Harry Potter and the Thunderstruck Muggles

Hearing Ginny's words - here in Sirius' kitchen, Harry's first reaction was to grab her and to hold her tight while sending waves of reassuring and comfort. When Ginny's trembling faded, he asked, "Did you come with a bag or so?"

"No, why?"

"Because I'm going to take you back to Hogwarts - right away."

"But I ..." Then Ginny became aware of the alternatives. "You don't have to do that, Harry - I can travel alone."

"Probably, but I'll certainly feel better coming with you. And so what, I can be back in a second."

Ginny looked grateful. "I'd feel better, too." A moment later, they were out of the house. So far, nobody had paid attention.

Sitting in London Linkport, waiting for the gate to Hogsmeade, Ginny asked, "What are you going to tell the others?"

"That you were sick. That you couldn't stand the sight of this man. That you met him once, and that he humiliated you."

Ginny looked almost green. "No - please, Harry ..."

"I'm not going to tell details, Ginny. That's buried with you and Samantha, and some of them with me. But I have to tell them that much - and afterwards, it won't be eating you up any longer ... Besides, there's nobody who'd tell Ma Weasley, or your father."

"Can't you find another way to explain them?"

"None that would be convincing. Believe me, Ginny - it's better that way. When you know that some other people know, you don't have to carry it alone. It's only the first moment that's bad, but afterwards, you're going to win back some freedom that's been lost before."

Ginny nodded, then sighed. "You're totally right - only that first moment ... I don't know how to look Ron in the eyes, when he comes back."

"But it's getting more difficult, the longer it takes ... He'll come to you, and he'll hug you ... And he'll be angry with me because I didn't tell him."

Ginny looked like crying any moment. "I'm sorry."

"Nonsense - I said it only to give you something else to worry about. Besides, we had a little row recently, Ron and I, so he has more than one reason for being angry."

Ginny had recovered a bit. "That's good to know - I wouldn't have noticed by myself, never, it looked all so normal between you two."

Harry smiled. "That's better."

"Just for my comfort - what was the reason?"

"Comfort, huh? Like c - u - r - i - o - s?"

Ginny tried looking innocent. "Does it spell that way?"

"Yes, I think so. All right, then - he made a bad joke about me and Cho, only it was the wrong moment. So I blew him a water ball, only I did it with full force."

"Uh-oh ..." Ginny presented an almost genuine expression of wondering. "Say, are you really seventh-years - those students who're supposed to be adults at the end of the year?"

"Yes. You know, it could be worse - in most other criteria, we qualify quite well."

Reaching Hogwarts, Harry made Ginny promise to have a chat with Samantha, then he jumped back.

---

Deborah opened the door and asked him where he had been, and Harry was forced to explain for the first time. And of course, Deborah had her own pictures of what the details might have been, looked startled.

Harry kept his voice low. "No, it wasn't rape, but not much better either. He was playing psycho games with her."

Deborah didn't ask for more, and Harry felt grateful for that, grateful also that Sirius still wasn't there, would meet them later, or maybe not at all - Sirius attended a meeting with his Muggle colleagues.

Then Rahewa asked Harry where Ginny was, and finally, Ron's attention was drawn away from the screen for a moment. So Harry explained again.

The talk show was forgotten - reduced to pictures of a single man with a boyish grin. Ron stared at Harry. "Since when do you know?"

"That this is the one? Since a few minutes."

"No, I mean the other - what he did."

"Since it happened, or a day later."

"Why did she tell you, and not me?"

"She didn't tell me. But she felt horrible, so I took her to Samantha ... Sam has quite some experience with bad treatment from men. And afterwards, I heard enough to know the outline. Then I had to promise Ginny not to tell anyone. And some minutes ago, I could convince her that it's better to tell you at least that much."

Ron was breathing deeply. "I'm mad, Harry - at you, and although that's nonsense, because you're not the one to blame ..."

Rahewa's eyes were fixed at Ron, her body at full alert.

Harry nodded. "I know. I had the same feeling some weeks ago, didn't even have a name then, or a face ... It's okay." He touched Rahewa's shoulder. "Don't - it won't make things better if you'd stab him."

Ron twitched a bit, then blushed - as much as Harry's words had sounded like a joke, a look into Rahewa's face made clear - she wasn't joking. Ron turned to Harry.

"I'm ... just gimme a minute ..."

"It's okay, Ron - really, I'm glad you know, and we can finally talk about it."

"Harry, was it - " Ron stopped, looked at Rahewa.

