Harry and Hermione Pt. III -- Finishing their Sixth Year and Into the Summer

Chapter I

Monday, February 10, 1997

With a final slash of his wand, Harry Potter threw his third consecutive opponent against a wall. "Had enough?" Harry demanded.

Professor Law simply sat on the floor, trying to collect his thoughts. Doctor Powell managed to stand up and limp over to his uncle. "You okay?"

"Barely," the retired hit wizard admitted. "I think I'll be sitting on an extra cushion for the next day or two."

"How about you, Lupin?" Powell called.

"I think I shall just lie here for a few hours and meditate on the folly of the last two weeks."

Harry, standing straight and looking powerful, looked over to the group standing by the door. "Well?"

Dumbledore, Flitwick, Moody, and Mistress Merry looked very proud; all had been giving Harry the benefit of their considerable experience. McGonagall, Tonks, and Hermione had a mix of horror and pride on their faces. Minister Bones just looked a bit awe-struck. Two of the three law-enforcers with the Minister looked impressed.

"They were pulling their punches," the third one declared.

Harry smiled. "Prove it, Harold."

The two faced off next to each other, although this was a fight, not a duel. "You're going down, yob."

"Not on you, no matter how sweetly you ask," Harry said with a grin. Harold frowned and backed away.

On the signal, Harry shot twenty stingers in less than six seconds, five times the number most wizards could produce. Harold easily blocked all but the first, and he was surprised how much it hurt.

The flaring on Harold's shield revealed it to be a standard, neutral shield, so Harry sent off something a bit different. "Patronum!"

The Patronus Dart smashed through the shield, just missing Harold's head. Harold went into a roll, and six more hexes just missed him before Harold could get his first shot off. From that point, the duel began in earnest.

Over the next fifteen minutes, Harry nearly drove Harold into defeat twice, but each time Harold just managed to fight his way out. Harold didn't have Remus' stamina, and wasn't as agile. He was slightly more skilled than Remus or Powell, however, and had more agility and stamina than Law.

Harold was not surprised by Harry's reflexes -- that can't be faked, and he'd observed Harry take on three very skilled and powerful duelists. What surprised him was Harry's power. He had thought the trio opposing the boy had been exaggerating his hits. He knew better now.

Hermione was staying calm through all this only because she didn't want to distract Harry. She had confidence in Harry, but it was still unnerving to see him fight. She still wasn't comfortable with how he was being trained since their return. January had been a very strange month. Harry's power had jumped at least 50% in the first two weeks. Mistress Merry and Dumbledore had merely nodded wisely, saying they had hoped such an occurrence would happen, and happen soon. Harry had grimaced when they'd said that, but held his temper.

Harry's power jump frightened Hermione. She had never noticed that great a change in a fellow student's power over that short of time. She had never seen anyone operating at Harry's new power-level, except Dumbledore of course. Only the Headmaster was more powerful, and the Headmaster had said Harry would likely match him by the summer.

This meant Harry would probably be facing Voldemort sooner rather than later.

To make time for his longer training, Harry had mostly dropped out of tutoring nearly all of the other students, although all the other defense groups gathered under the DA umbrella were still meeting under Hermione's direction. Harry now only spent three hours a week tutoring a small group, that is some his close friends and the others amongst the Sixth years who were leading the tutorials of the younger students.

Harry's power surge took him to the top of the practicals in Charms and Transfiguration and had really jump-started his wandless magic, although Hermione still reigned at the queen of theory. She wasn't jealous; she remembered what she had said back at the end of their First year. Harry was becoming that great wizard she had somehow foreseen him as all along.

Harry maneuvered Harold into an inferior position a third time, but then seemed to hesitate. Harold managed just enough effort to cry, "Expelliarmus!" Harry's wand flew into Harold's waiting grasp, but Harry was not flung backwards. Instead, he was merely rocked a bit and stood there, smiling.

Harold stared at Harry, confused.

