Adult-FanFiction.org : Harry Potter

Dislocation	By : LinguaMagus Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female Views: 2823 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction. I do not own Harry Potter or the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 7
- 8
- 9
Chapter 8:

Professor McGonagall poured herself a tall glass of gillywater, and then stared at Harry over steepled fingers. Harry noticed for the first time that, despite her eternal sternness, she appeared many years older now than when they had first met. He realized that, in fact, he had no idea how old she was, he only knew her to be some number of years younger than Dumbledore.
“Potter, I need you to tell me everything you can about what is supposed to happen this year. Without Professor Dumbledore present to guide us through things, we will need every advantage.” She was clearly uneasy, but she spoke with rigid control.
“Professor, I understand your concern, but I’m not sure how much I should say. Isn’t changing the past really dangerous?” Harry asked.
“I think we must acknowledge that change is an inevitable consequence of our current situation. Let us start with what we think we know, and do our best to see that further complications do not arise.” McGonagall said methodically.
“Um, okay. Well, I don’t know if you already know, but the Ministry is going to make Dolores Umbridge our Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. She’s going to basically try to take over Hogwarts, and the Ministry is going to support her the whole time.” Harry wasn’t sure how much he wanted to give away, but this seemed like a pretty safe place to start.
“Dumbledore warned the other professors that Ministry interference was likely. You say it will be Dolores? Well, that’s not terribly surprising. Can you remember how the Ministry goes about asserting their control? We will need to mimic Dumbledore’s actions as closely as possible, as it is unlikely we will be able to think of anything cleverer than he.” Professor McGonagall opened her bag and pulled out what looked like a small stone ashtray. She tapped it with her wand and it shone with a mirror polish.
“Um, I’m sorry Professor, but what’s that?” Harry asked.
“You’re familiar with a pensieve, yes? This silbur operates on a similar principle. It will remember our conversation for later review. They are quite useful for scenarios where details matter. Now please, Potter, do proceed.” McGonagall sat expectantly.
Harry gave a half-shrug and screwed up his face in remembrance. “Okay, well, it all starts with these Ministry Educational Decrees. The first one was, I think… Number Twenty-One?”
“It would be Number Twenty-Two. There are already Twenty-One Educational Decrees, Potter. Please do focus, this is very important.” She said patiently.
“Right, Twenty-Two. Yeah, so that’s the one that gives the Ministry power to appoint a professor in the event that the Headmaster is unable to find one. That’s what they use to get Umbridge in the door in the first place. Then there’s Twenty-Three, which makes her High Inquisitor, which gives her the ability to audit other teachers.” Harry rushed out.
Professor McGonagall nodded. “Please continue.”
“Right, so then there was Twenty-Four, which was… oh, right! That was the one disbanding student clubs because we started a group to practice defensive spells when Umbridge wouldn’t let us practice any spells in class.”
“I’m sorry, let me be clear. Professor Umbridge forbid the use of magic in her class?” McGonagall asked incredulously.
“Yeah, that was just the start of it. It gets a lot worse. She also punished everyone who disagreed with her by making us write lines with this evil quill that cut into our hand and wrote in our blood.” Harry clenched his fist reflexively.
“I beg your pardon. Dolores Umbridge tortures students with a blood quill? Professor Dumbledore tolerated this behavior?” McGonagall asked in stunned disbelief.
“Uh, yeah. I didn’t really… Well, I mean, I’m sure he had his reasons. Anyway, then was Twenty-Five, which didn’t let teachers give any— no wait, that was later. First was the one that puts her in charge of student punishments. She was pretty keen on that one.” He said grimly.
“Then Twenty-Six, which was the one that wouldn’t let teachers talk about anything to the students other than the subject of the class. That was because the Ministry didn’t want people knowing about the mass breakout from Azkaban.” Harry said, counting on his fingers.
“MASS BREAKOUT?” McGonagall shouted.
“Oh, yeah. Sorry. In a few months, a bunch of Death Eaters will escape Azkaban. Bellatrix Lestrange, Augustus Rookwood, Dolohov, Travers, umm… Anyway, a lot of them.” Harry finished apologetically.
