Harry Potter and the Wizards of Narhassa

Chapter 10: Startling Attacks

After visiting Hedwig, who seemed more than thrilled at the prospect of delivering a letter to Sirius, Harry raced into his Defense Against the Dark Arts Class a few minutes late, causing every head to turn to him. Lupin looked up at Harry stoically, but a kind smile was hinting at his lips.

"Nice of you to join us, Harry," he said with a joking pitch to his voice. "Please, sit down."

"Sorry, Professor," panted Harry as he mopped the sweat off his brow. He looked around for Hermione and Ron, but sighed when he found each of them sitting across the room, from each other, looking exceptionally grave.

I can't go sit with one or the other, realized Harry. That'll make the one I don't choose angry. Why do I always get stuck in the middle! So, Harry went right down the middle of the classroom and sat next to Neville and Seamus who both nodded cordially to him. This Defense Against the Dark Arts room seemed exceptionally cold. It was extremely dark with a single torch casting and animating shadows all around them room.

"As I was saying," says Lupin, taking his eyes off Harry. "This year, we will be focusing more on counter curses than we have in the past. I have, with Professor Dumbledore's permission, been instructed to use many Dark Arts spells upon you. I have been told you had a rudimentary understanding of resisting the Unforgivable Curses from your lessons with Bartleby Crouch last year..." he trailed off looking to the class expectantly.

Everyone in the class nodded, though Harry lowered his head. He did not wish to be reminded of Bartleby Crouch.

"We will begin today with something a bit more unorthodox than what you are used to," continued Professor Lupin. "I will not be handing out a syllabus. Instead, we are going to dive right in and practice some counter hexes that you all might find rather useful in the times to come."

"What do you suppose we are doing?" whispered Seamus.

Neville shrugged while Harry scratched his chin.

"First," said Lupin, as he stood before the class, dressed in seemingly his worst. "I will need two volunteers."

Nearly the entire class raised their hands.

"Ron," said Professor Lupin, nodding his head to Ron's hand. He then turned across the room. "And Hermione." While both of Harry's friends had their hands up, their faces paled. Hermione's hand tried to shoot down after she heard Ron's name, but it was no use.

"Oh, this'll be good," said Seamus with a knowing grin. "They were stirring up a hornet's nest today during lunch hour."

Neville looked at Seamus quizzically. "When aren't they stirring up something?"

Harry watched with mixed emotions as Ron and Hermione both rose unsteadily, from opposite sides of the classroom and made their way to the front of the very dark classroom. Harry could see them both lock eyes for a moment and look violently away to Lupin, who appeared to be the only one not to notice their hesitance. The entire class held their breath.

"Think they'll blow up the classroom?" asked Dean, whispering to the three of them from a row of desks behind.

Seamus puffed out his cheeks with stress. "I'm taking no chances. At the first sign of trouble, I'm bolting out the door."

"I've got your back, mate," said Dean haphazardly. "I'd rather face some of Hagrid's more interesting monsters than get in the way of a Ron-Hermione fight!"

Harry looked back to Dean, and then looked to Seamus. "Come on... it's not like they are going to be blasting each other across the room or something."

Lupin looked to Hermione and Ron. "Very well then... have at each other. Try a few light curses. I will be showing you the proper counter cur..."

"I stand corrected," said Harry with dignity. "Duck..."

Harry's eyes widened, as Seamus looked at him with a yes-it-feels-good-to-be-right-thanks-for-asking expression. They barely had time to slouch in their seats before Professor Lupin was cut off. Ron and Hermione, both with a maddened look of ecstasy, drew their wands and began screaming...

* * * * *

"Good god!" said Lupin, his wand raised, rushing behind the floating forms of Ron and Hermione. Ron's ears flopped all the way to the ground, while Hermione's feet dragged behind her, swelled up to the size of small mattresses. Each had about a dozen other easily countable deformities in their faces. Parvati Patil, looking completely flabbergasted, carried one of Hermione's arms... the product of a successful Dislocating Charm.

"I know you, Ron and Hermione consider yourselves advanced students," continued Lupin, as Harry rushed after him, followed by all of the Gryffindor fifth years, "but these are not exactly what I meant by light curses!"

