章 4: Chapter Four - Planning and Potions

Disclaimer: The Harry Potter universe belongs to the proverbial Duchess of Magic, JK Rowling, Scholastic, Bloomsbury, Warner Bros and some other high falutin' companies. No matter how much I whine about not owning anything related to the HP universe, other than a few fanfic plots, I do not profess to own - and would never dream of making any money off - JKR's wonderful world... Damn it!

Chapter Four - Planning and Potions

_‗_

—==(oIo)==—

The three, again, sat the Gryffindor table for their dinner. Harry had even suggested they occasionally sit at the Slytherin table, just so it didn't look like they were trying to 'corrupt' Daphne with their 'Gryffindor'ish' ways.

Daphne was about to reply when Ron, who had finally decided to sit somewhere near them, overheard and went off on a rant about how the Slytherins were evil and would drag Harry and Hermione over to the dark arts. It was so loud and offensive, Professor McGonagall had to again drag the boy out of the Great Hall.

The three immediately cast potion detection charms over their goblets and the food before them.

No sooner had Ron been dragged off when Malfoy, again, sauntered over with his two bookends. He didn't even get to open his mouth before Daphne shot him down with her cold stare and drew her wand to point it at him. She hissed, "Unless you want to experience what it feels like to be castrated without suitable pain numbing charms or potions, I suggest you keep your mouth shut, turn around and go back to the Slytherin table."

Malfoy took one look at her, seemed to think about it for a moment, sneered and left.

"How come he never did that for me?" Harry asked, impressed.

"Because he knows I'd actually do it," she calmly replied, pocketing her wand. "You, at this time, won't. Besides, he also knows he has his godfather ready to swoop in and protect his bum from you. As I'm not you, and as I'm a fellow Slytherin, it leaves Professor Snape... conflicted."

Neville, sitting opposite again, leaned forward and asked, "What was that with the wand waving over the food, before?"

"Detection charms for poisons and potions," said Harry. "With the famous Alastor 'Mad-Eye' Moody as our 'Dah-Dah' Professor, I wouldn't put it past him to try to potion us to prove a point about 'Constant Vigilance'."

Neville's eyes widened in surprise for a moment before he leaned forward again and asked, "Find anything?"

"No," replied Daphne with a smirk. "We're safe."

Neville looked like he breathed a sigh of relief before he returned to his meal.

After dinner, as soon as they re-entered their living room, Harry practically ranted, "I cannot believe that bigoted idiot!"

"Which one?" asked Hermione. "Ron or Malfoy?"

Harry snorted in annoyance and said, "Ron. Malfoy, I'm already well used to. Ron's a completely different matter. Was he this bigoted... you know!"

"Yes, he was," replied Daphne. "You just either didn't notice it; or he did it outside of your immediate area, and where you wouldn't see him."

She went and sat down on one of the couches and indicated for Harry to sit on the one opposite. He did so. Crookshanks watched them from 'his' armchair, for a moment, before he decided to ignore them and go back to sleep. Midnight was nowhere to be seen.

"How much did your Grim Reaper tell you about what really went on that Weasley blocked from getting near you?" she asked him.

"He, John, only told me about the potions, really; and that he had been working to block people approaching me that might turn into friends," he replied. "What else happened?"

She sighed and said, "Over the past year, or so... this timeline... I've tried to come and talk to you on a few occasions. Each time I did, Weasley was there to tell me how you 'wouldn't want to talk to some filthy snake'. He also said some other not very complimentary things. And, no; I won't go into them.

"However, he was doing his damnedest to make sure no one else could get close to you, either; especially towards the end of last year. I wasn't the only girl who was interested in getting to know Harry Potter, or The-Boy-Who-Lived."

"Damn," Harry softly said. "And I was just being too stupid... too trusting... to see the signs."

"No, Harry," said Hermione, coming to sit beside him and take his hand in hers. "You were up to the eyeballs in loyalty potions keyed to him. You were not being stupid."

Harry grumbled for a few moments before he gave himself a bit of a shake. "No, I really wasn't, was I? John didn't say anything about it, but I can't help but wonder if those potions are what led to me having no drive to do well in my classes. John did say something about how it was a wonder all the ongoing potions hadn't turned my brain into mush. And, that one of the times I died was the night of the third task at the graveyard, because I wasn't able to think straight because of them."

"And it just got worse, Harry," said Hermione. "By fifth year, you were so befuddled you didn't tell anyone about Umbridge's torturing of you, except me and Ron. And I think Ron was secretly glad you were being tortured. As for me; I, too, was being befuddled by potions. Nor, did either of us think about you using the mirrors to contact Sirius before we went charging off to the Department of Mysteries.

"Then, sixth year. You already knew the flame curse, the fire whip and even just Incendio; and, yet, forgot the lot when you were in the cave fighting the inferi. Then, after Dumbledore was killed, you chased the Death Eaters, including Snape, out of the castle and across the grounds towards the ward line. You flung curse after curse at them, and never hit them... not once!

"All this from someone who duelled Riddle, practically to a standstill, in the graveyard after being hit twice with the Cruciatus curse from Riddle, himself!" she finished. "No, Harry; those potions did more damage than just affect our love lives."

Harry, to put it bluntly, was stunned. Even John hadn't gone into that much detail about the harm those potions caused. Maybe, it was because he knew Hermione would quickly figure it out. Or, maybe because John simply didn't want to speak of it.

