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

Chapter IV

Harry paused at the door of the classroom. While this was in some ways his and Hermione's place, Cassandra was living, or at least staying, there. He opened the door and then knocked.

"Come in, Harry." Harry was again struck by the high-pitched voice, and fairly accentless speech. She could have been a teen from any English-speaking middle-class place.

Harry came into the bedroom, and saw Cassandra sitting on the bed wearing only Hermione's robe, drying her hair. "I woke up at twilight and thought I should bathe." She sniffed. "You brought me a gift?"

"We thought you could use this," Harry told her, holding out the covered beaker.

She opened it and sniffed. "Ah, a nice mix." She drank a quarter of it. "And you contributed. And a brother and sister -- no, two pairs." She gave Harry a twisted grin. "Siblings; always a treat."

Watching Harry, the smile disappeared. "Sorry. I rather imagine that, what's the phrase? freaked you out?"

"I suppose. You naturally have a different view of the world that I do."

"Well said, Harry. Your idea?"

"My girl friend, actually. Something she said about Remus a few years ago."

"Is she in here?"

"Of course. All my best friends are, although not my brother."

"Your brother? Ah, yes; another werewolf. Thank you for that. Werewolf blood does not exactly poison us, but it does taste terrible." She sipped again. "Very healthy group of friends you have. And you are right, I have a very different view of the world. It is deeper. I have lived for over a thousand years. I had a rather narrow view of the world when I lived. I have expanded it; that's why I still exist. And I live only at night. I have brought weakness and death. That is very different than you as well."

"Do you regret killing?"

"I regret the necessity. A young vampire your size would have to drink at least a quart of blood a night for your first six months or so, and you are drawn to drink more. It usually meant mentally enslaving a mortal and drinking from that person for a few days until they die, especially back in the old days. I do not regret killing, only its necessity. Does that repel you?"

"A little."

"Then perhaps I should tell you about the last person I killed, since you knew her."

Harry's head snapped up. "Who?"

"Do you know exactly how a vampire is made? And how that vampire acts at first?"

"You feed off the victim to the point of death, and then feed the blood back. The victim then goes into a coma for several days as their body changes. When they wake up, they are weak. If they are left in a grave where they can't get out, they will slowly go insane, and when they finally escape, they may be little better than a zombie, gorging on blood and even flesh."

"Very good," she said with genuine approval. She took another slurp of blood. "There are two variations. One, or even more than one vampire, may exchange the blood once or even several times. The powers of a vampire grows over time. If I were to make you a vampire, I may exchange blood with you up to six times in an hour or two without harming me. More than that would weaken me and seriously sicken you. Two or more times, and you would wake up nearly a full vampire, which normally takes up to a year to achieve. A vampire made the way you describe is easy to kill, and has no real power for some time. A full vampire can easily influence the average Muggle, and of course after a century our animagus power starts to grow."

She drained the rest of the blood, and let what little remained around the beaker pool back towards the bottom. "Interesting beaker, keeping it warm. And just a hint of anti-coagulant. Anyway, the six of us made six of Voldemort's Death Eaters a month ago. I made Pansy Parkinson."

"Pansy-the-Pug is a vampire?"

"She was," Cassandra acknowledged. "I exchanged blood with her twice. More than that suppresses a new magical vampire's magic for a few months. However, less than four times leaves the new vampire vulnerable to vampire attack. I was the last one to leave from our location. Pansy had been begging for another exchange. After the first few weeks, like all other vampires, exchanging blood with an older vampire always strengthens the younger. I had been refusing, but pretended to agree. I completely drained her, and then beheaded her, setting her body on fire. I set fire to the others as well, but doubt they were seriously harmed. Had I known Voldemort was going to appear here instead of there, I would have destroyed them all."

"Then why are you so hungry?"

