On the last day of their holiday, Hermione once more awoke alone, but this time, instead of seeing her betrothed sat on the floor, his glowing body indicating that he was within his mindscape, there was only the sound of metal clashing with metal, a familiar teenage boy's voice laughing joyfully as the noise rang through the house.
Dressing in her robes, Hermione opened the door and had to duck back in as two blurry figures passed by their room, the Holy Knight of Ocean catching sight of Harry wielding Excalibur while opposite him, clearly overpowering, but not over-exerting the vitality of the Holy Knight of Thunder, was Sebastian, the two locked in what Hermione recognised as melee training.
Carefully stepping out of the room, Hermione watched as Harry parried and doubled-back on Sebastian's attacks, the steel of Excalibur matching Sebastian's sword, the older man clearly the superior swordsman as he went to attack every inch of the Holy Sword. Harry kept his weapon high, his strikes coming from above while his defence was either vertically-positioned or held across his chest, as if to defend his body from Sebastian's strikes.
'Having fun Sparky?' asked Hermione, slightly distracting Harry as he turned his head, the Holy Knight then having to duck as Sebastian came in with the edge of his sword. Stepping back, Harry held his sword before his face, before he lowered it to the side.
"I yield," he gasped, wiping his brow with the sleeve of his robe; to Hermione's untrained position, it seemed that Harry had been at this for some time, "How'd I do?"
"You still allow yourself to be distracted too easily," Sebastian commented, watching as Harry moved to Hermione's side, before the Order's Commander smiled as he added, "Though I guess where Hermione is concerned, you have a valid reason for distraction."
"Sorry Harry," Hermione told him, resting her head on his shoulder as Harry sheathed Excalibur, "I should have waited until you were done."
"No Mione," Harry replied, turning his head so that he could place a gentle kiss on her forehead, "Where you are concerned, I'd risk everything in a moment's distraction: you are the one distraction that I will never ignore, no matter what."
"Harry is right there," laughed the calm voice of Sirius, the Marauder poking his head over the banister from the stairs, "Is it safe to come out now?"
"Sorry Sirius," Harry sighed, "And yes, I was having fun Hermione: ever since I gave him the blade, Seba's been training me while we agreed that Elora would be your combat trainer, which leaves Felicia to train you with your powers and magicks and either Dante or Tyler to train me. So, what's wrong Sirius?"
"Minerva just gave me a fire-call," Sirius explained, "It's almost time to go and, according to her, Dumbledore wants to see you and Hermione when you get back to Hogwarts."
'It was inevitable,' Harry remarked, sighing deeply as he looked to Sebastian, "I'll need the Order with me and you'd better get ready for some serious emotional responses."
"As you command," Sebastian replied, Harry knowing that, now they were returning to school, he would fall back into his role as the commander of the Order. However, in all honesty, Harry was beginning to enjoy knowing that he had warriors and allies both as well as family and friends at his side: he didn't know whether it was because he was growing used to Sebastian's presence or whether it was because of the fact that, with every day that passed, they grew one day closer to Harry making his way to Camelot.
Dressing in their Hogwarts robes, Harry made his way down to the lounge where he and Sirius shared a farewell hug, the Lord of the Black Family whispering, "Next time you see me pup, I'll be a free man; oh," he then added, moving to the fireplace where he retrieved an envelope with Harry's name on it, "Here; that reminds me: Amelia wanted me to give this to you before you left. Something about an investigation that you asked her to perform regarding our not-so-favourite Potions Master."
"I know what this is," Harry nodded, pocketing the envelope and making his way out to the front garden where Remus was waiting, their current Defence Professor offering to Apparate Harry and Hermione straight to Hogsmeade given the summons they'd received. In an attempt to silence the oncoming storm that he could feel burning away inside him, Harry accepted the offer before he had Dobby send a message to Neville and Luna about them not being on the train.
It was time for the confrontation that Harry, in his own opinion, had been waiting all Christmas for…
HPHG
"Ugh," groaned Harry, clutching at his stomach, "Apparition; not my favourite mode of transport."
"You did well," Remus laughed, "Most people throw up on their first time."
'Can't imagine why,' thought Harry, trying to overcome the disorienting feeling that had filled his body when Remus had seemingly turned on the spot and, the next thing Harry knew, he had felt like he was being sucked down a swirling pipe before being dropped off outside Hogsmeade Village, the looming structure of Hogwarts School before them.