"Bloody Hell!" he muttered.

_‗_

—==(oIo)==—

That talk led them to finally compare what they each knew, and what their Grim Reapers had told each of them. Homework was put off while they, with the combined knowledge they now had, laid out their combined tasks.

1. Initiate the bonds - done

1a. - alert the parents to the bonds - done for Daphne, not for Hermione

1b. - finalise the bonds

2. Visit Gringotts

2a. - Key Daphne and Hermione into the Potter vaults

2b. - Tell goblins of cup horcrux

2c. - Set up emancipation

2d. - Claim emancipation (after Goblet)

3. Organise solicitor

3a. - for Sirius

3b. - for protection against libel

3c. - for misuse of intellectual property regarding Boy-Who-Lived books

4. Magical Oath

4a. - Harry to give magical oath immediately after his name comes out of the Goblet (before going into antechamber)

5. Deal with the other two horcruxes

5a. - the diadem (Room of Requirement)

5b. - the locket (Grimmauld Place)

6. Basilisk carcass

6a. - Store some venom to destroy the horcruxes

6b. - Find out how best to deal with the remainder of the carcass

7. Daphne's father

7a. - His assistance will help garner support to free Sirius

7b. - He can help later with future tasks (not yet known)

8. Hermione's father

8a. - Help Harry with firearms training as an added weapon in dealing with Riddle (possible only)

"I think that's it," said Hermione, sitting there, reading the document and nibbling on her bottom lip.

"It is; for now," said a strange female voice from behind Harry and Hermione. Both teens spun around and saw a woman standing there, as Daphne looked over their shoulders in shock.

Harry was about to pull his wand when Hermione grabbed his arm. "Don't, Harry!" she said. "This is Roma; my Grim Reaper."

Harry looked back in shock as Daphne reacted with a shocked in draw of breath. It them clicked in Harry's mind that Roma was wearing a similar robe to what he and John had worn 'up there'. Her reddish-brown hair, parted in the middle with a short fringe, fell about her shoulders to about shoulder blade length. She was also barefoot.

"Roma?" asked Hermione. "Why are you here?"

"Daphne Anna worked a little quicker to get the bonds established than we, originally, anticipated," explained Roma. "But, we now see it was the right thing to do. Secondly, because Albus Wulfric went for the Legilimency probe faster than we thought he would, he became temporarily incapacitated sooner than expected.

"That's now given us a window of opportunity we had not foreseen. A window where you three can accomplish things before Albus Wulfric can... meddle."

"I thought you knew what was going to happen?" asked Daphne.

"We do not," replied Roma. "The moment you were backstepped, the future... as you knew it... ceased to exist. It must be this way due to Free Agency."

"Free Agency?" asked Daphne. "What's that?"

"The mortal world... here... was created to give each soul the right to make their own choices," she explained. "You truly choose your own future. We can only nudge you in the direction we'd like you to go, and destiny also plays a big part, but your choices are ultimately your own.

"Daphne Anna's choice to immediately establish the bonds had... has... a ripple effect going forward through time. It's those ripples that were initially unforeseen. If we knew what was going to play out, then Harry James would never have suffered his six previous deaths; and you girls would not have suffered your own."

"That makes sense," said Hermione. "So, what did the changes make to alter our plans?"

"With Albus Wulfric incapacitated, now is the time to get some things done," she replied. "Very soon, you need to go down into the Chamber to estimate the effect of magical rot on the carcass of the basilisk, or have someone do it for you. Since what occurred during your second year, Albus Wulfric has placed monitoring charms on the sinks in the girls' bathroom. He would know you were going down there, again, if he was here. And he would stop you. However, you have the skills to have those charms moved out of the way.

"If you do not do this soon, Ronald Bilius is going to beat you to it. Without the friendship in place he feels no remorse in stealing from you, Harry James. He has not already done so, because he wasn't worried you would finally figure out the value of the carcass and do something about it. And, he knows that he would be a prime suspect if the carcass goes missing."

"But it takes a parselmouth using parseltongue to get in," said Harry. "How is he going to get in?"

"Ron's a parselmouth, Harry," said Hermione. "During the battle of Hogwarts, we had to go down there to get some venom to destroy the cup. He told me he faked the sound of parseltongue to open the entrances to get us in there. He lied. Parseltongue cannot be faked. Only a true parseltongue can open the two entrances; so, he's a parselmouth."

"Wh-what?" exclaimed Harry, completely shocked. Then he got angry. "Why... that... little..."

"Enough," said Roma, holding up her hand in a stop gesture. "You now know the truth. Do not go acting on it other than to claim the carcass. Do not let on that you know he's a parselmouth, lest it raise questions as to how you know."

"I thought my parselmouth ability was as a result of the horcrux within me," grumbled Harry.

"It is not," replied Roma. "Like many others with a long familial history of wizardry and witchcraft, you are a descendant of Salazaar. So is Ronald Bilius. Both of you trace that history through the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black. You, through your paternal grandmother Dorea Melania; he, through his paternal grandmother Cedrella Lucretia."

"So, when I was speaking in parseltongue, he understood every word I said," Harry sighed.

"Yes," said Roma. "That's how he knew what words to say to quickly open the passageway from the bathroom, and then open the main door to the Chamber."

"Alright," said Harry firmly. "That's now become a priority."

