Harry Potter and His New Standards

Chapter 28--Adopter

The highest proof of virtue is to possess boundless power without abusing it.

*()%()*

It was a short interstice before the four professors looked away from Harry and started whispering ominously to one another.

He'd done it again, he knew it. It was only under extremely special occasions that Snape abandoned his penciled look of loathing for Harry--and even more rare when his visage was replaced with one of borderline consternation.

Harry edged nearer, straining his ears and trying to ignore how his stomach suddenly seemed to weigh as much as a block of cement. It took a few steps before he could comprehend their muttering. McGonagall was shaking her head, "I'm not sure Hogwarts has ever seen an Adopter, Filius."

"But, surely we've at least had one?" the Herbology teacher contradicted, looking slightly hopeful.

"They're infrequent," Snape agreed, "but not such a rarity that this castle has yet to have one within its mists?"

"No, I believe Minerva is correct, Severus... I hardly think that a single Pellmorph is currently registered with the Ministry!" Flitwick squeaked under his breath, eyes wide.

Sprout sighed. "What do we do?" None of them answered. "We could assign him a different ability..." she suggested circumspectly.

"No, Saeran..." McGonagall said, pulling Harry's Ministry form nearer and dipping her quill, "to earn the N.E.W.T.s he must succeed in being an Adopter..."

Harry cleared his throat loudly and the Heads of Houses looked up simultaneously. "Can I get my stats?" he ventured, stepping forward.

"Yes, Potter..." McGonagall hastily filled out a few lines and boxes on the Ministry form, used her wand to make a copy, and handed the duplicate parchment to Harry.

Harry looked it over before folding it in half and slipping it into his robe pocket. "Potter," his Head of House continued, "please proceed to my office and wait there."

He was going to protest that he needed to be in Hogsmeade (to meet up with Cho), but her stern glance warned him not to disagree. "Yes, professor..." he uttered before leaving through the door and indicating with a nod of his head that Dean was up. The tall boy strode past him giving him a thumbs-up.

The door shut and Harry walked over to Ron, pulling the parchment out of his robe pocket. He unfolded it and handed it to him, saying, "Please tell me you know what a Pellmorph is..."

Ron's forehead wrinkled in thought as his eyes skimmed the page. "I don't have the slimmest idea..." he said quietly, looking at the parchment for another couple seconds before handing it back to Harry. "You'd been in there long enough for each of the professors to tell you their own version of what it is--what took you?"

"The Hat had a little trouble deciding--and the professors... they--er--didn't look... overjoyed. I'm supposed to meet McGonagall in her office."

Ron jutted his jaw to the side slightly, showing the edge of his bottom row of teeth. "That doesn't sound good," he remarked, "Here, le'me see those again." Harry gave him the parchment and Ron flicked it open, mumbling as he read it. "Adopter... Adopter..." he echoed, shaking his head, "I know I've heard it somewhere."

Ron began examining the parchment once more, as though obvious clues would show themselves if he read it over and over. "Yeah... probably in the Encyclopedia of Freak-Powers That Only Seriously Dark Wizards Should Have," Harry voiced, shaking his head.

"Is that the big, black book with the little title subscript that says, "Watch It, Harry Potter--You're Next!"? Oh yeah, I think Hermione's reading that..." he rolled his eyes, "No, Harry, it's just something rare, I'm sure..."

"Then why would they all look completely horrified when the Hat said I was a Pellmorph? It doesn't make sense, Ron," Harry remarked matter-of-factly.

"Horrified?" Ron repeated, raising his eyebrows, "Surprised more likely. Don't worry about it, Harry... it can't be that bad." Dean came out of the room, announced he was a Spark-Tosser, and left to find Parvati.

"I'll wait for you outside McGonagall's office--you'd better go on." Ron took a step towards the open door.

"I thought you were going to have dinner with Hermione?" Harry said.

Ron turned, "Yeah, yeah--she needs to get her shopping done first. See you in a bit..." He entered the room, and Harry only just heard Flitwick tell Ron to have a seat and try on the Sorting Hat before the door shut.

He turned on his heel and began to make his way to McGonagall's office.

*()%()*

"What do you want?" Holly asked, throwing her arms wide with a sleepy grin.

"You can't do this..." Ginny said slowly, regarding the wall in front of her. Holly had dragged her into McCormack's Quidditch and Quodpot Miscellaneous, commanding her to pick out a broom. There was a good selection considering it wasn't Diagon Alley--about a dozen brooms being modeled on this wall.

"I know--I could pick one, but I want you to choose the that suits you best. It's--fairer." Holly nodded, dropping her arms and resting her hands on her hips. "Nothing on the lines of a Firebolt or the newest Nimbus versions--the highest I'd let you get with that is a 2001."

Ginny shook her head. "No, really, Holly--I'd be fine with something from Honeyduke's or... or just a turtleneck to go under my robes from Gladrags or... something..."

"Just pick one!"

