Chapter 6 - Chapter 6

Banners? Check.

Balloons? Check.

Music? Check.

Gifts? Check.

Cake with fifteen candles? Check.

Completely forgot it was her birthday weekend? Check.

Harry sighed. It was a good thing he didn't actually require that much sleep.

He'd woken at quarter to five that morning just to wee, and realized as he'd done so that it was Hermione's birthday party weekend. She was already going to meet him back in that unused room on the fifth floor, so there likely wouldn't be a better time to spring the surprise on her. She would show up after lunch, so instead of going back to bed he'd just gone to the room and started decorating.

Some of the chairs had become banners, some of them had become balloons, some of them large golden bows and tinsel he'd then strewn about and stuck to walls and ceiling. It wasn't a perfect job, but he liked it. He hoped Hermione did too. He'd have to ask Luna to check his work.

With the room finished and prepared, he headed back to the kitchens to check on the cake. Lammy had said she would bake and ice it, but leave the writing on the cake to him, and he thanked her for that. It wasn't that he didn't trust Lammy to do it, far from it. If Lammy had just completed the whole cake, then it would have looked perfect. The writing would have been perfectly even and spaced perfectly, and it would look awesome... but also less personal.

He entered the kitchens and found Lammy waiting for him.

"Lammy bes done the cake, Mister Duncan Sir!" She called to him with glee.

"Brilliant, Lammy thank you so much! I can't wait to see the smile on her face, can you?"

Lammy shook her head enough to make her ears flap. "No, Lammy only sees that once or twice in three years. Mistress Hermione's smile bes lovely."

"I've only seen it once but I completely agree, and much too rare." Harry smiled. "Thanks for preparing the icing for me too, Lammy."

"That bes Lammy's pleasure, Mister Duncan. Lammy never sees wizard write with icing before, Lammy bes excited."

Harry laughed. "Well don't get too excited, I'll probably mess it up at least once."

"That bes fine. Lammy can fix." She grinned.

Harry rolled up his sleeves and picked up the piping bag full of light gold-coloured icing. He paused for a moment to block out in his imagination how and where the letters were going to go, then started piping. He lay down a wide strip of the gold first, then a thinner strip of light blue on top of it aligned to the right side of the gold, and the effect was almost three-dimensional. Lammy only had to erase two mistakes before he was finished.

He took a step back and examined the cake critically. The lettering was slightly wonky in places, and the lines slightly uneven, and in places the coverage of the gold by the blue was uneven.

It was perfect.

"It bes finished?" Lammy asked dubiously.

"Yup." He smiled at the House Elf. "I know it doesn't look perfect, Lammy, but that's sort of the point. This shows Hermione that we made it together, her friends. We didn't just ask for it to be made."

"Lammy not understands. Lammy is Mistress's friend, why Lammy not just make cake?"

"Because you would make it perfectly, Lammy. Every other House Elf in the kitchens would also make it perfectly, right? So Hermione wouldn't be able to look at it and tell right away that you made it. This way, she'll know it wasn't a House Elf who made it - even though it was, really - and it will mean more to her. We'll tell her you made everything except the writing, of course. Then she'll know it was just her friends and not other House Elves who made it."

"Oh. Lammy sort of understands."

"Humans are weird, Lammy. It's okay, I think so too."

"Yes." She nodded emphatically. "Humans are weird."

"Is the cake safer here or in the room we decorated?"

"In Mistress Hermione's birthday room. Other students come to kitchens sometimes."

Harry nodded. "Alright then." He picked the cake up, then wrapped his power around himself and vanished from sight. "Thanks for all your help, Lammy. I'll call you once Luna and I head to the birthday room just after lunch, will you be able to get away then?"

Lammy nodded.

"Great, see you then." Harry left the kitchens and carefully made his way to the birthday room where he set the cake down on the table next to the gifts. All the room needed then was Luna, Lammy, and Hermione.

Luna had visitors at the Ravenclaw table in the Great Hall when he arrived. Breakfast was over and most of the students had gone elsewhere, but Luna sat at her table with a book open in front of her that she wasn't being allowed to read. Mandy Brocklehurst, Cho Chang, Faye Dunbar, and Romilda Vane sat two each beside her.

"Come on, Lovegood. It's a simple thing. Just dump it in his drink, and all your problems are solved."

"I will never understand how you made it into Ravenclaw, Cho." Luna said sweetly. "Your comprehension level is Slytherin at best."

Cho's face twisted in rage, and Harry thought the real Cho was just ugly. She balled her fist and lifted her arm, but Brocklehurst, seated on her far side, prevented her from throwing the punch.

"Fine." Brocklehurst said as she restrained Cho. "What do you want?"

Luna paused and looked each of the girls in the face. "You really don't get it, do you? I would rather you hexed me with everything you have. I would rather wander around the castle naked for days. There is nothing you can offer me. You want me to betray my best friend and give him to you. All four of you are completely and utterly stupid."

Dunbar took her wand out and placed it on the table in front of her. "Alright then. You have chosen the hard way." She said, and waited for the others to pull their wands out as well. Luna simply sat in the middle, and smiled.

Harry had seen enough. He stood an inch behind Luna and towered over her, then dropped his Disillusionment.

"You know," He said casually, "I'm usually an easygoing sort of person. Threats made against me are not really worth reacting to..." He lowered his eyes to the girls at the table, lowered his voice to a growl, and let his magic whip his hair around and bend the air around him with its heat. "...but you threaten my friends, and you'll find that it is you who have chosen the path of pain."

All four girls practically tripped over themselves trying to get up and run from the Great Hall.

Luna stood up and hugged him. "You have the best timing. That was great!" She grinned up at him.

"You alright?" She smiled back at her.

She nodded. "That was honestly kind of scary, but I wouldn't - won't - back down."

He hugged her tighter. "You are the best, Luna. Are you sure you're not secretly a Gryffindor?"

She made a disgusted face. "There's no need to be insulting."

He laughed and let her go. "Thanks, Luna. You're my best friend too, though I hope you don't mind sharing that with Nev."

"You heard that."

"I did, and you were brilliant."

She just beamed at him and turned slightly pink.

"Anyway, I was just coming to talk to you - hold on." He pushed magic into his eyes and scanned the Great Hall, but Hermione wasn't there. "Okay, all clear, she's not here. I set a trap for Hermione last night and caught her in it. We had a long conversation, and she promised to meet me back in that room today after lunch. I thought it would be the perfect time to spring her party on her because we know she isn't expecting it, and we know exactly where she'll be and when."

"Hmph." Luna grunted. "You deserve to be in Ravenclaw far more than those four dunderheads."

"High praise, coming from you." He grinned. "I spent the morning getting the room ready. Lammy baked and iced the cake, but I wrote the lettering on it, and that's all there and ready along with the gift I got her. Can I show you the room and get your critique on the decoration?"

"Sure! Let me go get her gift, I'll meet you back here, and you can show me where it is. I'll put her gift with yours, and that way we'll only have to show up there."

"Deal. Don't forget to Disillusion the gift, or yourself in general. You know she wanders around invisible."

Luna nodded. "See you in a minute." She took out her wand and vanished.

Harry had just finished reading the page that Luna had been on when she whispered in his ear. "I'm back."

He picked her book up and brought it with him. "Follow me," He said softly, and trooped up to the fifth floor. He looked around with dragon eyes to make sure Hermione wasn't following them, but she wasn't. Luna set her gift on the table next to his, and smiled as she looked around the room.

"Surprisingly cute, for a boy." She noted with satisfaction.

"Me or the decorations?"

Luna chuckled. "You have a long way to go to get to cute, Mister MacFusty."

Harry laughed. "My sisters are going to love you."

"Yay I get to meet the family!" Luna grinned and hugged him.

"Don't celebrate so quickly, they did kind of raise me, so they're bound to be strange." He grinned back.

"As though I'm not. You're so thoughtful, Poetry Boy."

Harry chuckled. "What are you going to do until lunch?"

"I was reading ahead in Charms. Could I have my book back?"

"Right, sorry." He fished it out of his pocket and handed it back to her. "I'm going to go finish my Transfiguration essay then. Lammy will be bringing snacks for the party, so I'm not going to bother with lunch. Meet you outside the Great Hall and we'll come back here?"

"It's only three hours until lunch, I think I'll just sit on the sofa here and read ahead. See you when you get back here."

"Fair enough. I'll come back when my essay is done." He let himself out and then locked the door again. Then he thought about Hermione wandering around, and locked the door three other ways so she couldn't just walk in and spoil the surprise.

He grabbed his bookbag from his dorm room and went to the library for a quiet place to write. Two and a half hours later he blew on his finished essay to dry the ink, and nearly jumped out of his skin when Hermione appeared next to his face.

"Transfiguration essay. Only got that yesterday. Finished?"

He whooshed a breath out, then nodded. "I am. Why wait?"

Her rich chestnut eyes practically shone into his. "Exactly! I'm going to skip lunch, I had a late breakfast. Are you ready to go have our discussion?"

Shit!

"Umm... actually I had to go talk to Luna first. I locked the door to that room extra tight, so don't go there before... fifteen minutes from now? That will give me time to talk to Luna and get there to unlock it."

"Extra locks? Why would you put... did you do some kind of preparation for the change?"

"No, I just wanted to make sure it would stay private."