"Next; but, do this first," instructed Roma, "tell Minerva Isabell... your Professor McGonagall... you need to talk to Hermione Jean's parents about the bond before they find out about it through other means. You'll also want to stop by a bookshop and buy a book for your parents to read about what the bond actually means, before you go.

"If you wait too long, Albus Wulfric will return and meddle again. It would lead to Hermione Jean's parents finding out through... other means. And that is a situation we do not want."

"Two priorities, then," said Harry.

"And, with that, it's almost time for me to go," said Roma. "But, one final thing... when we come to visit you, we do so as Guardian Angels, not Grim Reapers. We only hold the latter title after your deaths."

"Nice to know," said Daphne.

With a small smile, Roma seemed to fade away.

"She's nice," said Harry. "John, however, wasn't all that nice to me. As a matter of fact, he seemed quite put out with me. He told me his job was on the line due to the number of times I kept dying."

"We know," said Hermione with a smile.

_‗_

—==(oIo)==—

After the three had approached Professor McGonagall, in her role as Acting Headmistress while the Headmaster was at Saint Mungo's, they explained why they needed to go and talk to Hermione's parents about the bond.

"It is hoped the Headmaster will be back on his feet and well enough to resume his role as Headmaster, soon enough," said the Professor. "I should be able to take you to visit your parents after that."

"Sorry, Professor," said Hermione, shaking her head. "That may be too late. Though my parents do not receive a daily copy of the Daily Prophet, they can always find out about the bond through other means. If we don't go and talk to them about it before they find out, things could become... difficult."

With a sigh, the Professor said, "You are, of course, correct. Though I would much rather wait, we do not know how long it will be before the Headmaster returns." She sat at her desk with the three 'children' sitting opposite and thought about it for a while.

Clearly coming to a decision, she sat forward and said, "I do not like to leave the school without a healer... even for a short time. However, it would probably be best if I send Madam Pomfrey with you to explain things to your parents. Madam Pomfrey will be able to inform your parents what the bond means to the three of you; and to them."

"That would be nice. Thank you Professor," said Hermione, clearly relieved.

"What classes do the three of you have tomorrow afternoon?" the Professor asked.

"A single class with you in Transfiguration straight after lunch," said Harry.

"History of Magic with the 'Claws, for me," said Daphne.

"Sorry, Professor," said Hermione, cutting in. "That won't suit. Both of my parents work. It'll have to be after 5:00pm, at the earliest, before we can visit."

"Then, immediately after an early dinner tomorrow?" she asked, to which Hermione nodded. "I'll have Madam Pomfrey take the three of you to visit Miss Granger's parents, then" said the Professor.

"That works," said Hermione. "Thank you, Professor."

After the three left, Harry turned to them and said, "Now I need... or we need... to get down into the Chamber to at least get the venom."

"You'll need something to store it within, first," said Daphne.

"True," mused Harry. "So, I have to find some large enough glass, sealable containers to store it within."

"The Room of Lost Things, Harry," said Hermione. "There's bound to be something in there you can use."

With a sigh, Harry said, "Of course." Then he leaned over and gave his bushy-haired bondmate a kiss on the cheek.

Hermione was shocked, to say the least. Her emerald-eyed friend - her bondmate - had never initiated such a random display of affection before. It felt... nice.

_‗_

—==(oIo)==—

The three returned to their apartment and, though it was starting to get a little late, started in on their homework. Of course, having gone through it all before, with her amazing memory, Hermione was very quick to get her own done.

Harry found the Occlumency even assisted him with his own memory of the previous events, and allowed him to rapidly get through it, as did Daphne. However, she also appeared quite distracted.

Once they'd finished, Harry packed his work away and was about to head for bed when Daphne stopped him.

Puzzled, he sat back down again. "Daphne?" he asked, worried for her. "What's wrong?"

Blushing, she looked away for a few moments.

Harry turned to look at Hermione, who he saw was just as puzzled. They waited for their new 'friend' - their bondmate - to tell them what was wrong.

Harry was about to ask again when she turned back and, with eyes downcast, quietly asked, "When do you want to finalise the bond?"

Out of the corner of his eye he saw Hermione blush and look away.

Shocked, Harry replied, "Errr... Daphne; I... Sorry, John didn't tell me how to do that. He... kind of intimated you or Hermione would do that. And, I didn't have a chance to do more than lightly skim through those books on bonds. I was more focussed on detection charms for the potions."

Both girls seemed to blush even further. And Daphne's eyes seemed to water.

"Ummm... Harry," stammered Hermione, finding the courage to speak. "Finalising the bond... requires the act of... you know... ummm... s-sexual intimacy."

Surprised and starting to blush a little himself - and wondering how things suddenly got so uncomfortable - in a quiet voice he said, "Oh."

'Why does it suddenly feel so hot in here?' he thought.

Steeling himself and thinking, 'Gryffindors forward,' he rose from the side he was sitting on and went over to sit next to Daphne.

"Daphne," he said, trying to get the other girl's attention. "Please, look at me." He reached over and took her closest hand in his own, and felt her flinch a little.

"Daphne... please," he softly begged.

Taking a breath and sniffling a little, she slowly turned to look at him. Hermione sat on the couch on the other side of the coffee table and quietly stayed out of it. Clearly sensing the anxiety in his familiar's mood, Crookshanks hopped off the seat of the armchair he preferred and hopped up into Hermione's lap. She almost absently petted him as he purred soothing sounds.