Even so, Harry recognized the question. "No, it wasn't rape - that's why Mr Winston Winslow will live to remember."

"What are you going to do?"

"Dunno yet ... You know, until today, there was just a - a figure, and I kept saying to myself, this man should be taught a lesson never to forget, only Ginny wouldn't tell me anything, no name, nothing. And then, by some accident ... I guess she'll be mad, but now I have a name, and a face - now it's only a question of time until I know what to do with him."

"What us will do with him," said Ron pointedly.

"Exactly," said Rahewa.

Three people were staring at her. Two of them, Ron and Harry, said almost unison, "No."

Rahewa looked at them. "Is this a family feud? Ginny's a friend of mine, and a team member ... If you try cutting me out, you ought to be fast with your own plan, if you know what I mean - otherwise, maybe you'll have trouble finding him."

Ron looked at Harry, more desperate than disbelieving.

Harry grabbed the girl by the shoulders. "Rule number one - you're in. Rule number two - no solo action. Rule number three - he'll survive to remember. Do we agree on that?"

A grim nod. "Yes."

Suddenly, Harry became aware of something he had forgotten. "Rule number four, that man's keeping all his parts, okay?"

This time, it took a moment longer, then Rahewa nodded, although with some disappointment.

With the basics settled so far, the rest of the video cassette was watched by a very attentive audience. Even so, it seemed as if none of Harry's remarks in the talk show could raise any emotion.

A while later, Harry had a moment with Deborah alone. He said, "Well, you've seen her, and heard her - more than what I'd planned. Still interested?"

"She was serious, wasn't she? Without your intervention, she would have cut his ..."

"Yes, and with a smile."

"In a way, I was thinking the same, but - I just thought it, knowing I'd never be able to do that."

"She's a very serious girl. So what do you say?"

Deborah exhaled. "Yes, still interested - under one condition."

"Which is?"

"You come to visit often enough for establishing some rules. She listens to you - at least in the issues a twelve-year-old shouldn't even know about."

* * *

They were sitting at Harry's favourite place near Hagrid's grave - Harry himself, Ron, and Rahewa. It looked very innocent, in particular since Lousy was with them, stretched down in the grass after having zoomed around for leather balls. This time, Lousy had selected a spot near Rahewa, whose hands were caressing the dog's ears, cropped long ago for a barbaric, senseless fashion.

But their topic had little to do with innocence.

"Here's what I got from Deborah," said Harry. "Winston Winslow - a pseudonym for his public appearance, his real name's Fitzgerald Fraenkel. He has a house in London - under his real name. Then he has a weekend house in Burnham on Sea, also under his name - "

"Where's that?" asked Ron.

"It's near Weston-super-Mare, at the Bristol Channel - which is no surprise because he has a sailboat, likes sailing trips, in some company."

"A sailboat, huh?" Ron's question was more than rhetorical.

"Yep ... It's quite roomy - I checked it. I also checked his weekend house, and how to travel. The next linkport is Bristol - you'll need broomsticks."

"Hey - wait a minute! That sounds as if you know already what we're going to do, and we're here just to listen to your instructions." Ron stared angrily at Harry.

"I have an idea, that's right." Harry was much concerned to keep terms with Ron as good as possible - delicate as they were, and with such a critical project. "And we have a few restraints, that's why this weekend house is the most likely place."

An assistant administrator could be as stubborn as a sufferable plan-it-all. "Why? What's wrong with his house in London?"

"Neighbourhood's too close. Cries will be heard next door."

Rahewa said, "Then it's out of the question." Her voice sounded matter-of-fact.

Ron glanced at her, back to Harry. "Why does it have to be at his home? For example, doing it in public, so that all people can watch - imagine, you'd visit him again for another talk show, and then you'd tell the story in full view of the camera - "

"No. Ginny isn't going to be an object of public pity."

"We can leave out her name."

"Certainly. But he has to know which particular girl's the one who's paying back - okay, not personally, but that's unimportant. In this regard, it's just nice that the - er, Weasley fingerprint is so characteristical." Before Ron could twist up, Harry added, "And in my idea, you'd appear as her brother, and he'd know it all right, no question about that, with this hair ..."

Rahewa grinned, seemed very expectant to hear Harry's plan, however had the good sense to let Ron catch the hook.

Who did so, with sinker and all. "I'm her brother, huh? ... Comes to avenge her, and really does, right?"

"Well - almost."

Realizing how neatly he'd been trapped, and wrapped, Ron gave him a brief grin. "Okay, Harry - you're ahead of me in nasty little tricks ... Tell us."