“Unacceptable! The Ministry must act to prevent this at once.” Professor McGonagall said indignantly.
“Yeah, well, good luck with that. Anyway, where was I? Oh, right. After that, Twenty-Seven, she bans The Quibbler.”
McGonagall was suddenly bemused. “The Quibbler? That silly little magazine with the vampire conspiracies and invisible monsters?”
“Yep, that’s the one. Luna’s dad publishes an interview with me that makes the Ministry furious. They do everything they can to make it disappear. It doesn’t work.” Harry smiled grimly.
“Then there was one last one, making Umbridge Headmaster after they try to arrest Dumbledore.”
McGonagall snorted. “Well I can’t imagine that went very well for them.”
Harry chuckled. “No, not at all. Umbridge and Fudge didn’t last long after that. Dumbledore and Voldemort had a duel at the Ministry right after the OWLs were finished, and Fudge resigns right after.”
“Did Professor Dumbledore defeat He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named at the Ministry?” She asked sharply.
“Not really. Not permanently, at least. He just scares him off for a bit. Voldemort was there looking for a prophecy, but there’s a big battle between a bunch of Order people and a bunch of Death Eaters, and it gets destroyed.” Harry clarified. “That’s not going to happen this time, though. Last time, we’re only there because I was tricked by Voldemort. I’m not going to let myself get tricked again.”
“Well, at least you’re learning something.” McGonagall quipped. “Very well, Potter. Thank you for sharing all of this. We shall plan accordingly. I shall ask you as things proceed to please recall how Dumbledore handled each situation. Anything you can remember would be helpful. For now, I shall serve as Acting Headmistress until he returns, and attempt to minimize the damage.”
“I’m sorry, Professor. I know how complicated this makes everything. I want to ask for your help with something, though.”
“What is it, Potter?” She asked cautiously.
Harry flicked his wand and a silvery stag shot out and disappeared through the door. A few moments later, Hermione came into the kitchen with Ariana at her elbow. McGonagall registered familiarity at seeing Hermione, but went blank and struggled to process Ariana.
“You can’t be… I’m very sorry, young lady. Are you, by any chance, related to Albus Dumbledore?” McGonagall asked haltingly.
Ariana nodded meekly. “I’m Ariana. Albus is my brother.”
McGonagall was stunned. “You can’t be… Ariana. I saw your portrait from when you were a little girl. That must have been a century ago. I don’t understand.”
“Ehm… Yes. I died. A very long time ago. But then Harry brought me back.” Ariana said softly.
“Brought you back? But that’s—”
“Impossible, yeah. Don’t worry, none of us understand it at all either. Anyway, the spell that killed her, we’re trying to figure out what it was, and whether it’s connected to what’s going on. Hermione, can you tell Professor McGonagall what it was?” Harry explained wearily.
Hermione said, “Argentum Abiungere. Professor Lupin figured out that it’s a charm, and Ron figured out that it was aerimantic, but so far that’s all we know.”
“Ronald Weasley is familiar with aerimancy?” Professor McGonagall asked distractedly.
“Well, no, actually. He just identified that it was referring to silver, and we deduced that it was an aerimantic spell from there.” Hermione said. “Can you tell us anything else?”
“Hmm, I’m afraid this sort of magic is more Filius’s domain. Let’s see.” McGonagall mumbled the spell to herself under her breath several times. “Well, the structure is neoclassical. It’s very literal, so I suspect that it was created by the caster. Do we know anything about the individual who used it?”
“It was Gellert Grindelwald,” Harry said flatly.
Amazingly, McGonagall did not look rattled by this information. “I see. Yes, Potter. I was aware of Dumbledore’s association with Grindelwald prior to their earlier conflict. He does not keep it a secret, he simply doesn’t see that it needs to be a topic of conversation.” She clacked her fingernails on the table. “Well, Grindelwald invented many dark spells, so that at least doesn’t tell us a great deal. I apologize, I think we will need the assistance of Professor Flitwick with this matter.”
Harry sighed. “Well, thank you for trying. We were already planning on asking Professor Flitwick, but I just thought it was worth asking you while you were here.”
