FicWad

Chapter 50:- A pumpkin of loveA/N: The normal, Malehorntaildragon, thanks. GML, yet another one forward.



It was Thursday night again but this time it was Ginny’s turn to put away the balls. The practice had gone well, and Harry felt the exhilaration of flying fast still pumping through him. Near the end he had tried out a new move that Ron had shown him and even though he hadn’t performed it perfectly the first time it was really extreme.

He lazily sat on his broom as Katie called time on the practice. He absently watched Ginny circle down towards the chest to start to retrieve the different balls. He had already given her the snitch and felt the tingle in his fingertips when their hands had brushed. He looked up into the dark night and smiled, he felt alone and free from worries sitting on his broom, and he felt like he just wanted to sit like this for hours. Smiling to himself he looked down and watched Ginny grumble to herself as she wrestled with the final bludger, he was tempted to give her a hand but refrained knowing that each of the team members had to do it for themselves and if he helped Ginny it wouldn’t be right.

He watched the others troop into the changing rooms, leaving them alone. He started to circle the pitch to enjoy his time on the broom and to secretly watch Ginny struggle with the heavy chest. Eventually she pushed it into the storage shed and slammed the door shut. Harry had to smile at this since Ginny was normally very placid; but it looked like something was upsetting her. Turning his broom her way he flew down next to her.

“You ok?” he asked as he materialised out of the dark night.”

Ginny jumped slightly at his voice. “Harry! You gave me a fright I thought you had already left and I had missed you.”

“No I just wanted to fly, it feels so nice...want to join me.”

Harry didn’t need to hear the answer from Ginny because the smile she gave him told him everything he needed to know. She mounted her broom and flew up to meet him. The two looked into each other’s eyes seeming lost in them before Ginny laughed once and shouted.

“First around the pitch wins!” She pushed her broom nose down and raced for the far end.

Harry laughed as well and speed after her. For the next hour the two flew around and around or soared high into the night sky; they laughed and joked but mainly they just flew, the pair felt so alone together it was wondrous. Harry was the first to notice the time and indicated to the changing rooms, sadly Ginny nodded and the pair headed downwards. As they landed Ginny flung her arms around Harry and melted her body into his. He could feel how cold she had gotten and was slightly worried but as she raised her head she pulled his lips down to meet hers and any words that he had wanted to utter were lost.

Slightly breathless, they pulled apart, Harry was sure that Ginny was no longer feeling the cold because he definitely wasn’t. With a parting smile they left for their own changing rooms. Harry lingered slightly getting changed, he knew he was hoping the Ginny would visit but he was also a little scared if she did, last time in this room had been so intense he wanted to do it again but did not know if he could he restrain himself if he did. He also wanted to take his time because of Luna, she had yet to carry out her threat but he was sure that she was just waiting for him, but he figured if the time was late there would be no way that she could drag him anywhere.

Eventually he opened the door, standing outside was Ginny still with a smile across her face.

“You took your time.” She said as he closed the door behind him.

“Um...ah....”

“Hope that I would come in again.”

Harry swallowed hard at her words.

“Come on let’s get inside its getting a bit cold out here.” she said with a small twinkle in her eye.

Harry did notice that the temperature was dropping but it wasn’t that bad. Still he followed Ginny up to the main entrance. The pair stopped and looked around, most of the castle was empty due to the late hour and they both saw the patrolling prefects. Ginny slipped her hand into Harry’s and started to lead him up to the Common Room.

Almost halfway there she spied what she was after, with a quick giggle and a tug on Harry’s hand she pulled him down one of the corridors. Harry was momentarily confused until she paused outside of a broom closet and pulled the door open. He felt himself being pulled inside and squashed against Ginny. The door closed but the thoughtful girl had already illuminated her wand. Without waiting the two of them started to kiss, it was not slow and sensual like some of their kisses had been but more frantic and passionate. Harry let his broom fall to the ground with a slight bang and heard the same noise as Ginny’s followed suit. He felt Ginny’s hands start to play up and down his back.

He tried to do the same for Ginny but couldn’t get them around her as she was pressed up against the back wall so he settled for running them up and down her sides. He let them wander up and down felling the soft curve of Ginny through her blouse. He heard her moaning into his mouth as his hands continued to roam. His mind was telling him that something was missing but he just continued to focus on Ginny. A brief moment of shock rocked through him as he felt her hand roam over his bum. She caressed it then started to squeeze it. He almost ached to do the same but still couldn’t get his hands around Ginny.

Harry slowly brought his hands around Ginny’s front to find the buttons on her blouse. His erection was painful and he wanted to do more to her, every so often her leg would brush against him causing a delicious shiver to run through his erection. As he started to fumble with the first button he felt Ginny slightly push him away. A small flash of disappointment shot through him, he wanted to see her but she stopped him.