"I..." Ginny stammered, trying not to be embarrassed. Holly knew that her father had money, he'd gained interest on what was left in Gringotts over twelve years in prison, and was given a huge bonus when found to be innocent of the crime he'd been convicted with. She also knew that the Weasleys weren't in the best financial situation--Ginny shuddered to think of what Holly would do if she were to see The Burrow, such a ramshackle house with all it's crooked lines. "I really don't want a new broom," she lied, "I'm riding George's--he says it's lucky."

Holly glanced over her shoulder with a you-actually-believe-him? expression and sighed. "Fine. We'll go to Cleven's Critters... when's your birthday again?" She turned around and grabbed Ginny by the elbow, leading her out of the shop.

"The third of August," she stated, allowing Holly to steer her around the corner. They both bent their heads against the wind, trying to avoid the stinging cold.

"You're getting a broom from me," Holly said over the high winds. She stopped for a moment, and looked around, strands of hair whipping in front of her face. "Where is that place?" she half-shouted, turning her head from side to side and squinting to see through the snow that was being swept up with the wind.

"Somewhere in that direction," Ginny said pointing down the long High Street in the direction of Hogwarts.

"I think I see it!" Holly exclaimed, yanking Ginny's arm and taking off across the icy streets, starting to sing to herself.

She'd learned every song in the books, listening to Holly harmonizing to herself, but never joined in when Holly struck up a number (which was at least once every day) Ginny knew. According to Holly, she had started singing when she was a little kid with songs like "Jesus Loves the Little Children", lullabies, and clap-game melodies that an older orphan had taught her.

She didn't have a knock-back, blowout set of lungs, but was melodious--she could hit the notes she needed to (after the free voice lessons she'd gotten from a piano-playing neighbor who played and sang at weddings).

And, as she tended to do when the silence took over, she started to pipe a song. Ginny just liked to listen--Holly could hide her thoughts in an appropriate melody.

"See my days are cool without you

But I'm hurtin' while I'm with you

And though my heart can't take no more

I keep on running back to you..."

Ginny had doubted her, but Holly did lead her straight to Cleven's Critters. They entered the shop, filled with the anthems of every pet imaginable. There were tanks, cages, perches, and boxes full of everything from extremely slimy snails to fuzzy puppies.

No other customers were in the shop, and a solitary young wizard sat behind the counter. "Have a look around," he said, jerking out of his doze as the tiny bell above the door rang.

Holly and Ginny smiled before splitting up... Holly rushing over to the puppies and Ginny hovering near the cats. "Can I hold one?" Holly asked instantly, seeming to forget her purpose of being in the shop.

"Go for it," the wizard said off-handedly as he began marking things down in the book he'd been using as a pillow previously.

Ginny gazed longingly at the kittens roaming around in their large cage--every color imaginable (a few were odd shades--purple, green, blue, pink...). They tumbled over one another, high choruses of mewing all about. In other cages and baskets were older cats, patterned and mature--giving their best show of contentment for their customers.

Holly struck up where she left off, and Ginny let the words pass her by. The tune was happy, and the lyrics contradicted it slightly.

"Baby, I don't know why you're treating me so bad

You said you love me, no one above me

And I was all you had

And though my heart is beatin' for ya

I can't stop crying

I don't know how

I allow you to treat me this way

And still I stay"

She launched softly into the chorus again. Ginny reached a hand into the kitten cage and played with a couple of them, letting them swipe at her fingers, chasing her moving hand about. She'd always wanted a cat--ever since she'd started to run off to the Lovegoods' cottage every afternoon and play with Taffy's batch of kittens. Ginny had snuck one home once, inside a hatbox--she named it Bill, after her eldest brother. Her mum made her bring it back, though... saying that they simply couldn't have a cat with Scabbers around.

She would bring the same kitten home every day (it was a mellow, spotted thing) with a different name--Cuddles, Herman, Buttercup, Sinbad, and Princess had been some of them--hoping fervently that her mum would think it was a different kitty and accept its presence. But, each time Molly would send her back to Lovegoods' to return it.

From then onward she'd absolutely detested the Scabbers the rat, wishing that its much-extended life would come to an end so Ginny could get a pet of her choice.

Ginny turned to check on Holly, half-expecting her to be standing directly behind her, waiting for her decision. But Holly was across the shop, snuggling with a yellow puppy--scratching it behind the ears and letting it lick her face. She laughed and hugged it, swinging from side to side and shutting her eyes like a little girl would do when finding her doll after a long search. "Y'know," Ginny observed as she picked up an animal herself, "if you had half that compassion for people--you'd be much more likeable."

Holly sadly put the dog down and switched it for a black puppy. Meanwhile, Ginny let the kitten hook its claws onto her cloak to stay up as she stroked the side of its face. "Shut. Up." Holly said, beginning to sway as the dog scrabbled to get a good hold on her--afraid of the new height it was at. "Or I'll send my dog over to kick your cat's ass."

Ginny grinned and reluctantly moved onto a water-less aquarium to look at a bunch of geckos. Holly came over and asked her what she liked.

Again, Ginny tried to squirm out of Holly's gift buying... saying that she'd really rather have Holly get her something more simple, less expensive. She'd feel bad giving Holly a headband and some cheap earrings if Holly was planning on getting her a pet or, Tartarus forbid, a broomstick.