"Vampire blood is the most delicious blood, but it is not very nourishing, unless they have recently fed very well. We were trying to start weaning them off of daily gorging, and they hadn't eaten in two days. They were to feed on a new set of homeless Muggles after we left." She upended the beaker and the blood drizzled and dripped into her mouth. She went into the bathroom to rinse the beaker a bit. She came out smiling. "Thank you, Harry." She walked close and caressed his chin. "If you didn't have a girlfriend, I would offer you a good time. You are the cutest, nicest male I've run into for decades."

Harry blinked. "Vampires can have sex?" Then he remembered Cassandra had said she had been raped by the vampire that had made her.

"Of course, dear boy, although only after a decent feeding. The blood warms us, and engorges our sexual tissue." She smiled. "Male vampires have to feed quite a bit. Vampires who like boys may also perform oral sex on them. Not very nutritious, but very tasty. No doubt that's how the legend of the succubus got started."

Harry decided to change the subject. "So are you going after the other five new vampires?"

"I am. Dumbledore is arranging a meet with the three vampires who went with your side from the beginning."

Harry decided to let Dumbledore tell Cassandra one of the three vampires had been killed. "Are you likely to have any problems with them?"

"Probably not. The two who would be the most unreasonable were defectors to Voldemort, and are destroyed."

"What are you going to do the rest of tonight?"

"Nothing. The easily bored do not make good vampires. I shall rest. Why?"

"Would you mind talking with Hermione? She's a fanatic for any type of knowledge, and she'd love a chance to speak with someone who's been around for a thousand years."

"This is your girlfriend?"

"Yes."

Cassandra sniffed the robe. "I shall speak with her tonight, if she desires. And I swear she shall be safe, Harry."

"You already promised Remus," Harry pointed out.

"That only applies to this visit. Your girlfriend is safe from me, forever."

"Thank you."

Cassandra kissed Harry's cheek. "Go. Night comes early this far north this time of year. You probably haven't even had dinner."

"Just some pumpkin juice before we donated," Harry agreed.

"To make certain the sugar levels were stable? Very smart. Enjoy your dinner. Thank you, for mine."

Harry and Dean both showed up early after dinner. Harry recreated two copies of an over-stuffed chair. "Wow, Harry . . . that's some transfiguration!"

"Not really. I can't make anything up new, just copy. Hermione's starting to come up with variations."

"Oh." Dean fell silent for a moment, then sighed. "I suppose you're wondering why I want to talk with you?"

"I can think of a couple of possibilities."

"Like what?"

"Like your being bisexual instead of gay and dancing just with girls at the dance. Like my dancing and merging with Colin. Like how dangerous it is to be this close to me."

"That pretty well covers just about everything," Dean agreed, "although I'm not worried about being your friend. That's how I feel, and it's the right thing to do."

"What doesn't it cover?"

"I believe Colin's finally seduced, or perhaps re-seduced, his friend Wills."

"Really?"

"Really. I think Wills experimented with Colin at the end of their Second year, but I don't know how far they went. I saw them snogging the other day. Padma and Hannah caught them doing more."

"Maybe they weren't actually doing much."

"Colin was on his knees and had him all the way down his throat."

Harry grimaced. "Is that why you haven't wanted to merge your magic with Colin?"

"We did, once before. I'm not certain I would want to again," Dean admitted. "Harry, I'm no swinger. I've kissed five people and had sex with two. Colin isn't settled, and hasn't been, even before last summer. I don't know what's going to happen between me and Colin. If we stay together, fine. If not, I thought I would try the other team."

Harry stood up. "Well, no matter what does happen, I hope you know I'll always think of you as my friend."

"Thank you, Harry. That really means a lot," Dean admitted.

"And don't worry, I know you can afford it, but I already took care of your fees for next year. As for this summer, you may still come with us -- I gather Dumbledore has something like last summer planned, but on an even larger scale -- or you can use my house. The elves can take care of you. Or, if you want and they do open Hogwarts, I'll take care of that, too."

"You don't have to do that!" Dean protested.