“Don't take it off Harry....please.” she said very shyly.

Harry was now totally confused until his brain and her placing his hands on her chest told him the reason. His hands felt the soft smoothness under her blouse and the way her breasts moved. Each seemed independent and then it came to him, she hadn’t put her bra back on after her shower at the end of practice, and he was feeling her breasts almost without restraint. He slowly started to play with them, feeling the wonderful weight of each, running his thumbs in slow circles every so often coming to the tip and finding the hardened nipple. As he did so Ginny moaned into him and pressed herself against his erection once more.

If they continued much longer something was going to give, Harry was sure that soon he was about to cum. The feeling of Ginny’s breasts and her rubbing him was sending him close to the edge. Almost as a collective thought the two broke apart.

“We need to stop.” He said in a low voice.

“I...I know but I don’t want to.”

“Neither do I but you said-”

“I know, it just that you feel so nice, and I feel so good....no you’re right just one final kiss.” She said pulling herself under control.

Harry lent forward and started to kiss her once more. This final kiss was slow and sensual and he tried to place all of his felling into it. When they broke apart they heard the noise.

“Come on, in here, quickly!” Whispered a boy’s voice.

Both Harry and Ginny recognised it. Harry was almost paralysed with shock at what was about to happen. The door was pulled open and light flooded into the closet Harry did not turn round fearing what he would see. Ginny pulled him close to her and lent over his shoulder preparing to defend Harry from the inevitable confrontation.

“Oi Potter! What in the bloody hell are you doing in a broom closet with my sister?!?” came the familiar voice from the darkness. Harry turned slightly and couldn’t believe the state that his two best friends were in. The crashing sound of falling supplies could not distract the pair of them looking at the open trousers of Ron and the Bra covered breasts of Hermione.

“Ronald!” Hermione growled at him, though she appeared to be busy straightening her blouse. “Have you not realized just where they /caught /you?”

Even in the dark you could almost feel the heat coming from Ron’s sudden blush. Ginny then noticed Ron’s state of undress and her Mother’s voice that just moments ago had be admonishing her sprang forth to attack Ron.

“RONALD WEASLEY! HOW DARE YOU SAY ANYTHING ABOUT WHAT I AND MY BOYFRIEND GET UP TO?” She started, in a tone that was scarily reminiscent of Molly Weasley. That fact did not appear lost on Ron either, as he stumbled backwards causing his loose trousers to suddenly fall around his ankles. Luckily his shirt hung low enough for propriety’s sake but the image was forever burnt into Harry’s and Ginny’s minds.

“IF MUM COULD SEE YOU NOW JUST WHAT WOULD SHE SAY?” Ginny continued. “SHE WOULD CALL HERMIONE A SCARLET WOMAN AND /YOU/?” she growled “You ought to be ashamed of yourself! Doing such a thing in a broom closet of all places? Don’t you think more of Hermione than that?” She finished, her anger starting to cool somewhat at the look on his face, and the humour of his position. It was all she could do not to giggle at him, trousers around his ankles, red to his ears from blushing, cringing in the corner surrounded by the overturned mop buckets and cleaning supplies that had fallen out when Ron had pulled open the door.

Noticing that her temper had begun to cool a bit, Ron composed his self. Pulling his pants up as he stood. “Hold on one second, don’t you try to put this all on me, just what were you planning on doing in a broom closet oh /Baby-Sister-Of-Mine/?” He asked her, his tone eerily reminiscent of the twins.

Her anger returned full force, “FOR YOUR INFORMATION HARRY AND I HAVE NOT HAD SEX! NOR WOULD WE HAVE SEX IN A BROOM CLOSET OF ALL PLACES!” She stalked toward him; Hermione had the good sense to get out of the way of the redheaded fireball before her. Harry watched with both fear and awe as the girl he loved seemed to grow along with her anger. He felt a quick pull within his ribbon and his own magic seemed to respond to it wanting to leap forward and protect the girl as she approached her brother.

“Ronald Weasley, I am disappointed in you! I thought this whole time that you were actually going on prefect rounds. I defended you when Luna asked if you were going to have sex. I figured that mum had raised you right, same as she did me. But apparently I am the only one in the family who had this ‘good sense’ shoved down my throat!” She finished seething.

Noticing that she was apparently angry now with their mother rather than him, Ron took his cue and finished buttoning his trousers. He grabbed Hermione’s hand and started to pull her out. He gave a pleading look to Harry as they passed and muttered an apology as he passed his sister. Without another word they disappeared around the deserted corner leaving Harry and Ginny alone once again.

“Gin?” He began hesitantly.