This compliment showed some thorns. Even so, Harry didn't lose time before explaining what he had come up with. It took a while, and Ron had some questions, doubts, concerns because of some technical problems involved.

Rahewa had no worries, saw no problem, just beamed.

Harry looked at her. "You're the only twelve-year-old I know who I could ask for that - and I can justify it to myself only because your own idea was still worse."

Rahewa grinned. "Your version's better, Harry."

"Is it? This seems to be the day of compliments I might as well do without ... Anyway - if Dumbledore ever hears about that, I'm expelled, and you too."

Rahewa knew, didn't blink. "He won't."

---

Ron asked, "What about a few anonymous letters in advance, to remind him, and to let him cook in his own sweat a bit?"

"Hmm ... I wonder if he's the type to get scared from something like that - I don't think so. But you're right, we should revive his memory. One letter, with a picture of Ginny, so he'll recognize you when it's time. I mean, who knows, maybe he does this kind of trip twice a month ..."

Ron looked fierce. "Yeah ... Harry, that's not enough. He needs a few reminders afterwards, just good to shit his pants."

"And what?"

"Yes, what?" After a moment, Ron's face lighted up. "I know whom to ask for help."

Harry was startled. "For Heaven's sake, Ron, you can't - "

"Don't - er, calm down, I mean." Ron grinned, apparently equally careful to avoid sharp remarks. "It's a girlfriend, and she won't tell anyone."

"Janine??"

Ron beamed. "No, sir - I've come to know some other girls too."

When Ron had explained his idea, Harry felt relieved - this teammate really could keep a secret. About Ron's idea itself, he was full of admiration. "That's brilliant - if you can persuade her."

"You think that's a problem? No, not at all."

Rahewa looked not quite as admiringly as Harry, however, Ron had obviously scored in her opinion, enough to climb a rank or two in her scale.

"Okay - " Harry looked at the others, mostly at Ron. "And no word to Ginny, no hint, no ..."

A short moment of a glare, than Ron nodded. "Don't worry - if I can't keep my mouth shut, I'll let it out on you." Then he grinned. "A fair deal, isn't it?"

In Harry's opinion, it was, while Rahewa seemed to scale Ron's freshly earned rank down again, maybe to a final position.

If Ginny had seen the three of them together, they could have told her as well everything. So Rahewa left first, reason enough for Lousy to get up, to stretch, presenting two impressive rows of teeth - which next moment grabbed the leather ball, to drop it in front of Harry. Time for another shot.

Harry obeyed, then turned to Ron. "While on the subject - of shooting balls, I mean. Does it make sense to talk about the project?"

Ron seemed busy with his fingernails. "Er - yes, only it'd be a short talk, I'm afraid. Harry, I just have no time - if I'd say yes now, I would do you no favour."

"Well, hm ... And a sleeping partnership?"

"Thanks for the offer." Ron looked up. "I really appreciate it - you know, now that we have a plan what to do with that guy, I can think straight, and ... Harry, I promise - as soon as I can breathe easier with my office work, I'll be back."

Harry felt better. "That's a deal."

And Ron felt better too. "How's your progress?"

"I was training explosives - only water so far, steamed up as fast as I could manage. But that's still too slow, a bale of stray was all I could blast."

Ron laughed. "Yeah, the expansion speed of nitroglycerine's a bit higher." He stood up to leave. "I'm looking forward to that."

* * *

Five minutes difference between Ron and himself seemed about right in Harry's opinion, should Ginny see them coming from the same direction. At the end of this time, he added some more minutes for the sake of a dog which couldn't get enough. When Lousy's panting started sounding really hazardous, Harry denied another shot and headed toward the building. Entering the Great Hall, he stopped dead, staring in disbelief.

Cho.

She was sitting with Almyra, talking. It looked almost as in past times, only they were sitting at the teachers' table.

Had Cho developed her own haragei? She was looking up the moment Harry came in. Seeing him, she turned to Almyra, who looked up too. Then Almyra said something to Cho, rose, and left. And if it wasn't haragei, Cho had been waiting for him. Harry preferred this explanation, approaching her.

Cho's face showed a half-smile. "Hello, Harry."

He took the chair Almyra had been sitting on, stared at Cho. Like driven by themselves, his hands moved forward to grab her, his head bent forward to kiss her.

Her response struck him as convincingly as her smile. She felt restrained, as if holding herself behind a barrier. Harry tilted back, straightened. "What's wrong? Remember - it's me ..."

A grin, uncomplete as well. "Yes, I remember, and if not, your name tag would have told me. Can we talk?"

