Author's Notes: Sorry for the cliffhanger, ok not really. :)
As always, the world of Harry Potter does not belong to me but J.K. Rowling
Chapter Eleven
"Ok, Heather. You mean you want to completely become a girl?"
"Yes. I don't even know if that can happen but yes." She answered.
"Well, that explains this" Hermione said, holding up the map.
This led to a brief explanation of what the map was to Ginny. Heather let Hermione tell Ginny without interrupting.
"So, it thinks you're a girl?" asked Ginny.
"Apparently." Heather said
"When did that happen?" asked Hermione
And so, Heather started talking, much as she had in the study at Grimmauld Place. She told them about what she had seen in the Mirror of Erised and the dream. When she was done, she said, "So, like I said, I don't know there's a way too, but I want to be a girl."
"It is possible, but it's not easy or quick." Hermione answered, "I did some research about this last summer, both in the muggle and wizarding world. It is possible to go from being a boy and become a girl."
Not quite willing to believe what she had just said, Heather looked at her best friend, willing it to be true. "How?"
Hermione smiled at Heather's eager expression, "Well, In the muggle world there are drugs you can take and surgeries you can get that will give you the body you want. In the wizarding world, you have other options."
"Better options if I remember what my dad told us surgery is." Added Ginny.
"There are potions you can take that will make you stop producing male hormones and start producing female ones. That will cause your body to change and grow breasts."
Heather was speechless. "Is it permanent?" She asked.
"Not at first, but after a certain point in order to reverse it, you would basically need to go through it again only with the opposite potions."
"You looked into this for me last summer?' Heather asked, once again amazed at Hermione's love of finding things out and her apparent gift of foresight.
"I had a feeling this was coming, we both did actually." Said Hermione, gesturing at Ginny, "So I wanted to be prepared to give you all the information if you ever asked for it."
"You're amazing Hermione" heather gasped out.
"One day you'll stop being surprised by it." Hermione replied, grinning.
It was Heather's turn now to have to process what she had just been told. She had expected their faces to fall, to tell her that it wouldn't be possible on a permanent basis. Never in her dreams had she expected them to tell her it was doable.
"The two of us also have an offer for you." Said Ginny
"What kind of offer" asked Heather
From her bag Hermione pulled out a piece of old parchment. With a flash Heather remembered seeing the two of them looking at this same page months ago in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. On it were directions for brewing a potion that Heather instantly recognized. The offer became instantly, maddeningly clear.
"You can't be serious?" she said incredulously.
"Why not? It's not like I haven't brewed Polyjuice Potion before." Hermione replied
"But the supplies, you'll have to steal from Snape again."
"No, we won't. Remember over the summer when I went to Diagon Alley with Mrs. Weasley? Well, it took trips to three different apothecaries and an uncomfortable fifteen minutes in Knockturn Alley, but I bought everything we'd need to brew it.".
"So, you're going to brew it and let me become one of you for an hour?" asked Heather.
"Only if you want to. This isn't something we're offering lightly, Heather. But we both agree it's the easiest way of letting you see how being a girl feels." Ginny said.
"Which of you would I turn into?" asked Heather.
"Me" said Hermione, "I thought it would make the most sense since we are the same age and height."
Before she had even realized she was doing it, Heather had crossed the room and pulled both girls into a tight hug. "Ok" she said into the mess of hair filling her face, "let's do it." With a laugh of released tension, the three girls sat down and started making plans.
The glow of their plan to turn him into a girl for an hour filled Harry for the entire next day, finally dimming as he made his way down the stone steps to Snape's office again. Dread filling him with the sound of every footstep. Once again Snape stood in front of his desk, glaring at Harry as he readied himself. The mixture of euphoria at their upcoming plans, the dread of Occlumency lessons, and the thrill of penetrating deeper into the Department of Mysteries meant that emptying his mind the past two nights had been all but impossible. Snape had stated at the end of their last lesson that he would know if Harry hadn't practiced, and now it was time to find out if that was true.
The lesson went almost as badly as the first did. Try as he might he could not keep Snape's mental probes at bay for more than a moment before being completely overwhelmed. This time, to Harry's dismay, more of Heather's memories appeared before him. He saw her getting the necklace over the summer, checking out other girls' dresses at the Yule Ball, even a brief flash of his haven. If Snape thought anything of these memories, he said nothing, and Harry hoped that they had gotten lost in the shuffle. At the end of the lesson Snape dismissed him, reminding him to clear his mind every night of emotion.
As the weeks went by Harry felt as though Hogwarts had lost some of it's warmth. Without quidditch, visiting Hagrid who was now on probation, letters from home, and constant mental attacks during Occlumency lessons, much of what Harry loved about the castle was gone. He fought back against both Umbridge and his own feelings in the best way he could, working the D.A. harder than ever and spending any time he could as Heather.
Everyone in the D.A. was progressing well with the spells Harry was teaching them. Even Neville, who threw himself into lessons with a newfound fire since the news of Bellatrix Lestrange's escape, was keeping up and had even disarmed Hermione in the last lesson. Harry wished he were showing as much improvement in Occlumency as Neville was in the D.A.
Visions swam before his eyes, and in an instant Harry knew his worst nightmare was about to come true. He saw himself finding Lavender's uniform in his trunk two years ago, trying it on, then everything shifted, and he was looking at the list of names Hermione and Ginny had handed him in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. A heartbeat later he was standing in the abandoned classroom in his first year, seeing his family surrounding him out of the Mirror of Erised. Even through the visions Harry could feel his dread as everything changed again and his older self was staring into the mirror, watching himself transition into Heather. Unlike the previous memories, this one didn't change. It stayed solid, watching Heather's friends and Family walk in and show their support.
Suddenly Harry found Heather's eyes in the mirror and felt a great force of will push outwards, starting at his feet. It electrified his body and raced up his legs into his chest and finally into his mind. With a rush Snape's presence in his mind left and Harry staggered. This time thankfully he'd managed to keep his feet. Snape it seemed was the one who had fallen backwards, as he was leaning hard on his desk for support.
"Who was that girl, Potter" He forced out with a wince of pain.
"What girl?" asked Harry, trying to play for time as he processed what exactly had just happened.
"The girl in the mirror. The one you turned into."
"That's private" Harry replied.
"Nothing is private to the Dark Lord if he manages to enter your mind." Snape replied coldly, having regained his composure.
"Be that as it may, it's none of your business." Harry said.
"Well, I guess we will just have to see about that, wont we. Legilimens!"
Once again Harry's eyes clouded and he found himself standing in front of the mirror, but this time it was different. Everything was hazy, indistinct, rather than the clarity he was used to. He could feel Snape pushing harder, straining with effort. In the mirror Harry's eyes found Heather's, and once again with a great push Snape was gone and the office returned.
"Whatever memory that is it's a powerful one, Potter" grimaced Snape. He'd kept his balance this time but looked winded.
"Yes. It is" said Harry simply.
Try as he might Snape did not seem able to breach Harry's mind for the remainder of the lesson. Every time he raised his wand to attack again, Heather's face filled Harry's mind and forced him away. Much as she was a talisman against negative feelings in himself, she also seemed to be the answer to protecting his mind. Snape's grimace grew stronger the entire rest of the lesson, but it wasn't his usual anger. If it was possible, Harry almost thought it Snape was impressed, and hating himself for having that feeling.