Ginny seemed to deflate and Harry wasn’t sure but he thought he suddenly felt sadness coming from Ginny.

“Ginny,” he began, “It’s alright, I understand I think. Don’t be upset about your mother everything will be fine. I’m worried about you; I am trying to be a good boyfriend. My Aunt taught me how I should behave around people like I was brought up to be, but you make me want to touch you, all the time, I can’t help myself. I think it’s this new magic or connected to it but I think I understand. Part of me is shouting yes this is it, and wants to do...things. Yet a greater part just reminds me what was...” Harry wanted to say beaten even thought nothing physical like that happened “...drummed into me and it shouldn’t do things like that.”

This brought a smile to her face, and brought her out of her inner battle. It was almost the first time Harry had ever really mentioned sex or anything close to it. It seemed that he was fighting his own battle. ‘Was that his problem with Gabrielle?’ She suddenly thought.

“It’s OK Harry, I like that I do that to you, and trust me, I feel the same way, it may be the magic or it may be just us growing up.” She pulled his head down into a kiss and snuck her arms around his neck.

“I love you Harry Potter, never forget that.” She said when they pulled away for a moment. Harry’s hands had wandered to her bum now they were out of the cramped broom closet, but she was in no mood to listen to her inner Molly, especially with what she had just learned about her brother.

“Gin...” He started to say said.

Suddenly the image of Ron on his bum, with his pants around his ankles came back to Ginny, and she broke in to an uncontrollable giggle. “Oh my God, he looked so pitiful!” She said laughing stopping Harry from what he was about to say.

“Well honestly Gin, you had me scared and I didn’t do anything wrong... yet” He said the last with a grin. “You were channelling your mother pretty well, I just about bolted myself!” He began laughing along with her.

She swatted him on the shoulder, a mock pout on her face. Then she leaned up on her tiptoes to kiss him again. “Thank you Harry, for not being angry with my outburst, and for making me feel better afterwards.” She whispered.

“Don’t worry about it Gin, what say we head back to the common room before anybody else finds us?” He asked as he hugged her to him.

“Sounds like a plan, at least it wasn’t all for naught. I now have prime blackmail material on /ickle-ronnikens/.” She grinned. And pulling his hand once again lead him back to the hall, and off to the common room. When he was with Ginny, even in the awkward situations, everything felt right, they just fit together.

Ginny’s mind continued to process everything that Harry had unknowingly confessed to her. Every so often she got these little bits out of him, they weren’t much but if she pieced them together she got the bigger picture. The reluctance of not doing anything really physical was now making more and more sense. Secretly she was a little pleased that they hadn’t rushed but she did want to do more and sensed he did as well. A small plan formed in her mind; if his battle was anything like her own then it might be just possible to push him over the edge. Today it had been mere seconds and she would have succumbed, she wasn’t sure if Gabrielle had anything to do with it but a few more seconds and she would have been his.

Riding with him in the evening sky, looking at his body, his touch and his laughter as they landed everything had been perfect. The shower had done nothing to lesson her emotions and then she recklessly went without a bra, why she didn't know but she wanted to for him. Then the kiss, the broom cupboard, everything, her inner battle was losing and she knew it, she was driving herself mad with desire, she had stopped him, just, but one more kiss from those lips one more caress or even one of his looks and she would have gone to him and damn her mother. But her brother had intervened, he didn't know it and she would never tell but he probably saved her virtue by that action. That was what she had to do to make Harry’s instinct take over and he might just see all of them for what they really were..../His/.



***

Harry looked up at the clock and sighed deeply as he realised that his free period was almost over. He looked down at the notes in front of him and started to pack them up. It was either Hermione’s influence or just the sheer weight of work that was causing him actually to use these free periods to do schoolwork. He suppressed a smile at the thought that even Ron seemed to be doing work in them now not as much as him but every so often he saw him with his head down reading or writing some notes out.

As he started to put his notes away he thought of Susan. She had visited him this morning and handed over this set of notes for him to read. He wondered how she managed to do it. Just a few hours after their last lesson and she had all of this already written out for him. He felt a little ashamed that Susan was practically doing his Law homework for him but he was helping her in Muggle studies he tried to rationalise, but it fell on deaf ears.

He didn't think that she needed the help but she had almost begged him to help and so he did. So two nights a week he sat with Susan one doing the Law work the other discussing things such as airplanes or cars or other mundane items. But to him it was just an excuse. He found that he liked the time with Susan, almost the same as any of the other girls he spent time with but the quietness of the library or Susan just calmed him and focused his mind.

