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Disclaimer: This story is based on characters, ideas, and situations created by JR Rowling and owned by her and her publishers. I own the original elements & characters. No money is being made by me, and no trademark or copyright infringement is intended.


Chapter VIII
Saturday, September 2, 1995


Severus Snape looked at the Boy with his usual sneer of contempt. "I always knew you were like your father," he nearly spat. "Arrogant, spoiled, and worthless."

"And I always knew that you are a snivelling, bigoted, incompetent, Death Eater," Harry retorted. "Just like I know your Master is a cowardly, sadistic bastard, and I mean that literally."

"Just because you managed to get away through some trick. . . ."

"Is that what your Master told you?" Harry demanded. "Then you should have known it was a lie, since he's even more incapable of telling the truth than you are. What are you going to do when I whip your arse, Snivellus?" Snape flinched at the hated name. His eyes flicked up towards the area of the stands where Sirius and Remus were sitting.

"No, they never told me your o-so-appropriate nickname," Harry said, knowing who Snape was looking for, although he did not know that they were actually there. "I read it in your mind." Snape's glare went back to Harry, who had decided to hit Snape where it might hurt, even if it wasn't true. "Dumbledore never really tried to read you. Your Occlumency shields are shit. You're an under-powered bully. You teach here in part because your master commanded you to and in part because you enjoy abusing children. If you acted like this in public, then almost every witch and wizard and some of the Squibs would whip your arse. How many times have you EVER faced a wizard one-on-one in a fight, other than Lockhart? And he couldn't use magic other than memory charms worth a damn."

"Keep telling your self that, Potter," Snape snarled as he turned red.

"I can't lose," Harry said simply. "Almost everyone expects you to win, so even if you do win, you win nothing. How can you teach students again?"

"By making the golden boy look so bad they will know not to cross me," Snape retorted.

"Give it your best shot, Snape," Harry answered in turn.

With that, the pair took their preliminary places for instruction. Professor Flitwick looked at his colleague with disapproval. Finally, he said, "When my wand shoots sparks, you may begin. Jump the signal, and I will invoke the full sanctions allowed. Use any curse or hex above a Second Level spell, meaning a First Level, unapproved, or Unforgivable, or an inaudible or silent one, and the same will happen. Do you both understand?"

Harry and Snape agreed that they did. "Think you can avoid cheating from the start?" Harry asked his opponent.

"Don't you wish you knew?" Snape retorted.

"Enough," Flitwick commanded. "Go to your supporters. I call you to the field of honor in five minutes."

Snape stalked off towards his Second (Lucius Malfoy) and his two allowed supporters (Macnair and Draco). Harry walked over to his Second, Hermione, more calmly. Neville was his first supporter, and to everyone's surprise (and Ron's disappointment and Ginny's dismay) a rather confused (but pleased) Luna was the other.

Ron understood (with a little prompting from Ginny) that he needed to show Harry that he was willing to support the relationship between Harry and Hermione before Harry could fully rely on Ron. Since Ron wasn't sure if he could, he had said nothing that morning except to wish Harry luck.

After all, no matter how disappointed and envious Ron was, there seemed to be a slim chance for Snape to be humiliated.

"Beat him quickly and decisively," Hermione told Harry. "The more quickly you beat him, the sooner I can have you seated in the Couple's Corner, or perhaps the Couple's Room, since it should be more public for our first time."

"Beat him badly enough, and maybe I'll take you there, too," Neville joked.

Harry grinned. "I might be interested in a second consort, but I just don't think we're compatible, Neville," he teased back.

"Oh, I'm crushed," Neville deadpanned. "Seriously, good luck and be careful." He shook Harry's hand.

"Show the Malfoys how dangerous you really are," Hermione almost commanded. She kissed Harry deeply.

"Life will certainly be more interesting, now that our lives have touched," Luna said. "I look forward into learning how interesting." She hesitated a moment, and then kissed Harry's cheek. To her surprise and pleasure, Harry returned the gesture, managing to kiss the side of her lips as well as her cheek. Then he strode out to the center of the pitch.

Luna leaned into Hermione as Hermione wrapped her arm around the slightly taller girl. "Don't worry, Luna," she said. "Harry knows what he's doing." She kissed the other side of Luna's lips and held her tight. Luna put her arm around Hermione's shoulders, and hung on nervously.

When it was time, Flitwick said, "You both know what few rules there are. One long blast on my referee's whistle means that Mister Potter has forfeited mercy. Two short blasts means Professor Snape has instead." He looked at Snape. "That does include starting any movement before I send off the opening sparks. Now, go to your marks."