"Are you ready?" asked Hermione, seemingly healing Harry's motion sickness with a gentle kiss on his lips, "This won't be an easy encounter."
"I know," Harry replied, before he heard a collection of pops behind them as he added, "But it's all right: Seba's here with the Order."
Making their way up towards Hogwarts, Harry smiled when he saw Hagrid moving from his hut, the giant looking slightly sombre as he saw Harry waving to him. The happiness in Harry seemed to hit the floor as Hagrid then made his way over to them, his eyes filled with a dark foreboding as he looked to Remus.
"It's a good thing that yer 'ere 'Arry," Hagrid commented, his voice filled with a sadness that suddenly had Harry wanting Excalibur in his hand. "Dumbledore asked me ter come ter 'is office; Lucius Malfoy 'as made a complaint against me teachin's."
"Just please don't say that it's because of Buckbeak," Harry requested, his voice filled with strength and newfound determination.
"I wish I could 'Arry," Hagrid gulped, his usually friendly beetle-black eyes now threatening to fill with tears; Harry also felt Hermione suddenly clutching at his arm rather tightly, her own sadness and fear moving through their bond.
"But he's not dangerous," Harry snarled, "And what business is it of Malfoy's anyway?"
"His son," Hagrid gasped, "'E said Beaky attacked someone out of rage jus' because 'e tried ter get close an…"
"Hagrid," Harry told him, his voice firm and his silver eye now shining with such brightness that it looked like there were lightning bolts actually coming alive within its glow. "Buckbeak is my familiar and I will fight tooth and nail to protect him: you're right that it is a good thing I'm here and I think I know the other reason that Ferret Senior is here. Come on, we've got a headmaster to see."
"Harry," Remus warned him, "Mind your temper: you may be someone pretty high up, but Lucius has been playing his twisting-the-story-game for years."
"Thanks for the warning Remus," Harry remarked, nodding to the school, "You'd better get inside: leave the meeting to me and, just in case, get in touch with Amelia and tell her about this, would you?"
"Sure Harry," Remus replied, moving towards the school while Harry took a familiar path up towards Professor Dumbledore's office – the password this time being strawberry bonbons – before he stopped and, turning to Sebastian, heaved a sigh before speaking.
"Seba, you come in with Hermione and I," he instructed the commander, "The rest of the Order can wait at the bottom of the stairs in case they try to make a run for it. As your Lord, I give you permission to use extreme prejudice and whatever means necessary to immobilize anyone that tries to leave or disrupt this meeting."
"That's all right Harry," Tyler commented dryly, his own eyes on the door as he added, "I don't think any of us want to be too close to anyone in that room: we'll do as you command."
"Thanks Ty," Harry nodded, before he turned back to the door and knocked, hearing the reply from Dumbledore that told Harry enough: this was not going to be a good meeting.
Stepping inside, Sebastian at his side, Hermione with her hand in his as if to try and avoid Harry feeling the need to call out his blade, the Holy Knight's suspicions were proven correct: Lucius Malfoy was indeed standing before him, his dark eyes filled with the same malice and hatred from the day that Harry had tricked him into freeing Dobby. However, next to Lucius was the last woman Harry wanted to see and yet she was here: Molly Weasley looked ready to kill someone while, next to her, the Dead Man Walking was, as Harry had envisioned, wrapped in a thick blanket, shivering furiously.
"Oh," Harry remarked, his voice feigning shock as he spoke, "I see my little spell finally wore off: tell me, Lord Malfoy, how is darling Draco?"
"Potter," snarled Lucius, but Harry cut him off with but a glare.
"Lord Potter," Harry added, removing his outer cloak and revealing his robe, the Potter Family Crest shown clearly on his right shoulder, trimmed in gold, but also giving Lucius a chance to notice Excalibur easily within reach of the Holy Knight. "To you, Lord Malfoy," Harry finished, looking now to Molly as he added, "And Lady Weasley: this is a surprise, my own Vassal House paying me a visit and in the same room as a Malfoy without shedding blood. Can someone call the Devil and see how Hell is enjoying its winter months because it must have frozen over?"
Hermione sniggered at Harry's joke while, behind the Weasleys, Harry heard a trill of amusement from Fawkes and even Professor Dumbledore, dressed in holly-berry red robes, managed a smile as he indicated a chair for Harry. "I am glad that you are here, Harry my boy; can you please take a seat so we can talk?"