"Oh." She looked a little disappointed. "Okay, well I'll see you there in fifteen then. Mixtionis Perfectus. Nullus. Nonsonus."

She disappeared, and a moment later she wasn't there when he reached out to touch her. He rolled up his now-dry essay, and put the ink, quill, parchment, and books back in his bag. He shouldered it, and made himself vanish using the same spells she had.

He didn't bother with anything else, he ran straight to the room on the fifth floor.

"Hermione's coming!" He said as soon as he entered and dropped the nondetections. "Ten minutes maybe. Lammy!"

Lammy appeared next to him. "What can Lammy does for Mister Duncan?"

"Hermione is on her way here, and I promised I'd tell you. When she gets here and opens the door, we're going to yell "Surprise!' because it's a surprise party."

"Oh! Lammy gets snacks and bes right back." She vanished with a pop.

"I think hiding behind the door might be best?" Luna said as she looked around.

"That was my plan."

Plates of sandwiches, pastries, biscuits, and jugs of juice appeared on the table beside the cake, then Lammy appeared again.

Luna motioned Lammy over to them as they stood behind where the door would be when it opened. "Lammy, come stand with us so she can't see us when she comes in." She smiled at the House Elf.

"Lammy bes hiding badly now!" She grinned and stood with them.

"Nox Omnia." He cast at the lights, and the room was plunged into darkness except for the faint embers glowing from the fireplace.

He felt Luna lean up against him in the dark. A hand gripped his behind.

"Luna... that's my butt." He whispered.

"Yes, yes it is." She whispered back. He could hear the giggle in her voice.

He sighed. "I suppose asking you to remove your hand from it would be a futile gesture?"

"Hmmm..." She practically sang with amusement. "Yes, I think that likely. An opportunity like this demands diligent pursuit."

Then another hand gripped his other cheek. "What opportunity Lammy bes taking?" She asked curiously. "Butt just feels like butt."

Luna laughed out loud and only barely avoided snorking.

After a few minutes without Luna removing her hand, he stopped being embarrassed by it. He didn't bother to tell her she could just ask, she'd just say it was more fun her way.

Another moment passed, and the door handle turned. The door slowly opened, and Hermione's head appeared.

"Duncan?" She asked quietly, "Are you here?" She entered the room.

He whispered "Lumos Omnia," and directed his power at the lights. The room flooded with light.

"SURPRISE!" Luna said just as the lights came on, followed a split second later by Lammy and himself.

Hermione jumped and went rigid in shock. He gently closed the door behind her as Lammy hugged Hermione's legs and Luna finally took her hand off his behind and bounced happily next to Hermione.

"Happy Birthday, Hermione!" Luna grinned.

Hermione looked numbly at the faces present. She looked down at Lammy, up at Luna, and further up at him. She looked around at the decorations, the balloons, and finally at the banners that read 'Happy Birthday Hermione'.

"Guh." She spat a sob as her eyes closed and her lips twisted downward. Another sob followed it and almost bent her over. Tears began to fall from her cheeks.

Luna pulled her into a hug and Hermione melted against her with great wracking sobs. She wrapped her arms around Luna and clung to her. Luna just smiled and hugged her quietly for a moment.

"I can't." She sobbed, "I can't believe..." She let go of Luna and knelt to hug Lammy. "Thank you... thank you."

"Happy Birthday, Mistress Hermione." Lammy grinned. Hermione sniffed and wiped her cheeks with the palms of her hands.

"This is beyond wonderful, all of you." She took deep breaths and wiped her eyes some more, and looked up questioningly at Harry. He raised an eyebrow back at her. She let go of Lammy and sort of tentatively spread her arms out at him.

Oh.

He smiled and stepped into her and held her gently for the second time in as many days. He cradled her head again and stroked her hair, and she nuzzled into his chest. Luna whispered something in her ear, and then he felt Hermione shift both her hands to his butt. And squeeze.

"Thanks for that, Luna." He said flatly.

Hermione giggled, and Luna just laughed outright.

"Lammy takes opportunities too." She grinned.

Hermione started laughing and looked up at him with shining eyes.

"Yes, everyone's had handfuls of my poor molested behind. Happy Birthday."

"Well, it is now." She grinned.

"Would you like snacks first or gifts?"

Her eyes squeezed together again and more tears came out. "I'm just so happy you even care." She buried her face against him.

"That means presents." Luna said with finality. "Manoeuver the Birthday Girl to the sofa if you please." Luna went to the table and turned the music on softly, just for ambience, and cancelled the Disillusionment on her gift before she picked it up.

Harry smiled at Luna and bent, picked Hermione up in his arms princess-style and walked over to the sofa where he pretended to trip and dumped her on the sofa as she shrieked.

She glared at him until she realized he was just goofing, and he just smiled smugly back at her. Luna plunked a large gift-wrapped box down on the coffee table in front of her and snapped her out of her mock glare. Hermione stared at the box for a moment as she bit both her lips and breathed deeply through her nose as she tried not to cry again.

"We like you. We wanted to." He told her. She looked up at him with a lips-only smile and nodded as she wiped her eyes.

"Thank you Luna. You really didn't have to, just being here - "

"Wouldn't be as much fun." Luna finished. "Open it, I've been keeping it a secret for weeks and I'm just going to explode if you don't open it right now."

Hermione giggled while hiding her teeth behind her hand, then tentatively reached out to unwrap Luna's gift. The constantly shifting hues and patterns of the wrapping paper made it difficult to find where the seam was, but Hermione managed it after a few seconds. Beneath the paper was a plain cardboard box that looked like a box that a dress might come in.

Hermione lifted the lid off the box and started crying again.

Inside, lying on its back, was a rich, deep burnt-orange coloured bookbag. It was burnished leather with a rectangular bottom and rounded top. Nestled just under the apex of the semicircle at the top of the bookbag, her name was embroidered in gold thread. Below her name, in the center of the semicircle, was an embroidered patch. The patch had a scarlet background with gold lettering and showed an outline of the castle around the words 'Hogwarts Poetry Club'.

"Luna, it's beautiful." She said through her tears.

Luna smiled. "That's not all. I'm a Ravenclaw, after all. It's also bottomless, featherlight, has theft wards, and is completely liquidproof. I made the patch, too. Touch your wand to it."

"You made that?" She asked incredulously. She took her wand out and touched it to the patch, and the outline of the castle disappeared, as did the 'Hogwarts Poetry Club'. In its place was a dark amber coloured background, and gold-embroidered onto it were the words 'Stony queen, most noble and most fair! Descend; be stone no more. Approach and strike all that look upon thee with marvel.'

She took her wand away and it reverted to its Poetry Club appearance.

"Oh Luna, that's just..." She stood and wrapped Luna in a hug. "You're wonderful, Luna. I'm just... Thank you. Thank you."

"You don't deserve the way people treat you, Hermione. You never did, and it made me very angry. I'm just glad you finally decided to be visible for somebody so I could catch up to you and tell you. Honestly, if it hadn't been for people constantly kicking you, it would have been me they bullied, so I'm doubly sorry. Not only do you not deserve it, you bear it because I was too scared to stand up and say stop. Then you disappeared, and I couldn't even find you to talk to you." Luna spilled everything in a rush, as though Hermione would simply vanish again before she finished. When she had said what she needed to say, she looked at the floor, sadness and guilt warred on her features. "So... I'm sorry, Hermione. And thank youfor not hating me. Do you... could... we be friends?"

Hermione hugged her tighter and let her go. "I would like that. I think it should be required of all Poetry Club members." She smiled her lips-only smile at Luna despite her red, watering eyes.

Lammy handed Hermione a handkerchief, and she blew her nose on it. "Thank you Lammy. You're a good friend too."

"Mistress Hermione is Lammy's friend too." Lammy hugged her legs again for a moment.

"I put another gift inside it, it's for later. Put half the bottle in your shampoo, that's what I do and it works for me." Luna said quietly.

"Okaayy..." Hermione frowned in confusion, but nodded anyway. Luna smiled happily and went to the table for a sandwich.

"Lammy's turn!" Lammy snapped her fingers and a perfectly wrapped gift tied with red ribbon appeared in front of Hermione.

"Thank you, Lammy." Hermione said as she opened it. Inside the gift box was a small round-topped chest.

"Lammy had to shrink it to make it fit the box. Mistress Hermione can restore it when takings back to her place." Lammy said with a grin. "Bes full of pretty things."

Hermione lifted the lid of the chest and gasped as her eyes went round. It was filled to the brim with jewelry and precious gemstones.

"Lammy! Where did you get all this? I can't accept this, there must be a million galleons' worth here!" Hermione said, shocked.

"Lammy collects pretty things from lost and forgotten places, like the Come and Go room. Lammy has lots and lots of pretty things, so Lammy shares a few." The Elf grinned at her. "Now Mistress Hermione can decorate with pretty things and shows more smiles. Lammy likes Mistress's smiles. Lammy likes Mister Duncan more now because Mistress smiles more when Mister Duncan bes near." Lammy smiled over at Harry too, and Harry restrained a chuckle and smiled back at the Elf.

"I think it's brilliant, Lammy. I like Hermione's smiles too." He affirmed, then looked at Hermione. "You can't refuse a birthday gift, that would just be hurtful. You don't want to be hurtful to poor brilliantly thoughtful Lammy, do you?" He hit her with his best puppy-dog look.