"More simple?" Holly said, puckering her eyes in disbelief. "More simple? What's more simple than an animal?!"

"Oh... lots of things!" Ginny protested. Holly stared pointedly at the ceiling for a while, shaking her head.

"Just pick one, or I'll get you a snake."

"No..." Ginny said carefully, letting her eyes roam over to the kitten sitting in the corner of the cage. Holly followed her gaze.

"You want the moody one over in the corner?" Holly asked.

"No, no... I'll be fine--you just get me what you want..."

Holly made an impatient noise, and soon Ginny began hating to shop with the girl. "Pick a God damn cat!" she moaned, covering her eyes with one hand. "Just select one, any of them!, stop being so difficult..."

"I'm not difficult," Ginny stated. "Just let me think about it."

"Right, well Parvati needed some Owl Treats so..." She walked towards the counter and asked the boy where they stocked them. It didn't take long before Holly attempted to engage him in conversation, ("He was young enough, anyway!" she'd asserted later)--asking which kind he would suggest she purchase.

Ginny eyed the kittens again, desperately wanting one (she felt bad for the runt, sitting all on its own), but not wishing for Holly to have to buy it for her. Ginny could get her own cat--just... not at the time.

She joined her at the counter, hoping that she wouldn't explode when Ginny informed her that she didn't want one and would prefer that Holly choose something for her gift.

The boy was searching for the Owl Treats in the back. "Aw," Ginny said, "look at those rats!"

They were black (much cuter than Scabbers) playing what looked like hopscotch in their cage. She turned to look at Holly, who had been right next to her a second before. But now she was at the very edge of the counter, one hand blocking her view. "Why'd you have to tell me those were there!?"

"Er--I thought they were quite noticeable, actually..." Ginny stated, watching Holly carefully. She'd gone a couple shades paler, and was pointedly cutting off her view of them.

"Here, you can pay..." she said quickly, tossing Ginny her moneybag.

Ginny felt a grin stretching over her face. "Holly Black," she crowed, astonished, "are you afraid of mice?!"

"N-no..." she squeaked. Frankly, Holly looked absolutely terrified of the rodents.

Ginny exclaimed, "You are!" a smile breaking across her features.

Holly only peeped in return.

And yet, one had to admit that if anyone could be afraid of rodents: Holly was one of the worthiest.

*()%()*

Harry didn't know what poison it was that ran in his veins making him so different from everybody else--but he sorely wanted the antidote. As he and Ron ducked against the harsh December wind on their way to Hogsmeade, he couldn't even muster up the feeling that he was just an average Hogwarts student, be he battling the natural effects of weather or not. There had to be something supernatural about him simply trudging through the snowdrifts.

Harry was an Adopter... the first wizard to be one in all of Europe for a century, at least. Being disparate in everything he did was something he'd become accustomed with, and yet... this was different, somehow.

It was one of the extensive powers possessed by various deities--and although a small, offside gift to them... it was a Dark, mysterious, and seemingly boundless ability to mortals.

And who better to have it than Harry Potter? He was under strict instruction to tell a minimal amount of both students and adults about this power... all the professors would know, so would his immediate family (Sirius and Holly, in other words) and if he chose--close friends.

Doing a few calculations, he could inform Ron and Hermione and the secret would be safe. Cho could keep quiet, and she was supposed to be working at Hogwarts the next year anyway. Holly would know, which probably meant she would spill to Ginny. The lines ended there, though--if Ginny could keep it quiet that she was being possessed by the bewitchment of a diary and doing serious Dark things at the age of twelve... she could keep mum about Harry's own power.

His file and stats would be sent to the Ministry automatically when he mastered the Supantoris (if ever--it sounded impossible), but stating that he was a Spark-Tosser. McGonagall said that it was best he work on that ability as well, just in case the Ministry decided to test him.

A very old wizarding law, not enforced for years and years on end, was that all Pellmorphs were immediately sent to Claustrume (that had been the prison at the time--now it was Azkaban). Their competence wasn't to be trusted... their powers too suspicious and crime-like to be let loose in either the Muggle or magical world.

It didn't sound too bad to Harry--being an Adopter, or Pellmorph, or whatever, that is--but according to McGonagall, it was an ability that could insert fear in those closest to him. Had Harry been someone like Malfoy, for example, any trust a solitary witch or wizard had placed in him would practically vanish on the fact he was an Adopter.

It looked like he'd have to confide in Muggles--they'd probably just think that he was a licensed foster parent.

Harry and Ron pushed through the gates, and Ron said something about visiting Honeyduke's first thing. Harry agreed.

It seemed Ron's trust in Harry was still intact, and for that he was thankful. McGonagall made the Supantoris look significantly more foreboding than Ron took it (well, if he was supposed to go the nick for it...). Initially he'd been a bit shocked, but after he was done saying that he suspected that Harry would own such a power all along, he shrugged it off with a genial, "That's sort of cool, actually."

