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

Chapter IX

The eighteen students landed with a jolt. They were in a huge entrance hall, even larger than the one at Hogwarts. The stone work seemed even older, although that could perhaps mean that the building wasn't as enchanted. "Welcome," a high voice said from the top of the long, three storey stairs.

Harry's jaw dropped. "Cassandra?"

"Who are you?" Millicent demanded before most of the other students could. She turned to Harry. "Who is she?"

"I am your hostess. I am . . . Cassandra." The vampire seemed to almost float down the stairs. "I am also the vampire some of you have already contributed to. Where we are is of no importance. You are here to do one thing -- you are here to learn how to send power to Harry Potter, so that he may destroy a great evil. You shall merge your magics several times a day. Sometimes it will just be with your partner. Sometimes it will be with others from the group. Some times it will be the entire group. You will have some time to do other things: to prepare for your next year of schooling; to be with your friends in the group; to make new friends; even to increase your intimacy with some member or members of the group. In your other time, feel free to read, study, play, frolic, or even make love if you so desire. Just remember, for this to have the greatest possible success, you must learn to trust each other and yourselves."

Cassandra raised her hands, and for the first time, Harry saw her with a wand. "I shall send you to your rooms now. Do try not to stray into anyone else's without permission." Her wand slashed down in a rainbow of sparks, and Harry found himself in a large bedroom.

Looking around, he saw three doors. One was obviously to a bathroom, set into the large room, and one, equally obviously, led to some corridor or other. He went over and just as he was about to knock on the remaining door, a knock sounded on it.

"Yes?" Harry said. "Hermione?"

With a worried, "Yes!" Hermione flung the door open, right into Harry's nose.

"OW!"

"Oh, Harry!" Hermione cried. "Harry, stop howling and carrying on and let me fix that! Harry! Harry, move your hands! Harry, you'll get blood on the carpet! What would Cassandra say to that?"

"Yummy," the vampire said, shocking both teens with her sudden appearance. She firmly grabbed Harry's wrists and exposed his slightly bloody face. "Fix his nose, Hermione."

"Ow!"

"Hush!"

Cassandra smiled and cleaned the blood off Harry's face with a finger. "You really are a most delicious boy," she said, licking her finger off.

"That's MY delicious boy you're talking about," Hermione pointed out.

"So he is. Rest, and try not to set off any more ward alarms." Cassandra disappeared silently.

"Do you have any idea where we are?" Harry asked.

"None," Hermione admitted. "If we just moved thorough space, we're obviously somewhere east, probably in central Asia, but beyond that?" She shrugged. "Maybe in the morning."

Harry looked around. "So, in your room or mine?"

Hermione smiled. "Well, since I'm here already. . . ."

The group never did find out where they were. Although it was only afternoon when they arrived by their internal clocks, they all soon fell asleep. When they woke up, it was morning. The castle was large, and they were kept inside at night and most of the day as well, so they were never able to even figure out the exact latitude.

Cassandra was of course only available during the evenings. Remus and Tonks were available during the day, and Dumbledore showed up twice in July to check on their progress.

Harry entered into direct (ie accomplished through touch) merges which each of the others, usually in small groups. Some, he merged with individually and often (Hermione, Luna, Lavender, Susan, Daphne, and, to her joy, Ginny, although he only merged with Susan, Lavender, and Daphne privately one time each in the five weeks they were training together, all towards the end of July).

Only Harry had to practice dueling, which he did at least three hours a day: one hour each against Tonks, Remus, and Cassandra. His fellow students still practiced at least an hour a day, and usually at least one would team up with one of the instructors, to make it challenging for Harry.

Back in the 'real world,' magical law enforcement from all around the world scoured their jurisdictions for any sign of Voldemort. Areas were searched as they had never been in history. Suspect wizards and organizations were investigated more thoroughly than anyone had thought possible, especially in such a short period of time. Arrests were made, dozens of criminal and Dark organizations were at least severely crippled if not destroyed. World-wide, seventy-eight major and hundreds of minor fugitives from various types of justice were apprehended. Literally tons of banned material and potions were confiscated and many hundreds of highly illegal magical objects were collected (nearly all these materials, potions, and objects were destroyed). It was the largest crack-down in the history of the magical world.