It was pleasant working with Susan and he felt that it was different with her than it was with the other girls. Whenever he thought of Luna the only thing his mind wanted to bring up was those breasts. She hadn’t done anything else with him yet but his mind remembered all too clearly her promise; so whenever she was close he was scared that she would drag him into a room and do more with him. A part of him was screaming yes but he was still not sure. Everything that his Aunt had drummed into him, that it was wrong, that it was disgusting and it should be beaten out of him; it all tried to surface, but something else was now fighting back. He had looked around at other couples but didn’t know if that had helped, he saw them kissing and touching each other but that was all. Luna mentioned sex, had asked him for it but it was wrong wasn’t it...but weren’t Ron and Hermione doing it?

Every time he thought about the possibility of sex or at the very least some a bit more intimate than a kiss, the images of Ginny or Luna sprang forth. Others tried to force their way in but he clamped down on them very hard but the thought of Ginny and Luna like that sort of soothed his mind and he felt something tell him all would be fine and that he would be ok. The ingrained training from his Aunt so far had always won the argument but it was taking longer and longer now for that to happen.

But Gabrielle was different something felt so right yet so wrong. He still had the thoughts about her but these were mostly at nights. Whenever they were close he made sure to keep his barriers up, she was a nice girl but he understood that it was not just wrong but very wrong for him to look at her in any sexual manner. Both Luna and Ginny had said that it was alright but they had meant later when she was older didn't they? He KNEW that sexual thoughts about a young girl was wrong, that was one argument that would never fail, that was one sure action or thought that would definitely send him to the depths of a fiery hell.

As the gong sounded Harry automatically got to his feet and started for portrait hole before he even realised Hermione was speaking.

“Um...sorry what did you say?”

“What were you thinking about, just now?” asked Hermione.

Harry thought that he might be blushing at this question but somehow felt relaxed.

“Oh just those around me.”

“I thought so.”

“Why?”

“You looked different.”

“Different? How so?”

“Happy...no more like at peace.”

“I...um....”

Hermione smiled at Harry’s reaction; ever since her argument with Gabrielle she had been carefully watching Harry. Not how she normally did but to see the changes that the young girl had told her about. Today had been the clearest, she had looked up as Harry started to put his notes away and she had just watched his face. It was easy to see the questions and inner argument on his face but everything was touched by a slight softening. It was like watching a small rollercoaster up and down never violent just subtle, but to her when those emotions finally stopped he looked content, not in just and way but in some deep meaningful way, and she suspected that he didn’t even notice.

**

Harry didn’t want to admit that he was enjoying potions now but the truth is that he was. Somehow, without Snape bearing down on him and constant pressure from the Slytherins, he found the lessons to be easier. He knew he didn't have the talent that some people did but he could hold his own. The lessons were always tough but they seemed to fly by, most of the time they were left to brew their own potions with little guidance it just felt so much better.

The only small problem that he had was Slughorn and his ‘Little Club’ every so often he tried to talk to Harry in joining him and some select others for some evening or afternoon so that he could ‘Enjoy the finer arts of life’. So far he had managed to avoid them all, he knew Susan was also getting regular invites but she hadn’t been going either it was though both of them were waiting for him. He wasn’t naive enough not to understand some of the truer meaning but he didn’t have time for all of this he just didn’t want to get involved. He was an adult now yes, but all he wanted was a quiet life nothing like this, The politics and Law just made his head hurt and if it wasn’t for Susan he might have already failed the course, what good would it all do in the long run, Slughorn had been around for a long time and nothing had changed because of it.

He took his customary seat next to Hermione and Ron and waited as Slughorn came out of his office with his normal jovial smile on his face. Harry suspected that sometime this week he would be given yet another invite and he was just going to have to come up with another reason not to attend.

“Hello everybody, welcome back to potions. Your past potions have all been excellent so today we shall have a little fun. As you should all remember I had have three interesting potions on display. They all had one common thing about them so what was it? ”

Harry’s mind immediately turned back to the first day’s lessons. The three potions had been the Polyjuice, Luck and Love potions but what had been similar about them? He glanced to his right and saw that Hermione had her hand up. Slughorn had easily fallen into the same mode as the other Professors in waiting to see if anyone else raised their hand before asking Hermione but today she was alone.

“Well then Miss Granger?”

“None of the potions can be fully replicated by magic.”

“Correct, well done. As Miss Granger said, those three potions are almost unique in that their effects cannot be replicated buy magic. There are spells and charms which can duplicate some of the results but that is all. Take for instance the Polyjuice potion, what common spell is used as a replacement?

Harry wasn’t surprised when almost half the hands in the room shot up even he knew the answer but was curious to see where the ‘fun’ in this lesson was going to come from.

“Miss Brown.”

“Glamour charms sir.”

