White Knight, Grey Queen
7 - Consequences

By

Pansy stretched, and turned to one side.

“What time is it?”

“Half past six,” Harry said, as he pulled on a loose t-shirt. 

“And why are you up and not warm in bed with me?”

“Because I want to go for a run before we start the day, and you have a wet-haired Ginny arriving shortly.”

“Bugger.  I’d forgotten about that.”

“You might want to wake Daph up as well, make sure she’s ready for the day.”

“Okay.  Where are you going to run?”

“Oh, just a couple of times around the lake for now.  I’ll devise a more interesting route at the weekend.”

“You have your wand?”

“Always.”

“Good.  Then give me a kiss before you go.”

Harry smiled and knelt on the bed.  His arms wrapped around her, and she lazily moved up to him, kissing him lingeringly.

“I love you,” he whispered.  “Morning breath and all.”

“Git,” Pansy laughed, pushing him away.

“I’ll see you in a bit,” he smirked, and turned, moving out the door quickly,

Pansy shook her head and stretched, moving straight to the bathroom.  She pulled her hair back tightly, and stepped in the shower quickly, using the almost scalding hot water to wake herself up further.

Once clean, she stepped out of the shower and smiled at herself happily.  All the physical exercise had left her in the best shape of her life.  It was a pity she didn’t play Quidditch, because now that she was this fit, she wanted to keep herself in shape.  She’d just have to find something else to do. 

And she reluctantly admitted that getting up with Harry in the morning for a run was going to have to be one of those things, no matter how tempting a warm bed and a warmer Harry might be.

She wrapped a towel around herself and walked into their living area. 

“Morning, Daph,” she smiled.

“You know,” Daphne said, looking around, “I could get very used to this.  No sharing the showers; quiet in the morning.  No Draco.  It’s been my best morning at Hogwarts so far, and I’ve only been up thirty minutes.”

Pansy smiled and nodded.  “Warm Harry is good too.”

“Yes, well, where is his Dark Hotness?”

“Halfway around the lake.  He’s gone for an early morning run.  Darling boy tried to sneak out of bed without waking me.”

Daphne turned and walked to the window, looking out.  “Yep, I can just see a speck on the other side.”

“The question is, are we going to have breakfast here or in the Great Hall?” Pansy asked.

“The Hall,” Daphne said thoughtfully.  “We can’t look like we’re afraid of what happened yesterday.  So what if we sit with the Gryffindors?  At least it means we can eat quietly.”

“Even if they ignore us?”

“I don’t think they will,” Daphne replied.  “Ginny won’t, and Ron and Hermione probably won’t after Harry talked to them.  The others, well, we don’t care about them, anyway.”

“True.”

“So when did Harry rearrange the room?” Daphne asked curiously.

“Just before bed last night.  He felt it was a better idea to separate it into three distinct rooms, so that we both had our private space.”

“And there’s a gap between our rooms, so I can’t hear you both moaning?” Daphne grinned.

“Lucky coincidence,” Pansy smirked.  “So, I’ll do Ginny’s hair, and then we’ll meet Harry in the Hall for breakfast.”

“I forgot she was coming.  Are you going to show me how to work that hair thingy?”

“Of course.  It’s a life saver.”

“Gonna show me how to work that Harry thingy as well?”

“Nope, that one doesn’t come with an instruction manual, and I’m keeping what I’ve learnt secret.”

“Damn,” Daphne pouted. 

Pansy grinned, and looked at her watch.  It took her a few minutes to arrange a small stool in front of her chair, and to place a large array of brushes and clips on the side of her chair.  The hair dryer rested on the floor.

As a knock rang on their door, Pansy sat down and smiled at Daphne.  “Let her in?”

Daphne nodded and sauntered over to the door.  She opened it, and Ginny walked in.  She was wearing her uniform, but her robes were slung over her arm.  She had a Hogwarts towel wrapped around her head.

“Sit,” Pansy smiled, pointing in front of her.

“If I’d known that all I had to do to get male attention is walk through the school with wet hair and my robes off, I wouldn’t have bothered,” Ginny grumbled.

“Boys are so predictable,” Daphne nodded.  “You didn’t dry yourself properly, and your shirt’s transparent in places.”

“Damn,” Ginny sighed.  “I overslept a little, so I was running late.”

“Don’t worry,” Pansy said, as she undid the towel around Ginny’s hair and threw it toward the bathroom.  “Next time, you can shower here, it will be easier.”

“Thanks,” Ginny smiled.  “After sharing a bathroom all my life, you’d think I’d be used to it by now.”

“Nah, every woman deserves to only have to share with a partner.  This sharing with loads of other girls is just wrong.”

“And you shouldn’t just leave towels on the floor, Quality,” Daphne scolded as she picked up the towel and placed it inside one of the laundry bins.”

“Oh shush, and don’t call me that.”

“Can you explain that nickname now?” Ginny asked.

Pansy sighed, and started to brush Ginny’s hair, getting all the tangles out and separating it, so that it would dry a little more in the air, before she started to blow dry it.

“It’s down to that dress she wore to the last ball,” Daphne smiled.  “There’s a Muggle confectionary called Quality Street.  They basically come as a box of sweets, each with a different wrapper.  I swear that dress was just one of the wrappers.  I’ve been calling her Quality ever since.”

“Look, it was the most hideous dress I could find, alright?  And it meant that Draco really didn’t want to dance with me, so I managed to have a semi decent night.”  With quick hand movements she separated Ginny’s hair into six even parts, and pinned five of them out of the way on top of the red-haired girl’s head.

“I think you should wear that for Harry,” Ginny grinned.

“Why?” Pansy asked slowly, not sure she wanted to find out the answer.

“Because I’m sure Harry would like to open it up and eat what’s inside.”

Pansy felt herself blushing as Daphne fell on to the floor, laughing.

“Yes, thank you, Ginny,” Pansy said, trying to keep a straight face. 

“You’re welcome,” Ginny grinned.  “And where is he, by the way?”

Daphne walked over to the window.  “He’s just finished his first circle of the lake.”

“Running?”

“Yeah,” Daphne said with a sigh.  “If you can call poetry in motion something as mundane as running.  What did you do to that boy?”

“Taught him to fight,” Pansy said, as she picked up the hair drier, and her wand.  “Silencio,” she said to the dryer, and started to run it.  She moved the brush and the dryer down, directing the airflow down the hair. 

“I think I love you,” Ginny sighed.  “Do you have any idea how nice that feels?”

“This was how mum and I would talk,” Pansy smiled softly.  “She’d cast the silencing spell, and then spend hours drying my hair.  We both knew it didn’t need it, but it was our little ritual.  We’d talk about everything, from boys to poetry.  Looking back now, I realise just how much she taught me during that time.”

“Damn, Pansy,” Daphne said, as she curled up in a chair opposite them.  “Harry really has changed you.”

“Hmm?”

“You’ve never told me that, in all the years we’ve been friends.”

Pansy shrugged, as she let down the next part of Ginny’s hair.  “Being open means for better friendship.  And I’ve been a bit of a lousy friend over the years.  I’m going to change that.”

“You’ve not been a lousy friend,” Daphne corrected firmly.  “Just a bit of a stand-offish one.  I always knew I could count on you.”

Pansy smiled and changed the subject.  “We’re planning on having breakfast in the Hall today.”

“Sounds like a good plan,” Ginny said dreamily.  “I could sit here all day.”

Pansy laughed.  “I swear, I’d do anything Harry asked if he asked me while he was doing my hair.”

“How did he learn to do it?” Daphne asked curiously.

“He asked my mum.  The first time he wanted a chat, so he asked her to help learn how to braid my hair.  He then just got into the habit, and liked spending time with mum like I did.”

Ginny and Daphne shared a long look.  “You see why we can’t date with Harry around?” Ginny whispered.  “What other sixteen year old would even think of learning how to do all of that?”

“I know,” Pansy said softly.  “It’s why I have to work hard to make sure I don’t lose him.”

“You won’t,” Ginny said.  “He didn’t even flinch when I kissed him.”

“And he passed the boyfriend test,” Daphne reminded her.  “He’s plum in love with you.”

Pansy smiled gently, and let go the last of Ginny’s clips, and started to dry the strands.  “And believe me; I’m just as in love with him.  My favourite hobby in the world is to wake up before him and spend a few minutes just watching him sleep.  It’s the only time when he’s truly at peace, and I can see both the boy he was, and the man he is becoming.

“And then he opens his eyes, and he normally says the first thing on his mind.  He’s so completely open at that moment, so without deceit or artifice, I just feel incredibly lucky to be near him.”

She finished off the hair in silence, and then cast a charm on Ginny’s hair.  “There you go, go look in the mirror.”

Ginny bounced to her feet and dashed in to the bathroom.  There was a second’s silence, then a squeal, before a red-haired missile launched herself out of the bathroom and into Pansy’s lap.

Pansy found herself in a very tight hug a second later.

“Thank you, thank you, thank you,” Ginny beamed.  “It looks so soft and shiny.”

“Just wait till we take you to a hair dresser,” Pansy promised.  “We’ll get your hair styled properly, and you’ll look even better.”

“You do realise I want you to do mine now, right?” Daphne asked.

“We need a girls’ night in,” Pansy decided.  “Full of pedicures, manicures, and all the other fun things.”

“Leg waxing?” Daphne asked with a grin.

“I said fun things,” Pansy grinned back.

“You like the results,” Daphne pointed out.

“Not as much as Harry does,” Pansy retorted with a wicked grin on her face.  She stood, easily picking up Ginny, who was still seated in her lap, as she did so.

“Wow,” Ginny muttered, her eyes going wide, as she squeezed one of Pansy’s biceps.  “Daphne, come feel this.”

“What am I, a prize horse?” Pansy grumbled.

“A prize filly, perhaps,” Daphne said.  “And sweet Merlin on a bike, you’re made of iron.”

“If you think I am, you should feel Harry,” Pansy grinned.  “He carried me from Dumbledore’s office back here without even getting out of breath.  I felt so girly it was unreal.”

“What have you been doing?” Daphne asked, not being sidetracked.

“A lot of time in a Gym, a lot of running, a lot of fighting, and a lot of time on the back of a horse.  It’s one thing I’m going to miss.  There are no horses at Hogwarts.

“Anyway, let’s go to breakfast.  I’ll leave Harry a note in case he comes back here first.”

“Let me just get dressed,” Pansy said, throwing her own towel toward the corner.

“Modesty a foreign concept?” Daphne asked.

Pansy turned and grinned.  “You two don’t count, and Harry is welcome to see me naked.  Besides, if you let me and Harry get you two fit, I bet you won’t care, either.”

She walked into the bedroom, and pulled on some underwear and the school skirt. 

“You know,” she said, as she picked her up bra, blouse, and slip-on shoes and rejoined the Daphne and Ginny.  “We really need to get some alternate uniforms made.  These are really poor material.  I’m sure we could get a designer to knock us up something that’s more flattering and in a nicer material, but still fit in.”

“That’s a good idea,” Daphne nodded.  “I hate these damn skirts.  It always takes me a week to get used to them again.”

Pansy smiled as she put her bra on, and did up her shirt.  “And these blouses – I’ve seen sexier bin bags.”

Ginny shook her head.  “You two are from a different world,” she said with a slight smile.  “A lot of the time I find the uniform comfier than my own clothes.”

“A world you are now in,” Pansy said, as she looped her arm through the younger girl’s.  “So get used to it.  I think what we need to do, is get Mum over here on Saturday.  We can go shopping while Harry and Dad get up to date on what’s happened at the Ministry.”

“Are you going to tell us what’s going on?” Daphne asked, as she linked her arm with Pansy, and the three of them strolled out of the Room of Requirement.

