Scenes from October

Chapter II

Sunday, October 20, 1996

Susan sat in a cozy chair a corner of the library, happily finishing a Muggle novel for an assignment in Muggle Studies. She was rather glad Hermione had suggested she read Dorothy L. Sayers for her Sixth year novel assignments. Hermione had even found a rather obscure Muggle-authored monograph on how Sayers' work mirrored (or at times failed to accurately mirror) Muggle culture back in the 1920s and 1930s. Despite taking Muggle Studies, Susan was a bit surprised at how easily Hermione had found such a work (with help from her mother). 'Maybe Muggles really do know what they're doing,' she thought before reading the last page of the novel.

She sighed happily at the ending of Gaudy Night. She was an open romantic, and had no problems admitting to it.

"Would you PLEASE stop that mooing," a snide voice hissed.

Susan looked up, startled, into the sneering face of Pansy Parkinson.

"I know you must be about ready for milking, so you should move your fat slag arse and tits back to your stall in the barn and be done with it."

"That's five points off for each insult," Hermione said from behind Pansy. "Twenty in total. And if you're not out of here in twenty seconds, you'll be meeting Harry coming in. You're still a bit green -- he mentioned you might look good with puce stripes."

Pansy glared, opened her mouth to say something, changed her mind and left. She often acted as if she were still a Prefect and member of the Inquisitorial Squad. She had been replaced in the first position, and of course the entire Squad had been disbanded at the end of the previous June.

Hermione watched Pansy leave, and then pulled a desk chair over next to Susan and sat. "As if she has call to say anyone is fat," Hermione sniffed. Seeing Susan's eyes were glistening with tears, she held Susan's hand. "It will be alright."

Susan shook her head. "I just don't understand how they can hate so much. I understand dislike. I mean, I don't like a lot of people. I dislike all of that crowd, and I don't mind admitting it. I understand fear. I disliked Umbridge, and I was afraid of her. I just don't understand hate."

"You're a good person," Hermione said, patting Susan's hand. "and I'm glad you don't hate anyone. I was so afraid Harry would lose that part of him that was looking for love and turn to hate. That could destroy him."

"I won't let him hate anyone," Susan said. "He's too good a person for that."

"You're good for him," Hermione said simply. "I'm glad we're friends again."

"So am I. I'm glad Ginny has come around, too. We don't have to love each other, but it makes things easier for Harry when we all get along."

Hermione smiled in agreement and started to stand, but Susan held her fast. "Speaking of love," she said, her soft voice now a whisper, "did you and Ron use that room I told you Harry found for us?"

Hermione blushed but nodded. She looked around and whispered back, "But why use it, other than because it's private? There's only a table and chair there, and two people can't fit in the chair, especially with that extra cushion."

Susan was surprised. "Haven't you and Ron gone beyond snogging yet?" Hermione shook her head. "Well. . . ."

"Tell," Hermione almost begged. "I won't tell anyone, and I won't think badly of you."

"Well . . . for one thing, if you're into that position, you can bend over the table. For another, you can place the extra cushion on the floor and kneel on it while the boy sits in the chair."

Hermione didn't want to think of the first option, so she went on to the second. "What good does that do?"

"Or, you can lie back on the table, and put your legs over his shoulders and your feet on the back of the chair. Let's just say Harry's glad I've been keeping one part of me hairless."

Hermione thought about that, and then one thought struck her, followed by another. She blushed as brightly as any Weasley.

"You mean . . . I wouldn't . . . it's not . . . neither is . . . disgusting?"

"Not if you do them right," Susan said with a slight giggle. "But he's found another place for us, a little apartment with a big bed in fact, so you're welcome to that room."

"Bed?"

"Bed. Which we have used."

"Oh . . . good." 'So, that's why Harry's been smiling so much this week,'Hermione thought. She decided to change the subject. "How many rooms do you have?"

"Six private places," Susan confessed. "That map of Harry's is really useful. I told Hannah and Ernie about one, and Harry told Ginny and Neville about another -- she's been really friend since we had a talk about what she could do there. The room we told you about is nicer, though, and more secure than those other two."

"I just can't imagine doing that with Ron," Hermione confessed.

"Really? Hannah and Ginny don't seem to mind, and Ernie and Neville seem to be even more besotted by it than Harry. They just can't get the boys to do them yet."

Hermione shook her head, as if to clear it from some very vivid ideas.

"Grab some bananas tomorrow morning, and I'll give you some quick lessons in our free period. Bring Ginny along, she seems to have a real talent for it, or at least a lot of enthusiasm."