“I assume you have checked the library, Granger? The particular charm may be unique, but any text on the aerimantic arts is likely to be useful.” McGonagall asked.
“We’re going to the library tomorrow. We have been very busy, unfortunately. Do you have any advice where I should start?” Hermione asked keenly.
“I believe ‘Alnufus Almaedinia’ is considered the seminal text, if you can find a translation or happen to be fluent in Arabic. I am hardly an expert, although I believe another would be ‘A Treatise on the Material Properties of Magic.’ Anything at all by Zosimos of Panopolis would be useful. The works of Nicolas Flamel, obviously.”
“Flamel? The one who made the Philosopher’s Stone?” Harry blurted out.
“Yes, of course. Did you learn nothing while you were researching the Philosopher’s Stone your first year, silly boy?” McGonagall scolded.
“But how does living forever have anything to do with what we’re trying to find?” Harry asked.
“Obviously!” Hermione erupted, quite frustrated with herself. “I should have considered it before. The Philosopher’s Stone is capable of chrysopoeia.”
Harry stared at her blankly.
“Gold-making, Harry. The Stone can turn other metals into gold. Aerimantic scholars believed that a magical core that held the qualities of gold was more powerful because it did not have a balancing metal like any of the other three base pairs. It was believed that a wielder of the Philosopher’s Stone could transmute their magical core, and become enormously powerful. However, Flamel never let anyone else use the Stone, so it was never proven.” Hermione lectured patiently.
“That reminds me. Stephen of Alexandria would be another worthwhile author to look into, although perhaps Flamel’s work would already draw heavily from ‘De Chrysopoeia.’ Nevertheless, that is a start.” McGonagall finished.
Hermione was mulling over the list. “I could swear I saw ‘Alnufus Almaedinia’ somewhere recently.”
“Did we pass it while we were at the library? There were about a million books in there, maybe we zoomed past it on one of those little platform things.” Harry said.
“Your vault! Harry, check the catalog. I’m quite sure it was on the shelf in your vault.” Hermione remembered suddenly.
Harry summoned the catalog and peered through the list, looking for the book. “Is this it? ‘Alnufus Almaedinia: Soul Metals, a translation by Umar ibn Sa’id al-Futi Taal’ Kind of a mouthful, isn’t it?”
Hermione kissed him full on the mouth. “That’s exactly it. And it’s even a relatively recent translation. That’s perfect. We’ll use the argenstium once we go up to your room, and I’ll go to the library for the others.”
A thought occurred to Harry. “Couldn’t we just, I dunno, order them from Flourish and Blotts or something? It’s not like we have to worry about the cost.”
“Harry, these are quite rare and old books. They’re not the sort of thing you’ll find at the local bookstore. However, you do have a point. Having our own copies would be nice. Professor, do you know any dealers who would be likely to have what we need?” Hermione asked.
“In the past, the school has always used Alya Astankova. Her grandmother founded Flourish and Blotts many generations ago, and she is still able to acquire uncommon books when motivated. Frankly, I suspect she could live comfortably on just what she earns from Albus.” Professor McGonagall said.
“That’s perfect. I’ll put together a list, Harry. Can I use Hedwig to send the request?” Hermione asked.
“Sure, as soon as she gets back. She’s probably still out hunting.” Harry shrugged.
“Well, you two have certainly given me a few things to consider. Potter, please give some more thought to what we discussed. I will depend upon you to help protect my students until Albus returns, so please take that responsibility seriously. Granger, I will pass along your question to Filius. When you arrive at Hogwarts, he will have had time to investigate it, and I am sure he will be able to provide additional information.” Professor McGonagall gathered her bag and stood. “Ariana, it was a pleasure to meet you. I will expect you at Hogwarts at the start of term. We will see to your education in Albus’s absence.”
“Thank you… But, I don’t— ehm, actually have a wand,”Ariana squeaked.
“Oh!” Harry yelped in surprise. “I meant to take you by Ollivander’s. I’m sorry, I forgot.” He blushed in embarrassment. “Would you like to go tomorrow?”
“Do you really mean it?” Ariana asked excitedly.