"No, I don't. But you're my friend, and I've always thought of you as my friend, not as Colin's boyfriend."

"Thanks, Harry. I promise to paint your and Hermione's magical portraits when I've been trained."

"I'll hold you to that."

After Dean left, Harry took out the Marauder's Map. Harry had been surprised to learn the previous semester how interactive the Map actually was. It only showed a Marauder (or now himself) upon specific command -- a security device the map makers had included in case the Map fell into the wrong hands. Harry checked, and didn't see Pettigrew.

He could also selectively check areas or check for names. He looked at his and Hermione's area, and saw Hermione, Cassandra, and to his surprise Luna, were all there. Harry then looked for Colin, and saw that he and William Lloyd were just going into a broom closet. Expanding the search area, he saw that Padma and Hannah were again patrolling, and would probably find the pair in fifteen minutes or so. Harry closed the map and hurried out.

Harry had a brief word with Hannah and Padma. The pair of prefects easily undid the locking spells, and caught the pair with their pants still around their ankles.

Colin and Wills were trying to sweet-talk the two prefects when Harry walked into sight. Colin blushed, while Wills went very very pale. "What's going on?" Harry asked.

"Harry, tell your little brother to stay out of closets," Padma said.

"I thought he'd come out of the closet," Hannah said with a giggle.

"And I thought he'd come out with Dean," Padma snipped. Harry gave her a dirty look.

"Seriously, Harry, this is the second time. I'm spreading the word. Next time they get caught, it will be serious points." Padma turned to the embarrassed pair. "That's five points from each of you."

"If you two don't mind, I'll take care of things from here."

"Harry. . . ." Harry glared, and Colin shut up. The two prefects walked away, shaking their heads.

"Colin," Harry said very quietly, "please go up to my dorm and wait for me."

"But Harry. . . ." Harry simply stared the boy down. Colin gulped and hurried away.

"So, William, you're gay now?"

"No . . . not as such."

"Was this your idea, or Colin's?"

"Bit of both, I guess."

"And it didn't bother you that Colin and Dean are a couple?"

"If it doesn't bother Colin, why would it bother me?"

"William, you know better than that."

William shrugged. "We've been . . . doing this every once in a while since the beginning of our Second year, Harry. I'm sorry if Dean gets hurt, but that is between Colin and Dean. I'm not forcing or begging Colin. He asks, and sometimes I say yes. It's not that I'm gay; I don't even think I'm bisexual." He shrugged. "I can't explain it."

Harry frowned. "Alright, William. I guess I need to speak with Colin. Just remember this, if you're not gay, if this is just for fun, remember who Colin is now. If the press gets a hold of this, they'll blow it up to the point where it will appear in your obituary a hundred and fifty years from now."

William blanched again at the thought of his little flings following him around the rest of his life. Harry left William to ponder his actions and went up to talk with Colin.

"I suppose you think you can tell me what to do, don't you?" Colin snapped.

"No, I can't," Harry said mildly. "But let me remind you of what you took on when you agreed to become a Potter." Harry launched into a lecture that would have done Hermione proud. Never directly criticizing Colin or his behavior, Harry pointed out how the media would pick up on his activities sooner or later and how they would use likely use it. Harry pointed out how Colin's actions affected William, affected Dean, and how Colin's actions would affect the dynamics of all the people around them.

Harry finally wound down. "Now, I can't make you do much of anything, Colin. You do what you think is best for you. Becoming a Potter means you have to grow up fast. I guess I should have explained what it meant last August."

"No," Colin said, "I knew. That doesn't mean it's easy. It hasn't been easy for you, either."

"It hasn't," Harry agreed. "And Dean didn't make things easier by just dancing with girls, even though he was angry with you, and I didn't help matters any by merging with you and kissing you."

"So plenty of blame to go around, right?" Colin said hopefully. His shoulders sagged. "Alright, plenty of blame to go around, most of it on me."