At that moment, Ron appeared around the stacks. "What are you two giggling about?" he complained. "Come on, Hermione, you said you were just going to grab one book, and then we'd go. We have to get a head on that assignment."

To Ron's confusion, the two witches howled with laughter and ended up rolling on the floor until Madam Pince had kicked them all out.

Saturday, October 26, 1996

It had been a soggy week around Hogwarts, but the rain had stopped just before midnight. Most of the Hogwarts students were therefore on their way to Hogsmeade.

So were many of the teachers. As the first group was let out, they could hear Snape grumbling. Neville moved to the far side of the group, getting as far away from Snape as possible. Harry, on the other hand, moved to the inside of the group, and as Snape glared at him, Harry glared back. They might have both been childish enough to get into a staring contest, but Susan kept pulling on Harry's hand until they were well-clear.

"Just because he acts like a ten year old doesn't mean you should," Susan scolded as they exited the gates. Harry actually pouted until Susan caressed his face with her other hand. "No pouting; puckering only."

"Yes, love," Harry answered. Ron rolled his eyes, while Hermione and Ginny sighed softly at Harry's tender tones.

"Why was Snape so much grouchier than usual?" Ron asked.

"Because his nastiest Slytherin snakes are being held back until the last," Harry answered. "That way, they won't try and ambush us on the way in."

"What about the way back?" Neville asked.

"We'll leave with the first teacher," Hermione said. "That means Four o'clock sharp, at the post office."

"Are we going any place special?" Ginny asked.

"Does anyone have any shopping they have to do?" Harry asked in turn. "Remember, they want us in groups of fours or more. We should just all stick together. I want to hit Honeydukes at some point and of course one of the pubs for lunch. Beyond that, I don't care."

"Sounds good to me," Ron jumped in.

"What?" Hermione asked Ron. "No Zonko's. No more 'dung bombs rule' nonsense?"

"Fred and George's are better, and I get a discount," Ron answered simply."

"Oh."

"No book stores this time, please?" Ginny begged. "We spent almost our whole second trip to Diagon Alley last August in used book stores. We can hit those the next time."

"Where do you want to go?" Hermione demanded.

"We don't need any supplies, do we?" Ginny asked in return.

No one seemed to.

"Could we stop in at Fabricius after Honeydukes?" Susan asked tentatively. "I just like looking."

"Where?" Ron asked.

"Fabricius," Hermione. "The jewelry store."

Ron started coughing in panic at the idea, which made the others' laugh. Hermione and Ginny agreed, since they'd never actually been inside, and Harry and Neville were happy to go anywhere Susan and Ginny wanted to go. Outvoted, Ron grumbled but agreed.

The members of the group, even Hermione, bought several pounds of candies at Honeydukes Harry had also insisted on buying each student a box of chocolate frogs, "To hand out to the little ones who can't come yet."

None of the assistants at Fabricius came to help them, although they all seemed to be keeping a close eye on the students. Fabricius was a very elite jewelry store, and Hogwarts students rarely came in and almost never bought anything.

While Susan and Ginny were looking at pearls, Harry gestured Hermione over and asked, "Two things. First, what do you think of those rings?"

They were magical seal rings. No matter how delicate the design inscribed, it would be perfectly transferred to ordinary sealing wax. The sign said that they could also be charmed so that only the owner could use it. A simple spell could also insure that only the person (or group) it was addressed to could open it. The rings themselves were of course on the largish size for their ring gauge, and had a slightly reddish tint.

"Practical," Hermione decided.

"What about this?"

"Oh, Harry," she enthused, "it's lovely." She frowned. "You know, I never would have thought of those colors going together that well." This delicate ring was made from reddish British gold, and could be set with any of two of several optional jewels. Harry was pointing to a blue topaz and a lightish emerald, which matched Susan and his eyes respectively.

Harry called Susan over, which also brought Ginny over. Susan oohed over the second ring, and Ginny gushed as well. Ron and Neville cowered in a corner. Despite Susan's objections, Harry signaled for an attendant.

With a sniff, the owner sent the most junior of the four assistants over. "Yes, sir?" she asked politely (if mostly for practice). "This ring with the light emerald and the blue topaz? I'm afraid that would be a hundred and five Galleons."

"Oh, no. . . ." Susan protested.

"I see. And how much are the signet rings, with three initials engraved over two?"

"Those are ninety for the men's, and eight-four for the women's, without the engraving."

"I see. In that case, I'll take that ring, and three men's signets and three women's."

"I beg your pardon, sir?"

"I said, I'd like those seven rings."