"Sure. Where?"

"Outside - walk and talk."

"But it's full of Muggles."

Cho nodded. "That's fine with me - I'm walking under Muggles quite a lot, lately, and it's surprising how you can have private conversations in a crowded room."

They wandered along the lake, as so often before. Harry would have liked to put his arm around Cho's shoulders, or take her hand in his, or ... Instead, he kept at her side, waiting for her first words.

Cho seemed having trouble to find the beginning, or the right words. Finally, she came to a halt, turned to him. "Harry ... It's - it's about business."

He felt startled, seeing her stance, her pained expression, her hands balled to fists, knuckles almost white. "What is it? Did something happen?"

"Yes, something." Cho's shoulders sagged. "I'm ... Harry, we're broke - there's nothing left. Your investment - I'm afraid it's lost; I don't know if I'll ever be able to pay it back."

That was all? ... Just in time, Harry had the presence of mind not to ask the question aloud. "What happened?"

"A burglary - they took everything, our complete equipment, our cuts, our copies. And then they put fire on the building, probably to destroy the traces."

"What about the other two - Sylvie, Jesamine?"

"They're okay. They've been in a restaurant, and when they came back - must have been planned carefully, they knew the routine, that it would take more than an hour before Sylvie and Jesamine would be back ... Well, that's it."

---

"That's all?" Harry took care keeping his voice neutral.

"Maybe not quite, but for business, that's all, yes. I'm ..." Cho's face was a mask, to hold her expression, to hold back rage, and despair, maybe tears.

Except Harry couldn't hold back himself any longer, took her with both arms, hugged her. "No - you're not broke. Your investor has a lot of staying power, and he's not going to give up on you. Are you ready to start again?"

She still felt tense, at least, she didn't push him off. "You should be more careful with your investment, Harry, and - "

"All right, so we'll hire guards, and whatnot - it's just ridiculous to think a few wizards can't protect a building against Muggles."

Cho tensed more. "Before you make your offer - there's something else. Not business - it's, er, more private."

He held her tighter. "So there is - something I don't know, something you don't know. But there's something that hasn't changed - you know what?"

Cho pushed herself off. "No, I don't know what's the same as before - and there's nothing you don't know, but maybe there's really something I don't know yet - although I've heard some news, or maybe something old, whatever ..."

"What did you hear?"

"Guess what?" The words were almost spit out. "I had a conversation with Marie-Christine. It just so happened that I met her first."

Wonderful. "And what did she tell you?"

"That you were sleeping together, and probably will do it again as soon as ..." Cho's voice broke.

"That's all she told you?"

Cho's head snapped up. "What else could there be? - Are you keeping her informed - maybe about your groupies?"

For Harry, this question felt like a short break in a battle. "So you've heard about our Muggles. Anyway, I have no groupies."

"I heard it differently."

He shook his head. "If I have groupies, then they're not particularly successful in their efforts - that's what I'm trying to say."

"Are you telling me Marie-Christine's the only one?"

Harry swallowed. "No. All I'm saying is I'm not going for a trophy hunt every evening."

"Then maybe every second."

"No."

"Then who ... No, don't tell me, I don't want to know. Does Marie-Christine know?"

"No."

"So you're cheating her too. What a - "

"No I'm not!" Calmer, Harry added, "I'm not cheating her - and if I'm cheating you, then only with her."

"Now that's an interesting scale! Can you explain - " Cho stopped. "Then what is it Marie-Christine could tell me?"

Suddenly Harry realized that Marie-Christine's confession perhaps wasn not meant as public as he had thought. "Ask her."

"I will. That's it?"

"No. What I said before still holds true - about a new investment, about something that hasn't changed."

"I don't want your investment, and I don't want to hear old stories - I'm too busy with new ones."

"So it's all my fault, huh?"

Cho looked startled, blushed a bit. "I didn't say that ... No, it's not."

"I still - " Harry stopped, rephrasing in his mind. "I still desire you, and I was waiting for you, while all the world had fun and sex - or if not fun, then ... Anyway - I tried to keep it within acceptable limits."

"Only that somehow you couldn't, huh? Who are the others?"

"I thought you didn't want to know?"

"Maybe I've changed my mind."

---

While cleaning up, two more dirty dishes shouldn't make a difference, only that Harry's mind couldn't find the mood, or the time, to draw this parallel. He said, "There were two - er, cases. For both of them, I claim myself innocent in the sense of the accusation - if you want to know details, we have to find a more private place, and a bit more time. These weren't simply one-night stands."