She looked from him to Lammy and back again, and sighed as she deflated. "No, I don't. Thank you Lammy." She hugged the Elf again, but was clearly still stunned by the enormity of her gift.

"I think it's brilliant. That was a lovely gift, Lammy. I'll make sure Hermione honours it appropriately." Luna said with a twinkle in her eye.

Hermione had the sense to look unsure about that.

"My turn then!" Harry said, and retrieved his gift for her from the table. Unlike Lammy's, it was a little lopsided, unevenly wrapped and had three bows just stuck on the top. Hermione took it and lips-only smiled when she saw it.

"Thank you, Duncan. I love it already."

"Fond of crappy wrapping jobs, you mean." He grinned back at her.

She just bit her lips at him as she unwrapped it to reveal a book and a closed box a half inch thick, three inches across and five inches long.

"Apparator's Almanac! Duncan, this is great! Thank you so much!"

"I want to learn to Apparate too, so I might borrow it later if I may." He smiled at her.

"You're both welcome to." She smiled at Luna too. She opened the case that came with the book, and sighed at the necklace inside. It was a small gold pendant shaped and etched to look like a book, open, with a quill made to look like it was writing runes in the book. The back read 'Happy fifteenth Hermione'.

"I love it. Help me put it on?" She held it out to him, then turned away from him and swept her hair out of the way.

He took it from her and fastened it around her neck for her.

"Oh! It's warm!" She exclaimed.

"The runes the quill is writing on the front are actual runes. I enlarged it and carved those in there. I figured since most of the year in Scotland is winter, keeping warm would be a good thing. So, now you'll always be warm."

"Enchanting isn't even a subject at Hogwarts anymore!" Hermione complained with a jealous pout. "How did you learn?"

"I learned about enchanting two years ago and just studied as much as I could on it. Mostly from the MacMillan family library. I made something similar for Mother last year so she doesn't have to breathe on her hoard to keep warm."

"Your mother breathes on a hoard to keep warm?" Luna asked as she cocked her head to one side and frowned slightly.

"His mother is a black dragon." Hermione explained.

"Really?" Luna's eyebrows rose. "I thought you were joking."

"I didn't come out of an egg obviously, she just raised me until I was ten. I'll introduce you sometime. Anyone else want cake? Lammy baked it and iced most of it." He was fairly certain both girls had noted his rapid change of topic and hoped they would just let it go. He didn't want to have to do to Luna what he was already going to have to do to Hermione. It was best if it just never came up, and he'd learned that lesson. He hoped Hermione didn't end up paying for his mistake.

"Mister Duncan makes the writing on it too." Lammy nodded. She snapped her fingers and the cake appeared on the coffee table along with plates and forks and a knife.

Hermione looked at the cake and then back to Lammy and Harry. "It's perfect." She said.

Lammy looked at Harry, and he nodded. "Humans are weird." They said to each other simultaneously. Luna giggled, and Hermione hid a smile behind her hand. Harry picked up the knife and handed it to Hermione handle-first.

"If you would do the honours, my queen?"

Hermione accepted the knife from him with a lips-only smile. She cut four pieces from the cake and handed them around. When they had all finished their cake, Hermione went and hugged Lammy again.

"Thank you for the wonderful cake, Lammy. It was delicious, and thank you for being part of this. This is the best day I have ever had in this castle." She went to hug Luna then. "Thank you, Luna."

"My pleasure, Poetry Club sister." Luna smiled.

Hermione lips-only smiled back at her. "I like that. I never had a sister before."

"Me either." Luna grinned.

Hermione turned to him then, and gratitude shone from her eyes, along with something else he couldn't identify. "Thank you too, Duncan. If not for you I don't think this would have even been possible. I hadn't intended to be seen at all this year, thanks to Ronald and Michael. So thank you for this, and for everything you've done for me and Luna. I only had one friend before today," She smiled at Lammy, who smiled back, "And now I have three. I feel so rich I don't even know what to do with myself."

'Hopefully you still feel that way tomorrow', Harry thought. "I'm just glad we could give you some small amount of happiness. As far as I understand it, that's what friends are for." He smiled at her.

"I don't want it to end," Hermione said sadly, "But I know Lammy has duties, and you two have homework and things to do. I... don't know how birthday parties are supposed to go, so thank you all again, don't let me keep you from the rest of your day."

Lammy hugged Hermione again. "Lammy does has duties, but Lammy always comes when Mistress Hermione calls."

Hermione smiled and nodded. "You're the best, Lammy."

"Lammy Is Mistress Hermione's friend." She said proudly, and vanished with a soft pop.

Luna suddenly looked from Hermione to him and then back with a growing smile. She stood and walked to Hermione, then pulled her to her feet and into a hug. He could see they had a whispered conversation, during which Hermione's neck and face grew quickly bright red.

Luna let go and held her shoulders, and looked into her eyes. "Promise me you'll talk to me tomorrow, 'kay?"

Hermione nodded. "Okay." She said softly.

She waved at him and sauntered toward the door. "Grab you later Duncan." She smiled.

Yeah, no doubt.

"Talk to you later, First Friend." He waved back.

Luna waved again before she exited and closed the door behind her. It locked, and then Hermione pulled out her wand and sealed and silenced it.

"What was that about?" He asked. "You went Fireball red."

"Luna thought I wanted time alone with you to..." She blushed again. "You know."

"Oh! Haha! Funny, Luna is usually really perceptive."

Hermione's smile and blush faded. "Is she?" She didn't frown, exactly, but her happy mood took a definite downturn.

He wasn't a fool. He knew it wasn't what she wanted to hear, especially given her whispered comment yesterday. He was very likely going to alter her memories in a few moments, so it didn't really matter... unless she chose the change. If she did, she would be the closest thing to him that existed, and while that thought made him inexplicably excited, he also felt that she should wait until she settled into her new form. She may have new thoughts and ideas and likes. She should be able to make her own choices without having to put up with his interference.

"So... you've thought about what you'd like to do?" He asked softly.

She pulled a piece of parchment out of her back pocket and handed it to him. "I did. That's what I'd been doing before I caught you in the library."

He opened the parchment and read it.

Reasons to Change: 

1. I hate myself as I am. - Counterargument: I won't always hate myself. I'm still growing.

2. I want Dragon Eyes and Breath. - Counterargument: Additional differences in an environment where I am already denigrated for being different would exacerbate present issues.

3. Plan to abandon Britain and my family as soon as school is finished anyway. - Counterargument: Family will give me a place to stay until I make enough money to be independent, abandoning my family is not smart.

4. I would love to have something Duncan and I have that is uniquely our own. - Counterargument: What if the thing that we share binds us together and we end up hating each other?

Reasons not to change:

1. I want children someday. - Counterargument: I can adopt.

2. I want to live for a long time. - Counterargument: Living well can far outweigh a long and unfulfilling life.

3. Might have to re-learn how to do magic? - Counterargument: I love learning to do magic, so great.

4. I'm sort of grossed out by having to drink blood. - Counterargument: Potions taste worse.

Conclusions:

There are valid reasons to change and not to change, and the counterarguments for each render the decision neutral from a logical standpoint. This leaves the decision in the hands of my emotions, and that is why this decision has taken so long. I choose to change because I want to.

"Wow." He said when he'd finished. "You really thought it through. I'm impressed." The kind of self-honesty she exhibited impressed him as well, and made him terribly sad. He only hoped she didn't hate herself more afterward.

"I did. I listened to you. From the first moment I saw you, you've been concerned with my comfort... How could I not listen?"

"The same way nobody else listens." He answered with a wry grin.

She wrinkled her nose at him, and warmth spread through his chest when she did.

"So you're completely sure this is what you want?" He asked her seriously.

She looked into his eyes for a long moment. "Yes. I feel it's an opportunity I would be a fool to let pass me by. And before you ask, because I can see you will, no you can't dissuade me. My mind is made up."

He drew in a long breath and sighed. "Alright. It's your choice to make, after all. You know it's going to be blindingly painful, however brief that may be."

She nodded.

"You will likely stay unconscious for a while as your mind and body finish adjusting. If I'm not near when you wake up, come find me. You will have to learn how to find and use your power again. You will probably still be able to use your magic, but you might need a new wand. I'm not sure on that score. You will have something else as well as your magic, and I can teach you to use that to see, to breathe, to speak, and to fly."

"Fly? Really? You can fly without a broom?"

He nodded. "Since I was about eight."

"I'm looking forward to that now. I hate flying on a broom because I always feel like I'm going to fall off. If I can't fall..."

"We'll get to that. You and I are going to have to spend a lot of time together before and after classes and on weekends. You're going to be completely sick of me saying the same things over and over, trust me."

She shook her head with a little smile. "Sounds like bliss to me, Harry."

"Let's hope so. Please don't use my first name yet, not even when we're alone. It would be too easy to slip otherwise. I trust you, but everyone makes mistakes. Duncan... or Hidden Colours. That's my second name, the one Mother gave me."

She grinned then, but immediately covered her smile with her hand. "Hidden Colours... I like it."

He smiled at her. "Thanks. Now, for the logistics of the actual thing..." He got up and left the room to go to the next classroom down where he'd stored most of the desks and chairs from the birthday room. He picked up a couple of chairs and took them back to where Hermione patiently waited. He transfigured them both into heavy, thick blankets, and laid one of them on the floor in the large open space between the back of the sofa and the snacks table. He cast a cushioning charm on the blanket on the floor, and set the other one next to it.

