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SIYE Time:9:09 on 28th March 2024
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Summer Story
By Arnel

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Category: Post-OotP, Buried Gems
Characters:None
Genres: Action/Adventure, Fluff, General
Warnings: None
Story is Complete
Rating: PG-13
Reviews: 392
Summary: Summer at the Dursleys’ is typical for Harry Potter who hopes his stay with his relatives will only last two weeks at most. In this sequel to You’re Still You and New Year, New Hope Harry learns that his role as “savior” of the Wizarding world is more complicated than he thought and that he needs his friends and mentors more than he ever imagined.
Hitcount: Story Total: 135217; Chapter Total: 4558







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Chapter 10: The First Excursion, Part 2


As they walked down the tunnel, bleak thoughts flew through Harry’s head. The excursion had been going so well. They’d met their goals of getting into the Chamber, collecting ingredients, finding the fang, climbing into the statue’s mouth. Then, disaster for Hermione and now he couldn’t seem to think of a way to get her back down to the chamber floor without hurting her. Guilt threatened to overwhelm him.

The tunnel suddenly ended; a wall of smooth stone blocks barred their way. Harry swept his light slowly over the barrier as Ron and Hermione came to stand beside him. They gasped as the torch revealed line upon line of carved symbols.

“Well, that’s it. We’re done for,” Harry said, kicking at one of the strange round rocks that littered the tunnel floor. It rolled away the way they had come. He turned to follow it.

“Wait, Harry,” Hermione said. “I recognize these carvings. They’re runes.”

Harry turned back towards the carvings. “Are you sure?” he asked uncertainly. He wasn’t sure it would do any good to try to decipher them to get past the blockage.

“I think so. Give me a minute.” Hermione held out her hand. “May I have the torch, please?”

Harry handed it over and went to stand next to Ron. He felt Hermione didn’t have a chance of translating the runes, let alone solving whatever puzzle Voldemort had left here.

Hermione spent a long time peering at the runes on the wall, giving Harry and Ron time to study their surroundings and conduct a whispered conversation about how they were going to get Hermione out of the tunnel’s mouth. When the only thing they could agree upon was that they were hopelessly stuck, Harry nearly gave up.

As Hermione finally shook her head and said in a despairing voice, “I have no idea what this says. I can’t concentrate, and I feel so sad,” Harry kicked one of the round rocks that littered the sides of the cave. To his surprise, it squealed as it sailed through the air and landed with a pitiful thwack further down the tunnel where it lay still instead of rolling or bouncing away.

Ron bent down and picked one up. “Harry, come take a look at this!” he said. “Have you ever seen one of these around Hogwarts?”

Harry shook his head, studying the rock. On a whim he reached over and tickled it. The rock suddenly sprouted a hairy body and tiny legs and feet underneath a smooth, oversized grey head. Ron gasped and dropped it. The thing scurried for cover under the piles of animal skeletons.

“I take that back. I have seen them. Defence Against the Dark Arts, third year! I think they’re Pogrebins! You know, those demons that depress their victims in order to eat them. Didn’t Professor Lupin say they’re a distant cousin to the Hinkypunk?”

“Yeah, he did. But what would some Russian demon be doing here in Britain?” Ron asked.

“Voldemort could have brought them,” Harry reasoned. “I wouldn’t put it past him. He would think it was a funny way to discourage someone from going further.” His gaze travelled from Ron to Hermione to the rune-covered wall. “I think we’ve found the Basilisk’s nest.”

Hermione and Ron gazed at Harry, who smiled for the first time since they’d entered the tunnel. Taking out his wand, he cast Cheering Charms on them and himself as Ron asked, “How do we get rid of the Pogrebins?”

“Hex or kick them,” Hermione volunteered. “And hurry before the charm wears off.” She turned back to the wall, a determined look on her face.

“Well, what are we waiting for?” Ron asked. He took aim at the biggest Pogrebin and yelled, “Rictusempra!” The Pogrebin took to its legs and raced down the tunnel towards the entrance.

“Brilliant, Ron!” Harry cried and sent a Jelly-Legs Jinx at a second large stone-like creature.

Before long, Harry and Ron had cleared the area in front of the wall and were in hot pursuit of the little demons as they chased them towards the tunnel’s entrance. They stopped before they reached the golden mist and shared a smile. Things were looking up.

Hermione had copied the runes and was sitting on the floor of the tunnel studying the symbols she had copied when Harry and Ron rejoined her.