They rushed up a flight of ornate, stone steps, heading for Madam Pomfrey's office. Harry sighed as he kept pace. "If I didn't think they hated each other at the moment, I'd call it a lover's quarrel."

"Well, it's some kind of quarrel!" snapped Lupin, looking at Hermione's unconscious, floating from ahead of him. "She's loosing her hair! My goodness!" Ron had apparently slung over a Molting Hex, for Hermione's hair was falling out strand by strand.

"I don't think Ron's going to be happy either," said Seamus helpfully from behind. "Among that jumble, I distinctly heard the words to a Shriveling Hex."

"Golly," said Dean dumbly. "She really hit him below the belt, didn't she?"

Harry sighed and shook his head. "That's one way of putting it."

Neville blinked with naiveté. "But, he doesn't look like he's shriveling..."

"Think it though, Neville," said Harry dourly.

The round-faced boy paused in consideration, and, after about five seconds, dropped his jaw. "Oh... oh..." said Neville, his mouth agape.

Harry and Seamus both nodded their heads in syncopation. "Yeah."

Parvati huffed indignantly, holding Hermione's arm over his shoulder. "He's lucky she didn't decide to try THIS spell on him instead!" she huffed, holding out Hermione's arm agitatedly.

"OW!" gasped all the Gryffindor boys.

"Don't joke about that!" spluttered Seamus. "It hurts just thinking about it!" They continued to move hastily through the empty halls of Hogwarts, their footfalls echoing off of the spacious architecture.

"What happened to make them so upset with each other?" asked Lupin, looking to Harry. "I've never seen you three so... dispersed."

"It's just... one of my friends. Hermione and him MAYBE kissed, and Ron ALMOST caught them..."

Lupin winced. "Ouch... teenager stuff. Hormones and hexes don't mix."

Harry managed to crack a slight smirk at that.

* * * * *

A few hours and a Transfiguration as well as a Magical History class later, Sean and Harry both made their way to the Great Hall.

"It's amazingly cool that a ghost teaches our history class!" said Sean with wide-eyed astonishment.

Harry, who did not want to admit he had fallen asleep, for it might spoil Sean's mood, nodded. Professor Binns was about the only teacher at Hogwarts who was, without pun intended, dead boring. By far Harry's worst class, History of Magic could not be made drabber if it were taught by videotape. In the past, Harry had to struggle to stay awake during his exams, let alone pass them.

"Trust me, Sean," said Harry with a knowing smirk. "Once that initial effect wears off, you'll find yourself begging for a Killing Curse simply to escape the ungodly confines of that classroom."

Sean scratched the top of his ruddy head. "I got that impression after he started talking about those Dementor things... they must be the most boring creatures alive."

Harry could never have thought that Dementors, cast in ANY light, could appear dull and boring. Those terrifying horrors that nearly stole Harry's soul in his third year were made out to be as lame as a shoe salesman in London in Professor Binns' class. Harry and Ron entered the bustling Great Hall. Seamus and Dean where nowhere to be seen, but Neville was sitting down, talking to Ginny Weasley, Ron's younger sister.

"Alright, Ginny," said Harry as Sean followed him over, "and Neville."

Neville looked up to Harry, looking a bit worn and upset. "Hey," he said weakly.

The young, red-haired girl looked up to Harry. "How's Ron doing?"

Harry sat down as Sean soundlessly sat across from him, next to Ginny.

"Pork and gravy, and mashed potatoes," said Harry lazily, as his dinner appeared in front of him. He took his fork into one hand and began prodding at his dinner. "I think he'll be ok, Ginny," said Harry, churning his meal about on his plate.

Sean looked at Harry with a concerned twinkle in his eyes. "It hurts you to see Ron and Hermione so angry at each other."

Harry sighed. "Pumpkin Juice," he said. Without delay, a cup of juice appeared in front of him with a magical pop. He took the cup halfheartedly and brought it to his lips. Sean was right, he thought. It was so upsetting when their triangle of love was disrupted. Bar none, the worst time Harry had to serve on the planet was for the few weeks that Ron had not spoken to him during their fourth year. That time, even with Hermione keeping him company, was worse than all his years with the Dursleys put together.

With a simple nod, Harry took a sip of the juice, feeling no refreshment. "I just don't know if they'll patch this one up," said Harry into his cup.