"Come lie down, get comfy." He told her.

She did so, but with her head at the far end of the blanket, so he moved to sit next to her head.

"As a Svurtr, your magic will live in your blood as well as your Will. I will teach you how to control that later, after you wake up. Tomorrow or the day after maybe. It may take a long time for you to learn, just so you're prepared."

She nodded as she took in the information.

"I am going to rouse my magic, to wake it up as it circulates, to the point where I resonate with it. That's what you will have to do later, in order to use it. For me right now, that's all I will be doing. I'm going to cut my wrist, here." He pointed to his wrist. "You have to latch on, you have to suck as hard as you can and swallow as much as you can. The second I cut myself, my magic will begin to heal me, so you won't have much time. You have to not think about what it is you're doing, you have to just do it, do it quickly, do it completely. Clear so far?"

She nodded, eyes wide. "You will heal. Don't hesitate, don't think. Suck hard and swallow."

He nodded. "Good. Suck hard and swallow, and keep doing it until you can't anymore. You might have ten seconds or so."

She nodded again, eyes determined but scared.

"The blood will be regular red, but also a kind of shimmery purple, so don't freak out. Just start drinking and don't stop until you can't get any more."

"That sounds pretty. I won't hesitate."

"Good. You'll have plenty of time to look at your own later. Right now there's only one shot at this, so as much as you can as quickly as you can."

She nodded and steeled herself.

"Are you ready?" He asked her.

She nodded again. He raised his left wrist and she stared at it. She took a deep breath and let it out and her gaze became determined.

He reached down into himself and roused his blood, swirled his power within it and began to Resonate. He pushed his magic into his wrist, then raised his wand and used it to focus his power as he commanded it to cut. The skin of his wrist parted instantly in a long, precise incision, and to Hermione's credit she only glanced at it for a split second before she took his wrist in both of her hands and wrapped her lips around the cut. He could feel her pull at his veins, and she gulped and pulled and gulped, and she didn't spill a single drop. After five gulps the pull on his veins eased, and became more of a pull on his wrist, and he knew his veins had sealed themselves again. Hermione did as he had instructed, and continued to suck his wrist. The split skin gave her a little more blood, enough for another mouthful before the skin too healed and there was nothing left to drink.

Even then, she licked his wrist clean before she let go of it. She licked her lips and swallowed again, and there was no evidence she'd drunk any blood at all save a slight reddish tint to her lips.

"Lie back now. You might rip your clothes, that's what the other blanket is for." He picked up the blanket as she lay back, and he covered her with it.

"Auuch!" Her stomach clenched and she bucked under it. Her eyes squeezed shut in pain and she clenched her fist in the clothes over her belly. Another spasm hit, and she cried out again, and then the change started in earnest. She clenched her jaw as she tried to fight it, but it was hopeless. Her back arched off the floor and her face twisted in agony. Her mouth opened and with every shaking breath she screamed.

Smoke.

She smelled smoke. Fresh, but thin. Not a threat to her nest. There was a presence nearby as well. Not hostile. Mate? She tried to rouse herself enough to check, but was stopped by her weakness. She hungered greatly. She needed meat.

She opened one eye and saw the fire's glow on her left. The Nest was small, and she lay not upon her hoard, but upon some soft skin, like a large soft animal lay beneath her.

Strange.

The nearby presence loomed over her then, and she smelled the maleness of it. Her belly complained of hunger, but also of desire. If this wasn't her mate, where was her mate? Wait, did she have a mate?

"Easy." The male hissed. He shifted her higher on the strange animal-hoard so that she was somewhat upright. "Here. Eat." He dangled a delicious-smelling morsel in front of her muzzle, and her stomach complained again. She opened her jaws and accepted the meat, but it was too large a piece to just gulp down, so she was forced to chew it. The flavour of it spread throughout her mouth and she found it pleasing as well as satisfying.

The male continued to feed her pieces held in his talons until there was no more, and she thrummed in contentment.

"My thanks, male." She hissed at him, "I feel better now."

"Lie back," He commanded, "You still need to rest and recover. I will feed you again when you wake." He shifted her back to her original position, and she found he was correct. She felt better, but she needed time to digest in order to gain strength.

"I will comply for now," She hissed, "But do not think to command me again, male." She emphasized his gender to remind him of his place.

The male, however, chuckled and nudged the side of her head with his. "This is not your Nest, female, and as the one watching over you, I shall command and you shall comply or you shall not heal."

"Hmph." She grunted. "Understood. I comply."

"Sleep, I keep you safe."

She nodded, and turned to rest on her side as she slid into darkness again.

She woke again later to the most delicious smells. First and foremost was steak. At least, she was fairly certain it was steak. Beneath that was woodsmoke and a very faint undertone of spicy wildgrass and mint.

She opened her eyes and sat up, and discovered it was uncomfortable. Her clothes were too tight, including her bra and knickers. She slipped a finger into the leg of her knickers and pulled down, and that was some relief, but they were still too small. That's when she saw Duncan sitting in the chair next to the sofa watching her.

Heat crept up her face.

Way to go, Hermione. Boy of your dreams sitting next to you watching over you, and the first thing you do is pick a wedge in front of him. Brilliant.

"How do you feel?" He asked her as he handed her a fork with a slice of steak on it. She took it from him and shoved the steak in her mouth. It was delicious and filled her mouth with happiness.

"Mmmmm." She said as she chewed.

He chuckled. "Here." He said as he handed her the plate and the fork.

"Mm. Thank you." She said as she took it. She polished off the rest of the steak in a couple of minutes.

"Much better, thank you." She said when she finished. "What happened? What time is it?" The black, starlit window said it was likely after curfew.

He took the empty plate from her and handed her wand to her by the tip. "It's about three in the morning. You did everything perfectly, and have been asleep mostly since then. You've woken a couple of times to eat. You needed meat, so I snuck to the kitchens a couple of times. You should probably get back to wherever you stay and sleep until morning. You and I have a couple of long weeks ahead of us. Meet me back here when you wake up and we'll start training."

She nodded. She couldn't wait. "Did I change any?"

He nodded. "Taller, more muscle. Like me."

She stood and pulled him to his feet in an instant, then wrapped her arms around his ribs. "Thank you, Duncan. Thank you." He wrapped his arms around her in return, and she could feel that she was taller. The top of her head nudged the bottom of his nose when she hugged him now, instead of resting against his clavicle.

"Don't thank me yet." He said. "We don't know if I've hurt you more than I helped yet."

"I feel better. I'm not afraid anymore. I'm thanking you, deal with it." She grinned up at him.

He chuckled. "Guess I've been told."

"See you tomorrow." She reached up on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek, then beat a hasty retreat before her face could turn into a tomato.

She applied her three nondetections as usual when she was in the hallway, and then realized after she'd done so that she might not have been able to. Clearly she was able, so she considered it a successful test. She leaned against the wall for a moment and breathed deeply to slow her heart rate, shocked at her own brazenness. Yes, she'd been dying to kiss him for weeks, but so had every other girl in the castle. She'd wanted his lips, but that had been a bridge too far for even her new-found bravery.

She headed down a flight of stairs to the fourth floor, and realized with sudden shock as she bounced down the stairs there wasn't a single twinge from her knee. She stopped at the bottom of the stairs and ran back up them as fast as she could, then back down them again. Nothing. Not a single complaint. No aching, no weakness, no tiredness. It was like she had a brand new knee. She strode quickly to her hideyhole then, tears of absolute glee on her cheeks.

Unfortunately for her, those tears of glee didn't have a chance to go away before they were reinforced by what she saw in the mirror. Her hair was beautiful! Perfectly coiled ringlets fell in a volumetric cascade from her crown without a hint of frizz or bushiness. Her hair bounced. Even the face her beautiful new hair framed was gorgeous. It hadn't changed any, really, it was still her face, but... her nose was straight and perfectly proportioned. Her cheekbones were in the perfect place and stuck out just the right amount. Her cheeks had lost the slight chubbiness she'd carried as baby fat. She looked like a woman. A beautiful woman. She smiled into the mirror, and that's when more tears came. Her front teeth were perfect. Perfectly proportional to her other teeth and perfectly sized for her face. If anything, her canines protruded slightly more than they had, but that only accentuated her smile.

She shucked off her robes and uniform, and cried again at what she saw. Her bra and knickers were too tight and dug into her skin because her breasts had grown as well. They had grown rounder and more full despite her weight loss, and had evened out. She could no longer tell which one was larger than the other because each one looked exactly the same. They both very nearly spilled out of her poor bra, so she took it off. Even her nipples were identical.

"I look like a fitness model." She told the mirror. She flexed her stomach and could see the muscles bunch under her skin, but not too much. Just enough to see they were there. Even her arse was fit and muscley, and protruded pertly. Her dimples of Venus showed up in perfect relief, and she smiled at that. Everything was perfect. She was beautiful, head to toes - more than she had ever thought possible. She collapsed on her bed and wept that every dream she'd had since she was a child had come true.

"How DARE you sign my name to something so completely vile!" The common room echoed with Lavender's shrieks. Ronald's lobster-red face glowered even as his head attempted to retract inside his torso. "I used to think I wanted to marry you, Ronald! Then you go and destroy my reputation out of petty jealousy and spite!"