“How are you feeling?” Harry asked as they sat beside her.

“Pretty good, considering.” She left it at that and pointed at her parchment. “I think I know what this says. It’s a riddle. I think we have to solve it to get past the wall. The thing is, we only get one chance to get it right. If we answer wrong, the tunnel caves in.”

“Just like the Third Task,” Harry muttered.

“What’s the riddle say?” Ron prompted impatiently. “If we’re gonna die, we might as well get it over with.”

“You’re a cheery one,” Harry commented. He looked expectantly at Hermione.

“All right, here it is,” she said.

“First, think of the name for fancy eggs,
The kind people eat that sprout fins, not legs.
Next, think of an animal with a distinctive call,
If it leaves London’s Tower, Great Britain will fall.
Finally, the foot of an animal quite fierce
Has these on its toes to hold and to pierce.
Put these together to give me the name
Of one of the founders of Hogwarts fame.”


“Let’s take this apart,” Harry said. “All the clues to the right answer are here.”

Hermione read the riddle again.

“Why would people eat anything but chicken eggs?” Ron asked. “Anything else is disgusting.”

“Muggles eat caviar at fancy parties,” Hermione said, thoughtfully.

“What’s caviar?”

“Fish eggs, Ron. There’s another name for them, but I can’t think of it right now.” She made a notation on her paper next to the first two lines, and then read the second clue.

“You know Muggle history better than I do, Harry,” Ron said. “What will make Great Britain fall if it leaves?”

Harry smiled. He’d known this story for nearly ten years. “Ravens, Ron. If the ravens ever leave the Tower of London, the country of Great Britain will fall to the next conquerors to cross the sea,” he said.

Hermione’s eyes widened. “That’s it! Harry, you’ve solved the riddle!” she exclaimed gleefully. She continued in a quieter voice. “We needed the name of a Hogwarts Founder. I think the name we want is Rowena Ravenclaw!”

“She’s the original owner of the Horcrux we’re looking for,” Ron added.

Harry could feel his ears warming as she said this. “How do you know the answer is right?”

Hermione’s face took on its “isn’t this obvious” expression. “Fish eggs are fish roe. The bird we needed was a raven and every fierce animal has claws at the ends of its toes. Put that all together and you get ‘Row Ravenclaw’,” she told him.

“Now what do we do?” Ron asked.

“I think we ask,” Harry said.

“I’m not asking. You can do the honours, Harry,” Ron said, helping Hermione up.

Looking between his two friends, Harry knew they wanted it to be him who did the asking. So, feeling rather foolish, he scrambled to his feet and turned towards the wall. “Is the answer to the riddle ‘Rowena Ravenclaw’?” he asked in a clear, loud voice.

As soon as he said the name, Harry could feel a change in the tunnel’s atmosphere. From deep within the rock a grinding noise began, faintly at first, then growing progressively louder. Just when he thought he’d have to back away down the tunnel, the stone wall gave a tremendous shudder and began to sink into the floor, revealing a large circular room beyond the arched entryway. The walls and ceiling were faced with the same smooth stone blocks as the rune wall.

“Wicked!” Ron exclaimed as they crossed the threshold.

“Oh no! Not more runes!” Hermione groaned in despair. She sat down on the floor and began scribbling madly, copying the runes she could see in the light of Harry’s torch. “Harry, slow down! I can’t copy that fast,” she complained.

Harry stopped and turned around, leaving his torch trained on the group of runes in front of him. “Hermione, stop. Look at your parchment. Didn’t you translate something else from the wall?”

“Oh, I did, didn’t I?” she said as Ron began randomly tapping the stone blocks with his wand. “It says here that the seeker shall look for a sign of royalty.”

“A sign of royalty? Like crowns and sceptres and orbs and stuff?” Ron asked hopefully.

“I suppose that’s what we’re looking for,” Hermione said reluctantly getting to her feet.

“Good. Sit down, Hermione, and conserve your strength. You’re going to need it to get out of here,” Ron told her.

Grumbling, she sat down in the middle of the chamber and began scanning the carvings while Ron and Harry did the same in different parts of the room. They worked in silence, not daring to speak.

Harry closed his eyes when the runes began to look the same and unconsciously reached out with his magic. He could feel the evil, dark magic that had created the room and then used it as a nest for centuries afterwards. He felt, too, a newer dark magic, one that was meant to conceal something. He honed in on this and suddenly knew where the Horcrux they sought was hidden. As he drew his magic back inside, he felt Ginny’s inquiry. It made him smile.