Less than thirty seconds later, the duel started.

Snape instantly sent off one of the strongest curses allowed under the rules, a bludgeoning hex which would break bones at the least. All offensive spells had to be vocalized, so that they could be checked for correct use under the rules. Unvoiced spells were penalized. Defensive work could be silent.

Harry flicked the curse to one side with a slight movement of his wand, a move only possible for those with excellent reflexes and superior power to the caster.

Snape paid that no mind but sent off a curse chain -- spells sent one after another with no breaks, designed to break through any defenses: a minor pain curse; cutting hex; burning curse; a second bludgeoning hex; a blinding hex; and finally 'Expelliarmus'.

To Snape's shock, Harry flicked four of the spells away, ducked the blinding hex, and deflected the 'Expelliarmus'. "Is that all you've got, Snivellus?" Harry taunted.

Snape sent off a second chain and, when that proved equally ineffective, a third which tried to change the environment around Harry. That one Harry had to deal with by more actively blocking the spells. Still, nothing had affected him.

Snape sent off three more chains, all easily dealt with by Harry. He needed something which either Harry would not know how to counter or could not counter. Spells which fitted into the first criteria, however, were either so minor as to be almost useless in a duel, or were not permitted. There were no truly unblockable spells, although there were some, especially the three Unforgivables, which came close.

Under the rules of the duel, an Unforgivable was no more wrong than any other unpermitted curse. Snape could not be punished after the duel for using one, either. Therefore, his next choice was "Crucio!"

Harry had to dive out of the way to avoid the Unforgivable, and the crowd roared, mostly with anger towards Snape, for the dueling wards magnified their voices for the crowd. Harry meanwhile had cast his first curse, a modified stone cutting spell, even as Flitwick blew the signal that Snape had gone beyond the rules.

Normally, the stone cutting spell sent a cutting beam about a quarter of an inch across, and which was effective (normally) up to twenty feet at the most before it quickly died off. Harry's modified spell compressed his full power into a beam about a hair's breadth in diameter, increasing its penetration punch. It poked through Snape's hastily-erected shield like a cutting laser through sheet of plastic wrap, through Snape's chest, through the wards erected over the floor and sides of the pitch, through two of the magically reenforced supports of the stands (fortunately, the beam was so thin it did no structural damage to the supports) and then into about six feet of the hillside behind.

Snape staggered, as the beam had nicked his heart. Blood started clotting and Snape's heart started beating irregularly.

"Accio Snape's right eye," Harry called out. Normally, this was a very easy charm to block, but Snape was in no shape to stop it. He screamed as his right eye was ripped from his skull. Since Snape had forfeited mercy, Harry then simply walked up to the screaming form, now writhing on the ground, and cast the regular stone cutting spell right into Snape's left ear, ending his career as a spy and as an abuser of students.

The crowd, which had been cheering, went silent. After a moment, the Gryffindors managed a light round of applause, supported by over half the Hufflepuffs and over a third of the Ravenclaws. Harry bent over and pulled up Snape's left sleeve. He forced the Dark Mark to appear.

Harry did not have to amplify his voice, as the wards which did that were still active. "And so dies a Death Eater, loyal to his Master to the end!" He glared at Macnair and the Malfoys. "And so will die every Death Eater!"

Now the applause was far louder, and to Draco's discomfort, he realized that some of it was even coming from the Slytherin section. Harry halved the distance between himself and Snape's three supporters. "Two of you are Marked Death Eaters. Go now. I will not hesitate next time."

Macnair broke first and ran. Lucius hesitated, but followed. Draco ran after his father.

Harry ignored the stunned and silent Ministry people and most of the reporters (who started shouting at him as he passed them) as the crowded exited from the pitch and instead Harry went up to Lionel Lovegood. Harry's three supporters followed. "Good afternoon, Mister Lovegood."

Lionel's eyes flipped between Harry and Luna and the approaching crowd. A casual circle made with Harry's forefinger established a ward around the group, and the reporters and others outside of that ward could not approach, and their shouts were muted.

"I didn't know you knew my daughter," he said.

"She's a very wonderful and interesting girl," Harry said simply.

Seeing nothing to build on there, Lionel asked instead, "I suppose you've heard that Sirius Black has been pardoned?"

"Pardoned, not exonerated?"

"Peter Pettigrew has been acknowledged as the one who betrayed your parents, and as still being alive," Lionel said. "Even if he might have sent the curse into the gas line that killed the Muggles, which is still under dispute, Black did choose to confront Pettigrew in a crowded Muggle environment."

Harry could hardly deny that.

"Still, I take it you stick by the backing of Black you gave last month?"

"Certainly," Harry said firmly. "As for the duel, Snape was a Death Eater. Professor Dumbledore hoped he was a reformed, former Death Eater, who might resume his role as a double agent, making everyone wonder whose side he was on. This was a test. If he could have stayed in the rules, he would have been given the chance to prove himself. He chose not to."

"And how did a fifteen year old student defeat a powerful Dark wizard like Severus Snape?" Lionel asked.

"Dark, certainly," Harry agreed. "And very knowledgeable of the Dark Arts. Powerful?" He shrugged his shoulders. "Voldemort is certainly very powerful. Probably only the Headmaster and I could face him and beat him. As for the other Death Eaters, they are cowardly, weak-minded, spoiled bullies, and most of them are stupid and magically below average as well." Harry gave another little shrug and looked somewhat contrite. "It's a shame that it had to come to this, but it did."

"Is there anything you'd like to add?" Lionel asked, stunned at the simple statements.

Harry shook his head, and with that, led Hermione and Luna off the pitch (Luna waving goodbye to her father, adding a happy "Bye, Daddy!"), with Neville guarding their backs. Harry stopped in the Quidditch changing rooms a quick shower and to get back into his school robes and casual clothes, and then the quartet made their way back to the castle. A number of students came close to the group, but then backed off, wanting to say something to Harry, but afraid to come too close.

Once in the castle, Neville peeled away. As more of the students realized where Harry was heading (or more accurately, where Hermione was leading Harry), the boys also started moving off, except for a few persistent ones, like Colin. Many of the girls, sighing with disappoint, did the same.

Harry was heading for the Couple's Room, at Hermione's urging.

The rules were simple. Only those interested in having a committed relationship could use the room. Only one wizard was allowed in at a time, and he had to be accompanied by his beloved. At least one other female had to be present, to make certain that things stayed within the boundaries. Other girls were allowed to watch (although not too closely, and only if they remained silent), both to learn and to see that this was indeed an active relationship -- and to get used to the act being performed in public, should they choose to follow the same route. Those too shy to perform in front of others were asked to rethink their commitments.

"Are you asking me to be the chaperon?" Luna asked, surprised.

"Yes, if you wouldn't mind," Hermione said.

"We just met yesterday," Luna pointed out. She frowned, as she realized that she was in the unaccustomed position of being the conventional one in a conversation for once.

Harry stopped and looked Luna in the eye. "I feel there are only two women I can fully trust with my heart. Hermione has earned my trust and my love, and I hope I have earned hers. She has honored me by taking my promise. I feel you could be the other, but I cannot say if that means being close friends, or even acting like siblings, or perhaps as something more . . . intimate. Hermione is willing to help us discover that."

"Please?" Hermione asked. Her growing bond to Harry encouraged her to want to please him in this.

"I will witness," Luna said. "I will stand with you both, although I'm not certain how."

They went on to the couple's room.

Over a dozen girls followed them. Angelina, Alicia, and Katie; Cho and Padma; Parvati, Lavender, and Ginny; Daphne and Tracey; Susan and Hannah; and three Seventh years, who always liked to watch. With that, the 'gallery' was full, although perhaps another two dozen girls milled quietly outside the door.

Harry stood next to one of the large, soft, armless chairs, his back to the gallery but facing Hermione and Luna. Hermione started to kneel, but Luna forestalled her, determined to undertake the full ceremonial role. Luna undid Harry's trousers and pulled them and his boxers down, and then closed his robe. She helped Harry sit without tripping, and then helped Hermione kneel on the pad provided. Luna then went and fetched a small towel and a glass of water, laying the towel near Harry's lap and the glass on the stand near the chair. Luna then sat on one of the straight chairs provided.

"You may begin," Luna said soberly.

Hermione opened Harry's robe and pulled out his half-hard penis. There was a sharp intake of breath from all the other girls as six light strokes of her right hand got Harry fully hard, and his full length was revealed. The licking of lips was almost audible.

Luna moved over and added more padding on the floor, so Hermione would have enough elevation to get a good angle.

Hermione used both hands to cover most of the shaft and then popped the head into her mouth. Harry leaned back and enjoyed. He enjoyed the sensations; he enjoyed the look of lust on all the girls' faces, especially Luna's, although he felt more than a bit embarrassed and exposed. He did not, however, like the jealous look on Ginny.

