Harry Potter and the Womb of Requirement NOW CODED

28

The next morning at breakfast. No Mages. No Elemental or her Bond-mate. Ron sank his head to the table, trying to read them. No answer. His face slightly panicked, as he looked at his lover. {Something happened. And I’ve absolutely no ideas...}, his send failed, confused. The others looked somewhat paranoid. Ron tried to calm them, {It’s only an aberration. They’ll wake up and talk to us. Don’t worry}. Secretly, they, each and every one, were deeply anxious. They glanced at each other, their leaders not communicating, and they all quailed.

That afternoon, they felt a tentative send from Hermione, still exhausted as she related removing Snape’s Dark Mark. She snapped her connections shut again, and the others understood her silence. Ron sensed her knackeredness, grinning at his astonishing friend. He yawned and sent, {Always knew you had it in you, ‘Mione}. He felt her thanks in his mind. Faint, but there.

To say they were astonished is somewhat of an understatement. Blaise. {She removed a Dark Mark?!. Dio mio, What else can she do?} Then Ron looked at his cohorts in arms and grinned. Then told them about the Potion she’d made for Harry and Draco, and exactly what had made her ill the two days following their trip. Lavender and Pansy stared wide-eyed at each other, then back at the boys, {Ouch, that must have hurt. It’s a wonder she could walk after that. That was so brave}, Lavender sent.

Ron looked at the two, {There’s nothing she won’t do to get this right. You’ve all read the Missing Chapter now, haven’t you?}. They all nodded. Hermione had meticulously copied it out for the rest of them, and they were finally realising what was in store for them. While it was brilliant to have all these new Powers, not to mention that it felt really cool to be in this elite group, there was work ahead. So far, they had largely left everything to the other four, but around that table that day, they all swore to do more.

Blaise’s black eyes glittered as he arranged a meeting on the top corridor above the Transfiguration classrooms for that evening to practice joined spell-making in the Room of Requirement. They all agreed, then parted ways to go to morning school.

None of the Four appeared in School that day. After leaving Hermione to recover all morning, lunchtime found all four convened in the girls’ room. Draco barrelled over and caught Hermione in a bone-crushing hug, {Thanks, ‘Mione. You just made Snape a very happy man. I sent to him earlier, and he profoundly apologises if he offended you earlier}. She opened her channel to her Potions Master, putting all right between them, {You couldn’t help yourself, sir, in fact I think you showed admirable restraint, given the circumstances, and as I said, Elemental Magic, erm, has that effect. It’s where this power lives, sir, where it is generated from}.

She could feel Snape’s smile in her mind, {Then I thank you, Hermione. If you are taking the day off today, is there anything I could do in your absence?}. She grinned and sent a few instructions, knowing now that she could trust him with it all. The teacher who had given her and her two best friends trouble all these years, and now she had him eating out of her hands. She should have felt empowered by this, but instead felt strangely humbled. With a soft smile, she closed their connection, and turned her attention to the smell of food that greeted her nostrils with tempting odours, and inhaled lunch.

Her strength returned as she ate. She suddenly felt three pairs of eyes on her, she looked up, {What?}. Harry chuckled, {You’ve just munched our lunch too. That trayful was for all four of us. She looked down, {Oh, bugger. Sorry chaps}, she laughed aloud then, then shrugged, amusement making her eyes dance, {Removing Dark Marks kinda takes it out of a body, don’t you know. You’ll have to summon Dobby again, sorry}.

After lunch, the boys went into school, reassured that their Elemental was all right. Ginny was looking forward to an afternoon of unbridled passion, but Hermione pulled parchment and quill towards her and began writing. {Will you be okay, lover?, only I’d better go into school this afternoon if you are}, there was the hint of a pout in her send. Hermione looked up, and beckoned her over. Ginny sat on the edge of the bed. Hermione grabbed hold of her bond-mate, rolling onto her back pulling Ginny on top of her. {Maybe I’m not as well as I first thought, after all}, as her lips parted under her lover’s kiss.

