Hope and Fear

Part 5 Loose Ends

***

To an outside observer it might seem that a dark oppressive spell had been cast on Hogwarts Castle, but in reality it was just exam time. The school library had taken on an air of silent, feverish desperation. Sitting alone in a secluded corner Ginny was trying to read up for ideas for her seduction of Harry in between studying for her own exams. Not surprisingly the school library was providing little on this topic. She had already devoured every erotic romance novel and fashion magazine she could borrow from her classmates. She was now seeing what the library's limited number of biology books had to say. So far it wasn't much.

"Hi Ginny, can we talk for a second?"

Ginny jumped and closed her book. "Oh, hi Hermione, have a seat," she said in as casual a voice as she could. "I didn't think you'd take a break with two days of NEWT's left."

"Well, it may have taken seven years to learn it, but I've discovered there are some things more important than studying." Hermione said in a sad way. "And this is important."

"What's wrong?" Ginny asked, becoming concerned.

"I wanted to apologize," Hermione looked down at her hands.

"For what?" Ginny narrowed her eyes in confusion.

"I know this year has been really bad for you, what with Percy dying and your family having to live in a fortress since your dad became Minister of Magic," Hermione said, as if she had rehearsed this talk. "And lately Ron and I have been too wrapped up in each other to be there for you."

"You and my brother wrapped up in each other." Ginny forced a smile to lighten the mood. "Thanks for that mental image, Hermione."

"Really Ginny, I know how hard it's been." Hermione continued as if she hadn't heard the joke. "And dating the dark side's number one target can't be doing much for your peace of mind."

This conversation was coming dangerously close to topics she couldn't talk about and it was beginning to make her nervous. Ginny decided to try to change the subject. "It's been kind of bad, but I've had studying to help take my mind off things. Do you think you can help me later? These charms pre-test questions are really ..."

"Ginny, I know about your plans for Friday night, and I think we should talk," Hermione said calmly.

Ginny just sat there stunned. "How?" she managed finally. "I've been very careful."

"Well, for one thing that's my copy of 'The Scarlet Witch's Consort' you borrowed from Padma," Hermione quipped. "And for another Dobby isn't that good at keeping a secret if you know how to prod him."

Annoyed that her secret plans had been so easily uncovered and a little ashamed of how she was planing to deceive Harry, Ginny felt immediately defensive. "OK, OK, so you know that I have less than honorable intentions toward our esteemed Mr. Potter," she snapped. "You really aren't going to lecture me on morality, are you?"

Hermione stiffened in her chair. "No, I would never presume to tell you what you can or cannot do with your body, Ginny."

Ginny immediately regretted her jibe and the two of them sat not speaking for a minute. "I'm sorry," she said at last. "I think it's really good that you and Ron are getting together."

"It's all right, I understand that it must be a big change in your way of looking at us."

"Well, yes, but I can tell how happy you two are," Ginny replied quietly. "What was it you wanted to talk about then?"

"I know something's been bothering you and I just want to be there for you, like I should have been before." Hermione looked at Ginny again." You've been acting strange all week, and I think that's why you're rushing to get together with Harry. I can tell you're upset about the danger he's in, I feel the same way about Ron, but you don't have to deal with it alone."

Ginny's heart lightened a little from the load she'd been carrying, but she still couldn't tell Hermione why her plans could not fail. "Thank you Hermione, but I really do want this."

"All right, I just didn't want any bad feelings to ruin your evening," Hermione sighed.

"Well, maybe I am a little nervous, but I really don't want to wait. If we don't do it now, when can we? God knows nothing's going to happen once I get home, what with mum being so protective inside, and dragons all around the place on the outside." Ginny cringed at the idea of trying to find time alone with Harry once they got to the Burrow.

"Yes, I can see your point. It would be easier if he was getting his own place for the time off before he reports to Avalon."

"Exactly, it could be months before I can even kiss him without an audience."

Hermione wasn't completely satisfied with this explanation but it would be no good pushing it further. "Does Harry know what's coming?"

"Hasn't got a clue," Ginny smiled.

"No, of course not. They never do." Hermione thought back to the look on Ron's face when she met him in the forest.

"Um, Hermione," Ginny swallowed uncomfortably. "when you ... with Ron ... was it, you know ...nice?"

"It's way better than nice," Hermione smiled with a far away look in her eyes. "But not just in the ways you think. It ... well it's as if he has the part of me that's always been missing, and when we're together like that, I'm whole." She turned to face Ginny again. "Does that make sense?"