There was no sign of Voldemort anywhere. There was not even a hint that any of those arrested or questioned had been in contact with the Dark Lord since his ultimatum.

Harry didn't seem to notice any of these events very much. He concentrated on his training and mostly ignored everything else going on around him. He made an exception for Hermione, but he drifted away from any intimacy with any of the others, other than during the merges.

The others were not so constrained. Ron and Susan, Dean and Padma, and William and Henrietta all became physically as well as romantically involved over July. Henrietta accepted Wills partial involvement with Colin, although both she and Colin ignored Wills' hints for the three of them getting together. Padma was also tolerating Dean and Colin's continued relationship, if only because it seemed to be winding down.

At Cassandra's suggestion, most of the group became more tactile with Harry, and by mid-July Harry was getting two massages a day from everyone except Ron, Wills, and Neville. Even though they did not merge their magics with Harry during those massages, Harry did grow ever more sensitive to the others' magic.

Remus, Hermione, and Padma took detailed notes from each participant every day. They were moving into an unexplored realm of magic, and the records might prove important some day.

The only other studying some of the teens, including Harry, had to do was for apparation. All the now ex-Sixth years were being trained, even Hermione, who was the youngest and who would not turn seventeen until September.

Monday, July 28, 1997

It was late at night, probably nearly midnight. Harry had fought a thirty minute duel against Cassandra and Dumbledore, and was very tired. Hermione and Luna were giving him a hot oil massage, partly as a reward for how hard he had worked that day. None of the others could keep up with him; even Lupin, with his werewolf stamina, was now hard-pressed at times.

"Harry. . . ." Hermione said thoughtfully.

"H'mmm?"

"Do YOU know where Riddle is?" Dumbledore had brought news that there was still no trace of the Dark Lord.

"No, not right now. I think I do know where he will be around the Twentieth or so."

"And where is that?"

"Not telling yet. If I tell anyone ahead of time, you'd feel you'd have to tell someone. And if anyone else is there, Riddle will run off and kill some innocent person. OW!"

"Do you really trust me that little, Harry?" Hermione asked angrily.

"First, admit that would be your first inclination. You want to protect me as much as I want to protect you."

"We all love you, Harry," Luna said quietly. "Convince us you know what you're doing, that this isn't some noble and foolish idea."

"Alright. I asked Cassandra to procure me something, or rather a pair of somethings. Look in the small box in my right robe pocket."

"These medallions?"

"Exactly. For at least three evenings, I will apparate to a location after merging with you, wearing the gold one. If I use any spell, it will show up on the silver medallion in writing. Whomever is monitoring the group merge can ask for my location, and it will show my location. However, that aspect will only work three times, so whomever is monitoring had best not try tracking me down unless it's necessary."

"And if you're hit before you get a chance to do anything?" Hermione demanded.

"It will also display that."

"And how do you know the coordinates?" Luna asked.

Harry smiled. "I'm Muggle-raised. I know many things wizards don't."

Hermione frowned. Harry wasn't about to reveal he had bought Dudley a new toy, a Global Positioning Satellite display, on the condition he do a little reconn work (during daylight only).

Harry's birthday passed quietly. Except for a morning workout and merging with the entire group, Harry took the day off. Harry had asked for that no one bother with presents, although Cassandra's elf had made a birthday cake.

Harry and Hermione retired early, even before sunset. As Hermione bathed, Harry came in, offering to wash her back.

"Harry," she said a few minutes later, "what's on your mind?"

"I love you."

"I love you, too."

"I know. I'm fairly confident that, barring some stupid mistake on my part, I should win in three weeks, or at least that he won't win."

"Ah." Even if Harry killed Voldemort, he could be killed or crippled. "And what does that mean, in this context, my love?"

"We're qualified, and I'm legally an adult."

"True." N.E.W.T.s were needed for many careers, but it was the minimum O.W.L.s and age that qualified you for most rights and privileges in the wizarding world.

"And technically, while you are not adult, well. . . ."

"What do you want me to do?"

"Hermione . . . will you marry me. Tonight."

"WHAT!" She sloshed a large amount of water around the tub as she tried to turn around.

"Will you marry me. Tonight."