Cho bit her lips - Harry even knew why. There was still an unspoken agreement that hadn't changed, both of them fully aware of it - he didn't lie to her. So if he wasn't right, at least he had a story, or two, and curiosity had gripped Cho. "We really should do that. Your investment ..."

What was the sense in a parry if not striking back? "You're not in the position to reject it, Cho - it's the only way to save the original one. And there are two other shareholders of Groucho Spectors - I'm pretty sure they'll accept it."

"Aahh - that's what's been missing. Blackmailing."

Harry grinned. "Show me someone who'll agree that investing hundred grand is some new kind of blackmailing - you might as well say replacing the equipment is another burg - " The thought made him stop in the middle of the word.

Cho noticed his widening eyes, his grin. "What's so funny? I could do with a laugh."

"This burglary ... You're trying to sell spector technology, right? And now they've stolen your equipment. Don't you see what it means?" Harry's voice grew more urgent with every word. "There's someone very interested, only they're trying to get it without paying." He laughed. "Cho - they'll fail, because Muggles can't do the magic. You've won, Cho, there's business waiting - we only have to find them, or maybe they come by themselves."

Cho stared at him, a tentative grin spreading her face ... Then it stopped.

"Harry, each time I'm ready to kill you, you come up with a goddamn story, and what's worse, it's always true. I hate you."

He smiled. "That's close enough - for now, I mean. I love you."

This confession didn't twist a muscle on Cho's face. Before Harry could figure out whether this was a good sign or just the opposite, she started thinking loudly. "It's still a hell of work - we don't know who's interested enough to hire thieves - we don't know if they are the only ones - "

"But we can find out - pretty quickly."

"Yeah, sure - we'll visit them, and ask ..." Cho looked up, suspicion and glare in her face. "How come you're talking about we, and how come I'm doing the same?"

Harry could feel it - he was gaining ground; this glare wasn't directed entirely toward himself. "I can tell you only why I said we - simply because it's true. But we're not visiting them, because we don't know who it is - no, they'll come to us!"

"Definitely so - first thing tomorrow." Cho nodded, mimicking an acknowledgment of the obvious.

"Maybe not just tomorrow, but a few days from now. You'll invite all of them to a party, and you'll invite me too ..."

Harry saw how it dawned on her.

"... and I'll come, together with Nagini. When this party's over, all that's left is a nice talk with certain people."

Cho examined his face. "You'd do that?"

"Sure."

"The last time you said you'd never attend another movie business party."

"Then I was a bit premature ..." Next moment, Harry found an answer he liked better. "And besides, this is no party for me, it's detective's work - that's something else."

He could feel how Cho was suppressing a smile. "You and your classifications - a party's not a party, a fuck's not a fuck - "

"It's true, and you know it! It's the intention that counts."

Cho came closer. "So you were doing it on purpose only with Marie-Christine?"

"Yes. We were second choice to each other, but, well ..."

These words seemed pouring some balm on some wounds. Regaining a bit of her own self, Cho asked, "Wouldn't it be interesting to see what happens if the two first choices would meet?"

It was out before Harry could stop himself. "Meet? Ha! It's the same person in both cases."

Cho grinned. "What does that mean? Are you ..." Her voice trailed off, while Harry could watch in her face how the nickel was dropping. She gasped. "Really?"

"Ask her."

"I'm not sure whether I'll do that." Cho looked thoughtful.

---

He waited silently.

After a moment, she looked at him. "We still have to talk a lot, I'd say - business and otherwise. I'd like to invite you to a dinner in the Three Broomsticks - I rented a room there." Seeing his expression, she added, "And don't start having funny ideas."

"Well, thoughts are free, right? And maybe funny is not the right term in this - " Harry stopped, seeing Cho's murderous glare, hurried to say, "Yes, I'd like to come - although it's not the food, as I know for sure since my lunch with Deborah."

"I'm sorry - I can't apparate yet."

If Cho was really sorry, then not at this moment, so much for sure. "Okay, then ... Want to see the camp?"

Yes, she wanted to see, or maybe Cho just wanted to wander through together with him, or maybe she wanted herself to be seen in his company, or himself in hers ... All Harry knew for sure was that Cho nodded and followed him.

While heading toward his preferred group, he was busy saying hello here and there, seeing appreciating smiles, admiring glances, hearing some whistles. Cho watched with interest. "You're popular here, huh?"

"Rahewa and I - we're the water cops."

"Of course - who else?. And when will you adopt her?"

"I won't, because I'm too young. But I'm looking for someone, because her mother's dying, and her father's a drunkard."