Dinnertime, and all ten made it, even Snape put in an appearance. His face had changed. It was as if twenty years had been lifted from his shoulders. All that day, he had been awarding house points. To all the Houses, not arbitrarily, just rewarding good work done. The sneers were gone. Draco stole a look at his House Head, meeting his eyes and smiling broadly at him, {She’s bloody brilliant, isn’t she, sir?}. He saw the gentle light in Snape’s eyes, the smile toying with his mouth, long slender fingers ghosting over his left forearm, a simple, {Yes} was all he sent. Draco turned away and winked at Hermione.

Albus and Minerva were curious, {What happened, Severus?}, Minerva. In reply, Snape lowered his left arm to below the lip of the table, rolling his sleeve, the cuts and scars visible on white skin. As one, they gasped, Albus reaching out, gently touching the proffered skin, {Severus, how can this be......?}. Snape sent them the whole episode, sparing nothing, {I feel nothing but shame, in that I nearly behaved in a highly inappropriate manner, erm, afterwards}, he fastened his sleeve once more. Minerva chuckled, {It’s all right, Severus, I think she’s forgiven you, look}, she inclined her head and Snape followed her eyes, to find ten pairs looking at him, their goblets raised, the biggest grins on the faces of his House members and a certain Gryffindor girl, who winked at him as she sipped her drink. He toasted the Ten, then tipped his head back and roared with laughter, a free man.

Harry and Draco both felt a pang of envy as the other six went off after dinner to their room of requirement. They were dying to try out any new skills they may have, but Harry put his arms about his Dragon, and they resigned themselves for now, walking slowly back to their rooms, sending quietly between themselves. Hermione and Ginny made their way to the lab, Hermione requesting Snape’s presence if he had the time.

He was there when they arrived. {Sir, I need more ingredients, erm, do you think...?}. He smiled, {Just name it and it is done}. As Ginny had dozed that afternoon, Hermione had prepared her list. She pushed the parchment noncommittally across the desk to him, then set about checking her Potions, keeping her face neutral as her Potions Master read the list. Ginny watched the man’s face pale as he sat down. {Ye gods, Hermione. What is this. Some kind of truth serum?. I have never seen anything quite like this}. She grinned, turning to him. {You said that about the bonding Potion, too, sir}. {Yes, but there are killing ingredients in here, Hermione}, he looked very uncertain.

{This one’s for the Death Eaters. After the Event}, her send was suddenly cold. Both Snape and her bond-mate shivered, {It’s a Heart’s Truth serum. No-one of those evil people gets close to my Magi until they have partaken. If their hearts are true, then they will experience a pleasant taste, maybe a mild intoxication}, she breathed deeply, drawing herself up, her eyes steely, {But if they are false. They die!!}.

Snape felt a small timid send. Ginny. {The boys have always said, sir, that she could be scary, and I think we’re seeing scary mode, erm, sir}. Despite himself, he breathed, {Yes indeed}, he took the parchment and stashed it in his robes, sending to the proud Elemental standing before him, {Consider it done}. Inclining his head at each girl in turn, he wished them good evening and left, his robes snapping around him.

Hermione huffed out a long breath, sinking into Ginny’s waiting arms. Ginny sent, {He’ll do anything for you now, you know that, don’t you?}. Hermione raised her head, looking deep into her lover’s eyes, lights dancing in her own, {I know. But I mustn’t make this turn my head. It would be so easy to... you know, to be seduced by the power}. She showed her bond-mate her rapidly healing thumb. {Missy!. You can make blood-bonds?}. Hermione nodded, her expression serious. {Yes, with whoever I need. Just like the boys can, and I made a blood-bond between Snape and I. I hold him in the palm of my hand if I want, but I will not abuse it. I would not like to see him freed from one slavery to be ensnared in another}, her tone was thoughtful. She broke their gaze, sitting at the long bench, staring out into the westering sun.

xxxxxxx

At breakfast two days later, Snape sent, {Miss Granger, your ingredients arrived this morning, they are in the store room, and the ones that need to be are in the refrigerator}. Hermione had run an extension lead from the nearest plug socket to Snape’s private lab, and now had a fridge installed. She thanked him and finished her breakfast. Both she and Ginny had a free period after breakfast. Instead of spending it in their usual way, they raced to the lab.

An Owl had arrived for Hermione during breakfast. She stashed the packages in her bag, hushing the others once again. Ron grinned at Blaise, then at her, {She’s up to no good again, I can tell}, he chuckled into his lover’s mind.