"Oh fuck off, Lav. As if I don't know why you dumped me. Save the Poor Me act for Macfuckwits. The whole school can see you sniffing after his cock like a cow in heat. Have fun squeezing out twenty worthless scottish shitslingers while he's off fucking every other cow with her cunt in the air."

"And then you call me a fucking cow on top of it?! Fuck you, Weasley! You're insane with jealousy because a REAL Wizard finally showed up and you know you're not fit to lick his boots clean. You're going to die an ugly virgin, loser!" Lavender shouted the last right in his face, her finger pointed between his eyes. Ronald's head came out of its shell and grew a dark red as he reached for his wand.

"EAT SLUGS, YOU FUCKING WHORE!!" He shouted, "Slugulus Eructo!" Lavender's face was less than three feet from his own, so there was no possible way he could miss. Lavender didn't even have her wand out, so she had no defense at all. The sickly yellow bolt gathered around Ronald's wand tip and fired toward her, only to immediately encounter a shield spell and reflect back at him. It barely missed the tip of his wand and splashed itself over the knuckles of his hand.

Ronald barely noticed until he doubled over onto his hands and knees and vomited a quill-sized slug from his esophagus.

"You ARSEHOLE!" Lavender screamed, and stomped down on his wand hand with her heel.

Fred put his wand away while George walked out to the puking Ronald and stood over him while he shook his head.

"Sad to say, looks like MacFusty was right, brother mine." George said sadly.

"I'm just glad he wasn't about, or we'd be taking this one home to Dad to try and avert a blood feud." Fred said.

"We might anyway, depending on Miss Brown." George turned to Lavender. "Miss Brown?"

Lavender looked up at George. "Oh, no, I wouldn't take things that far. Not unless his slander went public and impacted my future prospects. I might get a trifle cross then. Right now he's just a sad regret. If he gets in my face again though, I'm kicking his bollocks up around his ears, just so you know." She smiled sweetly. "Pity he couldn't have turned out like both of you."

"Why Miss Brown, Do our ears deceive us," George started.

"Or was that flattery aimed at ours truly?" Fred finished.

Lavender smiled at them both. "Ask me on a date sometime and see." She kicked Ronald between the legs and sauntered up the stairs to the girls' dorms.

"Well, she's got attitude, certainly." Fred said to George.

"And those charms." George nodded back.

"If we weren't chasing the Chasers -" Fred started.

"We might be tempted." George finished.

Ginny shook her head from the steps to her dorm. "Last year this wouldn't have been anything. We'd laugh at stupid here and everything would go back to normal in a couple of weeks." Ginny said from the stairs where she leaned against the wall with her arms crossed. "As it is this year, I'm concerned he's going to cause something with a major house or any of the French sluts. It might be a good idea to get Dad involved anyway. Maybe Stupid needs a year of Homeschooling to get his shit together and take things seriously."

"Sadly, we were sort of thinking the same thing -" Fred started.

"After what he did with our happy, clean little prank -" George continued.

"We're lucky Duncan is quick as he is -"

"Or we might be looking at several angry major houses -"

"Staring directly at us." They both finished.

"Actually kind of a shame, really." Ginny grinned. "Would have cut down on the competition."

"You're after the MacFusty as well, eh?" Fred asked.

"I get my way, you can just call him 'brother'." Her grin turned feral.

"Gotten very far yet?" Fred grinned back at her.

George made an exaggerated wink at his little sister.

"Shut up." Ginny's smile drooped into a frown and she stomped up the stairs to her dorm.

Neville pulled a chair out for Daphne to sit on. She did so, without ruffling her prim, strict demeanour in the slightest. Neville pushed her chair closer to the table and seated himself next to her. Luna sat on his other side, then on her other side sat Susan and Hannah. Opposite them were Penelope Clearwater, Eloise Midgen, Arielle Monserrat, Fleur Delacour, and Pansy Parkinson. Standing around the table beyond those seated were Tracey Davis, who hovered behind Daphne, The Patil twins, several witches from the Beauxbatons contingent, Sophie Roper, and Megan Jones.

"So." Neville cleared his throat. "What's this about?" He suspected it had something to do with Duncan, from the way the crowd of witches had formed around him and Luna and 'guided' them to the table.

"I think I speak for us all when I say we're concerned about Duncan." Susan said. She looked around the table. Neville followed her gaze, and saw most of the witches - Slytherins included - nod in agreement.

"We haven't even seen him at dinner in over a month. We want to know he's alright." Parvati Patil explained. "I haven't even seen him in the common room."

"Where is he? What's he doing?" Parkinson demanded. "We know he isn't with some witch, because most of us are here, except for the four morons, and the rest are accounted for."

'Ha!' Neville thought, 'And he thinks he isn't popular with the ladies. Feh!'

"Well," He said out loud, "I'll tell you what I can. He hasn't asked me not to tell anyone anything, or I'd not be saying a word - So I don't think he's doing anything secret. He goes to all his classes still, most of you know that. He still sleeps in his bed, though he usually shows up just before curfew or sometimes after. He's usually gone by the time I wake up at six."

"Zat ees no 'ealsy." Fleur frowned.

"He doesn't look any different, honestly. I'm inclined to agree, but after a week or so a lack of sleep starts to show around your eyes. Duncan looks just the same as he did first of the year." Neville pointed out.

"And you don't know where he goes or what he's up to?" Megan Jones asked.

Neville shook his head. "He hasn't offered and I haven't asked. You know how he is, if he was off doing something fun he'd offer to include people. The fact that he hasn't says to me that he's doing something unpleasant but necessary. So I haven't asked."

"It wouldn't be very fair to try and demand some of his obviously scarce time either," Luna said, "So here's a suggestion: Everyone who wants to, write him a letter. He won't be at breakfast, so you can't post it obviously, but if we ask Heir Longbottom to leave them on his bed... What do you think, Neville?"

"I could do that, certainly." He nodded. "I can't guarantee he'll answer, of course, but he'll at least get them."

"That is most generous of you, Heir Longbottom." Daphne said softly. Her eyes lingered on his, and he saw something in their sapphire depths he had not expected to see.

"Merely proper, courteous behaviour Heir Greengrass. As befits a future leader." He gazed back into her eyes, hopefully he showed her as much of himself as she had shown him of her. She must have liked what she saw, because he saw an almost imperceptible shiver run through her.

"Weel you be at dinnair, Heir Longbottom?" Arielle asked. "Would zat be a bon temps to give you ze lettair?"

"Oui, c'est un bon temps." Neville replied.

"Tu parles francais?" She asked with raised eyebrows.

"Sois gentil, je continue d'apprendre." He smiled, and most of the french witches smiled back at him.

Arielle leaned forward across the table toward Neville. "Peut-etre a sa place, nous pourrions vous demander do nous faire visiter Hogsmeade?"

Neville's eyebrows rose as he pieced together the meaning of the sentence.

"I'm afraid Heir Longbottom is spoken for this weekend. Perhaps next time?" Daphne placed her hand in the crook of his arm. He looked into her eyes again, and saw only determination.

"Yes, as Heir Greengrass says. Perhaps next time." Neville smiled back at Arielle. What in Merlin's potted plants was going on? He leaned over and whispered so that only Daphne could hear. "Stay behind after and tell me what that was about." It wasn't a request. He saw her shiver again.

"Quelle dommage." Arielle grinned. "Next time zen."

Neville nodded. "I would be happy to. If you're looking for companionship, I know there are a few of my fellows who are much too shy to ask any of you lovely ladies, but they would be thrilled to accompany you nonetheless."

Arielle cocked her head to one side, but Fleur helped her out by translating it quietly into French. "Ah!" She said when she understood. "Mais oui, we can deal wees shy."

Fleur smiled at Arielle and then turned to Luna. "I have un question s'il vous plait?"

"For me?" Luna perked up. "I don't speak French well, but I'm happy to answer." She smiled back at Fleur.

Fleur pointed at Luna's bookbag. "Wat ees Poetry Clube? Est-ce la poesie? J'adore la poesie."

Luna actually blushed slightly. "It's a club I made for people about whom Duncan has recited spontaneous poetry, so it's kind of about poetry, but not really."

"Wait, MacFusty spouted poetry about you?!" Parkinson sat forward, incredulous.

Luna took her wand out and touched it to her Poetry Club patch, and its background became a pale blue, and bronze embroidery appeared. "Love ye well the moon and her ethereal radiance, for she is our Lady of moods and tides. She is our light in the darkness."

"Magnifique." Fleur smiled. "Eet ees only you een zis clube?"

Luna shook her head. "There is one other."

"Who?" Padma Patil asked.

"Hermione Granger." Luna answered.

"Seriously?!" Pansy stage whispered, "Now I know he's a bloody saint."

Fleur and Arielle looked around at the other Beauxbatons girls, and all of them had blank expressions.

"'Oo ees zis Grangeur?" Arielle asked.

"Just a total freak." Pansy answered blithely. "A bushy-headed mudblood who seems to have finally gotten the hint not to show her stupid ugly buck-toothed face anymore."

Fleur translated the conversation about the poetry club to the rest of the French witches while Luna pointed her wand at Parkinson.

"Well Pansy," Luna said sweetly, "It looks like you've joined a club today."

"What?" Parkinson frowned, "What club?"