Harry lifted his right hand, pointed, mouthed a word, and Harold dropped, stunned. The spell hadn't even been seen. Harry then silently summoned his wand and then Harold's. He walked over and handed Harold's to Madam Bones. "If there's nothing else, I'd like to take a shower before dinner," he remarked to Dumbledore.

Dumbledore looked around, and no one objected. Harry held out his hand, and he and Hermione silently walked out of the training dungeon.

"Exactly how powerful is he, Dumbledore?" Bones asked in shock. "I've never even heard of a wandless stunner, let alone seen one! Or rather, NOT seen one!"

"Although Harry is not the natural student I, or Tom Riddle, was, he is approximately as powerful as I was at that age. I believe he is slightly more powerful than Riddle was."

"Can he defeat Riddle?" she asked.

"We can only hope," Dumbledore said. "Power is only one factor. He still needs experience. I have great confidence he will at least survive the next encounter."

"What's the hurry, Harry?" Hermione huffed. Along with Harry's increase in magical power had come an increase in stamina. He now ran the hardest, fastest, and longest of any of the morning runners, while Hermione was just slightly above average.

"I need to get to our room," Harry replied.

"Why?"

"Because I'm still on the adrenaline rush. As soon as I stop moving, I'm going to collapse if I don't get some sugar. Our room is closer, and I really do need the shower, and something for a snack, before I collapse. Otherwise I won't be able to make it to dinner."

"Really?"

"Really. I'm still not used to channeling this much power for that long a time. I'll need something like chocolate milk and pie."

"Does Dumbledore know?"

"Probably. My trainers do, anyway." Seeing the way clear, they went behind the mirror, and in less than ten minutes, Harry was in the shower, while Hermione called for Dobby and asked for chocolate milk and pie.

Harry just stood under the jets of hot water, willing his body to relax but not collapse. He jumped slightly when he felt Hermione's arms go around his waist, and then her nipples rub against his back.

"Shall I wash your back?" she asked.

"I love it when you wash any part of me," Harry admitted.

"Just stand there . . . spread your legs a little." She started washing Harry's back. "Do you really like this?"

"Not as much as I enjoy washing you," Harry replied, "but I do. I think I better not tonight, though. Too tired."

"Down boy," Hermione commanded. "Your master is too tired."

"The rest of me is," Harry admitted. "We'd better stop now, so I can drink some milk, or I might fall asleep during dinner. Harold would be so pleased."

"Quite right," Hermione answered, rinsing Harry and then turning off the water, "we can't show weakness to Harold."

They dried themselves off and slipped on heavy bathrobes. Harry plopped into one of the chairs near the fireplace. "Pumpkin? You'd think with all the pumpkin juice we drink, you wouldn't like the pie so much."

"They didn't have carrot cake, and I love pumpkin pie," Hermione answered. "Now, get enough sugar into your system to you can make it through dinner without giving Harold a thrill."

Chatter at the dinner tables that night were a bit lighter than it had been through most of the previous month. The January dance had been canceled as Slytherin House had been in mourning, the weather had been gloomier than the average January, and a tiny Irish village where all the residents were magical, mixed couples, or squibs, had been attacked by dementors and destroyed. The only positive news had been that Voldemort's giant allies had gone back to central Asia to try and convince the neutrals to come into the battle. The other giants had refused. In the resulting four day battle around Christmas, all of Voldemort's giant allies had been killed, as had most of the neutrals.

A body count on Christmas Day had shown that all of Voldemort's werewolves had been killed or incapacitated in the attack and then captured and destroyed. On the negative side, seven of the eighteen registered vampires in Britain and Ireland (all the defectors had been wizards or witches in their former lives) had tried to go over to Voldemort. In the resulting battle, one of the defectors had been destroyed, as had eight of the other eleven.

In short, it was believed Voldemort still lacked the power for a major attack. His only assets besides his own power and knowledge were perhaps two to four dozen followers, six magical vampires, the dementors, and perhaps some trolls. These were more than enough, however, to allow Voldemort to continue his terror attacks.