Ron wasn't completely enthralled over his own Supantoris. It was common, but interesting--he was a Flame-Holder (McGonagall had referred to them as Flame-Throwers, and although Ron thought that sounded cooler and a bit more deadly, he settled with the more frequent 'Flame-Holder' term). He said it wouldn't be too hard to develop--his elder brother Charlie was one, apparently--but it'd take practice.

And a lot of nagging from Hermione, considering that she already had her Supantoris under her thumb. She hadn't told Harry or Ron what it was, though... saying that Supantorises were really supposed to be personal information. It sounded a bit dire, how she put it, but she'd added that she would let them know later on.

He couldn't quite place his other friends' reactions, though, when he told them that he could switch into any person that he wanted to.

The gift (or burden) of being a Pellmorph was also titled 'Skin-Changer'... for the less adept with wording. It was like being an Animagus, but with fewer constrictions. Harry couldn't change into an animal of any sort (as far as he knew), but could switch himself into any person he desired... down to their very fingerprints.

He could use any Supantoris that this person had developed (as soon as he figured out how to summon the power correctly, it'd be there--prepared)... it was like Polyjuice--but twice as extreme. As long as the being he chose had enough life in them to be considered a person, he could be them for however long he wished.

It was a burden--and a secret... and Harry wasn't sure where to draw the line for using it with responsibility. He didn't know where it stopped.

*()%()*

Holly and Ginny stumbled into the Three Broomsticks, laden with bags of Christmas gifts, laughing and talking excitedly about the upcoming hols and a nice butterbeer.

Frankly, Holly would have taken some other beverage--but that was the only drink she knew was served there, and she'd had her fair quota of pumpkin juice over Hogwarts meals.

They found a small booth next to the window and sat down their bags. Holly asked Ginny what she wanted, and finally letting Holly take up the duty of purchasing--she told her that a butterbeer would do fine.

Holly left her buys at the booth and strode over to the bar, leaning over and looking for Madam Rosmerta. The curvy woman came out from the back, toting a large barrel full of some sort of rum, Holly guessed. "Miss Black," she said pleasantly, smiling wide, "not back for more butterbeer, are you?"

"No, no..." said Holly. "Well, yes, but not in such multitude this time. Two of your biggest mug-fulls, if you please." She slid a few coins across the counter and the landlady bustled off, saying that she had a couple larger tankards in the back, and although they weren't Hagrid-sized, they would definitely fill the stomachs of Holly and her companion. She was wearing sparkling ruby-red pumps today, which gave Holly quite the urge to click her heels together and exclaim, "There's no place like home!" three times.

"Ooh,

I trusted you, I trusted you

So sad, so sad

What love will make you do

All the things that we accept

Be the things that we regret

To all of my ladies

Feel me; c'mon sing with me...

"See, when I get the strength to leave you

You always tell me that you need me

And I'm weak 'cause I believe you

And I'm mad because I love you

So I stop and think that maybe

You can learn to appreciate me

Then it all remains the same that

You ain't never gonna change

Never gonna change

Never gonna change..."

Madam Rosmerta came back with a couple mugs of steaming butterbeer, and took her coins. "Thank-you, ma'am," said Holly, grabbing the mug handles.

"Oh, Miss Black, you're such a dear--it's not a problem." Holly smiled, and sensed herself going a little pink.

"Thanks," she muttered before turning away, suddenly feeling like a very good person.

"See my days are cool without you

But I'm hurtin' while I'm with you

And though my heart can't take no more

I keep on running back to you..."

Before she could repeat the chorus, Holly had reached the other side of the pub, and pushed the large tankard across the table to Ginny. "This is huge!" the Weasley exclaimed. Holly shrugged and slid into the booth opposite Ginny. "How'd that meeting go, then?" she asked.

"I thought you'd never ask!" Holly stated excitedly, putting a hand on her forehead. "I'm an Animagus!"

"Are you?" Ginny asked. Holly nodded. "Congratulations... well, I think that's what I'm supposed to say, I dunno... what are you, then?"

Holly drew herself up to her respectable height (although sitting) and affirmed, "A peregrine. I'm endangered in some areas!"

"Oh really?" Ginny couldn't remember right--but she thought that a peregrine was a bird of some sort. "You're an eagle, or...?"

"Falcon, thank you," Holly said, slumping down a bit.

"That's what I meant..."

Holly laughed and shook her head.

"Baby, Why you hurt me?

Leave me and desert me

Boy, I gave you all my heart

And all you did was tear it up

Looking out my window

Knowing that I should go

Even when I pack my bags

This something always holds me back..."

*()%()*

They dissolved into their usual friendly chats, talking about the problems of others, the relationships commencing or crumbling--the lives and plans of their own. The topics segued from one to another, hardly a pause in the flow of conversation.

"So what are you thinking about doing over the holidays?" Ginny asked casually, sipping her butterbeer. Holly went quiet, glancing out the window, planes of her face sharpening as she sucked in the insides of her cheeks. A sense of dread started to spark inside Ginny, and although waiting for the answer would probably be smart--she blurted. "Oh no... Holly, you're not... you're... ooh you said you wouldn't!" Ginny hissed.