When Daphne looked at Harry, he could see her eyes were full of unshed tears.

"I had no idea," Harry softly said to her. "I had no idea... that to finalise the bond requires us to... do that."

He saw her nod in acceptance.

"I promise you this, Daphne Anna Greengrass, I will not... in any way, shape or form... push you to do anything that you're uncomfortable doing with me," he said, with as much feeling as he could generate. "The protections we each needed from the bond are now already there. We need not go any further, if it makes you uncomfortable."

And, with those words, the floodgates of tears suddenly released. Daphne burst into tears.

Harry was at a loss as to what to do. Thankfully, Hermione was not. Shooing a disgruntled Crookshanks off her lap, she hurried over from the opposite couch and sat on the other side of the crying girl, before quickly wrapping her in her arms. Daphne buried her face in Hermione's shoulder, and cried her eyes out.

Crookshanks decided to return to 'his' seat on the armchair.

Not knowing whether to stay where he was, or go back and sit on the other couch, Harry thought it might be best to stay until one of the two of them told him otherwise.

He looked over Daphne's head at Hermione with such a look of confusion, Hermione smiled at him and gestured for him to stay. All the while, she was making calming noises for Daphne.

Once the girl had calmed down a bit, Hermione softly said to Harry, "Could you go and... wait a minute."

Utterly confused, Harry just looked back while Hermione got that look that told Harry she thought she'd been stupid about something.

She turned her head a little to the side and called, "Dobby!"

Just as Harry's own eyes widened in surprise of his own stupidity, the little elf popped in and asked, "Does the great Harry Potter sir's Grangy need Dobby?"

"Yes; thank you, Dobby," Hermione said to the little fellow. "Can you get me a cool moist flannel and a calming draught?"

"Certainly, Miss Grangy," replied Dobby. He popped away and was back a few moments later with a small clean white towel, damp with chilled water; and the required draught.

Accepting them, Hermione said, "Thank you, Dobby. Now, I think Harry needs to ask you something." Then she gave Harry a very pointed look before she gave the potion to Daphne to drink, as she used the small towel to wipe the girl's face and the back of her neck.

Dobby turned to Harry with a curious expression on his face. "What does the great Harry Potter Sir need to be asking Dobby?"

Giving himself a bit of mental smack in the head for not thinking of it earlier, Harry asked the loyal little elf, "Dobby, would you like to bond with me as my house elf?"

It was as if all of the little creature's Christmases had come at once. The elf practically glowed with joy. "Yes!" he practically cried, before diving forward and hugging Harry around his knees.

There was a glow as an elf-bond formed between the two and Dobby backed off. With a bow and downcast face, the little elf asked, "How may Dobby be helping Master next?"

"Alright," said Harry. "First things first. I order you in perpetuity to call me 'Harry' in private or if I'm only with Hermione or Daphne. Second; I do not believe you should be wearing that disgusting old pillowcase. I'd like to see you in something far more utilitarian and befitting the position of house elf to Harry Potter."

Harry thought about a couple of different ideas as Dobby stared back at him, eye-to-eye.

Suddenly, with a grin, Dobby broke the connection and snapped his fingers. With a flash of magic he was wearing what, to Harry, appeared to be what the United States or Canadian military called urban battle dress fatigues, or something. He wore cargo-style pants with matching long-sleeved jacket and cap in a mottled pattern made of black, dark greys, lighter greys and minimal white, over soft black boots. Instead of a country's flag on his shoulder, he wore a family crest. When Harry looked closer at it, he realised it said 'Potter' on a small banner directly below it.

"I have a house crest,' he numbly thought. "And, I didn't even know!'

Gathering his thoughts, again, he asked the little elf, "Are you happy to wear this, Dobby?"

"Oh; yes, Master Harry!" Dobby replied. "All the other elveses will be so jealous!"

"Errr... well, as long as you're happy with it," said Harry. "Because, I like it too."

Dobby then popped away, and was back a few moments later with three goblets of pumpkin juice. Before anyone could say anything, he was gone again.

Turning back to the two girls he saw Hermione look back with amusement, and Daphne looking back at him with confused shock.

"Harry," Daphne asked, "How is it you bonded with the little elf, and then had him wearing clothes, but didn't immediately sever the bond again?"

"I didn't sever the bond because I didn't give Dobby clothes," said Harry. "I gave him my impressions of what sort of things I want him to wear, and then let him dress himself that way. I never actually offered him any clothing."

With a bit of a snort that made a bit of a mess, Daphne quickly brought her ever-ready handkerchief out and blew her nose, wiped it and tucked the cloth away again. "Sorry," she murmured to Hermione.

"Whatever for?" asked Hermione.

"I made a mess on you," Daphne replied, gesturing with her hand at the front of Hermione's robes.

Hermione looked down and gave her own amused snort before drawing her wand. A quick swish and muttered 'Evanesco' and the mess was gone.

Hesitating a few moments, the other two knew Daphne still needed to say something; so, gave her the time to gather her thoughts.

"W-we're bonded," sniffled Daphne.

"Yes, we are," said Harry.

"But, it's not complete," she said.

"Daphne," Harry sighed. "You were brave enough to tell us what... happened... just before you died. I'm a bloke; but, even I know that's got to have been a pretty traumatic experience for you.