“Of course. You should have had a wand already, but I just, you know…” Harry finished lamely.
“Oh, thank you!” Ariana leapt at Harry and wrapped her arms around his neck. He returned her hug and lowered her gently to the ground.
“I promise I’ll try and be better about paying attention to your needs. I’m not very good at any of this yet, but I don’t want you to think it’s because I don’t care.” Harry gathered himself enough to explain.
Ariana’s eyes grew moist and she nodded. She pecked him on the chin, then went back to Hermione’s elbow. Professor McGonagall stood patiently until Harry noticed he was in her way and shuffled aside. They escorted her out, and Harry watched her disappear from the front step with his arm around Hermione’s waist.
Tonks caught them on the first floor landing. “Wotcher. How did it go? Any new info from the Professor?”
“Not really. She gave Hermione a list of books to read. We’re about to go pull one of the books out of my vault.” Harry held out a hand, and Tonks took it, sidling up next to him. They climbed to the girls’ room and Hermione pulled the argenstium out of her bag. He pulled out the book she wanted, and Ginny tried to sneak a look from across the room.
Feeling guilty about excluding her, Harry scooted back against the headboard of Hermione’s bed and held the argenstium out to her. “Want to take a look? I had never heard of one before.”
Hermione folded her legs and patted the bed next to them. “Come here. It’s actually very interesting magic.”
Ginny relented and came over to join them. Tonks gave her a predatory grin and sat directly next to Harry, leaning her legs to the side against Ginny’s back. Harry showed her the argenstium and pointed out a few things about how it worked to general interest. Ginny took it and poked around with it for a bit while Hermione asked her if wizarding families knew much about them.
For a while, they just sat on the bed and chatted. Ariana even made the occasional nervous contribution and Ginny tried to politely nod along. Harry relaxed into the amiable chatter. It felt good to just have the girls there with him and not have to think too much about what was happening. Hermione gave an impromptu lesson on the history of oppression behind elf-made linens, which was undermined somewhat when Tonks started giggling uncontrollably at how serious she was being.
—s—
Hermione laid back onto Harry’s lap in frustration. He ran his fingers through her thick hair and brushed a stray curl from her cheek. Ginny clenched her jaw and looked away. Tonks trailed a finger down her spine and Ginny shot a surprised look back at her. Tonks winked and smiled wolfishly. Ariana crawled across the bed and nestled between Harry and Tonks, folding her knees up against her chest.
Hermione reached back and massaged Harry’s knees while he gently scratched her scalp. She wiggled back a little more so that her head rested on his belly. With one hand he caressed the top of her head, and with the other he ran a sun-beaten finger down the lush front of her throat. She gave him an upside-down smile and wriggled against his lap. A small but strong hand slunk over from the side and cupped her cheek. The thumb brushing against her bottom lip. Harry looked over into Tonks’s devious face and mouthed the word ‘Greedy’. She stuck her tongue out at him and traced her finger in a lazy circle around Hermione’s lips. Hermione opened her mouth and briefly let the finger inside, sucking the tip lightly, then pushing it out with her tongue.
Harry noted with mild surprise that Ginny had maneuvered back across the bed and was sitting between Tonks’s legs, with the older witch’s arm around her waist. Throwing caution to the wind, Tonks leaned in and whispered something clearly licentious in Ginny’s ear. The lithe redhead raised an inquisitive eyebrow and nodded. Tonks whispered something else, and Ginny turned full around to wrap her legs around Tonks’s waist. They locked eyes and Tonks licked at the air between them.
“Do it,” Ginny said. She pinned Tonks’s arms against the headboard above her and bucked her hips hard.
Harry was almost too transfixed to notice Hermione sliding a hand up his ribcage. She dragged her nails down across his skin and he let out a hiss. He closed his hand around her throat. His finger and thumb reached her ears on either side. Moving his other hand down to her bellybutton, he slid her whole body back until her bottom was pressed against his hips. She writhed against him and whispered, “Squeeze harder.” He obliged, holding her down as he slowly choked her until her face went pink.