Therefore, it was not surprising that talking had been down in general, and mostly confined to school and defense topics. Laughter was rarely heard in the Great Hall. That was one reason Dumbledore stood in the middle of meal time and called for attention.

"Life is serious. That is something that we would wish you knew, but not so well as we know these days. However, just because life is serious it does not mean we must be serious at all times! Therefore, dinner will be early this Friday -- that's Valentine's Day, in case any of you young gentlemen may not have noticed."

Some slight laughter, mostly feminine, greeted that sally.

"As I was saying, a light dinner will be served from Four-thirty until Five-fortyfive. We shall have a masked party and dance starting at Six-thirty, which ALL students are expected to attend. Students shall stay until their year curfews: Nine-thirty for First and Second years; until Ten for Third years; until Ten-thirty for Fourth years; and Eleven for Fifth, Six, and Seventh years. To make certain all costumes are non-obscene and otherwise appropriate, everyone will be in pre-set attire and masks. Speaking from vast experience, I suggest cards and candies be exchanged well before or after the dance. The dance will be held in a special dungeon we are creating for the purpose. All students will be entering singlely -- finding your friends will part of the fun."

"I have a bad feeling about this," Ron muttered. No one disagreed.

Friday, February 14, 1997

"I still don't get it," Ron complained, to vigorous nods from Neville. Each dorm room came down separately, and the Sixth year Gryffindor boys were on their way to the dungeon, following a map sent to them.

Harry shrugged. "I don't know what the old goat is up to, either."

"'Old goat'?" Dean asked. "Bit peeved, are we, Harry?"

Harry shrugged. "I guess. He's up to something, but there are so many possibilities."

"Just be glad, you two," Neville scolded. "No offense, Dean, but you'll be easy to pick out unless we're totally masked, with gloves. And Harry, you're the only person with those eyes."

"Afraid Padma will find you before Parvati, or hoping?" Ron teased.

"And whatever we're wearing will have to be pretty shapeless for us not to find Lavender!" Seamus proclaimed.

"You'll never grow up," Dean said mock-mournfully to his friend.

The five teens walked into a room with five doors, with a house elf standing outside. "Misters Ron, Harry, Dean, Seamus, and Neville," the elf squeaked pointing them to the different rooms. "Change and then walk back through the door. You will be in the cellar ball room, entering at random times."

"Huh?" Neville asked.

"We're going into the rooms and change," Harry said. "Somehow, when we come back out the doors, we'll be entering the dungeon at random times."

"Sounds . . . odd," Ron said, doubtfully.

Seamus shrugged. "Why not?" He walked into the designated room. The others followed.

Harry found a complete set of clothes, right down to shoes, and a note:

1) Teachers will know which student is which; proper decorum is expected;
2) Blue robes for straight boys, red for gay; green for straight girls, purple for gay; white for bi-sexuals; please note that third years and under, and some older students, have been diverted to their own activities in an adjoining room; staff will be in orange;
3) enjoy the dancing

Harry shrugged and got dressed in his blue robes. He had recently started sensing magical auras. Not many people's, but a few. He wondered if that would help him tonight. Harry frowned at the mask -- he wouldn't be able to wear his glasses.

Harry was surprised to see that his mask corrected his vision. Glancing in the full-length mirror, Harry was slightly surprised to see his eye color wasn't changed. He took a deep breath, and walked out.

Dozens of students were already dancing in a large room. There was a table set as a buffet at one end of the room, and there was a corridor at the far end of that wall, no doubt leading to the younger students. Students were emerging from the wall behind Harry, although he couldn't see any doors or portals.

Harry decided he probably should be dancing, too. He took two steps towards the nearest unattached green robe when he stopped himself. The whole set-up was wrong -- the dance, the location, and above all his desire to dance with anything in green.

"Compulsion spells," Harry muttered. Somehow, for some reason, he was being compelled. He needed help, and there were only two people who could help him. He glanced around, looking first for Hermione.

