Harry Potter and The Alchemist's Cell

Project Horizon

A/N: As always, expect spelling and grammar nonsense. I'm a lazy editor! Sue me lol

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October arrived with a flurry of cold weather. The trees of the Forbidden Forest creaked worryingly in high gales, scattering their rapidly darkening leaves onto the heads of those students studying Herbology and Care Of Magical Creatures on the blustery grounds nearby. The Lake was already turning the colour of chilled steel, its murky waves lapping angrily against slopes made treacherous by a series of heavy recent rainstorms.

Harry sat in the warmth of Gryffindor Tower and watched it all from the comfort of the Prefects Dorm. Hermione was out in that somewhere, planting some magical seeds that were part of a first term Potions project. Snape had set them the task of cultivating the ingredients for a Potion themselves, as his store cupboard wouldn't always been on hand to bail them out. Harry begrudgingly admitted this was a fair point, but he didn't really care, as he took specialist Potions tuition from Dumbledore these days and didn't have to get drenched in order to satiate Snape's cruel whimsy against his students.

Also, Hermione looked adorable when her hair was all over the place. And Harry would never complain about his girlfriend looking so heart-achingly cute.

He was trying very hard not to think about her. She was such a distraction, even when she wasn't with him. And he had to crack on with his Alchemy homework - a two-foot essay on the Nigredo Stage of the Work. It was all very interesting, but what with Hermione on his mind, and the new Weird Sisters hit song - Wicked Witch of the West - on the Wireless, Harry was getting very little done.

So it came as quite the relief when suddenly the fire burst to life and a scrap of parchment emerged from the flame. Harry went to grab it. But before he could even stand up, the parchment contorted into a vague mouth-shape and said, in Hermione's voice -

"Are you coming to lunch...or do I have to get another boyfriend to keep me company?"

Harry grinned as the parchment disintegrated into little specks of ash. He hauled himself up and made his way down to the Great Hall. Hermione was waiting for him just outside, drying her hair with her wand and looking very dishevelled.

"What are you smirking at?" Hermione said, crossly, as Harry approached. "It's a flaming storm out there!"

"Is it raining? I hadn't noticed," said Harry off-handedly, plucking a stray leaf from Hermione's mane. She scowled at him. "I could leave it there, if you'd prefer?"

"Just take me to lunch!"

"Yes, ma'am," said Harry. He leant in close to whisper in Hermione's ear. "I do so love it when you get bossy, did you know?"

The corners of Hermione's lips curled into a shy smile, in spite of herself. "Shut up, Harry."

"There's my girl," Harry smiled back. "Shall I take your bag?"

"Gaaay. Whipped like a proper lame racehorse, eh Potter?"

Draco Malfoy was passing them on the way from the Hall. Harry clenched his jaw.

"I may be a horse, but at least it means I'm well hung," Harry volleyed back.

"Says who?" Malfoy sniped.

"Says me, obviously," Hermione crooned silkily.

Malfoy looked taken aback by Hermione's forthrightness, but she didn't back down, even as a series of hissing whispers broke out on tables nearby. She gave one, quite challenging look, at Malfoy, then guided Harry through the wall of gossip towards the Gryffindor table.