Hermione had one arm wrapped around Harry’s knee, and the other she frantically thrust down the front of her skirt. The loose fabric bounced rhythmically as she played with herself. Harry felt himself stiffen and his pulse begin to race from the display. He glanced to his side and nearly fell off the bed. He saw himself aggressively making out with Ginny Weasley. His brain reoriented himself, and he realized that it didn’t look exactly like him. It was a sort of female echo of his features. The same dark, messy hair. The same big, green eyes. However, the lips were a little more full, the neck more slender. The body was decidedly female, with round hips and full breasts. Tonks had evoked Harry without becoming him.
Ariana nuzzled Harry’s chest and placed an unsure hand on Hermione’s tummy. Harry pulled her into a kiss and lifted her so that she was straddling his side. Hermione grabbed her hand and pulled it down under her skirt with her own. Hermione squeezed her thighs together and gyrated into the exploring fingers. Harry kissed across Ariana’s face and brushed his nose past her ear. She started to moan throatily, but it was cut off when Harry pressed his lips against hers.
Beside them, Ginny had torn her top off over her head and was attacking Tonks’s belt while the older witch sucked and groped at her freckled breasts with both hands. Ginny yanked the belt free and lifted her hips to slide Tonks’s trousers off beneath her. What was waiting inside left Harry dumbfounded. His cock was hanging out of her panties. On her small, athletic frame, the enormous member looked almost comical. Ginny gave a hungry growl and grinded down against it. Hermione eyed it enviously and jiggled her bottom against Harry’s own iron hard erection.
Harry reached under Hermione and lifted her skirt to her waist, then pulled her panties to the side. He unbuttoned his trousers and pulled out his cock and positioned it under her. Without waiting for him to get into position, Hermione thrust down hard on it, impaling herself. A guttural sound tore out of her and Ariana kissed at the corners of her mouth. At the same time, Ginny was taking Tonks’s clone of Harry’s shaft into her tight and dripping quim.
Ginny and Hermione rode their partners hard. Harry had his hands clasped around Hermione’s hips and was slamming her down over and over, driving moans out of her in a pounding rhythm. Ariana had come around in front and was sucking on her neck while she eagerly played with Hermione’s clitoris. Ginny looked on in competitive fury, throwing her hips forward and mauling Tonks’s ample breasts. Tonks had a fistful of Ginny’s copper hair in one hand, and the other hand was questing along her butt cheeks, her narrow finger slipping inside Ginny’s other hole.
Hermione leaned across and gasped, “Ginny.”
Ginny turned and Hermione locked lips with her, wrestling her tongue into the tight, warm mouth. Ginny bit Hermione’s lip and returned the kiss with intensity. Hermione reached over and started to stroke Tonks’s thick cock every time Ginny rose up, and squeezed it every time she took it back all the way inside. Tonks groaned in ecstasy, and worked a second finger vigorously into Ginny’s bum, hooking into her and massaging her G spot from the other side.
Harry pulled Tonks to him and kissed her passionately. While they snogged energetically, Ariana squiggled down and lifted Hermione’s legs. The new angle at which Harry entered her made her scream in surprised delight. Ariana rested her cheek against Hermione’s inner thigh and lapped thirstily at the place where she met Harry’s manhood. Her sharp pink tongue flicked over Hermione’s clitoris and slurped the juices from her dripping lips.
Each divine second was a century while they threshed together in a mass of glistening, hunting limbs. At some point, every breath that Harry took was sweet from Tonks’s mouth. Hermione’s hair stood like a nova around her face, Ginny’s was pushed back and slick with sweat. Their breathing came ragged and desperate, with pleasure a mechanical need to be fulfilled. Orgasms tore through Hermione and Ginny, but they were held aloft like effigies to lust. Tonks bucked and went rigid in her own sterile orgasm, but quickly found her rhythm and continued.
Harry felt his climax rising in his belly, curling his toes and causing him to sink strong fingers into Hermione’s squishy thigh. He erupted into her, pearls of cum oozing out from between her folds and dripping down his shaft, where they were greedily licked up by Ariana. Harry’s erection flagged and fell slowly out of Hermione, flopping against his leg with a wet slap. Ariana sank her tongue deep into Hermione and scooped out as much of Harry’s essence as she could taste. Hermione moaned and thrashed, clutching Ariana’s head against her. Tonks held Ginny tight against her as they quivered through another orgasm together, and slowly sank into comfortable silence.