“Correct, Glamour charms one of the most popular charms in use, well with the ladies that is, oh and some men. But there are limitations upon that charm and they would be?”

Lavender assumed that the question was asked at her and so answered straight away. If anyone knew about Glamour charms then it was her!

“That they can only alter an appearance so much, remove facial imperfections, highlight areas or change colours of eyes or hair.”

“Exactly. This is the limitation of the spell, so what does this mean? What can’t a glamour charm do?”

No one said anything until Draco called out from the back.

“It cannot change the physical shape of the person.”

“Correct Mr Malfoy, it can only alter what is present it cannot change it. So what could we do to alter our physical appearance...Mr Weasley?”

“Um...ah....” Ron stammered having not really been listening. Harry could hear Hermione trying to hiss the answer he just hoped that Slughorn could not.

“Tr...Train...Trash...Transfigure?” eventually replied Ron.

Slughorn looked very closely at Hermione with a scowl on his face before he responded.

“Yes you could transfigure before hand and then apply the glamour or try and complex transfiguring to do both at the same time. That is a close as we can come. The Animagus transfiguration is the best a witch or wizard can do but even that will leave some tell tale sign behind. As well as the fact that cross gender transfiguring is nearly imposable, yes I know it has been done but that has only been done but the most powerful of wizards and then only for a very brief time....”

Harry’s mind instantly latched onto the words powerful, Professor Dumbledore had told him it was all just a matter of perception, was this another case the same? Was it just perception? His mind wanted to explore this new line of thinking but wasn’t allowed to as Slughorn raised his voice slightly.

“Polyjuice is the only way to create a foolproof cross Gender transfiguration, why?”

Harry looked over at Hermione expecting her arm to be raised but was surprised to see it still by her side.

“That is today’s lesson, potions and the magical core. These three potions are the most famous of potions that affect the magical core of a person. No other form of magic can affect the core, for Polyjuice it changes the core into the gender that is required, for the Love potion it creates within the core, not the mind like charms, the sense of affectation. The Luck potion does the same it alters the core so that it is more susceptible to the deities of time and space. Now we all know what you will be reading this week it’s time for a little fun. Stand up and put the desks on one side then line up at the back.

Everyone shuffled around but eventually they had lined up at the back. Harry watched as he saw Professor Slughorn transfigure two long tables out of thin air. He then wandered into the storeroom and levitated out two large pumpkins. Harry saw that they were obviously left over from the Halloween feast as they had faces cut out in them. After that he retrieved a small bubbling cauldron.

“This is a demonstration of the effects of one of these potions. I’ve brewed a small batch of Amortentia, with just a few drops you will fall madly in love with one of these Pumpkins. What I’m going to do is give each one of you a few drops and then you will try to fight the effects. You can use any magic you have so far learned. Don’t worry you won’t embarrass yourself as it will only last a few moments, but give it a try. This easily demonstrates the power of such a potion. For those of you studying Defence, if you try this again later in the year after Professor Snape has covered mind attacks, you will see that this is no mind attack. Very well who is first?”

Almost instantly every student started to shuffle backwards.

“As expected come now you will all be trying this...very well Miss Brown and Miss Adams you shall be first.”

The two girls gingerly stepped forward and waited, each was given just a few drops on their lips and then Slughorn stepped backward. Harry was sure that the Professor had cast something between the tables and them as they could hear what the girls were saying, but the both walked up to or more correctly sauntered towards, their pumpkins and looked then straight into the eyes. Harry and the rest could see how the girl’s hips had swayed as they approached the pumpkins. Then almost as quickly as it had started the two girls jumped up and stood ramrod straight blushes creeping over their faces.

Everyone wanted to laugh but they all realised that soon they would be doing the same. In pairs they each went up to the table, it was clear it was more embarrassing for the boys as they all puffed out their chests and strutted up to their table, some just nonchalantly lent on it other continued to strut in front of it each trying to impress the poor pumpkin. All the girls did was walk up to the table and just stair into the eyes of the pumpkin.

Harry realised that he was going to be last, Slughorn was picking people at random and there was now only a few left. Feeling a little like Snape’s lesson he thought he was going to be picked out once more, but then is name was called. Looking over at the Hufflepuff boy he was paired with he gave a brief smile and walked forward.

“Ok then your turn, try and fight it but don’t worry too much just try and remember how it all feels.”

Harry licked his lips after the drops had been placed on his lips and waited. He knew that it would only take a few seconds and it did. He wasn’t sure what to expect but it wasn’t this, something inside of him, deep inside called out in pain. It was like stubbing your toe it hurt, hurt a lot but that was all. His mind started to fog and an impulse started to race through him.