“That’s up to Harry,” Pansy said lightly.  “Although, I don’t know everything myself.  He and Dad can be as thick as thieves at times.  He’ll tell me, eventually.  He just forgets sometime.”

Daphne laughed softly.  “It was a bit weird to see your Dad talking to him like that.  I always see your Dad as one of the scariest men I know.”

“Dad can be,” Pansy nodded.  “He’s totally committed to me and Mum.  I know that everyone else comes behind us.  I think Harry fills a space in his heart that he never thought would be filled.  He always wanted a son, but Mum couldn’t have any more children.  So he resigned himself to not having one.  Now he’s found the son of one of his best friends really needs him, not just because of the money and influence we have, but as a man, and I think Dad’s seized his chance.  He sees Harry as a kind of heir.”

“Doesn’t that bother you?” Ginny asked.

“Not at all; there are some things that I don’t want to have to do, and Harry enjoys Dad’s attention.  It means that I don’t have to try as hard to be what Dad wants.”

“That doesn’t sound right,” Daphne said, frowning a little.

“Oh, Dad never asked me to be that way,” Pansy said airily.  “He wouldn’t.  I just wanted to try and fill the gap a little.  Now I don’t have to, and I can concentrate on just being Dad’s princess.”

She paused a second, and grinned.  “And Harry’s grey queen.”  She unlinked both her arms from her colleagues, and turned to Ginny.  She looked at her thoughtfully.

“What?” Ginny asked warily.

“Open your mouth a little,” Pansy said, as she reached into her pockets.  “And don’t move.”

With precise movements, she quickly outlined Ginny’s lips in a medium red colour, and then applied a slightly lighter shade of lipstick.  She reached out a hand, and took the tissue that she knew Daphne would be holding out, and lightly blotted the lips. 

“There,” she said, as she turned to Daphne.  “Three.”

Daphne pursed her lips and looked at Ginny.  “Four.”

Pansy nodded.  “In you go Ginny.”

“What’s going on?”

“Don’t worry about it,” Pansy smiled reassuringly.  “We’ll explain at the table.  I want you to walk in with your head held high.”

“Okay,” Ginny said warily. 

Pansy opened the door to the Hall and ushered her in.  As Ginny walked toward the Gryffindor table, she was greeted by a few boys trying to grab her attention.

“Three,” Pansy said triumphantly as Ginny took her seat.

“Hey, Ginny,” Michael Corner called from the Ravenclaw table.

“Four, sweetie,” Daphne countered cheerfully.  “I win.”

Pansy grumbled under her breath. 

The two of them walked into the Hall and sat next to Ginny.  They ignored their own greetings from the boys, as they were used to it.

“What was that?” Ginny asked, looking a little flushed.  “I’ve never had boys say morning to me like that before.”

Daphne smiled.  “You’ve never worn makeup, moved with confidence, and had your hair like it is, either.  Boys recognise that sort of thing.  It makes you stand out.  Just wait till we get your hair done properly and put you in some new clothes.  You’ll be one of the hottest girls in school.”

“One of the three?” Ginny asked dryly.

“Six; you can’t discount the Patil sisters, or Chang” Daphne said cheerfully.  “And despite her best efforts, Hermione’s close, too.”

Dobby appeared with a pop next to them. 

“Morning, Dobby,” Pansy said with a smile.  “Did you have a good night?”

Dobby nodded seriously.  “Dobby has been having a long talk with Winky.”  He looked down shyly.  “We is now courting.”

“That’s wonderful!” Pansy clapped excitedly.  “I’m so pleased for you.”

“Dobby is too,” he smiled.  “What does Mistress Park’son and friends want for breakfast?”

“Cereal for me,” Pansy decided.  “I’m still a little full from last night.”

Dobby nodded.  “And Blonde Greenie?”

“I’ll have the same,” she said with a smile.  “Ginny?”

“I’ll have what they are having.”

“Dobby will be back in a second,” he said, and vanished with a pop.

“I’m pleased he talked to Winky,” Pansy said cheerfully. 

“Morning,” Ron said, as he sat down with Hermione.  He looked at Ginny.  “Are you wearing make up?”

“Yes.”

“Why?” Ron asked.

“Because she looks good,” Pansy said dryly.  “And that’s reason enough.”

“It is?” Ron asked, frowning.  He helped himself to a plate and filled it quickly.

“Yes, it is,” Hermione said.  “You look nice.”

“Thanks,” Ginny said, blushing faintly at the unexpected praise.

Dobby returned and served them their breakfasts.

“So this is cereal?” Ginny asked, looking at it.

Pansy and Daphne looked at each other and laughed. 

“Yes,” Pansy said.  “It’s a Muggle thing that’s pretty light.”

“I didn’t know it was available,” Hermione said.

“Dobby,” Pansy called, and waited for the elf to appear.  “Could you get Hermione a bowl as well?”

Dobby put his hands on his hips and turned to face Hermione.  “Will Miss Granger be promising to not leave clothes in the common room this year?  The other elves are not wanting freedom like Dobby.”

Hermione blushed deeply.  “I promise,” she said quietly.

Dobby smiled and clapped his hands.  “Dobby will be telling other elves,” he said, as he vanished.  He was back a second later, with a fourth bowl of cereal.

“Oooh, Special K!” Hermione smiled as she took a bite.  “My parents insisted I ate this stuff, as it has no sugar.”

Pansy and Daphne both nodded.  “I just look at what Ron eats for breakfast and I can feel my hips getting wider,” Daphne sighed.  “It’s not fair.  If I ate like Ron does, I’d be as big as Bulstrode in a week.”

“Well, if you two start to get fit with me, you’ll be able to eat what you like,” Pansy said cheerfully.  “I’ve found my appetite really enjoys working out.  That night we went to the Ritz was brilliant; I ate everything on the table, including several bites of Harry’s, while we shared some champagne.  Then spent all night dancing it off.”

“In the paper there was something about a fight?” Hermione asked curiously.

Pansy nodded.  “Yeah, I went to the bathroom, and as I came out, four Muggles grabbed me and tried to persuade me to come with them – and they weren’t taking no for an answer.

“I was getting ready to do something about it myself, magic in public be damned, when Harry appeared next to me so fast I thought he had Apparated.  He tried to talk them out of it, and to leave them alone, but they were obviously way too stupid. 

“I could feel the potential for violence in the air, and it was all coming from Harry,” she said, her voice going dreamy.  “You know what he’s like when he’s protecting something or doing what he feels is right?”

Ron, Hermione, and Ginny all nodded together.

“It was like that, but all directed at keeping me safe.  It was… intoxicating.  He practically begged them to leave us alone, so that he wouldn’t hurt them.”

“And?” Daphne asked, hanging on to every word.

“One of them tried to punch Harry in the back of his head, and his training kicked in.  I’d only ever seen him move like that once before, when he poured his frustrations about not getting a move right into his next move.  He seems to flow from one move to the next, almost as if everything is just one movement.  In a few seconds, they were all on the floor, and he wasn’t even out of breath.

“He looked so handsome, standing there, the Muggles rolling on the floor in pain.  He had this look in his eyes, that said that he’d fight the world for me.  His tuxedo was hugging those broad shoulders of his, and he turned to me, as if I’d be afraid of him, that I’d be scared of him because of how he fought.

“Scared?” she laughed dryly.  “It took every ounce of my will power not to jump him there and then, knock him to the ground and have my wicked way with him – the nightclub full of people be damned.”

Hermione, Ginny, and Daphne all sighed and smiled.

“Huh?” Ron asked, looking at the girls.

“Shush,” Hermione said gently, patting his knee.  “So what happened then?”

“We went back to dancing, and then at the end of the night, he finally kissed me for the first time.”

“And?” Ginny prompted.

“And whatever happened after that is private,” Pansy smiled.

Daphne groaned and poked Pansy.  “That’s just not fair.”

Pansy smiled and shrugged.  “Ask Harry – if you can get him to talk.”

“Getting Harry to talk about some things like that is about as likely as Voldemort retiring from evil and becoming a fisherman,” Hermione said dryly.

“So you can say Voldemort as well?” Pansy asked.

“It’s not easy,” Hermione sighed.  “I started last year, the rest of the D.A. promised to practice over the summer.”

Ron nodded in agreement.

“Good,” Pansy smiled.

The doors to the Hall flew opened, and a wild-eyed second year stood there.  “You’ve got to see this,” he shouted, ignoring the teachers.  “Harry’s flying without a broom!”

There was a second of stunned silence, before people started to move.  Pansy was far ahead of the others, already half way to the door, having started to move as soon as she heard the word ‘Harry’.

She ran out of the door, aware that Ginny and Daphne were right behind her, and out through the school doors onto the driveway, before she stopped and started to laugh.

Daphne and Ginny joined her, and looked at her strangely, as most of the pupils seemed to pour of the school.

“Pansy?” Daphne asked.

“He’s not flying,” Pansy said loudly.  “He’s riding a Thestral.”

The silence that followed that remark was absolute, as the idea of Harry actually riding one of the skeletal winged horses was less easy to comprehend than that of him flying.

As Pansy watched, Harry turned toward them and urged his mount into a gallop, another Thestral running beside him.  She smiled, realising what he intended and ran a few steps forward.

“What is she doing?” Ginny asked.

“No one move,” Daphne shouted. 

Pansy blocked out the crowd, and concentrated as Harry approached her.  They’d done this a few times with Thunder and Lightning, and it was very difficult to do with a normal horse.  As Harry got nearer, he started to circle, so he would avoid the students behind her.

She took another step forward, watching the horse carefully, and then raised her right hand, and bent her legs slightly.

She could hear the hooves thundering and took a deep breath.

Harry started to lean to one side, half hanging off the horse, and as he approached her, swung his arm down.  She grabbed hold of his arm as he swooped past and jumped.

She felt his muscles tense as he lifted her up, and she twisted with the movements, letting go of his arm as she was raised into the air, and grabbing his waist, using her momentum to land behind him securely.

She yelled out in triumph, and held on to him securely.

“I think that was the coolest thing I’ve ever seen,” she heard Ginny shout excitedly.

She looked at the Thestral running next to them, and raised her legs, standing behind Harry.  She felt him straighten his mount, to make it easier for her, and she jumped, landing perfectly.  She picked up the reigns, and took control.

“Ready?” Harry yelled over the wind.

“For what?” she yelled back.

“HAH!” Harry yelled, and his Thestral spread his wings and took off.  Hers followed him instantly, and before she knew it, they were flying.

“Isn’t this amazing?” he yelled.

She looked around, and down, and realised that it was just like riding, only with the ability to go up and around.

“Completely,” she yelled back.  They circled the lake before heading back down.  The Thestrals spread their wings, and glided down, moving their feet, so as they landed, they were running at full speed.

They both sped toward the still gathered students, and then pulled the reins back hard, stopping the Thestrals with a skid.

“Anyone want to come for a ride?” Harry asked, a boyish grin on his face.

Pansy smiled as she watched him, he was always so relaxed when he could fly.  She checked her watch, and was happy that they still had half an hour before lessons. 

“I do,” Daphne answered immediately.  “Riding invisible horses seems cool.”

“And me,” Ginny added a second later, before anyone else could say it.

“Okay,” Pansy said, nudging her Thestral forwards.  “Ginny, have you ridden before?”

“Yeah, once.”

“Okay, you’re with me; I’ve been riding longer than Harry.  Daphne’s been riding most her life, so she knows what to do.”

“Okay,” Ginny nodded.

Pansy leant down and offered her hand to the smaller girl.  “Just take my hand, and slide your leg over the back to the horse.”

“I can’t see it, though,” Ginny pointed out.

Pansy paused, and then laughed softly.  “Guess, based on where my bum is.”