"A few days ago, relatively speaking, Hermione was eighteen and we were both seventeen. However, now Hermione's almost fifteen and we've just turned fourteen. It's going to take the three of us quite some time to come to terms with that. We don't need to go adding to the difficulties of that with worrying about s-sex."

"You really don't know, do you?" she asked, glancing at him for a moment before turning her eyes downcast once more and answering her own question. "Of course, you don't. You haven't read the book yet. And, I keep forgetting both of you were muggle-raised."

Harry and Hermione looked at each other in confusion, but didn't interrupt; knowing she had more to say.

"W-we only initiated the bond, on the train," she went on. "For the bond to... become permanent... requires s-sexual intimacy; the... full sexual intimacy sort."

"You mean sexual intercourse," said Hermione. "Coitus."

"Yeah, I got that," said Harry. "But, we don't need to go there. We've got the protections we needed, now."

"You don't understand," she sobbed a little. "Yes, we do! However... thankfully... we don't have to... go there... straight away. But, it's best if there's some sort of intimate contact for some time before the time is ready for the bond to become permanent."

Still not looking up she then asked, "Did you not wonder why bonded couples have the right to an apartment?"

With a slight shrug, Harry replied, "I thought it was just so we could get to know each other better."

"It is," she said. "Physically."

She then slowly, but with greater conviction as she went on, told them what she meant. She even showed them what it said in the books. And gave certain timelines.

She also told them that, to not do what was recommended, meant the bond would weaken to the point where it would simply cease to be. And that was completely unacceptable.

"Then, we'll trust to your knowledge and the pace you want to set, Daphne," said Hermione. "What do you recommend... what do you want... to do?"

Daphne clearly thought about it for a while before she asked, "Can we... just... sleep together in the same bed for tonight? In our night clothes, of course. It's best to maintain a skin-to-skin contact during the night to anchor the bond; but, I'm not... comfortable... with that level, yet."

"Umm," blushed Harry, with a somewhat horrified expression. "I... ummm."

Frowning and looking a little hurt, Hermione asked, "You don't want to do that, Harry?"

Blushing even further, he exclaimed, "No! I-I mean... Yes!... I..." Dropping his own head and sighing, he said, "I-I'm a guy!... Ummm... things happen... while I sleep. I... can't help it!"

Understanding and blushing herself, Hermione softly said, "Oh!"

Not understanding, Daphne looked up and saw their expressions and asked, "What?"

Unable to form a coherent sentence without it coming out like a squeak, or sounding like he was a sex maniac, Harry kept his mouth shut and just blushed even deeper.

Hermione 'rescued' him from answering. "He means he has naughty dreams," said Hermione.

With a confused frown, Daphne said, "Well, that's understandable. We have those, too."

"Yes," said Hermione. "But, his make him become... aroused. You know... erect."

"Oh!" said Daphne, finally glancing up at Harry; embarrassed but amused, all the same.

Trying not to laugh, Hermione asked, "Hang on a moment. Harry... do you have... errr... I think they're called... nocturnal e-emissions?!"

Harry just blushed even further, slid to the end of the couch and softly mumbled, "Sometimes."

Daphne clearly didn't understand and glanced from Harry to Hermione in confusion.

Taking pity on her - or maybe on Harry - Hermione leaned down and whispered in her ear.

Daphne's eyes widened in surprise before her mouth opened wide. Then she blushed very red, and snorted a little.

Harry didn't know which of the two started it; but, he soon found both girls giggling away while he was uncomfortably blushing in embarrassment at the other end of the couch.

"Harry," Hermione giggled. "As you said... you can't help it. There's nothing to be embarrassed about."

"Then, why are you laughing so much about it?" he mumbled, almost whining.

"We shouldn't; I know," she said, still trying not to laugh. Even Daphne was still chuckling away. At least she wasn't crying anymore.

"Fine!" he grumbled. "I'm going to go and enlarge the bed... a lot! Then I'm going to bed. If you want to come and join me, I... I won't stop you." And he quickly got up, grabbed his book bag and almost ran into the bedroom. "But, it's just to sleep!" he yelled back.

He couldn't focus enough to enlarge the bed right away, so went and got ready first. As soon as he exited the bathroom he enlarged the bed so it would more than comfortably sleep three people... or five... and climbed in.

He lay in the middle and tried to stop thinking what it would be like for either of the girls to join him. But his mind kept thinking about what they'd look like under their clothes. That was starting to cause him problems, so he started to think about what Dolores Umbridge would look like the same way. That helped - a lot. Almost too much, as he felt quite ill thinking about it.

He had just extinguished the lights when the bedroom door opened and both girls walked in. From the light coming in through the window, he could see both were wearing pyjamas of a sort. Hermione was wearing a tank top and silk shorts; while Daphne was wearing a sort of short, sleeveless heavy nightgown that fell to her knees.

He stayed quiet as they each moved to a side of the bed. Again, Daphne moved to his left, while Hermione moved to his right.

Not daring to say a word, he watch as Hermione, first, lifted the bed covers and slipped in. A moment later, Daphne did the same from her side. Both then eased themselves down to lie flat on their backs, just as Harry was doing.

'This is ridiculous," Harry thought. 'None of us are going to get any sleep like this.'

He willed himself to try and relax and even tried to picture sheep jumping a gate. He'd heard somewhere, once, that this was the best way to try and count sheep. And, that it was great mind action to help you get to sleep.

He had no idea both girls were doing similar exercises.