"It's now the five morons with no chance at Duncan." Luna smiled smugly.

Pansy glowered back at her darkly. "We'll see about that."

"No, really." Neville cut in as he leaned forward with both elbows on the table to glower at Parkinson, "If you think you can spout a terrible, negative attitude like that and still have a chance, then you haven't been paying attention. Duncan hates bullies, Heir Parkinson, with a passion. If you can change your attitude, then you might have a chance, but after what you just said I'm inclined to agree with Luna."

Pansy became aware that the entire assembly was staring at her, and not in a beneficial way. Even Davis and Greengrass - well, Davis was. Who could tell what was going on behind the Ice Queen's mask? She could tell she was in a disadvantageous position, so she backed down. It didn't matter anyway. She'd show them all when Duncan was kissing her feet. She'd show them all she could have whoever she wanted, and then when she was done with him she'd dump him and let one of these simpering idiots dote on her leftovers.

"Fine." She waved them off. "Perhaps I was a bit hasty in my description of Granger." Lovegood, though - she was going to get some well-deserved comeuppance. Pansy would see to that personally.

"Why we no see zis Grangeur?" Arielle asked.

"Because," Luna replied, as she continued to stare at Parkinson, "People in this castle have hurt her and bullied her and teased her so badly that she won't show her face in public anymore." She turned to Fleur and Arielle then, sadness in her eyes.

"Oo?" Fleur asked angrily. "Oo 'as 'urt zis jeaune fille?"

"I am ashamed to say that I have, indirectly." Neville said. "I did not stand up and say stop when members of my own House bullied her. Nobody stood up and said stop, not once."

"Neville's being noble, but he's not wrong. Even I failed to say stop." Luna admitted. "The ones responsible were mostly Ronald Weasley, Michael Corner, Cho Chang, Faye Dunbar, Mandy Brocklehurst, Romilda Vane, Lavender Brown, Draco Malfoy, and Heir Parkinson here."

Fleur Tskd. "C'est triste. Zair ees no way to see zis Grangeur? Peut-etre invite 'er to eat wees us?"

Luna shook her head. "Hermione is the top student in the entire school. She could be standing next to you and none of us would ever know. The only one who can see through her Disillusionment is Duncan."

"How does he see through Disillusionment?" Eloise blurted out before she clapped a hand over her own mouth.

Luna grinned at her. "He does something to his eyes. I haven't been able to ask him exactly what yet."

"Duncan seems quite skilled, oui? Quel age a-t-il? 'Ow old is 'e? Weel 'E be een ze tournement?" Arielle asked.

Luna smiled at her and shook her head.

"He is very skilled, that's true, but he's only fourteen. He's not eligible, any more than I am." Neville answered. "So no chance at all of him being in the tournament. None whatsoever."

He hated the mystery of it. He desperately wanted to know which one it was, but the charade demanded he leave it be for the time being. In the end it didn't really matter which one it was, he would dance to the tune Albus Dumbledore called, same as everyone else.

He popped another lemon drop in his mouth, followed by a cherry Philosopher's stone shaving, and the two danced deliciously on his tongue. The flavours intertwined and became greater than the sum of their parts and inspired him to dizzying heights of mental acuity.

Yes, whichever Death Eater played at being Alastor Moody, he played his part very well. Almost well enough. Unfortunately for him, the ghosts and the portraits served the Greater Good, though they did not know it.

Step one to isolate young Mister Potter had failed dismally, even though young Mister Weasley had performed adequately. That had been something of a surprise, but a welcome one. No, it was Potter himself who had invalidated the plan and acted against the Greater Good. At least, that's how it had appeared at first. His willingness to accept pain onto himself and keep it from others was exactly what the Greater Good needed. He would act nobly, he would put himself in harm's way. It wasn't a headlong rush to suicide, but it was certainly enough to work with.

Now there was another of Tom's misguided souls in the castle, and the time was ripe for beginning Step Two. Once the MacFusty name came out of the Goblet of Fire, he would be labelled a cheat, a gloryhound. His chivalric displays would be seen as the paltry window dressing they were, and his popularity would plummet. His sycophants would become his detractors, and that would set the stage for Step Three.

It was a pity he hadn't chosen any of the other students for a lover yet. A convenient 'accident' during the Second Task would push him toward revenge. After that it was simply a matter of stoking the adolescent rage and pointing him at Tom. He would play the helpful grandfather and dribble important information to the boy until he could get his wand back. There was still time, of course. He would find out who his true friends were once his name came out of the cup, and he could feed those names to the poor misguided soul that wore Alastor's appearance. That would ensure he ran headlong into death, and maybe if he were half-decent, he could even weaken Tom before he died.

That would be ideal.

He looked behind him, and Phineus nodded back at him from his portrait frame. Excellent.

Severus almost got to the door before it opened. "You wanted to see me, Albus?" He droned nasally.

"Severus." He replied in his best helpful wheeze. "I thought you should know it's come to my attention that we've a celebrity in our midst."

"I have potions brewing, Albus. I've no time for -"

"Young Mister Potter is even taller than his father was, wouldn't you agree?"

Severus's eyes widened as he comprehended. "MacFusty!" He hissed.

"Have you noticed he has Lily's eyes."

"And her skill. He has yet to produce a less than perfect potion."

"Rare praise from you, Severus."

"It matters not. The Dark Lord will eradicate the boy."

"He will. I'll not keep you from your brewing, Severus. I merely wished to make you aware."

Severus bowed his head slightly. "Headmaster." He swept out of the office with his cloak billowing behind.

The door closed itself behind him, and Albus turned to Phineus. "He heard?"

"He did."

Albus drew a deep breath and let it out. "Good. If you find out who Alastor actually is, let me know would you?"

"Focus, Hermione. Don't try to be calm, don't rise above the surging of your blood. Feel it course through you. Ride it with your mind, circulate through yourself."

He squat upon his haunches with his eyes closed, just as he had when it was him learning to Resonate. Just as then, they could see their breaths puff out from their mouths in wispy clouds. Just sitting there with Hermione and teaching her what Mother had taught him brought him memories of her and made him smile. He could feel her progress, and it was outstanding. Barely a month had passed and she was on the verge of Resonating successfully.

"You know that makes no sense, right? How am I supposed to feel my blood now when I can't any other time?"

"Relax, Hermione. Don't think about doing it, just do it. This magic is not about books or cleverness. It's in your bones, your blood, your feelings. I know you have rage inside you, Hermione. I know you have sadness and pain and loss and joy and hope and fear. Stop deciding which feelings are okay and just feel. Be sad while you smile. Be happy while you rage."

"Happy while I rage..." Her breathing became slower, deeper. Her magic began to flow through her.

"Yes, that's it. Feel. Feel everything around you. Feel your awareness grow. Feel your magic flow through you and connect you to everything."

"I feel it." She gasped. "I feel you. I feel my magic. I feel everything!"

"Use your magic, not your voice. Scream at the sky."

Her magic swelled as she Resonated. Her chestnut curls flew back from her face as she raised her mouth to the sky and Breathed. A blazing bright lance of white and wintergreen fire shot upward into the sky from her mouth. She breathed for the span of five heartbeats, and then it was gone. Hermione pitched forward onto her hands and knees and gulped air as tears flowed down her face.

"I understand!" She cried, and wrapped her arms around him. "Oh Duncan I'm so sorry for doubting you. There's nothing... like nothing I ever... The sheer magnitude."

He grinned at her. "Good, isn't it?"

She squeezed him roughly and stuck her cold nose in his neck.

"So mean. You're a mean woman." He didn't bother to move though.

"Thank you, Hidden Colours." She whispered in his ear and then kissed his cheek. "That's amazing."

"And enough for today. You're going to be really tired in a little while." He smiled, then turned his back on her. "Come on, I'll piggyback you back to the castle."

"Deal!" She jumped on his back and wrapped her arms around him, and rested her head on his shoulder.

He Disillusioned them both and trudged back around the lake toward the castle. The huge carriage the Beauxbatons witches had arrived in sat serenely by itself while the huge winged Abraxan horses milled about together in the pen Harry had helped Hagrid build for the occasion. Hagrid himself wandered among the horses to brush them and preen their feathers for them. The whole group looked quite happy.

"Duncan?" Hermione said softly next to his ear.

"Yes Hermione?"

"Why won't you go on dates to Hogsmeade?"

He stopped in the middle of the field on the near side of the lake and just stood there, quietly breathing as he held her. A long moment passed.

"I'm Svurtr, Hermione."

"Yes, and?"

"Svurtr mate for life. We only have one Mate. We won't feel anything for anyone else. The idea of mating with someone who isn't my Mate is like... Like you making out with your dad. It's repulsive."

"You mean you only have one person in the world you can love and have kids with?"

"Yes... Mother said 'When the time is right and you're ready to be a Mate, you'll know who your Mate is when you meet them.' But... Apart from my impulse to hug you, I haven't felt anything for anyone I've met yet."

"Not even Luna?"

"Luna's great, and I suppose if I weren't a Svurtr I might try dating her, but... yeah, not even Luna."

"That seems... Lonely."

"Well. You can look at it that way, sure, but I prefer to think that there is someone out there for me. My perfect match. Love and fidelity are guaranteed for me, as soon as I find her.."

"Oh... Yes, that does seem nice. A lot of people would love to know that was guaranteed for them."