“Okay,” Ginny said with a grin.  Pansy grabbed her hand, and heaved, holding the horse steady with her knees.  Ginny jumped and landed awkwardly behind her.

“Okay,” Pansy smiled.  “Put your arms tightly around me, and hold on.”

In front of her, Daphne was sitting behind Harry, her arms around him.  It actually made her realise that in a way she was sharing her boyfriend with two other girls.  It was a little unusual, because she wasn’t used to sharing at all, but this was her best friend, and her newest friend, so maybe it was good to learn to share. 

Besides, they both knew who Harry was in love with.

She turned her head, “Ready?”

Ginny nodded eagerly. 

“We’ll start with a trot,” Pansy smiled, and nudged her knees.  The Thestral responded, and she felt Ginny slowly start to relax.

“Harry, what sex is mine, and what’s its name?” she shouted.

“You’ve got Lucere,” he shouted back.  “She’s Tenebrus’ mate.”

“Thanks,” she yelled back.  She leant over a little and murmured into the Thestral’s ear, “Come on Lucere; let’s show the boys what we’ve got.”

Lucere whinnied her agreement, the sound was almost human, and the Thestral launched into a gallop, quickly over taking Harry and Daphne.  She could hear Ginny yelling behind her, and felt the girl tighten her grip.  She’d never had a girl hug her so hard before, and found it very different from having Harry’s arms around her. 

“Fly, Lucere, fly,” she yelled.

The Thestral responded again, and her wings spread, and then took off with a swooping feeling.

“This is incredible,” Ginny yelled in her ear.  “It’s better than flying a broom.”

“I didn’t believe Harry when he said that it was better,” she yelled back.  “I was wrong.”

She turned her head, and watched as Harry urged Tenebrus into a dive over the lake.  “What’s he doing?” she yelled at Ginny.

“No idea,” the red-haired girl replied.

Pansy pulled Lucere into a gentle curve, so that they could watch.

She smiled and shook her head as Harry guided his winged horse down, till they were running on the water.  She could see Daphne throwing her head back and laughing, a look of pleasure on her face, as the Thestral’s hooves splashed water in the air.

Harry pulled back on the reigns, and the Tenebrus flapped his wings a few times, and they soared up to join them.

“We’ve not got time for much more,” Harry yelled.

“I know,” Pansy yelled back.  “Let’s land next to the kids.”

“Okay, then follow me back to the stables,” Harry shouted.

She nodded, and relaxed.  “Follow Tenebrus, Lucere,” she said into the Thestral’s ear.

The Thestral nodded, and they swooped down at full speed, landing as gently as they did before.  She hardly had to do anything; the Thestral followed her mate with an intelligence that made her wonder jut how smart the horse was.

She could feel Ginny waving at the crowd behind her, as they galloped past and headed for Hagrid’s hut.

She watched as Harry pulled up slowly, and then helped Daphne off the back.  He jumped down himself and patted Tenebrus on the neck.

Pansy steered her Thestral next to him, and smiled as he helped Ginny off, then herself.   The only difference was that she got a much tighter hug, and a kiss.

“I thought you were going running?” Pansy smiled.

“I was,” Harry protested, as he led his Thestral around to the side of Hagrid’s hut.  “But I stopped off at Hagrid’s after a lap, to see how he was.  We got to talking, and I mentioned how much I enjoyed riding Thunder over the summer.

“His eyes lit up, as it seems that the Thestrals often get bored during term, and some of them would love to be ridden.  So I walked up to Tenebrus here and asked him if he minded me riding him.”

“How intelligent are Thestrals?”

“Hagrid says that they are very smart, they can understand humans, and are pretty good in a fight as well.  They’d make cool war horses.”

“Planning ahead again?” Pansy smiled.

“Of course.  I want us to have every advantage when we fight Voldemort.

“So, I checked with Lucere, and she was willing to be ridden by my mate, and off we went.”

“It’s really weird to ride invisible flying horses,” Ginny smiled.

Harry nodded, “I hadn’t actually thought of that.  I can see them, and knew that Pansy would be able to as well.”

Ginny turned to Pansy, a curious expression on her face.

“I saw my cousin die when I was twelve,” she said softly.  “It’s not something I like to remember.”

“What I want to know,” Daphne said, as Harry pulled a plucked chicken out of a chest, and fed it to Tenebrus.  “Is what happened to your fear of flying?”

Pansy smiled slightly.  “Harry; he took me flying, and got me over it.”

“Was there anything that you two didn’t do over the summer?” Daphne asked, an amused look on her face.

“A few things,” Pansy replied, looking at her boyfriend.  “But we’ll be rectifying that soon.”  She smiled as Harry blushed faintly.

“We’ll come and see you soon,” Harry promised to the two Thestrals. 

Tenebrus poked Harry firmly in the shoulder with his nose, snorted, and turned, and ran off with Lucere.

“Hagrid’s going to be so happy,” Ginny said dryly.  “Someone else likes one of his dangerous creatures.”

“Oh, Thestrals aren’t that bad,” Harry said absently.  “They’re like Hippogriffs.  If you treat them right, they’ll look after you.  Most creatures just want a little respect.  It’s not much, really.”

“Most people are too afraid of them to give respect,” Daphne pointed out.

“That’s their problem, not the animals’,” Harry shrugged. “Come on, we don’t want to be late to class.”

“It doesn’t feel right to not have potions as the first lesson,” Pansy said.

“I know, when Professor McGonagall gave me our schedules last night I nearly fell of my chair.”

“Ginny, come here,” Pansy called, as they started to walk back to the castle.  “You need to brush your hair; it’s looking a little too windswept.  Just do it a little,” she finished, handing over a brush.

“How come yours stays like that?” Ginny complained as she started to run the brush through her curls.

“Because I’ve got boring straight hair,” Pansy smiled.  “And mine’s styled to fall back into place like this.  It costs a fortune in hair dressing costs, but it’s worth it simply for the time I save.”

“I like your hair,” Harry protested.  “It’s not boring at all.  It’s soft and smooth.  I love it when you hover over me, and it falls like a curtain around us, blocking everything else from sight.”

Daphne and Ginny smiled widely, while Pansy turned around and kissed him lingeringly.

She pulled back from him, as Dobby appeared with a pop.  “Harry Potter sir has been missing his breakfast today,” Dobby said sternly, his hands on his hips.  “Harry Potter sir will be eating his bacon and egg sandwich before class.”

“Yes Dobby,” Harry said.  “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to.”

“Harry Potter is great and powerful wizard, but if he continues skipping his proper breakfast he will be becoming house-elf size again.”

Harry nodded, and took the sandwich that appeared in the elf’s hand.  Dobby turned, and kept up with them as they walked back toward the school entrance.

“Dumbledore is not liking Dobby stopping the spying of Harry Potter sir,” Dobby said.  “Dumbledore is asking elves directly, and is making elves uncomfortable.”

“Do you want me to have a word with him?” Harry asked.

“No,” Dobby said.  “Dumbledore is not being smart.  Pushing house-elves is making a few of the elves think that Dobby is being right.  Only few, but better than before.”

“That is good news,” Harry smiled.  “If you do need any help, we’ll all be there for you.”

“Dobby knows, Harry Potter sir.  Now, Harry Potter sir finish sandwich, drink drink, not want be late for class.”

“Yes Dobby,” Harry laughed, as he finished the sandwich quickly and took the proffered drink.

Dobby nodded in satisfaction and vanished with a pop. 

“He’s like a mother hen,” Daphne smiled.

“He just likes to make sure that Harry is well fed, doesn’t miss any meals, and is safe.  He’s really loyal.”

“He’s a very good friend,” Harry nodded.  “And a good teacher.”

“About that,” Daphne said.  “You’re going to have to explain how you can do house-elf style magic soon.  But I’ve got Arithmacy this morning, so I’ll see you later.”  The elegant blond strolled off to the left.

“And unlike you, I have got potions,” Ginny sighed mournfully.

Harry pulled out his hand and snapped his fingers.  “When you get to class, place this parchment on your lap.”

“What is it?”

“It’s a Legal Recording Pad.  It works without a quill, and will record everything said in the room, and who said it.  Don’t worry if he gives you a detention or takes points, just let him rant and rave.  I promise you won’t have to spend any time with him alone.”

Ginny nodded and smiled.  “Am I allowed to provoke him?”

“Only by being innocent,” Pansy said.  “Your words will be on the pad as well, and we don’t want a Solicitor complaining that he was provoked.”

“Okay, thanks,” Ginny said, and gave Pansy a quick hug before going toward the dungeons.

“Come on,” Pansy smiled, and wrapped her hands in his.  “Let’s not be late.”

Harry nodded.

“I really like her, you know?”

“Ginny?”

“Yeah.”

“Good,” Harry smiled.  “I do too.  But we have to hurry; I need to get changed before class.”

Harry walked into the Room of Requirement and flopped down onto a couch.  “Is it me, or was that the most boring day we’ve had in months?”

Pansy smiled and sat opposite him.  “It was pretty dull.”

“I think we need to do some training,” Harry said.  “I’ve got way too much energy, and I need to burn it off.”

“Why don’t you go and get changed into some workout gear and get this place set up.  I’ll go and get Daph, Ginny, Ron and Hermione.  We can talk about the D.A. when you’ve finished.”

“Are you going to work out with me?”

“I’ll fight you at the end,” she promised.

“Okay,” Harry smiled and bounded to his feet, his mood brightening at the promise of some limited action in the near future.  The day had been dull because he was used to being pushed to his limits, and the school set up simply wasn’t built with that in mind.  He had found that a lot of the concepts were coming easier to him now, and was impatient with others to catch up.

He walked into the bedroom, stripping of his school uniform disdainfully, and made a note to get himself some better clothes made as soon as possible. 

He pulled on a clean t-shirt and a pair of tracksuit bottoms and moved back into the living room.  He concentrated hard, seeing if he could rearrange it while he was inside.  The room seemed to fade into nothingness, then recreate itself as he wanted.  It was a little disorientating, but effective. 

He now had a huge padded area, with a full gym set in one corner, and a large mat covering most of the floor.  With a shrug he started to run around the mat.

He always liked to start with a run, just to loosen himself up a bit.  He followed that by stretching vigorously, using the repetitive movements to empty his mind.

When he was fully limber, he moved into the middle of the floor, and started to move as Croaker had taught him.  Each move flowed into the next without pause or hesitation, as he started with simple arm movements, used to block and redirect punches.

He then moved on, adding some offensive movements, punching in lightning fast combinations.

As he got used to moving at speed, he brought his legs into the practice, twirling and jumping as he fought imaginary assailants.  The idea behind it was to get his body used to the idea of fighting without conscious thought.  If he had to think about it, he was already acting to slowly.  This way allowed him to free his mind, and enter the state where he was concentrating on everything but how he moved. 

With a spinning heel kick, he dropped into a crouch and exhaled slowly.  Without looking around, he moved over to a punch bag in one of the corners, and started to hit it.  He took his frustrations with the day out on the inanimate object, revelling in the freedom he had.  It was so much better to get it out of his system than let it fester the way he had before.

As he got used to the flow, he opened up fully on the bag, not holding back in the slightest, hitting it as fast and as hard as he could.  In his mind, faces started to appear on the bag.  Death Eaters; Macnair, Goyle, Bellatrix Black, Lucius Malfoy and even Voldemort.  He didn’t slow down, letting the anger take him, striking out at the person who was responsible for all his pain, all his anguish, all his loneliness.

He reared back, and launched a side kick at Voldemort’s imaginary face, a savage yell exploding from his lungs.  The bag flew backward and ripped from its moorings, crashing against the wall, and he fell to ground, breathing hard, suddenly exhausted.