_‗_

—==(oIo)==—

Harry woke up having such a pleasant dream. He'd dreamed he'd managed to kill Voldemort quite spectacularly in the middle of Diagon Alley. And now a pair of twins was in bed with him, showing him their appreciation for his efforts. He could only tell them apart due to their hair. One had auburn, now only slightly wild, hair; while the other had blond hair that fell in silk straight strands to her shoulders.

At the moment, he was cuddled up to the auburn-haired one - whom he called 'One' - ready for round two of their all-night session of sex; while the blond-haired one - 'Two', he called her - was snuggled up to his back. He had a fistful of one of 'One's' succulent boobs with his thumb lightly brushing back and forth over the nipple, while 'Two' had her arm around his lower middle and trapped between him and 'One'.

He lay there hoping 'Two's' hand would slide a bit lower for him and guide him down when, softly breathing in, he drew in 'One's' scent through his nose. 'Mmm,' he thought. 'She smells just like Hermione.'

'Hermione.'

'Hermione!'

Startled properly awake - feeling his heart give a sudden lurch in his chest as it started hammering away - he tried to snatch his hand away from where he had groped his best friend. But his hand only made it about two inches before it felt material snap taunt across the back of his hand. Then, before he could realise his hand was up and under her tank top - and that he had to pull it down her body to escape the material - he felt her hand grab the back of his, and push it back onto her boob.

Almost in a panic, he froze; unsure of what to do now.

"Leave it there, Harry," he heard Hermione softly say. "I don't mind; and, I kind of like it."

His mind whirling almost too fast to hold a proper thought, the only one he could hold in his mind and think to do was pull himself away from her bum, and the silken feel of her shorts, lest she feel 'it' and know he was a 'dirty young man'. His main thought was, 'I'm squeezing Hermione's bare boob!'

He eased his hips away from her very warm behind, closer to the body spooning him from behind, thinking he might have got away with it.

"You could have left that there, too, Harry," he heard Hermione softly say. "I didn't mind that, either."

Harry sighed as he fought his heart rate down to a less palpitating speed, and said, "As much as I would love to, it's a school day; and we have class at 10.30am. You and I have DADA with the 'Claws."

With a stifled yawn from behind him, Daphne said, "He's right. We've got class. Charms with the 'Puffs for me."

Hermione sighed, hesitated a moment, pulled Harry's hand down from underneath her tanktop and flipped over on to her left shoulder. Looking Harry in the eye, for a moment, she brought her hand up to his cheek, before she kissed him, lips to lips.

Though he enjoyed it, he hadn't expected her to just lean in and kiss him so softly; so tenderly.

After a few moments to think it through, he then leaned forward and kissed her back the same way; which surprised her. It was only the second time Harry had ever initiated such a contact. Well, at least including the 'brotherly' peck to her cheek after class before.

After Hermione rose and made her way back to her bedroom, Harry pulled away from Daphne and flipped himself over, just as Hermione had done less than a minute earlier.

He looked back into the gorgeous aquamarine blue eyes of the blonde-haired girl that contained just a hint of nervousness.

"And good morning to you, too, beautiful," he softly said with a smile.

Almost instantly the hint of fear or nervousness left her eyes and she brightly smiled.

This time he waited for her to make the first move. She did. Just as Hermione did, she leaned in and softly kissed him; a kiss he was happy to return.

After Daphne laid there, just staring back at him for a few moments, Harry saw her face, ever-so-slightly, change expression to one he'd come to recognise as her having reached a decision.

Then she leaned forward and more passionately kissed him than the one a few moments earlier. Then she suddenly pulled away, flipped back the covers and climbed out of bed.

"While we might not have class first period this morning, Harry James, we should still get up," she smirked. "So, get out of bed, shower, and get dressed. We should be in the Great Hall for breakfast."

As she walked out, Harry laid in bed for a few moments and sighed while staring up at the ceiling. That second kiss told him she was starting to recover from the horror she went through immediately before her death. Or maybe it was because those memories were behind a very strong Occlumency barrier. He hoped that it was that, plus the talk they had the previous night, helping the girl to come to terms with what had happened to her; and what they had yet to do.

By rights, she should see a mind-healer to aid her in coming to terms with it and putting it behind her. However, they couldn't go that route and keep the fact she, at least, was a time-traveller a secret. Therefore, it was up to he and Hermione to work together to help her.

_‗_

—==(oIo)==—

The three walked into the Great Hall in their usual formation, and half of their year mates were not there. As last night was supposed to have been an Astronomy night - though, they never had it the first week back - many of them were using the opportunity to sleep in. They'd just eat larger portions at morning tea and make up the difference at lunch.

However, even if they had Astronomy the previous night, that would not have stopped Ron Weasley from making his way down to breakfast. Walking in, the three saw the red haired boy sitting where Neville had been sitting the past couple of days.

Harry pulled the two girls up short before Ron saw them. "Remember," he quietly said to them both. "Ron's not doing all the potioning, at this point in time; it's mainly Ginny. Plus, it's also been three days; we don't know if he's not going to try, anyway. Things may have changed that much, already."

Both girls nodded but, before the three continued to the table, Daphne said, "I still won't sit near him with his atrocious table manners."

"Fair enough," said Harry, turning to her. "We'll sit with you furthest away from him." Then he turned to Hermione. "That means, Hermione, you need to be on more of a guard. You're going to be sitting closest to him; almost directly opposite."