How’s it going? Are you all safe?

So far, yes.

Good.
Ginny paused, then said, You’re holding something back from me, Harry. Spill it!

Erm... we’ve... we’ve had a bit of trouble. Harry told her reluctantly. Hermione has a broken wrist.


Ginny immediately asked, Have you and Ron done anything for her?

Yes,
Harry answered. We’ve splinted Hermione’s wrist and she’s still keeping up, but will need to see Madam Pomfrey when we get back.

He felt Ginny’s relief as she said, I’ll tell her, Harry. I hope you find what you’re looking for.

He sent her a mental grin as he said, I think we’re almost there.

Good. Hurry back, Harry.


He felt Ginny pull back and was momentarily saddened at her absence in his mind. Then he renewed his concentration and walked over to a section of wall they had not yet scanned. On the wall, at shoulder level, was the picture of a crown.

“Ron, Hermione, I think I’ve found it!” he exclaimed. He pushed gently on the stone and it fell heavily into his hands.

With Ron’s help, Harry lowered the stone to the floor and then shone the torch inside the opening. At the back, sitting on a tiny pedestal, was Rowena Ravenclaw’s wand.

“Let me get it,” Ron said suddenly.

Harry gaped at him. “I’m right here.”

“It might be booby-trapped, Harry. You heard what Dumbledore said last night about how the ring was protected. We’ve got to be careful and cast those revealing charms he taught us,” Ron said determinedly.

Harry sighed tiredly. Ron was right and he, Harry, was not thinking sensibly. Together they cast the three charms Professor Dumbledore had taught them the night before. When nothing glowed, pinged or blew up, Harry reached cautiously inside the opening and closed his fingers around the wand. It felt warm to the touch and he sensed a conflict within its very core. I’m touching a real Horcrux! he thought as he cautiously withdrew the wand from its hiding place. He held it up for Ron and Hermione to see.

“This is it,” he said quietly, holding the wand up for them to examine the beautiful carvings. He put it in his bag. “Time to get back to Professor Dumbledore.”

Ron let out a tired sigh as they passed unharmed through the chamber’s opening and remarked, “That was too easy. I never expected to just be able to waltz out of the Basilisk’s lair without any trouble.”

“Don’t be too sure,” Harry said, “we’re not past the statue’s lips yet.”

“Why do you say that?”

“Voldemort can be rather vindictive when he wants to be. He sets traps for those who have been lulled into a sense of complacency. Be ready to pull your wand at any moment.”

They made good time traversing the tunnel on the way out. The Pogrebins seemed to have left the tunnel entirely and so had the golden mist that had caused them so much trouble.

When they reached the statue’s mouth, Harry turned off the torch and gave it back to Hermione who secured it in her bag saying, “I won’t need this until we’re ready to leave the Chamber and I don’t want to put it in my pack with the Horcrux.”

She nodded, but said nothing.

Ron took off his belt and lengthened it a little. He looked significantly at Harry as he said, “I can take Hermione down on my lap. She’ll need help going over the edge.”

Harry gave a curt nod.

Hermione frowned as if to say, “I’m right here, boys. I can do it myself.” Then, drawing Hermione close to him, Ron secured the belt around her waist. She didn’t protest.

Ron put on his dragon hide gloves and peered over the lip of the statue. “Long way down,” he muttered as he picked up the loose end of the rope and handed it to Harry. To Hermione he said, “Give me a second to get over the edge.”

Hermione nodded and with Harry’s help, climbed carefully between Ron’s arms. When she was ready, the two of them began the slow descent to the feet of Slytherin’s statue with Harry assisting from above.

“Come on down, Harry,” Ron called when he and Hermione were safe.

“Be right there,” Harry called. He grasped the rope and lifted his leg to swing it over the lip of the rock and nearly fell over. Instead of going over the lip like he had anticipated, he encountered a solid wall of invisible air. It was situated just behind where the teeth would have been on a normal person and as he tentatively pushed against it, he was pushed back down the tunnel by this mysterious invisible wall.

“Harry, what’s keeping you?” Ron called up.

Harry tried to exit again, but the wall held him securely inside the tunnel. As he called down his report, a grinding noise, similar to the one he had heard when the rune wall had moved, made him pause and look down. To his horror, Salazar Slytherin’s mouth was closing, and closing fast!

“Harry, can you hear us?” Hermione called.

“Yes!”

“We’re going to try to keep the mouth open for you,” she called. A moment later the grinding stopped.