"Perhaps I might be of service?" the owner said, moving over, just in case this wasn't a trick.

"No, thank you," Harry said. "We can work with. . . ." He peered at the assistant's robe, which had a name stitched on it, "Nancy here. So, the jeweled ring and the six signets. Full retail, without the engraving, is. . . ."

"Six hundred and twenty-seven Galleons," Hermione supplied.

Harry smiled at the assistant and the owner. "We'll take them at six hundred and fifteen, engraving and charms included, if they can be ready today."

"And how would you be paying, sir?" the owner asked.

"Gringotts voucher," Harry answered. Everyone knew the penalties the goblins would exact on anyone committing fraud.

"Name?" the assistant asked.

Harry showed them his scar.

"Agreed, Mister Potter," the owner said hurriedly. "If you can wait thirty minutes, we can have everything ready."

"Come on," Harry called to Ron and Neville. "We all need rings we can send messages with. Our initials on each, over DA." Ginny was already drawing the DA intitials, and each would write their own initials, to be copied onto the rings.

"These can also be charmed so that only the other five rings can unseal a message, correct?" Hermione asked.

"Yes, miss," the owner said, wincing. The price had been agreed to, and this was six Galleons more he could have charged, but now wouldn't. He knew he wouldn't say no to 'The-Boy-Who-Lived'.

As the group left Fabricius, Ron's stomach growled.

"Yes, Ron, on to the Three Broomsticks," Harry said. The rest of the group laughed.

Just as the group approached the pub, however, a chill swept through them.

"Dementors," Harry said. He looked at the group. Hermione had an untested Patronus while the other four had managed at least a strong mist. A quick glance told him that Ginny was the most affected, followed by Neville.

"Ginny, go tell Madam Rosmerta there are dementors nearby. I'm sure she'll contact Dumbledore. Neville, go with her. Stick together, and use your feelings for each other if you have to fight the effect."

The feeling of cold was getting stronger. "Are you sure. . . ." Ginny started to say, but was interrupted by a scream perhaps a block away. It was abruptly cut off.

"Go!" Harry ordered. Ginny and Neville went. Harry turned to Hermione and Ron. "You two go that way," he ordered. "Alert the teachers and students. Keep an eye out for Malfoy and company."

Hermione opened her mouth, but Harry jumped in. "They need to be warned. Go!"

They left at a run.

Harry was thinking rapidly about everything he knew about dementors. They fed on good feelings, and brought out the bad, yet a Patronus was concentrated good feelings and could drive dementors away. They were creatures of darkness, yet could move in the light. Still, Dumbledore had punished the dementors his Third year by bright light.

Harry looked up as Susan gripped his left arm, whispering, "Harry!" A dozen dementors entered the area in front of the pub from their lower left.

"Expecto Patronum!" Harry cried. Prongs leapt from his wand, and easily drove the dementors down the street toward the upper left. When they were a safer distance away, Harry said, "Susan, do you trust me?"

"I trust you with my life, Harry."

"And you love me."

"I love you will all my heart and soul, Harry."

"Then come around to my right side. Now, raise your wand and get ready to cast your Patronus."

"Alright," Susan said a little shakily. She had never gotten more than a thick, shapeless mist before.

Harry flipped his wand and Prongs disappeared. The dementors hesitated, and Harry saw they were waiting for six reinforcements coming from their original location. Harry shifted his wand to his left hand, put his arm around Susan's body and placed his hand over hers. "Think about how much we love each other," Harry said. "Are you ready?"

Susan nodded. Together, they cast the Patronus. "EXPECTO PATRONUM!"

The result surprised Susan. She wasn't sure if the resulting beast actually existed, as it seemed to be part stag and part . . . badger? Whatever it was, it was glowing brightly and she directed it against the original twelve dementors. She didn't feel Harry slip his arm away from her.

Harry stared at the six approaching dementors, fighting down his mother's screams and the vision of Sirius falling through the Veil. He concentrated on his love and affection for Susan. The feelings he had for his friends. His unfulfilled love for Luna. He pointed his wand, and merely whispered emphatically, "Amor lux!" not really caring if that was the right form of the words or not.

Harry hadn't known if anything would happen, since there was no such spell. He only had known that it had felt right.

A fast moving, brief, but powerful blast of multi-colored lights, mostly shades of bright blues along with some reds and greens, tore into four of the six dementors Harry had aimed at. When it passed, there was only a tangle of smoking rags where the dementors had stood.

Harry turned on the dozen dementors and repeated the phrase. This time, the brief blast took out five of the twelve dementors. The remaining dementors in both groups retreated quickly.