“Sweet bloody Merlin,” he heard Daphne whistle and turned.  Lined up against one side of the room, staring at him in shock, were Pansy, Daphne, Ginny, Ron, Hermione, Luna, and several other members of the D.A..

He jumped to his feet, and walked over to them.  He half smiled, as Pansy threw a bottle of water at him.  “Thanks.”

“Whose face were you seeing?” she asked softly.

“Death Eaters to start with,” he said with a shrug.  “Voldemort at the end.”  There was a gasp from some of the students as he said the name.

He watched as Luna walked toward him, standing uncomfortable close to him.  “You’ve changed,” she stated.

“I have,” he agreed, not backing away.  This would have made him uncomfortable last year, but not now.  “Can you?” he asked.

“Do I want to?” she countered.

“That’s not up for me to decide.  You have the choice.”

“And you never have.”

“Indeed.”

“I can change,” she said calmly.  “Are you going to teach?”

“Pansy and I are, yes.”

Luna nodded.  “I think I shouldn’t have spent the summer searching for Crumple-Horned Snorkacks,” she said slowly.  “Do Thestrals like being ridden?”

“They do.”

Luna nodded and stepped back, smiling slightly.  She pulled her wand from behind her ear and absently transfigured her clothes into a rough approximation of Harry’s.  She turned, and looked at the others in surprise. 

“Aren’t you taking part?” she asked.

Harry laughed softly, and placed a hand on Luna’s shoulder.  “Not everyone can see where they are leaping before they jump,” he said softly.  “I don’t think the others are going to want to start today.”

“Oh,” she looked disappointed. 

“But that doesn’t mean you can’t,” he smiled.  “Why don’t you warm up first?”

Luna nodded and started to bounce around the room, before settling into a steady pace.

“I don’t think I can transfigure like she just did,” Ginny said slowly.  “But I’d like to start as well.”

“Go and get changed in our room,” Pansy said with a smile.  “I’ve got some shorts and a sports bra in there that should just about fit you.  I’d wear one of Harry’s t-shirts over the top.”

“Thanks, Pansy,” Ginny smiled. 

“Actually, I’ll join you,” Pansy decided.  “I think Harry needs to talk to the others.”

She took Ginny’s hand and they walked out. 

“Daph?” she asked curiously.

“I think I’ll listen in,” the blonde decided.

“’kay.”

Harry sat down on the mat, folding his legs, and looked up at the others.  “I’m guessing you have questions?”

“What the hell was that with Loony?” Ernie MacMillan asked, before the others could say anything.

Harry tilted his head slowly and looked at the boy before, and then slowly shook his head.  “Friendship goes past what you can see, and what you can’t,” he said softly.  “Luna just signed up to learn to fight like I can, because she feels that it’s the right thing to do with Voldemort gathering his forces.”  He allowed his stare to become a glare.  “She’s as odd as a prime number, but she’s anything but loony.”

Ernie gulped, and nodded.

“Next question?”

“Pansy said you wanted to talk about the D.A.?” Hermione said, as no one else seemed to want to say anything.

Harry nodded.  “Last year we did some remarkable things.  This year we’re going to do better.  I want to open it up to every year, every House.  When people step through my door, there will be no such thing as Houses.  We will all just be students attending Hogwarts, working together for the downfall of Voldemort.”

There was another slight gasp from some of the D.A. members at his name.  Without any conscious thought, he was on his feet, prowling around in front of them. 

“Voldemort,” he said firmly, “will be the password for entry to the D.A..  Any one who signs up will be taught how to duel properly, taught how to fight, and more importantly, taught how to win.”

There were some noticeable gulps from people as they looked at him.

“Are you going to teach us to move like you do, with the kicks and the punches?” Ron asked.

“Yep,” Harry replied instantly.  “A wizard who relies purely on a wand will be at a disadvantage to one who can fight without one.”

“Where do I sign up?” Daphne asked, smiling. 

“I need to talk to Hermione about that,” Harry replied, falling into parade rest in front of them.  “Last year’s contract needs a little tweaking.  I want to increase the power of the spell.  I don’t want what we are doing getting out – the punishment won’t just be a few spots this year.”

Daphne nodded.  “I thought you’d say that.  I told you before; I’ll follow you, even if you are tilting at windmills.”

“I’m only after Voldemort,” Harry grinned.  “The terms will be open, so it’s up to you if you want to join or not,” he said to the others.

“Wait a second,” Ron said.  “Did you say that you’re letting Slytherins in?”

“Obviously,” Harry said dryly, as he nodded at Daphne.

“She doesn’t count as one,” Ron stated, drawing a small smile from the tall blonde. “Are you going to let Malfoy in? Crabbe? Goyle?”

“I’m going to let anyone who signs, come in,” Harry said simply.  “I told you, there aren’t going to be any house divides in here.  We’re all aiming for a common purpose;  Voldemort’s defeat.”

“Well, I want the Malfoys defeated as well,” Pansy said, as she led Ginny past the others.  “But that’s a private issue.  Come on, Ginny,” she finished, as she jogged across the room, joining Luna who was still running in comfortable circles.

Harry smirked at her, and watched admiringly as she smoothly ran next to the other two.  He loved the way she moved, the elegant grace she always showed, as if everything she did was as natural to her as breathing.

“Harry!” Hermione called.

“Oh, sorry,” he said, feeling a little embarrassed.  “The plan is for Hermione and me to work on the contract, and then I’ll make an announcement of when we are going to start meeting.  There will be four sessions a week, of which everyone has to come to at least two which should allow everyone the opportunity to get their homework done.”

“What about yours?” Hermione asked suspiciously.

“Mine will be done as well,” Harry promised.  “Any questions?”

There was a silence, which he recognised as people having plenty of questions, but not actually having the courage to ask.  “Okay, Ron and Hermione, if you can stay behind, I need to talk to you.”

The others filled out, recognising his dismissal for what it was.  Daphne jogged into her room, and emerged a few seconds later in her own training gear and went to join Pansy, Ginny and Luna.  “Let’s go sit down,” he invited his two friends. 

He preceded them into the room he shared with Pansy, and sat on the bed comfortably.

Hermione sat down next to Ron, and looked at Harry sadly.  “You’re changing so much,” she said softly.  “I hardly recognised you back there.  You had so much focused fury when you were punching that bag, it was almost scary.”

“I was thinking about Voldemort,” Harry replied.  “I saw his face as he killed Cedric, as he killed Mum and Dad.  I saw the glee when he realised that Sirius was dead.  You know the prophecy… either he dies or I do.  And there is no way on this planet that I’m leaving the brunette who’s gliding around the training room.”

“So what do you need us for?” Ron asked.

“Because I can take out Voldemort.  I need everyone else I can get to counter the Death Eaters and who ever else he brings to the fight.”

“Cool,” Ron grinned.  “So, you really gonna teach us to fight like you?”

“That’s the plan,” Harry confirmed.  “One of them, anyway.”

“One of them?” Hermione asked warily.

“Yep,” Harry nodded.  “I’m planning on having Remus elected as Minister of Magic.”  He had decided to tell them earlier, as he wanted to see what their reaction was going to be.  He hated the idea of keeping things from his friends, but he couldn’t let friendship get in the way of defeating Voldemort.  If they didn’t approve, or if he couldn’t convince them, he was going to have to wipe it from their memories, and if he did that, they’d never have the same relationship again.

It made him feel a little sick to his stomach to think of life without Ron and Hermione, but this thing was bigger than them, it was bigger than him.

“You’re going to do what?” Hermione demanded.

“Malcom is getting Fudge to pass a law allowing for Werewolves to run for public office,” he explained.  “We know that a Death Eater is going to run, as well as Fudge. We’re going to discredit Fudge a few days before the election, and expose the Death Eater.  At the same time, I’m going to publicly endorse Remus, and give a few interviews to the press about how I think he would be the perfect person to unite the warring factions and allow us to take the fight to Voldemort.

“Of course, Remus’ primary job is to stop the Death Eaters gaining power, and then make sure that the Werewolves either fight for us, or are neutral.  Malcom and I will be dealing with Voldemort.”

“But…” Hermione said, before she stopped and frowned.  “Are you sure that there will be no other candidates?”

“No one else is willing to run, as rumour has it that the Death Eaters will be most displeased.  It needs someone with courage to do it.   Moony has that courage, and knows what he is getting into.  The fact that he’s going to be a token candidate to start with should protect him.  If not, he’s safe, as he’s living at Parkinson Manor with Tonks, and that place is unplottable, and has enough wards to keep me safe.”

“I don’t like it,” Hermione sighed.  “I don’t like that you’re taking away people’s choice.”

“No, I’m not,” Harry interrupted.  “I’m changing the circumstances.  People are sheep; I’m just pointing them in the direction I want them to go.”

“People are not sheep,” Hermione retorted irritably.  “They have rights, thoughts and feelings.  They are not something you just play with.”

“Really?” Harry demanded, his eyes flashing with emotion.  “Then where were they when Voldemort first came to power?  Where were they when my parents were killed?  Or if you want to bring it up to date where were they when Cedric was killed or Sirius?  I’ll tell you where they were; they were reading the Prophet and thinking I was insane.  And even if not me, they were thinking that the supposed greatest Wizard alive was insane.  They didn’t even trust their supreme Mugwump.  And why didn’t they trust him?  Because an incompetent elected official whispered the words they wanted to hear in their ears, and they buried their heads in the sand and did nothing to help stop Voldemort.

“What do you think they would do if Voldemort and some Death Eaters Apparated into Hogsmeade right now?”

“They would run away,” Ron said, after a second when it was obvious Hermione wasn’t going to answer.

“Exactly.  They would run and hide.  Despite being warned, despite the fact that they know now for a fact that Fudge lied to them, that Voldemort is back, how many have signed up to join the Order of the Phoenix?

“None of them.”

“How do you know that?” Hermione demanded.

“I’ve got a spy in there,” Harry said, waving his hand dismissively.  “Instead of helping out, they are taking a back seat and are willing to let a bunch of children fight for them.  Children!  We should be getting ready for our NEWTS next year, not coming up with plans to defeat the Dark Lord!  Do you think its right that the D.A. is the only other group, apart from the Order of the Phoenix dedicated to help people survive this bloody war?”

“No,” Hermione said softly, looking down.

“Do you think it’s right that I have to kill Voldemort, that until recently I had no training, no support from any of the adults apart from Remus?  That last year even Dumbledore stopped talking to me?  I would have been dead several times if it wasn’t for you two.  And quite frankly, I would have probably given up if I didn’t have you as friends.  But the way we were going, we were going to lose.  Voldemort was growing in power, and no one else was doing anything. 

“I’ve grown up, because I’ve been forced to.  If I had the choice, I’d walk away now, and spend my time trying to find out what colour underwear Pansy wears.  Instead, I’ve already asked Malcom and Gruoch for permission to ask Pansy to marry me.”

Ron and Hermione both gasped in shock.

“And you know why I’m doing it?  Partly because it will mean that Dumbledore can bypass the rules to allow us to continue to live together without losing face.  Partly because I’m still bloody scared that no matter what I do, Voldemort will still win, and I won’t get to have a future with Pansy.  And mainly because I’m so in love with her, that I know at sixteen that I want to spend the rest of my life with her. 

“And you know what?  With that is the knowledge that I am fighting for her, that I’m fighting for the possibility of having children with her.  I’m fighting for the chance to watch her hair turn grey and her skin slowly start to wrinkle. 

“Before I met Malcom and Gruoch, the only adults I could trust implicitly were your parents, Ron, and Moony.  Because I knew that they liked me for myself; apart from that, every other adult in the Wizarding world has used and abused me in one way or another.  And I’m sick of it.  I want to be myself, but I don’t have that choice, and I’ve been groomed for a very long time for this role.