Harry thrust an arm through the statue’s lips and to his surprise his arm passed through the barrier. The rest of his body however was not allowed to pass. Whatever was holding him within the tunnel clearly could distinguish between items touching his bag and body parts that were not.

Think, Potter, think! he commanded himself. How had the statue opened before? He wracked his brain, whizzing through the painful memories of that night so long ago. Then, he knew.

“Open up!” he commanded in Parseltongue. Nothing happened. He took his wand from his pocket, pointed it at the opening and tried again. Nothing happened. Frustrated, he jammed his wand in his jeans pocket, took off his pack, extracted Ravenclaw’s wand and tried again, pushing on the wall at the same time.

He didn’t know why, but it worked. Harry thrust the wand through the hand-sized opening in the wall and dropped it as the wall once again began to close, catching his arm and holding him in place. The tunnel shuddered as the giant lips began closing again, this time at a much faster rate. Far below, he heard Ron Summoning Ravenclaw’s wand as it fell, and Hermione vainly trying to keep the stone lips from closing.

It was no use. The mouth slid closed over Harry’s hand and began cutting off his circulation. The pain was almost unbearable. Desperately, he tried to pull his arm away, but he was stuck fast. More memories flew past his consciousness as he tried to remember what Tom Riddle had said to make the statue open its mouth. Then, he remembered.

Clutching his own wand in his free hand, he shouted the Parseltongue phrase with all his might, “Release me, Slytherin, greatest of the Hogwarts Four!”

For a painful second he thought nothing would happen. Then, ever so slowly, the wall holding him in place began to dissolve and Slytherin’s mouth opened wide enough to allow him to scramble through. Harry stood on the lip of the statue, breathing deeply and waiting for the feeling to come back into his hand. As soon as he could make a fist, he thrust his hands into his gloves and gripped the rope. His arm hurt with the effort.

“I’m coming down,” he called, throwing his leg over the mouth of the opening and sitting on the statue’s lip.

“Do you need help?” Ron called. “Can you grip with your hand?”

“Not very well,” Harry answered. “I’m coming down anyway.”

“We’ll help,” Hermione called and he felt a spell encircle him. “All right, Harry, come on down.”

Whatever spell she had cast on him made rappelling down a lot easier than it otherwise would have been. As he cleared the giant chin the mouth began to close again, but Harry didn’t care. They had come out of the tunnel relatively unscathed and he only had a few more feet before his trainers would touch the floor. Then, ten feet from the ground the grappling hook lost its hold and came sailing from between the statue’s lips, bringing his forgotten pack with it. The rope was yanked from his hands and he felt himself falling. But thanks to Hermione’s Arresting spell, Harry merely slid down Slytherin’s beard more slowly than he thought he would and landed with a soft thud between the statue’s toes.

“Cushioning charm,” Ron said when Harry had scrambled to his feet.

“Thanks,” he said, grinning. “I’m glad that’s over.”

“Yeah, I agree. Let’s get out of here.” Ron handed the Horcrux to Harry who put it back in his bag and the three of them turned towards the door to the entrance tunnel.

Hermione put a hand on Ron’s arm, stopping him. “My pain potion’s worn off. Ron, would you get me another vial please?”

Harry stood slightly apart from Ron and Hermione, letting them have a moment of privacy and giving himself a few seconds to gauge the damage done by the statue to his arm. From what he could see by the light of his wand, it was nothing but some bruises; he’d be sore for a few days if he didn’t put dittany on them soon, but that was all.

“All set,” Ron said, coming up behind him and tapping him on the shoulder.

Harry took one last glance around the chamber. “Let’s go,” he said. “Feeling better, Hermione?”

She nodded affirmatively and reminded Ron and Harry to stop at the Chamber entrance to pick up the potions ingredients they’d saved. Then, after making sure the doors closed with a final bang, they started back along the tunnel towards the rock fall and the burlap sacks they’d left beyond.

As they walked, Harry thought, We’re finally done, Ginny! We’re on our way up.

Ginny answered at once. Harry? Thank goodness! Neville and I were beginning to get worried. It’s been nearly twenty hours since you left. Are you all right?

He smiled as he told her, We’re fine... dirty, but fine, mostly. We’ll be there in a few minutes. Hermione’s been brilliant and Ron’s been a rock! I’ll tell you what I can when we get up there.

All right, Harry. See you in a few.

Yeah. Thanks, Ginny.