"Oh ..." After a quick glance in his face, seeing confirmed that this was no joke, Cho said, "I'm sorry, Harry, I didn't know."

"Of course not - I'll tell you later, under the topic otherwise." Harry smiled to show that it wasn't meant as a sharp reply.

Pete saw them first. "Hey, Harry - wow, that your girl? Great, man, super - well, that explains a lot."

Harry grinned. "Hello, Pete - that's Cho. Cho, that's Pete, something like my Muggle partner."

Pete looked pleased to hear himself addressed that way. "Nice to meet you, Cho. Where you've been hiding?"

Cho smiled. "In California."

"Yeah, that's the right place, isn't it? Only a bit far away - although, you people can jump around the world, for what I've heard. I wish I could do that, if only to the next beer shop."

A voice from behind, female. "Harry, did you change your mind?"

Only a step later, Sally saw that he wasn't alone. "Oh, sorry - well, I think I've got my answer." Even so, she seemed in no hurry to leave - not Sally.

Harry grinned broader. "Hello Sally - that's Cho. Cho, that's Sally - she had a sunburn, that's how we met."

The two girls greeted each other, with some more friendliness at the Muggle side, however with mutual interest. Then Sally nodded. "Yeah, I don't need magic to predict that I can save my breath with Harry. A pair of eyes's enough to see that." She shrugged. "So what - you can't always win."

Cho said, "Things can change."

"Sure, and pigs can fly - Cho, you just don't look that stupid, so save that bullshit, okay? No offense intended."

Cho's face showed a smirk. "None taken."

* * *

The food seemed better than Harry remembered. Since his own taste could not possibly suffer - not with the house elves as the rule and Monsieur Armodéc's dinners as the exception - the only explanation Harry could think of was that Madam Rosmerta had improved with the grown number of guests. The Three Broomsticks were busy, with more Muggles than wizards at the tables.

"Which topic first?" asked Cho.

"Business ... Money business, then party business."

"Money money money money - money makes the world go round, the world go round." Cho had been singing loud enough to turn some heads - and with a clarity that took Harry by surprise.

"Hey," he said admiringly, "I didn't know you're a singer."

She smiled. "I didn't know you're an expert."

"We get a lot of music recently, from the camp people. Guitars, singers ... Rahewa's crazy about them." Harry giggled. "On our first visit, she got drunk - from beer."

"And then?"

"Well, some of the girls helped her to get rid of the beer. Then I took her to the lake for sobering up in the water." He giggled again. "I'm not sure what's been more efficient - the water or her embarrassment, to be seen drunk like her father or to be seen naked."

"So there's at least one girl who's embarrassed to be naked in your presence, huh?"

Remembering another scene, Harry giggled again. "Right - but she's the only one, really."

A fire started glowing in Cho's eyes. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Erm - a certain Transfiguration teacher gave me a lesson in advanced techniques of Animagus transformation - a special one, so to speak." Seeing Cho's face, Harry felt in a haste to explain the dry facts of this juicy lesson.

Cho looked partly amused, still more upset. "Can you imagine - your best friend, and then ... It's no wonder - " She stopped.

"It's no wonder - what?"

"Er - nothing. We said business first, right? No, something else - what's with Rahewa's mother?"

"Well, in a way, it's business too." Harry described the situation, and how he was looking around for candidates.

"What a sad story ... I wasn't aware of me qualifying for divination." Cho's face showed concern, further something which - quite easily - could have been confused with love. "But it's in the best hands I can imagine. What about other candidates?"

"Well, there's an obvious one, of course - although I didn't ask in that direction yet. And then there's a very surprising one."

"Surprising? Beats me."

"Let me quote - not literally, only the meaning: First a devil in disguise, then a devil without disguise, there's nothing wrong in that combination. Now can you guess?"

Cho couldn't, for a few seconds. Then her eyes started to widen. "Are you ... you're not saying ..."

Harry smiled. "Yes, I am. I was baffled too. But then - what do you think of it?"

Cho had a short laugh of surprise. "Well - she never discussed this ... Yes, of course - it comes so unexpected, I don't know ..."

"I hope it's not upsetting you. You're the only one I told about, and I'd like to keep it that way - but I thought you're entitled to know. Anyway, it's still entirely open, and maybe there's a miracle which makes this idea obsolete."

Cho nodded. "I appreciate that, Harry. No, I'm not upset - the more I think about ..." She smiled. "Devil in disguise, huh? I bet those were her actual words." Seeing Harry's expression, her smile turned to beaming. "What else did she say?"