"Yeah, well..." Holly faltered, "it's comforting that you believed me, at least." She tried to smile, but Ginny was hardly affected. "Look, I want you to come with..."

"Are you crazy?!" Ginny asked, eyes popping. "I'm not going in there! No way, no how!"

"Why not?" Holly asked quietly, trying to get Ginny to come down to her tone-level. "It's not that bad..."

"Other than the occasional visitors?" Ginny said sarcastically, "Werewolves, vampires... You-Know-Who when he has vacation time? Why would you go in there again? I never thought you'd be so thick..."

"I'm not thick," Holly spat--and Ginny knew that she'd tripped one of Holly's pet peeves. Any indication given that Holly wasn't as brilliant as she really was made her angry--she didn't ask for praise, she just asked to be acknowledged as someone with a decent mind. "Look..." She unhooked her necklace and set her Charm down on the table, flipping it over so Ginny could see the back. "You see the birds there?"

Ginny nodded--Holly had showed them to her before. "Cliodna's," she said, "the three healing avifauna."

"They weren't there when I got the Charm, Ginny... she put them there for until I could find someone to Dedicate it."

"I know..." Ginny said, "but what do your beloved Elves have to do with it? Can they fix it, or something?" Holly nodded, and Ginny began to feel frustrated. "Holly, I think the Charm already does its fair share of magic..."

"She says," Holly interrupted, referring to Cliodna, "that my mom could've seen what this little pendent could really do, but refused to seize her chance... that's the only reason I can use the Charm for what it's for--if it's Dedicated."

"So you're going to run blindly into the Forbidden Forest to find a pack of Elves... just in case they can do the work for you?! You're mad--the forest is huge! It's full of magic, not to mention a sufficient amount of Dark magic--how do you think you'll find them through all those trees and bushes, Holly?"

"You have a bruise on your arm," she observed first, dropping the Charm into Ginny's hand and manually closing her fingers around it before the mild wound healed and she took it back, setting it down on the table face-up. The deep plum jewel shimmered at Ginny through the pub's lighting--and for some reason, she doubted that it was an entirely wholesome thing. "I've done research, Ginny," Holly continued, "tons. I know how to find them, how to say a handful of phrases in their tongue... I know all I need to."

"Like what?"

Holly took a breath. "They'll live near the center of the forest... close to water, most likely. Despite the winter chill, any deciduous trees around will still be painted gold like the most beautiful fall--everything will grow clearer and healthier... they're professional Green Thumbs, Elves are. The theory is that their purity can make everything beautiful, and still make lesser mortals feel dirty and small.

"I just want to do this to see what might happen... how I could help--everything--with what the Charm really has to give."

She switched back to what she knew on the Elves and went on in that general vein for some time, putting faith back in her companion. "Please, Ginny," she said finally, "no one knows but you. I think I'd get lonely out there on my own--the best Christmas present I could get, right now, is your company."

Ginny looked at her, long and hard. It was difficult, at times, to trust Holly. She was so secretive, and yet very honest with her. Ginny was honored, sometimes, to be considered a close friend by someone who seemed to carry herself so imperiously when out of the dark. But, really, she didn't--Holly was a very flawed person who just put on a creative face... and Ginny wished she wasn't the only one who could see that so clearly.

"Your heart's in the right place, Holly," she said--rethinking Holly's stated motives, "but where the hell is your brain?"

She scowled.

"Holly," Ginny continued, "the Forbidden Forest is dangerous... whether the Elves be there with their longbows and swords or not. Getting to them, however far they are from the entrance, will prove to be more difficult than you think. I've heard the horror-stories, Holly..."

"Big urban legends, if they could be explained as such..." she injected.

"You're practically risking your life walking to Hagrid's. Honest."

Holly considered her for a while before shrugging it off. "Better to burn out than to rust away, I guess." Ginny glared. "Please, Gin," Holly attempted, taking a more rational approach, "you said that you'd like to meet the Elves once--what better time than during Christmas vacation?"

She was about to reply when the door opened, this time Harry came in. He spotted Cho Chang--who'd been sitting at a table alone for a while, and waved. Ginny felt sort of sickened--it could've been her--but fought to overlook it.

They were "really good friends" as Holly had put it (she'd never mustered up the courage to ask Harry herself)--but even that was something Ginny waged against. He played chess with her on Thursdays... where was the allurement in that? It would never work out... Harry was with Cho; Ginny was with... well she'd find someone soon enough.

As Harry walked past their booth, he paused and pulled a piece of parchment out of his robe pocket beneath his cloak. He shot a deadly serious look from Holly to Ginny before continuing over to where Cho was seated.

Instead of continuing to wait for Ginny's answer, Holly opened the parchment. "These are his..." she trailed off, mouth agape. Holly blinked a couple times, like trying to clear her vision, as she mouthed the words she was reading. "Oh..."

"What?" Ginny asked quickly, "What are they?"

"The stats on Harry's Supantoris...." She stopped speaking again, shaking her head, looking awed.

"All right... and?"

"I read about this..." she said quietly. "I read about this when looking in that book for you..." Holly explained, tapping her finger on the parchment. She started shaking her head again, "Oh my God..."

"Let me see," Ginny demanded. Holly handed her the parchment, eyes the size of Galleons. Ginny skimmed over the blanks that had been filled in, and recognized the terminology. "Pellmorph," she read, "that was on the page before the Soul-Switching one, wasn't it?" Holly nodded.

"Adopter," Holly agreed, "Skin-Changer--y'know what it is." The knowledge flooded back to Ginny, and she nodded.

"I thought," she stammered quietly, "I thought you got a life-imprisonment in Azkaban for that!"

"So did I..." Holly said. "Newer developments, though, can warp the power from you, it said... I think... I don't know...."

Ginny shook her head, trying to clear her mind and comprehend this. "Too much information for Ginny in an hour..." she muttered, squeezing the bridge of her nose with her fingers.

*()%()*

When Harry sat down, it hadn't been a second before Cho said, "You know what? I went to Dervish and Banges today." Comprehending, he nodded. "Well, the manager came out to help me find what I was looking for, because they had just employed some bloke who seemed to know nothing about what quills they stocked. And you know what I found out?"

"What?" he asked.

"As far as stock-owners, executives, and all that lot involved in the business chain... there is no Dervish, and no Banges."

"Really?" Harry questioned, smirking a little. "None?" She shook her head. "That's odd."

"Now it's been annoying me..." Cho said distantly, "If there's no Dervish, and no Banges--what should the company be called?"

He paused, considering this. It was something one could think about for some time, if they were truly that bored, but what came out was, "...'And'?"

Cho didn't say anything for a junction, turning this over, before nodding. "That works!"

Harry couldn't bring himself to do it. Cho was a witch--a brilliant witch--with a faith in Harry that had only just been rekindled it seemed. She smiled and laughed with him--she didn't need to know his secrets. The secrets that would throw him in Azkaban, anyway. When she finally asked him how the Supantoris meeting went, he prepared to say that he found out that he was an Adopter, but what came out was, "Good, I'm a--er--Spark-Tosser."

"Really?" she said, smiling, "Me too! I just need to start throwing bolts and then I've got my last three N.E.W.T.s in the bag..." Harry nodded and grinned, cursing himself for not being able to tell the truth--when he'd been so sure that he could.

All that would need to happen was for Holly to come back, parchment in hand, and half-shout "I can't believe you're an Adopter!". She didn't, though, and he was glad.

Over Harry's butterbeer and Cho's cherry syrup and iced soda, they exchanged Christmas gifts early--since she was going to be leaving on the Hogwarts Express the next day.

Harry had struggled a lot with getting Cho a gift--and she was a girl, which made it even more difficult. If he bought her a necklace or something, would this look like they'd reached a definite bonding boyfriend/girlfriend point in their relationship? He'd like that, and yet... he wouldn't.

Maybe he could get her something that had to do with Quidditch... she enjoyed Quidditch, but it was still a wizard-made sport.

The best way to go was to purchase an array of smaller things, he thought, but even this proved arduous. Harry had been under the impression that every female on the earth loved chocolate--but he'd been wrong about that (Parvati and Lavender saw nothing but negative effects over this sweet).

He didn't dare go to Gladrags and buy her a robe, or something--what if he bought it a couple sizes too large? Wouldn't that be offending?

Harry had done his best--but still failed to see his gift as anything above lame. Cho seemed appreciative of it, though, saying that she'd been thinking about getting a new scarf and gloves for a long time (Harry had picked out the most expensive ones he could find, assuming that meant quality and that girls would want the set). Cho also assured him that she loved candles--her gingerbread-scented one was on its final burn--and that she'd been looking at the set of hairpieces he picked out (with the help of the lady working in the shop) at Gladrags on the last Hogsmeade visit.

Cho, in turn, gave Harry a re-fill on all his diminishing broom-maintenance kit supplies, a call-back Snitch that could be retrieved with a spell if it couldn't be found by the end of a home-practice session, and an array of sweets. "That's the biggest bag of Every Flavor Beans I've seen in my life," Harry said.

"Well... I knew you liked them, so, I figured..." She shrugged to finish off her statement and Harry grinned.

"Thank-you," he said, putting the items back into the box so he wouldn't have to carry them back to the castle all in his arms.

"So... why are you staying at Hogwarts for the holidays this year?" Cho asked innocently, "Wouldn't this be your first Christmas with Sirius?"

"Yeah," Harry said nonchalantly, "but he was finishing up paperwork and had some meeting for getting his job back, or something..."

"That's too bad," she said.

Harry shrugged. "Not really--something interesting always happens over the holidays when I spend it in Hogwarts--I'm immune to it, I guess."

"Where does Sirius work, anyway?" Cho questioned.

Harry pondered this for a moment, trying to rack his brain. "Y'know what?--I'm not sure what he does...something at the Ministry, I thought." It sparked a little suspicion inside of him--but Sirius was never completely clear in his plans unless it was a good ol' life-or-death and/or freedom-or-Azkaban situation.