"I honestly just hope whoever it is isn't pure human."

"What? Why?"

"If my perfect match turns out to be a regular human, then we'll have love and it will be great. Humans can mate for life, but they're not guaranteed to. What if she decides to cheat? What if we get divorced and she goes off with someone new? That would be fine for her, but for me there's no moving on. She would still be my Mate and I would love her and only her until I die."

"That's horrible." She whispered. "I hope she isn't regular human too. That would be such a tragedy."

"That's Mother's every day, Hermione. She only saved me because she can't have children of her own. Her Mate was taken before I was born."

"Oh no! That's terrible!" She squeezed him tighter. "I'm so sorry. Is there anything we can do? Do you know who took him? Or where?"

He shook his head. "I was going to travel far and wide if I have to after we graduate and look for him. Mother can't really, but I can. She's still quite young as dragons go, so there's still time."

"Oh good. Do you... could I come with you when you go?"

He smiled back over his shoulder at her, even though he knew she couldn't see him. "I happen to think you're brilliant company, I'd be glad to have you. Why did you want to know about Hogsmeade?"

"I... No, you'll think it's silly."

"Impossible to say since you haven't told me yet."

She blew white wispy clouds. "I wanted to go with you this weekend. Just you and me. It's asking too much, I know, I should just -"

"Like on a date?"

"Yes." She said in a tiny voice.

"I'll do my best. I don't really understand the whole romance thing, not enough anyway. You understand about me being a Svurtr, so hopefully I won't let you down too much."

"Is that a yes?"

"It's as much of a yes as I can give you without you being my Mate. Good enough?"

"I'll take it." She nuzzled her cold nose into his neck again.

He shivered, and started walking again back to the castle. "So what actually happens on a romantic date anyway? How is it different from just wandering around and talking to Susan and Hannah and getting to know them better?"

"You're the first boy I ever touched, Duncan. How would I know?"

"Same way you know everything else, Hermione. You read it. Don't even try to deny that you did, either. Besides, You're much more cognizant of the wants of your heart than I am, even if you don't think you are."

She was quiet for a moment before she spoke again, and her voice was soft and dreamy. "Well... If I was your Mate... then I guess we'd hold hands? Have tea, just the two of us... Maybe feed each other chocolates? Wander around the shops with no real purpose and make excuses to touch each other? Maybe find gifts for each other that remind us of each other? Kissing though, definitely kissing."

"The kissing happens at the end of the date, right? Argie and Darcy watched movies like that and the kissing was always as the date was ending."

"Doesn't have to be. Just whenever the moment was right. The books I read were all about feeling when the time was right and just doing it because you wanted to."

"I like them already." He grinned.

"Dammit. I just realized I don't have anything nice to wear. You have to look nice on a date. The books are all the same on that point."

"Hermione, I didn't know what clothes were four years ago. Whatever you wear will be great."

"What? Seriously?"

"Seriously. The first time I met the MacFustys I thought they were all diseased because their skins were all baggy and different colours and fluffy in some cases."

"What did you have on?"

"Nothing, of course."

"You were naked?!"

"Well yeah. Had been my whole childhood."

"Hm. Guess I didn't really think about it."

"Are you pouting?"

"No." She pouted.

"What are you pouting at?"

"Nevermind."

"Seriously."

"Yes seriously. Nevermind."

"Okay." He shrugged, but it had the effect of sliding her up and down his back slightly, and she bit her lip at the stimulation.

He trudged the both of them into the castle and up to the fourth floor, but stopped in the hall.

"Hey Hermione?"

"Yes?"

"It just occurred to me I might have doomed you romantically speaking as well. So I'm sorry."

"You think you've made me enough of a Svurtr to only have one Mate."

"Maybe. I hope not."

She tapped him twice on the shoulder and extended her legs backward, so he let her down slowly. She pulled him next to the wall and turned him, then pushed his back up against it. Neither of them could see the other, but he could feel her breath against his neck as she spoke.

"I chose this, Hidden Colours. I would choose it again, even if I do only have one Mate. If I have a Mate, then love and fidelity are guaranteed for me."

He chuckled and hugged her. "Understood, fancybrains. No need to slap me with my own words."

She hugged him back and then let go. "Thank you again, Dunc."

"Unnecessary."

"Maybe to you. You've taught me to keep people out of my head, how to look into theirs, and how to breathe fire, Duncan. To me, I'll never be able to thank you enough."

"You have a beautiful fire."

"So do you."

"I'm glad you think so. You should go rest, you'll probably fall asleep soon."

"I am tired now. See you tomorrow."

"Unless you sleep all through tomorrow, then I'll see you Friday." He dropped their Disillusionment, and grinned at her. She grinned back at him, and Disillusioned herself. "Sweet dreams, Hermione."

"You too Duncan."

"I never thought any good could come of being a Black." He said with a sigh. He stood in front of a bookshelf packed with books that had not been sorted alphabetically, but by subject. The particular bookshelf he stood in front of was labelled "R" - for Revenge. At least he didn't have far to look for aid.

He'd thought he'd have more hunger for it, that once he was free he would feel the fire, the need to redress the wrongs he sat with. Instead he was cold and numb - far more so than he had ever been in prison. Every meal tasted of ashes and pointlessness.

He stood and stared at the bookshelf for a long moment as he tried to find any trace of a reason. A reason to care, a reason to move, a reason to set his feet on the path of revenge or any other.

The lone light in his desolation - if it could be called a light - was that Kreacher had given up his usual snide viciousness and even looked after him without being told, when he wasn't paying attention. He supposed Kreacher saw that he was the last of his family left alive and wanted to keep him that way so the ugly old mug didn't die himself.

He could still see the brightness that surrounded James and Lily when they were together, the joy they radiated as Lily's belly had grown larger and larger. Then that son of a bitch had ruined everything. James and Lily dead, Moony gone, Peter a shitsucking Death Eater, and little Harry... That shining little boy. So full of life and potential... He couldn't even murder the rancid filth who'd killed the precious boy. That was one he really wanted. Peter had taken Sirius' own place in Azkaban, his very cell, so if he ever found the desire to exact payment from him, he knew where to go.

He had no idea how long he stood in front of the bookshelf alone with his thoughts, but he was interrupted by Kreacher.

"Narsty Traitor Master has message from pretty Hogwarts Elf. Kreacher says only Kreacher brings message, but Pretty Elf bes ordered to only give message to Narsty Traitor Master. Kreacher did test message for bad magics, but message is only parchment, ink, and seal."

He nodded at the old servant. "Very well, bring her in."

The second Elf arrived with a soft pop, and he could see she was fairly young. She shuffled forward and held out a folded piece of parchment to him.

"Mistress says sorry she forgot about you until she sees your freedom in the paper."

He nodded at the Elf as he took the parchment from her. "Thank you. Who is your Mistress?"

The Elf shook her head. "Mistress bes not wanting to say. Mistress says message bes enough."

He sighed. Denied again. Was this his life now?

"Thank you then, please give your Mistress my thanks as well."

The little Elf nodded, and vanished with another soft pop.

"Thank you Kreacher, that'll be all."

Kreacher bobbed his head once and vanished.

He took a seat in one of the ancient wingchairs and unfolded the parchment.

Mister Black,

Congratulations on your exoneration and reparations. I apologize for the lateness of this note, but I had forgotten you until I read about you in the paper again yesterday.

He's not dead.

He's here, and I will try to convince him to contact you.

Regards,

Miss Witch.

He stared at the note in his hands as his vision blurred and his chest clenched. Adrenaline surged through his blood and made his fingers tingle.

He's not dead.

He's here.

Sirius quietly wept as his heart began to beat again and life claimed him.

"Morning, Nev." Duncan grinned as he sat down next to Heir Longbottom.

"Duncan! Nice to see you again, have you decided to rejoin the rest of us poor mortals?"

"Wait, you mean I had a choice?!"

Neville looked at him through flat brows. "Ha. Ha."

Duncan grinned back at him. "Ask a silly question... And speaking of which, what's with the letters?"

"You've been disappeared for a month. The ladies in the castle were getting worried you weren't going to show up anymore. A bunch of them cornered Luna and I in the library on Monday night. I offered to make sure you'd get the letters since you were clearly doing other important things."

"Thanks Nev, I appreciate that. I really was, and still will be."

"No worries. What are you doing, if you don't mind my asking?"

Duncan shook his head. "Don't mind at all. Just training. Never can be too sharp."

"Well... damn."

"Come again?"

"I was hoping you'd say you were doing something private and family related, because it would be rude to ask to join in then. But no, you're just practicing with all your spare time, and now I have to ask because I can't afford not to devote more time to it. Honour demands."

Duncan grinned. "You're welcome. Monday morning, five am."

"Ugh. Sometimes Honour sucks."

"Better than having to climb out of the nest in the morning to go hunting so you can eat."

"Alright, yeah, point made."

Neville said something else, but Harry didn't hear what it was because a privacy shell descended over him just as he felt Hermione's hands on his shoulders.

"Good morning," She said, "I have to apologize to you so come to our room when you're done please." Her hands let go of him and the privacy shell dropped.

Neville was looking at him expectantly.

"Sorry, I missed that last bit. What was it?"

"I asked which girls you're taking to Hogsmeade this weekend. No doubt that's what most of the letters were about."

"Oh. You think? I haven't actually read any of them yet. In any case, I already promised this weekend to Hermione."

Neville's eyebrows shot up. "Hermione? Really?"

"Yeah, what of it?" Duncan didn't like the implication.

"Nothing mate, nothing. Just surprised is all. I guess I kind of forgot about her since I never see her. Good on you."

"You should make more of an effort. She doesn't have the top spot in the school by accident. She'll be finished sixth year by Christmas. She's brilliant. She's been training with me."

"Really. I guess I'll see her Monday morning then, unless I see you two around Hogsmeade. I'll be there Saturday, and apologize if I see you then. Gran would box my ears if she knew I had been so unkind to her."

Duncan smiled and slapped Neville's back lightly. "Good man, Nev. You're a good best mate and I'm glad to know you."

"Thanks, Dunc. Same back at you. I like who I am thanks to you."

"Nonsense. You were always in there, you just needed a decent environment to come out and play."

"If I'd stood up to Weasley sooner, I might have made that environment possible myself. Also, while I'm thinking of it - Parkinson said some extremely hateful things about Hermione during the meeting on Monday. It's obvious how you feel about that sort of thing, so I thought I should warn you."

Duncan nodded. "Thanks Nev, I appreciate it. I was already warned about her though. Apparently she and Bulstrode had plans to dose me with love potion. Thankfully nothing has come of it yet."

"Good. No wonder she was so smug at the table Monday then. The rest of us could see she had no chance at you with her attitude, but she seemed oddly confident. Glad to know you're already forewarned."

Duncan finished the rest of his breakfast and took an extra couple of danishes when he stood. "Back to training then. See you later, mate."

"Take it easy on the beginners later." Neville grinned at him.

Duncan just smiled a smile that said he would get the opposite of what he'd asked for. He Disillusioned himself as he left the Great Hall, and made his way to the fifth floor to meet Hermione.

He pushed magic into his eyes before he opened the door, and caught a glimpse of her behind it, so he jerked his head back and closed the door again.

"Grrr!" He heard through the door. It opened then, and she appeared in front of him. "Thought I was going to get you for sure that time." She smiled.

"Maybe someday." He winked. "How you feeling? Did you rest enough?" He entered their room and closed the door behind him, then locked and sealed it.

"I think so. I'm a little laggy, but nothing I haven't studied through before. As long as we don't breathe fire again today I think I'll be fine."

"Okay, good. I'm glad you're alright. I slept for three days after I Breathed the first time, but then I was eight years old."

"I would have loved to see that."

"You've seen my fire already."

"I meant a little eight year old you, curled up on a warm pile of gold coins." She pinched his cheek. "So cute."

"I have two older sisters, you know. I understand all about being patronizing."

Hermione laughed. "I'm only teasing, you know that."

"So, what's this emergency apology about? Here, these are for you. I thought you'd be hungry." He handed her the napkin full of danishes.

"I'm famished, thanks. I didn't think to go to the kitchens first." She walked over and sat on the sofa, and motioned for him to follow. "Last year I was minding my own business, just hiding as I did. I hadn't built the shower in my place yet, so I was in the dorm to have one after potions class and as I was leaving - Disillusioned, of course - somebody darted into the common room and knocked me down.

"He bolted up the stairs to the boys' dorms, and came back to the common room grinning like an idiot with Weasley's rat in his hands. I stunned him and the rat, and put them both in an empty classroom. Anyway, long story short, I interrogated the guy and he'd just escaped from Azkaban, his name was Sirius Black. He had supposedly murdered a bunch of people, but it turned out that Weasley's rat was actually an animagus - the very one who had committed those murders. The rat went to prison, and Black got released and exonerated."

"How does any of this warrant an apology?" Harry frowned.

"With everything that we had going on, all the training, it slipped my mind until now. Sirius Black is your Godfather. The last member of your original family. The rat was the one responsible for bringing Voldemort to your parents."

"Wow... I... I'm not really sure how to feel about that, honestly."

"You might not feel any kind of way about it, but Black does. He was desperate for news of you, and when I told him you had been killed in Nineteen Eighty-One, it seemed to break him. He clearly loved you and felt like he failed you for getting thrown in prison. I sent him a letter yesterday to say I'd try to convince you to send him one. I don't know how you feel about meeting new people, but he'd know about your past. He knew your first parents."

Harry nodded. "I should probably talk to him. I mean, I don't know the man, but if I were in his shoes I think I'd want that more than anything."

"That's what I was thinking. Giving him a chance to get to know you might be the most generous thing, and you might get someone who's on your side out of it. Someone besides me, obviously." She smiled.

"Thanks for that." He smiled back. "I'd be lying if I said I wasn't curious how I ended up with Mother in the first place. Maybe he knows. How did you get him a letter?"

"I asked Lammy to deliver it."

"Have you considered binding her to you? She loves you already, you know."

"I could never do that! I'd be taking a slave, Duncan. That's horrible."

He shook his head. "You're wrong, Hermione. That's not what it is to them at all."

"How do you know?"

"I asked the first House Elf I ever met, her name is Brin. She serves the MacMillan family."

"Oh." She looked down at the danish in her hands. "I suppose I haven't ever actually asked."

"Do you like how you are now compared to how you were before?"

"What does that have to do with -"

"Just run with me here. You do, because you've told me so."

"Yes. The difference is night and day and I love how I am now. I love who I am now."

"Right. That's the difference a House Elf gets when they bond with a family. They get to live, Hermione. If they couldn't be here at Hogwarts, they'd wither and die. Bonding to you would mean that Lammy not only gets to live, but she gets to share your magic too. They don't have any of their own really. They use what they get from you in their own unique way, but it isn't theirs, not really."

"I... didn't know that."

"Furthermore, pretend that you live in a society of others just like you who all live by a code of honour that dictates your debts must be paid. If you were fortunate enough to receive the change and didn't have any other way to pay your debt..."

"I suppose I would be proud to serve as repayment." She concluded.

"Brin likened it to the oaths sworn by Knights to their Liege. They want a family, more than anything, and they're proud to serve. They love taking care of the ones who gave them that gift."

"I'll... think about it."

"Talk to Lammy. Give her your concerns on it and see what she says. We're going to be hopping all over the world soon enough, she'd be great to have along with us."

"Alright already, you made your point. I'll talk to her." She smiled at him.

"Good. In the meantime, I'll borrow her to deliver my note to Mister Black if you don't object." He smiled back.

"I just happen to have parchment, quill and ink here." She said as she reached into her bookbag.

"As if you would ever be anywhere without them."

"Well I don't take them into the shower." She set out the parchment and ink bottle and lay the quill beside them. She looked up at him because he hadn't made any witty retort, but his face was red and he sat leaned over frontward with one ankle across the other knee.

He was thinking about her in the shower. She could see it in his eyes.

Something warm bloomed in her chest, and she wore a small but persistent smile for the rest of the day.

"Filthy Blood Traitor Master, Pretty Elf is here again with a message." Kreacher shuffled into the den as he was going over the dowry paperwork.

"Well don't just leave her, send the lovely lass in!" He said with a grin.

She popped in a moment later, and held a sheet of parchment out to him. He took it, and bowed as graciously as he was able while seated.

"I thank you from the bottom of my heart, Miss Elf."

"Mistress asked This Elf to wait for Wizard Black's reply, so This Elf will wait."

"Very well, Miss Elf. I shan't be but a moment." He unfolded the parchment and nearly burst into tears.

It was his writing.

He had the same terrible penmanship as his father, in almost exactly the same way. He put a hand in front of his mouth and breathed deeply for a moment as he steeled himself.

Mister Black,

My apologies for not having written sooner, I have only just this hour been informed of your existence. You know who I am, I'm told, but please never use that name. The name I use is Duncan MacFusty, as the MacFusty family took me in four years ago and that is the name I was given.

You have some knowledge of the boy I used to be and the family I used to have, and I must admit to some curiosity regarding such. I regret that our opportunity to know each other has been destroyed by the events of the past, but I am open to beginning anew. 

If you are amenable, I and Miss Witch will be at the Three Broomsticks for a long lunch this Sunday at one pm. I will reserve a private room in my name should you wish to join us.

Regards, 

Duncan MacFusty.

Well, the boy had mastered formal language far better than James ever had. He reached into the second drawer of the desk and took out a clean sheet of parchment, then wrote his reply.

Dear Mister MacFusty,

Your apologies are unnecessary, I am thrilled and humbled by your willingness to meet with me. Rest assured I will join you Sunday at one for a long overdue tete-a-tete. I will apologize in advance for my behaviour, I was never very good at not showing my emotions. I hope to not embarrass either of us too much. 

Sincerely, 

Sirius Black.

He blew on the ink to dry it, then folded the parchment and handed it to the girl Elf.

"Thank you Miss Elf, for your service, and please convey my thanks to your Mistress as well. I look forward to meeting her again for the first time on Sunday." He smiled at her.

"This Elf will." She bowed and vanished.

"I get to meet him, Kreacher... Finally. I failed him for so long, but he doesn't hate me. That's something."

"Give it time, Muggle-loving Master. Kreacher is sure he will come to hate you as much as Kreacher does."

Sirius barked a laugh. "Go make me some lunch, you horrible frog-eyed monstrosity." He grinned at the aged Elf. Kreacher tried to hide his return smile, but didn't quite manage it.