“You know, I’ve been thinking about this for ages, and I think I’ve figured out that Dumbledore knew what he was doing when he placed me with the Dursleys, that he knew what he was doing when he forced me to work with Snape.  He wanted me to have nothing to live for, so that when I face Voldemort I could give everything and die heroically.

“But Dumbledore also believes that the needs of the individual out weigh the needs of the majority.  The only way that he can see society working is if the individuals he wants make the progress he thinks is needed.  It’s the only reason I can see why he continually sticks up for Snape.  Why he is protecting Draco now, why he has hidden the details of Voldemort’s birth.  He believes that everyone has the chance of redemption, and should be given it.

“Everyone,” Harry whispered, suddenly exhausted as he dropped back onto the bed. 

“Everyone but me.” 

He laughed softly under his breath and ran his hands through his hair.  “Because I’m not a boy to him.  I’m not a teenager struggling to be a man.  I’m a tool of his bloody prophecy, and I’m what he intends to use to allow Voldemort’s redemption.”

He looked up at his two friends, tears running down his cheeks as he gave into the relief of finally getting his fears off his chest.

A second later, he saw Hermione kneel in front of him.  She pulled him down off the bed, so that he was kneeling as well, and into a tight hug.  A few seconds later, Ron joined them.

Harry relaxed for a second, and then pulled back to look at his two friends.  “You’re right,” he said softly.  “I have changed.  I’ve had change forced upon me.  In a way, I wish I could go back to being the screwed up little boy I was when I was younger.  I wish I had handled last year a lot better.  I wish my parents had never died, and I had grown up happy.  But you know what they say, if wishes were horses, beggars would ride.”

He met Ron’s eyes, and then turned slightly to meet Hermione’s.  “I’ve had that taken away from me, and I can’t get it back.  I’m going to be doing things you won’t approve of, and I’m sorry if that upsets you both.  I really want us to continue to be best friends, but we can’t do that if you can’t accept what I am, and what I am becoming.  And to be honest, I don’t want you to be dragged down with me.

“I’m in a situation where I have to kill someone, or I will die.  It’s remarkable how much that can focus your mind.  Voldemort will probably not be the only person I kill.  I will have many more blood stains on my hands by the time I finish. 

“I will not be following Dumbledore, and the path he has set out.  I’m forging my own way with Malcom and Gruoch, with others who believe that we need to end this once and for all.  I want you with me, but I won’t force you.  Or hold it against you if you choose to follow Dumbledore, or even if you stand out.  You two have already done more for me than anyone else.”

He watched as Hermione turned to Ron, and nodded for him to go first.  He hid a smile, suddenly realising that she was making Ron think about what he said, that she wasn’t going to let her boyfriend hide behind her logic.

“I still think you should be dating Ginny,” Ron said slowly.  “But you know what?  I think it’s about bloody time we fought back.  If you know what you are doing, and those moves you were pulling off in there do kinda point to that, then I’ll follow you mate.  Been doing it this long, I’m not going to stop now.”

Harry smiled at him, and then turned to Hermione.

She was studying him thoughtfully.  “I’m not going to change, Harry,” she said slowly.  “I do think you’re wrong about people being sheep.  I think that if they are mobilised properly, they could be an asset.  I can also see your point of view.  It may be naive of me, but your grey outlook of the world just feels wrong.  But that’s irrelevant.  You are my best friend, you’ve been my friend a little longer than Ron, and while I love Ron, you will always be my best friend.  I know he feels the same about you.  I’ve followed you into places I would have sworn beforehand I’d never have had the courage to go.  I’m not going to stop now.  I’ve become a better person because of you, Harry.”

Harry smiled with relief, and relaxed back against the chair.

“There is one thing, though,” Hermione added.

“Oh?”

“I, and I’ll bet Ron does as well, want to move into here with you, Pansy and Daphne.  It’s the only way we can still spend all our time together, because otherwise, we’ll be torn.”

“Do you want to share a room or have one each?” Harry asked, deliberately making the question as bland as possible.

He watched as Hermione smiled massively as his instant acceptance.  “Two,” she said simply.

“What do you want your room to look like?” he asked. 

She frowned.

“Why don’t you think it, hard?  In the front of your thoughts.  I’ll have a look at your mental picture and create it.”

“Okay,” she smiled.

He felt a little touched at the absolute faith she had in him, and reached out with his mind, lightly skimming hers.  He smiled at the image of the book lined room, and turned to look at one of the walls.  He concentrated hard, willing the image into life.

The wall of the Room of Requirement faded into nothingness, before a door appeared.

“Ron, what about you?”

“Come and get it, mate,” he said excitedly.

Harry looked into Ron’s mind, and laughed.  “I could have done that without reading your mind,” he smiled.  “I don’t suppose you’d choose a colour other than vomit-inducing orange?”

“But I like orange,” Ron protested. 

“Oh Ron,” Hermione laughed.  “The muskets again?” she said, with a slight wink at Harry.

“Muskets?” Ron groaned.  “It’s the Cannons, the Chudley Cannons.  And they’re going to win this year, just you wait and see.  They’ve got a new seeker and a new chaser.  They’re on the up again.”

Harry laughed and shook his head.  He concentrated hard on the wall, and made another room for Ron, complete with orange coloured walls, next to Hermione’s.

“Dobby,” he called.

The house-elf appeared in his trademark pop.

“You rang, Harry Potter sir?” he grinned.

“Insolent elf,” Harry smirked.  “Make yourself useful and move Hermione and Ron into those two rooms will you?”

Dobby grinned and took of his cap, sweeping into an over the top obsequious bow.  “Ohhh, Dobby is a bad elf, Dobby will be punishing himself endlessly,” he promised.  “Dobby will be listening to Hogwarts elves complain about Dobby rocking boat for thirty minutes or more.”

Harry laughed and shuddered.  “I’ll forgive you – I wouldn’t wish that on anyone.”

“Harry Potter is great and powerful wizard,” Dobby smiled.  He nodded to the others, and vanished.

Harry turned and looked at Hermione, who was staring at the space Dobby had just occupied, wide eyed at the completely un-elf like behaviour she had just witnessed. 

“I told you,” he said gently.  “Dobby is a friend who happens to work for me.  I don’t beat him; I don’t force him to do anything.  It’s taken Dobby years to get to the state where he is comfortable around me and Pansy.  When we were using the Time Turner, Dobby didn’t, he simply served us at different times during his day, so that he could make sure I was alright at all times.

“He is a wonderful person, and vastly more intelligent than even I thought.  Like most wizards, I took his speech patterns to mean he was stupid.  He is not.  He was simply trained from birth to be subservient to wizards.  We both agree that that is bad; it’s just how we went about it that’s different.  I’m going to change a lot of things in the Wizarding world, including how we treat the elves.  I’d love it if you would help us organise the company that looks after the elves.”

“Are you offering me a job?” Hermione asked, turning to look at him with an expression of wonder on her face.

Harry smiled at the thought. 

“I’m offering you total control,” he gently corrected her.  “We can wait till you finish school, and we’ll let you organise everything.  You will be the one who talks to Remus about the house-elves’ secession from the Wizarding world.  You will be the one who handles the publicity as the elves pull out of every home in the country, and you will be the one responsible for hiring the staff to help you organise everything.”

“Are you serious?” Hermione squeaked.

“It will be like running S.P.E.W. full time,” Harry said softly.  “But without the nauseous acronym.”

Hermione blushed faintly.  “I was young,” she said limply as an excuse.

Harry smiled.  “The offer stands, Hermione.  It won’t be easy, they’ll be a lot of work, and you’ll have to learn more about how the elves truly are than any other wizard alive.”

“Yes,” Hermione blurted instantly.  “Yes, I’ll do it.  Thank you.  Thank you.”

Harry shrugged and smiled.  “I wouldn’t have offered it to you if I didn’t think you’d be the best person for the job.”

He smiled as Hermione gave Ron an enthusiastic kiss. 

“Anything you want to do?” He asked Ron, not wanting his other friend to be jealous.

“For me and Hermione to be sharing a room,” Ron said instantly.  “But as that’s out of the question for the moment, I’ll tell you nearer the time.”

Harry laughed and looked between them.  “So, are we okay?”

They both nodded.  “Thank you, for opening up to us,” Hermione replied.  “It helps us see how you’ve changed, but inside, you’re still Harry.”

“And that’s a good thing, right?”

Ron reached over and lightly punched his arm.  “Oww.”

“Isn’t Harry supposed to say that?” Hermione queried.

“You bloody try punching the steel man over there,” Ron complained.

Hermione reached out and lightly prodded Harry’s arm, and her eyes went wide.  “How hard have you been working out?”

“With the Time Turner, for every day in normal time, we did one day Martial Arts, one day duelling, and one day on Physical fitness.”

“Going back a second,” Hermione said, as she curled her legs on the floor.  “Are you really going to ask Pansy to marry you?”

“Yes,” Harry said simply. 

“Why not Ginny?” Ron asked.

“Err, because I’m not in love with her?” Harry replied.

“That’s not what I meant.”

“Look Ron,” Harry said softly.  “Ginny’s a great person, I really like her, and yes, I am attracted to her.  Pansy knows this, we’ve talked about it.  If things were different, I might have fallen for her.  But I didn’t.  I fell for my grey queen instead.  And I wouldn’t change the decision for anything or anyone.  Pansy didn’t play games with me, didn’t try and make me jealous, she simply went for what she wanted, and made me the best offer she could. 

“Even if Ginny hadn’t said anything about Dean, I would have still fallen for Pansy, because of who she is and what she has done for me.”

Ron sighed, “I think you’d be better with Ginny, but I won’t say anything more.”

Harry sighed and smiled crookedly.  “That’ll do for now.”

“Have you got a ring?” Hermione asked.

Harry raised his hand and whispered under his breath.  A box flew from the other side of the room and into his hands.  He opened it, and showed Hermione.

“Jeez,” Ron whistled.  “That rock’s big enough to buy half of the Ministry.”

“It’s a Parkinson heirloom,” Harry said.  “Gruoch gave it to me to give to Pansy.”

“So her parents really do approve.”

Harry nodded.  “I think they were more than a little relieved that she’s not marrying Draco.”

“Wouldn’t anyone?” Ron asked.

“Probably,” Harry grinned.  “I do expect him to try and join the D.A., but I don’t think he will when he sees the contract.”

“What do you have in mind?” Hermione asked.

“I don’t suppose you’d agree to let me put an insanity clause in there?” he asked, a hopeful expression on his face.

“No,” Hermione said dryly.

“Okay then, any attempt to divulge the secrets results in complete loss of voice,” he compromised.   “If they try and write it, they lose control of the hand that is doing the writing.  In effect, any communication renders the method unusable.”

“And speaking of that, it’s about time I saw what my girlfriend is doing with Ginny and Luna.”

He stood, and reached down, pulling his friends to their feet, and walked with them back into the large training area.

He made a mental note to ask Hermione to research into how the Room of Requirement worked, because the space it was now taking up was probably bigger than the space Hogwarts had available.

Inside, he paused and watched as Pansy took the two girls through a very simple routine to help them control their falling.

He walked over to them.

“Harry,” Pansy smiled and jumped at him, wrapping her legs around his waist.  She kissed him firmly.  “Hi.”

“Hi, yourself,” he smiled.  “How’s it going?”

“They’re doing great.  Are you alright?  I felt that you were upset.”

“Long conversation,” Harry explained.  “We got through a lot.”

“You felt?” Hermione asked curiously.

“I learnt some Occlumency and Legilimency as well,” Pansy said casually.  “We can normally feel each others thoughts, especially when they are high.”

“Yep,” Harry agreed.  “I try and keep some thoughts on Pansy all the time, I find it reassuring.”