Through reaction or something he calmed his mind and reinforced his barriers. The impulse started to get more insistent in his mind and he felt his legs start to twitch in response; his mental barriers were not stopping this. Slughorn’s words flowed through his mind as he understood that it wasn’t mental it was changing his core. He relaxed into his sight and looked down at himself. The shock of what he saw was only replaced by the wonderment as he looked at his own bright white centre. He had never really looked at this centre before but he could see the bright light, but also vanes of pink. They seemed to wrap themselves around his core and even his ribbons. Understanding that this wasn’t normal he focused his magic. He didn't know what he could do but he was going to fight that spread. Then suddenly the pink faded and disappeared. The urge to move to walk left his mind at an instant.

Harry refocused his eyes away from his sight as saw that the other boy was leaning against the table obviously try to chat up the pumpkin but Harry was still just standing there where he had been given the potion. He glanced around and saw everyone looking at him including Slughorn.

“Well it seems that Mr Potter has been lucky, that batch must just have expired. It was brewed such in case you drank a little too much. A small safety measure that you would have appreciated if we had pumpkin for lunch today I think. Well we will just have to leave it at that and let Mr Potter and those that are left try it first the next time. So everyone please return the classroom back to normal and we shall then discus what each of you felt and what if anything you did to try and stop yourself.”

Harry didn’t; want to say anything but he was sure that the potion he had just been given hadn’t expired. Looking around the room however, he wasn’t going to say anything this was something he wanted to figure out himself; something told him that it was part of his new magic.

***

“Harry? Harry are you coming?”

He suddenly looked up at the waiting group and realised he must have been miles away. He had gotten up early in the morning as his mind still thought through these new ideas and hadn’t seen anyone else come down from the dormitories. It was Saturday Morning and it was the second Quidditch match of the season. Katie had instructed all of the Gryffindor players that they all had to go and watch the match. In fact she wanted everyone to sit together and take notes about their opposition. Harry felt secretly happy with this because not only would it be a fun morning but he would still be able to sit next to Ginny throughout the whole match. Ron had grumbled to Harry about it most of the night but Harry never really took much notice enjoying the feeling that at least he could sit with his girlfriend.

As the team climbed the stairs Harry shivered at the cold. The November day had more of a chill to it than he had first realised, winter was coming and it would not be long now before the first snow of the year and the magic it brought with it. He followed Katie as she wound her way to a group of seats. As he tried to get himself comfortable he glanced around. Both Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw stands were full as both houses were out to support their team but Harry saw that there were very few in the Slytherin stand and not many more in with him.

Looking behind he saw that everyone one had left an empty row behind them but above that were both Hermione and Gabrielle sitting together as if they were trying to share this experience with them. There were a smattering of others in the stands but most people were huddled together in small groups to try and keep the cold out. As he felt Ginny snuggle a little closer Harry felt a twinge of guilt for Gabrielle somehow he thought that she could do with snuggling close as he bet she was feeling the cold as well. The sudden thought of the girl brought his inevitable reaction from his groin and so tried to drive it away by looking back at the stands.

His eye was drawn by a solitary figure sitting in the centre of the Slytherin stands. There were a few Slytherins in the stand but like the Gryffindor’s they were huddled together for warmth all except this single person. Harry looked hard at the lone person and realised that it was Nathan. A small smile of understanding crossed his face as he understood that the young boy was doing exactly the same as him, watching the match and preparing for the next encounter. Feeling more respect for the Seeker he turned back and looked at the two full stands. His subconscious knew exactly what he was looking for even if he didn’t want to admit it. He easily found Luna in her stand as virtually everyone around her was female, that and the fact they were all leaning away like she had a disease or something. His heart seemed to miss a beat as he saw this and could not understand how a house could be so cruel to one of their own.

Finding Susan was much harder, she was present but almost lost in the crowd. Harry eventually found her sitting on the end of one of the rows. It looked like she was reading something in her lap or just kept her head down. As he watched he saw her lift her head up and look directly at him. Even at this distance Harry saw the smile cross her face as she caught him looking at her and she shyly raised her hand.

Another shiver ran through Harry but this time he wasn’t sure if it was to do with the cold or looking at the girls. He felt Ginny move back away from him slightly and so turned to and looked at her. Before he could say anything she had already spoken.

“Cold?”

“Not....” started to reply Harry but Ginny did not let him get any further.

“Oh I’ll conjure a blanket.” She said at once. More and more questions started to rise in Harry’s mind but all of them were instantly silenced as he watched the conjuring display. Soon Ginny was un-wrapping a blanket for Harry. He still wanted to say something but stopped as he saw the size of the blanket it was far larger than what was needed for him. In an instant Ginny and sat herself next to him and wrapped the blanket over their legs. A warm feeling rushed through him as he felt Ginny lean into to him and her hand rest lightly on his leg. Not daring to look around he focused what part of his mind he could to the players in front of him.

