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The First Year, An Almost Happily Ever After Story | ||||||
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Category: Post-DH/AB Characters:Harry/Ginny Genres: Action/Adventure Warnings: None Story is Complete Rating: PG-13 Reviews: 103 Summary: Fairy tales end “And They Lived Happily Ever After,” but wars end with Post Traumatic Stress Disorders. Someone is taking hostages and wants to kill Harry and everyone close to him. Follow our favorite characters as they rebuild their lives the first year after the war, Harry as he becomes an Auror and finds out that life as a hero has its own challenges, Ginny as she finds out that having all your dreams come true does not solve all your problems, and the rest of the Weasley clan as they start to rebuild their lives. Hitcount: Story Total: 96942; Chapter Total: 3014 Awards: View Trophy Room Author's Notes: Thanks to my new Beta readers MinistryMalcontent and Cognitur (on the SYIE site), and to Quintaped71, PokePotterfan93 and robydawg on the FanFiction net site for their help with this chapter. |
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Sunday afternoon, October 11, Harry left for Romania. Harry left just after Ginny was released to go back to their rooms, on crutches. Madam Pomfrey had told her she was going to be on crutches for at least a week while the knee healed. A chill rain was blowing in solid gray sheets across the surface of the Black Lake to batter against the windows of the ancient castle as Harry made a final check of his luggage. The icy rage that gnawed at his stomach made the weather seem mild by comparison. His enemies had struck at Ginny to hurt him, and they had somehow managed to find Hogwarts students to do their dirty work! Were the Slytherin Beaters willing pawns, or had they somehow been compelled to play their parts? He wanted nothing more than to get the answer to that question himself, but that was not to be. Harry hated to leave an injured Ginny but his schedule had been set, and there was nothing he could do to help Ginny heal in any case. Ginny’s schedule was set by school, and the only difference for her was that she was going to be alone in their bedroom for the next 12 nights; Harry was not going to be back until late Friday the 23rd. She did have permission to leave Hogwarts to go to Grimmauld Place when she got a page on the wizard mobile, because at Grimmauld Place she could walk outside and quickly get to an area where she could get reception. She just needed to make sure one of the Aurors who shadowed her was with her when she left the Hogwarts grounds. Harry arrived at the Ministry in Romania late Sunday. The Ministry building was a somewhat disheveled Medieval looking stone building. In contrast to the Ministry building itself, carefully concealed in one of the few historic neighborhoods remaining in the center of Bucharest, the flat to which the Ministry representative directed Harry was high in the upper levels of a row of drab, concrete tower blocks. There were no elevators, neither Muggle nor magical. At least I'll be able to Apparate up to this room from now on, Harry thought as he forced open the recalcitrant door to his assigned flat. The room's interior was only marginally more welcoming. Charms and transfiguration had been lavishly applied to provide a comfortable decor, but they failed to conceal the shoddy workmanship of the underlying structure. Magical lights substituted for inoperable Muggle electrical fittings. Pipes banged and gurgled noisily in the corners of the room. "Bugger," Harry muttered as his thoughts flew back to the familiar, comfortable suite at Hogwarts where Ginny waited for him. Grimmauld Place was more welcoming than this. His spirits, already low from having to leave his wife behind, plummeted even further. Harry tried to call Ginny to let her know that he had arrived safely, but she didn’t answer right away. While he was waiting Harry started to add additional silencing charms to the walls of his accommodations. Ginny had to notify Tammy Lewis, the Auror who was usually with her at night, and then together she and Tammy took the floo to Grimmauld place. It was a half hour of bother before she was finally able to call Harry. Harry didn’t answer right away, but he did text JUST A MOMENT. Finally he came on line. “The apartments are magical enough that I have to stand outside to get a call,” Harry said. “Sorry it took me so long to call you,” Ginny said. “It’s just harder to get around on these bloody crutches. Are you safe?” “I should be safe enough,” Harry said. “There is some pretty good security for the students anyway, and as usual I have an extra Auror. How are you doing?” “The leg hurts,” Ginny said. “I’m feeling just a little insecure after the attack. I really don’t want to complain, but please call every night. I love you and already miss you.” “I miss you too, Ginny,” Harry said. “It’s amazing just how quickly you get used to talking every morning and night.” Harry thought that Ginny was not the only one feeling insecure about the attack and Ginny playing Quidditch. It was a sometimes brutal and dangerous game, and the very courage that he so admired in his Ginny also worried him. Everyone had to be at breakfast at 7:00 AM, and by 8:00 AM the classes started. They were held in the same Ministry building complex, an island of magical and somewhat medieval buildings in the middle of the city. The teachers had each of the students tell the class something about themselves. There was a fair amount of bragging. Several of the students had won duelling contests where they had gone to school. There were four Russians, two witches and two wizards, tall and blond, with fancy robes and arrogant attitudes, and six North Americans dressed in Muggle clothes, supremely confident that