Ron and Harry helped Hermione through the hole in the rock fall and soon they were standing at the bottom of the pipe. Harry picked up the sodden burlap sacks. “These won’t do us much good now,” he said, dropping them back onto the floor.

“No, but they did make the slide down a lot more fun than last time,” Ron said. He knelt and rummaged in his pack, pulling out his Cleansweep and Harry’s Firebolt. Harry accepted his broom and looked at his friends in the dim light of their wands. Ron had an arm around Hermione’s waist as she straddled the broom in front of him, her injured arm cradled against her stomach.

She sucked in a breath, then said, “All right, I’m ready. Let’s get this over with.”

Harry led the way and several minutes later found himself once again standing on the sopping wet floor of Moaning Myrtle’s bathroom. As Ron and Hermione landed next to him, he was engulfed in a bone-crushing hug.

“Don’t you ever just go off and leave us like that again, Harry Potter!” Ginny exclaimed, stepping back. “And you, Ronald Weasley... no note, broom gone! Thank goodness Harry was nice enough to leave something under my door! Do you know how worried Neville and I have been?”

Ron burst out laughing at his sister’s tirade. “I should have known you’ve been taking lessons from Mum,” he said, giving her a hug.

Neville stepped up, his discomfiture with his surroundings evident on his face. “I recommend you don’t go anywhere without telling her again,” he said to Harry. He stuck a finger in his ear. “I’m glad you're back.”

Harry chuckled and muttered his thanks. “Ron, Hermione, we’d better get this stuff to Professor Dumbledore and Madam Pomfrey.”

The five set off for the headmaster’s office. At the gargoyle, Neville said, “Ginny and I will wait here, mate.”

“We’ll try to get this over with quickly,” Harry said, yawning. He gave the gargoyle the password and it jumped aside, letting Ron, Hermione and Harry take the spiral stairs up to where Professor Dumbledore was waiting.

“Welcome back, you three!” Professor Dumbledore exclaimed when they entered his office. “Were you successful?”

Harry smiled tiredly as he withdrew Rowena Ravenclaw’s wand from his bag and handed it over.

“Well done. I expect this was quite the adventure from the looks of you,” the headmaster said. Harry glanced down at his clothes and noticed that he was as grimy as he had been the first time he’d entered the Chamber of Secrets to rescue Ginny. “Did you have much trouble?”

“Some,” Harry answered. Together Harry, Ron and Hermione recounted the events of their excursion. They left out nothing and Professor Dumbledore only interrupted when clarification seemed necessary. He sat in silence, staring at them over his steepled fingers, when they were done.

“Thank you,” he said finally. He picked up the ancient wand, caressing its beautiful carvings. “Pity,” he muttered, shaking his head. His gaze swept over the three teens in front of him. “Who wants to do the honours?” he asked.

Harry spoke first. “We’ll do it together, sir,” he said. “As a team. You, me, Ron and Hermione.”

“And your weapon of choice?”

“Gryffindor’s sword,” He answered.

“Very good.” Professor Dumbledore opened the glass case behind his desk and extracted the gleaming ruby-encrusted sword. He handed it to Harry, then gave Hermione the wand. She set it on the stone floor as Dumbledore came round his desk.

“What’s the best way to do this, sir?” Ron asked.

“That crevice between the stones should hold it steady,” Dumbledore answered, pointing at the floor. “We will all take hold and cleave the wand on my count. Ready?”

Hermione, Ron and Harry gathered in a circle with Professor Dumbledore round the Horcrux. As Harry positioned the sword above it, the Horcrux began to tremble violently and he felt the fear within the wand. Before he could change his mind, he nodded to the others to place their hands on his and together they plunged the sword into the shaft of the wand.

Nothing happened for a moment. Then, an eerie wail filled the office as the wand split in two with a resounding CRACK! Harry and the others jumped back as luminous green smoke issued from the wand’s core and formed a Dark Mark that nearly filled the room.

Deletrius!” Professor Dumbledore commanded and the Dark Mark vanished.

“Professor! Professor! Is everything all right in there?” called Neville’s voice through the office door.

“We are quite all right, Mr Longbottom,” Dumbledore called back. “Please fetch Madam Pomfrey for us. We are done with our business and Miss Granger needs looking after.”

“Yes, sir,” Ginny and Neville called together.

When Madam Pomfrey arrived five minutes later, the office had been cleared of any evidence of the Horcrux’s presence and the sword of Gryffindor was back in its case. She was all business as she approached Hermione and removed the splint on her wrist.