"I'd sooner stand," Harry remarked, before he moved around the room and gently ran a hand over Fawkes' breast, the phoenix almost cooing softly as he felt the touch of the real Lord around here. "Now," Harry continued, "Why was I summoned here Headmaster and can you also explain why my familiar is being threatened?"
"Your…what?" asked Dumbledore, watching as Harry faced Lucius, a cold, calculating smile on the face of the Holy Knight as he answered the headmaster.
"The Hippogriff known as Buckbeak," he answered calmly, "On what charges are you bringing Hagrid up on this time Malfoy?"
"That man," Lucius replied, his voice as cold and clipped as ever, "Willingly allowed your…familiar to assault a proud pureblood heir and threaten the safety of my own son: had it not been for your…assistance, my son could have been injured as bad, if not worse, than young Mister Weasley."
"Uh-huh," Harry replied, before he gave a hum of confusion as he asked, "Tell me, Lord Malfoy, do you know how to tame a Hippogriff?"
"Of course," Lucius scoffed, "I am in correspondence with the head of the Department for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures."
"And," Harry continued, "According to their own guidelines, what is the one thing that you should never do to a Hippogriff?"
"Well…" Lucius began, but Harry cut him off again as he turned to the still-shivering Ron.
"What about you Weasley?" he asked calmly, "Since you were the so-called injured party and you were in the lesson after dear little Draco was nearly injured beyond repair: what is the one thing you should never do to a Hippogriff?"
"In-in-insult it," Ron stammered, his voice obviously weakened by the effects of Harry's little leaving present: a part of the Holy Knight actually began to wonder just how long the so-called injured party had been hanging there.
"Uh-huh," Harry replied, "And I can tell you from my own personal experience what happened in the lesson in question: first, Professor Hagrid introduced Buckbeak and I volunteered to show the class how to approach a Hippogriff. However, before I could perform the necessary routines, Buckbeak actually bowed to me and allowed me to stroke him, thus causing the bond between us that marks him as my familiar. Then, when Professor Hagrid rewarded me for my example and display of riding a Hippogriff, dear little Draco swaggered up and called Buckbeak a great, ugly brute."
"Well he was right," Ron laughed, not even noticing the folly he was doing, "Have you seen those things? I mean Gods above, they make trolls look like beauty queens."
"Perhaps," Harry agreed, "But I thank you Weasley, because you just provided me with a second voice: finally something you are good at: and, as if that wasn't bad enough, after the lesson, I had a meeting in the evening with Professor Hagrid and we were discussing Buckbeak when, would you believe it? Buckbeak makes one hell of a row, we all rush outside to see what all the commotion is and who do we find? One Ronald Weasley seemingly injured because of an attack that he says was all his own choice: yeah, and I'm the poster boy for Gringotts next beauty pageant…do they even have those?"
Hermione couldn't help but laugh and, this time, it was Sebastian who smiled as Harry looked to Lucius, his eyes filled with victory as he added, "And your son, surprise, surprise, was boasting all about it and all he could say when I confronted him was: wait until my Father hears about this. I mean for Salazar's sake Lucius, can't you teach your son a new warning? He's worse than a broken record, but I gave him fair warning: Buckbeak is the familiar of a Lord of a Pureblood House and the last Pure Knight of the Elemental Order. If I even hear word of an executioner's Axe, then the only one on the chopping block will be Draco…with this!"
With that, Harry unsheathed Excalibur, Ron actually shivering with what Harry could tell straight away was fear while Lucius, hearing Harry's declaration, could only feel a sense of disbelief and horror.
"A…A Pure Knight?" he asked, "As in…"
"As in a Holy Knight," Harry replied, now revealing the Crest of the Knights as he held on tightly to Excalibur, "The Holy Knight of Thunder, to be exact; wielder and master of the Holy Sword Excalibur, Heir of Godric Gryffindor and Salazar Slytherin and new leader of the Elemental Order. So tell me, Lord Malfoy, what were you going to do about Buckbeak?"
"I…I…I…"
"Oh great," Harry sighed, "Another broken record."
"Like Father, Like Son," Hermione added.
"Shut your mouth, you useless mudblood!" snapped Molly, Harry's anger now spiking, an ominous rumble of thunder echoing through the room as the Holy Knight rounded on her.
"And who gave you permission to speak bitch?" asked Harry, "Why are you here anyway? Did you go begging to Malfoy here for a truce to defend your Ickle Ronniekins after I left him high and dry, or should that be high and icy?"
