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Chapter 56: The Ring



...The girls recognized that he needed time to himself and excused themselves with a kiss on each of his cheeks. "Don't forget to eat Harry... we will stay in the Tower tonight and you can find us if you need us alright?"

He nodded and watched silently as they walked out of the portrait leaving him alone with his thoughts.


He went back to staring at the ring as he gathered his thoughts. When he had first heard the story this had been his first answer as to which Hallow he wanted, now that he had it he was afraid to use it. He didn't want people on the other side to hate him for bringing them back, but he needed to know that Gabby was okay. Dobby brought him lunch without being called and Harry grazed without really thinking as he continued to stare at the ring.

The lunch plate was replaced by a dinner plate before Harry made a decision. Finally he screwed up his courage and turned the ring as he thought of Gabrielle. He turned it again as he remembered his last day with his wife. One more turn and he looked up expectantly only to be met with an empty room.

"Pet?" he called only to be met with silence.

He tried again, turning the ring faster this time and looking up to find the room still empty. He was suddenly overwrought with fear that the crack in the ring had broken the spell, but Dumbledore seemed to be speaking from experience when he gave that warning.

Deciding to try something different he pulled up the memory of Cedric Diggory and turned the ring, he was both disappointed and surprised when a wraith appeared before him.

"Cedric?"

The wraith looked around before gaining form and looking at him. "Harry?"

Harry had to restrain himself from jumping up and hugging the boy in front of him. He knew he wouldn't be able to hug a ghost. "Cedric!"

"What am I doing here?" The ghost asked him.

Harry hadn't realized that the bit of emotion stored in his memory of this boy was so powerful as tears began running down his face. He was honestly getting a bit tired of crying. "Cedric... I'm so sorry..."

"Why am I here?" The ghost asked again.

Taking a deep breath Harry calmed himself enough to answer. "I called you using the resurrection stone."

"You mean that was real? Mum used to tell me stories about the Three Brothers but I never believed her... That explains the how but not the why."

"I'm sorry Cedric, I know it is impolite at the very least to drag you back here for such a stupid conversation... Are you happy where you are?"

Cedric smiled for the first time since returning, "It's wonderful Harry, I can play Quidditch all day if I want, the sun is always shining unless you want it to rain... Why am I here?" He repeated.

"I was trying to call my wife, Gabrielle Potter... she died yesterday." He caught himself before a sob escaped him. "She didn't show up, you were the next person I thought of... do you know why she wouldn't come?"

Cedric shook his head, "I can see my family and friends; living or dead if I want to, but I don't know everyone in the other realm; especially if they just arrived... Harry I remember asking you to return my body, thank you for doing that. It made what my parents had to go through much easier being able to lay me to rest properly."

"You shouldn't have been there in the first place; if I hadn't been so stubborn and made you take the cup with me..."

"You were being noble Harry, I appreciate it still that you wanted to share the win with me. This is all well and good but if you don't need me here can you please let me go?"

"Do you think my parents... I mean..."

Cedric sighed, "I'm sure they would love for you to see them, but as I have told you, they can watch over you. I'm certain they are proud of the man you have become. May I please go?" The boy was looking off into the distance longingly and finally Harry nodded and turned the ring in reverse three times to release his spirit. As he began to fade away Harry thanked him.

Once again Harry was alone with his thoughts, staring at the Ring. He finally gave up and got up off the couch heading for his room. He showered and went to bed alone for the first time in a long while. He calmed himself using Occlumency before lying down and drifting off to sleep.

Harry met his girls at breakfast the next morning, they remained quiet but he could tell they were itching to ask him. "I talked to Cedric."

Their eyes lit up but Hermione as usual jumped straight into the conversation. "Really? Harry do you realize what this means? What did he say?"

Not to be outdone, Ginny asked the questions that were bothering Harry the most. "Why not Gabrielle, or your Parents? Or Sirius?"

He looked at Hermione, "Yes, I understand what this means, mostly he asked why he was here, if I could let him go back yet..."

Turning he answered Ginny as best he could. "I tried to call her, she didn't or couldn't come for some reason...Then I called Cedric, I don't know why." He felt the emotion welling up in his chest and trying to leak out through his eyes but was able to contain himself.

"I'm sorry Harry." Ginny whispered with concern. "You can take all the time you need, or never call them if you decide not to." She hugged him from the side without seeming too forward, he was thankful for the gesture.

"That's the thing, I wanted to talk to Gabrielle but she didn't come. Why didn't she come?"

Hermione was shaking her head, "I don't know but if it could call Cedric we know it works. Harry I realize you may have found a way to keep her with us. But you haven't really grieved for her, you need to."

He shook his head, "Not yet Mione...just, not yet okay?"