“Bloody hell, Harry. You weren’t lying about that little tiger of yours.” Tonks grinned wearily. Hermione grinned up at her from flat on Harry’s chest, and he just chuckled. Ariana crawled up to Harry’s side and he pulled her into a damp embrace. They lay together in hazy relaxation with only the sound of their breathing and the creaking of the house.
Then there was a closer, more persistent creaking. Feet, coming up the stairs. Harry was suddenly very aware that Mrs. Weasley would not smile kindly on this little escapade. He looked at Tonks urgently, and she understood the situation. She shifted her appearance back to the usual button nose and bubblegum pink hair and rolled out of bed. Harry delicately extricated himself and found his clothes and wand.
There was a knock at the door, and Tonks answered with characteristic cheeriness. “Wotcher, Molly.”
Mrs. Weasley’s voice was loud and irritable on the other side of the door. “Nymphadora, what are you doing in there? What is all that racket, you girls? It sounds like a horse race.”
Harry held a finger to his lips, and without thinking, pointed his wand at the ceiling and then floated through it. Ron stared aghast at him, dick in hand. Wildly, he stashed a magazine under his pillow and yanked the sheets over himself, a tent still betraying him.
“Harry! Bollocks, mate. Do you not know what doors are for?” Ron spurted.
Harry doubled up in laughter. “Ron, bugger, I’m sorry. I wasn’t really thinking. I was just hiding from your mum.”
This, at least, seemed to hit an empathetic chord. “Yeah, well, me as well. What were you doing down there?” Harry smiled sheepishly. “Actually, never mind. I don’t want to know. I’m going to bed. See you in the morning, Harry.”
Harry gratefully fell into bed and passed out. Morning couldn’t come fast enough.
—s—
Over eggs and hash, Harry and Hermione discussed the day’s trip to Diagon Alley. Sirius dropped the occasional hint that they might like a furry companion while they were out and about. Harry remembered the last time, when Sirius had been spotted by Lucius Malfoy, and he was not enthusiastic to repeat the risk.
Hermione was counting off the things they needed on her fingers. “We need school supplies for Ariana, she needs a wand from Ollivander’s, I need billywig spray for Crookshanks, he keeps getting into nests and floating around the house. Then of course, the books. Flourish and Blotts won’t have most of what we need, but until Hedwig gets back, we may as well check for whatever they do have.”
“What do you need Hedwig for?” Sirius asked.
“We want to place an order for some rare books, and we need Hedwig to carry the request.” Harry explained.
“Why not just use Kreacher?” Sirius asked.
“I mean, he’s your house elf, isn’t he? We couldn’t just tell him to go do what we say.” Harry said.
“Harry, no one should be bossing Kreacher around at all. He’s a creature with his own agency and desires, and shouldn’t be a slave to wizards.” Hermione reprimanded.
“Right, that’s what I meant,” said Harry, chagrined.
“Kreacher! Get in here!” Sirius bellowed. Hermione scowled.
Kreacher sidled into the room like a crab with nose hair. Harry caught Sirius’s eye and mouthed ‘Be nice.’ Sirius grimaced, but nodded.
“Kreacher, would you mind doing something for us? You could help a lot and, uh, it would honor the Black name.” Sirius managed. Kreacher looked deeply suspicious, but Hermione smiled gratifyingly.
“Kreacher will do as master commands.” The ancient house-elf said.
“Kreacher, I don’t want to command you. If you would be willing to help, I would really appreciate it.” Sirius struggled to maintain politeness.
“Kreacher will… help.” He croaked uncertainly.
Sirius sighed in relief. “Thank you. Harry is going to give you a list of books, and I would like you to find the books and purchase them. Take whatever gold you need from the family vaults.”
“Sirius I can—” Harry began.
“No, Harry. It’s the least I can do. The gold isn’t doing me any good while I’m stuck here anyway. I may as well spend it on you.” Sirius said, waving down the objection.