the combinations of the different schools and their different ways of teaching duelling gave them an advantage. There were a couple of students from South America, and the rest from Europe. Harry and a French witch were the only single people from their country. When it came time for Harry to introduce himself he just said, “I’m Harry Potter and I am an Auror trainee from The United Kingdom.” The last person to introduce herself was the French Witch, who said, “I am Laura DuPont, an Auror candidate from France. My mother is American, and I went to school both in the United States and France, graduating from Beauxbatons. You have to be at the top of your class in duelling to become an Auror in France!” Harry took a good look at Laura. She was about as short as Ginny, but she was a lot curvier. She was noticeably bigger on top, just as thin in the middle, and significantly rounder on the bottom as well. The pink blouse she was wearing had a scooped neckline showing enough bust to show that all that shape was real. Her skirt was tight around her bottom, showing a beautiful pair of hips. She seemed to be somewhat of a flirt too. During the morning they duelled against each other, one on one. Harry won all his matches. Even when he had to use unfamiliar spells he learned them easily, and although a few matches were a bit of a challenge for Harry in each duel he finally won. After a quick lunch they duelled in pairs, trying to learn how to work with a partner. Harry and Laura were paired, and with Harry’s help they won most of their matches. When they did not win sometimes Laura was disarmed, and then Harry had to fight two people at once, which he usually could do. Only once was he disarmed, against two instructors trying to demonstrate something. Shortly after five they were given enough study material to keep them busy until night, and dismissed for dinner. Laura brushed up against Harry saying, “Tell me a little about yourself,” in a coquettish way. Harry was alarmed at how forward Laura was getting. He needed to put a stop to it right away! At the same time he did not want to be too blunt, but he needed to let Laura know that he was married and not in the market for a girlfriend. “Do you know Gabrielle Delacour?” Harry asked. “She is a few years younger than I am, but I know who she is,” Laura replied. “She is at Beauxbatons. How do you know her?” “Her sister Fleur is married to my brother-in-law Bill Weasley,” Harry responded. “I married Bill’s sister Ginny.” “You’re married?” Laura asked, astonished. “Oh yes, very married!” Harry exclaimed, showing his rings. “As soon as we are done with dinner I need to go someplace where the magic is not too strong and use my mobile to call to Ginny. She has to go someplace herself to receive the call, but we have it worked out.” “How often will you call her?” Laura asked. “Every night if I can,” Harry replied. Laura looked hard at Harry. “You’re Harry Potter!” Laura finally said, rather quietly. “The Harry Potter who beat Lord Voldemort in a duel, one on one!” “Call him Tom Riddle, he was just a man,” Harry emphasized. “Don’t tell anyone else. I’m kind of enjoying not being something special.” “You’re by far the best dueller here, Harry,” Laura said. “I don’t think you are going to avoid being noticed. I know you had to learn a couple of new spells, and you were better than witches and wizards who already knew them right away.” “Thanks,” Harry said. “Ever since the Battle I’ve had more power in my wand, and had a little trouble at first controlling it. It’s kind of nice, really.” Right after dinner Harry left the compound and went across the street, followed by a nervous Auror, and called Ginny. When they finally spoke Harry said, “Hi, love. Glad you could get away and call. How are you? How is the knee?” “It’s a bother getting around on crutches, but I’m managing. The knee doesn’t hurt too much. Nothing else new here,” Ginny said. “How are your classes going?” “Really well,” Harry said enthusiastically. “I’ve learned several new spells already. We have things to study tonight, and should be learning more about why certain spells work tomorrow. We are duelling singly and in pairs, and learning how to duel as part of a pair is another useful skill I want to make sure our Aurors know.” “So did they pair you with a cute little witch?” asked Ginny. “For some reason all of the pairs are witch wizard pairs,” Harry replied. “Most of the other countries sent pairs, but for some reason France only sent one witch. She is pretty curvy. I made sure to tell her I am safely married!” “So I shouldn’t be worried about you with some curvy French witch when I am not going to be seeing you for almost two weeks!” Ginny exclaimed. “Why would you be worried about me?” Harry asked, honestly confused. “After all those witches wrote to you offering to be your girlfriend or wife or even to just have sex with you of course I’m worried,” Ginny said. Harry answered, “I’ve never wanted anyone else, not since we were first together.” Ginny replied, “I trust you, Harry, I really do, but I’m still jealous. I swear I’ll Bat Bogy Hex any witch bitch who makes a pass for you.” “I haven’t told Laura about your Bat Bogey Hex yet, but maybe I should,” Harry laughed. “I think I’d better. If either of us is tempted the thought of your Bat Bogey Hex should keep us on the straight and narrow.” “I’d better hear from you every night, Harry,” Ginny firmly retorted “You’d think I’d have gotten over all those witches who wrote to you after the Battle of Hogwarts, and I have, sort of, but I’m still jealous.” “The Auror guarding me is getting nervous, Ginny,” Harry said. Ginny replied, “We’d better go. Same time tomorrow?” “Probably,” Harry said. “Every night. I love you.” “Love you too, Harry,” Ginny said. ‘Curvy witch partner’ she thought as she took the Floo back to Hogwarts. ‘The only thing worse is that she’s a little curvy French witch, phlegm like Fleur. I shouldn’t think badly of Fleur. She’s turned out to be all right.’ Ginny had a harder time getting to sleep than she normally did that night. Harry went back into the compound. Laura was waiting, and asked, “What did Ginny say?” “That I needed to tell you she has a mean Bat Bogy Hex, and not to even think about it, about me,” a grinning Harry replied. “She’s not kidding either! Even if I was tempted, which I’m really not, getting Ginny mad at you is a spectacularly bad idea.” “Thank you for the warning, Harry,” Laura responded, trying to figure out just what Harry and Ginny’s relationship was. There was something in the way Harry said it that made Laura feel that Harry really was not tempted. She also did not doubt that Harry’s wife was jealous and not someone to be trifled with. When Harry read the assignments he got excited. There was a lot of information on why certain spells did what they did, and why and how to use certain spells. Harry tried to go right to sleep after reading his assignments, but sleep did not come easily. There was a lot of new material from the class. There was also Laura. Although Harry was not really tempted to cheat on Ginny it was hard not to remember Laura’s shape. She had a very sexy shape and manner and … no, any thoughts along that line were stupid … two weeks away … put those thoughts out of your mind. Focus on Ginny, Harry thought. The next two days were spent in duelling, with a lot more theory, more advanced spells and combination of spells. There was also a lot of analysis by the professors on your individual duelling style, what you did right and what needed more work.” Harry’s thought that he would remain anonymous was shattered Tuesday morning when one of the Romanian students said, “Potter? Didn’t you just defeat Lord Voldemort in a duel to the death, one on one? I heard he was wielding the Death Stick, and you beat him. Having you in this class is not fair!” Harry had to acknowledge who he was, and try to downplay his abilities, something that was a little hard to do since he was obviously so good. The middle of Wednesday a couple of wand makers came in to examine the wands and how you wielded it. Both were amazed when they analysed Harry’s wand. “This wand has been touched by the Elder Wand,” one of them said. “Who used the Elder Wand on this wand?” the other one asked Harry. “I used it to repair this wand, which was broken,” Harry said. The first wizard said, “Every wand in the world traces their ancestry back to the first two wands. One, the Elder Wand, has been used for evil for most of the last thousand years, but Dumbledore used it for good. Wand Makers really want that wand in good hands again.” “The female wand is also missing, rumoured to be involved in evil,” the other Wand Maker said. Harry was not inclined to tell anyone where the Elder Wand was. Something about the way the wand makers talked about the Elder Wand made Harry nervous, but Harry had a free floating anxiety about a world of things. Maybe Riddle, Voldemort was gone but to Harry the world was still not a very safe place. Thursday they started a new class, on identifying dark magic. There were spells you could use, but if you were good you could just feel if some magic was dark. Harry was helped by the experiences he had been through with Professor Dumbledore and Tom Riddle. “A lot of magic you are going to be dealing with is neither good nor bad. It all depends on how it is used,” one of the professors lectured. “There are a lot of ways of hiding doors and other types of entrances, and there is nothing intrinsically bad about most of them. A large part of identifying dark magic is just making you sensitive to magic in general.” Harry had been sensitized to magic in places in his previous seven years, and when they were led to several walls Harry just had to hold his hands up to the walls, sometimes with his wand and sometimes without it, and remember the cave where Tom Riddle’s locket was supposed to be, and how it felt, and he could usually feel where the magic was. A little help with a couple of spells from the instructors and Harry was as good as anyone else in the class, and sometimes quite a bit better, at identifying magic. The classes for identifying magic were held all over the city, and in caves and odd nooks around the city. Frequently they were in tight quarters. Several times Harry could feel where a door was and Laura did not have a clue. Eventually Harry found out that by holding Laura’s hands in his, putting her hands on the wall but standing behind her with his hands touching hers, he could point out where the magic was. It was an extremely effective teaching technique. Laura had such a curvy shape that it was also erotic, to Harry’s great consternation. It was hard not to enjoy their bodies touching. Friday afternoon was particularly difficult for Harry, as the exercises seemed to involve a lot of touching. Harry and Laura finished up a little early, and sat down next to each other as the rest of the class finished up. “You’re a real Puritan, Harry,” Laura said. “You’re afraid to touch me and enjoy it, even though there is no way I want to take the place of your Ginny. Let me talk to Ginny, let her know how good a man you are, and that I’m honestly no threat.” “She’s pretty jealous, Laura,” Harry said. “It may backfire.” “I’d like to talk to the witch that’s so thoroughly won your heart anyway,” Laura said. By this time Harry and the Auror who picked up shadowing him as he left the compound had found what they thought was a very secure place for Harry to make calls on the mobile, at a booth in a tacky little restaurant in a Muggle section of town right next to the apartments for the students, and Harry and Laura, followed by the Auror, went