"I guess so," Ginny felt even more confused, but she didn't want to show it.

"The main thing is how you feel about each other. That's what makes it not just good, but profound."

"Well, there's no way it's not going to be profound." Ginny noticed the expression on Hermione's face and realized she'd said too much. "You have a test in an hour or so, you better get ready."

"OK, but if I can be of any more help, do you promise to call me?" Hermione asked.

"I promise," Ginny smiled as Hermione got up from the table.

***

If there is one skill every student who passes through Hogwarts masters, it's how to read and rush through a crowded hallway at the same time. Harry unconsciously weaved a path up a busy corridor on his way to the North Tower while rereading his divination report. The higher he went, the thinner the crowd got, and by the time he reached the silver ladder to Professor Trelawney's class, there was no one in sight.

"Hey, Harry," a strange voice called just as his hand touched one of the rungs of the ladder. He looked around, puzzled, as he lowered his report and let his hand rest on his wand. "Down here."

From the shadows a small dark creature carefully emerged. It looked like someone who had almost been transfigured into a rat. "It's me, Seamus."

"Seamus! What the bloody hell happened to you?" Harry kneeled down to get a better look at his dorm mate.

"Well, I did the right thing, sort of." Seamus replied looking around. "I need to get down to the hospital wing without anyone seeing me. If word of this gets out, I'll never live it down."

"What makes you think asking me for help will increase your chances of ever living this down?" Harry began to laugh quietly. "And you still haven't answered my question, what happened?"

"OK, OK," Seamus sighed. "You know how I was seeing Lavender and Parvati over the Easter holiday?"

"Yeah, and the whole thing blew up and neither one wanted to see you again," Harry finished for him.

"Well it's a small school and I ran into Parvati, and she wasn't nearly as mad as you might think. So we started talking and you know ..." In rat form it was hard to tell, but he may have been blushing.

"So Lavender caught you and turned you into a rat," Harry said, raising his eyebrows.

"No, I bumped into Lavender the day after I ran into Parvati and, well, it's not my fault I was blessed with a double dose of Irish charm."

"So you started seeing both of them again but dropped the ball and they turned you into a rat?" Harry shook his head in disbelief.

"I did not drop the ball, I can handle girls better than that. But as your much better half pointed out, if they ever did find out, they would be madder at each other than me." Seamus began to clean his whiskers guiltily.

"That's true it could get pretty messy for everyone," Harry replied.

"So I couldn't just tell them the truth because they might wind up leaving school furious with each other." Seamus put his paws on his hips.

"Also if you just called it off, the first thing they would do is talk to each other, and they would still wind up angry," Harry said thoughtfully.

"Exactly, I care too much for them to allow that to happen" This brought a raised eyebrow from Harry. "It was a real problem for a while. Having to snog both of them at all hours of the day and night, not having any time to study, scared to death they might find out and get into a fight." Seamus twitched his paws nervously. "But then I had a brilliant idea. I decided to sacrifice my feelings for both of them in a way that they couldn't be mad at one another."

"This should be good," Harry mumbled.

"I took Lisa Turpin up on her standing invitation for a meaningless make out session, and arranged to meet her here under the silver ladder. I knew Lavender and Parvati would want to talk to Professor Trelawney during break and they could catch us," Seamus said triumphantly.

"I'm still waiting to hear the brilliant idea." Harry groaned rubbing his forehead.

"It worked great, except for, ..."

"Except for the part where they turned you into a rat." Harry smiled.

"Yea, well I never knew they were paying that much attention in Professor McGonagall's classes." Seamus held his tail in a dejected way.

"Well you certainly do have a problem," Harry made to climb the ladder again.

"That's not funny Harry! I have a test in two hours!" Seamus ran up to him.

"All right, I'll hand in my divination report later." Harry lowered his school bag so that Seamus could climb in.

"Thanks Harry," Seamus said as they headed down the hall.

***

My Dearest Harry,

Congratulations on completing your exams. I would be very happy if you could join me for a private celebratory dinner in the Uncommon Room tonight at eight. I am looking forward to spending some time alone with you after having to give you up to the testers for a week.

With much love,

Ginny

Harry stared down at the letter, still holding the flower he had found it wrapped around. The rose was on his pillow when he had come to change after his last exam. He planned to release some of his pent-up anxiety by going through a hard workout in the Room of Requirement. All he wanted to do now was find Ginny and properly thank her for her kind invitation.