“Thanks, then. Hermione, do you have the list?” Harry took the list from Hermione and handed it to Kreacher, who held it as if Harry had used it to blow his nose.
“Kreacher will return when he has the books. Does master require anything further of Kreacher?” He asked with distaste.
“No, that will be all for now. Thank you, Kreacher.” Sirius held his head in his hands.
Kreacher disapparated with a crack, and Hermione smiled approvingly at Sirius. “That was much better, Sirius. Thank you for treating Kreacher like a person.”
Sirius grunted and got up from the table. Harry gathered up their plates and put them in the sink, then turned to Hermione. “Want to get Ariana and we can head out? We can probably make this a quick trip if we leave early.”
Five minutes later, they were boarding the Knight Bus and Hermione was tapping the seat next to Ariana with her wand, causing a seat belt to snake out and loop around her waist. Harry raised an eyebrow at her, but she just lifted her chin and said “Safety first.”
They arrived at the Leaky Cauldron, Harry handed Stan Shunpike a galleon and fought away the gratitude. Then they were through to the back of the pub and out the other side, passing through the arch into Diagon Alley. Hermione pulled her list out and looked it over.
“Hmm. I think perhaps we should split up to get everything quickly. I don’t know what year they will be starting Ariana, but some things are going to be standard. We’ll pick up year three, four, and five textbooks, just to be safe. Even if she doesn’t need them for every class, she can certainly still use them.” Hermione said in a businesslike tone.
“That’s fine. I’ll take her to Ollivander’s for a wand, then. That will probably take a bit. It did for me. Once you get that spray for Crookshanks, we can meet at Florean Fortescue’s before we go home. Sound good?” Harry confirmed.
Hermione nodded. “I don’t expect we shall have to spend the whole day here. The pre-term rush hasn’t started yet, so the shops shouldn’t be very busy.”
They split up, and Ariana went with Harry to Ollivander’s for her new wand. She shivered with nervousness as they walked through the door. The wizened old shop owner peered out from behind a row of boxes like a paper owl. He scurried to the counter to meet them.
“Goodness gracious, a first time wand purchase at your age? Well, we must find the right fit for you. I say, you do seem awfully familiar.” Ollivander said, already rooting around through his supply for what might work.
Harry was always slightly unsettled by the wand-maker’s detached, too-knowing manner. Still, he was friendly enough, and undoubtedly made excellent wands. “This is Ariana. She, umm, had some health issues and couldn’t have a wand before now.”
“Yes yes, well, let’s begin at the beginning.” The old man pulled out a long, slender wand of pale ash. He lowered it gently into Ariana’s hand, and her fingers closed around it. “Eleven and a half inches, whippy, ash and unicorn hair.” No sooner had her hand closed than he was pulling it free again. “No, that’s not right. Not right at all. Oh, you’re going to be a tricky one, aren’t you?”
He mumbled and searched, bringing wand after wand. Sometimes letting Ariana wave it briefly, but often just putting it in her hand and changing his mind. “Apple and phoenix feather, nine and one quarter inches, unyielding. No, all wrong, no no no.” He scurried back and forth, piling unchosen wands to the ceiling. “Willow and dragon heartstring, thirteen inches, flexible. Yes? Wave it about a bit.” Ariana swished the wand, and a sad little phbbtt of smoke squirted from the tip. “Ahh, no, it would appear not. Hmm, well let me see.”
Harry leaned over and whispered in Ariana’s ear, “Don’t worry, it was the same for me. I think I tried every wand in the shop before I got the right one.” She gave him a grateful smile and squeezed his hand.
“Ah! A thought. Would you, perhaps, be willing to try something unusual?” Ollivander asked cryptically.
“Uh, sure. I guess. What did you have in mind?” But by the time Harry asked the question, Ollivander was already hurrying to the back to bring out a new wand that wasn’t in a case.