to the restaurant and ordered some coffee. Harry called Ginny about four thirty, two to two and a half hours before he usually called. Within ten minutes Ginny was standing in a front window at Grimmauld Place, where after some curse removal and other remodelling Ginny found out she could receive calls without standing outside. “Hello Ginny,” Harry said when they had established a connection. “How are you?” “Standing on crutches in construction mess,” Ginny replied. “I hope all this construction is worth it. I don’t want to live in the old Black house, but I’m having a hard time visualizing what the house is going to be like when it’s finished. Why the early call?” “We got out of class early, and the next couple of days are going to be a little easier,” Harry responded. “Laura DuPont wanted to talk to you.” “Oh,” said Ginny, and then waited. After a brief uncomfortable period of silence Harry handed the phone to Laura. Laura cheerily greeted Ginny with, “Hello Ginny. I just want you to know you have the best husband! Monday I was trying to figure out just how available he was, and Monday night at dinner he made it known right away that he was happily married and not even tempted to fool around.” There was silence at the other end of the line, although Laura could tell someone was listening. Finally Laura said, “You know Harry is something of a Puritan. Do you know what that means?” “No,” Ginny said curtly. Laura replied, “A Puritan is someone who sexually real straight and narrow, like no sex before marriage and certainly no fooling around. It’s cute how awkward he is around other women. He’s a real good man, and I just hope I can find a husband as nice and as faithful as Harry.” There was another long period of silence. “She isn’t very talkative, is she?” asked Laura of Harry, although with the phone held so Ginny could hear. “Oh Ginny can be very talkative,” Harry said. “I just don’t think she knows what to say to you.” “May I talk to Harry, please,” Ginny said. Laura passed the mobile on to Harry. “Hello again,” Harry said. “What does that witch want with me?” asked Ginny. “I don’t think Laura wants anything from you, Ginny,” Harry replied. “I’ve talked about you, how much I love you and admire you, how brave and tough you are. ‘She must be quite a woman,’ Laura has said to me, and, ‘I’d like to meet her.’” There was another long pause. “How are you, Ginny?” Harry finally asked. “Lonely,” Ginny replied. “Hermione and I talk, but mostly about school work, and Hanna and I talk some although she is mostly busy with Neville, but at night it’s real lonely and its lonely getting up in the morning. I wish you were not going to be gone another week.” After another pause she said, “I know you have to go to these classes. I’m not trying to stop you from becoming the best Auror you can be.” “I’m sorry if my being gone is making you unhappy,” Harry said. “You have to do this, just like we had a lot we had to do last year,” Ginny said. “I’m sorry if I’m not happier about it. Maybe it’s because I’m still on crutches and, oh I don’t know, nothing seems quite right. Did your classes go well today?” “Yes,” Harry replied. “The classes are worth it. I’m continuing to learn, and so much of the learning builds on itself. I can see how important it is for us to stay here and keep working identifying magic. It really does get easier the more you do it.” “So they are worried that one good shag and you’ll forget all that you’ve learned?” Ginny retorted, starting to wind up, and then louder, “If I wasn’t stuck at school, with strict limits on how much I can leave, I’d rush right over there and, … with that book and all the spells for endurance … and wear you out with … can that Laura hear what I’m saying?” “I’m really not supposed to leave, Ginny,” Harry said, “but I will check and see if you can come over tomorrow night. I miss you too!” “I really want to, Harry, but it’s just a lot of bother for a couple of hours, and I’m going to be on crutches another week which makes getting around and everything more difficult, and … Oh forget it,” Ginny said, her voice cracking. “Is that Laura … person still there?” Laura was trying very hard not to laugh, and getting very red and looking a little embarrassed. Harry looked at Laura and quietly said to Ginny, “I don’t think she heard much, but you might try a little harder not to talk quite so loud. Why don’t I call you again after dinner? You can tell me more about how your classes are going, and I’ll tell you a little more about my classes.” Ginny started to yell, “YOU TELL THAT LAURA THAT I CAN BE NASTY AND MEAN AND VINDICTIVE, AND THAT I HAVE A LARGE REPATOUR OF HEXES BESIDES MY BAT BOGEY HEX!” and then much quieter, “I’m sorry Harry, I’m just not at my best right now. Please call back tonight! I just miss you.” “Tonight, love you,” Harry said as he watched the mobile disconnect. “They tortured her at Hogwarts last year,” Harry said to Laura. “She has two big scars.” Harry had gotten a little embarrassed. “I was working on things with Ginny’s brother and his fianc and didn’t see Ginny for the better part of a year. She was at several major battles; I think I’ve told you that. She is tougher than any woman I can imagine, but being gone and almost loosing me more than once and she’s a little, she really misses me when I’m gone.” “I guess the sex isn’t bad either,” Laura kidded Harry. Harry wished he could get Laura’s mind off sex. He laughed, showing a little embarrassment. “She’s pretty eager! There are a lot of very good things about being married to that fiery red-head.” Harry and Ginny did talk again after dinner. . Harry was worried about Ginny; she just wasn’t handling him being gone very well, which was unusual for her. Maybe it was because she was hurt. Harry was used to being hurt, but not used to having the woman he loved hurt. He went back to the tacky little apartment; in so many ways it was a palace compared to the closet he spent so many years in, but it sure wasn’t home. Sunday morning Harry was able to take enough time off to call the family at the New Burrow. Ginny had permission to use the Floo to go to the New Burrow for the Sunday morning family breakfast. Shortly after the phone call Fleur found Ginny sort of pacing back and forth, still on the crutches, obviously very uptight. “Miss Arry?” Fleur asked. Ginny nodded yes. “You look very upset, Ginny” said Fleur. Ginny stared back at Fleur with a furious look on her face. Fleur suggested, “Ginny, there are healers that ave potions that can help you relax, and many other things that healers ave to help you.” Ginny exploded. “I am not crazy! I don’t need any help! I know what you think. I got married too young! I’m just not grown up enough! Poor Ginny just can’t handle her Harry being gone! I AM NOT CRAZY. I’M FINE. I CAN HANDLE THIS WHY SHOULD I CARE IF HARRY IS IN CLASS WITH A CURVY FRENCH WITCH AND I’M HERE ALONE. JUST LEAVE ME ALONE…. Oh Fleur, what’s wrong with me?” At this point Ginny was close to tears, and she let Fleur come over and hold her in her arms. The rest of the family had heard the tirade and was either in the room or looking into the room. Fleur said, “Do not tell Arry,” to the rest of the family. “I talk to Ginny alone.” Then she said to Ginny, “I am going to have a healer see you in infirmary Monday. Promise me you will go.” Ginny looked at her sister-in-law for a little, but finally nodded yes. By this time Ginny had gotten control of her emotions, and said, “I’m really sorry, Fleur. I shouldn’t have blown up like that.” “Is all right, Is hard when your man is gone,” Fleur responded. “Why is it so hard?” asked Ginny. “Why?” asked Fleur back at Ginny. “Tell me why is so hard.” “Harry was gone all of last year, and I felt abandoned and left out,” Ginny replied. “I’m much more secure in our love now. I used to get worried when other witches wrote to Harry and wanted him; now I’m just mad at them, but I’m not worried about Harry at all.” Ginny took a couple of big breaths, and stared at Fleur some more. “I just miss Harry. Talking every day helps a little; maybe it helps a lot. I’m just a real physical person, and I really like, it’s like, you’re married, Fleur, the physical part of marriage. The holding and even casual touching. The sex. Ron and Hermione are not even in the same bed every night, they can go two or three days without seeing each other, but I want Harry every night. I’m glad we are studying together but at the end of the night it’s like my bedtime routine is making love and then going to sleep, like I just can’t sleep alone. Is that a little extreme? Not normal? It’s like everything that’s bad is gone when he makes love to me.” “Is all right,” Fleur responded. “Most couples don’t every night, but is all right. Does Arry mind?” “Only once in a while when he is real tired,” said Ginny. “Mostly he thinks it’s …, I think he really likes it! Sometimes in the middle of the day or a morning when neither of us has to do anything we … and it’s not always me. Harry gets a wicked grin on his face and I’m sure he likes it too.” “Is always all right with you?” asked Fleur. “Mostly,” responded Ginny. “The couple of times I said … I asked … like I just indicated that we would do it at night but maybe … and he ready did not seem to mind. And around my period, there are spells that can help, and you can still do it, and if it is messier you can clean it up, but sometimes I’d just rather not. He is so considerate, Fleur, maybe more considerate than I am. I miss him.” Maybe I just need another woman to talk to when Harry’s gone. I so admire you. You just always seem to be in control. It’s hard to imagine anything bad ever happening to you, anything that you couldn’t handle.” Fleur looked at Ginny. “Fleur the perfect?” she asked. Ginny nodded yes. “Fleur, left France because could not live there anymore,” Fleur said. “Fleur the angry.” “Why Fleur?” Ginny asked, her mind not totally on herself anymore. Fleur gave a big sigh, and it looked like she was having a hard time getting the story out. “Don’t tell. Bill, he knows. He knew after first date. Many people know in France, but not so much here. Last year at Beauxbatons, raped. Sex is so good with Veela, Fleur is so beautiful, Son … of … betch brag how he going to, and then he RAPE me, in front of friends. “I tell. I angry. I make big scene. He pay big fine, dowry, bride price, but no prison. Quidditch seeker hero, Rich … SON … OF … BETCH. Boyfriend break up because I not virgin, I ruined. Another son of betch.” Fleur took Ginny’s hands in her hands. “Bill is soo good. He make me feel beautiful again. Veela girl make her man happy, after he very very patient with angry Veela girl. I go to see healers too. Is still hard sometimes.” By this time Fleur was crying, and the two women hugged each other and sat with each other for no small amount of time. “Talk to the healers,” Fleur finally said, and Ginny nodded yes again. Monday morning Ginny was notified that on her first free period she had an appointment in the infirmary. Between some potions and a little counseling starting twice the first week and following once a week for the rest of the fall Ginny got control of her emotions. She began to understand that Harry was very even tempered, and she was not. She knew that she had a volatile temper, but never understood that her emotional highs and lows were just much greater than Harry’s. Just one more area where life was going to take work, not just magically be “Happily Ever After.” She needed to be happy for Harry and happy herself even if Harry was busy. The sessions with the healers really did Ginny a lot of good. Her biggest problem, she discovered, what not that she