Harry realized that he was in danger of going soft, despite Hermione lovely ministrations. He blocked out all the other girls and concentrated on Hermione's bobbing head and stroking hands. He was long enough to get a fairly good view of Hermione's stretched lips. From his adjusted position, the only thing his peripheral vision picked up was a flushed Luna licking her lips hungrily.

Hermione licked the shaft, getting it slick again, and went back to using both hands and her mouth. In less than three more minutes, Harry shot off. Hermione swallowed most of it, but made certain to show some on the tip of her tongue and some on Harry's crown to Luna, verifying that she had indeed swallowed Harry's essence. Hermione then cleaned off the rest with her tongue and then the towel, and then covered Harry up.

As custom dictated, the gallery left.

Hermione stood and took the sitting Luna's robe in her hands and bent close. She opened her mouth, and Luna could see exactly what Hermione was offering. Luna could smell Harry on Hermione's face, on her mouth, as well as see the foam inside. She could feel their desire for her. She leaned forward without hesitation and french kissed for the first time, tasting Hermione's lips and Harry's semen.

When Hermione finally broke the kiss, Luna said, "I believe there are some things you need to explain to me."

Harry nodded. He stood and pulled up this clothes. "It's time to introduce the two of you to the Room of Requirement."



An hour later, Luna sat on a comfortable chair, pensive and trying to absorb everything Harry had told her. "That is quite the story," Luna finally said. After a moment more, she said, "It is such an amazing story, I wonder you believed it so easily, Hermione."

"Looking back, I can see why you say that," Hermione agreed. "However, I had no doubts this was Harry. We've had a sort of magical connection for years, months before I ever even thought of kissing him at the end of our First year. I knew it was him, and that he was telling me the truth. I also somehow always knew he would be the greatest wizard of our generation, perhaps in many generations. I could never see how, before now, but I knew he would be, and that I would be helping him." She smiled demurely. "I like how things have turned out so far."

"I can understand that," Luna agreed. She looked at Harry. "You mentioned Legilimency and Occlumency. I am something of an empath. I can always tell when someone is telling me the truth or is lying. Therefore, I also knew you've told me the truth. Now tell me this, why do you desire me, when you obviously desire Hermione? Just because we loved and married in the other time stream? Because you pity me?"

"I don't think I pity you at all," Harry answered. "I knew I would be trying to get to know you better, but things have gone a bit further and a lot faster than I had thought they might." He smiled. "And I'm very happy with that."

"I like and admire you, Harry," Luna said. "I did even before the train ride, and I must admit, I am more attracted to you than ever." She turned to Hermione. "I also find you attractive. I also understand why, should we follow the path you have been nudging me along, you would be the first and I the second, no matter what our official status. The politics of the situation, if nothing else, would demand that. However," she concluded, "I am not ready for a sexual relationship of any kind, with either of you, at least not today. I need to think about my feelings more. So, nothing further than what we've done today." She smiled shyly, "Well, perhaps a bit more kissing with both of you."

Harry stood and bent over Luna, and kissed her deeply. Hermione followed suit.



An hour later, Harry and Hermione had walked Luna back to the Ravenclaw common room and had just been walking around the castle, hand-in-hand. The gossip mill had already spread the tale of their status as a bonding couple, and they were reenforcing it.

Thanks to Harry's potions and their weeks of working out, both were trim and very attractive. After Harry's demonstration of power that afternoon, however, none of the students were going to approach the couple.

Remus, however, was another matter. "There you are! Where the devil have you to been?" he demanded when he finally found them.

"Establishing ourselves as a formal couple, in the open couple's room," Hermione managed to state without blushing.

Remus was not so fortunate. He knew all about the practice, of course, but had never had the chance to participate. The whole world of sexuality had in many ways simply passed him by because of his condition. Remus, therefore, blushed. He did manage to say, however, "In case you didn't know, Sirius has been pardoned."

"I did, but I didn't know you and he were here."

Remus managed to look offended. "As if we would miss it!" Then the full impact struck him. "Any regrets?"

"No," Harry answered frankly. "I killed him once before, and I knew I won't be lucky enough just having to kill Voldemort this time around." He shrugged. "I was partially responsible for killing Quirrell. I've already killed over half of Voldemort. I can't be squeamish." He gave Hermione a wan smile. "Don't worry about me just killing people at random. Hermione and some others will keep me on the straight and narrow."

"I know you wouldn't," Remus assured Harry. "Just remember, others won't be so sure of you."

"I know," Harry said soberly. "Believe me, I know how fickle public opinion is. It's worse in magical Britain than just about anywhere else I've ever seen."

Hermione took Harry by the arm. "We'll stand together."