Two rows back Hermione saw what Ginny had done. She felt a small shiver run through her as she thought about doing something similar with Ron. Sitting so far back was out of the question but those two looked so comfy together she just wanted to emulate them. She turned to Gabrielle who was sitting next to her and commented.

“They look so nice together don't they?”

“Yes they look perfect.” Replied Gabrielle in a husky voice laced with more than just a touch of lust.

Hermione was slightly shocked at the sound of Gabrielle’s voice it had sounded so sexual even she could feel a reaction. She wanted to say more but after the last disaster of jumping to the wrong conclusions she kept her silence but continued to look at the younger girl.

Harry felt Ginny’s hand lazy trace patterns on his leg as he waited for the match to start. His eyes were drawn to the two seekers and so inevitably to Cho. His eyes seemed to measure her and he felt the same something he had done before. He wasn’t completely sure now what it was, but he was sure it wasn’t love as it didn't feel the same as when he looked at Ginny. He was sure that was what he felt for that girl even if he would not admit it. His eyes continued to flow over Cho’s body and in his mind he could easily strip away the loose fitting robes so that he could see the beautiful body underneath.

“She is beautiful isn’t she?” whispered Ginny.

“What...um...who....” stammered Harry suddenly feeling guilty.

“Cho.”

“Um...oh...”

“Its fine Harry I know you don't like her like that anymore. So what do you think?”

“Yes she is.”

Ginny’s hand started to range a little further than Harry’s leg. He felt the lightest of touches but continued to watch the players.

“Gabrielle’s better though.” Said Ginny.

“She’s only 12.”

“That’s true, but she doesn’t act 12, she doesn’t look 12” Ginny leaned close and whispered so only Harry could hear. “And she certainly doesn’t feel 12, she’s also a Veela.” Ginny smiled as she felt Harry’s trousers tighten.

“What has that got to do with anything like this, that she’s Veela, I’ve read about Veela magic Ginny and how they can effect emotions but I’m sure this isn’t that! Yes Gabrielle may be part Veela, but that cannot be used as an excuse for me to look at a 12 year old! I know what they would call me but what about her could she go through the rest of the school if they truly knew that she was a Veela and not just suspected it? She would be looked at by some as ...?” Replied Harry not able to voice the last words.

Ginny could see everything that Harry was saying yet she knew one additional thing that Harry had completely overlooked and that was Gabrielle herself and she knew what the petite girls answer to all of this would be.

“So you really do like her in that way then?” she asked quietly hoping not to provoke another defence from Harry.

Harry didn’t answer verbally as his mind did think sudden un-pure thoughts about Gabrielle, but Ginny felt his answer to her question by the slight pulse which was easily felt by her hand and she suppressed a smile. Closing her eyes for a second she studied her emotions before opening them at the sound of the whistle. Snuggled next to Harry as they watched Quidditch must be the most perfect of Saturday mornings that she could think of.

Surprisingly for most people it was a rather good match. Harry thought that both teams were fairly evenly matched, he was sure that Ginny and the other chasers were much better than any of the six he saw out there but it was still a good match to watch. As the matched flowed this way and that he was constantly distracted by the movement of Ginny’s hand on his leg, it just gently rubbed up and down almost in time with her breathing. For large periods of the match he just switched off and felt himself be lulled by the slight weight pushing against him and the noise of Ginny breathing.

As one of these bouts took over he slipped into his magic without really trying, it was so unexpected that Harry didn't notice until he started to see the trails of magic. His eyes adjusted themselves to the glows of people and he then just relaxed and watched the match. Too him, the game suddenly looked so easy, time and time again he saw opportunities to catch the snitch and he was sure that he could almost see where the Bludgers were going.

“Long match, I wonder when the snitch is going to get caught.” Said Ginny quietly as she studied the chasers.

“They’ve missed a number of chances it’s like they can’t see it.”

“What do you mean? I haven’t seen it?”

“But you aren’t really looking for It.” replied Harry still absently watching the magical trails. Every time the snitch or bludger rose Harry changed his focus and looked at the dome over Hogwarts. The magic still swirled but now he could see pattern and marks upon it surface in his mind he wanted to read them or study them because he was sure they meant something but he always brought his sight back towards the match.

“Alright then Mr Seeker where is the snitch then?” Asked Ginny with a playful note in her voice.

Harry easily raised his arm to point at the small prick of gold at the far point of the stadium. His finger easily followed the trail that it made around and around. Ginny eyes found the point Harry was pointing and just about made out the small prick of gold. Never would she have seen it without Harry’s help.

“How did you know?”