Harry grinned. "The rest's confidential, sorry."

"Is it? Then let me guess - as if I didn't know my mother that well. Erm - something like - you're the right man for me, with anybody else, it would be a disaster. Am I right?"

Just good that he was grinning anyway. "I'm listening to you."

Suddenly some fury was back in Cho's face. "Then listen to that: it's the same the other way around - there's no girl but me who'd get along with you in the long run, so much's for sure."

Attack, parry, counter attack. "And what about the short run?"

"That's ..." Cho exhaled. "Let's talk about business."

---

"Okay. You need hundred grand, right? Then let's say hundred and twenty, so there's enough for guards, security, insurance, whatever. That's the sum. The conditions ..."

Harry had learned from Japanese teachers about attack and defense, from a Chinese teacher about business, and from another Chinese teacher about blows out of nowhere. "It's no loan. I'm going to buy twenty-six percent of Groucho Spectors Ltd."

"No."

"This is a blocking minority, plus one percent more. Whenever I don't see a reason to block a decision, you'll be the one to represent this share."

In Cho's eyes, Harry could see numbers clicking - just as his own mind had done in preparation for this dinner, only that Cho's calculator might run a bit faster. With his share of twenty-six percent, Cho's own - a third of what was left - would be twenty-four and two thirds of a percent. Representing both shares together, which summed up to fifty and two thirds, Cho would control the enterprise with the smallest possible majority of votes.

And Harry would be able to prevent any action, should this ever be necessary. It was the deadly strike in this negotiation - he knew it, and she knew it.

Except for the noise. "You dirty ... You're blackmailing me, and you're corrupting me at the same time! It's disgusting! This is our company, not yours. Isn't it enough that you're the world-class hero in fighting dark wizards? Why do you have to mess around in my business?"

"I'm not messing around in your business. I'm not telling you what to do - okay, except for that party. My name doesn't appear anywhere, except for some ledger ... I have just two reasons, and they're legitimate."

"Which are?"

"It's a perfectly normal offer. This money included, I'll have invested almost a quarter of a million, about half of my fortune. Okay, I owe it to your father, but he'd be the first to agree that it's only reasonable. Even so, that's not my prime reason."

"No, of course not. What you have in mind - "

Harry interrupted her. "What I have in mind is very simple. If there's an important decision - and there'll be quite some the next time - the result is that the two of us will meet. That's all."

"That's all?"

"Yep."

"It won't stay that way. You'll start to make suggestions, to have a saying, to - "

"No. These meetings will split in two parts. In the first part, about business, all you'll ever hear from me is 'Yes' or 'No.' That's a promise."

Cho calmed down. "Really?"

"Yes. Maybe I'll be disappointed because you're going to start some porn movie business. Maybe I'll be disappointed because you're not. Whatever - you'll hear no more than 'Yes' or 'No'." With some growling, Harry added, "And that's the last time I'm going to confirm a promise of mine."

Cho twisted a bit. "Sorry - I didn't mean ... I know you keep your promises, it was just - maybe I didn't trust my ears ... Okay, so that's part one of these meetings. And the other?"

"Part one's business. Part two's - er, miscellaneous."

"Miscellaneous or mischievous?"

"Whatever - I'm not that good in spelling."

Cho seemed still suspicious. "Do I have to sing and dance for my supper in that part?"

"Funny you're asking - you treat me here, you're singing voluntarily - "

"You know exactly what I mean!"

Harry became aware - for dealing with a devil, you needed a long spoon and a long wind. "I listed my conditions already - there are no others."

He saw how Cho was stopping herself before asking once more for a confirmation. Had to be something developed while dealing with Muggles in the movie business. Then she nodded. "Okay, Harry - we have a deal."

---

"Fine. Now to that party ..." They agreed to invite all people which might have an interest, and which might qualify as the driving force behind the burglary. Cho would rent a house for this occasion, there was a woman who made a living from offering a large house for parties and other social events - Cho's grimace told Harry enough about their kind. Harry would come with his snake, and they would prepare a nice set of questions.

"There are just three possible candidates," said Cho, "plus two more that have to be checked, if only for the sake of completeness ... I hope they'll send people who know what's going on - I mean what happened."

"Then announce the party as something at the eve of your breakthrough. You know - at midnight, some deadline's running out, and then you can announce with whom Groucho Spectors will do business. That'll make sure they'll send someone who's informed. Until midnight, we'll have figured out - and then, you announce them as your business partner." Harry beamed. "You can say they've already got a sample set, are preparing for the mass production."