"You know very well what you did boy!" Molly hissed, Harry's silver eye now flashing dangerously; out of the corner of his eye, he saw Sebastian reaching for his own sword while Hermione stepped back: she could feel what was coming and, if Molly didn't shut her mouth, then the tempest was coming to Hogwarts. "You took the word of this mudblood over two prominent pureblood heirs and left them in conditions that would have seen them in St Mungo's for weeks: what right have you to leave them there? My poor boy could have…"
"ENOUGH!"
The roar was so loud that, in every part of Hogwarts, portraits and ghosts all stopped, while back in Dumbledore's office, the Hogwarts Sorting Hat was now speaking, one of the portraits in the office now holding not a previous headmaster, but a familiar Founder.
"Godric," Harry gasped, "What brings you…"
"Not just me Harry," answered the first Lord Gryffindor, "All of us: Alistair, if you would?"
"Of course Godric," the hat replied, before he seemed to glow all of a sudden, a silvery cloud rising from the hat, the look of the cloud actually making Dumbledore look frightened.
"Now Godric," he remarked, "I have a fully-working Pensieve and…"
"And Hogwarts sees all old man," Godric hissed, before he looked to Harry as he added, "Harry, could you place the hat on your head and think about the incident in question?"
"Of course Godric," Harry replied, moving to the Sorting Hat where, as soon as he placed it upon his head, all those present bore witness to the events of the last week of term;
Flashback
"Is anything amiss here?"
"No Harry," answered Lavender Brown, "Oh, but Hermione did come in earlier; then she got a letter."
"A letter?" asked Harry, "From whom?"
"Well…you," Lavender answered, "Didn't you ask her to meet you in the place where you first became friends for a private discussion…"
She didn't get a chance to finish; Harry had turned on his heel and raced down the stairs, moving towards the girls bathroom where he had first made friends with his brown-haired betrothed, Excalibur's blade suddenly glowing as it sensed magic at work here.
Harry didn't bother with subtlety this time: a familiar feeling of protectiveness rose within him, seemingly summoning the four winds from all around him as he stood before the door, Excalibur shining brighter than ever. Using only his will to protect his girl, Harry summoned the power of the wind and coalesced its energy into a single, powerful tornado that sent the door flying off its hinges, just as a familiar cry came from within.
"Hermione!" Harry roared, moving like lightning, his eyes narrowed dangerously, his silver eye suddenly looking more like a fog barrier than its usual shining lightning appearance as he saw just what was going on.
Crabbe and Goyle, hearing Harry's cry, had turned to intercept the threat, but not before Harry had called on the power of his Storm side and used the time of year as an inspiration. Sweeping Excalibur forwards, Harry sealed Crabbe and Goyle in place, a veil seemingly made from ice and snow freezing the two gorillas where they stood, the sound of a cubicle opening and, before he knew what was going on, Harry found himself under attack from a brown-haired missile.
'Kitten?' asked Harry, suddenly discovering his bond to be stronger than before.
'Sparky?' asked Hermione, 'It is you: I'm sorry; I was only trying to help: he tricked me.'
'Hush Kitten,' Harry replied, running his hand through her brown hair, looking over her shoulder as he told her, 'I'm here now.'
Gently nudging her aside, Harry stood tall and proud as he declared, "There's only one person in this school those two thugs would listen to: show yourself Malfoy!"
Malfoy appeared from the same cubicle that Hermione had been in, but he wasn't alone: Ron Weasley accompanied him, his trousers almost undone, his face showing a look of rage and a shiner that would be there for some time.
"You…sick…bastards," Harry snarled, "What the fuck were you thinking of doing to her?"
"Teaching filth like her a lesson she won't forget," Ron laughed, "She took away our friendship Harry; she needed to be punished. After all, I'm the only one who could ever truly love her: what could you love about someone like her?"
"Oh I don't know Ron," Harry replied, the hurricane that had been building up now blowing through the bathroom, Ron and Draco being pushed against the wall where they hung like ornaments, Ron's trousers now falling to the floor with the impact of the wind. Harry, keeping a very close eye on his Hermione, continued, "Maybe it's her kind heart, her willingness to forgive and forget, her honesty, her sheer raw magical presence or maybe, just maybe, I love her for being her."
"What?" asked Draco, "A sick, bookworm of a Mudblood who thinks she's good enough to share the same breathing space as purebloods like us?"
"Malfoy," Harry growled, "Wrong question!"