Hermione pressed her lips together in determination and nodded, once. "I'll watch him like a hawk," she said.

"As will I," he replied.

The three made their way along the table opposite where Ron was and stopped a little further along and closer to the head table before sitting down.

After the three had sat, Ron finally noticed them when he reached for more food. He did not notice they had already cast quite a few detection charms over the drinks and food already there. Nothing showed up.

"Oh," he said. "Mornin', 'Arry... 'Ermione."

"Ron," said Hermione. "While you've not been properly introduced due to your previous shoddy behaviour; that's no reason to continue to be rude to Daphne."

Ron looked back at Hermione for a few moments in surprise. His expression almost immediately morphed until he looked like he was going to snap something back, but thought better of it. Then he flicked a quick glance at Daphne before he finally mumbled, 'Mornin'."

"And good morning to you, too, Mister Weasley," Daphne smirked back.

Again, Ron flicked his eyes to her for a moment with an angry retort on his lips, before looking away again. He then muttered something unintelligible under his breath and then promptly ignored her.

For the moment, that was more than enough for Harry. As long as he wasn't being outright rude, he'd tolerate the other boy being near him. However, all three knew the friendship would be over for good soon enough. Ron wasn't their biggest problem, at the moment; he wasn't even third on the list. Their main problem was Ginny.

As if the mere thought of her name was a magic all its own, in she walked.

Carefully watching her, Hermione gave Harry a nudge. Once she saw he was paying attention to her, she then flicked her chin towards the redhead as she was walking towards them.

Harry caught the flick and then did the same for Daphne.

Harry did not miss the look of determination that seemed to pass, for only a moment, across the face of the youngest Weasley as he carefully watched her.

Leaning in to whisper in Daphne's ear, he said, "She's going to do it now, you know."

And turned to Hermione and did the same. He didn't notice he was seen by Ron.

"Here!" the boy said. "What're you whispering about?"

"If I wanted you to know, Ron," said Harry staring the boy down. "I wouldn't have whispered it, now, would I?"

Ron grumbled a bit, but returned to bending over his plate and shovelling food into his mouth just as Ginny sat down beside him and closer to them.

With a big smile on her face, she said directly to Harry, "Hi, Harry. I've not seen you in the common room for a couple of days. Where've you been staying?"

"In a private apartment, Ginny," he replied, buttering a piece of toast and reaching for the marmalade.

"Oh?" she asked. "I didn't know you could get one of those."

"As if we could afford it," muttered Ron, barely breaking the rhythm in which he kept eating.

Watching him eat, Harry realised it had to be the original loyalty potions that kept him keeping that friendship with the boy. Ron was managing a very good impersonation of his cousin, Dudley. And, it was not pleasant to watch.

"They're for special situations, Ginny," he replied. "And, before you ask, it's to do with our bonds. We need it to help solidify our bonds."

Out of the blue, a flash of annoyance flashed over Ginny's face before she suddenly looked toward the head table and said, "Oh! I see our Headmaster hasn't returned from wherever he went, yet."

Of course, all of them immediately turned to look at the head table for a moment. When he turned back, Harry noticed that the pumpkin juice in his goblet bubbling a little.

He quickly glanced at Ginny and noticed she was looking a little pleased with herself, as did Ron. Both her hands were below the edgeof the table.

Before either of the girls could reach for their juices, Harry reached out and picked his up. But, just before he took a sip, he made a show of sniffing it.

He then pulled it away from himself and frowned down at it, then reached for his wand and cast the detection for mind altering potions over it. It immediately glowed bright blue.

"Nobody touches anything," he said. He then cast the same detections over the table. Only his goblet glowed. So, he'd managed to detect it before Ginny or Ron could dose the other two.

"Excuse me," he muttered, rising.

Still holding the goblet in his off hand, he climbed over the bench and made his way to the head table, directly to Professor McGonagall.

"Excuse me, Professor," he said.

"Mister Potter?" she asked.

"I believe I just saw Ginny Weasley dump a potion of some kind in my pumpkin juice," he explained. "When I cast a detection charm over it, the result was positive for a mind-altering potion of some kind."

The Professor looked at him in shock, before she looked over at the Gryffindor table.

Harry didn't see it as it was going on behind him, but the Professor suddenly surged to her feet and barked out, "Stay right where you are, Mister and Miss Weasley!"

Harry turned around to see Ginny and Ron freeze in place where they were trying to hurriedly leave the hall.

"Come here, you two!" commanded the Professor. "Right now!"

As both slowly made their way towards the head table, looking like deer caught in the headlights of a truck, the Professor turned to her right and said, "Professor Flitwick, would you be so kind as to check this goblet for potions?"

Grimly, from where he had overheard and was in a bit of shock, the little Professor stood on his seat and drew his wand as Harry placed the goblet on the table before him.

With a few muttered incantations and wand gestures, Harry saw the goblet glow blue for a moment before shifting to pink and immediately to green.

"Definitely potioned, Professor McGonagall," said the little Professor. "I'd like to ask..."

But Professor McGonagall, looking quite irate, called down the table to her right. "Professor Snape! Your expertise as Potions Master is needed here."

With a frown and a mutter that, to Harry, sounded like, "What has the Potter brat done now?" Snape made his way along the table.

"Yes?" he enquired with an overly affected look of curiosity.