could not handle Harry being gone, but that she had expectations that her life would be more like some cross between her parents' life and her Happily Ever After dreams, and Harry being gone over a weekend was just so unexpected that it really upset her. During the second week Harry realized that some of the discussions he had been having with Al Van Lente and the other Aurors over the last 2 weeks were giving him a lot of insight into what to look for, and also what questions to ask. It was like everything that not only Dumbledore but everybody else was trying to teach him was relevant to the classes. Most of the duelling took place in a room in the Ministry complex that was maybe half as big as the Great Hall at Hogwarts, but with a ceiling much lower than the ceiling of the Great Hall. It was a stone room like most of the rooms in the castle, with a few tapestries on the walls, and a series of raised walkways that varied in width from six feet to twenty feet wide and thirty to a hundred feet long. The duelling got harder and harder, but Harry was handling it well, winning most of his matches and not losing any of them outright. Thursday morning they were in an especially fierce two on two duel, Harry and Laura against a Russian pair. Suddenly a witch and wizard that Harry did not recognize joined the fight, jumping on the platform behind Harry and Laura, and Harry could see the distinctive jets of the Avada Kedavra curse coming at him from four directions. He set up a shield charm around Laura and himself, doubting that it would work against four curses. For a brief moment Harry remembered the moment when Riddle had sent the Avada Kedavra curse at him and killed his Horcrux, the awful feeling that he was going to die and lose everything dear to him. There was some sort of shield that suddenly came over each of the witches and wizards that had thrown the Avada Kedavra curse, catching and deflecting the curse and confining the curse throwers. There was a sudden rush of other activity. Harry told Laura, “Stay on guard. I have no idea what is going on, but I’m almost sure this is not part of our lesson.” “Do you think someone really wanted to kill us?” Laura asked. “I think someone wanted to kill me,” Harry said as he turned around. “Remember, back to back, touch my back to feel which way I am turning, and keep your eyes open for anything suspicious.” Laura put her back right against Harry’s back and kept her eyes flitting around trying to take in everything as Harry turned around two complete times. Harry carefully surveyed what was going on, finally ending up looking at the four who had thrown the curses and were now confined. Harry was at the same time really mad and terrified. All of the other students were being led out of the duelling area, and Harry was almost sure their memories were being modified as they left the area. The staff made no move to remove Harry. When everybody was gone someone Harry didn’t recognize came over and said, “For the Romanian Wizarding Community I want to apologize. We have good charms and spells in place to catch someone who tries to throw a killing curse, but an attack like this is almost unheard of. “Oh too bad, someone just tried to kill you,” Harry yelled. “Don’t you dare try to modify my memories. Do you recognize any of these witches and wizards?” “Those two are two of the Russian students,” Harry said. “I have no idea who the others are.” “We are trying to find out why they attack you,” the Romanian witch said, “but so far they are not cooperating, which is not surprising.” The witch that was in charge of the classes came over and said, “The duelling room has special charms to keep killing curses from killing anyone and capturing anyone throwing one. There are also special spells to keep you from remembering this.” “DON’T YOU DARE wipe my memory, whatever you did to the rest of the class,” Harry said forcefully. “I’m the one they tried to kill, and I need to know this.” “Laura?” asked the witch. “Bind her to secrecy but let her remember,” Harry said. “Even if she is just my partner for another couple of days she has to remember.” The Romanians agreed to Harry’s request. Later the witch took Harry aside. “Please do not mention the spell in the duelling room, Harry. We have caught several potential assassins with this spell. We are aware you have enemies, and have taken special precautions with you.” Harry and the witch had a couple more discussions on the incident that week. “You have made a lot of enemies by killing Voldemort,” she said. “Tom Riddle had a lot of contacts all over the continent, it seems,” Harry said. “Were they his allies, or just supporters of a pure blood agenda?” “Some were just criminals,” she replied. “He was in contact with some in the Wizarding Community in contact with Dementors in Asia. The North American Ministry kept him out of North America, but the Americas have their own problems.” Harry asked, “Why do they want to kill me? It’s not like I’m out to arrest or kill every dark wizard in the world. I’m going to be thrilled just to capture the dark wizards in Britain and keep my little corner of the world safe.” “You’re important and will probably have great influence well beyond your little island kingdom of Great Britain, Harry,” the witch replied, to Harry’s discomfort. When Harry and Ginny talked that night and Ginny asked about his day Harry said, “A little more excitement than usual, but the Romanian Ministry has everything under control. The duelling got a little out of hand. I’m glad the Romanians have experience in this and are prepared for people trying to use forbidden curses in the excitement of the moment, because no one was hurt. It just got a little exciting.” “You weren’t in any danger, where you?” Ginny asked, getting worried about Harry’s safety again. “Probably not in any more