Cho left early, saying she still needed to pack some of her things. Harry promised to come with her to the Hogsmeade station the next day to see her off, and with that Cho tied her new scarf around her neck and slipped on the gloves he'd given her and left, smiling brightly at him before going through the door.

Harry sat alone for a while, looking blankly ahead and grinning a little. In this time, Holly and Ginny came to his table and returned his stats. After a little explanation, assuring, and discussion, they left for Hogwarts. Later on, he got up to join Hermione and Ron.

*()%()*

Hermione watched Holly and Ginny leave over Ron's shoulder--She doesn't have any idea, she thought, looking at Holly's back. Not a clue.

She and Ron had been discussing her ingredient-detecting potion that Hermione was brewing in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom on the second floor (always vacant that lavatory remained). It should be ready by the beginning of the second week of the holidays. The vial of potion Holly had stolen from Snape still lie hidden in their dormitory, clear and unchanged--a taunt, begging to be tested.

"The procedure is quite simple," she said, unknowingly adopting a scholar's tone. "All I should have to do is split the potion into ten smaller vials, no less. Then you add a certain amount of pipette-drops into each vial, and with an appropriate color guide and timing system, you should be able to name most of the ingredients."

Ron nodded, seeming to catch all of the explanation when put into layman's terms. "It'll work, I'm sure." He shrugged. "You made the potion, anyway."

Hermione grinned, and then performed a complete desultory--leaping to a topic that was, for the most part, unconnected to pipettes and color guides.

"Ron," said Hermione, "I'm worried about Holly."

The truth was that she wasn't so much concerned as she was knowing and interested. Nonetheless, Ron looked suddenly alert. "Why?" he asked, eyebrows knotting together.

Hermione thought how she could put this without giving a prodigal amount of information on her involvement. "I think..." she began, "I think she's going to try and sneak into the Forbidden Forest."

Ron looked twice as confused with this. "Why?" he repeated, shaking his head slowly.

"You know, she's obsessed with the Elves. I can't blame her--they are interesting, but she has been doing an excessive amount of research on them lately. She knows everything one needs to know about them, really," Hermione explained. "Not to mention the beginnings of Quenya are like her second language."

Ron still looked confused. "Why would she want to meet them, though?"

Hermione sighed. "That's the missing link--I know Holly, and I know that she wouldn't just hunt down a colony of Elves because she wanted to."

Ron didn't say anything for a moment, but he gave her an incredulous look. "Are you sure?" he asked fastidiously.

"Sure about what?"

"That she wouldn't just hunt down a colony of Elves 'cause she wanted to," clarified Ron.

Hermione leaned back in her chair. "You're right," she avouched, "she might just go looking for them because she has some free time." Hermione shut her eyes, half-wishing that Holly was somewhere nearby so she could tell what she was thinking about by simply looking at her. She was very readable, so to say. "I think she'll leave tomorrow morning."

"Let her do what she wants," he said, "she can take care of herself."

"Ron," Hermione demurred, "she's going into the Forbidden Forest!"

"Look," said Ron, evidently not used to this new angle of conversation, "if she'd been planning to go into the Forbidden Forest for so long, don't you think she would've told somebody by now?" Hermione gave him a disbelieving look, and he sighed--defeated. "All right, she wouldn't have said a word." He added, "What was I thinking?" bitterly.

"You might been right," Hermione said. "I think she told Ginny just now. My guess says that she's convinced your sister to come with her."

Ron's eyes widened. "What?!"

"Good to see you at least care about your siblings..." Hermione noted under her breath.

"Why would she bring Ginny into this?" he hissed.

Hermione couldn't help it much longer, and rolled her eyes. "In case you haven't noticed: they're best friends, Ron."

"Do we tell Harry?" he asked.

Hermione pondered this for a moment before she shook her head. "We don't want to get Harry going."

"Do we confront Holly, then?"

She shook her head again--that didn't take much musing. "We don't want to get her going, either."

"We could ask Ginny about it..."

"But, Holly might not have said anything to her yet."

"So, what do we do?" Ron demanded, narrowing his eyes with impatience.

"We wait," Hermione told him. "She's a big girl. Like you said--she can take care of herself." Ron scowled: this, apparently, wasn't an answer with amenity.

*()%()*

Holly woke up at dawn on Sunday morning. She rubbed her eyes as she pad-footed out of bed, stuffing the thin quilt she'd slept with into her bag. She ran through her checklist mentally again, confirming that she had everything that she needed.

Holly quickly changed into her most comfortable, worn-in jeans and tee shirt, pulling a hoodie over her head for some extra warmth. She ran a brush through her hair before putting on her cloak, scarf, mittens, and hat.

She threw the brief note she'd written on her trunk, slung the straps of her backpack over her shoulders, and slipped her feet into her trainers. Holly carefully opened the dormitory door, stepped out, and closed it silently behind her.

She squished down the stairs to the fifth year girls' dormitory. She opened the door and poked her head in. Ginny was awake, pulling on her gloves. "I knew you'd come with," Holly whispered. Ginny put a finger to her lips, smiled, and after she swept up her knapsack she joined Holly on the spiraling staircase.