Unfortunately it was still only a little after noon and she was probably arranging things for their dinner. A few practice duels would still be a good idea, especially since he hadn't had time to train since his tests started. It wouldn't do to let himself slow down.

"Hey Harry, have you seen Hermione?" Ron asked from behind him.

"Not since our last exam." Harry noticed Ron looking at the flower in his hand and immediately wanted to distract him. "I'm on my way down to the Room of Requirement for some practice. Do you want to join me?"

"Well, that's not the kind of workout I was hoping for, but if I can't find Hermione, I guess I'll meet you there later." Ron glanced at Harry's invitation and smiled as he left the room.

Harry placed the flower on his night table and opened his trunk to find some fresh clothes. While looking for his favorite fighting outfit he came across the small black box he had been hiding for a week. "Yes, if I'm going to use this, it needs to be tonight," he thought. Happy, but more than a little nervous about his plans, he changed into his tight fitting black clothes.

Harry moved purposefully toward the seventh floor. A broad smile crossed his face as he remembered the scent of the flower and the person who gave it to him. He was so distracted that he almost missed Dean hunched in one of the deep set windows on the fifth floor near the stairs. Even in his distracted state Harry could tell that Dean was upset about something and trying to hide it.

"Hey Dean, is everything OK?" Harry asked in as neutral a tone as he could.

"Not really, haven't you been reading the Prophet lately?" Dean answered in a flat tone as he stared into space.

"What happened?" Harry felt his insides harden.

"My house exploded last week and my cousin is in the hospital." Dean pulled a letter out of his pocket. "I just found out, my parents didn't want to write me about it while I was taking my tests."

"I thought Professor Dumbledore moved your family to a safe house along with the Grangers and the Browns!" Harry's eyes widened with surprise.

"He did, but someone forgot to tell my extended family not to go to the house. My cousin came to visit and when she opened the door, the whole place went up." Dean glanced at his letter as he spoke. "It could have been worse. She didn't actually go in so she should recover, and they can blame the explosion on a gas leak or something."

"Well that's good news at least," Harry sighed.

"She plays football you know," he said softly. "She's the one who took me to my first West Ham game."

"It'll be OK. If he has to, Mr. Weasley will send a healer from St. Mungo's to help with anything the doctors can't handle."

"Yea, you're right," Dean got to his feet with a dark expression. "This is it though. I don't know if my NEWT's are good enough, but I'm going to at least apply for Auror training."

"Well you should have plenty of company. Ron and I have already been accepted."

"Really? I thought so. Seamus and Neville are making some noise about applying too," Dean smiled weakly. "I don't know if everyone will be accepted, though."

"It'll be just like old times," Harry made a point of smiling back despite the anger building inside him. "You know, I was just heading to the Room of Requirement for some dueling practice. Do you want to come along?"

"Yeah," Dean whispered still looking at his letter. The tall young man looked almost impossibly small. "Yeah!" he repeated in a forceful tone, crunching the paper in his hand and rising to his full height. "Let me get changed and I'll meet you there."

***

Ginny sat naked on the edge of the swimming pool size tub in the prefect's bathroom. She glanced at the door one more time to make sure it was locked. Trembling slightly, despite the large fire that kept the room quite warm, she reached for her school bag near the tub. Retrieving a spell book and her wand she let the book fall open to a marked page. She had been studying this for over a week and was confident she could cast the spell properly, but she still hesitated. "This is it," she thought as she steeled herself. "Fertillus," she called twisting her wand in a complicated motion that ended with it pointing at her abdomen, just below her navel. A pink light flew from the wand tip into her. "Oh ..." she breathed as something warm flowed around inside of her for a long moment. Breathing hard, she stood up carefully and rubbed her stomach. Across the bathroom she could see herself looking pale and frightened in the mirror. "It's done," she thought "It's real. It's all real. The baby, Riddle, the assassins, and Harry's going to ..." Her wand fell to the tile floor with an echoing clatter as she clasped a hand to her mouth to keep herself from sobbing. "Stop it!" she growled through gritted teeth. Breathing hard, she straightened her back and took a moment to mastered her feelings. "You can't fall apart yet," she told her reflection. "You have a hero to seduce."