danger than we are already in,” Harry replied. “I am inclined to make sure I have an Auror guarding me, and you need to make sure you don’t lose your escorts either.” To Harry’s great surprise Fleur contacted Harry towards the end of the second week. “Hello, Arry, is Fleur,” she said on the mobile. “It’s good to hear from you Fleur, but why are you calling?” asked Harry. “Ginny, she needs a little more Arry time, maybe this weekend, Arry,” Fleur said. “Do not tell her that Fleur said anything, but she really is having a hard time you being gone two weeks. Maybe a hotel vacation Saturday. I tell McGonagall, so you can take er away.” “I don’t know a good hotel to take her to,” Harry said. “I have one,” Fleur replied. “I will have reservations Saturday afternoon, night. See me before you go back to Hogwarts.” “Thank you, Fleur. Is Ginny really that bad?” Harry replied. “Ginny will be all right, but has been hard on her. She will get better,” Fleur reassured Harry. Friday morning Ginny was finally able to walk without crutches. All week she had been putting more and more weight on the knee. It was still stiff, but it seemed to be working. Ginny was told that as long as she did not injure it again it would probably not give her too much trouble, but that it was never going to be normal. Friday afternoon as the classes came to a close all the students were given a chance to tell the others what the class had taught them. As before there was a lot of bragging, and students telling how they learned they had to ‘hate’ the opponent and want them totally vanquished, how important winning and victory was. There was a lot of talk about the glory of winning in battle. Harry sat in a corner bothered by all the bragging. Few of the students had been in a real life or death battle, and he got the feeling that none of them had seen the death and destruction he had. This duelling was all just a game. Finally one of the students asked “Well, Potter, how did it feel when you killed Lord Voldemort. Wasn’t that the most satisfying, proudest moment in your life?” Harry got up and looked at the class. “It felt like shit,” he said. “Everybody talks like all this duelling is some sort of fun game.” Harry paced back and forth a couple of times, trying to calm down, trying to compose his thoughts. “I’ve faced death more times that I can count,” he finally said. “I was scared every time. Winning felt like, like I’d gotten away this time but … I still can’t believe that the man Tom Riddle is gone. “Part of me did die when Riddle cursed me, in the forest, before the battle you talked about. And when I died I saw what Riddle was, what he would become if he died. A pathetic shrunken thing, like a baby with so little humanity left that there was no person left, just the shell that once was a person. Is that what you want? To kill and kill and in the end kill yourself? “There is no glory in killing. Just survival, if you are lucky. “How do you tell a mother that you saw her son die? I had to. It doesn’t feel good at all. How would you tell a mother you killed her son, her daughter? A wife or husband that you killed their spouse? A child that you killed their parent? “It’s not just winning, it’s how you win. It’s capturing the evil witches and wizards, but then having compassion on them and their families. It’s not becoming as bad as the people we are fighting. “There is no glory in killing. You are just a scared person trying to survive, or else you are in danger of becoming what we are fighting, one of those bad people who loves killing. “If one of you ever wins a duel but has to kill your opponent I will not say to you ‘congratulations.’ I will say ‘I’m sorry’ because that’s how I feel.” Harry sat down, looking glum. One of the students said, “Potter, don’t try and tell me that you’ve never used an Unforgivable Curse.” Harry said. “I tried to use the Cruciatus Curse a couple of times, but it didn’t work. I did use it once at the Battle of Hogwarts. I can’t say I’m proud I used it. Thinking back I wish I hadn’t used it, and that I had told others to confine the person but not to kill him. “As Aurors my wish is that you never succumb to using an Unforgivable Curse, no matter how much you are provoked. I know I hope I never fail myself and use an Unforgivable again.” One of the instructors got up and said, “As an Auror I had to kill an opponent once. He was a very bad wizard. “I then had to tell his wife and two little children. Two days later I found out that the wife had killed the children and then herself. Do you think I feel good about that victory? All I can think of is what I could have done short of killing him, how I could have done it differently? “Thank you Harry. To the rest of you, I hope you learned enough that you can win without ever having to kill anyone.” Harry looked at the class. He thought some of the students were thinking about what they had heard, but others were too proud or arrogant to listen, and that made him sad and worried. ‘There is no glory in killing,’ he thought again. Harry got back very late Friday October 23. He had in his hand information from Fleur on hotel reservations in London at one of the better hotels, one with an indoor pool and several good restaurants, with many other good restaurants and things to see close by. Harry and Ginny started out with a good deal of kissing and holding, and then Harry told Ginny, “I have permission to take you away with me from whenever we can leave tomorrow to Sunday night. I have reservations at a Muggle hotel with an indoor pool and plenty of good restaurants.” Ginny smiled a huge smile and replied, “I hope it has a good bed! I intend to spend some time with you making up to me for being gone for so long!” “I’m sure that can be arranged,” Harry gladly responded. Saturday morning Ginny had Quidditch practice, the first time