Sean lowered his head. "It's all my fault."

"No," stated Harry crisply, lowering the cup from his mouth. "If anyone is innocent, it is you."

Suddenly, Harry felt two arms grab around the back of his neck and hug his head gently. Feeling better almost immediately, he rested his palm upon one of the hands on his collar.

"If this is Malfoy, I'm going to be very upset," said Harry with a relieved tone.

"Oh," cooed Jessica's voice softly as she sat down next to him in an empty chair, removing her hands from his neck delicately. "I'm so sorry to disappoint you."

Just being around Jessica put all thoughts of Ron and Hermione on a distant cloud. It was a relief, for since his Defense Against the Dark Arts class, he wanted nothing more than to not think about his two best friends. He put his arm around her and could not keep a smile from his lips.

"How was your first day?" he asked softly.

Jessica shrugged under Harry's arm. "Sean, did you tell him about our phenomena class?"

Sean shook his head slowly. "I was going to. Go ahead."

Ginny and Neville dropped their conversation to listen carefully.

"It's enlightening, but... I don't know exactly," continued Jessica. "Dumbledore teaches it." Harry, Neville and Ginny all raised a brow.

"Really?" asked the young redheaded girl.

"I wonder how he finds the time," said Neville.

Harry, however, could not help but smile. "He gets bored in his office. I'm sure he was delighted to teach again. Blimey, he gets so restless that he plays with action figures."

Jessica and Sean both smirked. "Well, I assure you, he kept our attention for three hours," said Jessica.

Sean nodded. "He seemed so interested in getting to know all of us," stated Sean. "I think basically everyone in House Narhassa was there. That's pretty much all we did the first day... talk about who we are."

"And what our new gifts mean to us," put in Jessica. "I really like Dumbledore."

Harry nodded as he continued to labor over his dinner. A few minutes later, conversation seemed to cease as Harry finished up his meal. "I'm going to go visit Hermione and Ron," said Harry. "Sean, you want to come?"

Sean raised his hands and shook his head. "No way, Harry. If I show up, Ron will try to throw me out the window, Hermione will try to stop him, and they'll wind up wearing each other's clothing, loosing more appendages and perhaps rearranging each other's faces again."

Harry shook his head. "Trust me here. Your presence will only help."

Sean shrugged and rose from his seat across from Harry. "If you say so, dude."

"Hey," said Jessica with a smirk. "Care to meet me in the Astronomy Tower a bit later? I hear Saturn is going to be very bright tonight."

Neville blinked. "Hey, you don't take Astono... muffphmufffph."

Harry slapped his hand over Neville's mouth. "Sure, Jessica. I'll meet you there later tonight. Say nine?"

Ginny seemed to flush scarlet and fixed her eyes upon her plate, while Neville finally took a hint and fell silent.

"Nine would be great," said Jessica, with a bright smile.

"I needn't remind you that curfew says that at sundown no one is to leave their Common Rooms," said Ginny snappishly, for the first time Harry ever remembered, sounding like Hermione.

Harry snapped his fingers. "Oh right... I'll meet you outside House Narhassa's Common Room at nine."

"It's a date then," said Jessica.

Ginny jabbed at her food furiously.

Harry and Sean both left, not really taking notice of Ginny's strange behavior and her near mutilation of her salad.

* * * * *

"Look Ron," Hermione began, fiddling awkwardly with a wavy lock of hair, "I'm really sorry for... shrinking you."

Ron sighed. Both Hermione and Ron were within Madam Pomfrey's hospital, resting up after their war. She had been able to repair most of the damage they had done to each other, and reattach Hermione's arm. They were laying in beds next to each other. Hermione was propped up on one arm, looking at Ron with her lovely brown eyes.

"Yeah," muttered Ron quietly. "I'm sorry for nearly making all your hair fall out... and detaching your arm." He looked over at Hermione, not bothering to sit up.

Hermione laughed slightly. "That was strange. I didn't know you know the Dislocation Charm. It's funny, cause I didn't even realize it was gone before I went unconscious."

Ron smiled slightly. "Fred and George made sure I learned it... they've hidden Percy's legs so many times. He really gets annoyed at that."

Hermione's eyes widened with amusement. "You don't say?"