“I sort of relaxed as Gabrielle said it makes everything just a little easier.”

“What?”

“Oh look Cho’s spotted it; I think it’s all over now.”

**

The sounds of his footsteps echoed around the empty corridors as he walked them. It was done; finished all he need was his students and the country would soon be his. He wanted power, needed it, craved it and this school was going to give it to him. It would give him legions of devoted followers who would do anything at his whim. The country would be run by those loyal to him and this school was to be the heart, not only a school but the place he would hold court, yes hold court.

As he passed heat looked at one of the paintings, like the rest he had placed around the school they all reported to him but not only that they showed the students who was their master and what was expected of pure wizards. For the past months he worked to complete the secrets of the school and now they were done only he knew of them all. He had sent out his followers to find him his staff, sweet Nanette had done well before she had left but more had been needed and each was now bound to this place by him.

It was a truly horrific spell but one he enjoyed performing. It was powerful and it showed these lesser humans the power he had at his command. For each new group he showed them the error of running away, he revelled at the screams of pain as one of the already bound was taken away from the school. The screams told all that not only would they feel real pain but also their minds would be destroyed no-one would learn of this place unless he, Lord Voldemort wished it so.

He turned the corner and saw one of the staff cleaning. She immediately stopped what she was doing and curtsied they all did that as he walked around the school. If he stopped, they would drop to their knees to await his pleasure or displeasure. Yes he had used them for pleasure and amusement but they would never say; that was the joy of the binding to the house.

Entering his large study he nodded once more in grim satisfaction soon everything was to be his. The fools at the ministry could not stop him now. They could never have done but now was far too late for them to even try. He had them running to his tune now, they didn’t know it but they were playing his game just as he had planned. They thought that they had everything under control but it was all part of his master plan and they were following it piece by piece. So his numbers would be swelled once more by loyal followers who would wage war at his command. When that time came he would visit the Minister himself and ask for the country and after that he would just take it.

After the Ministry he would move on the rest, the Goblins and their money, and then the Centaurs and their sight so on and so forth until all bowed to him as their master. If they didn’t they would die. The final trophy would be Hogwarts: such a focal point would be his or be destroyed. He wanted to destroy it, needed to destroy it. His would be the only school in the country, one run and controlled by him.

Dumbledore had given up, and even that boy Harry Potter no longer worried him. He would be the master of this realm and those two could no longer stop him.

**

The cold wind that had blown for the past week eased until there was no movement in the air. Everyone knew what was about to start but none of them looked forward to it. It was though the whole camp held its breath before the first flake was spotted. It fluttered lazily trough the trees until at last it came to rest upon the ground within seconds it was absorbed into the soft moss but that was the start. Flake after flake started to fall bringing winter to all those waiting for it.

Remus hunched down to try and keep the warmth in his body as these first flakes started to fall. The sounds of the camp seemed to die as the snow started to absorb the sounds around. Winter was always magical for most folks but that was only because they didn't live out in it. He remembered the argument that had started a few nights back when Grayback was asked about moving into a cave. It had ended badly, not for Grayback but for the one who had started it. The fight had been short but no less deadly for it. So now the pack waited and tried to survive the winter here within the forest instead of safely within a cave.

Remus had asked himself why they were still here, this was the only time he could see that Grayback seemed to act not upon his instinct to protect his fellow werewolves but upon something else. As the snow started to build up he felt her move close to him. She wasn’t old but neither was she young, she had been watching and covertly helping him for months until he took her a few weeks ago. It had been hard and brutal, like a werewolves mating should have been.

He had sought her out as his need grew and grew. He had approached her and almost growled at her. She had without question fallen to her hands and knees. She had lifted her bottom into the air as a sign of acceptance and obedience. He quickly released himself and plunged forward into her willing opening. He had pounded her hard and fast making both her and him scream with primeval pleasure at what they were doing. With that single action she had become his, it was his duty and pleasure to look after her and her him. From that day on she had looked after his needs cooking for him, cleaning his stained clothes, everything.

Now as the snow descended and the temperature dropped she snuggled in next to him. It was going to be hard for the pack to survive intact this cold winter but they all thought that at least they were free. The firelight shone off of the snow as it continued to fall and Remus let his mind wander across the scene. The small movement of the one cuddled next to him made him turn. The reflected light shone of the woman’s hair causing it to have a faint reddish glow. As his eyes looked at this they seemed to lose a little of their focus, the red softened and was replaced with a pink tinge instead. Long lost memories started to surface through his mind and the picture of pink hair started to assert itself. A small thought start to take root as he waited by the fire. A lovely girl was waiting for him, she had truly accepted him for what he was, not a pure wizard not a pure werewolf but a mixture. So what was he doing here?