"Work out something with Dean," Harry urged, "even if it's just staying friends."

"Thanks for not yelling."

"I'm disappointed with you, not angry."

Colin winced at that. "Are you going to tell anyone?"

"Hermione. Should I talk with Ginny or anyone else?"

"No, please don't."

"Alright, then I won't, unless I have to for some reason."

"Like what?"

"Like someone putting out stories that are worse than the truth, for example," Harry retorted. For some reason, Colin blushed. "This has been a pretty traumatic weekend for everyone. Why don't you and Dean take some time off?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean take the week off from each other. See if that makes your lives easier or if you miss each other."

"I guess that might be a good idea."

"Stay here; I'll send him up."

"Did you mention this idea to him?"

Harry shook his head. "No, I just thought of it."

"Then I guess we'll talk."

"I guess you will."

Cassandra left shortly after sunset Monday night. The school, and the British magical community, was still in an uproar over Friday night's events, which had come out in full Monday morning. The fact that Michael Corner and Zack Smith had turned out to be the masterminds behind Friday night's infiltration, using Cho and her friends as the delivery system, had rocked Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff on top of all the other traumatic events. The main culprits were under arrest, Cho and Su Li were expelled.

The battle was being presented, and mostly accepted, as a strong, but not decisive, victory. Unfortunately, Voldemort himself was still at large, although presumed seriously injured. There were over two dozen dementors unaccounted for, as were nine Death Eaters who had been in on the attack (including Bellatrix Lestrange and Wormtail) and three others where they had no information. Six others, it had also been announced, had been made vampires, five of which were still at large. If Voldemort had any other followers or resources, they were unknown.

So the community rejoiced, but they were also concerned that the war was far from over. Much of the magical community, which had been in hiding or at least living in well-populated and warded areas, started talking about going back to their remote houses and cottages. At Hogwarts, where before many of the students had hoped to stay over the summer, now few were willing to entertain the idea.

By the end of February, participation in the different student defense groups started falling off, especially the amongst the Ravenclaws. By the time Easter Break started on Saturday, March 22, Luna, Padma, and Anthony Goldstein were the only Ravenclaws still participating.

About a quarter of the Slytherins and Hufflepuffs had also dropped out. The remaining Slytherins and Hufflepuffs were in part motivated by revenge -- the Hufflepuffs were still motivated by Cedric's death, the Slytherins looking to avenge their friends and their House's reputation.

The Gryffindors all stayed loyal, however. If any had any doubts, the other Gryffindors' enthusiasm kept everyone working together, and helped keep some of the wavering Hufflepuffs and Slytherins involved as well.

Harry had now taken over much of the practical teaching for the Sixth year's DADA class, with Law providing the theory. He still used nearly all his free time to practice dueling and defense. He now worked out an hour a day with an active auror or hit wizard, whomever was available that day. Hermione had given up on most of her extra defense work, other than her wandless magic. She was spending her extra time helping the Fifth year Gryffindors and Luna study for their O.W.L.s and researching for spells to help Harry.

Dumbledore had mostly recovered by the end of February. Remus reported to Harry that the Headmaster tired easily, but other than that was in fine form. The other staff members who had been injured recovered faster and more completely, as they had not been as seriously injured in the first place.

As the short holiday approached, Fifth and Seventh years, as usual, protected that the year was going past too fast, and reluctantly gave up any hope for going home. Generally about a third of the other students would go home for the week. This year, it would only be a fifth of the other years.

With plenty of security, Harry and Hermione joined that fifth. Ron, his relationship with Susan progressing slowly (having just now reached the light snogging stage), had been invited to join her. A very nervous Ron had agreed. Neville invited Parvati, Lavender, Dean, Seamus, Padma, and Anna Lloyd to visit. Ron and Susan would join them the following Thursday. Colin, Ginny, and Luna, like nearly all the Fifth and Seventh years, were staying.