"I couldn't let you go out there on your own," she whispered. "Besides... I've always wanted to meet the Elves."

Holly smiled sleepily, but wide, and they continued out of the castle together--without interruption.

*()%()*

After struggling to sleep for a decent two hours, Draco had waltzed up to the Astronomy Tower casually. It was empty--no one actually used that place for its infamous purpose. He leaned out of the window--half-blocked, light winds playing with his hair, looking at the slowly lightening landscape below.

He'd been out there for a long time, staring listlessly at the grounds so far below, thinking of nothing in particular, when two moving figures came into view.

Half-running, he could tell who one of them was from such distance. The long, fiery hair belonged to Weasley--Ginny. With that information, the taller and darker-locked one at her side was presumably Black.

It was extremely early... and they were moving with unusual speed. At first he'd suspected they were going down to visit the half-brute gamekeeper for whatever petty reason it may be, but they kept moving, making their destination clear.

Why the Forbidden Forest?

Intrigued and suddenly sharply perceptive, Draco hurried down the stairs and in the direction of the main entrance. If he made double-time, he could catch up. Neither of them could get away with their scheming forever.

*()%()*

"I'll see you in the New Year, then!" Cho said. Despite the early-morning hour, she was perfectly cheerful and as radiant as ever.

"Yep--have a good Christmas, all right?"

Cho nodded, "I will."

He'd been considering it for the entire carriage-ride down to the Hogsmeade station, and just as she prepared to turn away, Harry spoke up. "Hey, Cho?" She turned back, smiling expectantly. "When you come back, y'know, after the holidays... you want--you wanna come to the Merrow Cave with me? One night--I mean, it doesn't matter when... it's a nice place, I guess. And, er, it could be sort of a... sort of, a..." he trailed off.

It hadn't come out as bad as it had in fourth year--"Wangoballwime?" or whatever in Merlin's dictionary he'd said. And yet, there was no escaping Harry's stammering when nervous.

"Date?" she substituted, grinning. He nodded, looking at his feet. It took Cho only a split-second to reply. "I'd love to, Harry."

Despite a slight blush (easily hidden by frostbit cheeks, thankfully), Harry felt solace grip him. He smiled, so wide that he could nearly sense the skin on his consistently chapped lips cracking and breaking. "Great."

"It should be fun." They grinned sheepishly at each other for a few moments before she took a couple steps back, towards the line of people boarding. "Don't get into trouble, all right?"

"I won't." She began to walk away, turning to wave at him over her shoulder before she boarded. He returned it. Cho turned with a flick of long, black hair and was gone.

Harry waited until the train's horn sounded, and it slowly began to chug away. Until he couldn't see the scarlet end-car, he gazed at it as it departed, hands in his pockets. When it finally left his sight, he sighed, starting to walk back towards Hogwarts.

Hermione knew. Ron knew. Holly and Ginny knew--but still he hadn't told Cho. The longer he let her think that he was a Spark-Tosser versus being an Adopter... the worse the reaction would be when she uncovers the truth. There was just something there, holding him back.

Harry walked up the slippery, snow-packed road that the horse-less carriages took up to Hogwarts each first of September with the second years and above and took back with the students leaving Hogwarts for the holidays. Dawn was on full, now... the sun a bright but distant circle in the gray winter skies. The snow twinkled pleasantly in the morning light--and if the clouds stayed away, some of their new snowdrifts would melt away that afternoon.

He was thinking about visiting Hagrid, but Hermione and Ron made it to the edge of the forest before he could act on it. "Harry!" Hermione exclaimed, stepping up her pace. "Harry!"

She hurried over to him, holding a creased piece of parchment out. "Look at this," she told him as he took the paper into his hands and flipped it open.

The note was written in Holly's wild loops and curls. She paraphrased a month's worth of research and planning into a few lines, saying she knew exactly what she was doing, and should be back within a couple days. How she could prevaricate about something for so long (he had to have asked her about some of the books she read, at least) was something of a mystery.

Oh, Holly... Harry thought, frustrated, What the hell have you gotten yourself into this time?

"I looked in her trunk..." Hermione said, "there were books upon books on Elven habitats and tracking secrets; volumes on the Dedication process of a Cretionis Charm... she's not blind, but she just walked into the Forbidden Forest in the middle of the winter--thinking she knows what to do."

"For that much, she probably does," Harry stated, folding the note and shoving it into his cloak pocket. "Did she leave anything else?"

"No," snapped Ron, finally speaking up, "and that includes my sister."

"What're you talking about?"

"She took Ginny with her!" he explained through his teeth. Harry looked up at the skies, trying to defy the person who gave Holly her freedoms.

Hermione asked, "What do you suggest we do?"

Harry exhaled, clenching his teeth. There were trolls, werewolves, Leshies, vampires, Malumi, and anything else nasty you could think of roaming about the Forbidden Forest, seeking prey.

"We find their trail," Harry confirmed, taking a step forward. "They can't face the forest on their own."