"Are you CRAZY?"

"No. I love you. If you prefer not to, I'll understand."

"We can't!"

"Of course we CAN. You can argue that we shouldn't, but we can."

"All other considerations aside, I'm underage."

"Remus and Tonks stand in loco parentis and may give permission, and Cassandra can do the bonding ceremony. And even if Tonks is a bit clumsy when she isn't paying attention, she is fairly skilled in potions, if you'd let her start the Wedding Night Potion."

"So, you're marrying me to have sex with me?"

"No, that's just a major added benefit."

"And what do we tell my parents?"

"If I live, we tell them that we're having a Muggle church wedding on the next First of August."

"Remus and Tonks will never go along with it."

"They will."

"Who else will know?"

"If everything works out, only the people you want to know, plus we would need one adult wizard and one adult witch to stand up with us."

Hermione sat frozen for a moment, and then decided. "Go get Ron, Susan, Ginny, and Luna."

"Why Susan?" Harry asked, just out of curiosity. Ron, also seventeen, was an adult. Harry realized he didn't know when Susan's birthday was.

"So Ron won't have to lie, because she's seventeen, and because having the British Minister's niece as a witness might be necessary."

"We'll do the ceremony in your bedroom."

"Alright, but keep Ron and Remus in yours until we send for you."

"If you want to keep to tradition, we can have the wedding after midnight."

Hermione frowned. "Which tradition would that be?"

"The groom not seeing the bride the day of the wedding until the ceremony," Harry said with a straight face.

"Alright. That gives me almost three hours to get ready. Shoo!"

"I don't believe you're doing this," Ron said.

"Ron, you've said that at least a dozen times. . . ."

"Fifteen, actually," Remus said, helpfully.

"Whatever. The point is, if you say it again, I'm going to curse your tongue out."

Ron glared and went to sit in the corner. After five minutes, however, he said, "I still don't understand why."

Harry looked Ron straight in the eyes, and Ron quailed at the look in them.

"Do you really want to know?"

Ron swallowed hard. "Yes."

"Did you know you're a minor prophet?"

Ron frowned. "What does that mean?"

"You actually predict the future, in small ways."

Ron frowned. "So this is about what I said the other day? Harry!"

"You said I would never live to. . . ."

"That's NOT what I meant to say! Or how I said it!"

"I know, but that's what came out. And I've noticed those unguarded slips of yours often predict the future. So, I know I won't see the sunrise Christmas morning with Hermione. That is what you said four days ago. I know what you meant to say, that Hermione's parents would probably either have us sleeping apart, or we'd be too . . . involved to watch it. Well, they didn't have us sleeping apart at Easter. No, I won't see Christmas morning with Hermione. Maybe we'll be separated some other way, but right now the odds are, I'll be dead or seriously injured."

Ron and Remus both looked puzzled. "For long-term patients, visiting hours Christmas Day at Saint Mungo's start at noon," Harry reminded them. "We saw the signs when we visited your Dad. And Ron? I have the same power. I've Seen a few things before. I See what's going to happen, and where. I see every step. I see Voldemort's death. I just don't See if I survive. I promise, I'll do everything I can to survive, while making certain Voldemort doesn't."

"Alright," Ginny said, walking into the room, "let's do this!"

Hermione and Harry would remember that night as one of the happiest in their lives.

Wednesday, August 20, 1997

8:30 pm

Harry slowly separated himself from Hermione, Ginny, Luna, and Susan. The group merges were stable. Professor Sprout smiled at him and gestured with the medallion. She would be keeping watch. Tonks waved; she would be fetching the aurors if needed. Dumbledore, McGonagall, Lupin, Powell, and Law were there to join in, while Flitwick would be aiding the elves and Sprout in defending #4 Privet Drive in case of attack. Vernon Dursley had been very glad to take his family on an extended vacation to America for the month of August.

The last to bid Harry farewell was Dobby. "Dobby has arranged everything. Dobby and Winky will protect Mistress Hermione."

"I love you all," Harry said. "Hopefully I'll see you all at Two a.m." He disapparated.

"I wish we knew where he was going," McGonagall complained. She looked at Dobby.

"Dobby does not know."

"You could find out, though," Tonks almost snarled.