"And Herm," said Ron quietly. "I'm sorry about... the whole Sean thing."

Hermione fell respectfully silent.

"He really is a good kid and I haven't given him much of a chance. I think he deserves you."

Hermione sat up slowly. "Do you really mean that, Ron?"

Ron looked at Hermione, feeling miserable about the entire situation. Harry was right before. He had become Draco Malfoy for a short while... not giving Sean a chance because Sean was after the same person he was.

"Yeah," said Ron dejectedly. He remembered the line Harry said to start with, and figured now it was time. "I'm sorry for being a jealous git."

Hermione slowly stood up and made her way to Ron's bedside. "No, you aren't. You are a great person, and I love you very much."

She was dressed in thin hospital pajamas that seemed to stick to her skin. The sight made Ron's swallow a nervous lump in his throat. He could not remember a time where he saw Hermione so "up close," wearing so little.

"I love you too, Hermione," said Ron, without much hesitation. "I've wanted to tell you that for a really long time."

Hermione smiled and sat down upon Ron's bed.

"I know," she said kindly. "You are bad at hiding your feelings."

Ron returned Hermione's smile with a weak one of his own. "I guess so."

Hermione delicately ran her hand on Ron's chest. He was wearing the same thin hospital pajamas as Hermione that provided him no protection from her soft fingers. The sensation of Hermione's hand touching him this way was one of the most arousing feelings he had ever experienced. He looked up at her face with earnest confusion.

"Hermione..." he began, trembling with passion.

"Don't say anything," she said, delicately putting her finger over his lips and draping herself over him. "I've wanted to do this for such a long time too..."

Ron was about to protest, but Hermione's body on top of his was the final straw. Every part of him tingled with anticipation and shook uncontrollably. He had never been in this position before with any female, let alone Hermione, the girl of his dreams.

Without thinking, he took Hermione's hand from his lips, closed his eyes, and kissed it with great affection.

He felt her rubbing the back of her hand upon his cheek. He opened his eyes again.

Her face was just inches from his.

"Are you sure..." quavered Ron, his voice a quiet impassioned shutter.

Ron was vaguely aware of her hand, interlocked with his and squeezing gently. Her second hand moved over his cheek, touched his lips, sending tingling sensations all over his body.

"I've been sure for so long," she whispered to him.

Hermione lowered her head slowly retracting her hands from his lips and caressing his face. She closed the remaining distance between them. Ron's body reacted before his mind even had a chance to catch up. He leaned into Hermione's face, pressing his lips gently against hers.

And then, time froze.

His face drained with color as passion rushed over his body like a flooding deluge. It dawned on him that this was his first kiss; the first time his lips had touched those of another human being. It was a warm and sweet taste as he opened his mouth. Ron closed his eyes, consumed by his own lust, and threw his arms around Hermione. He became vaguely aware of her hand, stroking his face as they kissed passionately. Every single problem within his mind melted away... he could die happy right now.

"Ron," whispered a voice.

* * * * *

And then Ron opened his eyes. In place of Hermione laying on top of him, Harry and Sean were standing at the flank of the bed. Ron was still shaking all over and felt his body aching all over with excitement.

"How you doing?" asked Harry, with a bit of amusement on his face. "I see most of you got reattached."

Sean was looking down on Ron with a bit of a smirk, yet he said nothing.

Ron, still horribly confused, blinked. "Where's Hermione?" he asked.

Harry and Sean both nodded their heads across the room. Ron turned his head over in their direction. Hermione was fast asleep, her hair billowing upon her pillow, with a very satisfied look upon her face.

"Were you having a nightmare?" asked Sean, with a wide-eyed expression. "You were practically wreathing on the bed."

Ron swallowed, his disappointment becoming so completely paralyzing. It had been a dream... he thought. He stared at Hermione with none of the loathing he had felt for her throughout the entire day. All he could feel toward her was complete love. It nagged at his soul so strongly that he felt like a Dementor was trying to steal it. He sighed again and swallowed a lump in his throat.

"Yeah... nightmare..." said Ron, his voice barely more than a whine.

Sean followed Ron's expression, traced the path of his eyes, looked upon Hermione, and backed up a step. Ron looked back to Sean, his ears swelling with blood. There was a look upon the boy's face that made Ron feel so uncomfortable. It was a look that he had only seen Harry give him during his times of trouble.