“Please tell me everything,” she requested.

They told her only what they felt was necessary. She examined Hermione thoroughly. “How long ago did you take the second dose of pain potion?”

“Nearly an hour ago,” Harry answered.

“You’re a very lucky witch, Miss Granger,” she said when she finished. “Mr. Weasley did indeed fix the break when he healed you.”

“He did? Then why did my wrist hurt so much after Ron cast the spell?” Hermione asked.

“You had a normal reaction to the spell, but more likely the pain was fuelled by anxiety and fear. The three of you didn’t know if you’d been successful, so your precautions were justifiable. You’re right as rain, Miss Granger, thanks to your friends’ quick thinking,” Madam Pomfrey said approvingly. She turned towards the door, but stopped when Harry thanked her.

“We also have something for you,” Hermione said, holding out the biggest collection bag containing the Basilisk skin and bones. The fangs, Harry knew, were still concealed in Hermione’s bum bag.

Madam Pomfrey gaped at the collection bag. “Thank you,” she breathed and Harry found it funny that the normally unflappable matron seemed completely speechless. The smile left his face when she asked, “May I share this with Professor Snape?”

“Erm... I suppose so,” Hermione said, surprised. “It’s yours to do with as you please.”

“Very good,” Madam Pomfrey said. “There is a rare and powerful healing potion which I will have him brew with these ingredients. He is much more successful with this particular potion than I have ever been. Thank you. I appreciate your efforts in procuring these ingredients for me.”

She turned and bustled out of the office.

Professor Dumbledore cleared his throat. “I believe there are two very anxious people waiting by the gargoyle for you,” he said, his eyes twinkling. “It is late and the night grows short. I suggest you three go back to your quarters and get some rest. I will have Dobby bring trays to your rooms.” He stood and walked them to the office door. “Thank you,” he said, extending his hand to Harry, then Ron and Hermione.

The three said good night and descended the stairs to join Ginny and Neville for the walk back to Gryffindor Tower. They walked in silence, Harry with his arm around Ginny.

Later, as the sky above the mountains turned light grey, Harry joined Ginny in the Gryffindor common room. They ate together on the sofa facing the dancing fire, Ginny’s head on Harry’s shoulder.

When they finished, Ginny pulled up the sleeve of Harry’s shirt and examined the deep purple bruises caused by the statue.

“You went in that hole in Slytherin’s statue, didn’t you, Harry.” It wasn’t a question.

“We did.”

Ginny giggled quietly as she commented, “I’m very glad it didn’t eat you alive.”

“Me, too,” Harry said. He wondered absently whether it was too late to put dittany on his arm.

“Be right back,” Ginny said suddenly. She sprinted down the girls’ staircase and came back a few minutes later with a small bottle. “It’s not dittany, but Mum’s liniment always helps with the bruises I get playing Quidditch.”

Harry reached for the bottle, but Ginny shook her head. “Let me,” she requested.

Harry nodded and held out his arm. He didn’t know which felt better, the liniment taking away the stiffness and pain or the gentle circles and light pressure Ginny was using to apply it. It didn’t really matter. He laid his head back and finally, completely relaxed.

“How does that feel?” Ginny asked as she put the stopper back in the bottle.

Harry opened his eyes. He flexed his wrist and made a fist. “Heavenly,” he told her. “Thank you.”

He bent his head and placed a kiss on her forehead. She responded by lifting her head and capturing his lips in a passionate kiss. Harry felt her love flood through him, as well as her relief that he was safe and her anger at being left behind.

He pulled back. “I promise to let you know before hand, if I can, the next time Ron, Hermione and I go on an excursion,” he said, determinedly.

“Thank you, Harry. That’s all I ask,” Ginny said. “I’m glad you’re back safely from this one.”

“Me, too, Ginny. Me, too.” He bent his head once more to capture her lips. The sun rose steadily over the mountains as they deepened their kiss and eventually fell asleep in each other’s arms.





A/N: So ends the adventure, but not the story. There are many exciting things to come, including Ginny’s reaction to being left behind which you’ll read about in the next chapter.

Many thanks go out to my pre-betas GhostWriter and Bookish327 who helped me clarify the action and Aggiebell, my beta, whose sharp eye for spelling and comma mistakes changed “row” to “roe” when I was talking about fish eggs and wasn’t smart enough to spell the word correctly!

I sincerely hope you have enjoyed the chapter enough to tell me about it. Thanks for reading.


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