Harry Potter and the Cracked Reservoir
Chapter 25: Of Practice and Dinner
By Musings of Apathy
Chapter 25: Of Practice and Dinner
Thank you to my Beta’s Donalddeutsch, Sparky40sw and Cateagle.
"Okay, Gin. One more basket of balls and then we go back to your studying."
Harry stood in the geometric center of the Chamber of Secrets with his Ginny off to his right; safe. Near where Salazar Slytherin’s statue used to be, was a stage of burl maple with a simple clear finish. A piece this size had never before been made from such a rare and expensive wood. Of course, in the magic world, price wasn’t an issue, when all it took was the knowledge and imagination of the caster to conjure such a masterpiece.
At the base of the stage sat six baskets full of golf balls.
No, it wasn’t a driving range; it was a training range.
"Ah, come on, Harry," Ginny whined. "It’s only October and I can think of better things to do right now than studying."
"Gin, if you don’t study now, I won’t even see you come April and that would suck," Harry finished with a cute, pouting frown.
Ginny giggled, "Okay, we’ll study, but only after we finish with the decorations in here. Halloween is only a couple of weeks away you know."
Harry groaned.
"What’s wrong, babe?" Ginny asked and then her eyes flared. "That better not be a groan about taking me to a ball!"
Harry’s eyes flew open in fear. He knew when not to mess with Ginny, and that could change at any moment with her Weasley temper.
"Hey, whoa," Harry backpedaled. "No it’s not that; I want to take you dancing, it’s just…you know…everyone else."
"What?" she asked. "Shy now are you?"
"Yes…I mean no…" Harry said in frustration. "It’s just that I’ve been getting all of these…looks…from girls ever since Ron’s prank and that damned article."
Ginny growled and glared, "What kind of looks?!"
Harry swallowed, "Luckily not that kind of look," he said under his breath. "They look at me like I’m a slab of meat and they’ve suddenly got a craving for rare."
Ginny broke from her glare and giggled. She remembered some very inappropriate comments along the same line that she’d overheard from some underclasspersons before she had shut them down. Still, she had to agree with both his and the underclasspersons’ sentiments. He was getting leered at and she could understand that. But she just didn’t have to be happy about it. So, occasionally, she had to put some of the other students in line and remind them that he was taken. Usually just a glare would do, occasionally an overt show of affection, and Harry, being a man, was mostly clueless.
"But I’ll be there to protect you," Ginny assured him in a slightly patronizing manner. "I won’t let the scary females get their hands on you or your beautiful body."
"Hmmph, beautiful, huh?" Harry growled. "Men’s bodies aren’t beautiful, they are rugged, handsome, chiseled, but not beautiful. You are beautiful, men are not."
"What’s wrong, not manly enough of a word for you?" Ginny teased. "And it’s surprising that you think about men’s bodies so much."
"Quiet you," he said. "Lets just get on with the training."
"Sure," she laughed.
She moved behind Harry and pointed her wand at the basket of balls. Quickly she levitated one after another, turning them colors other than white before summoning them at him at great speed. However, they never reached their target, as he was rapid firing slashing, bludgeoning and explosive hexes. The entire basket of balls took under a minute and the two of them were left smiling, successful. They were so in practice that they weren’t even short of breath. They were then free to move on to the decorations.
Harry stood in front of the Gargoyle guarding the Headmaster’s office grinning in amusement. Here he was to meet the Professor each week for their discussions, and he wasn’t given the password. Each time a new candy, but Harry, after the third week of school, had come up with the perfect foil for this plan of the old codger.
"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good," he said as he taped his wand to the old parchment in his hand. He watched as the spider-web of lines spread out to detail the millennia old building and its inhabitants.
Harry scanned the map for his own location, but stopped short.
"Oh…so that is where they got to," Harry said in amusement.
Harry smirked and then proceeded to check his own location. There it is.
"Werther’s Originals."
The statue stepped to the side, revealing a staircase moving up its well; slow and inviting. Harry stepped on, standing patiently for the slow ride. At the top he stood in front of the door, waiting. He knew very well that the Headmaster knew he was out there and decided to test the man’s patience. In the mean time he withdrew a quill and parchment from his robes and drafted a note.
"Harry, please enter," he heard from the far side of the oak doors.
Harry smirked before pushing through the massive doors.
"Good afternoon, Headmaster," he said. "Getting better, five minutes this time."
"Ah, yes, our games," the old warlock said. "It was the right time to ask. Sooner and you would not have finished your note. Later and your tea would be cold."
Harry faltered for just a moment. The old man really did have a few more tricks up his sleeve.
"Thank you, sir," Harry said, taking the offered cup. "Someday I’ll figure out how you do that."