“This is something quite special. Quite unusual indeed.” He held it out, and Ariana took it hesitantly. “As you well know, I only work with three wand cores. Unicorn tail hairs, phoenix feathers, and dragon heartstrings. However, I recently acquired something very few wandmakers have the opportunity to work with. Snallygaster heartstrings. They are not native to this part of the world, and quite dangerous even where they are found. This wand, eight and three quarter inches, very supple, silver lime and snallygaster heartstring, it is one of a kind. It is the first wand I have ever made using these materials. Silver lime is not a usual wood for me, but as it was a special occasion, I indulged. It has no equal in beauty, if you will permit me a lapse in humility.”
Ariana gave an elegant wave and the air rippled and sang. Light seemed to condense like dew on her skin. Harry stroked her hair and smiled. Ollivander raised his arms in triumph. “My friends, I do believe we have discovered our match. The wand chooses the wizard, or rather the witch in this case. There is no doubt that this wand belongs to you.”
Harry had to agree. It was clear to anyone watching that she and the wand were perfectly matched. She looked at him hopefully and he kissed her on the cheek. She let out a high pitched chirp of joy. Ollivander dug up a spare case and some care products and packaged everything up for them, and then he approached Harry at the counter.
“There is one final matter that we did not discuss. For every wand, every wand owner, I have always charged the same amount. I feel it only appropriate to see that every child, no matter the circumstance, is able to use a wand of respectable quality.” Harry awaited the ‘but’. “This, however, is a somewhat unique case. My costs in producing this wand were somewhat higher, and I do feel the need to recoup some of that loss. I hope you understand.”
Harry braced himself, but whatever it was, he was willing to pay. This was important. “Generally, my wands are seven galleons. Indeed, this has been my price for many years. Your own wand was the same, you’ll remember.” Harry continued to wait. “However, for this wand, I feel that I cannot let it go for less than…” Here it goes. “Ten galleons, I think.”
Harry blinked owlishly. “Oh? Oh, well, okay then.” He counted out ten galleons and handed them over. Ollivander accepted payment apologetically and handed over the package of materials. Harry continued to stand at the counter, as if waiting for another hook, but none came. He bobbed uncertainly, then raised a hand in thanks and guided Ariana to the street.
“Was it terribly expensive? Please don’t say you spent too much on me?” Ariana asked desperately.
“What? Oh, no. Not at all, actually. It wasn’t any problem.” Harry said awkwardly. Ariana hugged him excitedly and kissed him on the chin.
“Thank you so much. You can’t know how much this means to me.” She beamed with pride and satisfaction.
“It was my pleasure! Really, it was no trouble at all. I’m just glad we found the right wand for you.” Harry shuffled his feet in embarrassment. “We should go meet up with Hermione. She’s probably been done for ages already.”
They made their way to Florean Fortescue’s ice cream parlor, and in fact Hermione had not been waiting and only just arrived as they walked through the door. She had two big bags full of supplies, one of which she handed off to Harry to carry, so that she could transfer a spray bottle into her handbag.
“I think I got everything that she’ll need. We can always order anything that we forgot once we get to Hogwarts. Did Ariana get a new wand?” Hermione asked.
Ariana held out the light and graceful wand, and Hermione ooh’d and aah’d admiringly. The girls sat down and talked about wands while Harry went to get them all ice cream. He returned with three paper cups full of a very odd butterscotch and pineapple flavor that Ariana loved and Hermione refused after a quick nibble to be replaced with rum raisin.
Harry leaned against the wall and smiled as he watched Hermione teaching Ariana the best way to grip her wand to maximize her range of motion. He blew a kiss at the back of her head, and some sixth sense seemed to register because she turned around and smiled warmly at him. Ariana was exuberantly focused on learning and kept poking at the air and letting out little violet starbursts. Hermione took her hand and guided her through a simple motion that tossed Harry into a maelstrom of memory.
The last six years of his life had been dense and rich with experiences. When it all slowed down, though, what he remembered was very simple. He remembered huddling under the Invisibility Cloak in dark halls. He remembered a confused and angry troll being concussed by three friends who trusted each other. He remembered a bossy little girl fixing his glasses just to prove she could. He remembered a little boy with dirt on his nose who just wanted to be friends. When the warm breeze blew over his skin, it found Harry far away, thinking of trust and love and friendship. Swish and flick.
- 7
- 8
- 9
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Dislocation

Chapter 8: