm with hers. "Onward."
Harry strained to listen to the whisper. It swelled into a melody, something that tickled his memory. He couldn't place it, but there was a tinge of longing in his very soul. Harry put it from his mind. It was a mystery he could solve later. Instead, he continued to listen and follow the melody.
Nym stayed with him. She guided him around obstacles that he didn't notice. Harry found his eyes closing so he could focus even more. He followed the sound through the halls and up a few different flights of stairs. Eventually, they came to a stop. He opened his eyes to see they were standing in front of a tapestry of a man trying to teach trolls how to dance.
"That's not something you see every day," Harry muttered.
"How do you think he got them to wear the tutus?" Nym asked as they stared at the tapestry.
"How long to you think he lived?" Harry asked in reply.
Harry started to look around the hall after another moment of examining the tapestry. There weren't that many paintings on the walls. The few that were didn't have any subjects in the frames. He took that to mean they were elsewhere in the castle.
"Now what?" Nym asked.
"I don't know," Harry replied.
He closed his eyes again, trying to find the melody again. The music was so clear he could hear it without much effort. There were whispers mingled among the melody now. Those, unfortunately, were still just noise at the moment.
"It's right here," Harry motioned to the wall. "I can hear it."
Nym shrugged.
"No, wait," Harry paused. "It's over here now."
He followed the sound to the right for a while. The music stopped after a few steps. It shifted back to the way he had come. Harry moved to follow it. He groaned in frustration as it returned to the other side of the hall. The music stopped.
"Harry," Nym called.
He turned to see her pointing to a door that hadn't been there a moment ago. There weren't that many rooms in the corridor. Just a few other classrooms and storage that looked like they had been forgotten. They had doors that looked like every other classroom or closet in the castle. This one, though, was something completely different. It was ancient, ornate, and seemingly formed naturally from the stone. If anything, it kind of reminded him of the Chamber of Secrets.
Harry stepped in front of the door.
"Harry," Nym warned.
"Trust me," Harry said over his shoulder.
He opened the door to find an expansive room that appeared nearly as large as the Great Hall. It should be easy to spot from the outside. There was no way someone would miss a giant room sticking out from the seventh floor. He had spent plenty of time in the air around the castle and had never seen anything that would make sense.
Even stranger than that was the woman that stood in the center of the room. She was tall, with a regal aura around her. The dress she wore made him think of a King Arthur movie he had caught a glimpse of when he was younger. Her shoulder length, black hair had a lustrous shimmer to it. She had a pleasant smile on her face and watched as the two approached. Her appearance clashed with the undertone of evil that hung in the air.
"Hello," Harry said. "Were you the one playing the music?"
"Yes, Harry Potter, it was me," the woman inclined her head. "Nymphadora Tonks, welcome back."
"I don't know you," Nym said as she slid her wand into her hand.
"My apologies," she said. Her smile widened in amusement. "Rowena Ravenclaw, it is nice to meet you."
"As in, the Rowena Ravenclaw?" Harry asked.
"Of a sort," she nodded. "A shade given form from the accumulated magic of Hogwarts."
"I don't have the best experience with shades," Harry tried to keep his body loose as he spoke, just in case he needed to move.
His train of thought was interrupted as the room began to shift. Pillars rose from the floor breaking the line of sight and creating cover. A few half-walls stretched between the new additions. He shook off the surprise long enough to draw his wand.
"Salazar made his 'secret chamber' to house his pet. I created this room to assist students," Rowena strolled around one of the pillars so they could see each other again. "It will provide you with what you need. There are limits, of course, but years upon years of magic has empowered this room to a degree I didn't expect."
She paused as she saw the two of them pointing their wands at her. Her eyes shined with humor, then reached out her hand toward the closest pillar. It passed through the stone without slowing.
"I've been given form," she said. "Not a body."
Neither lowered their wands.
"Why did you bring me here?" Harry asked.
"You needed me," Rowena replied. "I exist only in this room. It was my voice that could reach you even with your magic mingling with mine."
"What?" Harry took a step closer. "How is my magic mingling with your?"
"I have had to improvise," she motioned to the watch on his wrist.
"I don't understand," Harry sighed.
"Rowena made this room, I have taken her form, but it is closer to say that I am a part of Hogwarts," she explained. "An avatar created with the purpose of communicating with you."
"Damn," Nym whispered. "You do live an interesting life."
Harry chuckled.
"Can you please explain the mingling magic?" Harry asked.
"Your magical core is growing exponentially each day," Rowena said. "At its current pace it would overtake my own by the time you graduate. Possibly before that if you are exposed to magic outside of your own. That would cause some issues."
"Overtake Hogwarts?" Harry repeated. "That's…"
"Exactly," Rowena resumed her approach. "To prevent this, I mingled our magic." She paused. "Picture your magic as a source of water. That parasite struggled for control every moment of the day and your magic fought it at every step. In this conflict, your core was forced to constantly grow to maintain your strength. On top of that, it had to keep you alive, which required more magic, furthering even more growth." She paused once more, similar to how a professor would allow a student to catch up. "The parasite stifled your output, leaving the only option for your magic to dig deeper. Where others have a pond, lake, or puddle, you have a vast reservoir that is finally able to fill. Eventually, your growth will reach its end, but there is no telling when that will be."
"Ok," Harry understood enough to be confused. "Why does my magic keep overflowing If I've got this reservoir that isn't full yet?"
"It isn't a perfect fit, but let's stay with the water metaphor," Rowena continued. "I mentioned a pond or a lake. Think smaller, akin to a basin, or a sink as they are called now."
An elevated basin appeared in front of her.
"I have to say, the development of indoor plumbing has been amazing to see." Her tangent stopped before it could get going when she saw the looks on their faces. A wave of her hand summoned a jug of water, which she began to pour into the sink. "If you add too much water into a basin it will overflow even if there is a drain. You have found a way to deal with the excess. I have to say it is a rather interesting method."
Harry blushed. He tried to focus on the splashing of the water on the stone rather than her gaze.
"But you didn't come here for a lesson," Rowena saved him from further embarrassment. "You wanted to be able to handle your excess magic."
Harry and Nym straightened up.
"Unfortunately," Rowena said. "The excess is beyond your control. What you need to do is to find a way to safely increase the way your core absorbs the magic."
"And how do I do that?" Harry asked.
"It's rather simple," Rowena said. "You simply must work your magic to the point of exhaustion."
"That'll kill him," Nym spoke up.
"If he was a normal wizard, yes," Rowena nodded. "The average wizard doesn't have a drain, so to speak." The pedestal beneath the sink disappeared leaving the basin hovering in the air. "Their core is a set limit and emptying completely will cause it to create a drain to search for more. This would be fatal as they would be unable to hold even the slightest bit of magic."
They watched as the water in the basin evaporated. Once it was empty the interior of the basin began to dry and crack. The water began to flow once more only to spill out onto the floor.
"Harry has been living with a broken core for the majority of his life and he needs to increase the breakage," Rowena said.
A pipe rose from the floor and connected to the basin. The flowing water began to fill while steadily draining. She stepped to the side to show it flowed into a large, empty pool. The basin began to overflow as the water continued. A strange sound of expanding metal brought their attention to the connecting pipe as grew and the water drained out of the basin faster. The pool filled just a bit faster with the increased flow, but there was still a lot of room to go.
"Damn," Harry whispered. "That's going to take a while."
"Yes," Rowena nodded. "I will help as much as I can."
"Thank you," Harry gave her a relieved smile.
"I'll help too," Nym spoke up.
"Thank you, Nym," Harry pulled her into a kiss.
Rowena watched with an amused smile. She waited until they parted to continue speaking.
"Are you ready to get started?" She asked.
"Yes," Harry replied with a nod. "What do I need to do?"
"Your lover is a Metamorphmagus," Rowen motioned to Nym. "Changing her shape is natural to her, but that doesn't mean you cannot do something similar. Self-transfiguration is a branch of magic that has fallen out of practice over the years. It takes a great amount of power, as well as control, otherwise it can lead to disastrous results."
"And that's what you want me to do?" Harry asked.
"We'll start small," Rowena waved her hand at the room once more.
The pillars and half-walls disappeared as the vast room shrunk. It stopped at the size of one of the common rooms. The place was decorated with the colors of all four houses. Bookshelves were silver and blue, the couches were gold and black, tables were black and green, and the rugs were red and gold. Harry idly wondered if the books were real and if they had actual text if he were to open one.
"Please, sit," Rowena 'sat' on a comfy chair that was near a fireplace.
Two other seats appeared nearby for them. Harry and Nym followed her instructions. For the next few hours Rowena walked Harry through the basics of self-transfiguration. It started with changing the shade of his hair before moving to the entire color. Taming the constant messiness took more focus than he had expected. Nym gave the occasional tip if he started to struggle. It wasn't like she could demonstrate a spell, but she could explain how it felt. Considering they were working silently, guided solely by will and magic, it helped more than he had expected. They finished their session as Rowena's form before to fade. She wasn't completely transparent, but she was noticeable 'less' than before.
"Are you going to be ok?" Harry asked.
"Yes," Rowena nodded. "I need to gather more magic before we meet again."
"How long will that take?" He asked.
"Let's wait a week, just to be safe," she replied.
"Thank you," Harry stood as he spoke. "How do I get here again? There wasn't a door when we arrived."
"Walk by the wall by the tapestry three times while focusing on what you want," Rowena explained. "A door will appear after the third pass. You can use it for just about anything."
She gave him a coy wink. Harry blushed and cleared his throat.
"Come on, daddy," Nym waved for him to follow. "Stop flirting with the ghost."
"I'm not flirting," Harry replied.
"This is my 'I believe you' face," Nym pointed to her face as it shifted into McGonagall.
Harry rolled his eyes. A pulse of dark magic echoed through the room as Nym opened the door. He had been so focused on Rowena that he had forgotten about it.
"Wait," Harry said.
"What's wrong?" Nym turned to face him.
"I don't know," Harry spoke slowly.
He turned in a slow circle. There wasn't any music this time. In fact, it felt completely different than Rowena calling him. He was thankful for that. Banishing a spirit, let alone one of the founders, was not something he wanted to do.
Harry closed his eyes and let the magic flow around him. He reached out with his own, trying to find the source. The sounds of the room shifting and changing around him tempted him to open his eyes. Instead, he stayed focused. The sound finally stopped after a few minutes. He could feel the evil much stronger now.
"What the hell is that?" Nym hissed.
"You can feel it too?" Harry asked.
He opened his eyes to find a statue had appeared in front of him. Atop its head was a crooked tiara that radiated malicious intent at such a level that there was a visible miasma around it. To make matters much worse, it felt familiar. He felt his magic surge forward in reply to the evil energy. A spike of pain lanced through his forehead, directly where his scar had been. Right where that parasite had taken root. That was why it felt so familiar.
Harry's hand snapped forward, his wand already in his grip. A bolt of pure magic crackled through the air. It struck true, destroying the statue and sending the tiara skittering along the stone floor. The piece of jewelry bounced as it hit the wall.
He screamed as another jolt of pain lanced through his skull. His magic roared inside of him, desperate to destroy this poisoned thing. Harry directed another bolt of pure magic at the tiara. It struck true this time. The piece of jewelry shattered. Black smoke erupted from the pieces. For a brief moment it seemed to form a face before it vanished in a retched scream.
"Damn," Harry took a couple of deep breathes. "Almost killed by a tiara. That would be embarrassing."
"It's a diadem," Nym spoke softly as she moved to his side.
"What?" Harry asked and turned to face her.
The movement made the room spin. Something wet dripped down his face. He wiped at it and his hand came away bloody. Nym noticed and cleaned his face with the sleeve of her shirt.
"Ravenclaw's Diadem," Nym shook her head. "It's one of the founder's relics that everyone thought was lost. I don't know what that smoke was, but it possessed the diadem."
"That was one of those parasites," Harry took her hands in his. "We need to tell Dumbledore about this."
"Yeah," Nym nodded. "Good idea."
"I have them from time to time," Harry smiled at her.
"Even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in a while," Nym replied.