She sighed but said nothing else besides a slight nod. Being Saturday they retired to his suite after breakfast. When they arrived they were surprised to find an entire bookshelf full of books had joined the one that resided in the common room when Harry left that morning. The Sword of Gryffindor lay on the desk with a note flapping above it which Harry took down to read.

Harry,

A great many truths were brought out last night and you have opened my eyes to my mistakes. I hope that we can use what time remains to repair our relationship and to enable you to live past the coming darkness.

On this bookshelf is my entire library of Dark Arts materials which include references to Horcruxes. I am donating these to the Granger-Black Library as I do not know of anyone I would trust more to keep this knowledge safe.

I must forgo our usual session this evening but I hope to get back on a schedule next weekend.


Respectfully,

Albus

He handed the note to Hermione who read it quickly and let out a squeal of delight as she jumped into his arms. Shortly after she began perusing her new additions.

Ginny picked up the note and walked over the couch; sitting down as she finished it. "Congratulations Mione, this really is an honor coming from him."

Mione nodded absentmindedly as she continued to scan titles. Harry smiled and sat down beside the redhead. "Hey you."

Ginny tried hard not to look hopeful at the tone of his voice. In the past month Harry had only been intimate with them a few times, and Luna had joined them on one of those occasions. "Hey yourself Mister." The smile broke through even though she tried to contain it.

"Look Gin, I know I've been distant...to both of you. I'm sorry."

She shook her head as she scooted into his lap and wrapped her arms around him. "I understand Harry, we were all worried about her, and we all missed her. There were times when I would have felt wrong having fun with you while she lay in that bed..."

He hugged her close. "No more of that though, remember one of the last things she told me. Live, Love..."

"Make your enemies tremble at the sound of your name..."

He smiled down at her and tentatively pulled her into a kiss, she tried to resist the temptation but her body soon overruled her mind as she deepened the kiss and moaned into his mouth. Hermione sat down beside them and ran her fingernails up and down Ginny's back.

The redhead pulled back and quickly looked into Harry's eyes to make sure she hadn't gone too far, but he was just smiling back. He turned his attention to the brunette. "Hey you."

She grinned at her two favorite people in the world. "Hey yourself Mister. You know we were worried about you. I'm still worried about you."

"It's time to move on and live life Mione... If nothing else losing her shows us all that we can't waste any time."

Hermione looked into his eyes and seemed to be searching them for the truth, when she couldn't find any traces of deception and sighed, "If you're sure."

He nodded, "Gabrielle summed it up; she doesn't want me to mourn her life and forget to live." He leaned in and captured Hermione's lips and quickly wrapped an arm around her pulling her closer as he deepened the kiss as Ginny had moments earlier.

They paused for breath and he smiled at her. "I started with Gin because I didn't know how long it would take you to catalog your new additions. But if you are doing nothing better at the moment why don't we retire to the bedroom?"

Ginny jumped off his lap and practically sprinted into the bedroom, Hermione smiled in amusement at her girlfriends antics before standing and pulling Harry along by the hand into his room.

*************************SFTP************************

Hours later a very satisfied trio was found in the common room each studying a separate book, each hoping for some information that would help defeat Voldemort once and for all.

Thus they were rather surprised when Bernie announced a visitor. "Harry, there is a Slytherin female by the name of Parkinson waiting outside your door. Shall I let her in?"

Harry smiled up at the Satyr, "Did you make any rude comments about her?"

"Well she is a rather attractive blonde though her nose is...unique. I think it is cute and adds character rather than detracting..." His attention had drifted and he suddenly snapped back to Harry. "Was I wrong to do so?"

Harry got up from the couch after marking his place in his current tome. "Nope, I said you were only to make those kinds of remarks to Slytherins. Don't let her in, I will answer the door."

He crossed the room and opened the portrait to find a slightly flushed and nervous looking Pansy Parkinson looking expectantly back up at him.

"What can I do for you Miss Parkinson?" Harry asked formally.

She began very shakily, "Lord Black...my family has gone into hiding as was discussed. The Dark Lord is not happy and has accelerated whatever plans he had which involved Draco."

She took a deep breath before continuing though her voice still betrayed her raw emotional state. "Blaise and Daphne are currently in no danger, but Draco has made a move to regain control of the House. He is targeting me because of my family and if I refuse to be engaged to him as the Dark Lord demands I.." She took a shaking breath and seemed to be fighting with herself. "Lord Black I am here to formally request the protection of House Black as per the agreement you made with my father."

*************************SFTP************************

Harry led Pansy into his common room with confusion and determination on his face. The girls looked up at their entrance and had matching curious looks on their faces. "What is she doing here Harry?" Ginny asked coldly.

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair as he tried to form thought to word. "Voldemort ordered her and Malfoy be engaged, she is here to seek asylum."