Cho stared at him. "It's a brilliant idea, Harry, but that was a lot more than 'Yes' and 'No'."

"Dammit - I'm talking about fighting with a bunch of criminals, and that's indeed my specialty. I didn't try to tell you how to run the business, or how to negotiate with them once they're detected."

"Fighting? Criminals? Harry, where's the borderline between fight and business, between criminals and high-finance business people?"

"Dunno."

"There isn't any."

Harry sighed. "Yes, you're probably right ... Okay, from now on, I'll restrict myself to Yes and No."

Cho's head was turning left and right. "Oh no, young Potter - just when the business part's settled, huh, and when I'm waiting for some detailed explanations, without even knowing how to ask ..." She leaned forward. "You're telling, and I'm listening."

"You're sure that's senseful?"

"You said there are two cases in which you - how was it, didn't do it on purpose? Sounds like a physical impossibility, doesn't it? I want to judge by myself, to say the least."

---

"All right, then ..." Harry told Cho what had happened with Ginny, what he had done afterwards, not leaving out any detail he knew. He finished, "So, in a way, of course it was on purpose, but the intention was something else."

Emotions were fighting in Cho's face. "That's hard to swallow - Ginny, of all people ... Somehow, your curing methods are questionable, from my perspective - it wasn't that hard with Deborah."

"Why?" Genuinely astonished, Harry asked, "What's so different?"

"What's so different? Ginny's competition - that's different ... And a very tight one."

"No - she's not. Not from my standpoint ... There's no competition."

"Ha! How reassuring - so God help me if there's ever competition, huh?"

Harry met Cho's eyes. "I truly believe it was mandatory - at least the only method I could imagine. Not knowing better, I'd do it again."

"The noble hero! Do I have to expect that whenever there's some traumatized girl? Would you do it also if Rahewa'd be raped?"

He stared at her. "Is this a serious question?"

"Of course it is!" Cho's voice came loud enough to make some heads turn again - unknown ones, thank God.

Harry sighed. "I don't know ... For the next four years, certainly not - I cannot imagine that it would cure anything. For all I know, it wouldn't help either afterwards."

"Would be interesting to hear the other side, what do you think? Shall I ask her?"

With considerable effort, Harry held his own fury under control. "No."

"And what's the second case?"

He felt no longer interested in tailoring his words. "I'm running these errands for Hermione, as you know. One of them's a Monsieur Armodéc - old, rich, young woman - werewolves seem to gain virility. I have to pay him with stories - and he tried to get me into sex games from the very first moment. Then I had to stay overnight because I should watch him drink that potion - for some reason, it looked as if he wasn't using it at all, his interest in a healing seems limited. And of course there was another woman ... Well, I said good night, but she offered me a last drink. It - it was some stuff, worse than the Giants' dope, and different ... Switches off your brain, switches on your body - all night long ... Afterwards, you're dead for almost a week."

Cho's face kept working. "Then you must be looking forward, for the next visit - I mean, the week's over, you should be recovered sufficiently - "

"Stop it! I'm not looking forward, and it won't happen again - I'm not going to fall for the same trap twice. If I'm looking forward to something, then it's - "

"Forget it!!" Cho tempered herself, if only for the sake of the people at the neighbour tables. "It was a very interesting evening, Harry - thank you for your company. You better leave now."

"What?"

"You heard me. Whatever you had in mind - maybe it would work with that dope, but otherwise ..."

Somehow, Harry managed to get up without shooting his chair across the room. "You asked me," he snarled, "so I told you. Don't ask me again, because that's been the last time I answered. Our deal remains unchanged - good night."

His rage still felt undiminished when reaching the lake. He jumped to his favourite place, walked a bit further not to disturb some people, envy boiling in his blood. He stripped naked, jumped into the water.

Anger made for short wind. After several attempts, Harry felt calm enough to pump air into his lungs for a real dive. When he burst through the surface again, his chest was hammering.

Three dives later, he had himself under control again. Edgy like a burned cat, yes, but his muscles no longer trembling. He climbed out, dried himself with a hot-air spell, dressed, and jumped to the point closest to the school buildings.

A figure rose from the stairs outside. "You look so upset, 'arry."

Marie-Christine.

Was it his decision? If so, it wasn't a conscious one. "Yes I am - just in the mood to be rough and violent. You promised me a lesson - now I'm ready."

Marie-Christine held something up. "Then come, my savage student."

Harry recognized it instantly - the picture card, opening a small guest suite, in fair distance from the next dormitory.