Sean's eyes were glinting and twinkling with understanding. Somehow, he figured out everything... though in truth, was his desire for Hermione a subtle thing?

"What were you two thinking today?" demanded Harry, his face, in sharp contrast to Sean's, grave with concern.

Ron sighed and mopped the sweat off his forehead. "It was stupid," he said. "I don't know what came over me."

"Neither do I," said Harry with a sigh. "Can you give Hermione a message for me. When she wakes up, tell her I've wrote Sirius Black about Narhassa. If she can hit the library in her spare time and dig up all she knows about Ben Nevis, I'd be greatly appreciative."

"Ben Nevis?" asked Ron. "Well, it's the highest mountain in Scotland. What's

that got to do with anything."

Harry shrugged. "Something, or nothing. I don't know. Hermione will be the quickest among us to find out, though."

"You don't need me to ask her," said Ron with a slight smirk. "She needs to go to the library to get a hit of books, or she'll loose her mind. She's quite addicted."

Harry also smirked and pat Ron on the shoulder. "Get better man, will ya?" With that, he turned to go. Sean stoically made a move to follow.

"Sean..." began Ron.

Sean turned back to him, a joyous smile on his face. "You don't know what it means to me to hear you say that. Thank you."

Ron's jaw dropped and his brows arched in confusion. "Eh... what?"

Sean's expression remained as bright as the daylight. "You were about to apologize for not giving me a chance. Thank you very much, Ron. You're a great guy."

Ron blinked as he stretched his jaw awkwardly. "I was just going to say..."

Harry also was smiling at the scene. "All you have to do is nod your head and say 'your welcome,'"

Taking Harry's advice, Ron nodded his head begrudgingly. "Your welcome." Ron managed to crack a slight smile, though his eyes showed his hesitation clearly. "And another thing, Sean..."

Sean chuckled merrily. "I cannot let you do that. She'll decide for herself when she's ready."

Ron's face swelled up. "How the heck do you do that!"

"Long story," said Sean with a wink. "Anyway..."

Sean was interrupted by the sound of a door slamming open from behind them. Hermione awoke with a start as Ron, Sean and Harry spun around. Ron's mouth dropped at the sight.

Severus Snape was half-escorting, half-dragging a boy who was bleeding profusely all over the floor. The sallow man seemed ghostly pale as his greasy hair was lined with sweat. The boy's head lolled from side to side, his gray eyes fluttering and his pale blonde hair marred with blood.

"BLIMEY!" shouted Harry, leaping out of Snape's way.

Ron cleared his eyes. "What happened?"

"POMFREY!" called out Snape emphatically.

Without any delay, the light in Madam Pomfrey's private quarters flipped on, and out rushed the plump nurse. Upon seeing the boy being supported by Snape, she gasped.

"Dear gods! What happened?"

Snape snarled. "I found them outside... next to his two friends. They are coming in now."

Ron could barely make out the boy being supported by Snape, but a moment later, two more hulking forms were escorted in by three students apiece. It appeared the Colin Creevey, Dennis Creevey and a fourth year Ravenclaw boy Ron recognized were dragging in a simply huge guy, followed by three sixth year Hufflepuff students, escorting a second one.

Without wasting any time, the three bleeding forms were thrown into the remaining beds, next to Hermione, who watched with pale-faced horror. Pomfrey had gone to work immediately, waving her wand frantically.

"I do not know what happened," said Snape, his voice tinged with urgency as he hovered over Pomfrey's shoulders. "Someone beat the mercy out of them, though."

"Severus," she said sternly, in a deceptively calm voice. "I will need three Clotting Potions posthaste. We may very well loose these boys without them... a Hemophilia Curse has been placed on each of them. They will not stop bleeding until they are dead. You brewed them up like I asked at the beginning of the year, correct?"

Snape swallowed a lump in his throat as the tension in the room threatened to extinguish the breath from each of them. "Of course."

Without another word, Snape sped out of the room, his robe whipping behind him.

Ron rubbed his eyes as Harry and Sean were simply stunned by the scene. "My god..." Ron asked weakly. "... that's Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle... isn't it?"

All Harry could do with nod feebly, his face as pale as a ghost.