"Dobby will not betray Master Harry's secrets."

"No," Dumbledore said, "you wouldn't. And Harry is right. The fight must start with only Harry there."

Harry appeared standing over the grave of Tom Riddle in Little Hangleton. He immediately knew he had been right. Voldemort was near. Harry waited a few minutes, and then walked up towards the house as the sun set.

As he entered the grounds of the Riddle House, he turned and hissed. "Show yourself, snake."

Nagini reared its head, some ten feet away. "Where is your master?" Harry demanded.

Nagini coiled, and then moved as fast as it could to strike at Harry. Harry dodged and beheaded the huge snake with a quick slash of his wand, and turned the movement into a roll. A stunner passed by Harry's head.

Back at Privet Drive, the group sending power to Harry reacted even faster than the medallion. Sprout called out the hexes, and then demanded the coordinates. In a flash, the pursuit group disapparated.

When they appeared near the Riddle House, they found the duelists surrounded by the magical cage, sounding of phoenix song.

"Nobody do anything to them!" Dumbledore called out. "Surround them! If the song cage breaks, throw the death curse right at him. If we do it together, it might work! We'll have to worry about Harry later!"

"Do you hear that, Riddle? You've lost. Whatever lies beyond life, you're about to face it."

"Do you really think you have the power to destroy me?"

"Maybe, maybe not, but I've got more than my power." Harry took a step towards Voldemort. Then another. It was now clear even to Voldemort that Harry could throw the link into Voldemort's wand at will, which would render it useless for a time at best. It could even blow up, injuring or even killing Voldemort. At the same time, if Voldemort broke the connection, he would be open to attack from the growing group surrounding them as well as Harry.

"You stole a lot from me, Riddle," Harry said, taking step after step. "My parents, my childhood, my godfather . . . my blood. Well, I can't get anything back except my blood." He took another step. And another.

Voldemort stepped back, which made his wand-arm shake.

"I really hope there is an afterlife, with judgement," Harry snarled. "As horrible as non-existence is to think about, it's far too good for you. You deserve to at least suffer the pain you inflected, or had inflected, on all your victims."

Harry's wand was nearly touching Voldemort's. Harry flung his wand away and tackled Voldemort like a rugby player, uttering a spell Cassandra had taught him.

Voldemort literally exploded as Harry ripped his blood from Voldemort's body, destroying the spell that had created that body.

At #4 Privet Drive, the entire group screamed in agony. They had felt the effects of the explosion. They could feel Harry's life ebbing away.

And a little more than two hours later, just before midnight, although they had stayed merged, trying to pump Harry enough power to keep him going, they all felt Harry Potter die.

The-Boy-Who-Lived lived no more.

Friday, August 22, 1997

Ron stared at the wounded ground. Six feet under the mound of earth laid the body of his best friend. He had sat vigil the entire night before. He had watched the coffin lowered into the small cemetery at Godric's Hollow a few hours before, between Harry's parents on his right and a memorial to Sirius on his left. Ron had left at 5:30 with everyone else, but now, two hours later, he had returned, looking for the person who was now the second most important person in his life.

Ron took a deep breath and looked up. "Hermione?"

She looked up as well.

"Hermione, we should leave."

"He was right, you know."

"About what?"

"He said that as long as he stopped Voldemort, life would go on pretty much as usual. We'll go back to school next week. I'll do brilliantly on the N.E.W.T.s, you'll play Quidditch. People will be born and die as they have been. Some Pure-Bloods will still vilify the Muggle-born, some teacher will dislike students for the wrong reasons, some students will rise up to be the next Marauders or Gred and Forge."

"But Harry is gone too early."

"Harry is gone too early," Hermione agreed. "It makes one wonder if there is a plan, or any divine presence, or it's all just . . . mechanical."

"There may not be enough evidence to prove anything, but there's more than enough to give us hope and faith," Ron answered. "If we all knew without doubt that there's something better on the other side, it would be too easy to give up."

"I suppose so, but sometimes, it's not easy."

"What did your parents say about your marriage?"

She almost smiled. "What could they say with Harry dead?" She held out her hand. "Let's go back to Grimmauld Place -- to the House of Potter."

"Of course, Mrs. Potter."