As they did so, Harry was vaguely aware of some woman screaming in anger in the opposite direction. Then he heard the voice, now sounding familiar, scream, "AVADA KEDAVRA!"

Harry hit the ground, pulling Susan on top of him, and the deadly curse passed over head, punching a hole into the pub. As he rolled to protect Susan, he heard another voice, directly behind him, yell, "Stupefy!" Sitting up from the ground roll, Harry saw Bellatrix Lestrange hit the ground.

"Good one, Neville," Harry said. Off to the far side of Lestrange, Harry saw the very stunned-looking Professors Snape and Flitwick looking at what had happened, Hermione and Ron standing behind them, their mouths open from shock.

As Harry stood up, he felt his scar twist in agony, and the others saw Harry grab his head and Snape grab his arm in pain.

Voldemort appeared in the street. "Yes!" he cried out, his arms raised in triumph. "Attack, my dementors! Attack these . . . weak. . . ." Voldemort wound down as he took in the scene before him. He saw the two piles of smoking rags, which had obviously once been dementors. He saw Bella, his most ferocious remaining Death Eater, defeated. He saw Flitwick the dueling master, and Snape -- Snape! -- raising their wands against him, along with two very determined looking students.

Directly in front of him were three other determined looking students, and one Harry Potter, his magical aura actually glowing slightly in the bright sunlight.

Harry smiled a very beatific smile, and Voldemort saw the boy's eyes flick from the buxom blonde to him, as the boy softly said, "I love you. Amor lux."

Before he could raise his wand, Voldemort was hit by a blinding array of colors, which tore through him and which seared his spirit and mind as much as they did his body.

Fortunately for him, Voldemort carried a portkey, designed to automatically whisk him away should he suffer any real trauma. As Voldemort appeared at his most secret lair, injured, defeated, humiliated, he realized that his comeback was going to be even more difficult than he had anticipated.

"How can you just let him walk out!" Percy Weasley's scream carried above the other Ministry people's yelling. They were all meeting in Dumbledore's office, trying to figure out what had happened that morning and what to tell the public. Harry had just announced that, having explained six times, he was through, and was turning to leave. "Don't you dare leave Potter! AUGH!" Ginny Weasley had just planted a well-aimed kick right into Percy's privates.

"Good shot, Gin!" Ron said. "Couldn't have done better myself." He turned to Hermione and Neville. "Let's go."

"You can't just leave!" one of the aurors cried out, blocking the door.

Harry just looked at the man, his green eyes glaring. The auror took a hesitating step away from the door, but was still partly blocking it.

Susan turned to face her aunt and said, her best smile showing, "Good night, Auntie. Please excuse us, but we're all rather tired." She kissed her aunt's cheek, took Harry's hand, and led the group from the room.

"Best go put some ice on that, Weasley," Amelia Bones said drily to the still-moaning Percy, now laying on the floor. "Go on, the rest of you. Write up what you've got. I'll look'em over first thing tomorrow, and we'll give a press release at noon. Go on, back to the Ministry!"

When they had left and shut the door, she turned and faced Dumbledore. "You do know what the boy did should have been impossible? Both the combined Patronus and this 'amor lux' thing."

"I do, and I agree, it would have been impossible for any normal wizard."

"So, you knew he was a powerful sorcerer." Dumbledore nodded. "You can handle it? You can train him?"

"I can," Dumbledore said. "I had hoped to wait, but it can't."

"Don't worry about Harry," Amelia said. "Susan and his friends will keep him on the Path. Do you think anyone else will be able to use that spell?"

Dumbledore shrugged. "Well, I can't, at least not yet."

"Get Harry using it. Maybe that will condition the magic so that others can use it as well." She stood. "Be of good cheer, there, Albus. We lost one person to the Kiss, but Harry destroyed nine dementors, when we weren't sure that they could even be destroyed. We captured one Death Eater, six have surrendered to us and apparently many of the others are running for cover. Voldemort was injured, hopefully seriously. After the attacks this summer and last month, the wizarding world, at least in Europe, was shadowed by fear. Now, we'll have hope."

Dumbledore nodded. "I was unhappy with you this summer when you took Harry, Amelia. I was wrong."

"Make certain you tell Harry that as well." Minister Bones stood. "I wonder where they went to?"

"Miss Weasley and Mister Longbottom have most likely retired to the same room you used to visit with your girlfriends," Dumbledore said, "and for much the same reason. The other four are, no doubt, similarly occupied."

The Minster grimaced. "Never mind, I don't want the details."