“So, since they’re about finished, so how about I give you that fight I promised earlier?”

“That would be great,” Harry said, as he placed a kiss on her hair.

“I get to choose the weapons?”

“Of course,” Harry said, as he casually threw her into the air.

Pansy twirled gracefully and walked over to a cabinet in the corner.

“Weapons?” Daphne asked.

“Of course,” Harry grinned.  “I’ll bet she chooses Bo Sticks.”

“What are they?” Ron asked. 

“They’re like Quarterstaffs,” Harry said.  “But a little thinner and a little shorter.  See?” he finished, as Pansy ran back over and threw one of the sticks at him.

“See what?” she asked.

“That you’d pick this.”

“Of course,” Pansy grinned.  She twirled the stick above her head, then to one side, rotating it at a frightening speed.  “It’s the only one I can beat you with.”

Harry smiled as Luna sat serenely and watched them.  “Sit, Ginevra,” she smiled.  “It should be entertaining.”

He didn’t miss the wince that flew across Ginny’s face, and he idly wondered who had told the blonde witch Ginny’s true name.

His thoughts were sidetracked as he had to leap back wildly to avoid the edge of Pansy’s Bo as it rocketed toward his face.

“You really said that you’d rather spend your time trying to see what colour underwear I was wearing rather than fight?” Pansy said with a laugh.

“Yep,” Harry grinned.  “It was a hell of a conversation, but I hope that’s it for now.”

Pansy nodded, “They were a little warmer to me; well, Hermione was anyway.  But you know what colour underwear I wear,” she finished, returning to the more interesting subject.

Harry smiled and replied, “I don’t know what colour you are wearing today.”

Pansy smiled at him, and stood in front of the bed, moving her arms out to the side.  “Don’t you think that’s the sort of think that would stop you sleeping?”

Harry gulped softly, and nodded. 

“Then come and find out,” Pansy offered gently.

Harry walked over to her, and dropped to his knees. 

After their fight, they had both showered, alternating so that one of them was with the others all the time as they ate together, Dobby providing them with a full cooked meal.  They’d shared a lot of laughter as they had done their homework together, before retreating to their separate rooms.  As soon as Pansy had heard what he had done for Ron and Hermione, she had offered Ginny the same – and she’d accepted.

So Harry had rearranged the Room of Requirement, fixing his earlier mistake of placing the doorways to Ron and Hermione in his and Pansy’s room. 

The layout was a lot simpler now.  There was one central room that was their living room.  Directly opposite the entrance was the door to the gym.  To the left were Ron, Hermione, and Daphne’s rooms; to the right was the room he and Pansy shared, and Ginny’s.  At the back of each room was their own separate en suite bathroom.

Harry slid his arms around her, and nuzzled his face into her stomach, before gently pulling her down so that she was straddling his legs.

He gently kissed her. “I think I should explore like that when we have more time,” he said gently.  “I want to be able to take my time, and not think about the sleep we need before class tomorrow.”

She sighed softly, and wrapped her arms around his neck.  “Sometimes you’re too noble for your own damn good.  And it’s worse when you are right.”

He smiled and kissed her again.  “Let’s go to bed.”

She nodded and stood, pulling her dress off in front of him.  “It would have been more fun for you to find out for yourself,” she pouted at him.

He looked her up and down admiringly.  “You know, you are simply gorgeous.”

“And do you like the colour?”

“Very exotic,” he smiled, and pulled off his own t-shirt, before removing his trousers.  He always slept in just his boxers.

Pansy turned her back and pulled off her bra, pulling on one of his t-shirts. 

He crawled into bed, and as Pansy joined him, he waved his hand at the light switch, so that it went off, before he wrapped an arm around Pansy, buried his face in her hair, and relaxed.

“Harry, could I have a word with you alone, please?” Dumbledore asked after they had finished breakfast the next morning.

Harry looked at Pansy for a second, and then nodded. 

“I’ll tell Umbridge you’ve been detained,” Pansy said dryly.

“Thanks,” Harry replied, and paused to give her a quick kiss.  With a grin at his friends, he walked in front of Dumbledore confidently.  He wanted to give the rest of the students the subconscious impression that he wasn’t cowed by the ancient wizard. 

He walked to the door, and said the password quietly.  It turned out that the house-elves, under the order of the Council, were telling Dobby everything of interest that was happening in the castle.  And Dumbledore’s password was just one of the tid-bits the house-elf had passed on to him.  He was no longer even going to pretend that he felt in the slightest subservient to him.  Things had changed, and while Dumbledore had still done so much more than him, he didn’t care. 

Dumbledore sat in his own chair, and looked at him, his eyes twinkling.  “I see you’ve subverted my office.”

“We could exchange semantics for a bit if you like,” Harry said cheerfully.  “But apart from proving that my vocabulary has improved over the summer, I really don’t think it will get us anywhere.”

“As you wish,” Dumbledore said slowly.  “It’s good to see you looking so well.”

“It is, isn’t it,” Harry agreed.

“Yes, well,” Dumbledore continued slowly.  “I must confess to being slightly concerned when a number of students from Gryffindor aren’t sleeping where they belong.”

“I can see how that would concern you.”  Harry had decided that his best option was to respond to direct questions, not idle queries. 

“Excellent.  Would you mind telling me where Mr and Ms Weasley, and Ms Granger were last night?”

“In their rooms in the Room of Requirement.”  The question had been direct, so the answer was as well.

“I believe that Professor Snape checked the Room of Requirement, and it was empty,” Dumbledore replied.

“Do you?” Harry asked, deciding that the question hadn’t been direct enough.

“Why did Professor Snape find the Room empty if you were in it?” Dumbledore asked, evidently cottoning on to the game that Harry was playing.

“I can’t answer as to his competence or lack thereof,” Harry offered.  “I’m afraid that I had to take charge of the Room, and as Snape was neither invited nor wanted, all he saw was an empty room.”

“So you were in there?”

“As I said.”

“I’m afraid that you will all have to return to your individual dormitories tonight.  I simply can not let children sleep where it is not safe.”

“I don’t think we’ll be doing that,” Harry replied.  “As you well know, the dormitories have been compromised time and time again; on the other hand, anyone looking for us in our present quarters would encounter the same problems as Snape.  And I will not let either my girlfriend or my friend sleep anywhere near the Death Eater spawn you didn’t expel.”

“Mr Malfoy has apologised for his mistake, and has assured me that he is not a Death Eater.”

Harry laughed loudly.  “And you believed him?”

“He was telling the truth.”

“Ahh,” Harry smiled.  “You asked him if he was a Death Eater, and he said no, correct?”

The ancient headmaster nodded.

“And he promised to reform.  Wonderful.  However, I regret to inform you that as his father is still an active member of the Death Eaters, that I do not believe him.  As he has been leering over my friend for sometime, and knowing Malfoy’s immense childishness, I will not allow her to be anywhere near him at night.  Especially when Slytherin house has no credible adult supervision.”

“You do not have a choice,” Dumbledore said firmly.  “You will return to your own houses tonight.”

“The problem with your demand is that you have neither the power nor the authority to back it up.  Authority comes from respect, and I have found my respect for you has been sliding over the past few years.  There are too many questions that I have no answer for.”

Dumbledore sighed softly, obviously not having expected Harry to be so blunt.  “Perhaps I could answer some of those questions for you now,” he offered.

“Why have you forced me to work with Snape, when throughout the time I have been here, he has done nothing but insult, belittle, and generally abuse me?”

“Professor Snape is a competent teacher in Occlumency,” Dumbledore said.

“Now, you see,” Harry sighed.  “Already we are back to normal, where you are simply avoiding the implicit question.  First, let me state quite clearly that Snape is not a competent teacher, of Occlumency or any other subject.  We both know that, and I believe that I am not the only person to tell you.  Now that we have that sorry excuse out of the way, let’s try the question again.  Why have you insisted that I work with Snape, despite his ever present animosity to me?”

“Severus needs to learn to get over his hatred of your father,” Dumbledore said softly.  “It is something that is destroying him from the inside.”

Harry nodded once.  “Now, on to my next question.  Why was I left in an abusive home for the first eleven years of my life, and then forced to return there each summer afterwards?”

“It was the safest place for you,” Dumbledore replied instantly.

“Yet I have found that simply isn’t true.  I was able to be taken from there with no fuss and no force, and even the alarm not being raised till the next day.  Now correct me if I’m wrong, but does that seem very safe to you?”

“There were wards to prevent anyone from hurting you.”

“Except, of course, for the relatives who were looking after me.  Tell me, exactly why was it important to place a Wizarding child with a couple with a deep mistrust of magic?”

“They were your only blood relatives.”

“You mean all of our history lessons have been wrong?” Harry gasped theatrically.  “Hermione will be devastated.”

“What do you mean?”

“It’s a well known fact that all the pure blood families are interconnected in a complicated pattern.  There are plenty of people who I can claim to be connected to by blood.”

“It was also important that you got a chance to grow up normally, without the trappings of a Wizarding life.”

“Normally?” Harry laughed.  “How bloody normal is it to grow up in a cupboard?  You know what else I want to know?” he said, suddenly staring across the table at the pale blue eyes of his Headmaster.  “Exactly how is it that social services were never informed of my predicament, despite the abuse being obvious.”

“I’m afraid I have no idea,” Dumbledore said softly.

“You are not telling the truth, Albus,” Harry replied, matching his tone.  “I had Malcom do some research for me.  Social Services were notified on eight different occasions about possible abuse at Privet Drive.  Every time, the investigations were stopped mysteriously.”

“I had to, for your own protection,” Dumbledore sighed.  “If your name had been published in the investigative reports, then Voldemort’s followers would have located you.”

“And the fabled blood protection would no longer have been effective enough,” Harry finished for him.  “Security through obscurity, eh?  But this still doesn’t answer the question as to why you felt that being abused was preferable to growing up in with love or comfort.  It doesn’t explain why, as soon as I turned eleven, you started to treat me differently to everyone else.  Hermione had a visit from Professor McGonagall to explain to her parents what Hogwarts was.  Yet all I rated was a visit from the school’s groundkeeper.  Who is also a half-giant, designed to evoke fear from my relatives.  I must say that was a masterful decision.  It certainly succeeded in further alienating my relatives.”

“Hagrid is extremely good with children,” Albus replied.  “I felt that, as he was the person who rescued you that night, he would be the best choice to introduce you to the Wizarding World.”

Harry snorted eloquently and shook his head.  “I’m unable to decide if you truly believe your actions were correct, or if you have convinced yourself after the fact.  I suppose it really doesn’t matter.  Actions have consequences, Albus, as you are going to find out,.”  He chose to use the professor’s first name deliberately. 

“I will not play your little games anymore, nor will I work for you, or through the Order of the Phoenix.  I will forge my own path; with intelligence supplied by people I trust a lot more than you, for the simple reason that they have never broken their word to me, and that when faced with a situation, they dealt with it as human beings, not as some sort of marionette.  I firmly believe that had you handled things differently, a lot of the tragedy of last year would not have happened. 

“But it did. With reluctance, I have moved on.  I have made arrangements for you to continue to be able to use my property at Grimmauld Place.  I’m afraid that you are no longer welcome at any of the other properties that I own.”

“I’m sorry you feel that way, Harry,” Dumbledore said slowly.

“I think I am as well,” Harry admitted.  “It doesn’t change the fact.  Now, to get back to our original discussion; it is probably common knowledge that Pansy and I are sleeping together.  And while we both know that the board of Governors are sheep, I don’t want open warfare with you.  So, I believe that there are special rules for engaged students with Parental consent?”

“There are indeed, Harry.  But I’m afraid that, while I’m sure Malcom and Gruoch have given their permission, your guardians, the Dursleys, have not.”