she had been able to practice herself since her injury, but Saturday afternoon Ginny and Harry left Hogwarts. They took the Floo to Grimmauld Place, and from there a ministry car picked them up and drove them to the hotel. The Aurors stayed a discrete distance away as Harry and Ginny went up to register and get their room keys. The Hotel was a very large one, and even though she had been at the Ministry of Magic a number of times Ginny was not prepared for the size of the hotel. It was built around a large atrium, so there was a huge center section of the hotel open. At thirty four floors it was much taller than Hogwarts. It had two sets of elevators on the inside, with glassed in sides. Ginny was used to flying, but even so going up the elevator looking out the glass sides was a new experience. As they arrived at the top floor Ginny got out, looked over the railing at the atrium and the glass roof over it, the people eating and walking around down below, and said, “They built all this without magic?” “Just Muggle science and engineering,” Harry replied. As they got to their room Harry passed the card that served as a key through the slot and a light turned green, and then Harry opened the door. Ginny had never seen magic like that light turning green, and then the lock clicked. She looked at the card with a questioning look. “More Muggle magic,” Harry said. “Where is the bed?” Ginny asked as they went into the first room of the suite. “I think through here,” said Harry as he led Ginny into the next room. “A bath tub in the bedroom,” asked Ginny as she saw a large hot tub in the room. “That’s for two people to sit in and soak, and maybe play,” Harry said with a lusty grin. Ginny went over and looked into the hot tub, and got a big grin on her face. Then she went over and waved her wand at the king size bed and the covers came off. “You were gone twelve days, and you’ve only made up one,” she said (referring to sex that morning) as she pulled Harry over to the bed. The kissed and made out, gradually removing clothes. After they were only ten times behind they took a shower, then filled the hot tub and sat in that for about an hour, playing with each other. Finally Harry had Ginny as turned on as maybe she had ever been, and they quickly did drying spells and went back to the bed. Later on in the afternoon they left the hotel room to investigate the hotel. They did find the indoor pool, with quite a number of people in it. Ginny looked at the swimming suits on the women and at Harry and said, “I need a new swimming suit.” There was a shop in the hotel that sold some clothing, including swim wear. Ginny talked Harry into buying a small form fitting suit, and she purchased a rather revealing two piece suit. They also purchased bath robes to wear when they were going to and from the pool. Harry and Ginny went up to their room to change. When they were in the suits Ginny looked at how little of her bottom and breasts were covered and blushed and said, “I’m not going to wear this when we are swimming at the pond. Mother would kill me if she saw me in this.” “Does your mother swim?” asked Harry. “Oh yes, she has a one piece that covers up almost everything,” Ginny replied. After an hour in the pool they went back to the room to change. They put on the nicest Muggle clothes they had and went down to dinner. Ginny looked at the eight page menu at the restaurant and almost panicked. “How do I choose from all this?” she asked. “I don’t even know what a lot of this is!” Between Aunt Petunia’s cook books and experiments, not all of which were that successful, and all the traveling with Bill during the summer, Harry had a much better idea of what was on the menu, and he led Ginny through her options. The dinner was as good as anything Ginny had ever had, and it was by far the most elegant restaurant she had ever been in. She left the restaurant feeling like a princess, and the frustration of Harry being gone was beginning to leave her. They did talk about the class. Ginny could tell there was something bothering Harry as they talked, and she gently tried to get it out of him. Finally Friday after dinner Ginny saw Harry staring out the window, that ‘something is bothering me’ expression on his face. Instead of trying to distract Harry she looked at him for a number of minutes, and finally said, “You have that brooding look on your face again. What’s bothering you, Harry?” “You do know me,” Harry replied. “I’m married to you!” Ginny responded. “I love you. I know you brood over all kinds of things. What is it this time?” Harry shook his head. “Just some of the students in class seemed to think there was something glorious about killing your opponent. I hope I never have to kill anyone or order anyone else to kill someone,” Harry said. “You kill a little of yourself whenever you kill someone.” “You are a very good person, Harry Potter,” Ginny replied. “I know you would never do anything wrong.” “I used the Cruciatus Curse at the Battle of Hogwarts,” Harry said. “I’m not proud I did. I tried to use it against Bellatrix at the Battle of the Ministry, but I guess I didn’t have enough hate in me. I’m ashamed that I had enough hate then.” “Do you think you have enough hate now?” Ginny asked. “Probably not,” Harry admitted. “I hope not.” “See, you are a very good person,” Ginny said again. She distracted Harry with more love making before they finally went, to sleep, knowing how hard it was to keep Harry from brooding. They skipped the usual Sunday morning breakfast at the New Burrow and stayed at the hotel until late Sunday evening. It was the longest Ginny had ever been in a totally Muggle environment, which added to the excitement of the weekend, and Harry and Ginny went back to Hogwarts feeling very refreshed. |
| Reviews 103 |
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