***

Harry fumed as he marched quickly down the seventh floor hallway to the Room of Requirement. "More pain, more sadness, and for what! Just to satisfy Riddle's already bloated ego," he thought as he flew up the stairs three at a time. Reaching the seventh floor landing, he strode purposefully down the hall. "Dueling club, four on one!" he exclaimed in a commanding voice as he passed the tapestry of Barnabus the Barmy. A doorway appeared just as he reached the wall. He wrenched open the door and entered.

The room was completely dark except for five circles lit from above by a unseen lights. Four of the circles lay along the four compass points while the fifth was positioned in the direct center. Harry pulled off his shirt and angrily tossed it aside as he took his place in the middle circle. Four hooded figures stepped from the shadows into the four compass points surrounding him. "Don't think" he told himself as he bowed and raised his wand to the ready position. He took a deep breath, exhaling all of his anger and resentment. Calmly he let his mind gently slip out of gear and allowed his reflexes to take over.

North was the first to strike, a very obvious move that couldn't be anything but a feint. Harry easily dodged the spell as he spun around to face the true threat from South. "Protego," he shouted, sending the spell in the general direction of East and turned to face West who was the only one in a position to strike at him in that second. Sure enough, West had just sent a stunner his way, which he blocked easily.

For several minutes he went on this way, blocking or dodging spell after spell, waiting for an opening. Finally East fired a spell at him that he was able to deflect directly toward South. "Protego, Stupefy," he shouted. South sidestepped the deflected spell but walked into the path of Harry's stunner. The dark form collapsed and disappeared in a cloud of smoke. At last Harry was able to see all of his adversaries at once.

With his muscles taunt, he waited for his remaining opponents to make a move. West launched a powerful spell that Harry just managed to deflect. Suddenly North and East simultaneously fired at him, forcing him to fall to the ground and let the spells pass over him. North's hex went flying harmlessly into the darkness but West couldn't react fast enough to avoid East's spell. The artificial opponent was blown backward by the force of the curse and disintegrated before he could reach the ground.

"Petrificus Totalus," Harry shouted, still laying on his back. East's arms and legs snapped together and the ridged figure disappeared like a column of smoke from a candle. Harry tumbled backward to his feet as a spell from North hit the floor where he had just been. Sweat rolling down his bare chest, he stared at his remaining enemy with narrowed eyes. He easily deflected the spells cast at him waiting for an opening. "Tarantallegra, Expelliarmus," Harry shouted, when North miscalculated his position. Avoiding the curse, North couldn't sidestep the disarming spell. Its wand flew out of its hand and into the darkness. The hooded figure stood motionless waiting for Harry to end the fight. He gave a little bow to his defeated foe before aiming his wand and shouting, "Stupefy!" As his last opponent turned to smoke, the lights over the four compass points went out leaving Harry standing in a lone column of light.

"Son of a bitch!" came a voice out of the darkness.

"Damn!" said another.

"I don't believe it!" mumbled a third.

"Who's there" Harry pointed his wand in the direction of the voices. "Lumos!"

Ron, Dean, Neville and Seamus stood in the darkness by the door. Ron was the only one who didn't have an astonished look on his face. He had seen Harry fight before and had long since stopped trying to figure out how he did it.

"I have trouble with just one of those things," Seamus gasped with amazement.

"It's not that big a deal," Harry quickly retrieved his shirt and put it on.

"Harry, there are Aurors in my family. I've seen them practice before, but I've never seen anything like that," Neville said moving into the light.

"This is more like it," Dean clasped Harry on the shoulder. "Before I may have wanted to be an Auror out of desperation," he smiled savagely. "Now I just want to be there when we start paying them back."

***

"Rowan of Blackmoor landed in the hidden glade. The black plumage of his war griffin glistened in the moonlight. He dismounted in one swift motion of his lean body. Katharine turned to watch him walk across the glen, her auburn locks and red gossamer robes flowing in the warm breeze. Every move of his muscular form spoke of hidden power, as did the bulging size of his codpiece. She kept her back straight and her face impassive. She would give no hint of the lust that was boiling inside of her. 'So you have come to Scarlet Hall despite the orders of my uncle.' Katharine drawled with as much disdain as she could manage. He stopped only inches from her and placed his hands on his firm hips. At this distance she could taste the pungent smell of him and she felt a stab of longing between her thighs. 'No decree or magic wall can keep me from what is mine,' Rowan growled."

Hermione paused to take a sip of water and turn the page.

"Bulging codpiece, ugh," Ginny said, wrapped in one of the huge towels from the prefect's bathroom. She was seated at the dresser while Parvati stood behind her meticulously arranging her flaming red hair.