"Professor; please check that goblet," said Professor McGonagall, indicating the goblet, "For unauthorised potions."

Both redheads came to stand near but just behind and to one side of Harry. Ginny looked absolutely terrified; but Ron looked angry.

By now, the entire hall was looking on with interest.

Snape made his own incantations and wand gestures, getting the same colour results as Professor Flitwick.

"Interesting," he said. "I detect a loyalty potion and a love potion."

Professor McGonagall looked almost murderous. She glared at Ginny and said, "Come up here and empty your pockets, Miss Weasley!"

Ginny was starting to tear up as Harry moved off to the side. He, too, was glaring at Ginny with hate. He no longer had to mask his emotions.

Ginny made a show of moving her shaking hands, appearing to skip pockets and empty others onto the table before heras her hands seemed to flutter about.

When she stopped, there were no potion bottles or phials on the table.

The Professor drew her wand and exclaimed, "Accio potion phials!" while pointing her wand at the girl.

With a cry of dismay from Ginny, six small potion phials leapt out of her pockets and soared to the Professor. She caught all of them in her off arm against her chest.

From where he was standing, Harry could see two appeared empty.

Placing her wand on the table before her, the Professor reached up and grabbed all six phials, before placing them on the table next to her wand.

Turning to Ron, she said, "Now, your turn, Mister Weasley. Empty your pockets onto the table... all of your pockets."

Furious and embarrassed, Ron stepped forward and pulled things out of his pockets. He hesitated a moment and then pulled out six potion phials of his own, placing them on the table. He refused to look at anyone.

"My office, you two," she near-snarled. "Now!"

Ginny turned-tail and bolted from the hall, sobbing; while Ron followed behind, storming along in her wake.

Looking over at where he was sitting, Harry could see the two girls were sad but determined.

Turning back to look at Professor McGonagall, he was both furious and sad. "Professor, it is a criminal offence to attempt to ply someone with a love potion at Hogwarts, to anyone under the age of consent, and to anyone who does not otherwise give their consent if they are of-age.

"Miss Weasley is... allegedly... guilty on all three counts. As much as it pains me to do so, I want her charged. I also want the potions Ron had on him checked. If any of those are... keyed... to me or either of my bondmates; I want him charged, too."

"Yes, Mister Potter," said the Professor. "I'm aware of the law in this matter." Turning to Professor Snape, she said, "Severus, I request your presence in my office as expert witness while I talk to both youngest Weasley children and summon the aurors."

Professor Snape nodded once and followed Professor McGonagall from the hall. For once, the perpetual sneer was completely absent from his face. They took the dozen potion phials with them.

Harry returned to sit at the table and slumped as both girls put their arms around him. He felt he should get a BAFTA if he could pull this off.

Harry didn't notice the twins coming up until they sat down opposite the three where Ron and Ginny had sat.

"Harry, what's going on?" one twin asked.

"We know it must be bad, though," said the other.

"The matter is going to be investigated by the DMLE," said Harry. "But, Ginny distracted us by pointing out that Dumbledore hasn't returned, yet. Out of the corner of my eye I saw her tip something into my pumpkin juice. When I looked back, she'd withdrawn both hands under the table, and my juice... bubbled a bit.

"Because we've got the ever-paranoid Alastor Moody as a Professor here, now; I've decided his catch-cry of 'Constant Vigilance' has... you know... something to it. So, the three of us have been learning detection charms, just like he uses when he checks his food before eating it.

"I used one of those general detection charms on my juice and my goblet glowed blue. I had cast it upon the same goblet only a minute or two earlier, and it did not glow blue then. That it glowed blue means it was positive for a mind-altering potion of some sort. So, I took it to Professor McGonagall with my... suspicions. You saw what happened from there."

The twins looked at one another and one asked the other, "Do you think either of them would try to use a love potion?"

"She would, dear brother," said the other, sadly. "But, I don't know about Ronnikins."

"She's always been smitten with the idea of..." said the first.

"Catching the Boy-Who-Lived!" they both said.

"According to Professors Flitwick and Snape, it was both a love potion and a loyalty potion," Harry grimly said.

"Merlin!" said one twin. "Ginny's in a lot of trouble."

"So's Ron, if he was involved," said the other.

"We need to send an owl to mum," said the first.

"I wouldn't do that, if I were you," said Harry.

"Why not?" asked one, clearly curious.

Daphne pointedly asked, "Do you honestly believe either of those two is capable of brewing a love or loyalty potion?"

The twins looked at each other in surprise before the expressions on both suddenly changed to resignation.

"No," said one.

"Mum's the potioneer," said the other.

"As are you two," said Harry. "I know you have to be fudging your scores in potions. You'd not be able to develop many of the pranks you carry out, if you weren't."

Both twins looked a little sheepish, but one said, "We'd never do something like that..."

"... to you, Harry," said the other.

"The best thing you can do is contact your father," said Daphne, getting things back on track. "Just... not your mother. If she really is brewing the potions, then you'll alert her to destroying the evidence in your home. That'll get you in trouble with the DMLE."

"We'll owl Dad," said one.

"We'll use Pig," said the other.

Both twins then looked directly at them and said, "Sorry about this."

They then rose and left the Hall.

Before anyone else could come and see them, Harry said to both girls, "If this works, we'll be able to secure ourselves from the risk of being potioned from either of them ever again... maybe."

_‗_

—==(oIo)==—