'Drat,' Harry thought. Then he noticed three orange robes heading towards him. Harry saw he was the only person not dancing within a few seconds of coming out of the wall. Few people could fight the Compulsions, but it was less powerful than the Imperius Curse. The staff could probably guess who the only person was who wasn't dancing.

No, Harry realized, there was a thin figure in white who was also avoiding dancing and Harry recognized the aura. Harry moved quickly, and had Luna in his arms before she really realized what was happening.

"WHAT??" Luna almost squeaked.

"It's me, Luna."

"Oh, Harry! Thank goodness . . . I think. Harry, why are we dancing?"

"Because if we don't, we'll stand out."

"I see." They danced once around the room, Harry's eyes sweeping the room. Then Luna asked, "And do you know why everyone else is dancing?"

"We're under a Compulsion."

"Exactly. The room itself is set-up with the Compulsion, and I do believe these clothes are amplifying it."

"Really?"

"It would work out best that way," Luna said thoughtfully. "Hermione would have to explain the arithmancy."

"Alright. Would the clothes be hexed, or set with runes?"

"Runes might work best . . . most likely in the shoes."

"Then an ending spell wouldn't work, would it?"

"Not as such. There must be a specific ending spell that would work. But Harry, you've been working on wandless magic. If you can sense the location of the runes, you can cancel the active runes by breaking one without the staff seeing you use your wand. If we work together and find one, we can break the rune and that will cancel the effects, ending the spell. Once you find one, you can easily find the same thing on anyone else. Once we know where the runes are set, it might even be possible to send people into the toilets to do it themselves, if the Compulsion doesn't prevent it."

"True."

"But how do we work together?" Luna asked. "I don't see an easy way to stop dancing. There are teachers all over the place, especially around the buffet."

"There is a way, but it's rather . . . intimate."

"Really?" Luna thought a moment. "You mean, we'd merge our magics?"

"Exactly."

Luna looked at Harry. "That is more than just intimate, Harry. It's intimate like sex or mutual Legilimency is intimate. You're very powerful, Harry. You could hurt me -- mentally, physically, emotionally. You could ravish my very soul, you might even be powerful enough to damage my magic."

"That's all true," Harry acknowledged. It was also the last step in the full bonding ceremony, done after a number of binding spells and during intercourse. Merging magics during sexual intimacy was famous for enhancing the experience. "Hermione and I have done it twice, and I can control the power. Haven't you and Ginny at least tried it?"

"We have," Luna admitted.

"Trust me?"

Silvery-blue eyes met bright green. "Alright," Luna said shyly.

The music continued through three songs before Harry could even try to locate the minute magical signal of a rune. Harry and Luna were blending their magics with ease, however. As Luna had said, in some ways it was an intimate as sex, although without intimate physical contact the pleasures were purely emotional. Their feelings started to blend as well during the third song, and their hearts and breathing matched. Luna relaxed and luxuriated in the feelings, although she was also aware of Harry's raw power as never before. She hoped Harry could control it, and her respect for Hermione went up.

At the end of the fourth song, though, their combined subconscious found the key rune, located in the heel of their shoes. Once found, the magical signature stood out like a beacon. Harry quickly slashed the runes with a touch of wandless magic.

Instantly, the pressures mostly lifted from their minds, and they managed to stumble into a ring of slower dancers. "That was . . . amazing," Harry said. Luna's magic had felt very different than Hermione's. Not better, just very different.

"Thank you," Luna said.

"For what?"

"That was . . . slightly more intimate than what Ginny and I experienced. You're a very sweet and wonderful person, Harry Potter."

Harry blushed under his mask.

"Harry?"

"Yes?" Harry asked, anxiously.

"Did it seem while we were dancing that the effects were less over by the buffet?"

Harry smiled ruefully, then he thought about what she had said. "You know, I think you're right."

"We still don't know why all this was set up, though."

