A sirius matter

Chapter 13 - Making Progress

Harry did his best to hide his amusement. "Okay. If you say so."

"Anyway," said Hermione, "You still haven't said what you are."

"Well," he responded, looking at the ground as though embarrassed. "I still have my scar."

"Come on, Harry," encouraged Ginny. "It can't be that bad. You're not a rat like Pettigrew, are you?"

"Er, no," he answered, using the bit of occlumency training he'd had to stop himself from showing his excitement as he kept his head down.

"You're not a snake are you?" asked Hermione. "I know you speak snake-language."

"No," Harry replied. "I'm a mammal. I have a tail and claws." He then looked up at them grinning broadly. "I'm a black-maned lion!"

"You…you…you acted like it was something bad!" shouted Hermione as Ginny laughed. "I thought I was gonna have to console you."

Ginny commented, "I guess you're a true Gryffindor."

"I guess so," agreed Harry. He then conjured a few dozen rocks on the ground. "If you two are ready, I think it's time for our duel."

"Defend yourself," shouted Ginny as she pulled out her wand and nonverbally shot a stunner at Harry.

Harry pointed his wand at one of the rocks, and it quickly moved into the beam coming from Ginny's wand, diffusing it. "You're getting pretty good at that," admitted Ginny as Harry dodged a spell that Hermione sent at him.

-ASM-

An hour later, each of them had successfully used a rock to block a spell more than once. Lupin had suggested learning to use small objects to block spells so that they could learn precision with that skill. He'd explained, "There's no way to guarantee that there'll be a table to use for cover when you're attacked." Harry had won more duels than the others, but the girls each did win their share. Harry and Hermione went from there to Hermione's home, and then to karate class for the last lesson before the yellow belt test.

-ASM-

After a difficult class, the couple spoke briefly to Neville and bicycled back to the house, intending to spend an hour in the pool before Hermione would start another Ancient Runes lesson. However, that was not meant to happen.

While they were walking in the house after parking their bikes in the garage, Harry noticed a tall, elderly man with long white hair, a long beard, and a hooked nose. He was wearing a brown suit. When he turned toward the Granger's house, he said with a twinkle in his eye, "Hello, Mr. Potter. Hello, Miss Granger. It's good to see you both."

Harry looked more closely at the man and his jaw dropped. "Hello, Pro-Professor Dumbledore."

"Hello, headmaster," greeted Hermione.

"May I come into the house with you two? There's something I'd like to discuss."

"C-Certainly," replied Hermione. "I must admit this is unexpected."

Dumbledore chuckled. "Yes. I'd imagine it is."

After they'd gone inside and Hermione graciously got them some tea, she claimed to need to go to the loo and made a phone call from her bedroom.

The aged wizard sat at the table across from Harry and asked conversationally, "So Harry, have you been enjoying your little visit with the Grangers?"

Harry wasn't sure where his headmaster was going with this, so he decided to answer, but was determined to make sure not to look Dumbledore in the eye (so he couldn't use occlumency). "Yes, sir. I've been enjoying myself very much."