Harry smiled broadly.  “Fortunately for both of us,” he purred, “the Dursleys are no longer my legal guardians.  By special edict of the Head of Magical Law Enforcement, I was declared an emancipated minor two days ago.  And as a full Adult under Wizarding law, I hereby give myself permission to marry.”

“You do seem to have thought this through,” Dumbledore admitted.  “Can I ask what your plans for Voldemort are?”

“I’m going to kill him,” Harry replied evenly.  “And probably a lot of his Death Eaters as well.”

“Do you think that’s wise?”

“Yes.  They chose to support a murdering half blood; they will have to pay the consequences.”

“I can see Malcom’s influence on you,” Dumbledore said disapprovingly. 

“Can you?” Harry asked curiously. 

Dumbledore nodded. 

Harry nodded.  “I do try and mould myself after him.  It’s been a revelation; finally, having a positive male role model I can look up to.  Especially one who believes in his family first and foremost.  I hope to continue to learn from him as I grow, and I’m looking forward to formally entering his family as his son in law.”

“Sixteen is a very young age to get married.”

“It is,” Harry agreed.  “However, as I have a psychotic Dark Lord wanting to kill me, and a Headmaster who’s made my life as uncomfortable as possible, I’m not entirely confident in my ability to live to an age I would like to.  So rather than miss out on life and worry about it, I am going to live each day as if it is my last.”

“I am sorry that you feel that way, Harry.”

“You could have stopped it,” he said tiredly, sitting back in his chair.  “And I’m still not sure you are telling me the truth about your actions, but I am going to presume that you made the decisions you did with good intentions, despite the Muggle saying.”

“I believe that I preferred your more external displays of temper,” Dumbledore said with a slight smile on his face.

“While more dramatic, it wasn’t as informative,” Harry replied.  “Although a display of temper, in the right place can accomplish more than polished rhetoric.”

“A quote from Malcom, I believe.”

“Paraphrased, yes,” Harry nodded.  He looked at Dumbledore directly, but all he could see was a tired old man, and for the first time he wondered if maybe he had been wrong; that possibly Dumbledore had really made the best decisions he could at the time, but had let his judgement be clouded as he started to believe in his own legacy.  “Do you want to talk about the D.A.?”

Albus nodded slowly, and the conversation moved on.

Pansy took a seat next to Daphne and eagerly tapped her quill on the desk. 

“You’re excited,” Daphne said dryly.

“Just anticipating the amount of points I’m about to lose for Slytherin.”

“It is a problem with the House points system, when you have students who are suddenly without house.”

“And one who desperately wants a detention,” Pansy smirked.

“Ahhh,” Daphne smiled, and then went quiet as the short fat figure of Professor Umbridge stalked in.

“Open your books at page 57,” She snapped.

“Tell me,” Pansy drawled cheerfully.  “Now that you’ve been proved an idiot from last year, are we actually going to learn something useful, or are you going to continue to ensure that this class is about as useful as Fudge in a meeting without someone telling him what to say?”

“I beg your pardon,” Umbridge spluttered.

“Ahh, ignorant as well as ugly,” Pansy sighed.  “I asked if you had now learnt your lesson that Voldemort is back, and if you are actually going to teach us some defence against the Dark Arts, or if you are going to crouch behind your desk and catch flies.”

“Fifty points from Slytherin,” Umbridge roared.  “I have never been so insulted in my life.”

“Oh come on, I’m sure someone’s called you worse than an ugly toad with an inflated opinion of herself?  If not, I’ll have to see if I can do better.”

“How about a fat bitch whose only talent involves using that elongated tongue to make Fudge’s day?” Daphne asked Pansy.  “Do you think that was worse?”

“I’m not sure,” Pansy replied thoughtfully. 

“One hundred points from Slytherin, and detention, both of you, tonight!”

Pansy smiled cheerfully.  “You didn’t answer my question, though.”

“Study your books in silence!” Umbridge yelled.

After a very boring hour had passed, they all filed out of the class.

“What was that about?” Hermione asked, as she walked next to Pansy, Ron flanking her.

“No one touches my family,” Pansy said softly.  “She hurt my Harry, and now she is going to pay.  The only reason she’s still at school is so I can get my revenge.  I got Dad to arrange it for me.  I want a message sent out around the world that if you touch Harry Potter, he might forgive you, but I won’t.”

Hermione turned to look at her closely.  “Are you serious?”

“Very,” Pansy said softly.  She turned to look at Hermione.  “I’ve been inside Harry’s mind, I’ve seen what people have done to him, and I won’t let anyone hurt him and get away with it again.”

“I told you Slytherins were dark,” Ron muttered.

Pansy sighed and shook her head.  “You really don’t get it, do you?”

“Get what?” Ron demanded.

“That Houses are totally irrelevant.  There is Good and Evil are in all of Hogwarts’ Houses, and stereotyping people by a decision made when they were eleven is pointless.  I can name Death Eaters that have come from every house, including Gryffindor.  Does the name Peter Pettigrew ring a bell?  Tell me, Ron, what would you do if someone hurt Ginny, hurt her bad?” she challenged him.

Ron went silent.

“What would you do if Michael Corner pulled her into a cupboard, and abused her?”  Pansy waited a second, and then sighed and continued.  “I’ve seen how you act, Ron.  I’ve seen how you lose your temper.  You love Ginny as your sister; I love Harry as my life.  I don’t get mad, I get even.  If no one ever hurts Harry again, I will never have to do anything at all about it, and I will be happy.  But if one person does, I will make them into an object lesson for everyone else, in the hope that I never have to do it again.

“To me, Ron, Harry comes first, above everyone else.”  She turned on her heel, and walked off.  She could feel that Daphne was besides her and felt her friend place her arm around her.

“Thanks, Daph,” she whispered softly.

“Let’s get to class,” the blonde replied. 

Ginny sighed as she flopped down on the chair.  “You could have warned me in advance you were going to get a detention with Umbridge.”

“Oh, sorry,” Pansy apologised.  “I forgot.”

“Well, I finally managed to have detention with you tonight.  I had to call her an ugly toad to her face, but it worked.”  She frowned.  “Some people are a little upset with me for losing so many points.”

“Do you care?” Pansy asked, as she looked at the smaller girl.

“Not as much as I did last year,” Ginny admitted.  “It’s strange how the points system seems a little stupid now.”

“I was saying the same thing earlier,” Daphne smiled.  “As we’re no longer really in a House, it’s a bit pointless.”

Ginny nodded, and looked at her watch.  “Where’s Harry?”

“He’s spending some time with Vector.  As he’s new to the course, he asked for some tuition so he can catch up.”

“Have we got time for something to eat first?” Ginny asked.

“Dobby,” Pansy called. 

Dobby appeared in a pop, “You rang Mistress.  Dobby thinks that you are wanting something to eat?”

“Please,” Pansy said.

“Dobby is happy to help Mistress Park’son,” the elf said, as he vanished, and food started appearing on the table to the side of the room.

“Come on,” Pansy said, standing and dragging Ginny out of her chair.  “Let’s eat.  But not too much, you might not like what you see this evening.”

Ginny paused and looked at Pansy directly.  “I’ve been possessed by Voldemort,” she said seriously.  “I know more about horror than most people.”

Pansy took a step forwards and hugged Ginny tightly.  “I’ve seen Harry’s memories of Voldemort,” she whispered.  “As much as I can, I understand.”

“Not to break up the moment,” Daphne said dryly.  “But when were you possessed by Voldemort?”

“My first year,” Ginny said as she sat down, avoiding Daphne’s eyes.  “I was given a diary with a bit of Voldemort’s soul in it.  I told it everything, and it used me.  He used me to control the Basilisk.”

Pansy watched as Daphne dropped to her knees next to Ginny, and forced the younger girl to look at her.  “One of the things about being friends is that they stand by each other,” the blonde said softly.  “It wasn’t your fault.”

Ginny smiled a little crookedly.  “Not everyone would accept that.”

“We do, and we’re the ones who count,” Pansy said with a grin.  “Now let’s eat and get to our detention.”

They ate together, and then walked to the Defence classroom for their detention.

“So good of you to turn up,” Umbridge crowed as they entered.  “Your father will be of no protection to you here.”

Pansy shook her head sadly and shut the door firmly. 

“I want you to write ‘I will not insult a Professor’ a hundred times,” Umbridge stated firmly.

Pansy grinned and picked up the quill laid out for her, and made a small scratch on the parchment.  The scratch was instantly duplicated on the back of her hand.

“You really are incredibly stupid,” Pansy sighed.  “Daph, will you silence the door, please?”

“What are you doing?” Umbridge yelled as Daphne cast a silencing charm on the door.

“Now, we’re all alone,” Pansy said cheerfully, dropping the quill on to the parchment.  “Didn’t you get any idea about what was happening in the Ministry when your requests for transfer were denied, when Fudge wouldn’t even talk to you any more?

“Didn’t even a small warning bell ring in your head when my father announced that he was the head of the board of Governors? 

“Or did you think that this little detention would be your revenge for my father humiliating you, for our house-elf humiliating you?  You did, didn’t you?”

Umbridge pulled her wand out and pointed it at the three girls uncertainly.

“Did you think that no one would ever know about what you did to Harry last year?” Pansy purred in a low voice that was all the more daunting for its lack of volume.  “Did you not think that his girlfriend might know, and might expect your tricks?”

“Stay back,” Umbridge said, waving her wand threateningly.

“Put it away, you stupid cow,” Ginny sighed. 

“You little,” Umbridge started, but stopped in shock as Pansy placed one hand on the table and used it as a pivot point, swinging her legs over it, and kicking the wand out of Umbridge’s hand.

Pansy continued the movement and tucked her legs in, shifting her weight, so that she landed in a chair on the other side of the table quite comfortably. 

Umbridge gaped at her.

“It’s amazing what you can learn when you have a competent Defence teacher,” Pansy smiled.

“What do you want?” Umbridge demanded, looking at the door with a desperate expression on her bloated face.

Daphne and Ginny pulled out their wands, and pointed them at the Professor.

“You can’t get away with this,” Umbridge blustered fearfully.

“We already have,” Pansy replied.  “Dad knows that I am doing this, it’s why you’re still here.  You hurt one of my family, and we all work together to get revenge.  Your political career is over and done with.  Fudge has washed his hands of you.”

“What do you want?” Umbridge asked, as she suddenly collapsed behind her desk.

Pansy leant forwards and slowly, deliberately, placed the quill and pad before the professor.

“You are going to write, ‘I will not hurt Harry,’ five hundred times.”

“But that’s a Blood Quill,” Umbridge protested, going white.

“Yes, it is, isn’t it?” Pansy smiled coldly.

“I won’t do it.”

“Oh you will,” Pansy purred.  “Because if you don’t, you’ll be confessing all your sins to the school tomorrow morning, and then, after you have been fired, you will walk up to the Astronomy Tower, and you will jump off the roof.”

“I would never, ever, do that,” Umbridge said, crossing her arms defiantly.

“Imperio,” Pansy said, making her voice as cold as she could.  “You forget who you are dealing with.  I am not Harry; I’m not honourable or nice.  I come from a family of dark wizards.”

“But there are witnesses,” she said, pointing at Daphne or Ginny.

“I think the word you are looking for is accomplices,” Daphne corrected fastidiously. 

“She’s right,” Ginny agreed.  “Just think, I’m from a light family.  Everyone knows that we are against Voldemort, and with me swearing that we had detention, and that you seemed a little depressed about your situation as we left, no one will even look at us twice.  Now be a good little toad,” she finished, her voice as cold as Pansy’s, “and start writing.”