Harry held up the rolled note, "Do you mind if I send this now, sir?"
"Of course not, Harry."
"Dobby!" Harry said.
A small pop registered beside Harry’s chair announcing the arrival of the free elf.
"Yes, Harry Potter sir. You is needing Dobby’s help, sir?" the excitable elf asked.
Harry smiled, "Yes, could you deliver this note immediately to Mr. Ronald Bilius Weasley?"
The house elf smiled widely. "Yes, sir, Harry Potter, sir."
"Please," Harry said. "Just call me Harry. Can you find him right away, Dobby?"
The Headmaster smiled.
"Of course, Harry, sir. Within this castle, house elves be finding anyone," said the enthusiastic house elf.
"Excellent, Dobby," Harry smiled. "Give him this note immediately then. Please, don’t stick around for him to reply. I’m sure that I’ll hear about it later."
Dobby took the note and bowed deeply before disappearing again with a pop.
"What was in the note, Harry?" asked Dumbledore. "Won’t you see him after this meeting?"
Harry chuckled, "Now I probably will. The note was a little revenge and a reminder."
The Headmaster cocked his eyebrow in question.
"A couple of weeks ago," Harry answered the Headmaster’s questioning look, "Ginny and I got dressed up and had dinner and dancing in the Chamber and Ron didn’t approve of Ginny’s attire."
The Headmaster nodded his head sagely. "And when Mister Weasley doesn’t approve of something, it is not a silent event."
"Precisely, sir," Harry returned.
"And what have you done to our esteemed redhead?" the Headmaster asked.
"I just interrupted a similar outing of his," Harry stated. "I pointed out that how Ginny was dressed was and is exactly how Ron wants to see Hermione dressed."
"Ah, pointing out hypocrisy. Not the old Marauder style of prank, I see," he said. "I’m glad that you have formed your own style that will leave the walls where they are."
Harry smiled. It felt good to be favorably compared to his father and as his own person.
"You wanted to know how things are going, sir?" Harry asked to further the weekly meeting.
"Yes, indeed. Halloween first if you would," specified Dumbledore.
"Okay, the stage is set and everything’s nearly ready," Harry spoke efficiently.
"Care to elaborate, Harry," Dumbledore prodded.
Harry chuckled. "Sure. I’ve conjured the stage and the tables, chairs and decorations. Ginny helped with the conjuring that she knew, like the decorations, since that’s not taught until NEWT level classes. Everything is set except the special lighting; which has to be added the morning of the Ball, as Fairy lights start to get thoughts of their own if they are more than a day old. The floating candles are in a pile waiting to be lit and placed that morning. The only thing left is to wait."
"Indeed, very good, Harry," the Headmaster said. "Professor McGonagall and myself must inspect your preparations at least a week prior to the Ball, but that can be arranged."
Harry smiled, "Not into surprises, Professor?"
Professor Dumbledore chuckled, "As a person, surprises are the spice of life. As a headmaster, surprises are dangerous and irresponsible. The key is a balance of the two when possible."
"Oh, yeah," said Harry. "I assume that you want see everything that the students will see?"
"Of course," the Headmaster answered. "The balance here is in experiencing the surprise before any of my students."
"Yeah, that works," Harry agreed. "I’ll arrange dinner so that everything is close to the same as it is for the ball. You can transport down to the Chamber from here."
"Wonderful," the Professor said. "And what of your own training?"
Harry left the Headmaster’s office and proceeded out of the front doors to the waning Scottish Fall sunlight. He stood and enjoyed the natural warmth for a second before looking around. With the sighting of a shock of red hair, he had found his goal. There, below a large shade tree, sat his love, Ginny. Wasting no time, he walked over to the group of fifth year girls and their boyfriends.
"Hey, everyone. Hey, Gin," he said, "mind if I sit with you."
She smiled up at him from the blanket that they were all sitting on. "Of course not. My back is getting tired and I could use something to lean on."
"Well," Harry mock-huffed, "as long as I can be useful."
Despite his huff, he scooted up behind her; legs splayed to each side and pulled her back to his chest for her support. He felt awkward; so he flicked his wand and conjured several pillows to support his own back.
His audience gathered flies.
"Well, what do you expect?" Harry asked. "For me to ruin my own back as a martyr for the cause of Ginny Weasley’s Comfort?"
Ginny quipped back, "If that is what is needed, dear."
Harry answered her in the most mature way he could think of. He stuck his tongue out at her.
"Nice."
"Harry," said Neville, "you just conjured several pillows with just a flick of you wand."
Harry blinked, "Um, yeah…magic."
"But, what we learned in class was to conjure one," Neville argued, "not six."