Hermione was all business, unpacking masks and a set of goggles for her bond-mate, a spare set laid on the bench should Snape join them. She collected the materials onto the bench in front of her, murmuring an incantation over them, spreading her fingers, dowsing for wrongness. You couldn’t be too careful considering the provenance of some of these materials. The pile of things clearly met with her approval. She smiled then, relaxing, and handed various roots and tubers to her lover to prepare. She left the recipe on the bench between them, as she started to light burners and ready the powders and liquids.

They made a good start, before Hermione and Ginny had to, respectively attend Arithmancy and Herbology classes. As they left the lab, Hermione sent an instruction to Snape, which he acknowledged, {Oh, and sir, there is a set of goggles and mask laid out for you. I must insist that you use them}. She felt his agreement and smiled, settling into her Arithmancy revision session.

There was a scant nine days before the start of the NEWT’s, and the revision levels were frantic. Not only that, but the six had taken to meeting every night for two hours between school and dinner. They were learning from Ron and Blaise as they continued the self-training they had begun at Easter. They would be the real fighters, if fighting was required, Ron had no doubt of it, and they all threw themselves into training with a passion, causing minor explosions and bits of wall to cave in before they called it a night and went down to dinner, the phalanx entering the dining Hall together. Ron and Blaise in front, flanked by the other four. The other Houses watched them enter, a little awed. They took their places to a general hum of chatter and gossip. Draco entered on Harry’s arm, flicked a quick wink at his House-mates as they sauntered to the Gryffindor table, followed shortly by the two girls, flushed of face, their mask-marks evident.

Hermione kept rubbing her eyes throughout the meal, Harry sent his concern. She smiled wearily at him, then called them all to attention as she explained what she was doing. Then sent it to the staff who could receive her. Harry was deeply impressed, as were they all. He sent, {‘Mione, where have you learned all this from?, only I don’t recall this in the books}. She smirked at him, {Idiot, just like your Potion, I’m making this up as I go along. It’s all about instinct, Harry, and I’m following mine}. He shook his head, laughing, {You’re the best, you know that, don’t you?}. She shrugged and joined him in mirth.

Lavender asked Draco for his old scratchy cummerbund three days before the exams started. He looked curious. She sent to all, {Look, Seamus and I have heard some nasty rumours that we can all cheat in the exams, and if this fabric stops us sending to each other and the staff believe us, then it might shut up this horrid talk. I’ll make us all scarves or skullcaps from it and it should quieten things down}. None of them had even thought of this, and all praised Lavender for her foresight. Draco handed over the cloth without demur.

Monday morning. Hardly any breakfast had been consumed at their table, save for Ginny. She kissed her Missy for luck as they filed out of the Hall. The tables were spirited away, to be replaced by individual desks, exam papers laid face down on each. The seventh years filed back in for Arithmancy 1. Various folk who could send drew pieces of soft black cloth from pockets and bags, placing skullcaps over hair or scarves tied around the head for the girls. Snape was invigilating, and declared himself satisfied that he could read no sends and the exam started.

NEWT’s had begun.

The next two weeks passed in a bit of a blur. Harry and Draco didn’t have as many papers to sit as the others. Hermione having half again as many, but she used the Time-Turner adroitly, and as the last exam finished. Hermione rushed out of the Hall, straight into her Girlie’s waiting arms.

That night was celebration time. They all got royally drunk, with the exception of Draco, who got supremely wrecked on Fred and George’s weed. It was time to relax. The Graduation Ball a mere three weeks away.

They had all done their best, the Ten excelling themselves. Severus Snape read Ron Weasley’s Potions essay before it was sent to the Examining Board for marking and was amazed. He would never be a Potions Master like his sister, but this should score him at least an Excellent. Harry and Draco’s essays were in line for an Outstanding, but Hermione’s was a revelation. Snape was determined to see her publish, and added a note to that effect, before sending all of their papers in for marking.

Minerva was equally agog as she read through her students’ work. Ron’s surprising her. Draco and Harry’s amazing her, but Hermione’s astounding her.

The same applied to all of their teachers. Madam Sprout recommended a double outstanding for Neville for Herbology. Professor Flitwick sending a special note for History of Magic attached to Hermione’s essay on the missing chapter before sending it.