"Oh, that's pretty clear."

"An attack on Hogwarts?"

"Probably a dementor attack. All the positive energy this dance is generating would keep the dementors out of the dungeons."

Luna considered this, and agreed it was the most likely explanation. "What do we do?" she asked.

"We need Hermione, Ginny, Ron, Dean, and Colin to have clear heads, at the very least."

"Anyone else?"

"Probably, but we at least need Hermione and Ginny."

"Here come Colin and Ginny," Luna said, referring to an approaching couple in red and white as the waltz changed into something slow and modern.

"It will go faster if you do Ginny while I do Colin," Harry said.

"All right." Luna was so attuned to Ginny that she should have little trouble getting through to her, and Colin would no doubt listen to Harry, no matter how powerful the enchantments.

"Find Hermione," Harry pleaded.

"We will, Harry." Luna kissed Harry softly, then they swept near Ginny and Colin and switched partners.

"Excuse me, are you color blind?" Colin asked politely

"No; are you?" Harry asked, looking into Colin's blue eyes.

Colin looked up and saw the bright green eyes of his adopted brother and first love. "Harry!" Colin enthused, hugging him closer. "I'm so glad! I never thought you'd dance with me! I can't find Dean, and Ginny couldn't find Luna, and. . . ."

Harry cut into Colin's happy yet nervous chatter. "I was dancing with Luna, so Ginny's with her now. Right now, we have a problem."

"What's that?"

"We're all under a Compulsion to dance."

"I thought it was a bit strange everyone is dancing, and dancing so well, at that," Colin said thoughtfully. "Why? Is it an attack? Here?"

"No; more likely there's going to be an attack upstairs. I can free you, if you want."

"Of course I want! How?"

"Well, we can't really stop. So, you can try to sneak into the boy's toilet. There's a rune on the heels of our shoes. I could burn a slash into it with wandless magic, but since we can't stop to do it properly, I would have to do it through your magic."

Colin looked at Harry, puzzled. "How?"

"I can merge my magic with yours. Hermione and I have done that -- it's a form of wandless magic. It can bring people . . . very close, so if you don't want to. . . ."

Colin remembered all the warnings Flitwick had given them about trying merging magics, and all the rumors on why it was exhilarating. "Harry, you are one of the few people I would allow inside my soul."

"Haven't you done this a lot?"

Colin shook his head. "Just once. Dean is a little afraid to experiment with it again."

Harry just looked at Colin.

"Alright, I've been a little leery, too."

"Ready? Just relax and let me do the work."

It took a little longer for Harry to blend his magic with Colin. However, once he had, it only took Harry a few seconds to burn out the runes on Colin's shoes. Harry wished there was an easier way, but all the easy ways were too difficult to do while dancing.

Colin almost collapsed in Harry's arms. "God, Harry, that was almost as good as an orgasm."

Harry smiled. The combining of magic told you a lot about a person's hidden true self. Hermione's magic was as powerful and logical as anyone would think, but also as passionate as only Harry really knew. Luna's magic was not quite as powerful, but it was even more deeply ingrained in her soul and as passionate. Colin was even less powerful, although still slightly above average. His dark feelings were stronger, reflecting the hurt his families murders and his lycanthropy caused, and the hurts caused by his rejection by so many because of his heritage, his lycanthropy, and his slightly effeminate homosexuality. He was as passionate as Luna and Hermione however.

Colin had been bowled over by Harry's sheer power, and his innate honor and goodness. Colin wasn't quite as sensitive as Luna or as attuned to Harry as Hermione, so he missed many of Harry's small dark spots. Colin was overwhelmed by his feelings, and pulled Harry down into a deep kiss. Harry, equally affected, returned it.

"Thank you, Harry."

"You're welcome. Check out the lavatories, and when you dance, keep an eye out for Dean and Hermione. Steer them towards Luna or myself."

"Alight."

Harry spun Colin off the dance floor, and took up with a girl standing near by, looking for anyone to dance with.