"Don't knock it till you've tried it," Lavender quipped with an evil smile while she rummaged through her wardrobe and tossed likely outfits onto the bed.

"Shush, we're coming up to the good part," Parvati waved a free hand and looked at Hermione expectantly.

Hermione cleared her throat. "Katharine drew her wand and pointed it at his chest. 'A Blackmoor killed my father. You will have no part of me or my family's land,' she howled. Rowan reached up and took hold of his flowing white tunic and ripped it open to reveal his heavily muscled torso. Her skin tingled as he took her hand and placed the tip of her wand to his chest. 'Then strike, and destroy the heart you have already taken,' he whispered, his dark eyes blazing. Her hands trembling, she dropped her wand and collapsed. Rowan kneeled down beside her and lifted her chin. Bending down, he kissed her passionately, pressing her onto the soft grass. 'I will kill you,' Katharine growled in his ear. 'Just not now' and she began to slowly unlace her gown."

Hermione paused, looking up. "This part always confuses me. She was ready to kill his whole family, and now she's going to snog him?"

"Hermione, come on, this is the best scene in the book," Lavender squealed, sitting on the edge of her bed.

"Yeah, we have to be sure to give little Ginny some ideas for tonight." Parvati giggled, drawing Ginny's hair up into an elegant knot, letting a few curls fall in a alluring way.

"Little Ginny has plenty of ideas of her own, thank you," Ginny grinned, glancing up at Parvati in the mirror.

Actually, she didn't really, but didn't want to admit it. She let her mind wander as Hermione read on about Katharine and Rowan's lovemaking. She knew better than to think it could really be like that. Boiling desire and endless ecstasy were fine for romance characters, but she lived in a real world with real people. This was something she had to do. If she enjoyed it, that was great, but she was no princess and Harry was her boyfriend, not some mage-knight on a war griffin. Besides, who needed that kind of pressure during their first time?

"All done," Parvati proclaimed, rousing Ginny from her thoughts. "I went for an elegant seductiveness. Not too much makeup and your hair pulled back, but with enough free locks to be alluring. Also, when you remove the clip holding it in place it will fall into a sort of wild temptress look that should frame your face nicely."

Ginny looked into the mirror and couldn't believe what she was seeing. She looked older and more beautiful than she ever dreamed possible. It was as if Katharine of Scarlet Hall were looking back at her.

"I think I'm about done too," Lavender said in a thoughtful way. "I've picked out these three for you." Ginny got up to look at the outfits laid out on the bed. "I went with colors and cuts that would highlight your figure."

The first one was a tight fitting full length gown which was slit almost to the waist. It was made of emerald green satin with a dragon pattern accent embroidered in black along one side. The next was a shimmering gold dress that left her back and midriff bare. It seemed very light and flowed with the slightest breeze. The third was a very small black teddy of silk and lace that left almost nothing to the imagination. Over it went a see through black robe, which did nothing to preserve one's modesty.

"Oh Lavender, they're all so beautiful. I wish I could wear them all," Ginny gasped.

"Well, that's kind of what we had in mind," Lavender said with a smile.

"What do you mean?" Ginny asked, puzzled.

"The quick change spell," Hermione smiled. "It will allow you to instantly change from one outfit to the next."

"But I don't know that one," Ginny said, still amazed.

"Well the dressing incantation is a bit complicated, but I'm here to help you with that. The switching part is just a command word," Hermione explained.

"What's the word?" Ginny got up to face the bed.

"Couturies." Hermione formed the word carefully.

"Couturies," Ginny repeated.

Hermione removed her wand and moved next to her. "First I need to cast a spell on you before you put on anything. Then you'll need to change into the last outfit you'll be wearing. I cast the next part of the spell, then the second to last for the next part, and so on." Hermione said in the same dry tone she used whenever she spoke in the classroom about magic. "When you speak the command whatever outfit you are wearing will disappear and the next one will take its place."

"What if I use the command and there are no more clothes in line?" Lavender and Parvati giggled at this question.

"Well then nothing is the next thing in line." Hermione stammered a little. She didn't think magic should be used in such a frivolous way.

Looking out the window they could the sun was beginning to go down. "OK, we should get started it's getting late," Hermione said.

"Yea," Ginny mumbled "So I've heard."

***

Next: Part 6. A Beginner's Guide to Seduction

***

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