With a tear rolling down her cheek, Umbridge did just that.  As she made the first stroke, she winced, but didn’t stop.

“I think that I’ll get Harry to tell Dad to get rid of her,” Pansy said, as they walked back to the Room of Requirement.

“I can’t believe she put Harry through that,” Daphne sighed.

“I didn’t realise just how bad things were for him last year.”

“Harry should have told someone, anyone, about it,” Pansy nodded.  “I do blame Dumbledore for allowing it.”

“Ladies, should I expect a new colleague soon?” a stern voice interrupted them. 

Pansy turned and looked at the tall Professor.

“One of the Professors might have trouble grading paper this week,” Pansy said evenly.

“An eye for an eye?”

“Something like that,” Pansy nodded.  “I think that any request for transfer she might make would be granted now.”

McGonagall smiled faintly.  “It’s late; I’d get to your rooms.”

Pansy tilted her head and looked up at the Professor.  “Thank you, Professor.”

The professor nodded her head, and turned around and walked away.

“I can see why Harry has such respect for her,” she said softly.

Ginny and Daphne nodded, and they hurried back to the Room of Requirement.

Inside, Harry was lounging on a couch, reading from a book; Ron and Hermione were seated next to each other at the table, studying.

Pansy walked straight over to Harry and sat down next to him. 

“Hey,” he smiled.  The smile warmed her, and reminded her exactly why she had done what she had done a few minutes ago.  “Long detention?”

“Umbridge and I came to an understanding,” she said softly.  “She won’t be doing it again.”

“So we can get rid of her?” Harry asked.

“Yep.”

“Okay.  I’ve already talked to Malcom, and we’ve got a plan to deal with Snape tomorrow.   Ginny really helped speed things up today.  With him gone, we’ll be free to study in peace.”

“Can I ask what you did?” Hermione asked, walking over to join them. 

They’d rearranged the furniture again, so that there were three two-people couches surrounding a new fireplace.

“Made her use her own torture device,” Ginny said calmly.  “Pansy’s acting was perfect.”

Pansy smiled slightly.  “Thanks.”

“Good,” Ron said, “Serves her right.”

Hermione looked troubled, but didn’t say anything.

“What’s the plan for Snape?” Ron asked eagerly.

“Let him hang himself,” Harry shrugged.  “I’m hoping to not have to do anything at all.”

“What do you mean?” Hermione asked.

“Professor Snape has a legal obligation to act like a Professor.  If he doesn’t, then he can only hold himself responsible for any ramifications.”

Hermione nodded and smiled.  “That I can agree with.”

“Harry, I need to talk to Dad, can I borrow the notepad?”

“Of course, it’s in our room in the top drawer of my cabinet,” Harry smiled.  “After you arrange for Saturday, make sure you leave the evening free for us.  I want to take you out for dinner.”

Pansy smiled happily, and gave Harry a hug.  “I’d love to,” she whispered, as she placed a kiss on his cheek. 

She walked out, and smiled as she heard Ron ask, “What’s happening on Saturday?”

“Daph,” Harry said, as they walked toward the Potions dungeon.  “Whatever Snape says, do not react.”

Daphne nodded.

“And Pansy?”

“Yes, love?”

Harry flashed her a grin at the term of affection, “No matter what he says about me, don’t react.”

Pansy pouted.  “Can’t I just curse him once?” she whined playfully.

“Uh-uh,” Harry grinned.  “If you curse him, you don’t get kisses afterwards.”

“But I like kisses,” Pansy pouted.

“I know,” Harry agreed.  “But kisses are for good girls who don’t curse their Potions Professor today.”

“No fair,” Pansy said, her lower lip trembling.

“That’s the rules,” Harry stated firmly.

“They better be good kisses,” Pansy muttered, giving in.

“Excuse me for a second,” Harry said politely to Daphne.  He turned to Pansy and placed his hands under her arms, and lifted her into the air, spinning her around.  He walked against a wall, and lowered her slightly so that she was eye to eye with him.  With a deliberate slowness he leaned in and kissed her tenderly.  Very carefully, he flicked his tongue out and gently touched Pansy’s lips.  She opened her mouth instantly, and he deepened the kiss, before pulling back.  “Lots of kisses, just like that,” he promised.

Pansy looked at him for a second, and then laughed.  “Oh, I do love you, Harry Potter,” she said firmly, and kissed him briefly.

Harry smiled at her and let her down. 

“If you two have quite finished,” Daphne smiled.  “We’re going to be late to class.”

“Actually,” Harry said as he looked as his watch.  “We should be right on time.”

He opened the door to the Dungeon, and ushered the two girls in.

“So good of you to join us,” Snape sneered instantly.  “Ten points from Gryffindor for being late.”

“I believe that there are three of us exactly on time,” Harry said amicably.

“Ten points for your rudeness,” Snape snapped.  “It’s obvious that you are in charge of your little harem, so you lose points.”

“I’m sorry,” Harry said.  “Did you just accuse both of these students of engaging in illicit behaviour that is against Hogwarts rules?”

“Ten points for questioning a Professor,” Snape replied instantly.  “And since when has something being against the school rules stopped you, Potter?”

Harry shrugged and went to sit down, Pansy next to him.

“Oh no, I’m not having you cheat with your little tart, Potter,” Snape interrupted them.  “You will sit alone.  I have no idea how you managed to bribe the Examining board to give you a passing grade in your potions exam, and I don’t care.  You are a complete waste of my time and effort, and have the potions skill of a first year.”

“Wouldn’t that reflect more on the professor than the student?” Harry asked, his voice as level and incurious as possible.  He could see Draco smirking out of the corner of his eye.

“What did you just say?” Snape roared, storming over to Harry’s desk.

“I questioned your professional integrity,” Harry explained helpfully, “and gave a pretty strong implication that your abilities as a professor were lacking both in the personal sense, and in the instructional sense.  I also implied that you should not be teaching at all.”

Snape gaped at him.  “You’re as arrogant as your father, and just as ignorant.  I will not be talked to like that in my own classroom.”

The door to the dungeon slammed open, and Malcom, accompanied by two other board members and the Headmaster of Hogwarts entered the room.

“Fortunately, Snape,” Malcom sneered.  “This is no longer your classroom.  Please consider your contract terminated with prejudice, effective immediately.  You will accompany my colleagues to you quarters, where you will pack your belongings, and leave Hogwarts immediately.”

“What?” Snape asked, his pallid face going even paler than before.  “You can’t do that.”

Harry stood and handed Malcom the Legal Recording Pad he pulled out of his pocket. 

Malcom took it, and added the one from Ginny that Harry had given him earlier.  “I have numerous testimonies from students over the past fifteen years about your inability to teach, and your complete lack of professional decorum,” Malcom said, sounding bored with the whole thing.  “I also have two transcripts of your attempts at teaching.  You are obviously not qualified to instruct children in the art of potions.  Your class yesterday with the fifth years was the most disgusting display I have ever had the misfortune to read.

“And take the last five minutes,” Malcom continued.  “I was planning on waiting till you had at least finished this lesson, but a student entered on time for the first lesson of the year.  And your reaction was to single out one of the three students, incidentally, the only one not in your house.  You then ignored his polite response, and accused my daughter and her friend of being whores. 

“You followed that up by casting scandalous aspersions both on the student himself, and the whole examining board.  I have personally checked Harry’s results, as has your Headmaster, and my two colleagues from the Board of Governors.  We all agree that Harry’s passing grade was a fair result, and that he received no special treatment at all.” 

“Professor?” Snape asked, looking at Dumbledore for help.

Dumbledore sighed heavily.  “I did warn you, many times, Severus.  I even asked you this morning to behave yourself.  The Board of Governors have revoked your contract, and there is nothing I can do.”

“This isn’t over,” Snape hissed at Harry and turned away.

“So he’s no longer a Professor, right?” Harry asked Malcom.

“Correct.”

“Snivellus?” Harry called, as he stood and moved around his desk.

Snape turned, his face going red.

Harry reared back slightly, and launched the hardest punch he had thrown yet.  He felt the cartilage of Snape’s nose snap under his fingers.  He turned around, and sat back down at his desk.

Malcom looked down at Snape, who was now on the floor clutching his nose in pain.  He looked up at the other two Governors.  “Considering there’s been five years of abuse, I’d call that a justifiable reaction to extreme provocation, wouldn’t you?”

“Absolutely, Malcom,” Simon, Malcom’s cousin, said, nodding firmly.  “Tempted to do it myself.  Mighty fine punch, young man.  Mighty fine.”

Harry looked up and smiled, he couldn’t remember the last time he’d felt so good at school.  He hadn’t been intending on punching the professor, but the final comment about his father had been a step too far.  He was pretty sure that he’d actually saved his professor from a serious curse, as Pansy had looked furious.  He was actually quite looking forward to giving his girlfriend her reward kisses.

“I think that Umbridge would love to have a word with you, as well,” Harry said to the older man.

“Already done,” Malcom smiled.  “Our dear ex-Professor is currently waddling her way down to Hogsmeade.”

Harry matched the smile.  “It’s been a good morning,” he admitted.

“I have some more good news for you,” Malcom smiled.  “I persuaded Nymphy to take the post of D.A. professor for the rest of the year.”

“That’s brilliant,” Harry said enthusiastically.  “Having a real Auror is a great idea.”

“I thought so,” Malcom said modestly.  He bent down and absently removed Snape’s wand from his pocket.  “Get him out of here,” he said to his two colleagues.  “Get him to the Nurse, and then get his stuff and him off school property as soon as possible.”

“Right away, Malcom,” The one who had spoken before replied.  He walked over, and pulled out his wand and cast a levitating spell.  “Come, Matthew,” he continued to the other man.  “The sooner we get out of here and stop interrupting the classroom, the better.”

“Professor Dumbledore,” Malcom said formally.  “I believe it would be wise to cancel today’s Potions classes, while we retreat to your office and have a look at applications for your new vacancy.”

Dumbledore nodded firmly.  “Please return to your Common Rooms,” he said to the class, before turning and walking out of the dungeon.”

Malcom nodded at Harry, and shot a wink at his daughter, before following the Professor out of the room.

“It’s all gone wrong, hasn’t it, Draco,” Daphne said as she looked at the now pale-faced Slytherin.

“Your problem,” Pansy said as she sat down comfortably on Harry’s lap and wrapped an arm around him for balance, “is that you have no idea how to really use power.  You threaten and bluster and rely on your father’s reputation.  Harry has never relied on anyone, and he has the authority you lack - because everyone knows that when our backs are against the wall, he’ll be in front, fighting.”

Draco sneered at them.  “The Dark Lord will get you,” he hissed.

“Yes, Draco, we all know you’re a Death Eater wannabee,” Pansy sighed.  “You told us the other day.  Tell me, can you say his name yet?”

“Voldemort,” Ron said. “It’s not a hard name.”

“Voldemort,” Hermione added.  “Look, a mudblood saying the name of your saviour,” she taunted.  “And look, I’ve not been shot down.”

Draco pulled his wand out, and pointed it at Hermione.

There was a shifting in the room, as everyone else pulled their wands out and pointed them straight at Draco. 

“Say his name, Draco,” Harry said.  “Say Voldemort.”

“Come on Draco,” Neville said.  “If even I can say Voldemort, surely you can as well.”

Draco looked around at all the wands pointed at him helplessly, and then stormed out the door, his two body guards behind him.

“Nicely done, Neville,” Harry said, impressed.

Neville blushed slightly.  “Thank you,” he said.  “I got Nan to practice with me over the summer.  She’s not afraid of anyone.”

Harry smiled and nodded.

“I can’t believe Snape’s gone,” Dean said, shaking his head.  “It’s like a wonderful dream I don’t want to wake from.”

“And the best thing,” Pansy s