Harry smiled at his classmate. "Neville, what we learned is the general incantation for conjuring a class of things, including pillows. What comes out is what we are picturing clearly in our mind…so-o-o-o…"
From the realization on Neville’s face, you would almost expect to see a light bulb lit over his head. "So, picture multiple pillows and get multiple pillows."
"Yeah, that and a little extra power and you’re set," Harry continued.
Samantha rolled her eyes. "See Ginny. That’s what you get for dating over your year. They talk about junk you haven’t seen yet."
"Yeah, but I got him wrapped ‘round my finger," Ginny proclaimed. "He’ll teach me anything I want."
Harry smiled down at her. "Of course I will."
"Anything…?" asked Ginny’s friend Cassidy with a mischievous grin.
Ginny blushed, causing all of the girls to giggle.
"Hey, quiet you dirty, dirty witch!" scolded Harry. "Robert, you really need to help her keep her mind out of the gutter."
"Why would I do that?" asked the tall fifth year brunet Ravenclaw. "I enjoy her mind being in the gutter."
"Well," Harry fumbled, "just don’t include me."
More giggles, oh boy.
"Oh, hey, Gin," Harry said. "Remind me to apologize to Hermione."
"Okay, I give," said Samantha. "Why do you need to apologize to your best friend Hermione?"
Harry blushed. The prank, as it were, was not well thought out; it not only would annoy Ron but also Hermione.
"I…well…" Harry stalled, "I noticed that Ron and Hermione were occupying the fourth floor broom closet on the north side, so I sent them a note with Dobby."
"You did what!?!"
"Oh, Harry," Ginny groaned, "Why, pray tell, did you do that. You know that you would annoy them both; while I don’t mind you annoying my brother, why Hermione?"
"Well, I really didn’t think about that before I did it," Harry said sheepishly. "It seemed fun and fitting."
"Fitting?" asked Luna.
"Yeah," Harry said, "the note that I sent Ron reminded him that he should leave Ginny alone and not be hypocritical."
"Huh?" offered Cassidy.
"I took Ginny for dinner and dancing in one of the chambers of the school and we got dressed up for the date. I was in my Italian suit and Ginny was in her red dress…"
"My ‘Little Red Dress’," Ginny smiled at the memory.
"…and Ron sort of blew a brotherly fuse. Forbidding this and warning that," Harry seamlessly continued.
"It took Harry walking me through half of the school to get me in a good mood again," Ginny informed her friends.
"Oh," exclaimed Robert, "that red dress. Cass, you remember it. You told me that Gin was walking her ‘catch’ around everywhere to show him off."
Cassidy grinned, not denying the statement.
"I wasn’t…but I…and he," sputtered Ginny. "I…okay, maybe I did want to show him off a little, but who could blame me."
The girls chuckled. Yes, chuckled, not giggled, chuckled; deeper, with more humor.
"No one, I’m sure," Samantha said, "but just so you know, now about half of the females of the school want to ‘sample the wares’."
Harry groaned.
Ginny growled.
Harry and Ginny sat in the common room working on their homework. This had been the activity for the past four hours. Nerves were beginning to fray.
"Grrhrr," growled Ginny. "I can’t take this any more. Harry, I need to stop before I go bonkers. This is too much."
Harry looked at his watch and saw that it was almost dinnertime and smiled.
"Okay, Gin. Let’s stop for the night," he shot her a smile. "It’s dinnertime. Why don’t you go take a shower and change out of your school robes and we can go and get a special dinner."
Ginny suddenly beamed at him a gorgeous smile. "Really? We can have a special dinner tonight? Just us?"
Harry smiled back again. "Of course, Gin. We’ll just stop by the kitchen and get them to send some of tonight’s dinner to our spot and we’re golden. We can use the crest outside transfiguration and be there while the food’s still warm."
Ginny was happy for so many reasons. Her boyfriend knew when she needed his time. He was always able to give her what she wanted. And he was willing to bend his life to suit hers. It came down to her being happy to be loved.
She got up and gave him a peck on the lips before sprinting up the girl’s stairs. Harry sighed and went up to his own dorm to get clean and changed. By silent consent the dress for this impromptu date was to be muggle casual.
Hermione and Ron were walking arm in arm to the great hall for dinner when Hermione thought that she saw something in the distance. It looked like Harry and Ginny in muggle clothes, but then they were gone.
"Ron," she said, "did you see that?"
Ron, ever helpful, said, "Huh? See what?"
Hermione was frustrated at his stunted observation skills but answered calmly, "I thought that I saw Harry and Ginny come up from the kitchens and then just disappear in front of Professor McGonagall’s classroom. How did they do that?"
"Maybe they went in."
"No, they weren’t at the door. They were just in the middle of the hall."
"Hmm, maybe you were just seeing things."
Hermione harrumphed but continued to dinner silently.