Excalibur's blade began to crackle and spark, Harry's silver eye now glowing with the full power of the elements at his command as he pushed his sword outwards, the blade unleashing a torrent of white lightning that struck Malfoy, Harry's voice cutting into him. "That's for calling her a Mudblood!"
He then turned his lightning on Ron, the red-headed asshole screaming as the full power of the storm coursed through him, "That's for doing what I sincerely hope you weren't trying to do."
Lowering Excalibur, Harry then sheathed his sword, placed his hands together, a torrent of ice, snow, fire and lightning all coming together as he looked to the two guilty party, his voice now like thunder as he boomed, "And this is for trying to think that you could harm my Hermione and get away with it!"
Thrusting his hands out, Harry watched as the four elemental powers coalesced and struck the two still hanging wizards, Malfoy suddenly becoming a mix of ice and fire that formed hard crystal, sealing him in place while Ron was less lucky; the snow and rain from Harry's summoned storm enveloped him before the lightning appeared to burnish the collection of elements, freezing him in place, both of them looking more like Christmas Tree decorations than proud wizards.
Lowering his hands, Harry stepped back, the winds dying down, Hermione moving slowly to his side as she asked, "How…how did you…"
"You'd be surprised what I can do when my girl is in danger," Harry remarked, before he put his arm around her and kissed her on the lips, Hermione melting into his embrace, Harry then aware of her hand going to his pocket as they parted.
"Why didn't you confirm that letter with the bond?" asked Harry, placing his forehead against Hermione's, "I would never deceive you Kitten; you know that."
"I do," Hermione replied, "I'm sorry Sparky: I did consider confirming it, but then something appeared to call me here; I think the parchment was laced with charms."
"Did," Harry asked, a growl to his voice as he held Hermione, "Did…they do anything to you?"
"They tried," Hermione replied, "Malfoy said he wasn't going to soil himself with me, so Ron told me that he was going to make sure I was his: Harry, I was so scared."
"Hush Kitten," Harry replied, running a soft hand through her hair, "I'm here now: they'll never touch you again."
Flashback End
When Harry removed the hat from his head, he was met with a mixed reaction that moved through the room: while everyone had been watching, Amelia Bones had turned up and had seen everything and now she was trying her hardest not to throw up, while Ron was just staring, Molly looked almost offended and Lucius was stone-faced.
"Well," Godric finally spoke up, "Thank you Harry; now, I think it would be best if you took Hermione to the Wing; she'll need some calming down."
True to his words, Harry saw that Hermione was in Sebastian's embrace, her eyes unable to look upon the memories of what had almost happened; stepping forwards, Harry looked to Lucius and, with all the strength that he could muster, he hissed, "Tell Draco this: he tries to touch her again, even helps to orchestrate her kidnapping again and the last thing you will see of him is the bars of his Azkaban cell and that's if I let him live!"
Lucius had no reply;
Harry, turning back to the table, faced down Dumbledore as he then added, "And you, old man, stay the hell out of my life: how you could allow something like that to happen and to blame me? You're no great wizard, Albus Dumbledore: you're a monster!"
"And how fortunate that you were there Harry," Godric added, "Because with this in effect, I can do this!"
As everyone watched, Godric snapped his fingers, before there was a roar like a lion being shot and, when everyone turned to the source of the noise, they gasped in a mixture of shock, justice and horror:
Ron Weasley's Gryffindor Lion was gone;
In its place…was a Slytherin Serpent…
HPHG
Safely back in the Wing, Harry avoided questions from Tonks – who had followed them as per Amelia's request – as well as the other Order members and managed to make his way up to their bedroom, Hermione soon finding herself in the arms of her betrothed, her shakes and tearful sobs breaking Harry's heart but also dousing the fires of his anger as he held onto her.
"I'm so sorry Kitten," he whispered, running his hand through her hair, "I should have asked Seba to take you out of there."
"N-not y-your fault," Hermione sobbed, "You did the r-right thing S-Sparky: what d-d-did Godric do to R-R-that Dead Man Walking bastard?"
"Unsorted him," Harry replied, running a hand over Excalibur's blade as he explained, "I felt it: Ron was removed from Gryffindor by the will of the Founders; because I used the hat, Alistair, to see the memories, Godric had that right: Ron was immediately resorted into the only other House available. Guess they thought him more of a, in his words, slimy snake than a proud member of the pride: either way, I still won't allow him to do anything to you."
"I know you won't," Hermione replied, snuggling into her boyfriend's embrace as she brushed her lips against his, "That's why I love you so much."