Hermione got up and approached the girl stopping short of hugging her. "That's simply dreadful, I don't know what I would do if someone tried to set me up in an arranged marriage."

Pansy controlled her sneer but only barely. "Thank you Granger...While arranged marriages are still commonplace amongst Purebloods, my clan believes in love or at the very least mutual respect. Your concern is noted." She turned to Harry, "So what are you going to do to protect me?"

Gone was her nervousness from the hallway, apparently being in the presence of a Mudblood and a Blood Traitor was enough for her to get a handle on her emotions. He looked at both girls and darted his eyes to the spare room quickly. He saw the contemplation in their eyes before Ginny nodded. He turned back to the blonde. "Pansy, for the time being you are welcome to stay here."

"Right, do I have to sleep with you?" She asked curtly.

"No," He began slowly, as if speaking to a three year old. "There is a guest bedroom just over there..." he pointed and watched as she turned and saw the other door.

"Oh." Was all she said for a moment. "Well what shall I do about my things? My uniforms at the least?"

Before Harry could call him Dobby popped into the room with her trunk packed neatly and popped away again. "How did he?" She trailed off as she opened her trunk to find it contained all of her belongings.

Ginny spoke up, "That's just Dobby, he really is a remarkable House Elf."

Harry nodded, "But you girls were keeping some clothing in that room, and there is only the one shower in my room...how shall we go about this?"

Dobby popped back in beside him startling Pansy who was still crouching by her trunk, she fell over unceremoniously onto her backside. "Dobby is putting another Wardrobe into Mr. Harry Potter Sir's rooms for his Grangey and his Weazy. I is putting you's clothes in there already." He finished with a bow before popping back out.

"See, remarkable!" Ginny said with a grin.

"Yes, remarkable..." Pansy grumbled as she got up off the floor as gracefully as she could. Harry cast a levitation charm on her trunk and floated it into the spare room, Pansy following closely behind.

"I suppose this will do, it is much better than sharing a Dorm with the others in any case. Unless of course this is where the Harem is going to end up sleeping? I expect to get the top bunk if that is the case." She said turning on him.

He sighed, "There is no Harem Pansy, and we need some ground rules. You are no longer to use the terms Mudblood or Blood Traitor; those terms no longer matter to you being a Blood Traitor yourself and those to whom these terms still have meaning don't matter. Do you understand?"

She nodded silently, "What about the shower? Must I work out a schedule?"

He shrugged, "Honestly, you say your family is rather liberal when it comes to sex, I expect a little nudity won't bother you much?"

She looked at him rather nervously but stood up straight and looked him the eye as she answered. "Of course not!"

He smiled, "Good, because we are nude in my suite more often than not, and many times we may end up shagging on the couches in the common room. If you have issue with that we can look into getting you your own accommodations. I think it could be swung if need be but if I am to be your protector I don't like the idea of you being down the hall from me."

She appeared slightly taken aback but quickly composed herself. "That works for me, just don't let me catch you staring on my way to or from the shower."

"As if." He said quietly. "In any event there are plenty of things going on in my suite which you are not allowed to speak of...I'm sorry but I am going to need a vow."

She nodded as she pulled her wand out. "I would expect nothing less of anyone worth respecting. I swear on my life that I shall not reveal anything happening in this suite to anyone without your permission. So mote it be!"

He nodded after going over the terms in his head. "So mote it be." The magic flared quickly sealing the contract. "That will do for now, we are working on ways to bring Voldemort down which includes studying the Dark Arts. Why don't you get settled in and I can fill you in on some of the details. If you want this whole protector thing over with as much as I do then you can pitch in."

"Fine." She spat.

"Fine." He said back coldly.

"Well...Fine!" She exclaimed as she closed the door in his face seeming at a loss for words when arguing with him.

He turned and walked back to the couch picking up his book and beginning to read. He could feel the eyes of both other girls burning into him. "I don't know what her problem is; if I didn't know better I'd think she was expecting to share my bed. She gave me a vow not to reveal anything that happens in this suite. I explained that nudity was common place and that we might just be shagging on the couch, she didn't seem to mind so much but warned me against staring at her on her way to or from the bathroom. Can we please continue researching please? I want to find a way to kill him for good even if we can't locate and destroy all of his Horcruxes. The sooner we do that the sooner I can get rid of her."

The girls nodded and sat down on the couch picking up their books and leaning against his shoulders for support. They had actually heard everything the two had said and the tone of voice that had been used. They were both thinking the same thing at that moment; "What if Pansy is the Closet Girl?"


A/N:

I am trying to move along and so I am posting the third chapter in two days. The next one is longer but I am working on it still. Possibly Thursday if that isn't asking too much. By chapter 58 you should get a good idea of where the story will be going.

I love my readers, I love my reviewers even more...I am moving full speed ahead with the story in my head.